Halloween Art & Travel Podcast

I always enjoy listening to a good podcast when I'm in the studio. Music keeps me steadfast on a project but listening to conversations about Halloween  makes it all seem a bit less alone.

Recently I took a break from HauntCast which is probably the most well known Halloween podcast, and tried  "The Halloween Art & Travel Podcast produced by Kersten Stafford. It's not on the same production level as HauntCast but Kersten's podcasts consist of interesting interviews with well known artisans that create collectable Halloween art pieces. They also discuss different events and shows where this type of Halloween art is sold.

While I'm not a collector of this sort of Halloween decor, (mostly because I cant afford it), I like to listen to how the artist started out and got involved in what they do. Some of the artists are quite funny and don't mind sharing their failure stories as well as their successes. I always find it a treat to learn about the wrong roads people take on their journey to a position of success. Makes me feel like there still might be some hope for me! I know all the "wrong roads" the best!

Ive listened to all but the most recent artist, Karen Steinkraus: "Herloom Victorian Witch Hats".  Kevin Buntin: "It all started With Clay on a Stick" and Tom Taggert: "Making Monsters and Mischief" are my favorites so far. Ive seen Tom Taggert's work in the past, ( I love his skeleton character designs), so it was a treat to hear his interview.

Artist Tom Taggert

"Bookshelf Monsters" by Tom Taggert

Photos property of Tom Taggert

If you need something new to listen to while your working on your Halloween projects, give the "Halloween Art and Travel" podcast a listen!

While I find horror book and movie review podcasts a little boring, if anyone has another that they enjoy, please let me know!

Roger's Gardens

I used to try to catch the annual Halloween display video of Roger's Gardens since back in 2011. Somewhere around 2016 I missed the video and just rediscovered them couple weeks back. I admit, there is very little that interests me about California but Id put this place on my itinerary if I were to make the trip. The time and attention to detail they take to stage all their products is just amazing. Check them out on YouTube if your not familiar with them.

Just Some Thoughts...

Not that I haven't been creating creepy things, just need to focus on Halloween at home this year

It's has been over 4 years since I did anything related to my Shingle Creek Manor yard haunt. It doesn't seem that long. Perhaps it does and I am trying to justify how such a long time can pass during which  I disregarded something I was so passionate about. Maybe a little of both. I can come up with excuses including an abrupt change in marital status and a macular degeneration hat has taken most of the vision from an eye. In the end though, it has just been a choice to focus my attention on other things I suppose.

As I begin my 4th week, (6th week? ...10th week?) of seclusion from the outside world and hopefully protecting the people I cherish and myself from the dreaded Covid, it occurred to me that if we ever needed to engage in the things we have passion for, it would be now. At some point all this hysteria will end.  People will want to engage with each other and do the things together that bring them joy. The celebration of holidays,  and of course, Halloween, will be more important than ever. I cant imagine a year with no Halloween, no children dressing as their favorite character, no trick-or-treaters or no seasonal decorating. Now is the time people and especially children need the escape from reality that Halloween brings, and some time to laugh and to smile.

I do need to step up to the plate for my little corner of the world. ..

Christmas Visit to Gods & Monsters

Killing a few minutes before a movie this past week I stopped in at my favorite nerd store "Gods & Monsters", and took a photo of their Christmas display.

I always forget "Gremlins" as part of my Christmas movie collection but certainly rates up there with other non-traditional Christmas movies of importance at my house, i.e, "Lethal Weapon", "Die Hard" etc.

"Gremlins" at Gods & Monsters

Missed the guy hanging off the tree when I took the photo. Wished I would have gotten a closer photo of him...

If your an avid comic or super hero person, and live or are visiting the Orlando area, "Gods & Monsters" rocks!

Halloween Dream Vacation

Romania in the Fall, Carpathian Mountain vistas, carriage ride to Bran Castle... How the heck did I catch this contest so late?! Winning a stay at "Dracula's Castle" on Halloween, I'd think I was dreaming!

Maybe my blogging friends that have some writing skills and money for a last minute flight can still make the deadline? There are rules though... "No garlic or garlic scented items" etc.

Ghosting 2016

I put together this year's "Boo" baskets for the annual "Ghosting" of my grandson and son this past week. 

"Ghosting"(aka "You've Been Ghosted" or "You've Been Boo'ed") is our annual tradition that I learned of in my neighborhood when we first moved in. Now the ghost has moved on to my son's neighborhood. I have seen the tell-tale paper ghost taped to peoples windows in my neighborhood indicating they have already been ghosted though, so maybe it's still alive here as well.

My Ghosting Procedures are as follows: ( Procedures may vary according to your "Ghosting" ability)

1.) Ghost creates basket with instruction sheet on how to pay it forward;

2.) Ghost has a couple mixed drinks while waiting for darkness;

3.) Ghost walks the basket(s) of creepiness and goodies to the door of the person to be ghosted while trying not to trip over bicycles and other objects in the yard, because the ghost's son didn't turn on the outside light;

4.) Ghost rings the doorbell realizing he's just walked into a spider web on the porch prompting rapid flailing of arms and hands after baskets are set at the door;

5.) Ghost runs for parked vehicle, while passing neighbors look on in bewildered amusement at old guy pretending to run while flailing arms.

6.) Ghost trips over yard object anyways, smashing shin, and screaming string of expletives;

7.) Ghost goes home to tend wounds;

8.) Grandson opens door and is delighted.

This year Grandpa paid a visit during the annual night time pumpkin carving at my son and daughter in law's home. My Grandson was fully immersed in pulling the seeds from the pumpkin for some sort of family pumpkin seed recipe. Six "almost seven" is such a cool age for Halloween. Everything is still magic. 

Wouldn't you know it, ten minutes after Grandpa left, they got ghosted!

Zombie Cake

I didn't attend the Zombie Fest in Lakeland Florida again this year. It's not far from home but seems like I always have something else going on each year they have the event.

This year I missed the cake they unveiled at the festival. It was done by my friend Scott Fensterer co-owner of "D'edible Delights" with Amber Santos, and their friend Lea Williams of "Got Candy". I thought it was so amazing I had to share their photos.

Scott states everything was edible including the hair?

I don't care if it's edible or not, I'm not eating that!

Some  people may recognize Scott's name from Season 9 of "Face Off". If this is any indication of what this group can do, I'd say they may want to be looking into Halloween Wars on the Food Network...