My Mama Had a Cure For This...

If I would have pulled this stunt, I would have been knocked into the next county and when I woke up out of intensive care and they removed the life support when I was able to breathe on my own, I was told that my behavior was inappropriate and that I shouldn't act that way.

Incredible.

Weird #%$&@ Alabama

I was driving along a county road today and this sign caught my eye.




Yes, it's real. I first thought that it was Mr. Freeze's proper name in Batman but it is actually the name of a fictional Louisiana town from a book from which I have not read nor heard from before I Googled it. Don't know if it is related to the book or not. The irony is that the temperature has stayed in the 90's for the past week.

The state motto is Alabama the Beautiful. Most of the time it should be Alabama the Bizarre.

Haunted Video Review Thursday

Fun-To-Know: Create A Halloween Haunted House

I ordered this on a whim before I joined Netflix but am still glad that I bought it. Hosted by some people that I have no idea who they are including a mega-melodramatic goth chick and a red headed guy that desperately needs a hot oil treatment in his hair (comb your hair dude, you're on camera!), this is basically a do-it-yourself haunted house guide that leans more towards the startle scare and gore side of haunting (see, didn't leave you all out!).
As an overview, this DVD has some very good pointers on prop construction, although they are guidelines and not a strict take-you-by-the-hand-this-is-how-you-do-it sort of instructions and it expects you to know how to use hand and power tools and have a basic grasp of electrical wiring. The ideas on the electric chair are really innovative but would have like to have had a little more information on coffin construction aside from "put a couple of old boards together". However, the electrified sparking chainsaw idea alone is worth the DVD. I am fairly well versed in electrical practice and theory and know that it's probably fairly safe but it would still make me nervous hooking a car battery up to a chainsaw blade and running it across a fence where the other wire is connected for a shower of sparks. But it does look cool and probably could make a couple of kids lose bladder control!

If you have Netflix, rent this DVD. It has a bunch of great ideas and inspiration for the classic startle scare haunt. Buy it if you have the money laying around, I feel it's a good investment for both the novice and the pro.

Like I needed another diversion/addiction..

I found a guilty pleasure last night...Trueblood.  I saw it on Netflix and said, "hmmm, looks interesting." 

Addicting is a more accurate term.

Taking place in Louisiana, vampires are trying to intergrate themselves within society upon creation of synthetic blood.  One 174 year old vampire strolls into town and inadvertertantly finds bigotry and love within a narrow minded Southern backwoods town.

It's getting more complicated but that was the gist of season 1.   Sigh, the laundry's going to be piling up again it seems....

BAH!!!

Happy Harvest my big fat $&@!!!! Another sinister plot to water down Hallowe'en! Grrrrrrrrr!!!

Still, the lettering in the second picture is pretty dang cool...would have been cooler if it would have said Halloween.

I Got an Award! I Give an Award!

MarZel of  The Play of Light and Shadow sent me an award the other day and I just got around to saying "thank you" (bad Mr. Macabre, bad bad Mr. Macabre!).

"This award is to be shared with anyone whose blog you just love. Whether it's their art, their interests, the things they share, you just simply love to visit their blog!

This is what you do:1~Accept the award then post it on your blog with the name and link of the person's blog who shared this award with you.2~Explain the award.3~Then share the award with at least 10 blogs that make you SCREAM! Please tell what makes their blog so special to you. Be sure to let them know they have received the award. Also you can share this award again if you run across more bloggers that make you SCREAM!"

Hmmm...these things are so hard because I love all the blogs that I follow and I don't want to leave anyone out because then they'll get pissed at me and then start a mudslinging campaign and then I'll have to retailiate and then they'll start stalking me and then I'll have to buy a doberman which will make my cats mad and they'll shred my new comforter which means I'll have to buy another one which means that I'll have to charge it and then my card will go over the limit and then the fees will mount up and then I'll go into default, lose my house and end up under a bridge with the reputation of the crazy old cat man that will put a hex on you if you don't put a coin in his cup.

Works for me.

1. Creepy Cupcakes
2. The Captain's Ramblings
3. Good Mourning Glory/Wouldn't You Like to See Something Strange
4. Frog on the Pumpkin
5. Pumpkinbrain
6. When Is Evil Cool?
7. The Play of Light and Shadow
8. Shellhawk's Nest
9. Nickols Manor
10. Orange and Black

Thank you again, MarZel!

