The Witching Hour

More fun Halloween movies

2009-10-29T13:58:00.001-07:00

We are decorating our office at work as the Devil's Bakery. You'll have to wait to see pics of it later but I was reminded of the Forbidden Zone by Richard Elfman (Danny Elfman's brother). It is sooo wacky but so great. My favorite scene is Danny Elfman playing the devil and singing and Minnie the Moocher. Love it!

Forbidden Zone (Minnie The Moocher)
Uploaded by Javi-Otomano. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

Terrible Treats Wednesday

2009-10-28T18:14:00.000-07:00

I just came across this amazing terrible treat and had to share it with y'all before Halloween! Let's see if you have the guts to make this for your Halloween party. The photos are protected so there is no image to share but you Must, you MUST check out the MEAT HAND!!

I love the little spider web pumpkin pancake at the end too. So, so cute!!

Wicked Words Wednesday

2009-10-28T16:05:00.001-07:00

Alison and I apologize for the lack of posts lately. We are prepping our office for our annual Halloween competition that happens at work. But be sure to stay tuned as our blog will soon be filled with tons of photos of our costumes and Halloween adventures!

Before Sookie and Bill, before Edward and Bella, there were many other great novels incorporating your now very friendly"Veggie" fanged friends. If you are tired of sappy vampire romance try some of these books.

I am Legend is actually one of the best novels I have ever read. It is a quick read and NOTHING like the awful Will Smith movie, which I refuse to go see. I actually always envisioned this story being made into a one-man play with Johnny Depp.

The Last Vampire. I was obsessed with Christopher Pike as a kid. OBSESSED! His Last Vampire series was one of the best and has a female vampire as the main character. If you haven't noticed, most of our wordly vamps are men. It is a young adult series but the story is still pretty good. Definitely worth checking out.

Let The Right One In. I haven't finished this book but I have to say that there is a lot more going on so far in the book than in the movie. I didn't enjoy the film. Not sure why.

Terrible Treats Tuesday- Evil Elixirs

2009-10-27T12:30:00.001-07:00

No party is complete without some tasty beverages. Here are some of my favorite ideas. Enjoy.

This Shrunken Head Cider is amazing. I love apple cider and am so excited to be making this recipe for my party at work!!
Pumpkin Shake?!? Yes please!

Grape juice isn't the most appealing thing to drink, but spice it up a little and it will taste scrumptious!
Orange Hot Chocolate! Amazing!!
Click HERE for some Classic Midori recipes.
These Eyeballs are made out of radishes and olives. Genuis!

This is called the Dracula Drink. Not sure why, but I love candy corn. Wonder how it would taste with alcohol?

I'm a little hesitant about the whole weird stuff floating in your drinks, but these Creepy Bubble Drinks could be fun to make.

Here are a few punch bowl ideas. I love the fish bowl. I don't know about the trash can or whatever that container is at the bottom left. This website also has some other great punch recipes and wicked ideas. Check it out HERE.
Would someone please buy me this amazing punch bowl for my birthday? Pretty Please . . . .
And don't forget about the Black Vodka Martini we mentioned a few weeks ago.
Or the Butterbeer Brew. There is a non-alcoholic recipe for this beer as well. Just browse the website.

Top Ten Lists

2009-10-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

I was hoping to come up with a top ten movie list today, but as you can imagine, it is really hard finalizing the best top ten movies you have ever seen! I was able to narrow it down to two lists.
Enjoy!!

Top Ten Fun Halloween Movies:

10.Earnest Scared Stupid. A great cheesy kids movie. Who wouldn't want to watch Earnest being attacked by a crazy troll? And this is one scary lookin' troll.

9. The Addam's Family. So many great actors in this film. The Sequel isn't too shabby either.

8. Sleepy Hollow. One of Johnny Depp's best roles. Love the costumes and the macabre feeling.

7. Shadow of the Vampire. Such a great film. So funny and clever. William Dafoe is amazing in this role.

6. Shaun of the Dead. Rent this tonight if you have not seen this yet.

5. Beetlejuice. I will never get sick of watching this movie.

4. Fido. Bill Connolly is brillant. Another must see.

3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The return of Paul Reubens . . . sort of.

2. Army of Darkness. I don't know why but this is my favorite movie out of the Evil Dead series. Might have something to do with the line, "This is my boomstick!"

1. Elvira. Who doesn't love the Mistress of the Dark?

Top Ten Creepy Movies to Watch in October:

10. Arachnophobia. If you have a serious problem with spiders don't watch this. But do watch this if you like John Goodman.

9. Devil's Backbone. Best ghost story ever.

8. Lost Boys. Santa Cruz hasn't changed much. ;)

7. Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I actually really enjoy Rob Zombie's version minus Jessica Biel.

