...or Jack-o-Lanterns anyway!
Hope everyone's Halloween was fab!
P.S. Now on to the second best part of Halloween -the after season sales! haha
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Zoo Animals Celebrate Halloween!
...or Jack-o-Lanterns anyway!
Hope everyone's Halloween was fab!
P.S. Now on to the second best part of Halloween -the after season sales! haha
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Happy Halloween!
Best Wishes For No Tricks and ALL Treats This Halloween!
Now Go Out There and Get That Candy! (haha)
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Free Printable Halloween Masks
Thanks to Halloween Addict for posting a link to Thrillist.com's compilation of free printable Halloween masks!
These free printables can help those who haven't had the time, funds, or inclination to put together a costume yet! I am particularly partial to the Frankenstein face with the Hello Kitty band-aid and the "Abby Normal" name tag!
These files come in pdf format so all you have to do is open one, print it out, and stick it to your face!
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Cleaning Up After Your Halloween Party!
After the Party:
Congratulations! Your party went off without a hitch & everyone had a good time! Now that everyone is a)gone or b)passed out on your couch you can do some light cleaning. I know, I know, it kinda sucks but if you do a litttttle now it will save you some grief tomorrow!1) Pack up or put away party foods and trays. Lord knows it's easier to take care of the guacamole dip before it turns into a solid.
2) Try to gather cups and toss drinks. Nothing quite complements the morning after like the smell of sticky punch or warm beer.
3) If you were made aware of any spills make sure to treat them with the proper cleanser. The sooner you catch them, the more luck you'll have in getting them out!
4) Clean up any spills so you don't end up walking on a sticky floor in the morning.
The Morning After:
1) Start Pickin' Up the Joint: designate one trash bag for trash and the other for recyclables and start collecting the leftover plates. Once this is accomplished you would be surprised how accomplished you feel.
2) Walk around and try to identify any spills which you did not notice last night. Treat them quickly so you don't end up with stains!
3) Open the windows! Oftentimes the smell of food, body odor, and smoke from the machine can linger long after the party is over. I like to get some air circulating in the apartment. You can also make copious usage of products like fabric refresher and incense to get your home smelling back to normal.
4) Sprinkle some baking soda or carpet refresher on the carpets, let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then vaccum! These steps also help with the process of de-stinking your home! If you're especially weird about cleaning (like me) clean your hard surface floors as well!
5) Wash some dishes! Seriously, I would pay to have someone do this for me..
Click here or below for some cleaning tips which are cheap, easy, and eco-friendly!
Friday, October 26, 2012
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Ghost Adventures: Eastern State Penitentiary
Many may balk but during the Halloween season I love to indulge in ghost investigation tv shows and documentaries. There's nothing to get you in the Halloween spirit like the prospect of seeing/hearing a real live haunting. Not to mention that many of the locations covered are often very creepy looking and can serve as decoration inspiration!
One of my favorite investigation locations is Eastern State Penitentiary -something creepy always happens no matter which show or group shows up to investigate. Team this up with the prison's horrific past and you've got yourself an evening's worth of entertainment!
Below is one such special -can you spot any ghosties?
Buttoned Up: Decorate for Halloween for less than $15
getbuttonedup.com
The average American plans to spend well over $70 this year on Halloween decorations, candy and costumes. Can you see us recoiling in horror from there?
Fortunately, a little advanced planning and organization can help you spend less and save more. In that spirit, we've put together a list of things you can do to decorate your house for Halloween on a serious budget.
1. Spooky Music Sets the Scene for Nothing: It's amazing how imaginations will run wild when given very little stimuli. If you did nothing but turn out all the lights in your house and put a portable speaker or iPod dock on the porch blaring some spooky music, you still would make passing trick-or-treaters squeal with delight.