Haunted Book Review Thursday

We're baaaaaack! And today's a 2 for 1 deal!

And

Halloween Crafts: Eerily Elegant Decor

Authors:  Kasey Rogers and Mark Wood

For those who may not know, Kasey Rogers was Louise Tate on the series "Bewitched" (I think she was the latter as I believe there were 2 Louise Tates as well as Darrins in the run of the series).  Unfortunately,  Ms. Rogers is survived by her long-time partner Mark Woods, passing in 2006.  Before I go down a sentimental journey on Bewitched (I had a crush on Samantha and still think Agnes Moorehead is nothing less than perfect),  I had better return to the book review...

One word that accurately sums up these books is 'charming'.   These are craft books that have very do-able projects that are surprisingly unique.  I picked up Halloween Crafts a few years ago and it by far is my favorite of the two; Create a Bewitched Fall-O-Ween has more of an overall autumn feel to it but still has several good strictly Halloween projects.  My favorite from the first book is taking plastic jack-o-lanterns, cutting out the eyes and mouth and applying a thin layer of paper mache over them to represent the antique paper mache lanterns from decades past.   The bedding projects in the second book is wonderful, I gotta do that...someday.

If you're into hard core scares and gore scares, these books are probably not your style, and that's ok, I've got something for you coming up soon.  These books provide a fun, inspiring romp through creative haunted ideas, with a wonderful slant to an elegant side of Halloween.  When I pick these books up, I get inspired whether it's 12 degrees or 120 degrees outside (and it's closer to 120 these days).

Bottom line...buy the first book, Halloween Crafts, and if you like it, buy the second one, Create a Bewitched Fall-O-Ween.  Both are worth the money.

Pie Heaven

Yes, this is yet another pie recipe. This one is incredibly easy and my all-time favorite. This is Sausage Von Trapp's grandmother's recipe for Chess Pie. This is a freaky recipe, I mean it has vinegar and corn meal in it, how weird is that?! But something happens in the oven and it comes out golden brown with a thin crust that gives way to a wonderful sweet filling that I can only describe as heaven. And it's easy, it takes about 3 minutes to put together and an hour to bake and that's it.

Chess Pie

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
3 eggs
1 tablespoon corn meal
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons milk

Mix sugar, butter, milk and vinegar. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla and corn meal. Mix well and pour into uncooked pie shell. Cook at 350 for 1 hour, until the top is golden brown.

Serves 1, if it's me.

Eating this warm with a cup of coffee is bliss.

Once more...

Upon reviewing other's giveaways, I have found that they usually give several options to be put into a drawing. I'm new at this soooo...just leave a nice comment AND a recommendation on your blog to visit my blog and I'll put you in the hat too.

To those who have and still want to post recipes, please bring them on, I will do several in sick demented humor that will leave you mentally scarred for life on separate video blogs.

A Mr. Macabre Giveaway...clarification

I have had several people email me at my Hotmail address saying that this was a difficult giveaway. I honestly didn't mean it to be but then again, I have passed up the opportunity several times to participate in giveaways when the words 'link to', 'twitter', 'tweet', 'Facebook' or 'Myspace' is mentioned so I understand.
Got a favorite drink recipe? That's a recipe! Do you do the Sandra Lee thing and dress up a prepared box mix? That's a recipe in my book. Do you shave your feet with a PedEgg and sprinkle the dead skin as a zesty topping over lasagna? That's just gross!
Doesn't have to be Hallowe'en related, or hard or complex or a main dish, drinks are fine as well as appetizers or breads or candy or whatever.

But leave the PedEgg out of this please.

A Mr. Macabre Giveaway...

