Recipe: Jack-O-Lantern Burgers

Sometimes the simplest of Halloween recipes look the best when served.  I found this one on AllRecipes.com HERE. 

Though the burger recipe sounds delicious, the real "trick" to this "treat" (eat your punny heart out Martha Stewart) is carving the jack-o-lantern face on the cheese. 

It's easy to do, everyone can customize their Jack with some simple swipes of a real (for adults) or plastic (for kids) knife ---and presto... a smiling Halloween face for you to devour with condiments. 

Change up the cheese to suit your tastes and color preferences.  Use a cheddar or American for a traditional orange Jack... a green cheese (like a Vermont Sage) to give it that gourd-like bumpy green look... or plant your ironic tongue firmly in cheek with a Monterey JACK.  Get it?  No?  Well you don't know jack. 
Zing!  I double whammy'd ya!

The burger recipe is here at AllRecipes.com or just steal the cheese idea with your own special ground beef concoction. 

Mark Zuckerberg The Social Network Halloween Mask

Because the Academy Awards are tonight, and because The Social Network is nominated for Best Picture I give you the best Halloween tie-in in history:  The Mark Zuckerberg Halloween Mask.

Just print, cut out the eye-holes, fashion a face-holder of string or rubber band and POOF!---- you've updated your Facebook profile to "OWNER."

Don't thank me, thank the fine folks at Gawker, who made it and posted it HERE.

And if you've seen The Social Network and think of Mark as some kind of ungrateful thief, I'd ask you to check out Exhibit A to the contrary----this picture (see left) of Mark this past Halloween giving out KING SIZE candy bars at his door (taken from AllFacebook.com HERE).
KING SIZE!
THE HOLY GRAIL FOR TRICK OR TREATERS!

Smart kids?
Yep.  They know to ring the billionaire's doorbell on Halloween.

The Town: Nun Halloween Mask from the Oscar Nominee!

As we head into the final weekend of Hollywood's "Awards Season" I find ridiculous ways to tie the Academy Awards in to Halloween.

Well here's a way, and it's not really a stretch:  Jeremy Renner is nominated for an Oscar for "Actor in a Supporting Role" for his work in Ben Affleck's The Town.

His character (a bank robber) wears a few masks in the film:  a hockey mask (more modern than the classic kind sported our old friend Jason Voorhees), a skull mask (pretty generic) and --what I find the creepiest-- an "Old Nun" mask.

It seems like such a timeless classic, like Nixon or the Groucho nose and glasses, but where does one find Ye Olde Nun mask (or "Nun on the Run" as it's properly called) in a sea of latex exploded heads, zombies and assorted creatures of the night?

Well your Uncle Halloween Addict has found it RIGHT HERE at FrightCatalog.com.  

So polish up your "R"-dropping Boston accent, order up 4 or 5 with assorted black body armor, and start casting your friends for your group THE TOWN costume. 

Heck why not order up some DVD copies to hand out too as Affleck's The Town might not be fresh in the minds of the people by October 31st this year. 

Vinyl of the Dead: Get Your Ashes Pressed into an LP

Need a unique way to spend the afterlife?
Why be buried, entombed or donated to science when you can be pressed into a vinyl record and played by all your friends on their turntable for eternity?

How to Make a Silent Hill Nurse Mask

This one's for all your creepy do-it-yourselfers out there.

Fans of the survival horror video game (and movie) Silent Hill can now look like one of the most terrifying characters in the series:  The Nurse.

Japanator.com has a step-by-step tutorial on how to make the indescribable "screwy face" that the nurses have.  You'll have to assess your own ability to wear fishnets, high-heels and sport cleavage. 

I've talked about other handmade Silent Hill Nurse costumes HERE, but the preparation and ingredients of this recipe seem pretty easy.
You'll need liquid latex, a mannequin head, plastic wrap, toilet paper, oil color and a lighter.

The step by steps are detailed on Japanator.com HERE and the final product looks like hamburger meat gone bad... which is exactly what it's supposed to look like.
Because ptomaine... is... TERRIFYING.

Jasmine and Woo Halloween Stationery: Trick or Treat Invitations

Looking to upscale-ize (a term I just made up) your Halloween invitations this year?

