Beautiful Halloween

The Season of Shadows

2012-01-26T02:09:00.000-08:00

In honor of Season of Shadows.

Last Post

Donate to the Tap Project

All images are Property of John Wolfe, and all can be found at http://seasonofshadows.com

Thank you for creating such a Beautiful Halloween.

STOP SOPA, STOP PIPA

2012-01-18T15:34:00.000-08:00

The internet should be free.

Halloween 2011: Simplicity

2011-12-22T18:49:00.000-08:00

Well I finally had time to upload the best Images, life got major hectic...

Got a nice nod from Eric Lowther for my review of Haunted Overload, which was more than a little awesome... worked like mad on a project that didn't get me anywhere... (woot! Failure!) and knocked out finals... so yeah...

And now there is Holiday.

(*Singing*)

Joy to the world.... my time is screwed...

I really need a mocktail!

Maybe one with an umbrella... definitely an umbrella...

Okay I'l stop now... okay I'll stop now...

...

anyway... How are you?

Lets get on with the pictures... yes?

All Images by Strublay

Ankle Biter

Colossus

Cheshire

Colossus, Monster, Ankle Biter

Colossus, Monster, Ankle Biter, Squished

Monster and Colossus

Fun Fact: Monsters rind was so intensely thick, that I actually HAD to use a power drill to carve him. The Drill Bits got stuck about three times....

Furthermore... He hasn't rotted yet...

He lives on, a shell of his former glory. Cracked and bleached from months out in the waning Vegas sun...

Monsters Skull is sitting on my porch, along with the Holiday lights.

Photo Shoot coming soon.

I hope I can keep him forever.

Of Smarties, Chocolate, and my other Loves: Technology and Design.

2011-11-23T01:56:00.001-08:00

Confession: I'm not only an artist that is obsessed with Halloween: I am also a Technology nerd. I'm building this crazy love of Web Design and in doing so I stumble through the internet finding cool designers to bookmark as inspiration. Well my recent find will be quite entertaining to you: It's about my favorite Halloween candy (which I still have lot's of... the american version, but hey) Smarties!

Yeah, I know you hate 'em, but my favorite roll of sugar and citrus does have a small following:

Brain Food

Here is another article on the newer version of his site about Chocolate and Fun Dip:

Chocolate is for Girls

One last article about the cool house on the block on Halloween.

JackPot

I think any of the Candy Gram entries would be awesome to read, but i love these the best.

I hope you enjoy!

Halloween 2011 #1

2011-11-18T03:40:00.001-08:00

Image by Strublay

The Card Reader is FINALLY working!!

Actually it started working with a secondary update to my OS, however I have been mightily pre-occupied with an awesome little stop motion project for a video cover letter of all things...

SOOO Halloween upload has been put on hold.

Love you guys, but a potential Job > Halloween. PARTICULARLY in Las Vegas.

As soon as it is done, and I am ready to get back to my life, more postings will happen.

For now, one nice general view of my Halloween Display this year...

*goes off to move a toy, take a picture, move a toy, take a picture, move a toy..... take a picture....*

New Additions to the House of Strublay!

2011-11-07T20:20:00.000-08:00

My husband and I welcomed two handsome neutered male cats in to our home a few days ago!
We adopted Panther, our 8 year old Black Persian/godonlyknows mix, and Captain our 4 year old lynx point Maine Coon/Norwegian Forest mix. We are working on Names that fit their personalities, I am lobbying for Panther to be renamed again (He was originally called Jewel, as the staff thought he was female when they received him, due to the extremely long, heavily matted fur... they shaved him and found he was male..... EMBARRASSING.) Panther feels like a Buddha due to his infinite calm and his intense loving nature, and Captain feels more like a Thor-type... we'll see if he comes more out his shell.
We will put up some pictures, as well as Halloween photographs as soon as we alleviate the troubles with the camera card readers.
*shakes a fist at the camera card reader*

The Freakshow

2011-11-02T18:35:00.000-07:00

Image by Strublay

Three of my freak-show, Colossus. Monster and Ankle Biter.

We have been having some serious issues with our card readers in the house of Strublay, and we are prepping for a new addition or two in the form of cats, so I have not gone through the images yet.

In other news: RIP Ankle Biter.

He generally laid on his back and his grin was wide and terrifyingly sharp, so he folded very, very quickly.

I am hoping next year to have a yard, where my pumpkin creations may languish and rot at their own pace, but unfortunately, a rotting pumpkin in a condo is a scary, nasty thing.

So hes sitting on the dumpster, ready to scare the neighbors, who already are not quite sure about me.

*Laugh*

Hall of Fame Recipient 2011

2011-11-01T02:19:00.000-07:00

So, what is this Hall of Fame crap? Well essentially it is me giving credit where credit is due: If a prop or theme or visual style that does not come from my own artistic tendencies show up in my yearly display then I give the artist who inspired me a Jar, bottle, vial, or some other aspect in my haunt where a name might be used. If I should ever have the space for a cemetery, you might see a name there, or if a box should be a part of my designs, a name will be there. The item will always involve the artists signature styling, things an artist is well known for.

Last year PumpkinRot got a ripped up, stained and crusty label on the side of one of my Witch Jars.

"Monsieur Rot's Plant Re-Animation Powder. (DO NOT USE NEAR GRAVES)"

This year, while bouncing around my blog list trying to come up with a simplified plan for this year, I stumbled upon This Post by one of my favorite Haunters and this years recipient: Marrow.

I was inspired by the essential nature of these pictures, as well as a VERY early post by Marrow about a bunting he made for his room.
This year I'm making a potion/herb/specimen bottle for Marrow. Something involving ghosts I think. It will be on display next year.
You rock Marrow, keep up your amazing work.

The Rules.

2011-10-31T13:33:00.000-07:00

The Rules of Halloween.

DO not break them, or the spirits will get VERY angry.

#1 Wear a Costume

#2 Hand out TREATS

#3 Never, Ever, Blow out a Jack-O-Lantern

#4 Always check your candy.

Halloween Eve

2011-10-30T18:02:00.000-07:00

The sun is slowly setting on my lovely home of Sin City as I write, and the smell of pumpkin is extremely strong in my house. Next to me is a wastebasket half filled with pumpkin guts from the 9 pumpkins I've gutted so far (7 are mine) and two more of my friends pumpkins sit on the porch waiting for the violence to come.

Protip: Walmart sold this pumpkin gutter drill bit for about 6 bucks, and it does a majority of the work in a quarter the time: blasted through the three largest pumpkins in about an hour, and the other 6 took an hour and a half total. Put that on your Day-After-Halloween shopping list.

The dining room smells heavily of clover and cinnamon, and Witch Jars sit awaiting tea-lights.
Tonight I will carve, and sip sparkling Pumpkin Apple cider from Fresh N' Easy, and watch some old Vincent Price movies, some new Tim Burton Movies, and listen to lovely music such as the track from the video above. I will put the finishing touches on the display pre-setup, and on my costume pieces. I will prepare the treat bags for my few TOTs, Light Candles, and enjoy the holiday I'm known for.

I will post a few more times tonight, with pictures, and music, and other wonderful-ness, but tomorrow, might be barren and quiet. Or I'll be sharing everything under the sun.
Check Up with us tomorrow for a list of required viewing, a reminder of the rules, The reveal of the Hunter that most influenced this years display and their herb bottle in my HoF, and the first pictures of my display.

Now If you will excuse me, I hove more pumpkins to gut.

What Does Halloween Smell Like?

2011-10-28T18:22:00.000-07:00

Found on Flickr, Image by Chris & Lara Pawluk

Clove, Cinnamon, Amber, Sandalwood, Patchouli, and Frankincense with a little of the dying flowery sweetness of Nag Champa.

Then add in the wonderful scent of candy, screams in the cold night, sweat, and burning jack-o-lantern.

Can I get that in a perfume?

PLEASE?

The Rejects

2011-10-27T00:21:00.000-07:00

The benefit of pumpkin shopping 4 days before Halloween: The rejects are the only ones left.

We got more freaks this year: warty, green, mis-shapen.

And we have our monster: a 28 lb pumpkin.

It does not have a name yet.

This is a light year, and we have 7 pumpkins.

*sigh* We never do anything small.

Halloween Prep continues

2011-10-25T17:28:00.000-07:00

Working on a Bunting and my Costume today.
Cheshire Cat has kind of been my totem for the past year, so I'm using him as Inspiration this year.
You know you are a nerd when you buy prosthetic pieces and are FORCED by sheer artistic integrity to "fix" them. I bought these really cheap pointed ear tips, and they are built to simply be placed over your ears: they look like S***. SO I am cutting them down, cleaning up and thinning the edges, and giving them a light coating of boa feathers to give them a furry feel.
All while working on Halloween.
I am SUCH a geek.

Halloween

2011-10-24T21:36:00.000-07:00

Watching the Original masterpiece tonight on AMC with "Story Notes".

Love it.

One Week.

On getting called pretty by a demonic Ring Master: Haunted Overload 2011

2011-10-21T19:28:00.000-07:00

I got out of Haunted Overload about an hour ago, and the smile won't let up off my face. I immediately jumped on the bed here at the comfort inn in Dover and grabbed the lappy to make this post.

I only took these photos in the front area of Haunted Overload, just because I wanted to respect the establishment, BUT show that yes, Mr. and Mrs. Strublay was there tonight.

It was wonderful, everything was hand made, there was not an over zealous glut of scare attempts, all the pumpkins were lit by real candles (the scent of which was delightful) the coloring was wonderful, and the SOUNDS. OMG THE SOUNDS.

I had the husband stop the rental as we sat in the parking lot area, the screams filled the night, along with a rock-ish track and a couple of chain saws. In one area the sounds of growls made the scare, in another children and little girls laughing upped the creep factor.

I have never been so happy or impressed in my life. I want to do it again. Seriously.

There is this one section of the Haunt where you walk in to this really demented big top, and above you is a ring master. The ring master was screaming down at the girls two groups ahead that her UGG's are the dumbest shoes on earth and are UGLY. The next moment he noticed me and said (yelled? croaked?) sweetly, "Come in pretty one!"

I was honestly flattered.

They got me a few minutes later, a pop out actor got me with a yell. It was one of two jumps I had through out the night (which is incredible: I have a tendency to be unshakable. My husband hid behind me.)

Tomorrow is my last day in the North East, we are headed to Salem, MA. Then back to my home in Sin City, where my Halloween will take shape. I have a lot to do, and in one week!

10 days until the High Holiday!!!!

Where skeletons dance by the light of the moon.

2011-10-20T17:16:00.000-07:00

Well our trip is almost at an end, and I am quickly getting in to the hard-core Halloween spirit. I've decided to share some of my un-edited images with all of you to keep you all entertained until the images from my Halloween display start filtering out this coming week.