2. Brown Bag Luminarias Set the Mood...for Less than $4: Flickering candlelight adds just the right bit of mystery and mood to homes at Halloween. Grab some brown lunch bags, fill the bottom quarter with sand and stick in tea lights -- Ikea sells bags of 100 for $3.99. Better yet, check around your house first. We'll bet you have more than a handful of half-burned votives or tea lights. Battery-operated votives work well, too. You can also use empty plastic gallon milk cartons. Simply cut off the bottoms, peel off any stickers, and decorate the carton's main side with a ghost-like face. Place the votive candle or battery-operated votive inside and you have a ghost-lined walkway.
3. Sprinkle Tombstones on the Lawn...for $0: Cut out tombstone shapes from cardboard boxes you already have. Make them look old and worn by pressing the edges with your fingers. If you have gray, silver or black paint, apply a coat. If not, just decorate the boxes with markers and place them around your yard. Pile leaves or bits of straw around the bottoms for a bit of spooky flair.
4. Hang Ghost Balloons...for $5: Have some basic latex balloons blown up with helium at your local party super store. When you get them home, drape them with light, white sheets and blankets and voila -- you have ghosts floating in your midst.
5. Pick a Pumpkin at the Grocery Store or Farmers Market...for $6. In general, supermarkets and farmers markets have the best prices on pumpkins. A quick check of all types of stores in the expensive New York and Los Angeles metropolitan areas revealed grocery stores drove the hardest bargain. A 15-pound pumpkin can be yours for $5 or $6. Farmers markets are also a great place to go pumpkin hunting. The markets we visited had a wide variety of pumpkins for sale, including miniature pumpkins and gourds that sell for 50 cents each and typical carving pumpkins going for a few dollars.
The bottom line: A few minutes for brainstorming and planning decorations will help you stretch your dollars.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Mummy Door DIY: In Progress
I was looking for unique ideas for door decoration when I came across a message board for teachers which included images of various "Mummy doors". I'm not finished wrapping yet but I decided to go ahead and include the project into the blog while everyone is still gearing up for Halloween and their Halloween parties!
So far this project has only cost $3 which includes two pieces of poster board and a roll of crepe paper. I will need to pick up another roll of white crepe paper so I'm going to estimate the total cost of the project to be $4.
Note: If you live in a humid climate (like I do) you might want to try this project using fabric or gauze. My mummy was wrapped much tighter until we had a couple days of rain & now he's superrr droopy :(
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Free Printables from Cruz & Christina
Click here to download these totally awesome soda labels! These would be great for any spooky party or gathering!
Also, check out their free Halloween cupcake topper printables!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
The Work of Thienbao on Deviantart.com
Pictured left is an image created by the artist Thienbao which I have used for inspiration in the past!
Though not explicitly Halloween, Thienbao works in themes which depict the supernatural. Thienbao's depiction of original monsters and breathtaking fairy folk are definitely worth a look!
Click here to view an absolutely AMAZING gallery of work!
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Keg Wizard
There are many things to consider when acquiring a keg such as the number of people being served, how much they will be served, and how much beer you will ultimately need.
Of course it is possible to divide a 1/6, 1/4, 1/2, or full keg's quantity of beer by a standard 8oz serving BUT this does not account for those beers used for drinking games or even how much ice you will need to keep the beer cold!
If only there were a calculator which could help you determine all the information you need...
But there is! Click here to use kegerator.com's Keg Wizard! This website allows you to imput the number of people being served as well as their desired servings.
Once this information is entered the wizard will then calculate how much beer you will need (e.g., size of keg or case), as well as the amount of cups and ice you will need!
Friday, October 5, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Cheap Thrills: Big Lots Haul
Just a couple cute & cheap thrills I picked up at Big Lots today. If you have one nearby I would suggest visiting. Their Halloween section isn't extensive but they do have some cute goodies which are priced verrrry reasonably.
It is also a good place to stock up on essentials like spider webbing (not pictured) and orange fairy lights! I am currently contemplating a return visit to pick up a lit skull hanging decoration for $7....
