Projects Galore

I think my Halloween countdown ticker is broken.  It says there's only 96 days left till Halloween.  Wait... what's that???  It's not broken?  Hmph.  I guess this means I need to kick things into ludicrous speed.

Since work is slooowww today, I'm frantically scribbling schematics on post-it notes and texting pictures of them to my hubby.  Poor thing is probably so tired of my pestering, but I'm getting antsy and I need some large projects done this year.  Here's what's on the agenda:

The Raven Reaper - I've got a good start on him, but there's still so much to do.  Wings need to be completed, a frame needs to be designed and built, a cloak needs to be designed and created and he needs some sort of scythe. 

Crypt Over-haul - I was really happy with our crypt the past two years.  I love the design, but it was built and then re-built in haste, so it was not efficient to put together.  Also, the wood started buckling and the pieces weren't fitting together so well anymore.  We pitched a lot of it last year when we tore it down, so, this is one project that must get done.

Tombstones - A yard haunt can never have too many :)  I'm looking for new designs and sizes.  I found a bunch of neat ones on line today and I already have names to put on them.  Just need to get MORE foam.

Entryway and Sign - This is not something that is vital, but we feel that it's time to upgrade.  The old 2nd Street Cemetery sign was the first thing that I ever carved out of foam... and it was that white pilly stuff. YUCK.  My technique has come a LONG way since then and I have access to better building material, so I want another shot at it :)  The Count is not happy with our old arbor that we currently use as an entryway/gate to the cemetery.  So, his ambition is to build something more suiting. 

YIKES. Ambitious?  Sure.  Impossible?  NAHHHHH! (At least, I hope not)

Oh, you want more?  Well, here ya go:

EXTRA PROJECTS:

Ground Breaking Crypt: The Count came up with this one.  He wants it to go in our ditch. 

New Stained Glass Windows: I'm ready for a new design. I think that I found one that will make rectangle windows look more like Gothic stained glass windows.  I know this project is tedious, but it is a tremendous effect in the cemetery.

Lady Ghost: She was going to be our Pepper's ghost last year, but it was a very last minute project. There's not much to do to her, so I want to get her completed and out in the yard. 

Ok, that's it, I think... geez.  Did I mention that we're having our 5th Wedding Anniversary party in the middle of all of this??? Which also includes a formal photo shoot in our cemetery, in our "Newly Dead" attire?  HAHAHAHAHA (manic laugh).  Yes, I've lost it :)

Oh well, at least I won't be bored for the next 96 days :)

- The Insane, Over-Achieving Countess

The Black Hat Society

Here's another cool place to haunt: The Black Hat Society

Has a Pinterest type look to it, but it's all things odd and haunty.

I absolutly love it.

Go take a peek :)

Plush Pumpkins

I love, love, love, LOVE pumpkins.  Pumpkins are greatly responsible for my Halloween obsession.  There is just something about that big, fat, orange gourd, that makes me absolutely giddy.  Be it a plain pumpkin or a Jack O' Lantern, plastic, ceramic, in a pie, in a pop tart, orange, green, white... I just can't get enough.

So, when I saw these guys on Pinterest (yes, I've fallen under it's spell), I just knew I had to share them with you all...

Plush Pumpkins

Plush Pumpkins, are the brainchild of Monya Kampa.  Her creations are available in a beautiful array of colors and various sizes.  Each pumpkin is topped off with a real, hand selected pumpkin stem. There's a large listing of stores that carry her beautiful creations, but not to worry if there isn't one close to you, because they are also available for order online.

The only way that these could be better, is if there was one the size of a bean bag chair that I could just nuzzle down into :)  What a happy place that would be; in the folds of a massive, velvet pumpkin ;)

Happy Haunting!

Wings!

Wings, wings, wings have been my life lately.  I don't mind though, because I think they're coming out pretty good.  Here's the latest progress:

Everything finally cut out: 

Trial paint.  This is the hard part.  I want them to be black, like a raven's, but I also want them to be visiable in the dark... hmmmm.  So, I painted them as dark gray as I could and painted the recessed parts black.  Didn't really look all that different and I was afraid to go any lighter with the gray...

Then I tried some highlighting.  The top three came out a lot lighter than I liked, but the bottom three are just about right, so I think that's the method that I'm going to go with.

And here is something for you to laugh at. ;) I wanted to show the size of the wings, but I was making a really goofy face in this picture, so I edited it a little ;)  I'm 5'7.  

So there we have it so far.  I'm still working.  Lots to be done and only 99 days to do it.  I can't believe we're in the double digits already :)

Happy Haunting everyone!!!



Weekend Projects

Apologies for my lack of posting.  Life has just been busy.

Fortunately, this weekend I squeezed in quite a bit of Halloween project goodness!  I was a VERY happy Ghoul ;)


Got a bit of detailed wing carving done.

Painted the Raven Reaper skull...

And as a side project, just for my own pleasure, I sketched out the "fleshy" Master Gracey, from Disney's Haunted Mansion, on canvas.  I want to do one of the "skeletal" Master Gracey also and hang them in my room, but the Count hasn't warmed up to that idea yet.... Maybe once I've actually painted it, he'll change his mind :)

Hoping to get more done in the days to come. 

Happy Haunting!

-The Countess