Halloween Season Kick Off Celebration

This evening at 9:00pm marks the Grand Opening

of the EHAG Emporium! A wide variety of original
Halloween art pieces will be available for
purchase on a first come first served basis by the
EHAG artist group. Set your clocks and stop on by
our kick off celebration of the 2010 Halloween season!
See you there!
Click on photo for purchasing information!

Bloody Adorable Pumpkins

Little white pumpkins with cute, long stems -- dripped with blood using red puff paint!

What a cute addition these would make to a vampire-themed party or wedding. :) Instructions from the very talented SwellDesigner (I'm going to ignore that the word "Twilight" was used in the post... blah).

Cheers, guys!

<3 - Carrie Mae

One World One Heart Giveaway

It's time once again for the 4th annual
ONE WORLD ~ ONE HEART blog event hosted by
Lisa from A Whimsical Bohemian.
The idea behind this event is for bloggers to
connect with artists from all walks of life on a
global scale. How fun is that?
If you'd like to join in on the fun and spread the love
hop over to Lisa's BLOG and sign up today.
• • • • GIVEAWAY • • • •
For a chance to win one of my Mini Cupid Trees
leave a comment on this post by midnight
February 14th. The winner will be announced on
February 15th.

plan B

Plan B of the Halloween tree project will be in progress this week. Now that I've finally gotten around to going out and getting the dye. I'm curious to see how (or if) it turns out.

I remain optimistic. But following the unfortunate incident with the spray paint and styrofoam, I'm also quietly formulating Plan C.

Darling Halloween Figurines by Dee Foust

Dee Foust is one of my favorite designers of whimsical Halloween characters. These two charming creatures are from her 2007 collection. They can still be found for purchase on Ebay and at other online decor retailers.

the geek family prepares for Hal-Con (update)

I may have to consider changing the title of this post, since I seem to be the only one doing any preparation around here. But with the weeks racing past, I feel I should at least make a start on what will likely be a futile attempt to prevent October from becoming the frantic blur it typically is. So, following a lukewarm display of enthusiasm from my family, we have firmly decided upon Tusken Raiders as our group costume for Hal-Con.

My research led me to an incredible site within minutes. A pleasant surprise compared to the hours I often spend searching for something on the internet and finding nothing but frustration and irritability. Studio Creations has everything I could possibly need to transform my entire family into Tusken Raiders. With detailed step-by-step instructions and a list of materials. Now of course comes the interesting part. The part where I apply my usual modifications and attempt to use materials I already have on hand. Always a challenge.

Mardi Gras Masks for Any Budget!

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Mardi Gras Masks in all shapes, sizes and colors are now available at MardiGrasCostumes.com. We have beautiful deluxe masks nice enough to hang on your wall when you are done with Mardi Gras; but we also have inexpensive masks great for anyone on a budget, or even Mardi Gras door prizes, or give aways. Visit now and check out the selection!

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leftovers

Imagine my surprise when my daughter came downstairs and dumped onto the kitchen table a bag of assorted Halloween treats. Leftovers from last October. October! Apparently she's had them organized and categorized and has been gradually working her way through the bag since then and has eaten as many as she wants. And is now very kindly donating the remainder to her family.

After briefly admiring her will-power, I rushed to the table with the rest of the family, lest they should claim all the good stuff. Then I noticed that, apart from a few Coffee Crisp bars and several bags of Ruffles chips, there really wasn't any good stuff. Just the sad unloved treats that have lingered at the bottom of countless Halloween treat bags.

Makes me wonder what else she has hidden up there.

time for plan B

So . . . spray paint really does eat through thin styrofoam. And now, back to the drawing board.

A few more wedding pictures

Because the Captain asked...











This is in the attic of an abandoned house that has been in my family since before the civil war. Pre-wedding. I loved being up there, but I came out dusty. :) Some day my plan is to remodel and move back there... it's going to take a lot of money and work.


Oh, our Groomsmen Gloomsmen. Always causing trouble, but terribly wonderful people.

Robin and me

I've been sorting through old photographs for another project I'm working on, and although I'm not sure when this one was taken, if my beautifully co-ordinated outfit is any indication, it was likely the early seventies. Which would make me about seven. But it wasn't the vibrant combination of red and magenta that stopped me when I reached this photograph. Instead, it was the memory of the chair. That big comfortable chair in the corner of my childhood living room. It reminded me of the countless television shows I enjoyed as a child while curled up there. It reminded me of The Flintstones. And Bewitched. And Gilligan's Island. And George of the Jungle. But most of all it reminded me of Batman. And my days masquerading as Robin.