6. 28 Days Later. I don't think there is anything scarier than a post-apocalyptic world and the sense of loneliness that comes along with it.

5. Suspira. We've already mentioned this movie. My favorite part has got to be the soundtrack by Ohgre.

4. Watcher in the Woods. This is a disney movie that used to scare the shit out of me as a kid. It still creeps me out.

3. Blair Witch Project. I was so excited when this movie came out.

2. The Shining. This was one of my favorite movies when I was kid. Is that wrong?

1. The Thing. John Carpenter's best movie. MUST MUST SEE.

The Witchiest Witch That Ever Was

2009-10-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

I just came across this article about a recent art exhibition in San Francisco called "Toil & Trouble" at Space Gallery on Polk Street. The exhibition was put on in tribute to and in collaboration with a recent film titled, Story About a Witch. Among the various artistic portrayals of aspects of the film, the costume for the witch caught my eye. This amazing costume was a collaboration between two wonderful artists, a special effects expert named, Jared Guenther and a costume/clothing designer named Laura Grant. As stunning and realistic as this costume is it was the tip of the iceberg. The exhibition also featured the photography of Sungjib Kim, who took beautiful still shots from the set of the film.

Another one of Lara Grant's costume designs for the movie.

Crazy and magical.

More photos of the Exhibition, Toil & Trouble can be found HERE at James Sime's photostream on Flickr.

Freaky Fashion Friday: More vintage costumes

2009-10-23T10:54:00.000-07:00

I know I have already shared a number of old vintage costumes but I came across the most amazing Halloween book the other night. Dressed for Thrills: 100 Years of Halloween Costumes & Masquerade by Phyllis Galembo is a great visual catalog of a variety of vintage costumes, some dating all the way back to the 1800's. Here are a few excerpts from the book:

I want this mask. It reminds me of a B-52's skeleton.
What a great Big Bad Wolf costume. The mask is painted buckram.

This beatnik costume is right up there in weirdness with the Hippie mask I found a couple weeks ago.

I love how simple this bat mask is.

This is more of a masquerade gown. My favorite part are the hearts hanging from ribbon.

Who would want to be this?

Freaky Fashion Friday

2009-10-23T09:50:00.000-07:00

For those living in the Bay Area, the San Francisco Opera House is opening its door and having a gigantic costume shop sale this weekend (October 24th &25th). Prices range from $1-$750. You are sure to find that one of a kind item here. All sales benefit the SF Opera House. Press Release HERE

I love the royal purple gown. Must have looked amazing onstage.
Check out the back of the blue dress. The detail is amazing.
Grecian Goddess or Empress

On a similiar note, the New York Opera has allowed artist E.V. Day to scrounge through their collection and transform some of their most amazing gowns into sculptural displays in the Lincoln Center lobby. The way the dresses are displayed give off such an eerie feeling that it reminds the viewer of how theater is a sort of means of raising the dead. I have to say this is one of the best art shows I have heard about in a long time. Read the NYTimes article HERE and check out the full slideshow HERE.

Die schwarzen Katzen von Deutschland

2009-10-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

When looking for vintage Halloween decorations I have come across many vintage die-cut creations from Germany.

Halloween isn’t traditionally celebrated in Germany, so all of the paper products and other decorative Halloween items made in Germany were actually manufactured solely for export to the American market. Halloween manufacturing was a small cottage industry and the majority of German Halloween memorabilia were made by home craft workers or by small craft companies. Virtually all of the items were hand decorated, and it really shows in all of these unique designs.

A common theme I found, was of the black cat. Black cats are known for giving good luck, the history of this came from Britain due to their Pagan roots. However in far Western history, black cats have often been looked upon as a symbol of evil omens, specifically being suspected of being the familiars of witches. The black cat in folklore has been thought to shape shift in to humans in order to spy and bring information to witches as well as fetch ingredients for their witches to use in spells.

Paper Cemetary

2009-10-22T14:39:00.000-07:00

This is just amazing. And it has my last name in there. Hard to beat.
On sale at Etsy HERE

Thrilling Trims: Papier Mache

2009-10-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

We all have our own memories from childhood of papier-mache creations and activities. The easy, do-it-yourself nature of papier mache as a medium lends itself to all crafting traditions and works as a simple, yet beautiful way to make any holiday need, from costumes to decorations to functional items such as bowls and dinnerware.

Papier Mache is the art of making objects with paper, reinforced with rags and stuck together using a liquid wet paste such as glue, starch or wall paper adhesive. The name Papier-Mache is French for "chewed paper" and is thought to have received its name from French workers in London Papier-Mache shops who were said to have actually chewed the paper. The manufacturers may have put this idea into circulation in order to hide their true methods and recipes.