We had a bit of shop displays in Alexandria, nothing in DC, and nothing in Manhattan, and we did not stop enough in the residential areas of Brooklyn or Staten Island to get any photos. Now Mr. Strublay and I are in Lexington MA.

The Rain yesterday made getting here miserable. How do you north-easterners DEAL with it? GAH!

Tomorrow night, the real fun begins. Haunted Overload baby, doing it, and doing it tomorrow night. So freaking excited.

Stay tuned, I might post a bit more tonight.

Finding this place was a nice surprise, the bucky in the window made me smile.

Miss Kitty here was cleaning herself, and did not wish to be disturbed.

my favorite: freak pumpkins.

Alexandria, Virginia

2011-10-09T23:05:00.000-07:00

Is a lovely little city. We're staying in the heart of Old Town, and I'm going out in the next day or so to get some pictures, but pumpkins are on a tonne of porches, and a few places are splendidly decked out for Halloween already. This a wonderful time of year to be here. They also have this apothecary museum... totally going there between the Smithsonian's....

Scary day

2011-10-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

I'm cleaning *OVERLY DRAMATIC SCREAM HERE* after staying up all night to reset my clock too non-nocturnal time. Rough task.
Anyway I just wanted to write, because I got my Calling Cards in!

Image by Strublay

Picked them up from Vista Print, the free 200 thing they had going, It was the only design I even remotely liked, but I think it could have been better. They are good as a starter set of calling cards, to be used when we drive around the country and find something worthy of capturing for the blog.

Also plugged Halloween Forum, cause I like them.

Anyway, happy 150th post, and I hope you all have a great night!

I finally saw it!

2011-10-04T03:48:00.000-07:00

Saw it on A&E this evening finally. Totally awesome.

The Costume Maker

2011-10-03T23:49:00.000-07:00

Names of the family members have been withheld at the behest of their relatives.
Statement by Justin H. for the Clark County Sheriffs office, November 2010.

"Well I called (the mother) after work, around 6:30p, and asked her if she wanted to go out to get a drink. She declined as she had work to on her children's Halloween costumes before they got home from their Nana's house. She invited me to come over for some coffee and keep her company while she sewed. When I arrived at the condo, she let me in and we sat at her kitchen table sipping coffee and talked about the NIT funding crisis. She sat across from me hand-sewing a black cat costume for her littlest. The condo felt strange, a little oppressive. It might have been the storms outside, but it felt... different. Like something dark was in the house. It was markedly uncomfortable. I left around 8, just before the kids got home. I didn't know it would be the last time I, or anyone outside the family, saw her."

Image by Strublay

Finally! I knew that a rainy day was coming, so I decided to wait until it came.
I hope you enjoy.

This story is a work of fiction, any similarities to actual events is purely coincidental.
Clark County Sheriff and NIT are fictional entities.

Antiques from the Pit

2011-10-02T19:54:00.001-07:00

Went out to a local Antique Mall today with Mr. Strublay, we were searching through the shops for anything awesomely creepy and old worthy of my haunt this year. We did not find anything of interest, except this single case filled with antique Halloween Masks and Vintage decor. Masks ranging from the 1940's through 1980's. Paper lanterns and "cooky" cutters from the 40's, and finally the most interesting item: a paper cat from 1937. I'm torn if I should purchase such a thing. Can I safely store it? I left the antique mall with nothing but some photographs for you. Enjoy.

Ps, totally posted this from Mr. Strublay's iCrack. Thank you blogger or making posting much easier for me.

Image by Strublay

What a Lovely night...

2011-09-30T20:42:00.000-07:00

For haunting. It's raining off and on, there's lightning, and the occasional thunder. Welcome fall, I missed you.

Old Packaging

2011-09-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

So, of course, the photo shoot is certainly not an easy venture, so I'm taking a bit more time than I originally intended. I'm a detail nut.

Anyway!

Look a can!

Found on Flickr, Image by Roadsidepictures

In my search for all things vintage Halloween I found this. It's a 1960's Licorice flavored soda.

Epic!

I love the typeface used, and the witch herself is really Witch Hazel-y to me...

Love it.

13000??

2011-09-23T22:30:00.000-07:00

I will hit 13000 views tonight. Mother of Pumpkin! That's a lot of clicks! I think, to celebrate, I'm going to do a random photo shoot.
Give me a few days, I have a lot to set up.

I think I'm in love

2011-09-21T23:18:00.000-07:00

Image by Syfy Channel, Image taken from ghosttvblogs.com, found through Google.

I watched the show last week, I watched the show this week.

I am so hooked.

I don't care if its real or fake, this kind of beautiful storytelling is something I adore and is something I wish I could see more often.

It's so good Mr. Strublay is hooked too! Mr. Idontbelieveanyofthat was totally sitting forward on the bed watching this. It was epic to see. I'm in such an awesome mood right now because of this show. It's surreal.

I love this show. I love it. It comes out on DVD I'll own it.

SO FREAKING GOOD....

Neo-retro?

2011-09-15T03:12:00.000-07:00

Image by Strublay

Found this cool thing at Target, decided I had to have it and for around 4 bucks I think it was a good deal. Against the turquoise of my Kitchen wall it looks awesome... Might go pick up another to round the wall out... or my old paper skele will take up residence on the other side...

I love the simplicity of it. Three colors, classic theme... its a better example of the neo-retro theme that's been going around lately.

Neo-retro? Retro Renaissance? Modern 50's? *shrug* what ever... I'm seeing a lot of new takes on older objects.

Totally just happened.

2011-09-11T20:49:00.000-07:00

Image by Strublay

FINALLY!!

I squee'd upon finding it.

I hate and love Target all at the same time.

The Goldfield Hotel

2011-09-09T20:20:00.000-07:00

According to most legends of old-time Nevada, the Goldfield hotel in Goldfield Nevada is one of the most haunted spots in the state. Opened in 1908, the Goldfield Hotel was the most spectacular hotel between San Francisco and Chicago, with 154 rooms, an elevator, crystal chandeliers, electric lighting, telephones, mahogany trim, and leather seating. Then the city of Goldfield died with the end of the short-lived Nevada gold rush and with it the last remnants of the splendor the hotel could have been. For 50 years now, the building has lain dormant, an abandoned shell of a building in the midst of the Nevada wasteland. It looms grimly over the other buildings in the town, the 4 story brick building dwarfing everything else within a good hundred miles.
The tales of the haunting are endless, and the legends surrounding the giant building never have truly added up. In 2004, a trio of UNLV film students and Ghost Hunters under the name Ghost Adventures created a documentary here that involved flying objects in the basement (including bricks), noises, and more. TAPS has visited the location, as have several other well publicized crews.
We visited the Goldfield hotel on our way up to Boise, and found that the fences that had been up 3 years ago have been taken down. The town was silent, and the hotel was in shadow. Talk about creepy.

Image by Strublay

Let there be updates!

2011-09-08T23:31:00.000-07:00

Website Updates! I decided to give the website a face-lift for the 2011 season! The background and the titular banner will change at some point, but here are the first set of major changes.
ALSO: If you want to get some Beautiful Halloween to your mobile device, I've enabled a simpler mobile site that allows you to check out Beautiful Halloween with out crazy load times or funky formatting problems!
I hope that this makes visiting my blog better for everyone, and I hope you enjoy my rampant oddness this season!

Zombie Jamboree

2011-09-08T18:08:00.000-07:00

Video From YouTube, original flash animation by DonkeysBazooka

Based on the song Zombie Jamboree by Rockapella

Marthas Halloween

2011-08-25T22:20:00.000-07:00

SO my Husband and I walked up to our Local Walmart, to pick up some cleaning supplies, and as I was walking through the asiles, I found Martha Stweart Halloween edition for this year..
Fun fact: It wasn't even in the Computer at Walmart. There is a likelihood that it went on shelves early, as my local Walmart LOVES doing that. They have some good Campy b-movie costume Ideas in there, as well as some modern takes on classic Halloween Paper Decorations. A few repackaged Ideas, and some new stuff.
IMHO, it's not as good as the BHG Halloween Tricks and Treats edition this year.
The paper decorations might end up as parts of my overall display this year... I like some of them.

Hope you can find it!

I HAVE BURLAP!

2011-08-24T21:15:00.001-07:00

And I'M NOT AFRAID TO USE IT!!

Halloween Party 1917

2011-08-21T16:59:00.000-07:00

Image fond on Flickr, archived by Kimberly-Little Chute Public Library

This year, we are going a little retro, a little classic, a little vintage.

This year, we are going to go old school.

It won't be realistic, and it won't be from one time period, but it will look cool.

I was torn this year, with the trip to the northeast coming I had no time to further my theme from last year as it was a bit more in depth than I could handle, so what should I do? Ultra modern or old school?

Well you see my choice. I need to study my retro Halloween decorations.

BTW, I'm done with my Disney internship. It was invaluable, but its good to have my life back. NOW you can get angry at me for not posting.

Pumpkin Waffles

2011-08-13T03:24:00.000-07:00

Are indeed just as good as they sound. They came out at the Egg & I, one of Las Vegas' best places to get a good breakfast/lunch.
I'll post a picture of yesterdays breakfast as soon as I am able to get my Hubby's iPhone to stop fighting me.
I LOVE ME SOME PUMPKIN.

Le Bat En Rouge

2011-07-31T02:45:00.000-07:00

Image by Strublay

In September I wrote a post about these lights, and I found this (above) in Disneyland today, in the Le Bat en Rouge store.
I feel kind of awesome for knowing where this came from.
And nerdy, terribly nerdy.

Image by Strublay

The beginnings of Halloween...

2011-07-14T22:25:00.000-07:00

...are hitting stores.
I went in to Michael's today to try to get some things set up for a project in Marketing You. There is a Christmas Section already up, and... they are STARTING to put up a Halloween! They have Owls, and oddly colored crows.... and some ribbon.... and that's about it.
ALSO, I found out that there is actually a room somewhere in California that houses all of the Pumpkins used in the Disneyland Resort around Halloween time.
My goal is to find that room, and bask in the awesome.
Notevenkidding.
I know I've been very lax on the posting, and I apologize for that. I've been a little distracted with the Program as of late.

Hoarders.

2011-06-06T04:17:00.000-07:00

Watching Season 3.
Good God.
True, modern, horror. What a nightmare.

Of monsters in the night.

2011-05-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

2011 has already been the wildest year for me, with this Disney Internship and all.

From what I can tell the internship will end on the most epic of notes: Marty Sklar, Disney Legend, and Imagineer Ambassador, will be talking to my Leadership Speaker Series Class on August 3rd.

Image By Ken Pellman

But what about after the internship? Well.... Folks....

The Impossible happened. Again.

Jacob and I are going to the North East, in October.

H\Jacob has never been to the northeast, and I've only been to New York for one whirl wind week of Broadway shows.

So we are going to Washington DC, New York, Boston........

................aaaannnnnd I get to see Haunted Overload.

