Corpsing is fun!!!

So thanks to some online haunters who have shared their talent. I have turned some of my plain ol blucky's into yummy fresh corpses. I started out with a blucky, because I would rather spend under $10 than $100 for a skeleton. I have purchased some of these from Big Lots, but actually got a few from the garage sales I went to. I went to home depot and picked up the carpet adhesive, two cans of wood stain. Already had latex gloves, toilet paper, drop cloth and a brush handy for the wood stain.

I give this guy credit for the wood stain color - http://www.theghostess.com/bluckycorpse.htm

You can truly get lost in the web searching for things, and come to realize there are so many people like myself. Even though I stole an idea or two from this guy and that gal, this was my personal technique. PS: I used a dremel instead of the box cutter because, people that shit is just plain ol dangerous!!!!

1. I cut out the eyes, nose mouth, around the rib cage area and bones.
2. I spray painted (flat black) inside the ribs and skull.
3. After the paint dried, I applied some cheese cloth around the eyes and nose.
4. Went to town with gloves on hands, and used the carpet adhesive spreading it all around the skeleton. I did one side at a time because it's very tacky/sticky.
5. Applied toilet paper to the carpet adhesive. Just play around with it.
6. Step 4 & 5 repeat after 1st application dries - process took almost a week.
7. When he's all dried up then take the wood stain. I used the lighter color first and the darker one to accent areas. Dabbing the excess with a paper towel.
8. Tim and I were totally grossed out and in awww at this point!!!
9. Just wait till he dries. ;)

Right now I'm trying to make my blucky into a ground breaker and mount him so he stays put. Still working on that but he's almost finished.
There are some other items I've been working on corpsing that were some odd treasures from the craigslist ads I came across that I'm working on. To me they looked a bit corny so I had to alter them to make it more gruesome.

Tricks and Treats

So I often snoop around craigslist for halloween stuff. I ran into another good one right before I went on vacation. I think I just might have hit the jackpot (again). Family was cleaning out their basement and the father was super into halloween. They had spent a good penny on the stuff, and I got it for next to nothing. Come October I will send them pictures, knowing their unwanted halloween items went to a good home. Favorites in these pictures is the entrance way to the cemetary, spirit ball (large), small coffin, creepy tree, life size bat, and some ground breakers. More altering and corpsing coming my way, and all unwanted items will be donated to my good friends.

So over the weekend I met a very nice lady via craigslist. She was selling all of her halloween decor for a whopping $50. She had one prop that was used once and still in the box that was worth $60, so the way I look at it is I bought one prop and got a shit load for free. Ok so I have a lot of stuff, but offered to go through the things this lady gave me and give to a few friends after I sort through it all. After all I don’t need the majority of what she gave me, yet then again I’m a crafter and will be revamping and or recreating with some of the stuff.

The thing that makes me peeved, is on two different occasions this weekend I had to hear that I’m a hoarder? Really??? Have you seen them shows? First off, it’s a hobby of mine, halloween, haunting, decorating and the entire essence of halloween excites me. I can recall my parents telling me when I was a child "you can have as many cats as you want when you move out into your own house". Well if by cats they meant tombstones and skeletons so be it! I take great pride in my halloween display and it takes a lot of time (my time with NO help from anyone). FYI: My house is clean, my bills are paid, food is in the fridge, kids are clothed, and I have a job. Most importantly my husband loves me and doesn’t have a problem with it, so mind your own fucking business. It would be like telling my husband he’s got too many paint brushes, or telling my son he's got too many video games, or my daughter she's got too many barbies.

So if your planning on having some type of talk with me or intervention maybe you should re-think this cause your not going to be happy with what I have to say in return... You can always take a step into the complaint department, there are two middle fingers awaiting your arrival.

On a good note there are only 187 days left till Halloween. Within the next few weeks I’m going to be corpsing my bucky’s, exciting!!!! Will post up pics when finished. For now here are some stills from my halloween jackpot I hit this weekend.