The history of papier mache dates back to the 2nd century AD in China where paper was created. The art did not reach Europe until the 17th century. Large imports of papier-mache goods flooded European markets which led France to start making its own wares. England started to do the same in the 1670s, however it only became very fashionable in Britain in the late 1700s and into the 1800s. It was used for primarily for mask making and festival activities.

Papier mache made its first appearance in the United States in 1850, when William Allgood, an English Quaker, established the Litchfield Manufacturing Company in Connecticut. The company was successful, producing such items as fans and card cases. When it was introduced at the 1854 World's Fair, papier mache art was given a favorable reception.

From it's start in the Chinese Court, papier mache has been used by common people to create objects for all forms of celebrations, ranging from religious ornaments for All Souls Day and the Day of the Dead to objects of revelry like Mardi Gras floats and has developed as a fun way for children to create their own artistic masterpieces. Professional and fine artists have also picked up the medium. Below are a few folk artists that I love.

The artist, Johanna Parker, makes simply amazing versions of these vintage German-inspired Halloween folk art creations. These whimsical decorations are sweet and stunning and will make any house glow with a unique look during this haunting season. Her designs are available for purchase on her website HERE

Kalamazoo Artist, Scott Smith, is in the middle of preparing for an major Halloween exhibition in Detroit that will include his one-of-a-kind papier mache creations. Mlive has the full story.

Here is a selection of vintage German inspired papier mache treat bowls for your Halloween table. blackbirdfolkart makes these wonderful designs for very reasonable prices at Etsy.

Kitschy Books

2009-10-21T14:38:00.000-07:00

When you love Halloween as much I as I do, you often swoon over any ghoulish/Halloween theme books you may come across. Here are a few of my favorites. Also, be sure to check out Lisa Morton's Halloween Encyclopedia blog HERE for an amazing bibliography of all sorts of Halloween inspired books!
Enjoy.

This book is great to have whether you are a cat lover or Halloween fanatic. It has some great memorabilia in it. A few excerpts from the book are listed belowWhat great advertisement for hosiery!

I love these vintage Halloween decorations

I love this book and luckily it is apart of my collection. Full of great designs and funny antedotes.

What a great wolfman!
This is what I am like on a bad day. Watch out.

I can't wait to get my hands on this book.

Another great Taschen book from the Icons series. Contains a very diverse collection of devilish graphics.
This one is great too!

Wicked Words Wednesday: A tribute to Edgar Allen Poe

2009-10-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

Poor Mr. Poe. As most of us know, the master of macabre's life was not one of fortune, recognition, or happiness. In some cases, we should be grateful for his misery since without it Poe may have easily written poems about puppies, and Virginia's beautiful fall foliage instead of dead beating hearts and tortured souls. Luckily the city of Baltimore knows how to respect their dead and recently had a funeral procession for Edgar Allen Poe a couple of weeks ago. I would have loved to join the 200+ mass of people who followed his hearse to the cemetery. Read more about the event HERE and watch a news clip about it Here.

Another terrible cake

2009-10-20T15:32:00.001-07:00

Somehow I missed this cake last week when I was highlighting ugly halloween cakes. Between the doilies, sprinkled candy corn, and weird custard(?!?) face, I am at a loss for words.

Terrible Treats Tuesday- Halloween Supper

2009-10-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

Halloween is all about the sugar high but sometimes you need a few savory treats to help balance out all that sweet goodness. Here are a few supper like treats with a Halloween twist for your spread:

Martha has a simple trick to making a great Halloween spread, color. Simply choose a ghoulish tone of green, or a dark rustic purple/black, or go pumpkin! Either way, you can easily play around with your food options and get pretty creative too. This spread is mostly cheese, crackers, veggies, and dip.
This Spread has a darker theme with peppered cheese, figs, plums, and other dark fruits.
These treats aren't too ghoulish looking but they have a nice autumn twist. Black bean salsa, tea dyed crackled eggs, and croque monsieurs are a perfect hot sandwich to have on a breezy night.

These crackly eggs are a nice break from the common deviled egg appetizer. Plus they are super pretty. Similiar to the ones listed above. Recipe can be found Here.

Healthy, fun, and super easy. You can really play around with this idea and create other great Halloween motifs. For example, take chopped red peppers and create a nice goatee devil.Mummy Hot Dogs. Fun, cute, great for kids, and super yummy. Pumpkin Polentas Yummy.
How great are these chips?!! Go Here for some helpful hints on how to make these creepy creature chips.

These Bat Bites are actually little cheese ball appetizers. I have a feeling they are super scrumptious.