Check out Jasmine and Woo's "Trick or Treat" invites available at many fine stationery retailers (like FineStationery.com HERE). 
Per their description:

Have a spooktacular Halloween party with this fun invitation! The words "Trick or Treat?" are preprinted in black and orange on the left, with your party details printed on the right. Black and white stripes and an orange and a white polka dotted band accent the bottom of the card.

Want some extra STYLE POINTS?
Order the black and white bat-silhouette envelope liners too.
The invites are little pricey, starting at 20 for 50 smackeroos, plus an extra charge for the liners, but again--- STYLE POINTS for the bat lining.
Hmmm... I feel like I've heard that on the '60s Batman TV show.
"Robin--- TO THE BAT LINING!!!"

Healthy Halloween Snack: Jack o' Lantern Veggie Platter

If you ever need a quickie Halloween-themed food item for a party and haven't got the time to use food coloring, baking, frying and the like, the Disposable Aardvarks Inc. Blog HERE has a couple of ideas to get you through the time crunch.

The picture should say it all but you can read their full post HERE.  In the Aardvark's words:

"Halloween party platter: cantaloupe "maple leaves"; gherkin pickles (hey, biologically they're a fruit!); baby carrot & black olive "pumpkin"; orange "smiles". The platter was returned to me empty, so I take that as a success."

The cantaloupe leaves and gherkin stem really are the touches that take this simple platter and elevate it to Halloween fun.  I just realized I enjoy saying "gherkin stem."  

DA also has another post HERE that does a similar technique, minus the cookie stamped cantaloupe leaves but plus the Halloween platter, which just shows that you can do this trick in any configuration and a lack of time and resources shouldn't limit your creativity.   

Gherkin stem.

Driveway Follies Halloween Posters and Puppet Show

While surfing the wonderful Cult of the Great Pumpkin site and enjoying the posts of a Halloween addict as passionate as myself, I happened upon a glorious looking poster you can order for year-'round wall-decorating Halloween happiness.
Said poster is glow-in-the-dark, orangey-goodness and based on a Halloween PUPPET SHOW?!
Interested?
Read on...

Tom Whalen Trick 'R Treat Poster for Colonial Theatre Screening

If you read HalloweenAddict.com regularly (You do, right?  It whitens teeth!) you know what a fan I am of Mike Dougherty's Halloween love letter: Trick 'R Treat.

While catching up on one of my favorite horror blogs, Freddy in Space, I was perusing his latest POST HERE about "Kickass Alternate Horror Posters."  While scrolling through the full o' talent entries I happened upon this particular image that was done for a screening of TrT at the Colonial Theatre in Pennsylvania.

I really dug the artwork as it played on the Halloween-centric film by incorporating all the pertinent screening info on a Collegeville/Ben Cooper-like vintage Halloween costume box.  That and some scattered candy corn, and the image really grabbed me and I couldn't help but feel like I knew the art style from some where... hmmm... where could it be...
EUREKA!
This fantastic poster was done by none other than the fantastic Tom Whalen who designed the brand-spankin' new HalloweenAddict.com logo you see at the top of this very web page!

Per Tom's blog here's his commentary on the piece:

"...Up next in my first Friday Fright Night series for the Colonial Theatre: the amazing Trick 'r Treat!

This has quickly become one of my must-see-yearly halloween flicks. Often described as the "Pulp Fiction of horror," the movie consists of four small vignettes that are elegantly intertwined, highly stylized and imminently satisfying. While I don't think the film ever specifically states when it takes place, it has a definite 1980's vibe...which I love. And that's where I drew the inspiration for this poster. I had to have one of those cheapo halloween costumes in-a-box every year. I'll always remember the garish colors of the Godzilla one.

At any rate, it still blows my mind that this awesome little flick never found a proper theatrical release. Relegated to DVD, it has nonetheless found a cult following and I couldn't have been more excited when I heard the colonial would be screening this...I'll finally get to see it on the big screen where it belongs!"

I couldn't have said it better myself, Tom.  Congrats on another great image.  You are a talented man. (P.S. You can see the garish Ben Cooper Godzilla costume Tom is referring to HERE at the wonderful Plaid Stallions website.

