A New Head

We finally received our caretaker's head in the mail yesterday!!

After a visit to the Salvation Army Store and the Home Depot for building supplies, Belinda got the body built, less the hands and head. My part was to order the head from Caufield's ( my work never ends...) . More photos maybe a video once he's fully assembled!

Venomous Swan

Take a look at these cool photograph prints I found today that use one of the Skull Shoppe skulls. These are a couple sample works from Jane Egerton at "Venomous Swan". Checked out her Society 6 store today and there are a whole bunch of art prints that appeal to my inclination toward the macabre this time of year.

"Vanitas" Used with permission of Jane Egerton, all rights reserved

"Yellow" Used with permission of Jane Egerton, all rights reserved

Now I just need to convince Belinda we need one of these to make the annual Fall conversion of my wood shop to our prop shop be more Halloween-ish!

First completed Build 2012 Shingle Creek Manor

Belinda completed our first 2012 tombstone. The basic design inspired by a tombstone in Highgate Cemetery, London. She built it in three parts for easier storage. It's also the first coffin cover of our cemetery.

Added a little LED lighting in the garage for an idea of Halloween night look.

Mini-Coffin for Willie

Seems fellow haunter of One Pine Cemetery, Cylon Frog Queen (CFQ) didn't have an appropriate home for her three foot skelly, "Willie". CFQ gave her haunter husband, Hamm, the raised eyebrow indicating this was unacceptable, and Hamm went to work building the first of his mini toe pinchers for a new Black Plague theme in their cemetery. Hamm says it was inspired by a design by ScareFX.com. Personally, I think it turned out darn good and especially dig the unique cross design on the lid! Now everyone is happy and Willie has a home in the One Pine Cemetery.

Yankee Candle Halloween Preview Party

Yankee Candle had it's Halloween Preview Party Saturday for the release of it's 2012 Boney Bunch, assorted Halloween candle "do-dads" and the Fall line of scented candles. My son talked to the manager the night before who told him to be there early before they opened because there would be a line at the door. He was targeting some Boney Bunch pieces he and his girlfriend wanted. Although I doubted there would be a line at the Yankee Candle, we got up early, and the family drove over together armed with a catalog the manager provided him and some  $10 off coupons. We arrived ten minutes before they opened and their WAS a line! It was like a miniature Black Friday pre-Christmas moment at the Yankee Candle Store.. but for Halloween!

I know some of my blogging friends had a negative experience at their particular Yankee Candle and it was far from a "Party", but for us it was sort of fun and we all bought our overpriced candle stuff and even watched some of it sell out fast in the time we were there. Unfortunately there were no foggers, spooky music or Halloween costumes (although the employees had these orange coily things in their hair). We got our "free give-away" tickets at the door but weren't about to stand around for an hour for the drawing, I mean if you've ever been inside a Yankee Candle store then you know the  overwhelming different scents subject you to hallucinations after about 20 minutes.

Belinda and I bought a couple tart burners and a Boney Bunch candy dish for home and one for her work. We had the "Kitchen Spice" tarts which are really good and bought "Apple Pumpkin" and "Harvest Welcome".

Is this guy cool or what? The eyes light up switching from red to blue and I think it looks like he is flipping me the bird...literally!

 

 

 

 

New Family Member

Garden Ridge was one of the first stores last year to get it's Halloween merchandise out and had skeletons. Belinda and I went there last weekend and added a new member to the family. It's the same quality as the Walgreen's skeleton from last year but the legs and shoulders have metal joints so it's a bit better. The Walgreen's skeleton from last year kept losing his leg. It's hard to be intimidating trying to balance on one leg...

"Norman" was well behaved in the store

 

 

 

Buckled up for safety

Swamp or Hillbilly Theme?

Cutesy but still fun to watch, new from Grandin Road this year.