The night before October, and Ernest is in the house....

What better way to really ring in the holiday season than with the kids Halloween movie, Ernest Scared Stupid.  It may not have been a great movie but it's one of my favorites.  It came out when I was 11 (1991) and I MADE my dad take me and my red-headed step-sister to see this the week it came out.  It was also back in the day when scary/Halloween movies came out IN October.  Now it feels like all we have left is a new Saw.  


Ernest has all of the pieces to make a good kids movie:
* Small town legend about evil that can only awake in the days prior/day of Halloween
* Bullies that make fun of our soon to be troll heros.
* One adult (usually the town idiot) and kids who believe the legend
* Scary voodoo/witch lady that you come to love and knows how to beat the evil
* The comical dog that you root for and care for more than the children being taken (Remember Independence Day, every cheered for the dog, meanwhile millions are dying...)

* Parents that just don't believe anything their own kids say
* And enough adult jokes that I never realized were funny as a kid, but here I am 18 years later, and I understand them.
* To defeat the evil, milk, it does a body good.
* Oh, and the classic monsters under the bed but mom won't look for you...(bitch)
* Eartha Kitt being more steampunk than any one of my League friends!!!!


I think the best line I've heard so far, Old Lady Hackmore: You are the 7th son of the 7th son, you are the baby, you are the boy, it is YOUR legacy. You are the great redneck hope! 


So, tonight we snuggled into bed and I watched my child laugh, hide her eyes, laugh, and cheer on the children and Ernest as they defeat the towns curse and trolls straight out of Killer Clowns From Outer Space (same special effects team!)

One day to go, and we are behind

I managed to get up our spider cocoons into the trees (without hitting power lines!) and they look really good.  I then decided to get out our tombstones out from last year, only to find as I attached the stakes on them, they were falling apart on the bases.  They are foam attached to wood vis liquid nails, which, ate through the foam a year later....so repair is in need, I just don't know where I will go from there.

With that in mind, I've been down in the dumps about our yard haunt.  There is so much I want to build, but money has run out and it seems the world is against me.  I wanted to buy masks at the local St. Vincent DePaul store to make leaf bodies, but they won't sell their Halloween decor in the window until the 12th.  I just get up that morning and go clear them out, if there isn't a line!!!

My paper mache pumpkins took a beating.  Even after sealing them, a light rain damn near flattened them along with the crappy mache clay I used.  So, they are restricted to my porch where they just look bad since there is no where for them.  Hopefully Halloween night will be dry so I can at least put them in their patch.

On the list I have remaining is to make a Grim Reaper.  I have everything I need for him, it's just now a matter of taking apart the futon in our basement for it's wood base.

I need to get another bucky skeleton for him to look like he's climbing into our bedroom window, which my friend just suggested using fishing wire and attaching him from the inside.  More to come on that idea once it's executed.

It's been rough on my ego having props fall apart on me, but again, this is my second year of learning.  We'll see.  More to come.

The passing of a man

When I was sixteen, I had to get a new job.  A friend told me her boyfriend worked at Spencer's Gift and that they were hiring for part time workers for the Spirit Halloween stores (this was before stand alone Halloween stores were not as rampant as they are now).  I walked in, plaid skirt, ripped fishnets, black tank top, knee high boots, stated I wanted a job and didn't need a uniform.  I worked one hour in the Halloween store, and they needed help downstairs at Spencer's.  I never worked another day at the Halloween store, and I didn't leave for five years.  And I still have dreams about that place, particularly this time of year, and he's still always the boss.

Don Bell was like having a second dad during that time in my life. He was like that to everyone who worked there. He watched to boy toys filter in and out, sometimes he spoke up, some times he didn't.  He was absolutely hilarious with a cigarette in one hand and inhaler in the other looking like a short haired skinny troll doll with a cackle laugh to match.  He had a crush on the Lenscrafters Lady, who obliged his fantasy with grace (although I've been told that was a rouse on his part). He could yell at you and make you feel like you just killed a puppy, and the next day turn around and make you laugh at yourself for your own mistake.  He was simple, kind, and a good man all around. I didn't have the relationship most of my other co-workers and friends developed with him, but I had a little place in my heart nonetheless.  Guess this year I will honor him with a tombstone in my yard.  

Voodoo Lady

We made arms this morning for our three new pumpkins. I decided I need them to dry fast so I can get more work done tonight/tomorrow, hanging them outside with a fan on them would help this process and the sun will help this afternoon. I got them hung, and now I look like the local voodoo queen.

Spider Cocoons!!!

Once again, we've taken on more than we can handle, and decided to make spider cocoons for our big tree in our front yard with a trail of giant spiders climbing the tree. My poor husband doesn't realize how much ladder work he's in for! But here are the preliminary photos of the cocoons so far. My inspiration was from Grandin Road, once again. But mine will be outdoor ready whereas theirs are indoor only.

These are made from newspaper balls wrapped in masking tape, grocery bags so they don't sag the rain (which all balls do LOL), and black cotton fabric all tied up. Then I took cheesecloth and wrapped it all up. I still need to add spider webbing thinly around them. The two smaller have some, but our dear kittens have been using them as play toys so they need some readjustments before they head up the tree.

The funny story with these: As I sat on the couch watching Pretty Woman for the millionth time, making the balls out of newspaper for all three, I didn't realize how dry my hands were getting....and sure enough after all three were bagged, wrapped in black and cheesecloth....my wedding rings were gone. I've lost so much weight that they no longer fit well and the newsprint dried out my hands. So back into digging through every masking taped ball, and found them. I'm glad I realized this before they went up in the tree!