If you'd like to own the image as a print, Tom doesn't seem to be selling it himself but a little web investigation turned up THIS site HERE at JoJosPosters.com where you can order the 10" x 14" print.

HalloweenRadio.com Returns to the (Digital) Airwaves

Pandora got you down?
iTunes not quite doing it for you?
As we head into the winter-limbo period ---not quite Spring... not quite Winter--- sometimes a Halloween Addict needs a little kick to get going. 
Well the answer has come in the form of HalloweenRadio.com. 

Boasting itself as "The Official Radio Station of Halloween" the site goes on to say:

"We are broadcasting Halloween oriented music from oldies through modern hits.   We will adjust our playlist as we receive feedback.    We want to play what you want to hear!   contact us at requests@halloweenradio.com to let us know what type of Halloween music that you like or request specific songs."

Simple enough. 
Just sitting here listening as I type this I've not heard "Flying Purple People Eater" at all.  Win! 
No "Dead Man's Party" either. 
In fact, I haven't been able to recognize any of the past 4 songs ---which is a good thing! 

So throw it on at work or while you surf the web... maybe even while reading this very blog. 

Halloween Scenes: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

 I'd been saving this particular Halloween Scene until I was able to give it the attention it deserves.
That time is now.
Let's forget about how great the movie is.
Let's forget about the talent of the director.
Let's forget about the iconic imagery (E.T. and Elliot flying past a full moon... on bicycles.) that has influenced a generation.
Steven Spielberg's E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial may have one of the quintessential Halloween Scenes ever assembled on film.
Here's why...

Halloween Political Signs

I discovered these tongue-in-cheek political posters on the very talented artist Shane Parker's blog HERE.

It seems Shane and I have a mutual hatred for those lawn blemishes called "Political Signs" and Shane drew up some new ones back in 2008 as a Halloween gift to us all to print and use at our discretion.

Perfect for your politically-themed Halloween display this year (Hey!  There's a zombie in my ballot box!), or save 'em and stake 'em in the heart ---of your lawn-- this November '12 to make passers-by do a double take.

The signs are so simple and yet have clever touches like the tiny print on the Frankenstein Fear poster (parodying the Shepard Fairey Obama) "Paid for by the 'Vote No on Fire' group."

Shane invites us to print some of our own and proudly display and you can snag all 4 via his Flickr page HERE.

Costume Ideas: Back to the Future Paper Props

I've said it before and I'll say it again... and again... and again... it's never too early to start planning your Halloween costume.

Believe it or not the film Back to the Future celebrated its 30th ANNIVERSARY this past November.
Sure the film came out in theaters on July 3, 1985, but TRUE fans celebrated on November 5th.
Why?
Because that was the day Doc Brown invented time travel... silly.

Well, though the BTTF celebration is over (though you can peruse pics on the still active website WereGoingBack.com) there's a treasure trove of downloadable, printable paper props from the Back to the Future Trilogy that will give that extra piece of detail to make your BTTF character costume from go "meh" to "WHOAH."

What kinds of things?
Well things like the "Tales from Space" comic book complete with Red Ryder BB Gun ad on the back.
An "OUTATIME" license plate complete with August '86 registration sticker.
An 1885 map to the cave where the DeLorean is hidden.
And more!
So take a look and get some great ideas.

Who wouldn't want to be one of Biff's futuristic cronies holding a hoverboard?
Or a poncho-wearing, wild west Marty?
Or that crazy old lady who wanted to save the clock tower and told Marty "don't forget your flyer!"
Or Doc Brown?
As-is.

Go HERE to get to the printable props section.
The original link on the main page has been removed, but you can still get to it through this super secret path I've cut through the woods HERE. 

And if you don't know who Marty McFly and Doc Brown are, get yourself edu-macated my friend by buying the brand-spankin'-new Blu-Ray/DVD set that was just released.  (Amazon links below.) 
Nothing jogs the brain like watching the films again, and they're a pretty good trilogy overall.  
Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta find a pair of Nike Hyperdunks under $300 for my 2015 Marty costume...

T-shirt Tuesday: Jack of 1000 Faces - Extremely Limited Run!

