Fall-ing into place

This weekend I took a much needed break for myself. Friday, I stepped into the garage and pulled out some halloween props, just to play with and grasp more inspiration. I took out the laptop and checked out every halloween inspired website. Came to this conclusion... I have no "dead" women in my cemetery. WHY??? Realizing that 99% of props are all men, if in fact they are not a witch. Crazy huh?

So, I have two identical ground breakers who will become husband and wife. I took off their heads and have started the process. Will keep you updated on my progression, right now they are dying or drying to be painted. *insert witch cackle*

68 more days till Halloween and 36 more days till set up.

Love,

The Madame

Inspiration Weekend

It's all coming together now. Finally getting into the swing of things and I can't be more excited. Friday started off like a bang. I felt as thought I was in a million places and had a zillion things to do. Two doctor appointments, kids school shopping, oh travel 30 miles for a big lot of halloween goodies a woman was getting rid of. One of the many great things she had was this candelabra. From the picture I thought it was plastic/prop. Nope total score, it's wrought iron! As I gazed at it, I got this great inspiration for redecorating my guestroom. Right now it's got a half retro, half idkwtf? All I can say is there's a human size birdcage in there. That will stay, but the retro shit has to go. I'm thinking dark victorian? New bed, linens, and wallpaper and I've got plenty of spooky nicknack's and creepy paintings. Goal 2012!

Next, is a ground breaker, I have several of these from prior after-halloween sales. Fun to place them in front of the graves. I usually throw a dark colored cheese cloth over them and some moss around their torsos. Blah, right? I was thinking what I can do to re-vamp them? So inspirations here I come!

So Saturday I cleaned my haunted mansion, making sure to leave every cob web in it's place. Sunday ohhhh Sunday, I got to the garage. With the help of my hubby who cleaned his half. We were both very enthusiastic the entire day. Nice breeze in the air, it was strange because I could actually feel "fall". Nice and tidy!

Desert is always last? On Wednesday I get home for work, we all have dinner and out comes a surprise desert from my daughter. She made these cookie/cupcake, I'm not really sure, but it was delicious! Using cookie dough and placing an oreo cookie on the bottom of it. Toping it with halloween colored sprinkles and cute ghosts. Best part was the tombstone shaped cinnamon toast crunch cereal.

This weekend I have some "free" time. No work, no side projects, just me and my 3 day weekend. I think I'll be able to get started on some halloween fun.

Happy Birthday Madonna

I know Madonna has nothing to do with halloween. So I hope I don't loose any of my fellow haunters for posting this, BUT I wanted to wish Madonna a very happy birthday today. 53 years young! She means the world to me. Hence the name of my blog "Live to Tell". I even named a candle "Lucky Star" after her.

I recall Halloween 1984, I was 9 years old. Just at that ripe age with an attitude "I'm independent" and I don't need no stinking plastic mask with the plastic outfit. Well, I got a fucking Care Bear costume. *insert sad face* I ditched the plastic mask, turned the plastic outfit inside out, got a belt, grabbed my gummy bracelets, teased up my hair, gathered up some lace and wa-la! I was Madonna for halloween that year. *turned that frown upside down*

Below are some pictures of Madonna on halloween. In the time allotted, I could only find these three...

Back to BOO!

Back to (BOO) School means the end of summer, jumping right into fall. My family and I just got back from our vacation, where my husband and I celebrated our 9th Anniversary. While we were both under the impression it was our 10th. Ha-ha! We enjoyed our stay in the North Georgia Mountains in a beautiful cabin, the front yard was the Coosawattee River. We had so much fun, yet it was incredibly relaxing. One morning my husband and I got up and took a walk. On the grounds of the property we were staying on was a pet cemetery, which I thought was kinda cool. Not a great picture but one of the stones were marked "our beloved pet".

During my vacation and on the actual day of my anniversary, the Boney Bunch went on sale. I have 6 pieces from past years. My mom gets me the wedding couple each year as an anniversary gift. So I woke up had my coffee and cig and ran to the computer. Low and behold on a bad boo note the one I wanted was sold out Boney Bunch Couple on a Boat. There isn't a Yankee Candle near where I was at, low and behold my fellow haunter/friend The Undertaker came through and picked it up for me. Saves the day! So grateful!

The other great thing about my stay was my finds at the local flea market and antique stores where I picked up the sign of the beast and the prince of darkness!!! All three original albums in mint condition for a total of $15. *Note Mr. Crowley is a picture disc.

How cool is cold medicine branded with the sign of the beast?

Retuning home from our trip I went grocery shopping and picked up this on the way out. I think I will make one "treat" each week from now through October. I always make spooktacular goodies for my party. This will give me good practice to come up with new stuff. PS the crafts are super corny in this book, always are every year.

Last but not least as summer ends, I am reminded of fall. Catching up on all my fellow haunters blogs with the latest and greatest halloween finds at stores. I see every one is busting their witch moles with their halloween projects. All of this is so inspiring! Which leaves me feeling so incredibly guilty! I have been so busy this year with all my other side projects/jobs/goals, I have spent no time whatsoever on my halloween props. I am making a promise to myself to get into that damn garage this weekend (after back to school shopping for my kidos) and begin to organize the monster mess. I REALLY want to work on finishing the corpses I did last year by mounting them into position. My husband and I built a fence last month so the scrap wood left over is going to come in handy. Not sure that I will get to re-doing my tombstones this year as originally planned. The madame's side project Burning Tears has to make candles for centerpieces and gifts for a November wedding in Miami, for a very special couple. 

In the meantime, I will do my best to keep you updated on the treats I make as well as mounting of the corpses.

82 more days!

Happy Haunts!!!!

Love,

The Madame

Trick or Treat?

This one was just a good trick! I was driving back to work from my lunch break, low and behold I see an animal in the road, so I proceed to stop. It's a RAT! I notice it doesn't move. Now let me tell you, I drive a 1963 Ford Fairlane 500 260-V8 engine. My car is NOT quite, you think it would have scurried away.

As I proceed to creep up to it, I realize the eyes are beaming red. I do a double take and actually blink my eyes to make sure I'm seeing this correctly. Totally realize it's FAKE!!! haaaaaaaaa

Such a great story I had to share.

Oh and this morning my husband asked, "when are you going to start working on your halloween stuff?" - This is a sign! I need to push some things aside from my very busy life and get crack'n. My goals this year were to make my tombstones sturdy and finish mounting my corpsed skeletons that I made last year. I've completed so many personal goals so far this year, I can make time for the fun ones.