This is what I'd like to call the Moldy Cheese Log. Don't worry, it's not moldy. Super easy to make and it is sure to add the perfect grotesque twist to your spread.

This Pumpkin Chowder is a little more traditional but a great autumn snack. I recommend using an actual pumpkin for your bowl.
Wow, doesn't this pumpkin curry look great? It also would make a great filling for the veggie stuffed intestine below.
Yes, these stuffed intestines look kinda gross, but check out the Recipe cuz it sounds super delicious.
Spider Pizza. Perfect for all ages and also easy and cheap to make. I recommend using pesto sauce instead to give it a more ghoulish look.

Monday Movie Madness-TV Spin

2009-10-19T10:15:00.000-07:00

I got to thinking about some of my favorite creepy tv shows this weekend. This is what came to mind:

The Twilight Zone: I'll admit I haven't watch a lot of TZ episodes but Nightmare at 20,000 ft. is a classic and definitely creepy.

I know The Munsters and The Addams Family aren't exactly scary, but they were great and they have the best theme songs eva!

Another fun one is The Simpsons Treehouse of Horrors specials. My fave was Bart reading the Raven, but I couldn't find a clip of it.

I wasn't allowed to watch American Gothic when it first came out, but I did finally watch a few episodes a couple years ago. Good story, but it gets a little weird after the first 6 episodes. It only lasted one season but still gathered quite a cult following.

Tales from the Crypt and Amazing Stories had their creeptastic moments. Who doesn't love a montage of short freakish stories?

Fear Itself was a mini tv series on NBC that premiered about a year ago. It recently came out on DVD. Similiar to Master of Horrors and Tales from the Crypt.

I have only seen bits and pieces of Millennium, but it looks pretty good!! Produced by the same folks who did X-Files.

X-Files may also fall into the SciFi category, but we all know how scary this show could get. One of the most frightening episodes was Home from season 4. Very Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The new TV show, Fringe, is very similiar to X-Files and worth checking out. It tends to be more on the SciFi/bioterrorism side of things, but the episode about the creature living like a gopher from this season was pretty spooky.

And the best creepy show award goes to . . . . . Twin Peaks. Bob, the Black Lodge, people talking backwards. Disturbing all the way through. Be sure to watch the Prequel to the TV show which is the movie, Fire Walk with Me.

No more sexy please.

2009-10-16T14:50:00.000-07:00

We all know that Halloween has been taken over by the sexy costume industry. I feel like some of this may have been brought on by the revealing superheroine outfits worn by people at comic/scifi conventions. Don't get me wrong, there are some great well crafted superheroine outfits, like the ones made by the legendary Ruby Rocket.

But we all know these outfits require some serious bosom buddies and a severe brazilian wax job.
That's why I was so delighted to come across this very funny article of comic book Halloween costumes that Don't objectify women, like She-Hulk the lawyer.
The article also covers comic book costumes that sexually objectify men. It's great! Check it out Here.

Freaky Fashion Friday: The Wild Things

2009-10-16T13:06:00.000-07:00

It's hard to not be inspired a bit by the recent "Where the Wild Things Are" craze. The fox costume that I made myself for my Halloween costume certainly drew it's look from the terrible monsters in Spike Jonze's new film, but the idea of dressing like animals goes way back. Since human beginnings we have been fascinated by our link and relationship with animals and have continuously made masks and costumes in order to take on their traits and attributes. Here are some of my favorite animal costumes that I have come across.

From a stage production of the fairy tale, "Hansel and Gretel."

Two wonderful costume renderings of characters from the beloved Beatrix Potter series.

The Costume Shop in London has a variety of amazing Comedia Del Arte animal masks.

1handmadebyheather on etsy has a selection of handmade furry animal masks perfect for children and adults this Halloween season.

Paper Goodies

2009-10-15T13:03:00.000-07:00

B. Shackman has been making amazing paper creations since the 1890's and these fantastic paper designs have become the traditional "look" of most holidays. Keep these little paper ornaments in your mind while you decorate for this Halloween. They are wonderful pieces to buy, but also fairly easy to make yourself.

Give your Halloween party an old-fashioned hint with this take on the traditional children's game, Pin the Tail on the Donkey.
"Pin the Tail on the Cat!"

Find both of these designs and more at the B. Shackman wholesale site HERE

Dead leaves on your door

2009-10-15T12:39:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, wreaths are one of oldest adornments of man kind. Dating all the way back to Roman times, wreaths were initially inspired by the God, Apollo. The plants often used symbolized strength, health, and immortality. Evergreens were used for wreaths due to their ability to survive harsh winters and conifer trees, which symbolized remembering the dead, were employed for burial wreaths.