Hauntedoverload.com

Thats right folks, the legendary haunted attraction that most people have never heard about (why?!) I finally get to go see.

I am thrilled.

Jacob literally insisted upon it, for my sake.

Jacob is the coolest.

Hauntedoverload.com

So for you Halloween nuts up in the north east: Is there any other places I should visit while there?

Friday the 13th.

2011-05-16T04:40:00.000-07:00

I nearly turned in to Jason, Hocky Mask and all.
Friday was the day from hell. I worked two 8 hour shifts in the course of 25hours. HELLOOOOOOOOOOO GRAD NIGHTS.
Yeah. Hellish. Never had to do that before, it was the epitome of not groovy. How ever I got paid, so I do not care. (I love, however, how they gave me just enough time between shifts to avoid overtime pay)
Today is my first real evening to myself this work week.
But a cool thing happened this past grad night: I work at TLT, and we have a stage. On that stage was a DJ spinning techno and house music all night.
At the stroke of midnight the all too familiar refrains of Toccata and Fugue in D Minor came over the speakers with a thick beat in the background. Deadmau5's ghost's and stuff then faded in, and then came a well timed Vincent Price Thriller Laugh.
Hehe.

I liked that DJ.

Halloween in May, and shotgun prop making.

2011-05-10T14:55:00.000-07:00

I figure, well.... if the idiots for that other Holiday can have Christmas in July, why can't WE have Halloween in May?
Tomorrow is one of my rare days off where I have nothing that really "NEEDS" to be done, so I'm going to work on a photo-shoot here in Anaheim.
Which is hard because all of my previous pieces, candle holders, witch jars and ephemera are at home in Las Vegas.
This will be an exercise in ingenuity.
Putting together a photo shoot from literally nothing, and having to rely on finding cool items in a city I don't know very well. It's a bit of a challenge. OH, and I can't use actual candles in any of my photographs, because if it is discovered that I have candles I could get kicked from housing...
Let's see if I can pull it off.

Now the question is: do I reveal it on Friday the 13th, or on May 31st?

Choices.

Any suggestions for theme, reveal times and other parameters are welcomed.

Las Vegas Halloween Parade, and cool facts about my state.

2011-05-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

Cool Fact: Nevada was admitted to the Union as a State on Halloween, October 31st 1864.
We used to, as students, get Halloween off for Nevada day (it was origionally known as admission day), every year. They discontinued that tradition several years back, and now Nevada day is the final Friday in October. So we get a three day weekend at the end of the month. They changed it just before I entered High School. So all through my TOT years, I had the day off to prepare. It was awesome.

Today, is Bat's Day.

2011-05-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

And a steampunk couple walked up to my window. At Disneyland.
I LOVE my job right now.

Of Cats.

2011-04-21T00:31:00.000-07:00

I think a few of you have seen my dear little feline in several pictures here on the blog.
Her name was Oreo, and she passed away yesterday at around 5:30 pm. She had been suffering from a voracious skin cancer for several months now, and she was starving herself as a result.
My husband made the decision to take her to the vet and end the pain.
I had already said my goodbyes, as less than a week ago, I saw her for what I knew was the last time, before driving back here to Anaheim. My husband avoided telling me until my work week was done, as I had asked, because he and I both knew I would be torn up about it.
I am.

Oreo was a loving little team mate of mine, introducing herself to me as an attentive, intelligent cat who understood my every word, who patiently sat in an open box and waited for me to return an hour later, and greeted me with a quizzical look and a purr afterward. She was a voracious hunter, nearly wild when I got her, but who quickly became an A/C junkie. She was about a year old when I adopted her in to the family.
She came home with me very soon thereafter, and was my purring little cohort through out the rest of my middle school and High School years.
She put fur on the dress for my first Winter Formal, the dress for my Junior and senior proms, and my wedding dress. She met every one of my friends and boyfriends, including my husband. Her favorite human other than myself was my best friend Jeff.
She was loyal, loving, demanding, charmingly ill mannered, and intensely vocal.
She was a cat who acted like a dog, and reveled in every second of it.
She was mine, and she let every one know I was hers.
If there is a heaven, I hope your in it. If there is a heaven, you deserve to be there. If there is a heaven, I hope I'm as good as you thought I was, so I can pet you one more time.
I really hope there is a heaven, and I really hope your eying me now with a quizzical look and a purr.

Bats Day in the Fun Park

2011-04-11T13:54:00.000-07:00

Bat's Day.
Never heard of it? Oh neither did I, until last night. I was talking with a TLT comrade when a pretty little Cybergoth walked past, and then she said it:
Bat's Day.
The day when thousands of goths, of all shapes colors and nationalities, invade Disneyland. Its an unofficial event, but Disney allows the invasion because it involves Disney making money on the crowd of gothy consumers.

No folks, I'm not kidding. Its real. They even have a special, community made, ear hat for the occasion:

So getting one. found at LINK

Only picture that didn't involve a human, you all know how I hate using photos of humans I don't know.

I much prefer props.

Even better: Bat's Day is happening the same weekend as the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides premier is happening. The same weekend Thor is coming out.
May 6th,7th,and 8th will be a massive streak of awesome. I'm not a full blown goth, in fact I'm more nerd than anything, but I can appreciate the goth aesthetic, and the fact that this happens AT DISNEYLAND, is so intensely awesome.
Are you interested in attending Bat's Day? Do you want to find out more about Bats Day, do you want to see a picture of 2000 goths in front of Sleeping Beauty castle in the daytime? Click the web poster above and check it out.

Bat's Day. So epic.

Disneyland Creature Feature: Dragons Breathing Fire

2011-04-10T02:27:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gents: meet Murphy, Disneyland's 45ft tall, fire breathing Dragon.

Found on Flickr, image by douglasgordon

Murphy, as she is known, is so named because of the law named in her honor.... I mean... The law that applies to her. She breaks, a lot. Its actually supposed to be Maleficent's dragon-form, but because of the problems associated with her, cast members started calling her Murphy.

Girl dragon with a boys name.

Anyway, Murphy breathes fire, moves, roars, and does all that dragon-y stuff that dragons tend to do (She keeps her sparkly hoard of gold across the Rivers of America in Pirates of the Caribbean).

But of course she can be a bit of a diva, so she randomly eats cast members and either feels sick from the black dye of their clothing, or chokes on the yellow satin jackets they wear (there is a rumor that there is one poor, rather large guy tasked with specifically performing the Heimlich on her.) During those days she does not preform.

By the way, if you want some amusement go find the various Murphy the Dragon Twitter pages. Some of the hash tags are fall on floor inducing.

Zoltar

2011-04-07T20:13:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places on earth is the Musee Mecanique, they have all these coin operated machines, and I can spend hours just going through and examining the mechanical processes of each machine. Many of their machines are intensely creepy, and the creepiest are always the fortuneteller machines. You put your coin in the slot, and the half man or half woman comes to life, moving extremely slowly. Their hand moves back and forth, or they lift a lid to somthing, and you might hear a recording, if its a newer model, but at the end a card falls out of a slot, and it tells you your fortune.
Its always extremely generic, and generically good.

Found On Flickr, Image by Thomas Hawk

I wonder if, on Halloween, they put bad fortunes in their machines.

"In three days, you will cut your finger off."

*Giggle Fit*

THE MUSEE MECANIQUE
Pier 45 Shed A at the end of Taylor Street
Fisherman's Wharf
San Francisco, CA 94133
www.museemecaniquesf.com

Haunted Mansion Video Link of Extreme note.

2011-04-07T04:01:00.000-07:00

Nearly lost this account because I forgot the bloody password for a short while.
Google is not helpful with password recovery folks, just a warning.
Anyway, I'm Back! It's my weekend, (my Sunday to be precise), and alls well in the wee hours of the morning here in Anaheim. So interesting fact: they are doing a number of progressive updates to the Haunted Mansion attractions here in the states because (I assume) of the upcoming new Haunted Mansion movie (I hope its better than the last, but it is from Del Toro, and he's messed up in the head, so yeah it'll be better.) WDW is getting the majority of the updates, but a slight few mods have been made to my Beloved Mansion here in DLR. Madame Leota has been sporadically flying through out the length of my stay, but now she has a little wispy friend in her immediate background.I'll see if I can find footage sometime in the next few days, if not, trust me folks. It's there.... there is a projection on a back wall of a wisp and green ectoplasm.
Anyway, in WDW, there has been a major change involving the Hitch Hiking ghosts! They now interact with your reflection!

Its a really incredible effect.
And before anyone asks, no I don't work in the Mansion. (I SHOULD) I actually work in Tomorrowland, which is more yesterday-land.
Anyway the video was so cool I figure I'd share it with you guys, legit Halloween awesome-ness will be returning shortly.

Oh, hey, I have a blog.

2011-02-14T23:47:00.000-08:00

I'm working hard, living light, and have little to no time for blogging.

So posts are now very few and far in-between. IF they come, they come.

2011-01-26T21:30:00.000-08:00

First week at Disney, and yet I can actually post.... It's nuts! I'm having a lot of fun, but don't expect me to spoil the Magic here... well maybe a tidbit or two, but nothing in depth.

(Tidbit of the month: Apparently The Tower of Terror costumes cost somewhere around $1400 a piece.)

So instead: MORE HALLOWEEN!

This monster is one of my faves, like a skele turned in to a scarecrow.

Found on Flicker, Image by Halloween Guy

Of Divination by Tarot.

2011-01-13T09:57:00.000-08:00

Found on Flickr, Image uploaded by Museo del Tarot.

Museo Del Tarot Flickr Stream

I'm considering making a set of tarot or divination cards, that look ancient. Like, it should be falling apart in your hands, ancient. Like, so incredibly old, the paper is acting on par with cloth or leather.

The paper should be thick, stained. The images drawn in ink and blanched watercolors, the language used should be a rarer language, the backs incredibly detailed.

Oh yeah, it'll take a long time, but it sounds like fun.

I don't actually beleive in divination, yet I own at least one set of divination cards. I use them in my still lives, but I think they are too shiny. Modern manufactured cards are sturdy, true, but they are too shiny and slick to fit in with a witch whose knowledge and tools has been handed down through several generations. Plus the clean-ness of the cards takes away from the effects I try to shoot for (grimy, unplanned, a whole lot of creepy). So I think I found a project I can do while in Anaheim that won't creep out my roommates too badly. I don't need my roommates going to the Disneyland heads and accusing me of devil worship. Although that would be a helluva funny story for you guys, wouldn't it?

Wait, its Disney: they'd accuse me of Chernabog worship. ;D

The Reaper

2011-01-09T03:27:00.000-08:00

Small image, But Click-able, Sends you too a large version of the image.

Found on Photobucket, image by JaD__

I love his fingers... nice and long and creepy.

