Let the madness begin
Saturday, September 29, 2012
This is the reason
that I hate bananas.
Really, the frog queen has not eaten a banana since reading a Ripley's Believe or Not comic as a kid....had some terrifying story about spiders and bananas.....as if all spider stories were not terrifying.
Why did I belive the story? I took the book at its word....I was ten and raised by nuns....beliveing what you read was part of the brain washing.
Stay safe people....eat oranges.
Really, the frog queen has not eaten a banana since reading a Ripley's Believe or Not comic as a kid....had some terrifying story about spiders and bananas.....as if all spider stories were not terrifying.
Why did I belive the story? I took the book at its word....I was ten and raised by nuns....beliveing what you read was part of the brain washing.
Stay safe people....eat oranges.
Pumpkins: You could say it was a nostalgic thing
...but I do not think I have a single Halloween memory of carving pumpkins as a kid.
I did not start carving them until I was an adult.
I love them....I love the smell, the seeds, the texture.
We used to carve upward of 24 or them for the Graveyard, until my uber design laws kicked in and I said no more pumpkins: graveyards do not have pumpkins.....
Was that really a reason to stop? I miss them.
(And my scarecrow...but that is another story.)
My childhood Halloweens were not much to remember, so I am glad that the blanks were filled in later.
What I do have is fond memories of my family, including my Grandma, sitting on my patio of this home, with the fireplace blazing, carving pumpkins, at a competitive pace, to see who could make the best or fastest.
My sister and I were always in the forefront of the battle - trying to win in both arenas.
Wow, does that bring back memories.......and yes, I have missed them ever since.
With the loss of my grandma a few years ago. my family is no longer involved with our haunt....but they are there in spirit, every time I carve a tombstone.....or a pumpkin.
As far as fond memories go. I guess I am just late to the party.
Wait, miss frog queen, why are we here?
Today, I was carving a tombstone, on the patio, and for a moment I really missed my sister (who now lives in Florida) she used to sit by my side on that same patio carving with me many, many years ago. I felt a sad smile on my face, if you know the frog queen....sad is not something I tolerate well.
So I do something happy.
I sent her a text with a picture of me carving telling her I was thinking of her and missed her.
She emailed me back a sweet message that made me smile as only my sister can do.
Like looking back at the mausoleums I remember that we have been doing this for more than 18 years. Things change, the display has changed, people change, really, the holiday has even changed....in many regards.
But here I sit, block of foam and exacto knife in hand, just like I did all those years ago, not the the same person, not creating the same things.
I find myself looking back a lot....smiling.
This year, I will bring back a pumpkin or two.
Remembering the past....as a nod to my grandma and my sister, memories of dfferent shades, but very much the same....I miss them both :)
This means that the frog queen is going to give carving real pumpkins a try again...and with a big back yard garden and I have the perfect place for them!
On that note....found this really cool article from 2007 in support of real pumpkins over funkins. Yeah, five years later.....and I feel about the same way.
I love them....I love the smell, the seeds, the texture.
We used to carve upward of 24 or them for the Graveyard, until my uber design laws kicked in and I said no more pumpkins: graveyards do not have pumpkins.....
Was that really a reason to stop? I miss them.
(And my scarecrow...but that is another story.)
My childhood Halloweens were not much to remember, so I am glad that the blanks were filled in later.
What I do have is fond memories of my family, including my Grandma, sitting on my patio of this home, with the fireplace blazing, carving pumpkins, at a competitive pace, to see who could make the best or fastest.
My sister and I were always in the forefront of the battle - trying to win in both arenas.
 |
| My Grandma is the one standing in the red jacket. |
 |
| Left to right. Me, my bother, mom. sister in law, and friend with her kid, his first time with pumpkins. |
 |
| My sister, front and my sister in law. |
 |
| Horribly fuzzy pictures...this was from 2004. With photos that fuzzy...I can guarantee that the frog queen was manning the camera. |
 |
| Before there was a church facade or abbey(or a new driveway)....we used to line the driveway up to the shop with pumpkins. |
With the loss of my grandma a few years ago. my family is no longer involved with our haunt....but they are there in spirit, every time I carve a tombstone.....or a pumpkin.