I'll make this a quickie as I finally catch up on my promise of a post-a-day. 

Artist extraordinaire and maker of scary things Chad Savage (check out his work at ChadSavage.com) has made a limited run of his shirt Jack of 1000 Faces.  It's so limited (only TWENTY) that there's only THREE left in XL!

It's an amazing shirt and really may be the only shirt that I can honestly say has enough jack o' lanterns to satisfy even my thirst for grinning pumpkins.  

Only $25 and available through his Etsy shop HERE. 
Go.
Be one of the three.
Sil-ver Sham-rock.

Dead Space 2 Halloween Trailer

Gamers in the know KNOW that one of the most terrifying video games from the 2008 Halloween season was Electronic Arts' DEAD SPACE.

Released in October of that year, the tale put players in the role of an engineer "Isaac Clarke" who must fight his way through a stricken space mining ship battling a virus-like alien infestation.  The first-person shooter combined themes from films like Alien and The Thing with healthy doses of H.P. Lovecraft.
A huge hit on the consoles with both critics and gamers alike, and huge hits mean only one thing-- sequels.

DEAD SPACE 2 was released just this past month for the PS3 and Xbox 360 (see Amazon links below to get yours today) and during the inevitable hype building up to the game, EA released a teaser trailer for the soon-to-be-released DEAD SPACE 2 in October 2010.

Featuring no game footage, but a live-action actor wearing a suit, the trailer had an armored hero wielding a kitchen knife with his back to the camera.  Stabbing away he finally staggered away, dropping the knife and revealing a jack o' lantern carved with a visual nod to those who played the game.  Then a "Happy Halloween" title card and a promise for DEAD SPACE 2.

I'm enjoying how video game publishers are embracing the Halloween holiday in their teaser trailers.

I've covered a couple in the past, specifically SEGA's All Star Racing featuring Sonic the Hedgehog, and the Army of Two: The 40th Day trailer that featuring jack o' lanterns with the heroes masks carved in. 

I'm hoping this trend continues as not only is Halloween a great time to release horror genre games, but also is the lead-in month to that OTHER  holiday with all the red and green that so many businesses bank on for... well... getting out of the red and making the green. 

Watch the Halloween trailer for DEAD SPACE 2 HERE or in the embed below.

Easy Halloween Costume: Zombie Attack Hoodie

You've heard my rantings and ravings about lazy people who wait to get their Halloween costume in order 'til the day of.
Well here's a tip for the lazy:  order this now, and you'll be ready and timeless for Halloweens to come.

Those brilliant folk over at ThinkGeek.com have come up with another "why didn't I think of that?" winner.
The Zombie Attack Hoodie Sweatshirt.


Part practical piece of clothing (Who doesn't need a sweatshirt?), part all-in-one costume (No mess, no fuss!), part ironic wink to fellow horror buffs and movie geeks (Look!  I get it!  I'm cool!) the Zombie Attack Hoodie Sweatshirt has numerous features that make it PFA: pretty friggin' awesome.

Let's start at the front:
1)  The front features a splash bloodstain around the neck that drips down the top of the zip.

2)  The zipper pull (which you can't see in the photos but is mentioned in the description) is a silver Bio-hazard symbol.

3)  Two slash marks right below the right pectoral.  Maybe a zombie?  Maybe a zombie wolverine?  Who can tell?  So many zombies... so few bullets, right?

4)  Bloody finger marks around the sides... as if a shambler didn't go down with the shotgun blast to the kneecaps and continued clawing at you from the ground.  Creepy.

5)  The inside of the hood seems to be a dark red and squiggle pattern that I can only assume looks like your brains are hanging out the back of your head when the hood is down.  Dis-gus-ting.

6)  The left arm has a white bandage around it with some bleed-through.  Any observer can see that those are teeth marks... and any zombie aficionado knows that once bitten, you ain't got long...

The Back:

6)  One big diagonal laceration down the back showing ripped fabric, ripped flesh and a little bit of spine.  Oof.  You oughta get that looked at, dude.

7)  There's a bloody bit of exposed brain on the back/top of the hood.  Think good thoughts.  I'm sure you'll be fine.