Also, check out my friend Mikki and her spider cocoons. She used and different approach but the same idea came from Grandin Road. I like hers better, but she also has an artist as a husband and theater background....but for some reason I still think she's more talented if you removed all of that!!! Love ya!

New Desk

Once upon a time, I came across a desk, that I wanted more than anything. I found designs for it here at Jannypie. So, I waited until the items were on sale, and boom, two weeks ago we got it all put together. So here is my art room/studio in all it's current glorious mess. There are still tons of fairies and items on the walls from when this was Fred's room. And I want to repaint, but haven't picked a color. Oh, and I made this for under $120 since I already had the paint. But, if you want something smaller, go to Grandin Road and spend $800....

Below are the other two large items in the room...all found items.

And as you can see, there are tons of items in this room, so have fun playing i-spy!

Some Halloween Rules with a Pumpkin Girl Twist

RULE #1: If you going to go trick-or-treating you need to have a costume. I don’t care if you are 64 and trick or treating, costume is a must. No costume, No Candy.

RULE #2: If you can drive to my house, you can't have any of my candy.

RULE #3: As parents you're allowed to siphon Snickers and Reese Peanut-Butter Cups from your children's Halloween bags. You know your parents did the same to you.

RULE #4: As children you're allowed to hide Snickers and Reese Peanut-Butter Cups in your pockets.

RULE #5: 3 knocks on the door or two doorbell rings are sufficient. Eggs to commence if these guidelines are not met in a timely manner.

RULE #6:I give out more candy for kids in cute costumes than zombie death lords...(NOT true at the Pumpkin Girls house. I only give out more candy if I can tell what you are!!!! Non-descript death lords are SOL, Pinhead’s hit the jackpot!)

RULE #7: Kids: Eat all the candy you can tonight, for tomorrow it might disappear. (Pumpkin Girl idea: stash a grocery bag inside and divide before you go home and stash it somewhere close to take to school with you the next day!!!)

RULE #8: You can scare all the people you want today. People want to be scared on Halloween. So oblige them.

RULE #9: Even if children run away sobbing from your house with fear, just smile and say "Happy Halloween!" (Anyone caught scaring the under 5 crowd will be egged….)

RULE #10: Fathers love scaring children. I can't explain it, it just is.

RULE #11: People expect to see strange things on Halloween

RULE #12: On Halloween it it perfectly acceptable to walk around town in your PJ's…..(Pumpkin Girls COMPLETELY DISAGREE!!!!!)

RULE #13: A smile and a well place "This is my costume" will fix any odd looks (Pumpkin Girls say see rule #1)

RULE #14: Any 3 year olds dressed like the devil by their parents, will need serious therapy at some point in the future. (Pumpkin Girls say they are old enough to pick dammit.)

RULE #15: While carving up a squash would seem odd any other time of year, at Halloween we simply label it "Tradition" or "Good Fun" and it all makes sense. (Pumpkin Girls say, it’s Irish and your house may be egged if no pumpkins are carved and ready for us.)

RULE #16: Kids: Always accept what is offered while trick-or-treating. You can throw it away or trade it to some sucker later.

RULE #17: Parents: No child wants a box of raisins in their trick-or-treat basket. Let's just give healthy a rest for today, okay?

RULE #18: Dogs or cats should not be dressed up. Period. (Pumpkin Girl exceptions: Cujo, Toto, and Great Dane’s walking next to Shaggy.)

I can't wait for this movie!!!!

Modified tombstone

Last year we made tombstones out of styrofoam, latex paint and acrylics. A few didn't look so good, so today I helped them along in their progress. A friend found this great video of easy to make tombstones. I took one of the old ones and gave her a little update.

I'm hoping to make a few wood ones this year. That way if Chris make a fog chiller, we will have more for the fog to weave through.

Pumpkins- Orange and some detail

My poor, poor pumpkins. The mice in my garage decided they were good to eat. So I have had to repair damage using tape and cardboard. And none of their designs were what I wanted due to the holes they ate/ created! I've decided not to water seal them, and just keep them up on our porch for the season until that night if it dosen't rain! My little 'ghostie' pumpkin was so bad that I decided to 'fleck stone' spray paint him in grey. So he's now Rocky the Ghost. The two smaller ones, Fred decided to paint with acrylics so thickly, that they are now going to be stone sprayed in terracotta tomorrow. But my big guy shows alot of tape and card board repairs. So he just got alot of dry brush yellow and some hot glue fill ins. I imagine and hope that at night they will look good.

It's been a learning experience, and now I know I need to go slower. Use better paper clay. And keep them out of my garage! I still have time to make a few more, but I really want to get some skeletons and a grim reaper made....more to come on those ideas.

Kings Island Trip

Earlier this summer, we decided for Fred to create a potty chart to help with the potty training. In June she started with 179 squares to fill with stickers each time she went on the potty. In square 180, was a trip to Kings Island, if she filled it before the end of summer. Well, she made her goal and last night we took her to Kings Island. She rode Scooby Doo's Haunted Castle 2 times, the Grand Carousel once (at night when it's the best), the Helicopter tracks with Daddy, the Dora trains with Mommy, the baby roller coaster with Mommy, the swings, this ride below that I loved when I was a kid. And we stayed and watched the (pitiful) fireworks. We didn't get the time to go to Rivertown and ride the train and eat potato fries, but we did walk over to Coney Mall so Fred could see it all lit up, which is promptly told us we were going to ride Scooby-Doo. It was a good time, can't wait til she's old enough to ride bigger rides!