As far as fond memories go. I guess I am just late to the party.
Wait, miss frog queen, why are we here?
Today, I was carving a tombstone, on the patio, and for a moment I really missed my sister (who now lives in Florida) she used to sit by my side on that same patio carving with me many, many years ago. I felt a sad smile on my face, if you know the frog queen....sad is not something I tolerate well.
So I do something happy.
I sent her a text with a picture of me carving telling her I was thinking of her and missed her.
She emailed me back a sweet message that made me smile as only my sister can do.
Like looking back at the mausoleums I remember that we have been doing this for more than 18 years. Things change, the display has changed, people change, really, the holiday has even changed....in many regards.
But here I sit, block of foam and exacto knife in hand, just like I did all those years ago, not the the same person, not creating the same things.
I find myself looking back a lot....smiling.
This year, I will bring back a pumpkin or two.
Remembering the past....as a nod to my grandma and my sister, memories of dfferent shades, but very much the same....I miss them both :)
This means that the frog queen is going to give carving real pumpkins a try again...and with a big back yard garden and I have the perfect place for them!
On that note....found this really cool article from 2007 in support of real pumpkins over funkins. Yeah, five years later.....and I feel about the same way.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Tomrrow is the big day
Starting at 9am tomorrow, the display is going up.
Wish us luck!
Pictures to follow!
Cheers!
Wish us luck!
Pictures to follow!
Cheers!
 |
| New mausoleum in process..... |
It is sad when your kids leave home
Here is a picture of our old mausoleum in it's new home about 5 miles away from the graveyard. As you can see we made a plaque with a skull to go on the top where "DAVIS" was carved.
Hope G&T take good care of him, he is a great prop....a little tempermental, like most props. But he works hard and never complained....even when the demon angel prop attacked him a few years back.
As I was setting this up at their house (yes, we deliver) I realized that this is the third time we have done this, there are two other mausoleums, now three, haunting the Portland area. Damn, we have been doing this for longer than we thought.
Good bye old friend, we will miss you.
Hope G&T take good care of him, he is a great prop....a little tempermental, like most props. But he works hard and never complained....even when the demon angel prop attacked him a few years back.
As I was setting this up at their house (yes, we deliver) I realized that this is the third time we have done this, there are two other mausoleums, now three, haunting the Portland area. Damn, we have been doing this for longer than we thought.
Good bye old friend, we will miss you.
A trip down memory lane to 2006 when we were building him. Just because I am feeling nostalgic.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
I am a huge fan
of Penn & Teller....but not enough to book a ticket to California to see this.
Anyone in the area seen it? Let me know if it is better than this video....I am holding out hope.
Anyone in the area seen it? Let me know if it is better than this video....I am holding out hope.
Another reason to LOVE Nathan
Do you think we can convince him to join the Davis Graveyard crew...........I mean, I know the ladies are with me!
I know we have a few welders on the team......and you are cute, and sexy.....but you are not Nathan.
Sorry guys.........
You know what would be better....if Bruce Cambpell was a welder, cause he lives closer!!
When I am sad and feeling low
I head into the shop and pour more skulls for my Etsy shop.
They look great on tombstones, awards, church pews (we have them on our church pews, yes, my fabuous father-in-law made me church pews, I have an abbey you know - and yes, I do have the best father-in-law EVER!), they are also accents on the abbey, they are on the Davis Graveyard Crew top hats, and on the hearse....in fact, if you leave anything around long enough....
....like any reasonable person, I will likely glue a skull on it.
Some people call it a sickness......I unfriend those *&^% people on Facebook.
And I really, really want to mount them permanently to the all the eaves on the house....husband says "no".
"No?!!"
Like I was "asking a question?"
Silly man....does he not know who he is married to?
I really do not see his problem.......I am not unreasonable, I will paint them red to match the trim.