It has come to my attention that it is proper etiquette to at some point have a giveaway to show appreciation to your readers and I DO appreciate my readers, each and every one, I sincerely do. I have been thinking long and hard about this and have decided to make it simple for you to enter...but first, what is being given away to make it worth your while? Namely a Southern fried sampler of local treats and some Hallowe'en goodness thrown in. It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you what all it was...but I'll blog some of the stuff to let you know in later posts...
What I ask you to do to enter is simply this: Send a comment to my blog with your favorite recipe. Any recipe commented on any topic, anywhere and you're entered.
That's all. I would like your favorite recipe(s). I will put your name in the pot once (we must be fair to all those who aren't Martha Stewarts out there but you may share as many recipes as you would like) and the drawing will be July 4th. Please make sure that you leave some way for me to contact you to find out how to get your giveaway gift to you if your name gets drawn (if you have a Blogger account or any other blogging account, I can send a note but if you comment anonymously, then I'm stuck). To make it more interesting, I will make your dish in a video blog in my own sadistically sick style and try it out and give it my opinion. And don't worry, I'm basically a kind person, I will not ridicule your recipe, unless it's an obvious joke or being a smart&%$@ and then forget it, Mr. Macabre don't play that.

Or your recipe involves rutabagas, which will automatically forfeit your prize since I loathe rutabagas.

Good luck!

Grim Grinning Ghosts!

Found this on YouTube and it's kind of cool, even for Disney! It's from House of Mouse (heard of it but never seen it).

Test time...What is the name of the 'victim' in this cartoon short?

Bonus...What are the three hitchhiking ghost's names and which name goes with who?

Double Bonus...What is the referenced to at the clip at 52 seconds?

I'm To Die For!!!

From Carrie Mae:
"What You'll Find There... Thursday Halloween Book reviews, A love of Halloween, and the perfect touch of southern charm
This Blogger... is ridiculously endearing
You Should Check It Out If... you enjoy humor, home, and Halloween all rolled up in one place

Mr. Macabre is one of my favorite readers and definitely one of my favorite bloggers. Maybe it's because he lives a state over and I enjoy his occasional southernisms, maybe it's because he writes things like "H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks!" when I would be cussing up a storm, but whatever it is I find his blog unbelievably engaging and (hopefully he won't be offended by this word) completely endearing.

Mr. Macabre's Hallowe'en Cerebrations is aspirational for me - it blends home and holiday seamlessly. His love of good food, tasty desserts, posts about his garden and Halloweeny decor make his blog indispensable to my reading list: he makes having Halloween-home seem so happy and normal. :)

I recommend... his Halloween/Haunted Book reviews (which happen around Thursday each week) and this post (hope you don't find it too gross; I find it terribly amusing)"

Much to my sinister and overtly evil surprise, I was awarded The Monthly Blogger to Die for Award by Her Dark Worship Carrie Mae and her deviously delightful blog Creepy Cupcakes!
Completely endearing? I strive for that, alongside diabolically evil of course.

All I can say is thanks and that truly appreciate this award!

The Hallowe'en Garden Update

The Hallowe'en garden has been growing like it was on speed. Strangely enough, the gourds that I planted and nursed and cared for in the other garden aren't doing that well. These were from seeds that I threw out last year and forgot about. I've got baby gourds and everything!
I never really was a fan of hydrangeas but their blue flowers get larger and more beautiful each year. The Angel's Trumpet usually makes an early season appearance before coming into massive bloom in August, filling the air with a wonderful scent. I have heard that they are hallucinogenic but I haven't tried them.

And tons o' basil...I'm a sucker for homemade pesto!

For all that is good and holy....please be fake!

I'm back and to celebrate, I will mentally scar you forever with this.

It's real.

I'm sorry.



I would like to know what being a big guy's advantages are and to the lady about keeping her dignity, forget it sweetie, you've lost what little you had when you read over the script for this.

I had a Get-A-Grip thing. If you pull straight forward on it, everything's fine but tilt any sort of way and you're on your own and on the floor!

M.I.A.

Hello all, I'm still alive.

First of all, it's been hot here in the deep South. Like corona of the sun hot with 250,000% humidity. You step outside and you're soaked with sweat sort of hot.

We've been doing some major things around the house, mainly setting up the storage building that I bought and cleaning up the workshop. I didn't realize what a wreak it was, but with the help of the Dyson and some good old fashioned elbow grease, it's coming together. Then Mrs. Macabre got a new office, we got another new computer that had to be updated, just this that and the other and I let blogging go by the wayside, except for the moldy Chia-tomato, it begged to be shared.

I'm still around and will resume my duties promptly.

Macabrely,

Mr. Macabre

Chia-Tomato!

Got this cute little tomato storage thingy to store tomatoes! I put a red, ripe tomato in and then, after a week and a half, magic happened! It turned into Chia-Tomato!