OCD

Only 7 more months till Halloween. Yes, I think I have OCD when it comes to Halloween. I've been thinking about Halloween for well over several months now. Where to find bargains online and how to build props of my very own. I want to improve my Halloween display and make it more realistic looking. I've been on this website non-stop http://www.halloweenmonsterlist.info/ gathering up new ideas. I love when people share their projects!!!

Rewinding back to October 31, 2009, we had a Halloween party that turned out great, I used dry ice for my very first time. Next time I wont make so many sweets. I had so many cupcakes and cake left over. All my ghoulish guests loved the hot food I served. A fellow witch by the name of Jessica shared her receipe for pumpkin seeds, they turned out awesome, I winded up making several to-go-bags. Since Halloween lands on a Sunday this year, I am considering having my party on the 29th or the 30th. Oh and note to self not to purchase so much candy, we still have bags hiding in a closet.

Shopping the weekend after Halloween to catch deals! I picked up some spine chilling stuff. Tried to hide most of the things and bought some more plastic storage bins so Tim wouldn't see. *witch cackle* A few items I purchased before Halloween but were broken items in the store I got for a steal, need some love n' care and will be worked on soon.

Last month the kids and I took a little ride through some old cemeteries in Fairburn. Seen some headstones dated back to the early 1800's! We just got back from Clermont, Florida this weekend and to my surprise there was spanish moss growing naturally on the trees. So much of it! The trees looked so creepy, I immediately took notice. Although I forgot to collect some for home, I would love to recreate the look for my tree out front. Make note.... I'll be back!!!!!

Here's a list of my projects for this year:
Corpsing my Bucky's
Making more of the fence I made last year, so the cemetery completely closed in.
Adding finials to the fence
Creating zombie ground breakers - goal is to make things move this year!
(this list will grow, and exists in my Halloween journal)

I think with a little help from Tim's crazy brain and his expertise in art, shits gonna be awesome this Halloween!!!!

Haunted House

So my ghoul-friends and I went and checked out Netherworld. Claimed to be the best thing on the planet or something? We did have a lot of fun though. We all had lil bottles of Jack Daniels, and I brought everyone these strawberry cream shots. Taken from Netherworld FAQ page: Do you serve alcoholic beverages? NO! And they are not allowed on the property, so please do not bring any.

Jessica brought glow necklaces for all of us, she also brought some Lays Chip chasers for the JD. I made some sugar cookies shaped as bats, pumpkins and ghosts. Jessica totally knew I made them with the help of Pillsbury. Haaa This all made the lines tolerable.

Lots of laughs and lots of screams later, I loved the real haunted house "look" inside. I particularly didn't care for the spinning room and that room that caved in and looked like poo. I about had a conniption fit when I saw the walls closing in and I see Lorraine on the other side. Rebbecca made a great tour guide with her devil pitch fork glow stick. The second haunted house was short lived. Thought I had more fun in the 2nd one. That may have been because I was in front and not seeing what to expect, as I was towards being in the middle the first time around.

I got some great ideas on decorating because of course I sucked all of that into my brain. I finally realized what those web sling glue guns are and decided I really need one. ;)

I had a great time with the girls and hopefully will make this a tradition amongst the bitches & betches, and go again next year.

In the meantime I am pretty much finished outside decorating, minus the strobe lights and fog machines. Added a lil fresh live moss, thanks to my co-worker. I used them around the hands and zombies coming out of the ground.

Finishing up the loose ends on planning the halloween party. Don't think I'll be able to do a kid party on Friday. :( this saddens me - but I've just got too much on my plate with my own party - it's called my brain! *cackles* We'll see...

Kids got their costumes this weekend. Jade is a Spider Countess and Dylan is a Wolf. On Sunday night the whole family dressed in our costumes and watched Halloween shows on TV after dinner. - A day in the life of the McGrath home. ;)

This weekend I would like to take the kids to the Haunted Hill and check that place out.

Until then my fellow ghouls, there's only 10 more days left till Halloween!