I would have been too young to have watched the 1960's version of Batman during its original run. But fortunately for me, it was shown almost constantly in re-runs throughout my formative years. And I loved it. I loved the comic book flavour. The over-the-top villains. The action-packed fight sequences with their Bam! Pow! commentary.

I'm surprised that, given my love for the television show, I never chose to dress up as either Batman or Robin for Halloween. The costumes must have been available. But I was always something generic. Like a clown or a cat. Perhaps it was just as well. It would have been almost impossible to fit a warm jacket under one of those costumes and remain a proud superhero. Wherever Gotham City was, it clearly wasn't northerly. So I may have been discouraged for reasons of climate.

But it wasn't only on Halloween night that I embraced the joy of dressing up. No, I would create costumes and assume new personalities in all seasons. And one summer, likely after part of a school vacation marked by daily episodes of Batman, I decided to become one of my favourite superheroes. My memory is fuzzy on why I opted for Robin. Maybe I identified with him as a character closer to my own age. Maybe I simply recognized it as an easier costume to create. Batman's costume would be a challenge to assemble using whatever I could find around the house. But Robin's costume seemed possible. So Robin I would become.

I'm grateful that no photographs were taken. I have to rely on my memory to fill in the details. And that's painful enough. I recall wearing shorts and a t-shirt (likely as colourful as my clothes in the above photograph). And a towel as my cape. And an eye mask made from paper and string. But the greatest difficulty would prove to be the "R" emblem - Robin's signature accessory. It had to be impressive. Instantly noticeable. Ordinary paper simply would not do. Finally, the solution presented itself. In the form of a leftover piece of vinyl flooring. Cutting the letter "R" from the stiff plastic was no easy feat. It was a task worthy of a superhero. But eventually, it was done. And mounted on a painted cardboard disc. And pinned to my t-shirt. And off I ventured into the yard to fight nefarious villains. Where I promptly attracted the attention of my cousin and his friend. And not in a good way.

Sure they snickered. But they immediately recognized me as Robin. Thanks to that impressive vinyl emblem. Instantly noticeable. And despite their mockery, I felt an immense pride. My costume had obviously been a success.

Mardi Gras only a month away!

Mardi Gras is just around the corner! This year Fat Tuesday falls on February 16, 2010. Be sure to stock up on costumes, masks, beads & more at MardiGrasCostumes.com. You will find a great selection of Mardi Gras themed costumes in festive purple, green & gold. However, for Mardi Gras anything goes, you can choose any costume that you like! Wear it well & have a blast!

Mardi Gras masks are available in all varieties, colors & styles. Often your mask can be multi-purpose. You can use it as a beautiful wall decoration when you are done partying in it for Mardi Gras!


At MardiGrasCostumes.com we not only carry fabulous costumes for Fat Tuesday and masquerade celebrations, we also carry beads, coins & all kinds of party supplies to make your Mardi Gras 2010 the best one ever!

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new growth

I have given considerable thought recently to the materials I might use in the construction of my Halloween tree. The idea of a large papier mache project is appealing, mostly because of the flexibility I feel it would provide in terms of design. Unfortunately, however, workspace is an issue for me. There is simply no separate secure space which I could devote to the construction of a project this size. Especially in the dead of winter. And having a cat become covered in papier mache paste as he familiarizes himself with the developing tree is not something I wish to experience.

Even if a place for construction could be found, there would still be the problem of where to store the completed prop(s). There's that pesky space issue again. I always try to build large props in such a way that they can be (somewhat) easily dis-assembled. The following year, they can then be re-assembled or have their component parts used in the creation of something completely different.

So papier mache is out. Wire and foam are in. And tape. Gotta have tape.









I've begun experimenting with branches.

Icky Pictures

It's a lot harder than you would think to find a picture of me not grinning like an idiot (and/or sticking my tongue out at the camera). Seriously, check this out... this is the kind of awful, happy face I keep finding:

What am I smiling so hard for? I hate having my picture taken and I'm wearing a wedding dress for goodness sakes (a damn fine wedding dress, might I add)!