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Glitter Your Shoes Like Dorothy!
Admittedly sometimes finding and/or creating a Halloween costume can be tough. Oftentimes they can be expensive and the selection can be repetitious. I know finding a costume can be particularly difficult for women because costume choices usually fall into either the "marmish" or "streetwalker" category.
If you are having similar issues with your costume this year I urge you to DIY. The above video shows that DIY costumes can be awesome and achieved without a mastery in tailoring. I don't have the specifics but this costume also looks to be pretty inexpensive to make!
The above costume is a "no sew" and is suuuper cute! Check out her channel for other DIY ideas which include Minnie Mouse and Mad Hatter DIY costumes!
Monday, October 1, 2012
Corpse Bride Tutorial
I really enjoyed this look! Not only is it eerily accurate but the makeup artist uses makeup which is extremely affordable and extremely accessible!
Has everyone decided on a costume yet?
Friday, September 28, 2012
Easy Halloween Party Food
Check out some really cute and really easy Halloween party food recipes at ourbestbites.com! I really like these adorable "Mummy Dogs"
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Vampfangs.com Coupon Code
Check your email folks! Vampfangs.com sent out an email with a special code which can take up to 40% off your purchase!
This discount offer is only available for the next 24 hours so check it out soon!
This discount offer is only available for the next 24 hours so check it out soon!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Pirate Halloween Makeup by GoldieStarling
One of my favorites, GoldieStarling, has posted her first tutorial of the season and it. is. AMAZING!
Make sure to check out her channel to catch her upcoming vids and also her past Halloween looks!
Friday, September 21, 2012
Free Halloween Party Tunes
-why pay $10 at a Halloween store when you can get the stuff for free? haha
Ooh yeah! Tomorrow is the official beginning of Autumn! I am so excited to break out my tights, sweaters, and to drink super amazing pumpkin lattes from Caribou Coffee!
Happy (pre)Fall!!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
"Jack's Masquerade" by Arnaud de Vallois
{x-posted from Pumpkinrot}
When I saw Pumpkinrot post this image by Arnaud de Vallois I literally sat up and started to do a little happy clap!
Besides being almost unbearably cool this image is such a conceptual inspiration for the party this year!
Sometimes when cobbling together an original concept finding or keeping inspiration/direction can be hard but this image has proven to be such a bolster!
Check out s'Arnaud de Vallois' blog for some more really amazing work!
Halloween Express: Treat Bag Giveaway
"To receive your FREE treat bag simply share any product page URL from our website on your Facebook or Google +1 page. When you click the FREE treat bag button that appears on all of our product pages you'll be asked to provide your name, mailing address and email address before posting the link to your Facebook or Google +1 page. Within 7 days we'll mail a treat bag to you!"
Remember to like brick and mortar stores like Halloween Express and Spirit Halloween on Facebook in order to keep up with these and other coupons & giveaways!
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
HalloweenExpress.com Haul
I have a couple more of these skeletons from last year and I plan to give them all a nice black-light reactant paint job!
Also, I'm really excited to finally have a fog timer! Though I got this one for a song (25% off $25) I did find one that was the exact same model on Walmart.com for $20.
Someone stop me from dragging out my Halloween stuff already!!
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Behind the Scenes: Frankenstein 1931
Check them out here.
Many of these pictures show Boris Karloff having his legendary makeup applied in various stages. Also included are more casual shots of Karloff eating lunch and working with the set crew.
I really enjoyed seeing the man behind the makeup in these shots! Anyone know if candids like these exist for Bella Lugosi's Dracula films?
Friday, September 14, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Halloween Express BOGO
If you haven't "like-d" Halloween Express on Facebook yet then you're missing out on some great sales! Right now, exclusively for their facebook fans, Halloween Express is offering a BOGO buy one get one 50% off link!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Mr. Chicken's DIY Yard Haunt
His most recent project is very clever and involves projecting spooky images onto tombstones! He offers his projections for a fee but he makes no secret of how to do it for yourself.
