Halloween in My Heart

WHY is it not Autumn yet?!?  It is SO hot here in the tri-state, and I am absolutely over summer.  I am ready for Halloween.  It's frustrating....the stores in my area are slowly starting to put out SOME Halloween merchandise, but not enough to really be worth my time and/or cash.  So, to get my spooky fix, I've been binge watching horror films and starting a few little Halloween crafty things.

What about you?  Are you ready for Halloween?

Happy Saturday!

Have a wonderful Saturday, Halloween fans!

Halloween Asteroid

Right now, there's a giant skull-shaped asteroid flying through Space.

That's a pretty horrifying thought, but its true! The asteroid's official name is 2015 TB145, but picked up the name 'The Halloween Asteroid' back in 2015 when it flew by the Earth on October 31st. The fact that it looks eerily like a human skull from certain angles also probably played a major role in choosing its nickname!

The spooky skull, which scientists believe is a dead comet, flies around our planet about every 3 years, and during its last pass, came within a scary-close distance from us---only about 300,000 miles! 2018 will see a return of the Halloween Asteroid, but unfortunately, it'll be a little late. It is projected to pass by Earth sometime in mid-November.  According to the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia, we'll have to wait until 2088 for another Halloween-day passing. 

Source: Time article by Lisa Marie Segarra

Welcome, October!

Happy October 1st!

If you're like me, you've already been 'celebrating' Halloween for at least the past month, but now that it's actually October, those celebrations are a little more socially acceptable among the masses. So, let the celebrations begin...it's time to run amuck!

Amuck!

Amuck!

 Amuck! 

Pumpkin the Python

Meet Pumpkin! Pumpkin is a pied (pie bald) ball python whose picture recently caused quite a stir when it was shared on the Zoo Creatures Facebook page. The pet store, located in New Hampshire, is offering Pumpkin up for sale, but don't bet on this lil' cutie being available for too long. With that adorable jack-o-lantern marking and the close proximity to Halloween, someone is sure to give this the unique reptile a new home sooner rather than later. 

12 Months of Halloween

In many ways, Halloween is already celebrated year-round in my house! My collection of vintage Halloween masks graces the mantle throughout the seasons, there's never a bad time to watch a Simpson's Tree House of Horror, and of course, I've been trying to keep up with this blog!

So, I'm totally down with this list...although I will say, the idea of celebrating "Fathersween" this month sounds a little, uh, well, inappropriate, lol. 

Goodbye, Halloween 2016

Well, its gone. Halloween is over for another year. I tried to pack in as much Halloweeny fun as possible, but like every year, I still feel like I just didn't get enough done. I didn't go to enough attractions. I didn't watch enough spooky movies. I didn't blog enough. I didn't make the most out of the short, precious time that is the Halloween season.

I'm sure a lot of you Samhainophiles can relate---I always look forward to Halloween, but the coming of the actual October 31st date is mixed with a sense of dread. It feels like an ending more than a time of accumulated celebration. I always get really depressed and unmotivated around the end of October and into early November. Being depressed and unmotivated is especially hard during this time of year because its also one of our busiest, lol. So, I'm slowly trying to get through it, and I'm hoping that returning to this blog, as well as my paranormal blog, will bring me out of that post-season funk that I always fall into. At least there's one silver lining to look to....there's plenty of time to plan for Halloween 2017!

Halloween Obsession

I think I'm actually becoming MORE obsessed with Halloween as I get older! What about you?

Happy National Haunted House Day!

The second Friday in October is National Haunted House Day! Well...a group of dedicated haunters are at least trying to MAKE it an official holiday. If you're a fan of haunted house attractions, please consider supporting this initiative. The National Haunted House Day website has a list of ways you can show your support. I'll be showing MY support this Halloween season by patronizing some of the tri-state's best haunted house attractions---look for my reviews throughout the season, and stop over at Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State's Facebook page to let me know what YOUR favorite haunted house attraction is!

FREE Halloween Ebook!

If you have a Kindle device or the Kindle app, you can download a copy of Ruth Edna Kelley's 1919 classic, The Book of Halloween, for FREE through Amazon!

Unfortunately, this digital version doesn't include any illustrations or photographs, but its a great historical glimpse at both the history of my personal favorite holiday, and the games, recipes, and traditions that were popular at the time of the book's publication. There are also a TON of poems.

Some of the material about the history of how Halloween evolved into an American favorite can be a little boring and tedious to get through, but I promise it is worth it. A really fun read for a really fun time of year!

*GET YOUR COPY FROM AMAZON HERE*

Halloween Merchandise!

"It's the most wonderful time of the year!" The time when Halloween merchandise starts hitting the shelves! Around here, it seems like many places started putting their Halloween stuff out a little earlier than usual...and their school supplies stuff out a little later. Oh well. I am completely fine with that! So far, I've really only been to check out the offerings at Michael's and at Jo-Ann Fabrics, and they had some pretty awesome stuff. I haven't bought anything yet.* I just haven't seen anything I'm completely ready to commit to, at least not until we get vacation and the first few days of school out of the way first. But tell me, what have YOU found so far in the stores? Who else is already getting their merchandise out and ready?

*That's not entirely true since I buy Halloween stuff year round at thrift and antique stores, lol. I just meant I haven't bought any 2016 season merchandise....YET.