They became a common door decoration when they were appropriated into an advent wreath by Christianity. Wreaths may seem a little motherly, or homey but they are a great way to decorate. You can also get pretty creative with them.

Here are a few Autumn/Halloween themed wreaths I recently came across:

I love the wheat and golden leaves. Simple, chic, and obviously looks great in golden light.
This wreath may be a little springy, but I like the juxtaposition of golden flowers with the twigs.

Berries!! That are most likely poisonous.

This leaf wreath is a Martha Stewart design that you can pick up at Michael's. You don't even need the kit to make this wreath, just some paper, glue, and a wreath mold. If you want to give it a darker twist, try spray painting the leaves black and silver and then alternating them.

It's a little hard to see but there are two little ravens at the bottom of this wreath. Don't you love the twigs?!

Another dark twig/berry wreath.

This one belongs on a dreary looking victorian house.

I really wish there was a better photo of this one but, alas, their wasn't. A simple twist on the twig wreath with a few embellishments. Easy to make at home.
Another Martha Stewart wreath. Very easy to make. Again, try spray painting the materials different colors to give it a more macabre feeling.

This wreath reminds me of the eyeballs on the stone wall in The Labyrinth. Best part: The eyeballs glow.

Cardboard Safari designs some amazing stuff, including these skull wreaths. My fave is the white one. They also have standing skull sculptures.

Thrilling Trims: The Halloween Feast

2009-10-15T11:36:00.000-07:00

Every beastly Halloween feast needs the proper accessories to complete the atmosphere. The hostess in me couldn't resist these decorative, vintage-inspired plates and napkins. With a wonderfully tasteful design, and the ease of being paper, these plates make the perfect Halloween party addition. Find them HERE along with other fun designs. They are available through Amazon as well, HERE

For the Geek in all of us . . . . .

2009-10-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

Everyone enjoys a good comic book every now and then. There is quite a variety of spooky, gothic comics out there for your reading pleasure. Here are a few that I have either read or heard about:

I came across Gloom Cookie years ago. There is nothing particularly horrific about this comic book, but it has a cute gothic romance and suspenseful story. My favorite artist, Ted Naifeh, was the first illustrator for this comic.

After Ted Naifeh left Gloom Cookie he went on to make Courtney Crumrin. I love how Courtney, the main character, doesn't have a nose. One of the comic's installments was actually nominated for the Eisner award.
Ted Naifeh has also contributed to the wonderful comic,The Nocturnals, by Dan Brereton. More of an actiony gothic comic.
My fave character is Gunwitch. A mix of ghoul, skull, sheriff badass.

I Luv Halloween is a manga about a group of misfits who gather on Halloween to cause some ruckus. Haven't read it yet, but it is on my list.

Death JR. first came out as a PSP video game. Then the super cute comic book was made. Death Jr. is about Death's (as in the grimreaper) son, Death Jr. and his freakish little friends. Surprise, Surprise, Ted Naifeh is also involved with this dreary delight as well.

Now for some darker, more disturbing gothic comics.

Lenore created by Roman Dirge is a classic. Who knew such a disturbing little dead girl could be so cute? You have to have a morbid sense of humor to really enjoy this one.
Johnny the Homicidal Maniac is probably one of the must recognized macabre horror comics out there. Jhonen Vasquez brings a twist of humor to this dark comic about a somewhat eccentric killer.

Jhonen Vasquez also was the genius behind Invader Zim, the wacky children's cartoon that was on Nickelodeon.
Squee is another spinoff comic by Vasquez. Johnny the Homicidal Maniac just happens to be this little kids neighbor. Poor Guy.
Sandman by Neil Gaiman , of course.

I guarantee you that the Hellboy comic is much better than the movie. I love the dark illustrations in this series.

I have only read the first installment of 30 Days of Night, but I loved it. It is a great vampire tale that is more realistic than fantastical. Great graphics! The movie isn't too bad either. No vampire romance bullshit in this film.
Vampirella. She'll eat your heart out. Love it.

Wicked Words: Bloody Mary

2009-10-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite horror legends from childhood was that of Bloody Mary and, time and again I would try to summon her through the mirror.
Read the myth and folklore about her below.

In folklore and children's street culture "Bloody Mary" is a game in which a ghost appears in a mirror when summoned. One of the more common ways participants attempt to make her appear is to stand before a mirror in the dark (most commonly in a bathroom) and repeat her name three times, though there are many variations. Some include chanting a hundred times, chanting at midnight, spinning around, rubbing one's eyes, running the water, or chanting her name thirteen times with a lit candle. In some versions of the legend, the summoner must say, "Bloody Mary, I killed your son!" or "I killed your baby." In these variants, Bloody Mary is often believed to be the spirit of a mother (often a widow) who murdered her children or a young mother whose baby was stolen from her, which made her go mad in grief and she eventually committed suicide.