As you can see it's an all-in-one costume.  Just grab your prop weapon or sporting good of choice (axe, machine gun, croquet mallet, etc.) and you're ready to go.

The hoodie itself is charcoal gray and made up of 100% cotton so (per the advice on ThinkGeek) buy bigger if you're one to shrink your clothes. 

If you're one of the lazy:  for $60 you get a done-deal.  Order it now and wear it for the big shindig in October.  You'll look like you know what you're doing and people will praise you on your planning and attention to detail.
Shhhh... it'll be our little secret...
Click HERE to order your own Zombie Attack Hoodie!

Free Printable Halloween Party Kit from TheZombified.com!

You know what's great?
FREE stuff.
You know what's even better?
When the FREE stuff is AWESOME.

Found on TheZombified.com this is a FREE (did I mention that?) Printable Halloween Party Kit.

Featuring 16 different original designs from The Zombified, all are available as downloadable PDFs that you can print and turn into Treat Bag Tags, Round Tag Toppers and Cupcake Wrappers.


With a style that's Tim Burton meets Elvira-- with a smidgen of Anime, the images range from mummies, to jagged-toothed jack o' lanterns, to goth zombies and all splashed with the colors of the Halloween season: rich purples, greens, orange and black.
Print and use now or download and save 'til October.  

They've also got a boatload of excellently photographed images of how the printables can be used creatively. 
 Martha Stewart, eat your heart out. 
No, literally... take your heart out... and eat it. 
After all isn't that what The Zombified would like?


Click HERE to go to TheZombified.com page.

Beacon Hill Chocolates: Classy Halloween Assortments from Beantown

Piggybacking on yesterday's post about Halloween Weddings, if you want to embrace classy Halloween then you should have a classy wedding favor or item for your guests' "Welcome" bag.  I present to you my pick:  Beacon Hill Chocolates. 

The Beantown establishment makes adorable and delicious chocolates in various Halloween shapes and all housed in a box decorated with vintage Halloween images. 

Chocolates come as ghosts, bats, a bloody eye, a mini pumpkin, Frankenstein, a black cat and, of course, the smiling jack o' lantern visage.

Boxes are available in 4 or 12 pieces and the lids of the handmade keepsake boxes feature trick or treating black cats, pumpkin costumed children, or a blazing fire with black cat looking on.  Check them all out on-line HERE at BeaconHillChocolates.com or if you're visiting Boston, swing by 91 Charles St. yourself. 
I'll take a box of 12, thanks.

Halloween Wedding: Amy & Brent

Halloween Weddings! 
I don't cover these too often, but any couple that embraces Halloween in their happily-ever-after-day deserves mention in my book.

Feast your eyes on Amy & Brent. 
This lovely couple decided to have a Fall-themed wedding with a few touches of Halloween. 

It's very easy to go over-the-top when designing a Halloween wedding and I think these two went with a subtle nod instead.  The result is a classy affair with a few splashes of Halloween fun.

Per the website:

Amy and Brent came to San Francisco from Vancouver, B.C., for their November 1st, 2008 wedding. Since it was the day after Halloween/ Dia de los Muertos, Amy and Brent had a fabulous mixture of autumnal elements (like orange-gelled lighting, brightly orange and red toned florals), nods to Halloween (wedding-themed jack-o-lanterns, glitter-covered mini pumpkins, Dia de los Muertos bride and groom topper on a deliciously decorated cupcake tree), and vintage elegance.

Be sure to note the Day of the Dead-inspired Bride and Groom cake topper, skull and crossbones cupcakes, and the wedding cake jack o' lantern carve.

Check out the whole gallery HERE on StyleMePretty.com and indulge in their big day thanks to beautiful photography by Jessamyn Harris (click HERE for her site).

The General Mills Monster Cereals Print Your Wall Wants!

Though not specifically Halloween cereals in that they have jack o' lantern crunchies and marshmallow ghosts that turn the milk orange, the General Mills Monster Cereals (Frankenberry, Boo Berry and Count Chocula for those who have been in a breakfast-resistant cave) have earned their spot in my 'Halloween pantheon o' Awesome' for claiming the Halloween cereal title by just being (mostly) seasonal items.