Santa Claws

2011-01-05T01:03:00.000-08:00

Late for Christmas, but this is an awesomeness I HAVE to feature. Literally had a moment of "OMIGAWD AWESOME!" and woke up my husband in the other room and pissed my cat off.
I say its a great way to start up my featuring of other haunters again.
The holidays are dead and gone. Well... maybe not gone... rotting at least.
Santa Claws by Marrow.

Image and Monster by Marrow, can be seen at: http://marrowhouse.blogspot.com/

If I woke up X-mas morning too see this, I would have freaked the hell out, then laughed my ass off.
Marrow, I tip my hat to you buddy.

SICK!

2010-12-31T13:12:00.000-08:00

No literally. I'm sick.
It really sucks.
I need a local apothecary shoppe that sells strange herbal teas that would work miracles on my sinuses and tonsils...

Found On Flickr, Image by Jing Tea Shop

I suppose my cabinet full of expired Celestial Seasonings will have to do. (yeah apparently tea bags expire, which totally sucks, but poor people can't be picky.)
Anyway, I hope you all are feeling better this fine New Years Eve-day. (awkward...) Be safe, don't drink and drive, and remember: always drive faster than your local demons can fly/run/scrape their talons across the ground.

Less than a month, Tron and Daft Punk.

2010-12-27T20:19:00.000-08:00

And I'll be working at Disney.
Freaking crazy. It's hard to believe, but its happening.
So much to do.
Perhaps most appropriately, I finally saw and reveled in the visual and musical feast that is Tron: Legacy, It's an intense film, with a simple quest story that could have been deeper, as was if you knew where and had the presence of mind to look for the depth, but even short of that, I adored the movie, and its one of those films I can say is beautiful. Daft Punk's score is entrancing and addicting, and I now have it in CD form as my best friend bought it for me for my birthday/christmas. It's playing over my purple JVC flats headphones as I type this, the deep resonance of Arena rocking my ears with the awesomeness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFXYuw96d0c
I never thought I'd say "Daft Punks score" with reverence before, but trust me, its perfect.
Anyway, I just wanted to share my thoughts.

Christmas! Yay Christmas... is it Halloween yet?

2010-12-25T01:15:00.000-08:00

Image by Strublay

Everyone here at Casa Strublay wishes you a Merry Christmas.

Image by Strublay

Just a little bit of Halloween, just a smidge. *grin*

Where'd she go??

2010-12-09T05:51:00.000-08:00

Life hit me with combat boots on...
I hope you all had an awesome Thanksgiving, and Hanukkah.
Just wanted to let you all know I'm not dead. Yet. lol.
But! Strublay posting on BH will be non-existent through my birthday.
Yeah. Birthday. LOL.
God Help me.
I hope there are pumpkins. OH! AND CARROT CAKE! *SQUEE* I LOVE CARROT CAKE!
Anyway, so we'll be back to normal operations sometime after the 15th.
Pretty pictures and all.
Fair warning, there will be leather masks, and carnivals, and some very dark Christmas carols.
Muahaha.