In stories where Mary is supposed to have been wrongly accused of killing her children, the querier might say "I believe in Mary Worth." This is similar to another game involving the summoning of the Bell Witch in a mirror at midnight. The game is often a test of courage due the violent consequences if she appears. It is said that if Bloody Mary is summoned, she will kill the summoner in ways such as ripping the face off, scratching the eyes out, driving the person insane or bringing the person into the mirror with her. Some versions say that if you chant her name thirteen times at midnight into a mirror she will appear and you can talk to a deceased person until 12:01, when both apparitions will vanish. Other variations say that the querier must not look directly at her, but at her image in the mirror. She will then reveal the querier's future, particularly concerning marriage and children.

Bloody Mary Worth is typically described as a child-murderer who lived in the local city where the legend took root years ago. There is often a specific local graveyard or tombstone that becomes attached to the legend. On the other hand, various people have surmised that the lore about taunting Bloody Mary about her baby may relate her tenuously to folklore about Queen Mary I also known as "Bloody Mary", whose life was marked by a number of miscarriages or false pregnancies. Speculation exists that the miscarriages were deliberately induced. As a result, some re-tellings of the tale make Bloody Mary the queen driven to madness by the loss of her children. She is also confused in some versions of the story with Mary, Queen of Scots.

While, as with any sort of folklore the details may vary, this particular tale encouraged young women to walk up a flight of stairs backwards, holding a candle and a hand mirror, in a darkened house. As they gazed into the mirror, they were supposed to be able to catch a view of their future husband's face. There was, however, a chance that they would see the Grim Reaper instead. This meant, of course, that they were destined to die before they married.

For more about Bloody Mary and other scary legends, folklore and myths, HERE is a list of all the classics and a few extra!

Harry Potter Treats

2009-10-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to throw a Harry Potter Halloween party? Not sure what to serve? No worries! Just peruse Britta Peterson's amazing Hogwarts menu.

Her Pumpkin Pasties look delicious!

I am definitely trying the Butter Beer recipe.
She has two versions.

Alcoholic Butter Beer made with Butterscotch Schnapps
And Non-Alcoholic.
Britta also has a number of other great Halloween recipe ideas,
like this Spider Brie En Croute.
She also adapts this amazing Penn & Teller Bleeding Heart recipe. Impressed yet?

Terrible Treats: The Witch's House

2009-10-13T11:21:00.000-07:00

When most people think about a gingerbread house, images of Christmas and cheery snowmen seem to come to mind. Not for me. I tend to think of dark woods, witches and children being baked into terrible treats in a giant oven per the classic fairytale Hansel and Gretel. Here are some of my favorite takes on the witch's gingerbread house.

This is a cute, easy to make version.

Of course Martha Stewart has an amazing version that is elegant but perhaps harder to build.

And now for my personal favorite. This little gingerbread house has all the qualities of the season. It's a little scary, a little sweet, easy to construct (note the use of Golden Grams cereal as shingles)and looks totally cute and delicious! Go HERE for more about this wonderful house and the wonderful woman who made it!

Terrible Treats Tuesday

2009-10-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

Last week Alison posted about the Poltergeist cake that the famous Ace of Cakes made. It got me thinking about what other Halloween cakes were out there. To say the least, I came across some good ones, and some pretty bad ones

Here's the Good:

I like cute Halloween cakes and I think these guys are adorable.

Martha does it again. I can't imagine how long this takes to make.

A woman made this cake for her son.
It was her first time using fondant. I think she did a great job.

Love the red filling!!

This is a B-day cake, but I like macabre color combo. So bleak.

Funny, cute, and enough cake for everyone.

I love all the fine details in this cake.
The fence, cobblestone, and the moon.
This one is my favorite. So amazing!

Now for the BAD:

I had a hard time deciding whether this cake was good or bad,
cuz it is so fucking awesome!!

This is what happens when TwiHards(teenage Twilight fans)
try to make cakes.

Yes, this is a cake. Yes, it is gross.

Looks like someone got carried away with cake accessories. Fail.

If I tried to make a Skull Cake, it would turn out like this.
I'm sure this was delicious, but seriously,
the rice krispy treats look like barf.

Impressive, but tacky. I also find myself asking, Why?
No Comment.

The Shining

2009-10-12T12:44:00.000-07:00

I remember watching this movie as a kid and being memorized by the blood pouring down the hallway.

I, however, do not like it when silly emo bands decide to rip off the movie for their stupid music videos. I don't know what is more horrific.

