Merry Christmas...Halloween style!

Even Jack Skellington loves Xmas! Just think...Halloween is less than a year away now. :)

You know you're a true Halloween fan when....

...you're at Michael's in mid-December, and while everyone else is shopping for Christmas stuff, you're looking at Halloween. Yes, I am already missing it. I love Christmas, too, but somehow I kept finding myself more interested in the few remaining Halloween things. I was looking at the Halloween stickers the store has in their scrap booking aisle, and even purchased two of them. I've decided I want to start collecting some of that stuff, since there are so many cute ones. I've never done scrap booking before, but I figure it's a good way to keep that part of me who loves Halloween at least somewhat satisfied.

Here's hoping that next Halloween will truly be an awesome one!

Headless Horseman

I came across this great site that shows how one couple created a very good headless horseman prop. They also did a great scarecrow much like the one from 'Sleepy Hollow'. Included are instructions and photos of how to make the horseman prop. The story of the headless horseman has always been one of my favorites, so this is one I definitely have to try!

Source: http://laceyjaye22.wordpress.com/2007/10/03/the-headless-horseman-has-been-sighted/

'Scarecrow'

He trembles in the bitter wind
Until it's time for us to speak
Whilst others here are sleeping sound
I'll slip away by floorboard creak
Upon the hill he'll hear my secrets
Shock the colours to bleach inside
Whilst others there are sleeping sound
Just we two will confide

Listen to his body moan
Make a wish and send us home
To spin the gold and silver stitches
We can turn his rags to riches

With frosty Jack on fingernail
Thro' shoe black smile he'll tell-a-tale
Come whisper thro' your lips of straw
A moment torn forever more

Listen to his body groan
Make a wish and send us home
To spin the gold and silver stitches
We can turn his rags to riches

My so-called friends say you're not alive
I'll bake their bones for telling lies
Then pull the pastry from the pie
And pour the gravy in their eye

Listen to his body moan
Make a wish and send us home
To spin the gold and silver stitches
We can turn his rags to riches

By Siouxsie and the Banshees

All Hallows Day

So, today is November 1st...Hallowmas. Halloween has already come and gone. It is very dark and damp outside, and seems to fit the day after Halloween known as All Hallows. Halloween was a quiet one for me this year. I stayed home and carved a headless horseman jack-o-lantern, and set it outside in the rain along with a couple of other jacks. I turned off all the lights so their glow would be the only thing that could be seen in the rain and darkness. As usual, we didn't get a single TOT. I am always somewhat bummed that we no longer get them anymore. I stayed up late watching the 'Ghost Hunters' 7-hour live investigation in Fort Delaware. I always enjoy watching their show. It wasn't the most exciting Halloween, but I have next year to look forward to.

364 days to go...*smirk*

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

My fellow witches, ghouls and other creatures of the night...it is finally time. Our holiday is upon us at last. The weather here is perfect for All Hallow's Eve--dark, damp and dreary. I hope everyone has a scare-ific time tonight! Above all, be sure to scare the living hell out of those unsuspecting victims who dare to venture into your yard. *evil grin*

Carpe noctem (Seize the night),

The Pumpkin Queen

The Great Pumpkin

For those of us who love Halloween, I think there's truth to this.

Less than a week to go...

..'til Halloween, that is. It is almost here, my friends. Can you believe it?? I can't believe I won't be doing anything this year. Blasphemy! LOL It shouldn't be too terrible, though. I'm looking forward to watching 'Ghost Hunters'. Josh Gates, from 'Destination Truth', will be hosting the show, and several other SciFi people will be joining the TAPS team during their live investigation. It should be interesting.

Halloween plans

So, it looks like I am probably not going to be going out on Halloween this year. Normally, the thought of staying home on my favorite night of the year would seriously depress me, but luckily this year, I have a good reason for spending it at home. In fact, a part of me actually *wants* to be home so that I can watch one of my favorite shows, 'Ghost Hunters'. I'm not usually a big fan of reality shows, but seeing as how this one deals with the paranormal, I'm pretty hooked. On Halloween night, the TAPS team will be doing a ghost hunt live at the "Black Hole" in Fort Delaware-- a location that's reportedly very active in terms of paranormal activity. I missed last year's live investigation on Halloween, so I'm really looking forward to seeing this one. Viewers can communicate with the team all during the investigation, and alert them to anything out of the ordinary that the team might not notice. It should be very interesting. I've become quite a fan of this show. I really like that they go into an investigation while trying to be as objective as possible. Instead of trying to prove that a location is haunted, they first try to rule out all other possible reasons for the strange goings-on. This seems to separate the team from other ghost hunters, who go into investigations with the assumption that a place is haunted without having good evidence to support it. It should make for a fun way to spend Halloween.

Source: http://www.scifi.com/ghosthunters/live/

The Pumpkin Dance

I love how surreal this one is.

Source: http://adoc.deviantart.com/art/Pumpkin-PAtch-52151596?moodonly=24

Pumpkin Patch Cake

I want this recipe!!!

Autumn Beauty, con't.

Another one I had to include.

Autumn Beauty, con't.

I couldn't resist adding this one. How beautiful it is. Even the sky is just brilliant. I would love to wake up to a view like this greeting me every morning. I had to put it on my desktop. I just had to.

Autumn Beauty

I love the look of vast fields covered with golden pumpkins.

Stoneykins Pumpkin Carving Patterns

Another great site with tons of fantastic carving patterns. I love this one with the cat.

Stoneykins: http://www.stoneykins.com/index.html

Scarecrow Skulls

Made out of papier mache...very cool.

Stolloween Papier Mache props

I never would have thought you could make such wonderful props with something like papier mache, but obviously, I was wrong. These are great!