Taking a break

2010-11-16T22:12:00.000-08:00

Image by Strublay

I just need a little time to get some things under control, so Beautiful Halloween will quiet a bit over the next two to three weeks. If you want to get a dose of Halloween goodness, see the blog list on the right, or visit the forum, I'll post occasionally, but the once a day thing is going on the decline for a while.
Yours Aye,
~~~Strublay~~~

Aura of Foreboding 2010

2010-11-14T18:49:00.000-08:00

Found on Halloweenforum.com, Image by Aura of Foreboding

Okay, so the story, apparently, is that this dude threw up this incredibly detailed and well lit display in the four days leading up to Halloween.

Holy Crap.

I think that would be awesome, you incidentally drive by a house one day, and then drive by that house 4 days later and a decrepit cemetery has cropped up in the interim. So cool.

Detail in this picture that I LOVE: on the right of the picture above the window is the outline of a human head. That was cool to find.

Found on Halloweenforum.com, Image by Aura of Foreboding

The lighting on these Stones are beautiful, I LOVE how the lighting is placed to draw shadows in to the engravings, and all of the organic shapes from the old branches. Also the blues punctuated by the green tombstone, and the warm oranges of the lanterns.

Found on Halloweenforum.com, Image by Aura of Foreboding

Again with the beautiful lighting.

Lesson: Lighting matters, as does texture.

Go see more of this awesome-ness.

Voodoo on the Bayou 2010

2010-11-13T19:47:00.000-08:00

Found on Photobucket, image by voodooonthebayou

Of the Grim Hollow in the year of our lord two thousand and ten

2010-11-12T12:08:00.000-08:00

First post about you guys! YAY!

Unt! Zee honor iz goingz to Grim Hollow Haunt.

Why? Have you seen their pumpkin line up photos?

Found at http://grimhollowhaunt.blogspot.com, Image by Grim.

Look that that.... ooooooohhhh so pretty. This blogger loves the pumpkins, so how can I NOT start off with some of the best photographed pumpkins?

Found at http://grimhollowhaunt.blogspot.com, Image by Grim.

I adore how dark it is, the grimness of the chained coffin.

Found at http://grimhollowhaunt.blogspot.com, Image by Grim.

That is just creepy. incredibly creepy. The clouds and the amber lighting combining for a really beautiful, haunting photograph.

100?! ALREADY?

2010-11-09T12:33:00.000-08:00

100 posts!

To celebrate: 8 pictures of the witches kitchen and 2 pictures from my display!

Thanks to those of you who come to my blog, you people are awesome.

Image by Strublay

We has Policy? Oh yes, yes we has.

2010-11-08T19:40:00.000-08:00

Alright, obviously there has been a touch of confusion, and I just want to clarify some of my personal policies dealing with my blog and some things about who I am.

Policy:

If you email me, it is likely that your email will be automatically sent to my spam folder. I do not check my spam folder, so don't expect me to receive emails. This will not change, sorry. Maybe one day if this site becomes super popular (yeah right) I'll create an account just for this site, but until then, no emails please.
If you wish to enlighten me about something that is Horror/Halloween/Prop Making related and/or "OMG AWESOME" -worthy, please feel free to let me know in a comment. I prefer verifiable links and or "Hey Strublay! Google this..."
Understand that what ends up on full blog posts is at my discretion, just because you throw it on the comments, does not mean I'll do a full post featuring what you sent me. If your link or search term proves to be reliable, however, I will allow the comment to be posted.
My typical sources are HalloweenForum.com, Flickr, Photobucket, ect. So if you are shy, just post your pictures on one of those sites and I'll probably run across them during my daily scans of a bunch of sites for cool pictures
If you see that something has been improperly attributed, please let me know in a comment.
Yes I post a lot of my own pictures. It is my blog after all. ^_^

I honestly appreciate your understanding regarding these matters.

About me:
I am an artist and college student here in the Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. I am dual majoring in IT and 'Arcane Herbology and Spellcasting'. I am an artist that does a lot of prop making (which encompass all forms of art, really) and it is safe to say I go through phases. I was born here in Las Vegas, raised here, and I love my oddball city. I lived in Arizona for a short time, and thats when my obsession with Halloween really began to blossom. I have been obsessed with the aesthetic of Halloween ever since.

My nickname, Strublay, originated from my technical theater days in High School, we were doing a play by Brecht, and my director/teacher was a smart alack and altered my first name to one that was in the play in question and used it as my nickname for the duration of the play. My cohorts in the tech department decided that my last name needed to fit in too, as my first and last name were already odd. After the play only my last name stuck around, Strublay. After I graduated, I started using it as my pen name on my less interesting blogs That no longer exist.

Oreo wished to say hi.

2010-11-08T14:41:00.000-08:00

Image by Strublay, of Oreo

"WTF do you want? hm? Get that f&*%#@$ camera out of my face!"

She's a little, twitchy eye'd princess.

I wasn't planning on doing a cat-post, but she wanted to say hello, and her way of doing that is prancing across the keyboard while I attempt to post, typing a few dozen different characters on her way.

So to directly quote my cats typing "1qwedergfhyj6y7i8ukkimjo;lp"

That sort of entertaining thing is a LOT of fun when I'm coding. Joys. LOL'z

Oh, and she also tried to add a Label whilst chasing after my hand for pets.

I deleted those.

Your welcome.

She has also been "helping me" put some of the Halloween stuff away today, mainly the Paper Bats, the B&W Skeleton in the porch window, the paper Happy Halloween Banner.

And by helping I mean laying on the 3 yards of black fabric I use to hide crap during my Photo-sessions in the dining room and mucking them up with white cat fur. Oh AND ripping the holy hell out of one of the bats. Luckily it was one of the newer ones, and not one of the funky ones my mother made.

Speaking of things my mother made: The paper graveyard is still up, and I'm thinking about framing it to preserve it for coming years. I'm really hesitating pulling it down because of how sensitive it is.

I kinda want to replicate it, and laminate or seal that to preserve the graveyard as a window decoration.

I just don't want the original to dis-integrate, its a classic thing, a memory from my past, and its really really beautiful.

So I figure my November Non-school, non-house cleaning crafty projects are going to be knitting scarves, making some cool, easy to hang, Christmas light decorations and replicating the paper graveyard. Outside of that is packing and end-of-year purging.

Jack, a quick tool tip, and Disney.

2010-11-08T06:27:00.000-08:00

Image by Strublay

Long live the Pumpkin King!

Come on, did you think that with 3 ghost pumpkins I wouldn't have ONE dedicated to Jack?

How To Moment: I HATE the plastic things for cutting away the skin of my pumpkins, I like using Linoleum cutters instead. Linoleum cutters can be found in art stores in the printing area. All you need to pick up are the blades and a handle, and there is really no need to purchase the fancy handle, just pick up the cheap wooden one by speedball. I used just a #2 Speedball Linoleum cutter blade to do Jack and Scarz.

I've always had a fascination with Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas, and I tend to have a Christmas themed around Tim Burton's exploration of what might happen if Halloween and Christmas collided.

I also have a fascination with all things Haunted Mansion, but that goes w/o saying.

So, what are you getting at Strublay?

Well I'm also taking my time posting on other Haunters for very specific reasons.

First: In January I start an 8 month internship with Disney at the Disneyland Resort. So you can bet that there will be a gap of posting come mid-January. I'll be extremely busy with the move to Anaheim, and my first few weeks of work will be exhausting.

Second: My Sig. Other and I are considering houses at the moment. So while I'm in Anaheim, I'll also be coordinating a house move via phone webcam and weekly or bi-monthly visits.

Countdown from MickeyPath.com

My 2011 is going to be insane, so I'm using HalloweenForum.com as my main resource and STUFFING my favorites folder to the brim with photo-sets from my fellow Halloween fanatics displays. So lets see if this works out.

Scarz of countless fights

2010-11-06T17:14:00.000-07:00

Image by Strublay

Scarz, Halloween Night.

Taking Halloween geekery to the next level. POSSIBLY TMI.

2010-11-06T01:44:00.000-07:00

I hit up a wallyworld today, and they had a 75% off sale of every Halloween item in the store...... I picked up a shirt, and two pairs of Halloween Underwear.
They are soft, and comfy, and orange and black stripey.
*Supremely amused laughter*

Scarz

2010-11-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

Image by Strublay

Scarz, on Halloween Eve.

He was the one that took the longest to figure out, I wanted to use the natural features and scars on the pumpkin to my advantage, so I had his mouth grow together, and his eye deformed..... worked out great I think.

Old books, Incense smoke, and Jars

2010-11-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

Image by Strublay

I love this picture because of the incense smoke.

The Beast, and wheres the posts about everyone else?

2010-11-04T11:20:00.000-07:00

Image by Strublay

Beast, Halloween night.

So where are the posts about everyone else?

Well, I know I normally post about other haunters awesomeness, but at this time, I'm letting the data base build up, I'm letting people post pictures, get back to normal, and THEN I'll start covering the awesomeness and beauty of the home haunters 2010.

I've got to stretch this out over the next 361 days you know!

Trust me, I have a VERY full favorites folder.

Pumpkins, Jars, and the Soul Cage.

2010-11-04T05:59:00.000-07:00

Image by Strublay

Halloween Night, I love how you had to right up on him to see Beast. He's up there, by the door, you just can't see him from this angle.

Witches Kitchen

2010-11-04T01:21:00.000-07:00

Image by Strublay

Another from the Halloween night Still Life.

The Beast before his moment of glory.

2010-11-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

Image by Strublay

The Beast before Halloween night, freshly carved.

I think you can kinda get an idea of his size.

He was huge.

I should have lit his candle last night and taken a photo of him sitting on the corner of the dumpster.

I threw the rest in, smashing them against the door that was in the dumpster already, but Beast was set gently on the corner of the dumpster, ready to greet the trash guys in the morning.

The Tiny Terror

2010-11-03T02:59:00.000-07:00

Image by Strublay

Best Tombstone Ever For Nevada

2010-11-02T22:01:00.000-07:00

http://www.jjchandler.com/tombstone/

I don't normally "do" politics, but this race was really scary for my state.

Thought I would share my glee to see her lose.

Thank the gods, my states honor remains intact.

A Dumpster is no place for a Jack o Lantern.

2010-11-02T20:09:00.000-07:00

Image By Strublay

Scarz, Beast and Psycho, Two Face is sitting on the Table.

Unfortunately I had to throw out my pumpkins tonight. extremely fuzzy mold grew all over the insides of Beast and Psycho, and Jack was turning a sickly orange from its original white.

I actually teared up.

I look forward to the day when my pumpkins can languish and rot in my back yard instead of being thrown in to a dumpster....

Dia De Los Muertos, The Skeleton Collection!

2010-11-02T03:18:00.000-07:00

For those of you that don't know, I live in Las Vegas Nevada, and we have a thriving Mexican-American community here in town. As such this southwest town has the occasional Dia De Los Muertos celebration. There are a lot of Skeletons and Skulls featured during this Mexican holiday.

Thus a post on my Paper Skeletons.

First is my pride and joy of my Die-cut collection, the only real vintage Halloween decoration I have, and I received him as a hand-me-down from my grandmother.

Image by Strublay

He is a Beistle die cut, one sided Paper Skeleton Halloween decoration.

Isn't it awesome?

It was manufactured sometime in the 50's or 60's and it is from my Grandmothers collection, which means that the Skelly was used during the time that my mom was a kid.

I LOVE my Vintage Skelly.

Image by Strublay

It's a bit beat up, but it is awesome, and it looks good on turquoise!

Image by Strublay

Here is my late 1980's early 1990s Skeleton Die-cut, I know less information about it, other than the fact that it is wearing a belt that says Dem Bones 1892 on it.

It's cool, one that my mom used to put up every year. The shirt my mom made for me the same year my mother and father discovered the combination of cheese cloth, starch, glow in the dark paint, and fishing line to create a ghost. EVERYTHING was glow in the dark that year. The year after I had grown out of the shirt and we put it on Dem Bones.

Image by Strublay

This is an older Skeleton Die Cut, not old enough to not be printed on both sides, but it is made out of matte paper and is strictly black and white.

I think it is also a hand-me-down from my grandmothers collection.

Happy Dia De Los Muertos!

A picture from the witches kitchen, and Recovering.

2010-11-01T19:06:00.000-07:00

Image By Strublay

I am exhausted.

Seriously.

Did a still life last night, as you can see, I set it up around the idea that my witch would surround herself with the objects that protect her, even after the stroke of midnight.

I'm taking it easy the next few days. I deserve it.

Then It'll be time to pull it all down and get back to normality until Yule.

The Trials and Tribulations: Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T06:02:00.000-07:00

Image By Strublay

Well things went wrong. I found out that the building defect in my condo complex involved the overhangs, the drywall was so water damaged (Unsealed drywall outside........ even in vegas: WTF) that I couldn't hang any of the witch jars as planned. As such my display became much much simpler this year.

Ah well.

Thats life.

Above is the sight that greeted my eleven trick or treaters (ELEVEN!! I had 2 last year!!! *Happy Dance*).

We kept the Door open as my friends and I enjoyed the evening, the night was in the 60's so we could keep all the doors and windows open with out freezing out like last year.

Image by Strublay

Top To Bottom: Psycho, Scarz, Jacobs [PUMPKIN], Jack(Nightmare before Christmas), Jeffs Stitches.

Image By Strublay

Two-Face: Hyde

Image by Strublay

Little Giggle

Image by Strublay

Lloyds Souless.

Only had one this year..... thank god.

Image by Strublay

The Beast.

Image By Strublay

Tiny Terror, the Soul Cage, and the Witch Jars.

This was a wonderful evening, I didn't get my first ToT until WELL after sundown, and I had to send out my Husband to get more candy because we got more kids than we expected.

I also still have a full bag of Smarties!

*Grin* Yummy!

I also got to see and hear something I never thought I could pull off. I was sitting fussing over my Guild Wars Halloween Event, when my comrades and I heard the sounds of kids whispering downstairs, I walked to the door and poked my head around the corner.

Several Women, in thier 30's I'd say, were cowering behind a 9-10 year old boy. They were arguing about which of the women would go up the stairs with the boy. When they noticed me they covered by saying that the boy was scared and they all thought that someone would jump out of the door and scare them.

I got 30-somethings to hesitate, just for a second, like scared 8 year olds.

Simple display, but it worked out wonderfully.

I went through and did a photo session, and I'll put those pictures out in time.

I hope everyones Halloween was as good as mine.

Now for some sleep... ah..... sleep.

The Big Day

2010-10-31T05:27:00.000-07:00

Today is the Day of Days, The High Holiday.

The Reason this blog is here.

Halloween.

Carved 7 pumpkins and completed many of my final prep in the last few hours.

The largest Pumpkin I carved was a 25 pounder, and his smile is nearly two and a half feet wide.

I also completed my second round of Witch Jars. This one is a round with Labels.

You see my witch likes to recycle.

She takes the Labels from the smaller containers she purchases and sticks them on Jars she likes to use for storage, when she runs out of the component she puts the Jar in the pile of used Jars that are moldering in a corner of her abode. She doesn't like to throw them out.

They get REAL dirty after a while.

Image By Strublay

I had to have this one. Its a Lemonade Flavored Laxative. Makes me giggle.

Image By Strublay

I worked pretty hard to try to make the Labels and the outside remains match.

Glycerin is typically a clear liquid so I kept the jar very clear.

Image By Strublay

When I get Ideas from other Haunters I like to give credit.

I don't have a grave-yard, so no headstones. Labels For Jars and Potions and Herb Mixes have to work instead.

This year I am using a lot of witch Jars, so I'm giving credit to Rot for the idea.

"Monsieur Rot's Plant Animation Powder (DO NOT USE NEAR GRAVES!)"

Shoulda' done it in French, but hey.

The more ideas I get from the Halloween Community, the more labels will bear the names of the community members who came up with the original idea.

Oh and this one smells awesome, because the plant animation powder stand-in is cinnamon, which has been rubbed on the glue prior to the glue drying.

Image By Strublay

The Rules of Halloween: hand out treats, and ALWAYS check your candy.

I hand out Full-size candy bars, this year with Owl Cards (Which essentially say: Happy Halloween, Brush Your Teeth! Visit My Blog and the Forum PLZ) with Clip art from The Graphics Fairy Blog.

See that on the Right???

YEAH.

SMARTIES.

It's my Back Up.

I HAND OUT SMARTIES AS MY BACK UP!

*Indignant Strublay*

What'chu gonna do 'bout it?

Don't Hate. Smarties are awesome.

Haters.

Image By Strublay

The Eye of the Beast, freshly cut.

So Kids, Remember the Rules: Wear A Costume, Hand Out Treats, Always Check Your Candy, And NEVER Blow Out A Jack O Lantern.

May Your Day be filled with preperation and your evening filled with Fear.

Above All Else:

Have a Happy Halloween.

~~~~Madame Strublay~~~~

Things that amaze me

2010-10-29T05:47:00.000-07:00

Found on Flickr, Image by The Hot Box

Okay, so like 2 weeks ago I picked up two sticks of clove incense by WildBerry from my fave metaphysic Psychic Eye Book Shoppe here in vegas, TWO. They are in a sealed plastic bag sitting on my dining room table... about 50 feet away.

After two weeks of stewing, I can strongly smell the two sticks from my couch.

Sealed in a plastic bag, 50 feet away, TWO incense sticks.

Those are going to be AWESOME on Sunday Night. I need to get more....

*squee*

Working Like Crazy.

2010-10-28T01:53:00.000-07:00

The majority of my costume ideas got thrown out the window... I just did not feel like sewing this season, with 5 classes and a lot of stress, who the hell would?

So I'm not! (LOL)

Thus, I'm trying to figure out how to drape and pin 3 yards of 43 inch wide black fabric as well as drape and pin a dark purple king-sized sheet to look witch-y.

Work with what you have, right?

I'm thinking of going greco-roman with it. We'll see, I'll figure it out.

I've got a few more Jars begging to get witched, the Soul Cage is very nearly completed.

I've got treat bags to finish, Photographs to take, and props to set out.

Saturday is carving night.

Sunday is Samhain!

The Pep Talk.

2010-10-27T03:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, the Theater of the Mind segment on this months Haunt Cast.... Is Brilliant.

Thank you Revenant, for putting this shit in to perspective.

For those of you not patient enough to listen to it, Basically Revenant reminded all of us that this was originally a holiday of true terror for the ancient Celts.

To be frank, thats what I'm channeling.

Perfect Pep Talk.

For those of you who aren't impatient, Hit up hauntcast.com and listen.

Great Job Rev.

Let Hell Week Commence! And Introducing the Soul Cage.

