WE'VE GONE BATTY

Sometimes I think that subtle, pretty Halloween decorations can make such an impact. We call that "understated elegance" and here, you can see how something so simple as a few black felt bats put inside a lampshade, (with double-stick tape) and simple black and white lolly pops, really make this look amazing!

I love decorating tips that don't take a lot of time and are high on the "oooohhhhs and ahhhhhs" factor!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Since today is my birthday, I think that I'd like to share some of my favorite things....

~cupcakes with skeletons and black icing

~creepy bejeweled earings and blingy bracelets

~pizza and wine

~skull pajamas

~watching "The Munsters" all day!

Happy Birthday to me!

INVITATIONS TO DIE FOR!

I really loooooove this idea.....so much in fact, I wish I would have thought of it! We were blogging yesterday about making a first impression for the Halloween season, how about setting the festive mood with these awesome invitations! Talk about setting the scene....

What a fantastic little package, the creator of these delightful invites has thought of everything! (I especially love the wooden stake!)This is such a great idea, even if you didn't want to go all out and buy something so fancy (even though I think it would be totally worth it!) you could certainly conjure up something very similar.

I think these invitations would really get your guests in the spirit of the season!

Click here to see all the other amazing things on this website!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Think about it, you want to set the scene for your Halloween decorating, and that should start with your front door! How pretty is this?

These can be made by tracing a bird or bat template on black foam or felt sheets, and attached with back thumb tacks or floral wire and fish line.

I think it looks great and it's so cheap and easy to do....that's always a plus for me!

CALL ME MORTICIA!

We've heard about extreme Pixar fans before, but nothing like this. Coinciding with the release of Toy Story 3 in the U.K. this week, 26-year-old Steve Bolton legally changed his name to Buzz Lightyear. He says "I'm a massive fan of Toy Story ...it's a great name, a great film and my girlfriend is going to love telling people she's going out with Buzz Lightyear."

I wonder what I need to do to change my name to MORTICIA ADDAMS?
Huuuuummmmm..... I need to get working on this.

FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND

The roses in the window box
Have tilted to one side
Everything about this house
Was born to grow and die

"Funeral For A Friend" By Elton John

This has been a very long, hectic and emotional week. Things are getting back to normal, and I'll be back posting some new things over the next few days. Thanks for being patient.

UNCLE EDGAR AND MARTINA

It's been busy, busy, busy in the labratory creating some new projects. It's Uncle Edgar and Martina Mummy. I've been getting lots of requests for more pictures of the collection up on the blog, and I'm working on it!

CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE NIGHT

I saw a trailer for the new "Paranormal Acivity 2" movie and I'm so excited! If you want a good scare, rent the first one. But if you're in the mood to watch some good old classic horror movies, why not make a party out of it? This is one of my favorite theme parties to do. It's sooo easy and all you need is a few scary props, some good munchies, and a stack of dvd's! Here are my top 20 favorites....in no particular order:

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

A family-friendly choice and you'll remember why you loved these guys! Very funny, and even scary.

Munster Go Home! (1967)

Who doesn't love the Munsters? Sure it's goofy, but the Munsters are in color and it's fun to watch! Another good one for the kiddies, too.

The Birds (1963)

Leave it to Hitchcock to turn a flock of birds into malevolent monsters! And I love the outfits!

The Black Cat (1934)

A psychological horror film based on a Poe story, the first joint effort for Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi.

Frankenstein (1931)

It's a classic and make it a double feature with The Bride of Frankenstein!

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Considered even better than the original, the movie boasts a great campy performance by Elsa Lanchester. One of top 5 favorites!

The Fly (1958)
Half man, half fly, with Vincent Price thrown into the mix. Pretty scary at the time.

Halloween (1978)

Still my number 1 favorite of all time! I actually saw this at the movies when it came out. Yes, I was a teenager in the 70's! Very nostalgic for me. (Not a good one for the kiddo's) This early John Carpenter effort set the tone for many slasher flicks to come. None of the sequels measured up! And to this day, the scene where Jamie Lee is trapped in the closet, still freaks me out!

The Haunting (1963)
One of the greatest of all haunted house movies makes its point without ever really showing us a ghost. Avoid the recent remake at all costs.

Horror of Dracula (1958)

The first of the Hammer horror films, with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee together for the first time, is thought by some to be the best vampire movie of the classic era.