Anyway, I'm using my own image to start work on a series of family and friend photographs to use on the walls in my house for next Halloween. The 'technique' (there is no technique yet, I'm just fiddling about) involves using the 'burn' tool to darken the eyes, duplicating a layer with just the skin and lightening it by increasing the brightness, then doing a Watercolor filter on the whole shebang to make it look -- I don't know, melty and ghostly.

Now, if I could just wipe that stupid smile off my face:

off-season

The workshop in winter. Snow and ice and cats' paw prints.







Is it spring yet?

Some White Beans, Some Black Beans

This is kind of nice as a year-round homey touch; if you keep display kitchen jars, use Martha's instructions to make one that's a little bit batty.

Husband and I are trying to set up shelves above our kitchen fireplace to house our flour, sugar, etc jars. This would make a nice, subtle addition.

Coupled with the cauldron I hope to find to place in the fireplace itself, my kitchen might start feeling quite welcoming. :)

Valentine's Day is Even More Fun in Costume!

Valentine's Day is even more fun in costume!

Costumes are not just for Halloween. Have fun this Valentine's day in a cupid costume, the kissing booth costume, a Valentine bear costume or any of the wide array of sexy costumes that we have available on AnniesCostumes.com

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Resolutions and Other Nonsense

So I decided to take a few days off to recharge,

regroup, and rewrite my business plan for 2010.
Needless to say the few days turned into a few weeks.
(thank you to all those who so kindly emailed me with gentle
reminders during my absence...hehe... you know who you are!)
Now I wish I could tell you that during my absence I
got into a bit of mischief, hence losing all track of time
but I'm sorry to report quite the opposite.
I did however get a chance to manage my mischief
and am now feeling all the better for it.

So here we are at the beginning of another
New Year full of the best of intentions and
endless possibilities. Just around the corner is the
opening of the EHAG Emporium (a Halloween Marketplace),
and a Feather Tree auction from the artists of PFATT.
More details to come...
For now, it's back to the drawing board and my
rapidly approaching deadlines.
• • • • •
*Work in progress for the EHAG Emporium

Lamp-Shade Inspiration

I saw the most fabulous lamp re-con on Craftster, and now I'm on a mission to figure out how to recover lamps:

A little bit of textured cloth (I'm betting that old pillow-cases would, indeed, do the trick), some black lace, and some trim... the back beading would be icing on the proverbial cake, would it not?



What a nice project ideal. I might get started this weekend!

deterioration

I think I'm breaking down. Literally. Physically.

The eyes were the first to go. My bi-focals progressive lenses arrive next week. Then there's the recurring pain that starts in my jaw and radiates up and around my left eye, down into my neck and over into my ear. My dentist sent me to an endodontist who informed me that I have a dead worn tooth, complete with abscess and infection. The extraction is scheduled for later this week. And then there's my toe; a supposed sprain that, rather than healing, is becoming increasingly painful. X-rays are pending. I've spent more time in various doctors' waiting rooms in the past five weeks than in the entire five years before that.

Fortunately, that time hasn't been wasted. I've spent a portion of it thinking about the progress of my Halloween tree and attempting to develop a detailed vision of its final form. As usual, I've started this project without a clear idea of how it will end or exactly how I will get there. I typically just start working and let the prop be my guide. With varying results.

But the time spent in waiting rooms has got me thinking. About size. And weight. And number. And materials. And wind and rain. And I've made some choices. Now all that remains is to see if they actually work.

Addams Family on Hulu

Today is a baking, cleaning, and thank-you note writing day for me.

Who better to keep me company than the Addamses?



I so rarely check out Hulu. So nice to know that they keep quality programming. It's a real blessing to set the laptop in the kitchen while I work on Julia's Pecan Sticky Buns.

a beginning

I've finally started working on my outdoor Halloween tree. Just bare bones at the moment. Chicken wire and a tomato cage to make it easier to secure to the ground. It's currently six feet tall; I'm aiming for a final height of eight feet, or even ten in my wilder imaginings. This is the prototype. If it turns out well, I'll make at least two more. To populate a front yard sadly lacking in large trees.

On the left edge of the photograph is my assistant, admiring my work.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese

• 1/2 cup pumpkin
  
• 8oz. cream cheese, softened
• 3 tbs. light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. molasses
  
• 1/4 tsp. ginger

Beat on low to medium setting until thoroughly combined.