Monday Movie Madess

2009-10-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

Another in a long line of horror movie classics, Dario Argento's "Suspiria" should not be missed. Perhaps one of the best-worst death scenes in any b-horror movie!

The Most Macabre Museum in the world: The Mütter Museum

2009-10-10T15:57:00.000-07:00

If you have ever been intrigued by human anatomy or human oddities you'll be wanting to make a trip to Philly to visit

the Mütter Museum. So much amazing medical history exists in this place. They have a giant collection of human skulls and a 9 foot colon on display. Definitely not for the faint of heart. But so intriguing, so disturbing, so great!!

The museum has also published two books.

Can't wait to get my hands on this one!!

More Vintage Halloween costumes

2009-10-09T11:20:00.001-07:00

If you enjoyed some of the costumes below, you MUST check out the blog archive of Geek Orthodox. This guy has so many great vintage costumes from the '60's, '70's, and '80's for you to peruse. Here are a few from his site, plus a couple of other kitschy ones that caught my eye!

You can never go wrong with Morticia Addams!

Walking movie advertisement,
but still, the shark head mask is awesome!

Somebody better be wearing this mask this year.
We ♥ you, Farrah Fawcett.

Dr.Doom

I've never heard of the tv show, Bigfoot and Wildboy,
but it sounds amazing!

Classic!

I love Casper.
AAAAAAYY!! It comes with The VEST! What a deal.
This swamp creature was made by Ben Cooper, one of the major Halloween costume companies from the 1950's, '60's, and 70's. Don't you want to collect these and use them as Halloween wall decorations for your next party?!?
Old advertisement for Superhero masks.

Freaky Fashion Friday

2009-10-09T10:12:00.001-07:00

I think these vintage halloween masks and costumes from the 1960's-1980's are pretty appropriate for Freaky Fashion Friday cuz some of them are just downright freaky! Where did these people come up with these ideas?!? I have to admit I love the designs on some of the older ones:

Check out the pirate in the corner! I also love the Senorita.

This is suppose to be a hippie.
See what acid does to you kids. Makes you paint your face and get freakish piercings!

This mask looks a little modern to me, so I am not quite sure if it's vintage but I love the design.
Cat people are awesome.

Jolly Roger

El Diablo

Classic Skull

A little bizarre, but cool.

The scaredy cat on the head of this witch is a great touch.
So are the bat earrings.
I have no idea what is going on with this mask.
My first reaction was wtf?
I also found the plastic Rainbow Brite costume I wore when I was 4 years old on ebay. I love how the eye holes are in the hair!!

If you want your own vintage mask I recommend browsing Etsy and Ebay. You are sure to find a deal at either site!!

Thrilling Thursday Trims

2009-10-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

I think it's appropriate to start off our Thrilling Thursday Trims with some great Halloween invitation ideas. I'll be starting today off with premade invitation cards and then will follow up with some great handmade cards. Premade invitations are a perfect solution for those who are short on time or last minute. I highly recommend browsing Etsy for invitations that are guaranteed to be unique and creepy. Plus you'll be supporting local businesses. Here are a few that caught my eye courtesy of Papercrave(an amazing blog!) and Etsy:

First we have some insanely cute cards from Tiny Prints.

How great is this chic spooky house template by Nouveaudesigns. Reminds me of the movie Rebecca.

I love this drunk Frankenstein by Little Toad. Very appropriate for a deadly debauchery.

I try to buy letterpress cards whenever I can, so I was delighted to come by these creepy invitations by Hello Lucky

Cardstore also has an amazing selection of Halloween invitations to choose from as well. So many amazing designs!!

This invite from Impress in Prints is so cute and perfect for a Hallowedding.

A Witch Hunting We Go!

2009-10-07T15:27:00.000-07:00

Click HERE for some traditional German tales of how to spot cunning witches that may be hiding under the guise of your friend or family member.

Wicked Words Wednesday: The Classics

2009-10-07T14:27:00.001-07:00

I think reading Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz when I was a kid might have had something to do with my morbid nature. That and watching The Shining when I was eleven. This series (there are three total) is a classic that people tend to forget about. Yes, it may be for a more younger crowd but who doesn't love reading these haunting legends about the lady with the mysterious black ribbon around her neck over and over again. Each book contains a variety of tall tales accompanied by the most disturbing illustrations ever. I'm pretty sure the illustrations by Stephen Gammell freaked me out more than the stories themselves (specifically the dead bride in the trunk!)