I've gushed about these cereals before and even held a contest this past Halloween Countdown but now I give you artwork featuring the usual suspects of morning monsters HERE with SplitReason.com's "Cereal Monsters Print."

Featuring the previously mentioned and currently available breakfast threesome, and even throwing in the long-gone but not-forgotten, Fruit Brute and Yummy Mummy all doing their part to help a little girl have a nutritious breakfast (note Yummy Mummy cutting a banana) the print even throws in the crunchy ghost shapes floating around the entire scene.  

The print is awesome, available on quality 44 lbs. paper and a fantastic price of only $13.
It's the "Dogs Playing Poker" for Halloween Addicts. 
Hang it proudly over your breakfast nook.

Now about that fantastic idea I had earlier in the post about a Halloween cereal with jack o' lantern crunchies and marshmallow ghosts that turn the milk orange... you listening General Mills?  How about a new addition to the triumvirate?

T-Shirt Tuesday: Great Pumpkin Massacre

From the "I can't believe I missed this one" file: Longtime favorite horror shirt maker FRIGHT RAGS has a Halloween-themed t-shirt for those who like a morbid look at the Halloween classics.

Entitled "Great Pumpkin Massacre" it features the long-awaited, but never seen, Great Pumpkin who has landed in poor Linus's pumpkin patch.

Containing many sly winks to Charles M. Schulz's "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" it features an "X-eyed" (that means they've gone to the great pumpkin patch in the sky) Peanuts-like gang of Linus, Lucy, Charlie Brown (complete with rock and ghost costume with too many eye holes bodily fluid puddle) and --yes-- dear old Snoopy met his match too.

I think my favorite part is not just the huge jack o' lantern but the ghosts from the opening title sequence too (see the pic left for reference) who are not only distressed at the massacre, but also falling victim to it themselves.  How do you kill a ghost?  Maybe you can't and that's why they're unhappy.

I can't help but notice the similarities to The Simpsons's own take on the Great Pumpkin parody from Treehouse of Horror XIX.  

So, in a way, it's like a parody within a parody, wrapped in a riddle... smothered in Halloween.

BUY IT AT FRIGHT RAGS HERE!

UPDATE:  Thanks to TikiMoose for alerting me to the fact that Charlie Brown had, not a bodily fluid puddle next to him, but a rock and his ghost costume with too many eye-holes.  Grampy Steve's eyes must be going...

Halloween Scenes: Kramer Vs. Kramer

As the Oscars get closer, take a look back at a classic that swept the major categories winning Best Director, Picture, Actor, Actress and Screenplay:  Kramer Vs. Kramer.
Its ultimate achievement, of course, is featuring a "Halloween Scene."

Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep's child Billy (played by Justin Henry) has the role of the announcer in the school's Halloween Pageant.
He starts with, "Ladies and Gentlemen..." and drifts off with stage fright 'til Hoffman helps from the audience whispering aloud "Welcome to our Halloween Pageant."

Billy continues through the rest of his lines with some careful prodding from the teacher, "... With ghosts and goblins, and ghostly ghosts and wicked witches and spookety spooks." 
Sounds pretty awesome to me.

Then the makeshift bed-sheet-curtain parts, splitting the words "HAPPY HALLOWEEN" and reveals the children dressed in costumes behind it.
No ghosts or goblins or spookety spooks that I can see.  


The scene lasts for only a minute and cuts away before you can really see the kids' costumes.  I used the magic witchcraft of "pause" and "screengrab" to see if I could identify what the kids' costumes were.

Looks like there's a princess/ballerina front and center... and maybe a wizard or something... but that's about all I can make out.
Did I mention that Billy was wearing a Pilgrim costume in the Halloween Pageant?
On the one hand, it seems a month early, on the other: it's Halloween and there are no rules as to what you can dress up as.
The boy wants to be a pilgrim on Halloween?  So be it. 
Though, I hope he dresses as a skeleton for Thanksgiving. 

You can watch Kramer vs. Kramer for the Halloween Scene but STAY for the outstanding acting by two legendary American actors in their prime.

DIY Craft: Jack O Lantern TV

Being a Halloween Addict, means I like to keep Halloween-busy as idle hands... something something... playthings. 