Mmm. Serve on toast, bagels, and (in my case right now) toaster waffles.

a lovely bright spot

The morning was bleak.  Fresh snow had fallen overnight in a valiant attempt to mask the crusty detritus of the New Year's Day nor'easter in a soft mantle of sparkling powder. Alas, it brought only further misery. And the hard grey skies to the west fortold of more to come.

Then, out of the semi-darkness, there appeared a glimmer of light.  Pink and white light. With flowers and teacups.

Thank you, Max, for bestowing upon me this lovely award and brightening an otherwise dreary day.  You're the kindest severed head I know.

results may vary (part two)

When I began to gather my favourite Halloween recipes, I didn't realize it would become such a sentimental journey down memory lane. Or more accurately, failure lane.

Those boxes of miniature chocolate bars are an important part of my Halloween celebrations. So when I found recipes which incorporated said chocolate bars, I was intrigued.




It seemed simple enough. Bake a layer cake. Place melted Snickers bars between the layers. Decorate top of cake. Easy.




Except that I didn't have enough miniature Snickers bars and used Mars bars instead (some call them Milky Way bars). A reasonable substitution, right? Basically the same except for a few peanuts. Well, apparently not. I'm still not sure exactly what went wrong. Was it the consistency of the Mars bars? Was the cake still too warm? Who knows? All I remember is that the "thick layer" of melted Mars bar mostly dissolved into the cake. When I cut the cake on Halloween night, the chocolate and nougat were gone. Vanished. Leaving only a thin layer of caramel in their wake. Needless to say, the cake looked nothing like the above photo.

Personally, I think these recipes should carry a warning for people like me. People who can't just follow a recipe's simple instructions. People who can't resist the urge to modify. That little M&M vampire should be saying something like: "Don't even think about substituting ingredients!"

What do I do with *that*? Nutmeg Grater Edition

Pinot update: Our sweet little doggie is already doing much better! I don't want to jinx it, but he's even walking a bit (with guidance and watchful eyes) on his own. Thank you, everyone. The words of encouragement have been truly treasured.

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Now that we're married, and setting into our blissful domesticity, I'm trying to figure out how to make use of several un-asked-for gadgets that could not be returned. It seems a golden opportunity to explore Halloweeniness in the everyday.

First on our list: the Nutmeg Grater (mine is much more plastic than that in the picture).

Receiving a nutmeg grater is an invitation into the world of truly delicious pumpkin recipes, because it is a perfect compliment to that special gourd that we all cherish -- and let me tell you, from someone who never liked nutmeg, you just can't top fresh nutmeg over the stuff you find on the spice aisle. It smells better, it tastes better, and you end up with a finer texture that all but disappears in your baking.

My first nutmeg grater project is PUMPKIN FRENCH TOAST FOR TWO (or pumpkin toast casserole, because this is really more of a baking experiment). You will need:

• bread (I always use that is in danger of going old before it gets eaten) -- french bread loaves or brioche are the ideal here; enough to line a smallish casserole dish
  
• Canned Pumpkin (1 cup -- not the pie filling stuff)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup cream (or half and half)
• 3 tbl. brown sugar
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I only used a 1/4, but then it's not my favorite flavor)
  
• 1 pinch salt
• NUTMEG + your Nutmeg Grater (this is to taste, but I would recommend somewhere between a pinch and 1/2 tsp). Grate it. Smell it. Love it.
  
• 3 large eggs
• Toasted Pecans (optional)

Line your casserole dish bottom with the bread. I leave mine in thick slices, but if you would prefer a more casserole-y experience, you could break it into large pieces.

Mix all the other ingredients (everything but the bread, eggs, and pecans) in a medium or large bowl. The resulting mixture will be a thick liquid.

Fold your eggs into the pumpkin mix until thoroughly combined.

Pour evenly over your toast in the casserole dish.

Place in the fridge overnight.

Bake for 30 minutes at 425^oF. Serve sprinkled with toasted nuts; having real whipped cream and warm maple syrup on the table for your spouse or loved one is bonus points.

This recipe is subtly sweet if you don't use syrup, and it reminds me of what would happen if you tried to balance pumpkin pie and bread pudding in a breakfast meal. Yumminess.

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Did you receive any wedding or Christmas gifts you don't know what do with? Let me know and I'll try to figure something out. creepy.cupcakes@yahoo.com