Source: http://www.stolloween.com/

Haunted Home contest

Okay, for all of you ultra talented home haunters out there, you might just want to check out this site and enter your haunt in this contest! It's called the 'Home is Where the Haunt Is' contest, and if you win, they will pay your mortgage for a year (up to $25,000). Check it out!

http://www.fearnet.com/HH2008/index.html

"Scary Sleep-over"

I found this link to a funny Halloween game called 'Scary Sleep Over'. You try to scare the person out of the house by morning using the spooky effects. I'm ashamed to admit I couldn't do it!!! *sob* It's a fun game to play if you're bored.

http://www.playedonline.com/game/517/Scary-Sleep-Over.html

Pumpkin Festival

I love Fall festivals. One of my favorites was the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival. I don't live in that region anymore, but when I did, I always enjoyed going to this event. They have all sorts of entertainment, and the streets are blocked off from traffic, and lined with vendors selling all sorts of stuff from art, jewelry, food, clothing, etc. There is also a haunted house, and of course, a great pumpkin weigh off. The pumpkins are incredible!

http://www.miramarevents.com/pumpkinfest/

More Halloween yummies!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple-Ginger Frosting

I recently made some Halloween sugar cookies, pumpkin soup, and some delicious pumpkin pudding. Next on my list are pumpkin cupcakes. We bought a Halloween Sprinkle Set at Michael's. It's a set of all sorts of decorative toppings for cookies, cupcakes, etc. In doing a search for different recipes, I found this one with a maple-ginger frosting. Maple-ginger just sounds too good to pass up, so I've decided to try it. I'm planning on making them this weekend, and I can't wait! I just love Fall. Pumpkin is everywhere. It is one of my favorite flavors, and I love to make pumpkin desserts. It gives me the perfect excuse to go crazy making all sorts of pumpkin treats. (Not that I need an excuse, anyway!) ;)

For the recipe, go here: http://raspberryeggplant.blogspot.com/2007/11/pumpkin-cupcakes-with-maple-ginger.html

The Vineyard House

One of the most popular themes for a Halloween attraction is the haunted house. After all, what would Halloween be without a haunted house or two?? Theatrical haunted house attractions are plentiful around Halloween time, but what about a real haunted house? Such is the case with the house pictured above (the second picture was taken around 1900). Known as the Vineyard House, it's located in the historic town of Coloma, Ca-- home of the famous California Gold Rush. I have always thought it was pretty cool to live near such a historic place, but what I especially loved about it was the Vineyard House. From the time I was quite young, my parents and neighbor kids told stories about the house being haunted, and of course I loved hearing them. The stories fascinated me, and I loved it when my parents would take us to Coloma to have dinner at the house (when it was open as a restaurant and bar), and also to the James Marshall monuments by the river. The history of the house is a very long and tragic one. It is a known fact that Robert and Louisa Chalmers, the original husband and wife, died there, as did numerous others when the basement of the house was later used as a jail. The story goes that Robert came down with syphilus and began to lose his mind and his eyesight. He supposedly claimed that Louisa was trying to poison him, and at some point after things had gotten out of control, she had him chained in the basement, where he eventually died of starvation. Robert is one of the people who is believed to haunt the house, as is his wife, Louisa. After his death, she became desperate for money, and finally allowed the lower part of the house to be used as a jail. According to accounts, there were at least several executions that took place right outside the house as well. One of the owners many years later found very old, wooden coffins underneath the stairs leading to the front door while the house was being renovated.

Over the years, different owners have come and gone and tried to make a go of the place as a restaurant and inn, and many of them had unsettling experiences. The basement, where Robert Chalmers died chained to a wall, was used as the bar, and many strange incidents took place in there. One bartender, while cleaning up late at night, claimed that while he was wiping down one end of the bar, a glass at the far other end slid all the way down the bar towards him all by itself, and stopped right in front of him. Other stories were told by guests who stayed in the upstairs bedrooms. One story was told by a couple who were awakened late at night by the sound of people talking loudly as they walked up the stairs. The husband opened up the door to tell the noisemakers to quiet down, and when he did, he saw three men dressed in Victorian clothing fade before his eyes. Another story was another couple who experienced something that scared them so badly that they packed their things and left in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, they did not share what happened to scare them like that, so I cannot say what it was. If only they had told someone!

Another cool thing about the place is that there is a very old graveyard directly across from the Vineyard House. The Chalmers' family are among the people buried there. There is supposedly the ghost of a lady dressed in black period clothes who has been seen in the cemetery. She is known as the Lady in Black. I always wished I would see or hear something paranormal whenever I was there, but I never did. The house has been a private residence for many years now, but I have heard talk of it being re-opened as a restaurant and bar. I keep hoping there's truth to this rumor. It has such a fascinating history, and there are so many stories told by its owners, its customers, and guests that the place is famous for its hauntings. I once read that it was featured on 'That's Incredible' and also 'Ripley's Believe It Or Not'. I wish I had those episodes. I'd have loved to have seen them. I will always think of how cool it is that I grew up not too far from a real haunted house!

Jack-o-lantern house

This is truly unbelievable. I wish I could go to West Virginia just to see this. If you visit the site below, there is a video of it, along with the lights all blinking in tune with music. Amazing!

Kenova Pumpkin House: http://www.neatorama.com/2007/10/27/the-kenova-pumpkin-house/

Man-eating spider

I thought this was one hell of a yard display! I must admit that I'm arachnophobic, but I can still appreciate a great yard haunt--and a most unusual one, at that-- when I see one. I love the lighting in this display, too. Fantastic.

Source: http://www.bazillionlights.com/History/Halloween2007.html

Devil's Minions

I came across this cool site with burning pumpkins. A very cool effect, indeed. I just noticed that the flame on the middle pumpkin looks like an evil face on the right side. It's like a profile view of a skull face, as if the pumpkin is spewing forth a demon from hell. Wow!!

Source: http://geekus.org/BurningPumpkins2006/

Halloween smiles

I want my front window to look like this. I love to see happy, glowing pumpkins. They just look like they're shouting, "Happy Halloween!" Magical.

Krewe of Boo Halloween Parade in New Orleans

One of many scenes from New Orleans' Halloween parade with the Vampire Lestat and Armand! I so wish I could be back in New Orleans again for Halloween...especially to see my favorite vampires!

I love New Orleans. The City that Never Sleeps and America's Most Haunted City are just a couple of its famous nicknames. One visit there, and you can clearly see why. It is a beautiful, dark, magical, mystical, almost surreal place for those of us who love cities cloaked in darkness and mystery. It is a haven for vampires, witches and ghosts, or anyone who has a flair for the dark and dramatic. It is one of the best places to be for Halloween. Take my word for it.

Krewe of Boo: http://www.kreweofboo.org/index.html

Extreme Pumpkins II

I just saw this in an email sent to me from Border's. "Take back Halloween and freak out a few more neighbors." I love it. LOL I might just have to get this.

Crawling Vampire

I came across this awesome prop awhile ago and have always wanted it.

Source: The Horror Dome
http://thehorrordome.com/

Hanging Vampire prop

Another wonderful life-size prop from The Horror Dome. I have a thing for vampires. I would love to have this thing hanging from the corner of my room. It reminds me of the one from Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Cauldron Witch

I want this. I want this NOW. Life-size, animatronic witch stirring her wicked brew. Awesome.

