It's All Hallow's Eve

Well, friends (or should I say, "fiends"?), our favorite day is finally here! Can you believe it?! We wait anxiously all year long, hanging in there through the long, hot summer months, waiting for those first signs of Fall to pop up in stores everywhere. It seems an eternity has passed by the time October 31st gets here, and when it finally does, it's over before we know it. The Halloween decorations are up, and the pumpkins are carved and waiting for the first TOTs to arrive. This is the night we all look forward to all year. Somehow, it almost seems surreal to me when the big night actually arrives. I think of all the things I wanted to do, but didn't get a chance to. Ah, well! There is always next year to add in that one decoration we didn't put up, or that prop we worked hard on and didn't quite finish. One thing is for sure: Halloween will come around again!

I wanted to tell my fellow bloggers and Halloween lovers Happy Halloween!

Haunted attraction

I discovered a new haunt to check out this year, and I really think it looks like a good one! I love going to haunts every Halloween. It's probably my favorite thing to do to celebrate the holiday. There's just nothing quite like getting in costume (assuming the haunt allows you to dress up) and going with friends and getting spooked by a bunch of costumed characters, scary music, and, if you're lucky, a truly spooky haunted attraction. I didn't make it to any haunts last year, so I'm hoping Callson Manor will quench my thirst for something really spooktacular!

I can't believe Halloween is almost upon us! It's almost like there's a part of me that doesn't want it to get here *too* quickly because it's always kind of depressing when it's over. I think it's mostly the excitement and anticipation of waiting for it...knowing it's coming....and the thrill of getting ready with decorations, costumes, party plans, etc. That's what really does it for me. I love to see scarecrows and pumpkins on porches, and witches crashed into front doors as I drive by peoples' houses. I love the pumpkin patches along the side of the road, with hay bales and scarecrows which seem to beckon to onlookers to stop and pick a pumpkin. What a wonderful time of the year! Let's enjoy it while it lasts. :)

Callson Manor
www.callsonmanor.com

Something wicked this way comes..

If you're looking for something truly unusual for your haunt this year (or if you have a truly macabre taste for interior decorating), you should really enjoy '10 Coffin Furniture Ideas: Caskets Couches to Death Desks'. I never imagined there was actually a company that makes all sorts of coffin-shaped furniture for the home or office. Desks, shelves, tables, and even a pool table are among the eccentric items you can order. A home filled with this stuff would make the Addams Family mansion look almost normal.



http://dornob.com/10-coffin-furniture-ideas-caskets-couches-to-death-desks/

Ahhh, pumpkins

I figured that at any day now, pumpkins would start arriving at the nearby grocery stores. Sure enough, I was near a Safeway tonight and spotted the first big batch! Those most famous of all Halloween icons were sitting there by the entranceway in all their bright orange glory, as if waiting patiently to be taken home to be prepared for the big Halloween night. I did not purchase one. Not yet. As tempted as I was, I figured I would wait just a little bit longer, perhaps until October to celebrate its arrival. I cannot wait to bring some home and witness their ghastly transformations from ordinary squash, to creepy monstrosities. I am looking forward to frightening faces glowing in the dark, creating a feeling of menacing delight, as they light the deck and walkway. And that smell of burning pumpkin flesh! One of the most wonderful smells on earth. It is the very essence of Halloween for me. I have already carved a faux pumpkin, and as cool as it is to have some that never rot, it cannot compare to the real thing. Sort of like how convenient it is to simply put up a fake Christmas tree with the lights already strung up and ready to go. Without that Christmas tree smell filling up the house, it just isn't the same. I like to have a few faux pumpkins and real ones so that I don't feel I'm missing out on anything.

I don't have long to wait now. My craving for all things Halloween will soon be satisfied.

Carving patterns

www.zombiepumpkins.com

If you're into carving jack-o-lanterns as much as I am, then you should really enjoy this site that I ventured upon some time ago: http://www.zombiepumpkins.com/

When it comes to patterns to choose from, Zombie Pumpkins definitely takes home the prize. There are many different categories to pick from, including characters from movies, TV, cartoons, and bands. You do have to pay for most of them, but you're given the choice as to how much you want to pay for however many patterns you want. I didn't think the prices were at all bad, however; especially when you consider how incredible they are. The best part is you don't have to wait for a pattern book to be shipped--you just pay, print, and get ready to carve! You can even submit your carvings and they will post them on the site. My favorite category is 'Grinning Jacks'. I'll definitely be carving some of these evil new creations this year, and will happily share them! ;)

Halloween magazines

They started showing up in grocery stores and magazine aisles a month ago. I was very impressed with Martha Stewart's Halloween magazine last year, and I've been anxiously awaiting it to come out again this year. Well, yesterday my wish came true! It isn't the cheapest magazine ($9.99), but if you love Halloween like I do, it's definitely worth the money. There were some really great decorating ideas that I had never thought of or seen before. One example was instructions for how to make spider egg sacs using a foam egg, a white nylon stocking, and plastic spiders. It truly looked like a big egg sac about to burst with tons of baby spiders...creepy! There were also instructions on making your porch look like it's been taken over by giant spiders, with webbing covering everything except a tiny slit for an entrance. There are tons of great recipes, too, of course, as well as costumes for kids and adults. It's a pretty thick magazine, and I had a lot of fun looking through it and getting new ideas.

In the check-out aisle, I also grabbed a little Betty Crocker booklet called Fall Baking. I couldn't resist buying something with grinning jack-o-lantern cake pops on the cover. The booklet is loaded with delicious-sounding recipes that I am already dying to try. Some that really caught my eye are the Trick-or-Treat Cheesecake, Gingerbread Cupcakes, and tons of different flavored cobblers. I am really looking forward to making (and enjoying!) these little goodies.

My favorite time of year is finally almost here. Halloween and Fall are showing up everywhere, and the weather should soon be cooling off with Autumn's arrival. The leaves will soon be turning their gorgeous colors of orange, red and yellow, and pumpkins will be popping up on porches and walkways. I already have a Fall and Halloween banner hanging in my yard to welcome the season! Very soon, that smell that I love so much--raging fire pits and wood stoves--will fill the air. I am already filled with excitement!

Halloween festivities

It's almost never too early for me to start searching for local Halloween events. Last night, I decided to do such a search, and I was quite surprised at what I found. I came across at least several haunted houses I hadn't heard of before. I plan to check them out this year. Here is a short list of what I stumbled across:

Callson Manor
http://www.callsonmanor.com/

Run by a professional animatronics prop designer, I was very impressed (at least) with the website. They claim they are not your average haunted attraction with teenagers running around in ski masks. I love that there is quite an in-depth backstory behind the haunt. The creators really went to extremes to make a great site, and came up with an intriguing legend. There is even a great video to go along with it to really peak your interest.

Fright Planet
http://www.frightplanet.com/index.html

This one looks a little like a more typical haunt you might find, such as Gyro's World of Terror, but it still looks like lots of fun.

I'm excited to be finding some events for this year when it isn't even September.