It’s not yet Halloween, but it is time to start dusting off the cobwebs and get geared up for the upcoming season. We have such cool stuff planned for this year so start following! I’ll have new posts weekly from here on out. There will be lots of new stories, activities, and Halloween inspiration. We may even have a contest or two! So stay tuned and bookmark this page!

Can you believe it…after all that planning, preparation and fun its all over. Halloween 2009 is now just a sweet memory. I hope all of you had a great time doing whatever you did. I wound up working my butt off to finish all the decorating and cooking just minutes before my guests arrived. It was a hell of a lot of work, but we did it. And I had a great time. Without further ado, here are some pictures from our Halloween party. (Click on them to see the whole picture).

These couple of ghouls have gone wild. Notice the flicker bulbs in the hanging lamp. These very effective props were bought from Party City. We wrapped the walls in Scene Setters to give the look of a cold dungeon. The man sitting in the chair began as a scarecrow, but I found a great prop laboratory switch. When you switch it down, it lights up as if its electric and a man screams. So this became our electrocution chair. I’m planning on working on this prop to escalate it for next year. Finally the staircase provided a perfect spot for the Hanging Haunted portraits from my previous blog.

Our fog machine zombie was a big hit. We also had the soundtrack to the Disneyland Haunted Mansion playing in the front yard. I think the adults loved it even more than the kids. This year was small but very effective. Next year, I plan to expand the yard haunt and add a few more tricks. You might wonder why I go through so much trouble? The payoff is the expression on the kids faces. I remember seeing awesome yards when I was a kid and I never forgot them. They were so creative and fun to me. So maybe I can do that same thing for someone else, and leave that lasting impression. After all, it helps to preserve the traditions of our favorite holiday. HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone!

So you have two days left to find a Halloween costume? Arg…panic time. Let’s face it…there’s a lot of pressure to come up with a costume that can generate an “OHH THAT’S COOL” comment. I don’t remember having to work so hard at costumes in the past. Maybe our parents did…the ones that went to the local craft stores and actually sewed. Very crafty! But before that there was a time when acceptable costumes had plastic masks (that would stick to your face from all the sweat) and weird plastic/nylon clothing that you jumped into and tied up behind your neck. We had a few good ones… Wolfman, Frankenstein, etc..but I do remember some really weird costumes during that time. Well I almost pee’d my pants when I read Robert Berry’s article Worst Halloween Costumes Of All Time. Give it a read. Robert has some hilarious commentary on those plastic costumes of the late 70’s, early 80’s. I also found this site The Haunted Closet while researching old costumes. The costumes in here are hilarious! Man, there were some weird characters on TV in those days.

I’ve always wanted to do one of those really cool yard haunts for Halloween. Problem is…I never had a yard of my own. Since AFFORDABLE quality homes are still somewhat of a fiction in Southern California, I’ve decided to quit waiting and invite myself to my brothers house for Halloween this year. His home has great front yard haunt potential! Since this is my first attempt, I’ll share with you some great resources and ideas for how you can create a killer halloween yard haunt. Read more »

With the dog days of summer now behind us, there is no denying that the Halloween 2009 season has finally come. I love this time of year. The leaves outside are changing colors, its getting much more windy and slightly colder, and yet there is that magical buzz in the air. Exciting NFL football games help to keep me indoors while the change in weather inspires me to start cooking warmer, fuller meals. And lets not forget….come October 1st, I begin making plans for my favorite holiday Halloween. This year is going to be great…Halloween falls on a Saturday! So all month long I will be posting lots of cool information, recipes, and other Halloween fun on this site so check back often. Let The Fun Begin!