Courtesy of The Horror Dome: http://thehorrordome.com/

If you like gothic art....

...then you should dig the art of Joseph Vargo. Some very cool stuff.

Monolith Graphics:
http://www.monolithgraphics.com/vr.html?http://www.monolithgraphics.com/darkrealms.html

Home Haunt

A great haunted yard display!

Source: http://flickr.com/photos/christophermar/285980839/

Haunted house III

I especially love this one. I love what appear to be trick-or-treaters dressed as ghosts running towards (or away from) the house.

Haunted house II

Another place I would gladly reside in.

Evil Scarecrow

One of my favorite symbols of Halloween--the evil scarecrow. I absolutely love this one in particular. Aside from how creepy its face looks, there's something especially creepy about it being dressed in a tux. Don't know why, but to me, it makes it all the more creepier.

Pumpkin Man

Creepy. 'Nuff said.

Source: http://cartercomicsblog.blogspot.com/2005_10_01_archive.html

Halloween Treats

Perfect little goodies for Halloween!

Animated Halloween

Well, it's *supposed* to be animated. It actually has a witch that flies across the moon, but for some reason, it isn't working. Ah, well. Still a cool image.

Halloween Wedding Cake

Now this is seriously too cool. I love Jack and Sally on the top. I wonder if the bride and groom were dressed like them. hehe

Scarecrow on Halloween

Another one I really like. He looks like he's watching the firecrackers.

Haunted house I

This picture is simply magical! I want to live there. Oh, the Halloween parties I would throw!!

Monster Cake!

I couldn't believe this one! It's a zombie cake! Yep, that's right! It's a real cake. How cool is that for a Halloween party?!

Witchy

I love how the witch's face glows in the candlelight. Wonderful image.

Witch in Flight

I've always loved the image of a witch flying against a harvest moon on a dark Halloween night. I'd give anything to see it for real.

An October Saturday

Today was a nice way to spend an early October Saturday. It rained a little on and off all day, and the cool, damp weather is so crisp and refreshing. It feels great. I've had the back door, and several bedroom windows, open all day. I look out at the back deck and notice how many dead leaves already cover it. When I walked down to the barn to feed the horse and get the newspaper early this morning, it was so over cast and misty that it seemed like winter. I looked down the windy street towards the houses on the hills in the distance, and I thought of how soon the holidays would be here, and how those hills would be glowing with Christmas lights. It's such a beautiful sight. It always seems strange to me when the holidays finally come around again. It's hard to believe that a whole year has already gone by. Aside from all the chores and errands that I did today, I also made some Halloween cookies. I got some ghost, cat, and pumpkin cookie cutters a month or so ago, and I finally got around to using them. I got some orange frosting and black icing and made little jack-o-lantern cookies. It was a pretty nice day to enjoy the wonderful October weather, and relax and do some fun, Halloween-related activities. I think tonight I will start carving my other foam pumpkin. One of my favorite Halloween movies is coming on soon, and what better way to get into the Halloween spirit than carving a pumpkin while watching a Halloween movie?? There is almost nothing better than that. :)

October, at last

So it is October now. The waiting is over. Our favorite season is finally here, and our favorite holiday is only in a matter of days. It's strange how I wait anxiously all year long for this time of year , thinking and dreaming about Halloween, and all the exciting things I'm going to do to celebrate it. Then, when it finally comes around, I feel like it got here so suddenly that I don't have enough time to do everything I wanted to do to prepare for it. That always bums me out. I love almost nothing more than to celebrate this time of year. Things have not been great lately, though, and I am finding that a lot of things that I had looked forward to are sadly not going to happen. I am hoping that this, my most favorite month out of the year, will bring me out of the awful funk I've been in for several months now.

I love Halloween images. I search the 'Net all throughout the year searching for them. One of my favorites are the ones of glowing jack-o-lanterns. I found some cool images this morning that I thought were worthy of adding to this blog, as a way of welcoming in October. (See below.)

Some new additions...

I was at Ross today, and they had their Halloween stuff on sale. I was able to get a few cool little things to add to my collection. I got a tall pillar candle from Hauntville Witches' Brew. It has black and orange stripes, and the scent is called 'Pumpkin Fright'. It's a really wicked looking candle. I gotta' go back and get one in the smaller size, too. Even the tag looks creepy, and it has a little black spider hanging from it. I even love the smell.

They also had a really cool candle holder that I had to have. It's two skeleton hands holding a glass tea light candle holder. I'd like to go back and get one or two more of them. I also picked out a jack-o-lantern soap dispenser for the bathroom. Yes, I even put decorations in the bathroom! ;)
I already have an orange bubble light with a witch and a black cat in there, and also a candle holder with a haunted house design. It looks so cool when it's lit! I'm not going to want to take this stuff down after Halloween is over. I usually keep up at least a few little things just 'cuz I'm such a nut for spooky stuff. I'd like to keep some of these candles around, and maybe even the skeleton candle holder. Now seems to be a good time to buy Halloween stuff, since so many places already have their stuff on sale. Christmas is beginning to take over, and while I love Christmas, I'm not ready to see all the Halloween stuff disappear yet. It is always kind of a sad day when that happens.

Welcome, Fall

So, today is officially the first day of Fall. How wonderful. The mornings have been quite chilly lately, and more and more leaves are falling from the trees and covering the ground. Today is the first day that I am actually wearing a sweater! I love when I go from wearing tank tops and t-shirts to long-sleeve shirts, sweaters, and jackets. I've always loved Fall clothing.

We were putting out some more Fall/Halloween decorations last night in our living room. We bought one of those animated ceramic figurines from the 'Spooky Town' collection at Michael's, and put it on top of an antique piece of furniture. It's called the Full Moon Apothecary, and it makes spooky sounds and plays an eerie tune, while a green witch flies over the rooftop making an evil cackle. It's too cool. Then, we draped a Fall garland with leaves and corn husks all around it. We put some other things on some of the other furniture, too. I'd like to go back to Micheal's and get one or two more of the 'Spooky Town' figurines while they're on sale. I still have quite a bit more I'd love to do, but don't know if I'll actually get around to it all. I started to put some multi-colored Halloween lights outside around our doorway last night. I also finally found a carving pattern kit that I liked, and I plan to begin carving two of my foam pumpkins this week. If all goes as planned, I hope to have them done by the weekend. I'd like to grab a few more of them since they're on sale, too. I always carve a few real pumpkins, but I wait until a few days before Halloween. I like to enjoy the wonderful smell of a candlelit jack-o-lantern as long as I can, which isn't very long, unfortunately. At least I also have Thanksgiving to look forward to, though. Awhile back, I found a turkey pattern, and I carved a pumpkin with it once. It was one of the most difficult patterns I ever did, but it looked fantastic! I had never thought of having a jack-o-lantern on our Thanksgiving table, but it added so much to the decor. In fact, it was everyone's favorite. No one could believe it was a real pumpkin, or that I had done the carving. At least it gives me a chance to enjoy having a jack-o-lantern around for a little while longer once Halloween is over.