October Shadows

I have ANOTHER favorite Halloween artist---William Basso. And while his work is arguably quite different in style and subject from that of Catherine Holman, its no less beautiful with a vintage twist. For this first feature on Basso, I've chosen to highlight his October Shadows. From the artist himself:

"October Shadows" Collage and mixed media mounted on canvas. 20"x16"- This was done as a promotional image, a sort of "call for entries", for a Halloween themed art show of the same name. I wanted to pay homage to the "Vanitas" paintings of the 17th century Dutch masters. I felt that this captured the theme of "Halloween in Art" while adding a slightly surreal twist. ©William Basso

Please see his website to learn more about this artist, view other examples of his work, and to even purchase prints of your favorite pieces!

I LOVE Halloween

I love Halloween. I mean, I really, really, really love Halloween. I love just about everything to do with Halloween, except for pumpkin-spiced flavored things, lol. But, everything else is awesome!

Just the very act of looking at Halloween themed pictures is enough to make me all giddy and happy inside. It feels like the exact opposite of the feeling I get right before a panic attack...crazy, huh?

There's just something about the whole season that I can't put my finger on. I think its beautiful, its mysterious, and even a little creepy. I love the way it looks, the way it sounds, the way it smells, and the way it feels. I'm still working on the taste thing, though!

Luckily, I am NOT alone. There are countless blogs, websites, and social media pages dedicated to the love of the Halloween season. When I decided to start this blog last year, I really struggled with whether or not I even should---there are so many other great spots on the web to celebrate Halloween year 'round. But, I decided to do it for MYSELF. I wanted a place where I could collect my favorite Halloween images, research and write about cool Halloween topics, and share new food and craft ideas to try. If no one but me EVER reads this page, I'm completely okay with it...

That's why I decided to bring it back. Last year, life got in the way, and I chose to dedicate the majority of my sparse spare time to my paranormal blog. I can't say I really got BORED with it...I just did not have the motivation. However, a few recent events in my life have made me sort of re-evaluate things and have led me to want to spend more time pursuing the things that DO make me happy. Halloween obviously makes me VERY happy!  I will continue with my paranormal blog, since that makes me happy as well, but I'd like to start devoting the majority of attention here---at least for a few weeks, lol. If you choose to join me on this journey, hang on! It's gonna be a bumpy ride!

Pirate's Cove Halloween

Catherine Holman is probably my favorite artist in the world. Her beautiful, yet sweet, Halloween paintings are exactly what I WANT small-town Halloween to look like: full of whimsy, full of nostalgia, and beautiful colors that SCREAM autumn. Over the course of this blog, I'll be posting many, many more works by Catherine Holman, but to get things started, I chose this one, entitled Pirate's Cove Halloween.

Here is what Catherine has to say about this image:

In Pirate's Cove as soon as the moon rises high in the sky, tiny goblins run from house to house giggling and gathering treats of caramel apples, popcorn balls, candy corn and various sweets and surprises. Adults and scared pets warm themselves by an inviting fire as they supervise their surroundings. Pirates anchor their ship in the cove curiously spying on these shenanigans as a ghost slips over the bridge chasing a very tiny witch and her suspicious black cat. This scary evening includes tiny tots and their bewildered dog dressed in strange uncomfortable attire being pulling by the wagon load through a small cemetery. Bugs and various creepy crawlers, pirates, mummies, and a superhero swarm the streets. A sweet princess being escorted by a mouse standing on two feet is about to magically fill her treat bag when she taps on the door, demurely smiles, and chants "trick or treat!"

If you'd like to own a Catherine Holman artwork, she sells originals through her website/Etsy Store...and Fine Art America offers prints in a variety of sizes and prices!

Easter Monday

Wishing those of you who celebrate it a wonderful Easter Monday! In Poland, today's celebration is known as Dyngus Day...a day where boys chase girls around throwing water on them and whipping them with pussy willows, lol.  I'm going to celebrate in a much more mundane way---by posting these Halloween Easter eggs!

The Shatner Masks

Today's Movie Monday is a little bit of trivia for you!  By now it's pretty common knowledge that the mask Michael Myers wears in Halloween is a William Shatner mask, chosen because it was the cheapest one available.  

According to the article from Daily Dawdle, the mask was then spray painted white, creating the visual that has haunted us all since 1978.  But, have you ever seen the unaltered version of the mask?  The Daily Chive has provided that little gem for us and it is HORRIFYING!

The mask was produced by Don Post Studios and is actually not JUST Shatner, but is a Captain Kirk mask from a 1966 Star Trek costume. This little fun-fact was discovered in 1981 when Rich Sternbach was working on HALLOWEEN 2 and it was discovered that only one of the original Michael Myers masks remained.  He was the one who discovered the model number of maker's name on the neck and made the call to the company, ordering a whole box of the now iconic face.  In an article and accompanying video posted on a Star Trek website, William Shatner admits to taking his daughter trick-or-treating one year donning his own face! 

AHS Ma Petite

Today's post is for my boyfriend, Aaron.  He really isn't a fan of American Horror Story, but like a good boyfriend, he stuck out the entire fourth season with me.  I'm pretty sure his favorite part of the whole show was little Jyoti Amge, the actress who plays Ma Petite.  He thinks she's the sweetest, most adorable thing ever and was pretty devastated at her fate in the show.  So Aaron, these beautiful stills from the Halloween episode are for you!