2010-10-26T03:24:00.000-07:00

Image By Strublay

I have a ton of Pumpkins, I have a ton of work to do, but I'm so psyched. Seriously.

Image by Strublay

Introducing the Soul Cage, if your the observant type you'll notice I let it slip.....

ah well.

The idea of the Soul Cage is that its essentially a hanging cage that holds a Ghost or Ghosts that rattles itself and makes noises. The spirit inside is held in by spells that glow creepily.

This image is of a "draft", the final piece will be done in time for Halloween, and I'll have plenty of pictures of it coming up in the next few days.

Image by Strublay

SO excited.

OMG.

Pumpkins and Paranormal Activity

2010-10-24T02:03:00.000-07:00

Image by Strublay

Some of my pumpkins for this year, I have three standard oranges, three medium-small ghost pumpkins, and two partially green veined pumpkins: one large and one very small.

I really love my stemmed ones,the small green-ish one has a stem and a length of the vine still attached.

They are fantastic looking.

And my husband helped, he loves seeing the variations in the pumpkins so picking out freaky pumpkins is fun for him.

Finally saw Paranormal Activity this evening, great movie.

Really really creepy movie.

I loved it.

The Alternate ending.... not so much.

I hate gore.

IDK if I'm going to see PA2...

Can I just say the guy, Micah, is an absolute dumbass.

Like, OMG let me slap you in the fucking face, dumbass.

Provoking a demon, burning a cross... Good Lord, how dumb can you be?

Strublay does not mess with or tempt demons, I don't have enough evidence to know they exist, but if they do... oh hell no...

Strublay does not play that game.

To Do List

2010-10-22T04:27:00.000-07:00

Finish Linux Course Chapter 7 quiz and Final,
Find and Purchase Pumpkin Ale/or something else just as awesome,
Get Tipsy off of previously mentioned ale/awesome-ness,
Sew Circle Skirt/ dress ruffle/ apron/ cloak/ hat/ anything else, (SUNDAY)
Security Mid-term on Monday,
Arcane Herbalism, HTML, and Java Programming Mid-terms on Tuesday,
Pull out boxed Halloween Goodies
Purchase more Tea Lights and Neovana/Devotional candles,
Purchase more Pumpkins,
Purchase Samhain Incense, More Clove Incense, More Nag Champa incense, generally more incense.
Get some pumpkin dessert
Get the mixin's for Sloppy Joe's
Purchase candy (!!!!!!!!!!)
Scribe Glyphs,
Entrap Spirit in Soul Cage.
Photograph Soul Cage
Dig Out more Jars
Prep herbal/salt mixes, pine needle carpet, hangings, candles, luminaries.
Set out offerings for the dead
Carve the Pumpkins.
Hand Out Candy, Carve arcane inscriptions in to small Pumpkin, pray the souls don't kill me.

Good Morning.... Okay, thats just creepy

2010-10-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

Image By Strublay

Normally I wouldn't post as soon as I got up, but I had a moment of supreme WTF this morning.

One of my witch jars re-lit itself in the night.

...

O_O

...

o_O

...

My logical side is telling me that either it was really really weakly lit, or that the wick drew up some of the wax and the embers kicked back to life, but seriously, I lit that tea-light 7 hours ago.... tea lights usually only last 4-5 hours...

So my inner witch is SCREAMING AT ME about it, and it REALLY freaked me out after I just woke up.

My husband got a good laugh at my expense, "Well honey, there's only one logical explanation, it is a WITCH JAR!" and he busted in to laughter.

...

*-_-

...

Punk.

...

Then add in the Lightning and Thunder, and it was a kinda cool way to start the morning...

*SIGH* sheesh.

Bolts from Heaven

2010-10-19T23:40:00.000-07:00

Found On Flickr, Image by Joe Decker

Ooooooo oOooOOoooooOOo Pretty!

We have been having a helluva lot of rain and lightning lately, so much so my pine cones have folded up...

Luckily I brought in my Witch Jars before the rain.

The downpours were AWESOME.

*GLARES AT THE INTELICAST RADAR* COME BACK RAIN!!!!! COME BACK NOU!

Hoarder

2010-10-19T04:09:00.000-07:00

Found on Flickr, Image and Artwork by TheoJunior

The Caption: "The hoarder becomes what he accumulates."

Have any of you seen that show hoarders?
OMG. There needs to be a Hunted house on that. Seriously, that is modern horror right there..... every-time I watch it I get the itch to clean and organize.
It really freaks me out, honest to God.
ughhgghgghhhghghghghgbleh.

The Paper Graveyard.

2010-10-17T23:40:00.000-07:00

Image by Strublay, Artwork by my Mom!

Halloween consists of my earliest positive memories, and this is the majority of those memories. My mother, a Halloween nut herself, made these intricate paper dioramas to fill the front window in our Apartment.

They were handed down to me, and grace one of my windows in their late-eighties glory.

Image by Strublay, Artwork by my Mom!

It is a rare stormy day in Las Vegas, we had lightning and rain has been on and off all day.

Image by Strublay, Artwork by my Mom!

I always LOVED the grass.

Image by Strublay, Artwork by my Mom!

The paper ghost is my creation, sitting behind the diorama.

Trick 'r Treat, WHY DIDN'T I SEE THIS SOONER?!??!???!

2010-10-16T03:54:00.000-07:00

Found on http://moviepenguin.blogspot.com

Finally saw it!

What a work of brilliance, I want to live in THAT town. Beautiful.

Honestly, the houses down the street and the festival, and the music, and the intricate stories...

It just blends together in this confection of a Halloween movie that embodies the fear, humor, and.... I can't put this any other way... texture of Halloween perfectly.

I really really really love the character of Rhonda and every one of her Jack O Lanterns. I suppose I identify, especially with the obsessive element of Halloween. I respect a character like her, the kids called her an idiot savant, but those were kids and kids can be very very cruel. I'm always one too pull for misunderstood, socially inept misfits like her:

Found on http://moviepenguin.blogspot.com

Those little pricks who played the trick on her COMPLETELY DESERVED it.

Sam is the best mascot for Halloween ever.

Found on http://moviepenguin.blogspot.com

A child, thats not a child, goes around ToT'ing, and enforcing the rules of Halloween, violently.

Instills fear, laughs like a kid.

He honestly is cute at some points in the film, terrifying at other points.

Kills with candy, and will stop hurting you if you give him chocolate.

PERFECT.

Just the thought of that character makes me grin.

I love this movie.

Of rotting pumpkins, and another still life

2010-10-15T05:12:00.000-07:00

So, we picked up pumpkins while returning from Knotts, and at the time all of the pumpkins looked sound....

But alas, I was wrong. One of my pumpkins was slowly rotting. I happened to actually touch it today, and it was a little... squishy....

Checked the others, so far so good.

And THANKFULLY it wasn't one of my stemmed beauties.

So I carved me a pumpkin last night, and did a full blown still life..

And I fixed the photography problem!

Lower ISO's for the win!

Image by Strublay

This is the first part of the still life, I'm saving some of the rest.

I hope you enjoy!

Congratulations to The Mistress of Mayhem!

2010-10-14T00:52:00.000-07:00

Front page news on her local paper!
Awesome stuff! (I hope she gets a lot of candy this year. lol)

Found on FolsomTelegraph.com, Image by Philip Wood of the Folsom Telegraph

Image of Shellhawk (and Stewie)

Oh, yes. You Want to read this!

If you are in the area.... and this goes w/o saying.....

GO. DONATE. BE AWESOME.

On a very random, yet awesome, note:

Link-y, To music-y, Not related to this post-y.

*Dances the Time Warp and goes and works on her costume*

Of the Desert, and the start of Persona Week at Casa De Strublay

2010-10-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

Theme Music for this post: The Nightmare on Elm Street Theme

I think everyone imagines Halloween in the Eastern US, with creepy wooded areas, but I grew up with a desert Halloween. I lived on a house on N. Elm Drive, so during Halloween my mom and I would joke that it was the Nightmare on N. Elm Dr. Thus the music. I'm telling you that place was Haunted.

Found on Flickr, Image by Antydiluvian

The desert is creepy in its own way, with sandstone making odd formations and twilight playing on the scant few trees and twiggy bushes.

Bats flew everywhere at twilight, and once when I was little, a bat swooped down and picked off a bug mere inches from my face, I felt the wind of the wings as they flapped past me. My Mom FREAKED, I was laughing and ducking. I didn't want to hit the bat and hurt it.

Found on Flickr, Image by Sandman

Storms in the desert are a different kind of animal. Torrential downpours, flooding, lightning and a LOT of wind. Once a storm came rolling over my house, and lightning struck the ground about 10 feet from my house. The sound was deafening, I felt the heat through the walls and windows, I watched the bolt hit the ground, the beating of voltage varying the light by tiny tiny amounts, and then it was gone. Being so close to such power is frightening and awesome (in the dictionary definition).

The smell of Desert Rain, if bottled, I would wear all the time, or if it came in incense/candle/fragrance oil form would be used during my haunt this year.

Found on Flickr, Image by missbeanie

This image is actually something I looked for very specifically. When I was in 3rd and 4th grade, our classes made hiking trips to the Grand Canyon, to prepare we used to hike at a component of Montezuma's Castle National Monument, Montezuma's Well. At these sites there are pronounced cliff dwellings that were built by the Sinagua People over 1000 years ago. It was one of the first four National Monuments dedicated by Teddy Rosevelt in 1906.

They look creepy in the morning, the darkness of the cliffs overtake the dwellings, and you can only see the outlines of the buildings. The windows are dark and murky, so you can never see whats inside the buildings.

I always liked to suppose they were haunted.

When I think about Theory and Practice my main principle is don't be something you're not. A one bedroom condo can't be a castle. So this year I'm embracing that principle whole heartedly.

This week is Persona Week at Casa De Strublay, thus I'm focusing on my character this week, creating the costume, writing her back-story, figuring out her methodology and answering questions such as: "What would she burn in her incense censers?"

This'll be a fun week.

Of the Davis Graveyard and a truly beautiful set piece.

2010-10-10T16:11:00.000-07:00

Found on The Davis House Blog, Image and set piece Chris and Jeff Davis

So the Davis Graveyard had their first full effect weekend, I hope everything went well, and I still wish I lived in Oregon. These people put on one of my favorite displays to follow online, and frankly I'm addicted to their photos.

Found on The Davis House Blog, Image and set piece Chris and Jeff Davis

Did I mention I LOVE their lighting? Well I do.

Found on Halloweenforum.com (prop section), Image by Thegardenofshadows

If any set piece deserves to be on my blog, its this one. WOW. This is her version of Beloved, and it is beautiful.The image quality isn't spectacular, but believe me, from the in-progress photos I've seen, its amazing. I just wanted to show it in its setting. If they post high quality images of their haunt, I'll be ALL over that.

She really deserves to be proud of this, the proportions are incredible, it looks real. Seriously.