Halloween merrymaking

I went back to Michael's today and got some more stuff to decorate the inside of the house with. Below are some of the neat little things I brought home with me:

Fall-colored garlands to drape around the dining room table;
Halloween candle holders, and some LED tea lights to use with them;
A Halloween bubble light with a ghost and a black cat;
'Dreadful Manor', from the 'Spooky Town' collection;
A metal sign that reads, "Welcome Witches and Ghouls", which I hung outside next to the front door;
An Evil Scarecrow figurine by 'Spooky Town' that has a jack-o-lantern head that lights up. I put him in my 'Great Pumpkin' pumpkin patch.

I also put up a strand of ghost lights across the top of our entertainment center, right above two ceramic pumpkins that light up. I felt it wouldn't be right to be decorating for Halloween without Jack Skellington being a part of it, so I put on my Special Edition 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' dvd while I was decorating. To top it off, I was beginning to smell the delicious chocolate Goblin Bars that were almost finished baking in the oven. I found the recipe for them on the back of an M&M's bag. They sounded too yummy to resist trying, so I thought tonight would be a great time to make them while I was busy doing my Halloween merrymaking, as I call it. I am still looking for some new pumpkin carving patterns to use on the foam pumpkins that I bought recently. The ones I saw at Michael's and Target just didn't impress me much. I think I might get some online from Zombie Pumpkins, since he has so many amazing creations to choose from. I still have more to do before I feel ready for the Big Night, but I'm feeling excited about how things look so far. I love all the creepy decor and glowing faces all over the house.

And now for those Goblin Bars....

Some poems for the Dark Season

Not only do I really love stories about Fall and Halloween, but I also love poetry about it. It seems kind of hard to find good poems about Halloween, but when something catches my attention, I never forget it. Such is the case with the following poems. They tug at my heart because of my love of this blessed season, and because of how much I adore Halloween.

'Theme in Yellow', by Carl Sandburg

I spot the hills
With yellow balls in autumn.
I light the prairie cornfields
Orange and tawny gold clusters
And I am called pumpkins.
On the last of October
When dusk is fallen
Children join hands
And circle round me
Singing ghost songs
And love to the harvest moon;
I am a jack-o'-lantern
With terrible teeth
And the children know
I am fooling.

'Under the Harvest Moon', by Carl Sandburg

When the soft silver
Drips shimmering
Over the garden nights,
Death, the gray mocker,
Comes and whispers to you
As a beautiful friend
Who remembers.

Under the summer roses
When the flagrant crimson
Lurks in the dusk
Of the wild red leaves,
Love, with little hands,
Comes and touches you
With a thousand memories,
And asks you
Beautiful, unanswerable questions.

'Autumn', by A. Ferdinand Herold

DEAR, do you see the autumn fruits a-lying?
Listen, what slow, monotonous flute is sighing
A song of parting through the shivering wold?
O the song of the flute is pale, the tune so old
Its passing seems to wither all the leaves.
The sky has lost now its diaphanous eves
Which charmed your eyes not very long ago.
No gladioli now nor lilies blow,
And see the rose-leaves on the garden grass,
The last flower that the autumn slays, alas!
Dear, can you hear the falling of the fruit?
Into the night sounds, weeps the woodland flute,
Into the night that veils our happy path,
Into the night that all things shadowed hath.

Carving that jack-o-lantern!

One of my favorite things about Halloween is the carving of the jack-o-lantern! I used to love to do just the traditional type of design, with the triangle eyes, nose and mouth. I still love almost nothing more than a really sinister expression on a glowing pumpkin, but I've also become very fond of non-traditional designs that you get from, say, Pumpkin Masters. I've seen some really awesome works of art, and have done some pretty darn good ones myself, if I may say so! ;) I'm always on the look out for something new that's super spooky. Some time ago, I was doing an online search for just this sort of thing when I came across Zombie Pumpkins. (www.zombiepumpkins.com) It's dedicated to practically any kind of carving design you can think of (movies, musicians, actors, TV, etc.). They not only have Halloween-style designs, but also ones for summer and other events. Seeing as how I love scarecrows, one of my favorites is Patch Master. I believe you are asked to pay a very small fee for some of the more elaborate designs, but I think it's worth it. They have some free ones as well. What I also like about the site is that you can add your own photo of your special Zombie Pumpkins creation to the customers' gallery. One of these years I am going to add one of mine.

If you love carving pumpkins as much as I do, I recommend that you check out this site! It has a lot of cool stuff to look at, and if nothing else, it's a fun way to kill some time if you need to!

It's starting to look like Halloween! :)

Ok, so I'm still far from having everything up that I was hoping to have up this year, but at least parts of the house are starting to look Halloween-ish. I put up my hanging jack lantern the other night, and am very happy with it (although I was a little disappointed that it wasn't as big as I thought it would be). Nonetheless, it's a great little addition, and I'd love to have about four or five more of them. There is also a white ghost that I hope to get. I'd like to alternate the jack-0-lanterns and the ghosts along the deck. These are perfect for lighting a walkway, or for hanging around a room or patio if you're having a party. Last night, I finally got out some of my decorations and started to go to work on my decorating. I hung a wooden skeleton with wobbly legs, and holding a sign that says 'Happy Halloween', in front of our doorway. But I was most pleased with the table that I decorated! First, I found a Fall-colored table runner with scarecrows and cornstalks on it and put it on the table. I then put a fake pumpkin that I carved the other night on one end of the table, and a jack-o-lantern with a straw-filled hat and fiber optic lights at the other end. I also found my 'Peanuts' 'Great Pumpkin' collectibles and placed them in the center of the table between the jack-o-lanterns. (I'm a big 'Peanuts' fan, so I was very happy when I found these at a Target store a few years ago!) Unfortunately, the 'Peanuts' characters, with their Halloween costumes on, weren't in the box with the pumpkin patch set, so I'm going to have to look for them. A few weeks ago I had bought two scarecrow figurines at TJ Maxx, and I added them to my little scene as well. I will probably do what I did last year and add a strand of either orange or purple lights around the whole table. I just really love lights. I can go nuts with them at Halloween and Christmas. I will be putting some along the deck some time this week. I always wish I could leave them up year round. I saw so many great little things at Walmart the last time I was there! I have not even been to a Halloween store yet, but that's next on my list. I happened to see a Spirit Halloween store just the other day, and I simply can't pass up on going this year.