It is going to happen someday.....resistance is futile.....
He has to sleep sometime!!! So it is only a matter of time, and a ladder, a good flashlight and a bit of glue ........and I have the coolest house ever!!!!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
I saw this and said to myself
I gotta book a trip to Japan....then I remembered that I am vegetarian.
Oh well, pretty cool. Black Burger from Burger King in Japan.
Oh well, pretty cool. Black Burger from Burger King in Japan.
Burger King is marking the fifth anniversary of their return
to Japan by offering a Premium Kuro (Black) Burger on Sept 28. The burger
features buns made with bamboo charcoal and “black ketchup” made from squid ink
and garlic.
Happy Halloween to all my friends in Japan!!
Donuts!
I now have another reason to go to the Winchester Mystery house....they have donuts and not just any donuts.
Donuts with skulls!!
Donuts with skulls!!
Pretty Awesome....and I actually not a donut fan.....but for these I would make an exception.
So you want to be a ghost hunter?
And you cannot be bothered to traipse through haunted buildings? Problem solved, bring the ghosts to your house.....and shoot them with a laser gun.
Ghost Hunt - Billy Bones sees ghostly ghouls. Or more
accurately, he uses his phantasmagorical powers (or infrared lights) to randomly
project ghostly visions around the room. It’s sort of like the Sixth
Sense, except that there’s no Bruce Willis and the aim of Ghost Hunt is
to shoot those spooky suckers with a laser gun.
Kinda reminds me of the haunted ride Ghostwood Estates at Kennywood.
We worked late into the night
thanks for our outstanding crew and friends that worked well past 9pm (on a school night and they have kids) to get the abbey and the mausoleum up this weekend....and Bryan Dorr for being the resident photographer who took these great pictures!!
Final pictures to come.....after we all recover.....hopefully in time to set up the rest of the yard on Saturday......
This is all Hal's fault
We had to fill in the "Sleeping Beauty" body.
Because he kept sleeping on her wire frame and crushing her stomach.....sort of like a kitty hammock....cats are evil.
But, will this cocktail of foam and expanding foam beat the Halloween Cat.....time will tell......
Because he kept sleeping on her wire frame and crushing her stomach.....sort of like a kitty hammock....cats are evil.
But, will this cocktail of foam and expanding foam beat the Halloween Cat.....time will tell......
Friday, September 21, 2012
That smells positively
...like Halloween.
Black Phoenix Alchemy has listed their new 2012 scents.....
Check them out.....buy extras so you can have them all year long.
Black Phoenix Alchemy has listed their new 2012 scents.....
Check them out.....buy extras so you can have them all year long.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
It was really scary
While talking to my piano teacher one day saying that my grandmother used to play in church.....got out some organ music to show me.....what the hell is that??!??!?
There is something wrong with that sheet music.....I think it is meant for an octopus.
Do I really see three staves?!??!? You have got to be kidding......that is not funny~
No wonder it always sounds kinda creepy....
If we would have built it right
The first time. We would not building it closer to the original design this year.
We really should pay more attention to what we are doing. With the modified design of the abbey we created last year.....we find that you can barely see the amazing window at the back of the abbey.
The windows have been remodeled to be the more arched windows from the original design. So we better go get the hot knife and saw, and start cutting.....
If I had more time, I would put the gothic arch pieces in them......but that will be next year.
We are also redesigning the door way.....yeah, this should help explain where I have been lately.
Happy Halloween everyone!
Husband looks at me and says
..."there is monster mud in your hair."
"Yeah, I know."
He says, "I know that you have been working with mud, and I can see it getting on the sides of your head as you are pulling your hair out of the way....but how did it get on the top of your head?"
In my mind I am thinking......you really don't want to know.
"It is a long story and it involves a spider." I say. He leaves it at that, cause he is a very, very smart man. He has heard enough of my spider stories.......
......he knows that is what my blog is for. :)
....soooooo, I am working away remudding my two mud men that I totally *%$#ed up earlier. (This is the theme for the graveyard this year.....do it wrong the first time.)