My inner prop mistress/set dresser is jumping up and down with glee.

Steampunk Ladies, Abandoned Hallways, and Leaves Aplenty.

2010-10-09T01:27:00.000-07:00

Found on Flickr, Image by Stuck in Customs

I love burning man, I've lived in vegas all of my life and have never had a chance to go, one of these years I'll do it...

It just reminded me that i need to start figuring my Halloween costume double quick.

Found on Flickr, Image by Dane Van

I am always fascinated by how quickly the Earth takes back its land and materials. Decay is a theme I like to examine, especially around this time of the year.

Found on Flickr, Image by onironauta

Did I mention how I wished for falling leaves in Las Vegas?

Knotts Scary Farms Halloween Haunt 2010 Review: Longest post ever.

2010-10-06T16:00:00.000-07:00

This is a post that does not involve just Halloween; it involves my entire experience at Knott’s Berry Farms and compares and contrasts the daytime standard park experience with the Halloween Haunt. Also before we begin I want to let you know that my night pictures are very fuzzy/grainy/smudgy, I apologize on the lack of image quality, and I will attempt throughout this post to utilize photographs that others have taken that are of better quality than my own images.

I arrived at the park about a half hour after opening, and it was an overcast, humid day ripe with the potential for rain. The park was already half ready for the evenings Haunt, with fire resistant scrim “spider webs” spread over the walls, windows, and signs for the theme park gates and signs were up for the various themed sections for the haunt at night when you walked in.

The first place we went to was the Camp Snoopy Section. It instantly captured my heart as that day they were doing “Camp Spooky”, Kids were running around to a couple of booths set up, making Halloween Crafts and getting candy. Halloween Music was playing over the loudspeakers, and the first thing to begin playing on my visit was the Monster Mash. The Kid Halloween music was only playing in the Camp Snoopy Area and was a delightful start to my day.

It ended up raining, and because of it the park was nearly empty, so it was an excellent opportunity to enjoy the park without a ton of people around.

Some of the Haunted Maze entrances are evident as you walk through the park, most notably the entrances for Dia De Los Muertos, The Doll Factory, Fallout Shelter, Labyrinth, Virus Z and Corn Stalkers. In Camp Spooky, the Very Beginning of Corn Stalkers is opened to the kids as Snoopy’s Haunted Harvest, so that they can walk through. It was short as they routed the kids away from the truly scary sections, and back out in to Camp Spooky.

Two Rides were obviously decked out for Halloween during the day, one being the Log Ride and the other being the Calico Mine Ride. I did not get the chance to go on the Calico Mine Ride, which at night is renamed Black Widow Cavern, but I did have the opportunity to go on the Log Ride.

At night the log ride is renamed Sleepy Hollow Mountain. The things I saw were pretty basic but two props stood out, one being some my favorite Animatronics from Scare Factory: the Headless Horseman and Haunted Horse. It was not active at the time, but just seeing it made me grin wildly. The second thing that stood out was the pumpkin gate from The Gauntlet Haunted Maze from years past. The Gauntlet no longer exists, so the pumpkin arch had been repurposed from an Entrance Gate in to a very complex set piece in the log ride. This was not lit during the day.

Other Elements that were obvious during the day were the lamp-post scarecrows that indicated the theming zones of the park at night, dressed skeleton props are throughout the Ghost Town, and The Entrance to the Charles M Shultz Theatre is transformed in to the Entrance for Ed Alonzo’s Psycho Circus of Magic and Mayhem, a show I’ll speak of later in this post. Also throughout the park are Halloween Merchandise, of course, and one thing in particular caught my eye. It was a pumpkin Head plushy! Oh, I coveted one of those during my day in the park, and I finally got it before leaving for the hour and a half that the park is closed for a speedy retheming of the various areas of the park, opening of the other entrance areas for the 5 other mazes in the park, deployment of drinking zones, and warming up those fog machines.

HE'S SOOOOOOO CUTE! His name is Gourdie.
And he says Squash all the time. hehe. OMG Squee.

My Husband, the Doctor and I left the park about a half hour before the park closed and went to dinner at TGI’s where we met up with two of our other friends whom joined up with us for the evenings events.

We returned to the park a half hour after it opened again, and was greeted with metal detectors. I was happy to see such precautions taken, not for the sake of other patrons, but for the sake of the actors.
Upon entering, I was greeted with fog, lots and lots of fog. The park was ripe with the scent of fog juice, and lights shone through the murk. I have to say the atmosphere was electric, with teenaged girls freaking out by the very sight of the fog. That’s when I heard them, ducking through the darkness, the scratching and clinking of metal fingertips and metal shoes against pavement, then the screams. It was, in a word, incredible.

Themed areas or Scare Zones:

The atmosphere was the most remarkable thing, something so innocent during the day turned very dark at night. There were three distinct areas of theming, and the rest of the park was generally themed…

The Camp Snoopy area turned in to the Necropolis, a steampunk inspired area involving steampunk zombies on stilts, gear gobos, corseted ladies, a soundtrack that included the sound of steam machines, and at least one lit Zeppelin hanging on a wire. It was my favorite area of the park and provided for my best photos of the night. There was quite a bit of fog and its signature color was red. The Necropolis is one of the more atmospheric areas of the park, and I very much enjoyed that area.

The Boardwalk area turned in to the Carnevil, a land of demonic clowns, The boardwalk already has many carnival games, and all of these were open during the evening. However this area of the park lacked true theming, as it was just the area where the clowns roamed free. The Beer Garden blaring club music in this area KILLED any atmosphere in this part of the park.

The third area was the Ghost Town, which is not very different during the daytime. Western demons and metal tipped spooks stalked the walkways, and it was FILLED with fog. There isn’t a foggier area in the entire park. There was little to no music, just the sound of wind and an organ player on the top of the ghosts towns Inn. It was incredibly simple, but very effective. I felt lost and exposed in this supremely foggy environment and I loved how a monstcer could jump out at any time. The prevailing color scheme in this area involved black lights and blue and was generally very dark.

Mazes

There were Eleven Haunted Mazes.

11. SlaughterHouse

This is… a pure gore fest. There were things in there like hanging skin from the ceiling, having humans as sushi and bbq… just pure gore. It lacks any appeal to me. Honestly. There was nothing remarkable about it. Gore done right is shocking; gore done in droves is ignorant and stupid.

10. Lockdown-The Asylum

This was the first Maze we went through, and frankly it was forgettable. Yep, crazy inmates, yep, they are murderous. Nope. Not that scary.

9. Club Blood

Vampires! That’s kinda cool, and Vampire Strippers! Even better. However I’m taking points from them for recycling an image from one of the Blade movies (I believe it was trinity), and not being nearly in-your face enough.

8. Doll Factory

I honestly do not remember to much about this haunt. I went through it, but extenuating circumstances prevented me from enjoying it fully. I like the premise though.

Found on Flickr, Image by jericl cat
Of Dia De Los Muertos

7. Dia De Los Muertos (in 3D!)

This is the first in my list of “3D” attractions, that list consists of two. This is… well… it’s a pretty haunt, I love the imagery of The Day of The Dead, but it was not a very good haunt. Making a haunt from xenophobic fears of another culture’s holiday is just bad form. It also seemed to show its age, I’m going to guess that this either is an older Maze, or one that was thrown together quickly. I could see the LED tea lights thrown in to filled Neovana glasses… I would have liked to see them do what we among the home haunters do, which is alter the flame elements to make them look better. No such luck. Very pretty, but I’m taking points for sloppiness and badly topical xenophobia.

6 The Labyrinth

This was more wicked nature spirit and Mad Hatter inspired and genuinely appealed to those of us who enjoy a creepier feel. Pan demons stalked the halls and there were many freaky fae laughing maniacally. It also features a large animatronic of a rock monster, which was very impressive. It seems a little disconnected from the rest of the park, but I do give kudos to the actors for making it interesting. The Pan Demons in particular had a great time growling and torturing this poor woman in front of me. And a dancing dandy at the end of the Haunt freaked my Husband and the doctor out.

5 Uncle BoBo’s Bigtop of the Bizzare (in 3D!)

Black Humor at its finest and another “3d” haunt. I love the really dark carnival music that was blaring throughout the haunt, and the really awesome actors. There was the classic spinning tunnel, moving much faster than usual, and I had to work hard to keep standing while going through it. I liked the polka dot room, and the actors that camouflaged among the dots. I also enjoyed the farting elephant…. The dark humor is really prevalent, culminating with the incredible thingy! What is the incredible thingy? Well…. You got to go see for yourself!

4 Terror of London

This is one of the few Haunts where I received a good startle, and the theming is top notch. The whore house actors were some of the best, one girl literally sat in a chair upside down to provide a distraction while big bad and creepy snuck up behind and screamed with a bang. I got a scare when an actor popped out from behind a corner at the right moment, and I commended him on succeeding. The music is good, and it is truly beautiful inside, one area involving a meat pie shop with lanterns and another involving a graveyard with a gorgeous angel. This haunt also has an actual STORY. OMG! The story being that you’re constantly just behind Jack the Ripper, you find his victims as you go and encounter the seemly denizens of Victorian London. It is in an area of the park that gets no attention, and there was NO line. This is a do not miss Haunt for those who like creep and story.

Corn Stalkers during the Day as snoopy's Haunted Harvest...
My husband and the Doc.

3 Corn Stalkers

I love corn mazes, first off. So when I saw that it was a corn maze I fell in love. It starts off in a hick’s home, and you go through their farms haunted corn fields. Also it had one of the most impressive endings of any of the mazes, involving a not so obvious hanging man prop at the pinnacle of a barn and a Giant pumpkin Head Animatronic growling and swiping at you. The actors are scare crows and they do their job very well, sitting very still as you stare at them to see if they are real and jumping at you. If you like corn mazes, hit this haunt.

2 Fallout Shelter

A very creative idea which was one of my favorites, it starts with an atomic holocaust, which leads to desperation in the shelters residents, insanity, and finally extreme mutation. It’s centered on an abandoned military fallout shelter, and is EXTREMELY well done. The settings are very detailed and accurate, and this is home to the best prosthetic/mask in the park, an actor comes out from behind a curtain to scare you and all you see is one side of his face, the other side is spiky and grown out horribly and the actor is in character so he tries to hide the mutation. Brilliant. However it is also home to the worst animatronic in the park, a badly done fully mutated human. Yuck.

1 Virus Z

This is the best of all the haunts in the park in this humble girls opinion. A classic Zombie apocalypse, the zombies LOVE getting right in your face. It’s obvious that the former residents were desperate, and items are laying everywhere. Zombies are sitting in a movie theatre, there are zombie kids in a bus, zombie office workers, it is so detailed, and so believable, it works. One actress bit at me mere centimeters from my face, another clicked his metal fingertips milliseconds before I crossed the spot of his hand, one actor jumped up at me from a seat in a movie theatre scene, using totally the inability to see afforded by the projector aimed at the guests. The movie theatre had posters from old films including psycho and pussycat kill kill kill. The office scene had ergonomic keyboards stained with bloody fingerprints. The detail is… astounding. I can’t cover it all here. It was perfect. If you go to Knotts Haunt this year, DO NOT miss this Maze. Oh and look out for the zombie old lady with the feather duster, it likes to bug tall boys.