So, finally, it is looking more and more like a Halloween fanatic lives here. I always have tons of ideas for what I want to do, but it never seems like I can manage to do even half of them. Someday, when I don't have tons of homework to do, or tests to study for, I can devote much more time to creating something really fantastic. Oh, how I long for that day.

I'm slowly getting there...

...being ready for Halloween, that is. (Note the word 'slowly'). I simply haven't the time that I wish I had to really put all of my effort into it like I'd like. There is still hope, however! Just today, I went to lunch with my folks, and I needed to stop by Walmart to get another yard of my Halloween fabric for the bedspread I'm making. They had their first Halloween set-up, and I got a cool little hanging lantern with a jack-o-lantern face. (I can't wait to go to sleep with that spooky face glowing in the corner of my room!) I also got a Halloween blankie, some Halloween cookie cutters, and some of those little pumpkin candies. You know the ones I mean. They're basically just candy corn, but they're in the shape of pumpkins. Great little snacks, they are. I hope to make some cookies this weekend with the cookie cutters I got today. The set included a witch, a pumpkin, and a cat. I just have to get the icing and other decorations, and I'll be able to make some creepy little cookies!

Then, in the mail today, I was excited to see that I received my seasonal catalog from The Winfield Collection. If you haven't ever heard of them, they're a company that sells all sorts of woodcraft patterns and supplies. They have patterns for every holiday, and also other things, like cute little benches and stuff. They always come out with a catalog just for the holidays. I am not skilled with woodworking, but the stuff I see in this catalog makes me want to learn. Eventually, when I am finally done with school once and for all, I intend to devote a good deal of my time to learning things I really want to learn, like sewing, prop making, and woodworking. One year, my uncle made a really wonderful Christmas yard display with woodwork. It was Santa in his sleigh (which was life-size), and his reindeer. It was all white, and my uncle had put clear lights on the sleigh, and it was just stunning. I've always remembered that, and have always dreamed of doing that in my own yard. But I also want to do some Halloween woodwork, and The Winfield Collection has some great patterns to choose from. Some of them are even animated. I would recommend them to anyone who loves to decorate for the holidays.

And now, I am off to put my lantern together. It's going to be so cool to have it hanging in the corner of my room. I might just have to leave it up year-round. ;)

Halloween preparations

I am already starting to get a little bit anxious about being ready in time for Halloween. Even though it's next month, I guess I wasn't expecting to be so busy with school that I wouldn't have more time to devote to my decorating. My faux pumpkin still sits on my floor next to my bed, waiting to be transformed into some ghastly creation . Poor guy. He must feel so neglected. I also haven't finished my ceramic ghost holding his little jack-0-lantern. He's been sitting in our dining room forever, and is just too cute to not be included in the Halloween festivities this year. I still want to go back to Michael's and get at least one more pumpkin, as well as a few more things if I can afford them. Being on a budget seriously sucks around the holiday season. There is always way more stuff that I want to buy or create, but either don't have the time or the money for. *sigh* I really want to begin planning a costume. I'd like something different than last year, but am not sure what. I think it's about time to pay the Costume Mansion a visit. Perhaps I can do just that after I get the dreaded algebra test over with this Friday. I must also share that I saw the first house with Halloween decorations the other day! It was while I was doing my run through the neighborhood. As I passed the big, white house with the huge, black gates, I noticed a wooden pumpkin on a stick lining the driveway on the hill, and a banner that said 'Happy Halloween'. It actually made me smile to see someone else who is obviously looking forward to Halloween. But then, they were always into it. I remember those people from when we were kids, and we would trek up their steep driveway to go trick-or-treating. The wife would answer the door with a big bowl of candy, or with a plate full of homemade cookies, and she would seem so happy to see us. Back then, we had quite a few houses around here that were wonderful when it came to Halloween. That doesn't seem to be the case as much anymore. It's nice to know there is still at least one family that still enjoys it.

On another note, one nice thing is that it is slowly beginning to feel like Fall is on its way. The days are indeed getting shorter, and the mornings tend to have a chill in the air. I just love that. I love how after a long, hot summer those first days begin to appear, where you have to put on a sweater when you first get up in the morning. As I sit here writing this, I already feel like Fall is here. I keep waiting for the leaves to start turning red and gold, and for the streets--and our driveway--to be covered with them. The wait is almost over. Not much longer now. :)

More Halloween goodies, and some great news!

I went to Michael's again yesterday. I actually went there for something that was not Halloween related, but of course, being that there was tons of Halloween stuff--old and new--I couldn't just walk out of there without purchasing *something*. I finally got another large pumpkin to carve. They were 40% off, so how could I resist?! I also bought one of those big strobe lights to put inside the pumpkin, which I thought might look kind of cool. I've never used a strobe light, but I've always seen them in the stores and wondered how they looked. I'm finally gonna' find out! Oh, I also got a life-size, foam skull that I thought would look good on the deck railing, along with the lights and other decorations that I plan to put up this year. I couldn't believe the sales that Michael's was having! If only I had more to spend, I could have come home with so much great stuff. Oh, well. All in good time. I really want to go back to TJ Maxx, too. They had some really cute stuff. I was impressed.

Probably the highlight of my day, aside from buying some more Halloween stuff, was that I saw one of the huge Halloween stores, 'Halloween World', already open for business. I did not get a chance to go in, unfortunately, because I was with my mother, and we had errands to run. I will be back down there again tomorrow, though, and will definitely be dropping by to check it out. I also noticed a sign on one of the buildings near the mall that said something about a haunted house, and that they were casting people for it. I don't live near the mall, or I would probably go and see about getting involved.

Halloween is *next* month, people. I can't even believe it's so close.

It's Halloween galore at Michael's!!!