And magic Chia-Tomato fairy dust billowed out when I opened it too!

Makeup--Haunted Book Review Thursday

You love her.
You hate her.
You love to hate her.
You hate to love her.
Any way you put it, the Domestic Diva of all time, Martha Stewart, takes the mundane, makes it impossibly complex, romanticizes it and then sells it to her adoring following while all the while making it look exceedingly simple.

I LOVE THIS WOMAN!

Martha's Halloween Ideas DVD

The Best of Martha Stewart Living: Halloween-Delicious Tricks and Wicked Treats For Your Scariest Halloween Ever

Martha Stewart, author, photographer, printer, videographer, chef, producer, food stylist, makeup artist, set designer, aw hell, you get the picture.

I will try to be somewhat unbiased (worship her!) in reviews. Most haunters have this book either in softcover or hardback so I'm probably preaching to the crowd. Granted the kid's costumes were probably done by an Asian monastery monk that spent his life dedicated to the art of origami, you probably couldn't get your little girl to be a flower or a butterfly because she wants to be Hannah Montana. But the possibilities!
Having a pumpkin carving party for 350 of your closest friends on a moment's notice with delicious homemade caramel apples with wonderful details like using a pumpkin as a soup bowl, but everyone will have little league football that night and are just tooooo busy to make it leaving you with 2 tons of food and a gallon of Ben and Jerry's to ease your disappointment. But the possibilities!
The elegant but subtle decorations that you worked for months on, with imported German glass glitter, vellum luminarias with hand cut designs, and Swiss batiste ghosts that flutter ethereally in the wind, only to live next to the person who ran the charge card up on the Halloween aisle at Wal Mart to where the kids exclaim at the plastic mechanical things with the scratchy sound cards, "That's soooo kewl!". But the possibilities!
This book is about possibilities and some honest to goodness old fashioned Halloween ideals. Are you going to be able to do these dinners and make these projects against the backdrop of a colonial home to set the scene for a spooky Halloween party?

Hell no you ain't so just forget it.

The DVD goes along the same lines of the book...you read it and see all the beautiful ideas and wonderful projects and the boundless inspiration that Her Majesty (whoops, slipped out) bestows upon you that is done flawlessly and simply to a grateful and appreciative family and friends.

Should you buy this book and/or DVD? Is the Pope Catholic? In all seriousness, Martha does supply a heaping dose of inspiration and wonderful ideas amidst a backdrop of beautiful photography and set design as she effortlessly shows her loyal/rabid fans how to have a wonderful Halloween.

Both the book and the DVD are (dare I say it?) a Good Thing.

Haunted Book Review Thursday

First of all, sorry that I missed last week's review; I was doing the birthday thing. I'll make it up with a Saturday edition....




Affordable Animatronics: A Visual Overview

Robert Van Deest & Harry Lapping, authors

I think that I paid about 35.00 for this book on Ebay a couple of years ago and it's just about taken that long for me to cool down to look at this book with an unbiased critical eye.
Simply put, this book is a glorified user's manual for an electronic animations hardware system by a company called Wizard distributed by Blue Point Engineering. Nothing much more. I do not know anything about these companies and their relation to the haunt industry or the quality of their hardware. If you have used or will think about using Prop 1 from Efx-tech.com, this will probably will be useless to you.
To market the book as it is currently marketed is misleading. The book is lavishly illustrated with easy to follow directions and diagrams along with pictures of projects...using solely their electronics which for the most part is useless if you do not use the Wizard systems.
Now for some good things that I found by REALLY digging...if you would like to get into animatronic animation, then this book has some VERY good information on servos and their applications pertaining to character movements as in eyes and mouths. There's some LED information and DC motor switching diagrams and a pretty informative reference section on wire sizes, measurements, resistor codes and mechanical gearing.

Now, do you need to buy this book? I just looked at the price on Amazon and it was about $40.00. I will have to sadly say buy some Froggy's Fog Fluid for your fog machine instead and buy the Halloween Animatronics Video that I reviewed here a few weeks ago. Much more information, easier to follow, and less expensive. I have watched the video again a couple of times and each time the techniques and concepts are becoming clearer and clearer.

If you have or are planning to use Wizard electronics, buy this book. If you don't...leave it be.

Addiction

I am not addicted. I can stop any time I want.