House On Haunted Hill (1959)
Another one in my top 5! A sinister host, played by Vincent Price offers a group of people $10,000 each if they'll spend the night in his macabre mansion, then does his best to see that no one collects. Directed by the legendary William Castle. (B&W and colorized versions are available, but B&W is much better!)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

When I was a kid, this was the first horror/sci-fi film that I was forbidden to see (probably had something to do with the word "body" in the title). The 1978 remake wasn't bad, either.

The Invisible Man (1933)
Directed by the legendary James Whale (Frankenstein), this original version of the H.G. Wells tale stars Claude Rains, who is a scary character, even though he's rarely seen in the flesh. The film also stars Gloria Stuart, of Titanic fame.

The Legend of Hell House (1973)

Roddy McDowall and Pamela Franklin star in this haunted house film that's a somewhat weaker version of "The Haunting," though still plenty scary and entertaining.

Night of the Living Dead (1968)
This one I wouldn't suggest for the kids. But George Romero's seminal but low-budget 1968 zombie flick is still about as scary as they get, because in spite of the black and white, it looks real. 1978 sequel was better, but this was the first.

The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
One of Vincent Price's best classic horror vehicles, based loosely on the Poe story.

Poltergeist (1982)
A very scary film, with an excruciating climactic final scene taking place in a muddy pit full of decomposed corpses!

Psycho (1960)
Hitchcock might not be happy to hear that he started the slasher flick craze, but this is still his most popular film, and one which influenced generations of filmmakers.

The Shining (1980)
We couldn't forget this one by Stanley Kubrick, who teams up with Jack Nicholson for a Gothic tale with a difference. Come on, you know those little girls freaked you out!

The Wolf Man (1941)
One of a handful of the most remarkable horror films. Lon Chaney, Jr.'s best-known role. The rest of the cast is excellent, as well.

Don't forget the popcorn, turn out the lights and light a few candles! And make sure to scream real loud at the scary parts!

Click here to check out previews for the new Paranormal Activity movie!

THE MASK

This is a great idea that was e mailed to me by a faithful follower, who found it from International Limited. It's pretty simple and the instructions are super-easy to follow! Check it out!

Top off your kids' costumes with these fun-to-make and fun-to-wear Halloween masks made from milk jugs.

Whether you are making these masks to complete a costume or as a Halloween party favor, they are sure to delight every kid -- and grown-up. Made out of milk jugs and decorated by your kids' imaginations, these masks are as much fun to make as they are to wear.

Here's how to make them: Gather one empty, washed gallon milk jug for every two guests. Cut along the side seams of each jug, starting from the mouth of the jug.

Shift direction toward the center of the jug (toward the handle) when the scissors are about even with a point roughly one inch below the handle (the end furthest from the jug mouth). Continue cutting across the jug until you reach the seam on the other side, then cut back up along that seam toward the mouth until the jug is in two pieces. The handle piece, with its built-in "nose," will be smaller.

To finish, cut the mouth part of the jug from each piece, making a slightly rounded cut after it is removed to echo the shape of the chin. Trim any rough edges. On the larger piece, the jug bottom is meant to sit atop the child's head and the longer side against the child's face. Cut the shorter side so the opening is large enough to slide comfortably over a child's head.

Using your child as a model, mark dots on each mask for eyes and mouth holes. Remove the mask, and cut out large eye holes -- at least twice the size of your child's eyes. Make evil upturned eyes, as well as wicked grins, crooked smiles, and gaping-gasp mouths. Tape the outside edges of the mask with colored electrical tape to prevent scrapes or cuts.

If you're planning on making these with kids at a Halloween party, provide permanent markers or acrylic paints with which the kids can decorate the masks. Yarn can be glued on for hair. Use a hole punch and elastic string to secure the masks to each child's face.

If you complete this project, please send pictures so we can post 'em! We looooove to see how creative you are!

BACK IN THE SADDLE

We survived! The "hurricane" turned out to be nothing more than a big, rainy mess. So for that, I'm thankful. But the storms in the workplace....well that's another story. But even that has left me inspired.......
Here are the latest creations that I've been working on. Still works in progress, but I think they're looking pretty good.

Lucifer the Devil Dog, Trick or Treat Girl and Bride & Gruesome