Wicked Words about Wicked Witches

2009-10-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

My favorite witch of all time is Baba Yaga, an old witch-woman from traditional Russian folklore. She is wonderfully horrible, flying around on not the usual broomstick, but perched in a giant mortar. Her house walks about on giant chicken feet, so that no one knows where she is. Check out all her amazing attributes HERE

Cake Possession

2009-10-06T10:43:00.000-07:00

This is perhaps the greatest cake ever made for a Halloween party, and may even be the greatest scary cake ever made. Period. Awhile back, the Food Network show Ace of Cakes was commissioned to make a custom cake of Regan from The Exorcist for an extreme Halloween lover's party. Watch the video of the creation of this one-of-a-kind cake below. It actually moves!

Terrible Treats!

2009-10-06T09:21:00.000-07:00

Try these spooky cupcake ideas for your Halloween treats table. Find the recipe HERE

For a more savory treat, serve these amazing pumpkin puffs! HERE

No frightening Halloween feast would be complete without cocktail ideas. HERE are some of my favorite and amazingly tasty drinks made with Blavod Black Vodka.

Go HERE for information about Blavod Vodka and how to order. It is also available at BevMo.

Trick 'R Treat - Some very good eye candy

2009-10-05T15:47:00.001-07:00

There has been quite a lot of buzz about this new movie,Trick 'r Treat,on the web.Some are calling it the best Halloween themed movie since Halloween. For some reason it was never released in theaters, so for the past year, the only way to see this film was at festivals. Well, the wait is finally over! Trick 'r Treat will be available on DVD tomorrow. We plan on watching it later this week and giving you our own review next Movie Madness Monday. But maybe you just want to see it for yourself:

Best Worst Movie

2009-10-05T14:33:00.000-07:00

For those fans of Troll 2, the legacy continues with a documentary made in tribute to this one of a kind bad horror movie which you can check out HERE. Perhaps the worst best horror movie ever made, at least according to Michael Paul Stephenson, the child star of the movie, who is also responsible for the making of this wonderful documentary!

Best Worst Movie Trailer from Best Worst Movie on Vimeo.

Something worth adding to your wardrobe

2009-10-05T12:48:00.001-07:00

In the spirit of Monday Movie Madness, HERE is a great website with horror t-shirts.The selection is amazing. I especially love the vintage horror t-shirt section. So many great posters! Is it just me or does the girl in the poster below look like Ellen Page(Juno)? Creepy.

Monday Movie Madness

2009-10-05T09:26:00.000-07:00

Basket Case, filmed in 1982 is one of my all-time favorite B-horror movies. For all those people like me, who love to laugh at ridiculous, low-tech horror effects, this is right up your alley!

And along the same lines, but with more a sinister and disturbing twist, American Gothic from 1987 is as classic horror as they come. You will not be disappointed by this backwoods romp.

New Horror Movies Coming Soon . . . .

2009-10-03T13:42:00.000-07:00

Keep your eye out for this one. Looks like a winner. A sort of Modernized classic '70's style satanic B horror movie.

And for the kids (and the young at heart, like myself) :

Freaky Fashion Friday

2009-10-02T15:53:00.000-07:00

Since I seem to be on a pumpkin kick today, I thought I'd start our Freaky Fashion Friday, where we highlight certain costume ideas and innovations, with this amazing vintage Halloween costume. I found this cute little number in Country Living's recent Halloween issue. This Halloween outfit embodies the masquerade trend of masks, printed linen,and cone hats that happened back in the 1920's and '30's with costumes. I don't quite understand the carnival/clown fascination that seemed to take place in that era, but I love the look. Like Rachel Zoe would say, "I die."
The print on this outfit is amazing, so be sure to click on the photo to get the full impact.

Virtual Jack O'Lanterns?!?

2009-10-02T12:38:00.001-07:00

Are you too busy to carve a real pumpkin? Don't have a stoop to display your ghoulish grinning gourds on? No worries! Just carve your pumpkin online! This SITE is my favorite as it allows you to send it as an e-card once your finished. Bloompetals allows you to choose different shaped pumpkins to carve. And spookathon has a more kids oriented virtual pumpkin carver. All of these sites are worth checking it. I love the animated flickering candles!

Pumpkin Village

2009-10-02T12:08:00.000-07:00

Alison is an amazing pumpkin carver. She made a pumpkin village last year for her Halloween party. Carving Tip: Go to your local art supply store and buy wood carving tools. These are the best carving utensils you will ever come by. Much better than those cheap store bought ones.

'Tis the season to be spooky.

2009-10-02T08:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Witching Hour! We will be offering up a slew spooky delights for you on a daily basis. Our schedule is Monday Movie Madness, Terrible Treats Tuesday, Wicked Words Wednesday, Thrilling Thursday Trims, Freaky Fashion Friday, and Spooky Sunday.

Here is a great pumpkin carving template to start us off. It isn't especially spooky, but it is still pretty amazing. More kitschy pumpkin carving templates can be found Here.