So when I stumbled on this little gem of a project over on CraftsbyAmanda.com I knew it'd be a good one to work on now.  Much like the DIY Mac-O-Lantern project I wrote about HERE, here's a how-to make an old tube TV into a TV Jack 'o Lantern. 

I say "old tube TV" only because they're easier to come by for cheap at your local yard sale, Goodwill or back alley dumpster.  Feel free to use one of those flat plasma displays or a brand spankin' new 3D TV.  -cough-

As Amanda talks about in her step-by-step how-to, she got the idea after seeing one sitting on a desk of the CNN newsroom. 

I can just see Anderson Cooper now... sitting in his newsroom pumpkin patch of Jack O Lantern TV's... waiting for the Great James Earl Jones to rise out of his pumpkin patch and fly through the air with his bag of toys for all the children...........

My Parents Loved Halloween

Though I can't remember how I originally found this, but the Tumblr blog "My Parents Loved Halloween" is worth a look.  Touting itself as "a pretty emotive look on how Halloween affected many of our parents when they were growing up (1930-1990)" it contains single personal photos featuring kids showing off their costumes of yesteryear.

CAVEAT:  Having recently visited, it doesn't seem like it's been updated with any Halloween posts much lately.  Not sure if the blogger lost interest or if people stopped providing him/her with photos. 

Regardless, it'll give you nostalgic twinges (a 1985 home-made Ewok costume) and twinges of inappropriateness (an '84 young white boy in black face trying to be Mr. T from The A-Team). 
Check it out HERE.

Vampire Princess Leia? The Limited Edition ILM Halloween Party Poster!

Boy Lucasfilm is really injecting some horror into their Star Wars these days.
First there were zombie Stormtroopers in the Joe Schreiber's Death Troopers novel and now ILM turns everyone's favorite Princess who "could use a good kiss" into a VAMPIRE.

Directly through the official StarWars.com shop you can buy this Giclee Paper, 10" X 14" ad for the in-house Industrial Light and Magic Halloween Party to post on your wall for all the kids to oogle over... or run in fear from.

I really dig this pulp look to the Leia image complete with flaking paperback and dog-eared corner.  Reminds me of a bent up copy of Alfred Hitchcock's The Three Investigators series I was into in my younger years.  Great stuff.
These are ON SALE for less than $30 and are LIMITED to ONLY 300 TOTAL.
So get this one before Lucas stores it in his closet along with the footage of Han shooting first, never to be seen again...

Halloween Cocktail Recipe: The Jack-O-Lantern

You know... it's never too early to amass your cocktail recipes for this year's Halloween bash.  After all you've got to assemble the ingredients, the tools, make a few to test... ahem.
I mean, uh, you know... you don't want to screw them up when making them for guests, right?

Found via the wonderful blog TheKitchn.com who found it via ThirstyScientist.com, this is a cocktail with a name close to my heart:  The Jack-O-Lantern.

Made up of:
1.5 oz Jack Daniels
1.5 oz spiced apple cider
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 dash cinnamon
Nutmeg, for garnish
Cinnamon stick, for garnish
Mix all ingredients in martini shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds and pour into chilled martini glass. Garnish with nutmeg and cinnamon stick.

Check out TheKitchn.com and ThirstyScientist.com closer to October for sure-to-be-more recipes this season

2010 Halloween Season Wrap-Up: These are a Few of My Favorite Things...

Well here we are.
A new year.
2011!
The 2010 Halloween season has come and gone but what better way to celebrate it than a brief retrospective of what we got.
On November 1st I took that photo to the left of a lone Tootsie Roll candy wrapper I found discarded on the ground.  That magic feeling of Halloween night had dissipated and the holiday merch had fully muscled its way into the aisles of the box stores like Germany taking Poland.  -sigh-

All things considered, though, 2010 was a pretty good year.   Even though all indicators were pointing to people spending less that year, I saw a lot of Halloween spirit out there in the world for which I would have awarded merit badges had I taken the time to embroider merit badges.  (They would've looked awesome.  Seriously).  So here we go, a recap of the best and worst of 2010 by the authority that is HalloweenAddict.com...