However, for me, the most impressive DIY project was the Paper Mache Skeleton. In this instructable he shows how to create a realistic looking skeleton using simple and inexpensive materials such as newspaper, flour, spray paint etc.
This project is especially exciting for those of us who have wanted a large scale skeleton for our haunt but are unwilling or unable to part with the sometimes major cash to acquire one!
I'm seriously thinking of giving this particular project a go & I'll let you all know if I decide to go for it!
Monday, September 10, 2012
Lil' Red: A Cale Atkinson Short
When I was looking for inspiration for my 2010 Red Riding Hood themed Halloween shindig I stumbled upon Cale Atkinson's work!
Atkinson's use of color and almost minimalist style have really attracted me to his art ever since. I
Imagine my surprise and ELATION to find a complete Lil' Red short posted on his blog! Honestly, I can't gush ENOUGH! I especially love the ending ;)
I'm sharing this with you all so you too can discover the wonderfulness that is Cale Atkinson's work!
Atkinson's use of color and almost minimalist style have really attracted me to his art ever since. I
Imagine my surprise and ELATION to find a complete Lil' Red short posted on his blog! Honestly, I can't gush ENOUGH! I especially love the ending ;)
I'm sharing this with you all so you too can discover the wonderfulness that is Cale Atkinson's work!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
OMFG Candy Corn Oreos!!!
I need to hoof my booty on down to Target this week and pick up a pack to
Anyone know anything about Pop Tarts putting out their pumpkin pie flavor this year?
Adorable Halloween Handcrafted Soaps!
However, I believe there are many other exciting Halloween discoveries which can be made through smaller shops and private sellers!
Love Lee Soaps at etsy.com is a vendor who is doing absolutely wonderful handcrafted soaps for the autumn and Halloween season(s)!
Her soaps come in tons of shapes, styles, and even scents! Some particular favorites of mine are her lime scented Frankenstein Soap Bars as well as the freaskishly realistic Creepy Finger Soap set
I will be keeping an eye out for more etsy finds to bring to y'all this season. Give me a shout out if someone out there is making some awesome seasonal/Halloween goodies!
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Seasonal Beer Review: Newcastle Werewolf Blood Red Ale
I can't tell you how excited I was to see this at the grocery store last week! I was all set to get Magic Hat's "Hex" and then I saw this beaut!
What first drew my eye to this beer was the bright red lettering which said "werewolf". Imagine my surprise when I saw that the beer was manufactured by one of my favorite breweries!
Having been impressed by Guinness's production of a black lager, I was really inspired to see what a brewery known for its brown ale could do with a red....
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
I Put A Spell On You!
These essentials of course included Halloweentown, Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and, of course, Hocus Pocus!
So many great one-liners ran a muck a muck, a muck in this movie (haha get it?). OMG I had such a crush on Thackory Binx too! Truly a piece of 90's Halloweeny gold!
What are some of your favorite cutesy Halloween movies?
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Vampfangs.com Coupon Code
Today Vampfangs.com has released a coupon code which is good for 20% off of anything on the site! Just enter the code XGGFT10 to save!
Saturday, August 11, 2012
DIY: The Flying Ghost
This prop involves a small motor which moves the arms of the ghost up and down. Back lit with a black light, this prop looks AMAZING!
Follow the link to see this prop in action and to learn how to make one yourself!
Blog Feature: Scary Sounds of Halloween
Looking for some special scary sounds for your haunt this year & don't want to spend extra cash? Then Scary Sounds of Halloween is the blog for you!
Check this site for TONS of spook soundtracks all easily downloadable and totally FREE!
Check this site for TONS of spook soundtracks all easily downloadable and totally FREE!
Many of the soundtracks on the site are at least an hour long and would be perfect for anyone's home haunt!
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