So, I went to Michael's again today, and could not BELIEVE all the Halloween stuff they had out! I was so excited to see that they had a bunch of new stuff this year. Unfortunately, I am on a bit of a budget, so I was only able to buy a few small things (which made my day, nonetheless!). I've decided that I want to carve more fake pumpkins this year, in addition to a few real ones, and I'd like to start carving them now. I want a fairly good assortment by the time Halloween gets here. I figure that with all the time and effort that I put into my jack-o-lantern designs, it would be nice to have some that will last for many Halloweens to come. I'll have to go back and get a few in different sizes. I purchased some new carving tools that are designed specifically for fake pumpkins. They're stronger than the regular tools, and should work great on real pumpkins, too. I also bought a medium-sized, ceramic pumpkin candle holder, and one of those pumpkin lights that's designed to flicker like a real candle. Besides the strings of lights that I always line the deck with, I think I also want to put out some of these jack-o-lantern candle holders using flicker lights instead of real candles. As much as I love real candlelight, I love the idea of coming home late on Halloween night to my house glowing with spooky little jack-o-lanterns. It's the only safe way to go without worrying about burning the place down. LOL I saw that Michael's now has tall candle pillars that are made out of real wax, but they use the LED flicker lights. They had several different decorated ones, like a witch, a skeleton, spider webs, and a haunted house. They glow and flicker like a real candle, but these also make spooky sounds! I was thinking about getting some and putting them along the railing of our deck. One other thing that I thought was cool was a large light-up sign that counts down the days until Halloween. I would love to put that sucker at the end of our driveway for all to see. Michael's had some big, new props, too-- like a life-size bride and groom that has a motion sensor. The bride carries her head in one of her hands, and the groom says funny things like, "You look like you've seen a ghost. You must have met my bride!" and then finishes with an evil laugh. The other customers in the store really got a kick out of these guys whenever they walked by them, and I think they'd be a great touch to any haunt. There were quite a few other animated props that I would love to add to my haunt this year. I love nothing more than finding new things to add to my collection every year. I can't wait to go back and get some more stuff later on this week. Hooray! Halloween is coming soon!! Pics coming soon!! ;)

Fall days

Aside from the wonderful, cool weather, and Halloween, there are other things that always make me look forward to the fall season. One thing that my family and I have always made a point of doing towards the end of September is taking a nice drive up to Apple Hill. This is a beautiful area, about an hour from Lake Tahoe, filled with vineyards, orchards, pumpkin patches, and Christmas tree lots. Each year, starting around the end of September, all of the largest, most popular ranches open up to the public and begin getting ready for the holidays. My favorite ranch is called High Hill Ranch. Aside from their delicious homemade pies and apple cider, there are tons of arts and crafts, food vendors, jewelry, and wine sellers. I love to go to Apple Hill the first time right before Halloween to look at all of the Halloween stuff, and then again right before Christmas. As usual, I am looking forward to visiting High Hill Ranch when it opens up next month.

It's beckoning....

Halloween, that is. I don't care that it's still a little ways away. So it isn't next month...as if that would stop me! I am already feeling like I want to start putting up decorations, as if to give it a warm welcome. I blame, in part, the weather, which is quite unlike weather we normally have this time of year. This week, it has suddenly gone from 100-degrees, to a much cooler, almost fall-like temperature. Naturally, I am loving it. My favorite time of the year is quickly approaching. Even though we are still in the summer season, right now it feels as if we are in the early stages of Fall. There has been a nice, cool breeze, and I swear that once or twice I have caught that heavenly scent that smells how Fall should smell. It's the smell of damp leaves, and fires burning in wood stoves somewhere in the distance. I have always said that Halloween has its own smell. It's one of my favorites; like the smell of a freshly carved pumpkin. Or, better yet, the wonderful smell of a jack-o-lantern when its lid begins to burn. But it's mostly when I begin to see signs of Fall and Halloween in all the stores around town that my desire to decorate really kicks into gear. We are almost in September now, and Halloween will be here before we know it. This is the part that I think I love most of all. That is, the anticipation of it, and all the preparation that goes into it. I am anxiously looking forward to it as I do every year. Mostly, though, I can't wait to visit my favorite stores again, and to seeing what new stuff I'll find to add to my collection. Yep, Halloween is on its way, and I'm going to be good 'n ready for it!

Halloween in New Orleans

About five years ago, I had the privilege of spending my favorite holiday, Halloween, in my favorite city- New Orleans. I fell in love with this amazing place through the vampire novels of Anne Rice, and when I finally saw New Orleans in person for the first time, I felt as if I already knew it. I didn't feel like I was in a strange, new place; rather, I felt like I almost belonged there; like I had come home. I knew it would be my kind of place when I read about it in the books, and I was right. I left there not wanting to leave, and I couldn't wait to return. I would get my wish a few years later.

My second visit to the Crescent City was during my favorite time of the year- October! We planned it specifically so that I could be there during Halloween. It was my dream to be there during this time. I knew that Halloween in New Orleans was HUGE. The people at our hotel had told me the first time I was there that Halloween was like a mini-Mardi Gras. People come from literally all over the place to be there for this holiday, and you have to book your hotel reservations far in advance or you'll have trouble finding a place to stay. My brother and his wife went along this time, and the three of us got dressed up and spent Halloween night in the French Quarter. What a crazy sight to see! I have wanted to go back there for Halloween ever since. They have all sorts of great things to do. It is definitely one of the best places to be on All Hallow's Eve! Another fun thing to do is to take a haunted history ghost tour, or a vampire tour, through the French Quarter.

Endless Night Ball
http://www.endlessnight.com/

The Vampire Lestat Fan Club ball
http://www.vampirelestatfanclub.com/

Haunted History Tours
http://www.hauntedhistorytours.com/

New Orleans- America's most haunted city??
http://www.neworleansghosts.com/haunted_new_orleans.htm

Halloween music

Being a Halloween lover, I have also always loved Halloween music, or music that is otherwise spooky or somewhat gothic. Years ago, I discovered two very cool sources for this type of music, technically called Gothic Horror Soundtracks. The first was Midnight Syndicate (www.midnightsyndicate.com). 'Midnight's" music is used at many professional haunted attractions, and their cds can be found at some Halloween stores such as 'Spirit Halloween.' I believe they can also be ordered through amazon. I currently only own 'Gates of Delirium' and 'Born of the Night,' but they've come out with many more since then. Their music is perfect for any Halloween yard haunt, or if you're simply in the mood for something dark and ethereal.