Themed Rides!

I didn’t get to go on any! I had wanted to go to on the log ride, because of the props I saw on it earlier, but It closed at one, and I was so tired and busy I could not get in line in time. (the line was 1hour 40 minutes long!)

Shows

I only saw two Shows, The first Being Ed Alonzo’s Psycho Circus of Magic and Mayhem. Ed Alonzo is one hell of a comic Magician, and being able to see him in this capacity was a real treat. My inner magic nerd was thrilled. This is a really good show with loud rock music, girls in corsets and tutus, and some impressive feats of magic and acrobatics. Go see it if you want a 30 minute break from the madness.

I also saw the hanging. Black humor, topical, and killing Justin Beiber. Very funny but very SNL.

My Arguments with the park and what they could have done better:
*Steps up on Soap Box*

The steampunk element in the necropolis was misused and in my opinion, misplaced. The back area by the Terror of London would have been perfect for the necropolis, and another theme could have taken its place in the camp snoopy area. Maybe a classic Halloween Theme with a ton of Jack O Lanterns and really traditional monsters? That’s what I would do. Oh or maybe a witch infested zone, that would be awesome.

The Beer Gardens should not be blaring Techno or pop, that was crappy and killed the mood. Dark Carnival music or dark rock would have been good, but popular club music is mood killing.

Gratuitous Gore needs to stop.

It's pretty and all, BUT WHAT IS IT FOR?!
The 3D gimmick is really getting old. Reality check, WE SEE IN 3D ALREADY! God. Stop acting like its novel. Oh, and if you’re going to have two 3D haunts in the park don’t charge me a buck to buy the stupid 2 cent paper glasses, and don’t sell 3D glasses at haunts that don’t need it. They were trying to sell it at Fallout! It was just another way to get your money folks, and it was a bad way to do it.

Don’t close the themed rides at 1!

Use what you put up, having crap up for no reason is wasteful.

*Gets off soap box*

The Real Reason you should go:

Throughout my evening I noticed one thing over and over: the actors. So let me focus on the true strength of this park’s haunt. It wasn’t the theming, the sets, the lighting, the layout of the mazes, or the music, it was TRULY the actors.

Let me be blunt:

The actors in Knotts Scary Farms are the best haunt actors I have ever seen.

They were truly in character from when they started until they left, and each actor had a character that was unique. Before we left for dinner my husband and I spied many of the actors walking in with their costumes in hand. Each takes care of their own costumes and seems to take pride in their characters.

One actor by the log ride was nice enough to allow me to take a photograph of him near the end of our evening, which you can see below. He did not speak, just moved his head, and was quite the smartass, turning away when I moved to take the first photograph. If that gentleman has the chance to read this, thank you for being so kind. Nice mask BTW.

Their costumes were not always complicated, but their interactions with guests and each other made them truly great at what they did.

One actress, one of the lady Clowns, I caught in character at least 6 times that night, the first being when my husband turned to me, pointed her out and called her Creepy, she immediately caught it, ran up to him, and got in his face.

“DID YOU CALL ME CREEPY??!?” a gruff, mean, nearly yelling voice asked my husband from under the clown mask and curly red hair. My husband is a natural smartass and quick on his toes, and responded sweetly.

“No I said you were charming!” The girl under the mask immediately curtseyed, bowing her head forward, acting nearly bashful.

“Why thank you…” a much squeakier, clearer voice responded from under the mask as she turned on a giant clown shoe heel, and stalked away after a teenaged girl.

I saw her stalking teenagers throughout the night. I caught her one last time much later that night interacting with the other Clown girls in the Carnevil section of the park close to the Dia De Los Muertos Maze, the girls were talking amongst themselves, in character, and then the group of them broke out in a terribly creepy laugh.

I loved the Chainsaw guy. He was this BIG Demon clown working in with a band of clowns, a big gang of them, and they would stalk down and scare the hell out of groups of teenagers. It was really beautiful to see the stupid impervious teenaged boys screaming and running for their lives. GOD that was satisfying.

I spotted a witch three or four times walking through the mist in the ghost town streets, it was creepy how she was there and then disappeared in to the fog.

Another actor caught my husband resting. My husband was sitting on a bench, and watching the crowd when he realized that the crowd was looking back at him and pointing and laughing, he looked to his right and an actor was sitting next to him glowering at him. My husband apparently busted out laughing and asked how long the actor had been sitting there, and the actor held up 5 fingers, indicating 5 minutes, got up and walked away.

The actors’ sense of humor was also apparent throughout the entire night.

One actor, while I was in line for one of the mazes caught me looking at an animatronic at the end of the maze, pulled out an Airzooka from behind his back and shot a ball of air at me and busted up in a clown laugh.

One guy in a maze stood there very still, jumped out at us and said sardonically when my husband, the Doctor and I did not react like he had hoped:

“Shake my hand! I’m a scarecrow!”

The Doctor shook his hand with a laugh.

The Gent in the photo above and another actor had a very humorous interaction just before I took his picture. Another actor ran up behind him and kicked him in the ass, and the gent above chased after him immediately, running in to the crowd.

One actor had a fart machine or whoopee cushion and was hiding in the darkness under the giant Gargoyle, he used it and the Doctor reacted with

“OMG the gargoyle farted!” From the darkness a deep voice responded with great humor

“Nope, that was just me.”

In one area, a pair of twin clowns was making fun of the crowd, as they walked past one saying about a woman who rudely ignored them:

“I think that girl has PMS” The other responding in nearly the same voice

“Yes totally, what a bitch.”

In one maze a man walking behind me had an Oakland Raiders jersey on, and one monster Raced out at him and screamed loudly

“GO RAIDERS!”

Scared the guy and set me laughing for a good 15 minutes.

Actors were growling and snarling throughout the night, many were very good at it too. Many actors had the metal finger tipped gloves and metal shoe plates and used them to great advantage. Something so simple got me to blink many times. Some actors even had metal plates on knee pads and used them to slide, sending sparks in their wake. In one haunt, Terror of London, a girl sat completely still and actually scared me when she jumped up, in the same haunt an actor sat in a boat, very still as the crowd walked past, staying still even as one guest shone his light on him and announced that he wasn’t real. The actor jumped up and growled, sending teenagers screaming in to me. In necropolis the actors took a steampunk turn, speaking with English accents or glowering out from goggles.

These actors were truly amazing and just going and seeing their work alone makes it worth the money. They are the ones that make Knotts Scary Farms Halloween Haunt one of the best haunted attractions in the world.

How to do it, visiting the park for Halloween and getting your money’s worth:

Buy your tickets online: Tickets are cheaper online, if you buy them at the gate they are 50 bucks any day and they may run out (there is an attendance cap). Plan around the price, Different days cost different amounts online. The night we went, Saturday the 2^nd, was 38 bucks a ticket online.

Get there early: Park early, and enjoy the shopping area beforehand. By early I mean early, like 5pm. parking costs more when you’re just going to the haunt, so go park in Standard Park parking area, and have dinner in one of the Restaurants around the park.

Don’t pull a 16 hour day: If you go to the Haunt, don’t go crazy beforehand, it’s hard to enjoy when you’re tired from an already busy day at the park. So if you go to the park for Halloween, plan to only go for the haunt one day, and go the general park another day. Make a weekend of it.

If you’re just going for the Halloween side, don’t plan on going on any rides: Don’t waste your time with rides when you want to see the haunts and shows. Rides are insanely busy during this time. So go to the park on another day to do all the rides.

When you get in to the park, make a beeline for The Themed Rides: That line isn’t going to get any shorter, and it’s best to wait in line now, and then go around to the mazes and soak in the atmosphere after than go to the mazes now and possibly miss out on the rides like I did. They have a map, use it to your advantage.

Make a list: They have descriptions and locations of all the mazes, and all of the times of the shows, on the events map. Make a list of the ones you are interested in seeing and plan accordingly. Think about crowds, The Hanging draws a large crowd and holds them for 30 minutes, so during that show time hit the busier mazes or rides. However, understand that none of the mazes have super long wait times.

Food Is Expensive in the park! Be warned.

Try to take your time in the scare zones: allow the actors to stalk you, give them time to plan. That way they can actually get to you and scare you instead of chasing after you.

Certain areas of the park are quieter than others: The area around the western gate and The Necropolis are quieter then the Carnevil section, if you need a break from the crowds, head here.

Avoid using flash when you take pictures: Flash can kill an actor’s night vision and kick them out of character.

Don’t take kids. This is, or should be, an adult event. There are a lot of adult themes, and trust me, they are fantastically Lewd. Hehe. 6 year olds SHOULD NOT be in the park during the Haunt.

And try to enjoy yourself.

If it's not fun, it's not worth it.

Knott's post delay

2010-10-04T19:25:00.000-07:00

Tonight I have a buncha homework to get done, (at least 4 chapters and quizzes of my Linux book, more if I can, and programming for my HTML class and Java class.) As such my Knott's post is delayed until very very late tonight, or tomorrow.
So Yeah.
Sorry for the wait.

Of Pumpkins and Knott's Scary Farms

2010-10-04T04:30:00.000-07:00

Who went to Knott's this weekend??? Oh, your friendly neighborhood Halloween nut.... I am working on cleaning up my images from my foray to Knott's Scary Farms, once thats done I'll write and post a full review for those of you considering going.

My night image taking really needs to improve, I'll get this yet. I also need an epic small tripod...

Safe to say, I had a good weekend, in spite of the Lack of Batboy and Little Dragon....

Upon arrival back home, my Husband and I stopped at our favorite Restaurant, and then went to Fresh-N-Easy for some food for the week... Luckily enough they had a helluva deal on pumpkins so I picked up my first four pumpkins of the season!

Awesome start to my October.

An old favorite, Blood Money, and Old Weapons.

2010-10-02T01:23:00.000-07:00

Music for the season: The Legendary Score of Halloween. I know its old, I know its a touch overused, but it is the best as far as I'm concerned.

Legendary

Found On Flickr, Image by ...MisDan...BACK

Found On Flickr, Image by The_Taker

Found on Flickr, Image by Mee Too

A murder post.

How Dark.

Okay, Good Start to the Month.

2010-10-01T12:56:00.000-07:00

It's raining in Las Vegas ATM.
Theres thick Cloud Cover and the sun Las Vegas is legendary for is no where to be seen.
It's actually less than 90 degrees out. Infact I think we're topping at 80 atm.
Life is so very good right now, I had to share.
Thunderstorms and cloud cover is expected though out the week.
Thank god its October.