No more sexy please.

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

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

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

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

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 . . . . .

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

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!