The other one I came across is Nox Arcana. (www.noxarcana.com) Like 'Midnight,' Nox Arcana's music is also used at many haunted attractions. I think I might like their music slightly more than 'Midnight's,' although it would be hard to choose. I only own one cd by these guys, 'Winter's Knight.' My fave track is Ebonshire. It is so beautiful, and is such a haunting melody. To hear samples of this album and more, check out the site!

The last one I'll mention right now is a group called 'The Changelings'. I first heard of them when I was reading about Anne Rice's vampire ball back in the '90s. This group played live at the ball, and was a big hit. (www.changelings.com) They have a very unusual sound, and the female singer's voice is beautiful. They would be great to play at a Halloween party.

Halloween is popping up everywhere!

Ok, I found another store with tons of Halloween goodies already! I was at a TJ Max this afternoon, and couldn't believe it when I saw all of the stuff they had. I really love scarecrows, and they had some little scarecrow statues that I thought were just adorable. I grabbed several of them. When I go back, I'm going to buy some black spider candleholders that are super cool. They're made out of metal, and they hold a little tealight on their back. They also come in about three different sizes. The store also had some really long banners that had various Halloween images on them. There were tons of witch dolls, some of which were about 3 feet tall. I'm just thrilled that more and more places are getting their Halloween stuff in this early; nothing like getting an early start on my Halloween shopping! By the time Halloween gets here, I should have collected tons of new stuff for this year. The hard part for me is waiting until Halloween gets closer to put it all out. (I confess that my two new scarecrow figurines already reside on the dresser next to my bed!) ;)

Halloween themes, cont'd...

I thought of another idea for a Halloween display. This one would not be as scary as most home haunts, but cute, nonetheless. I've always been a fan of the 'Peanuts' comic strip. Ever since I was a kid, I have looked forward to the holiday 'Peanuts' shows that come on every year. My brother and I would always watch every episode. One of my favorites, of course, is 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.' Halloween just wouldn't be complete without little 'ol Linus sitting in the pumpkin patch on Halloween night, awaiting the arrival of the Great Pumpkin! So, as I was trying to think of other ideas for a good yard haunt, I thought of using the Great Pumpkin as my theme. I've seen some great 'Peanuts' yard displays during Christmas, but never for Halloween. How cute would it be to have a yard decorated with the entire 'Peanuts' gang in their Halloween costumes in a pumpkin patch, along with a giant Great Pumpkin prop?? I realize that the G.P. never actually appears in the cartoon, but why not create one of my own? Rather than Snoopy sneaking up on Linus and Sally, I thought an actual pumpkin creature of some sort popping out would be pretty cool--and very unusual. Once again, my only drawback is trying to figure out how I would create the 'Peanuts' characters. I suppose I could use those life-size plastic dolls that I've seen in toy departments, and simply dress them accordingly. Time to do some browsing and see what I can come up with.....

Halloween themes

I like the idea of going with a different theme every year like a lot of people do, so I'm trying to decide what kind of theme to go with this year. I actually don't normally have a real theme, technically, and I think I'd kind of like to. I usually just put up all the various decorations that I have, which is just the typical stuff you see at most home haunts. Mostly these are cobwebs, spiders, bats hanging from tree limbs, ghosts, and orange lights that I drape around the deck railing. I also got some really cute skeleton and ghost lights a few years ago, and I like to line the doorway with them. I also hang a long Halloween greeting down the outside of the door, and then the Halloween mat with the ghoul that looks like it's crawling out of the ground. I got a couple of new ghoulish props last year that I hung from some trees that line the walkway. They're bride and groom ghouls, and they looked pretty cool when they would blow gently in the wind. But I'd really like to do something totally new this year. I always wanted to do a 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' theme, and turn our deck into my own little version of Halloweentown. It's one of my favorite movies, and I just adore the Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington. (Ever wonder why I call myself The Pumpkin Queen??) Not to mention I could totally make myself right at home in Halloweentown. I just dig that place. I have a 3' tall Jack doll that I found at a comic store downtown many years ago. (I still don't have Sally, but I have every intention of finding her eventually.) He was made in Japan, and was a limited edition, so I was quite proud to have found him. I'm thinking that it probably wouldn't be too difficult to turn one of my 'Sleepy Hollow' scarecrows into a huge Jack Skellington prop, which I think would be very cool. I love the scene at the beginning of TNBC when the scarecrow is being pulled on a wooden horse into town, and it turns out to be Jack. The only thing I'm uncertain of is finding the black and white striped fabric for Jack's pants and tailcoat. I'm not sure that would be too easy. How cool would that be, though, to have the characters from TNBC on my front deck?! I would love it. I really must start learning how to be more creative with life-size prop making.

If all else fails, I figure, you can never go wrong with a good graveyard scene. I used to make a pretty good one every year. I would even paint some old square pieces of wood and write things like, "Beware! Haunted cemetery!" and "Turn back now!" LOL There are still some remnants of one of those signs nailed into the tree out back. I always loved getting into Halloween. I know now that I always will. I am thrilled that it's almost that time of year again when I can get out all of my decorations, and go shopping for new, even better ones. I just love walking into the Halloween stores for the first time each fall season. There's just almost nothin' else like it.

Halloween readings for late at night

I am always on the look out for good Halloween stories. Well, ok, I'm always on the look out for *anything* Halloween-related, period. But, sometimes when it's late at night-- especially if it's a cold, windy or rainy night--I love nothing more than curling up in my warm bed, with a dimly lit lamp next to my bedside, and reading a really spooky Halloween story. I'm always searching amazon for any new Halloween books that come out, or for any good ghost stories. I love 'em. Several years ago on amazon.com, I had the good luck to find what I consider to be the best book of Halloween stories I have come across thus far. I'm talking about 'October Dreams: A Celebration of Halloween'. This sucker is a thick 656 pages long, and is a series of creepy stories by some of the best authors in the horror genre. Many I hadn't ever heard of, but they didn't disappoint. One of my favorite stories is the first one, 'The Black Pumpkin,' by Dean Koontz. To read a sample of it on amazon, go here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0451458958/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link

I just really dig that story. I can just imagine what this creepy-as-hell pumpkin looks like, and the smell of it when the candle is burning inside it. (One of my favorite smells, btw!) But I think my favorite thing about this whole book are the parts that follow the stories called 'My Favorite Halloween Memory.' Here, the authors have shared the Halloweens that they consider their most faves, many of which are hard to believe are real! They are almost as spooky as the stories themselves. My favorite is by the guy who tells of growing up in Hawaii, and how, as a little toddler, he recalls going outside on a Halloween night, looking up at the sky, and swears that he saw a real witch flying across the moon. Your first thought is that he was young and had an active imagination, but the way he tells the story makes you seriously think that just maybe it's a possibility! To this day, as an adult, he swears he saw what he says he saw. Wow. I just love that. I love being made to stop for a minute, and actually believe, even for a moment, that flying witches could exist. But that's why Halloween is so magical to me. It brings back those feelings of excitement that I had as a kid, where the things we are told that aren't real, might actually be....even if it's only on this one special night of the year. This book gives me that feeling back again. I can read about the kids TOT'ing through their neighborhoods, and remember the blast I always had TOT'ing with my brother and our friends. God, what a thrill it was! I don't think I will ever stop missing it. I try and re-live those moments of excitement every Halloween no matter what I do, but I'm not sure it's quite the same as when I was a kid. Like the authors in this book, though, I will always cherish those memories, and be grateful to Halloween for giving them to me.

Pumpkin cravings

Most people only get in the mood for the taste of pumpkin around Thanksgiving time, but not me. Nope. I've already bought two pumpkin pies in the last month. Surprisingly, pumpkin pie can be hard to find when it isn't around the holiday season. The only place I was able to find one was at Safeway. However, my mom and I stopped by a little coffee place just a little while ago, and they had pieces of pumpkin cobbler. I had to try one, of course, and it was wonderful. Even my mom, who isn't the pumpkin lover that I am, said it was very, very good. I always love it when I find pumpkin goodies when it isn't even technically pumpkin season. We have a mix for a pumpkin bundt cake, and I decided to make it tonight. Probably our most favorite pumpkin treat, though, is a delicious pumpkin cheesecake that we get every year for our Christmas party. I have never been a huge cheesecake person (with the exception of chocolate!), and I think I can honestly say that I love the cheesecake even better than regular pumpkin pie! I also love to sometimes make a pumpkin pudding dessert using vanilla pudding mix, topped with whipped cream. It's a quick and easy dessert to make, and isn't all that bad for you. Oh, and lest I forget the wonderful pumpkin soup! I first tried this while having Thanksgiving dinner one year with my ex and his family, and I have to admit that when he first mentioned pumpkin as a soup, I thought that was one of the strangest things I had ever heard. Well, one sip of that stuff and I was hooked! I brought the recipe home with me, because my folks had never tried it, and I made it for Christmas that year. They loved it, and it's been a tradition ever since. There are many variations of pumpkin soup, but I think I love the basic kind. Although, a girl at my old job made it with coconut flavoring one time, and that may have even bested the recipe I normally use. I'm also a coconut lover, and the combination of the two was actually incredible! So, for a list of pumpkin soup recipes, look no further:

http://www.mom-mom.com/pumpkin_soup_recipes.htm

.....and remember, you can never have too much pumpkin. Enjoy! :)

My favorite Halloween store...is....now...open!!!

Ok, I'm pretty stoked right now. I just discovered that the best Halloween store in the area is already open. It's called Evangeline's Costume Mansion, and it is a super cool place. The upstairs part is devoted strictly to all things Halloween, and it is only open during this time of year. Costumes, make-up, wigs, music, wicked props and decorations....you name it, they have it. When you're there, you feel like you're inside a haunted old Victorian house. It's way cool. I will have to pay them a visit veeeery soon. hehe

DC Cemetery- A must-see!!!

I was thrilled to find the web site for an awesome home haunt located in Mountain View, CA. I had the privilege of seeing this place in person a few years ago, and I have never forgotten it. 'DC Cemetery' is one of the best home haunts you will ever see. These people pour their hearts and souls into creating a truly fantastic Halloween display, and I can really appreciate that. I will never forget the hordes of people standing in front of the house and along the street trying to get a glimpse of it. I think my favorite part was the huge organ in the front of the house that had a skeleton playing a rather macabre sounding tune. Talk about setting the mood! Anyway, I might just have to try and see this place again, since they add new stuff each year. Below are some pics I found on their site. To really get an idea of just how awesome this haunt is, check out these videos:

http://www.dc-cemetery.com/welcome.htm

Halloween links

I realize that Halloween is still a ways off yet, and that most people aren't even thinking about it, but for me, it's never too early to start thinking about what decorations I'm going to use this year, what costume I'm going to wear, what I'll be doing, etc. Anyhoo, I lived in the Bay Area for awhile, and while there, I discovered some really great Halloween home haunts and haunted attractions. I thought I would put up some links to some that I knew of. For starters, I always looked to the 'Haunted Bay' web site for ideas and information about things to do and see, spooky movies to watch, and so on. Even if you don't live in the Bay Area-- or in California for that matter-- it's still a good site to read about cool stuff, and maybe get an idea or two. I'll start with that one. And let it be known that there are only 83 days left until Halloween....*fang-toothed grin*

'Haunted Bay'
www.hauntedbay.com

'Devious Concoctions'
www.deviousconcoctions.com

'Pirates of Emerson'
www.piratesofemerson.com

I went to this one a few years ago, and it was pretty darn awesome. If you're into pirates, you should definitely get a kick out of it. The actors who play the pirates are so real looking, and they really get into their roles as evil, dead pirates. The costumes and make-up are extraordinary!

'DC Cemetery'
http://www.dc-cemetery.com/

I think this was one of the yard haunts I visited a few years back, and it rocked! I wish I'd had a camera on me to take photos, but I didn't. Bummer.

Exotic Erotic Ball
www.exoticeroticball.com

We're hoping to attend this one this year. Never been, but it's supposed to be totally wild and crazy!

Le Bal Des Vampyres
www.peers.org

I used to be very into the ballroom/Victorian costuming scene, and this was one of our favorite yearly, post-Halloween events. If you're a fan of the vampire genre like myself, then you should find it pretty cool. You see some amazing costumes. It is a ball, and there is Victorian ballroom dancing, complete with a live band. Very fun, indeed!

The Scream Extreme
http://www.screamtonight.com/

I've never been to this one, but it sounds pretty cool.

More to come....!!! :)

Halloween already

So, seeing as how I am always in the mood for Halloween (just can't get enough, I tell ya!), I decided that I wanted to make a Halloween bedspread for my bedroom. It just isn't enough to decorate the outside of the house and deck. I like my room to have the look and feel of it as well. I was overjoyed recently when I walked into a Michael's and a Walmart and discovered that they already have Fall and Halloween stuff on the shelves. Hooray! Walmart had some really cute Halloween fabric, so I grabbed some and began work on my bedspread yesterday. I can't wait 'til it's finished! :)