I have to run into the shop to get a tool out of the back.
I hurry through and about half way through I feel something fall lightly on the top of my head.
And if you are me. Anything that falls lightly on your head = spider.
The panic button is pushed, flashing lights are going off in my brain and a clear message is ALL I can hear in my head is
"GET IT OFF!!!!"
So I do what I normally do when that message takes over and brush hand in the general direction of said spider in an attempt to get the monster back to a safe distance from the frog queen.
I take my hand, covered in monster mud and brush it across the top of my hair.
One of my MANY bad ideas.
My hand gets stuck in my hair and basically coats the top of my hair in monster mud. And a smart person, not suffering from "spidershock" would not have immediately taken the other hand and brushed it in roughly the same spot.
Great. I have monster mudded hair.
Which sends one thought through my "spidershock" brain.
I just monster mudded a spider to my head....didn't I?
This is baaaaaad.
In my mind I am envisioning a spider that desperately (now that he has seen this is a hostile place to be) is trying to leave my head but cannot because his legs are covered in mud and he can barely move.
I picture him desperately trying to run for his life....his huge legs to free his blind body (cause he is many, many eyes are covered in mud) from my hair.
And in my head I am rooting him on!
Go spider.....go!
I think I climbed the shop stairs (where there is a mirror) to the bathroom in two steps.
You will be free spider....hang on, trust me....I want this more than you do.
I get up there and examine my hair in the mirror.....sure to find a spider.
And I do.
Seeing how much mud is actually in my hair.....it is apparent, he is not trying to get out.
I have buried him alive in my hair.
....NFW! This is really not happening to me.
I have never wanted to not be in my body so much as that moment.
I am soooo not touching him....but if I grab a towel to remove him....what if he is not dead and starts moving again.....I am going to faint.
Cannot faint....spider will eat my brain.
So I turn the water, put my head under the facuet the best I can, on and gingerly try to remove the mud out of my hair hoping to take said spider with it.
After what seems like a million attempts....he is free and down the drain.
Then I have flash backs to that horrible Night Gallery episode where the spider gets washed down the drain and keeps coming back, larger each time.
What have I done!
If these spiders do not leave me alone soon....I am going to run out of wine!
"Yeah, I know."
He says, "I know that you have been working with mud, and I can see it getting on the sides of your head as you are pulling your hair out of the way....but how did it get on the top of your head?"
In my mind I am thinking......you really don't want to know.
"It is a long story and it involves a spider." I say. He leaves it at that, cause he is a very, very smart man. He has heard enough of my spider stories.......
......he knows that is what my blog is for. :)
....soooooo, I am working away remudding my two mud men that I totally *%$#ed up earlier. (This is the theme for the graveyard this year.....do it wrong the first time.)
I hurry through and about half way through I feel something fall lightly on the top of my head.
And if you are me. Anything that falls lightly on your head = spider.
The panic button is pushed, flashing lights are going off in my brain and a clear message is ALL I can hear in my head is
"GET IT OFF!!!!"
So I do what I normally do when that message takes over and brush hand in the general direction of said spider in an attempt to get the monster back to a safe distance from the frog queen.
I take my hand, covered in monster mud and brush it across the top of my hair.
One of my MANY bad ideas.
My hand gets stuck in my hair and basically coats the top of my hair in monster mud. And a smart person, not suffering from "spidershock" would not have immediately taken the other hand and brushed it in roughly the same spot.
Great. I have monster mudded hair.
Which sends one thought through my "spidershock" brain.
I just monster mudded a spider to my head....didn't I?
This is baaaaaad.
In my mind I am envisioning a spider that desperately (now that he has seen this is a hostile place to be) is trying to leave my head but cannot because his legs are covered in mud and he can barely move.
I picture him desperately trying to run for his life....his huge legs to free his blind body (cause he is many, many eyes are covered in mud) from my hair.
And in my head I am rooting him on!
Go spider.....go!
I think I climbed the shop stairs (where there is a mirror) to the bathroom in two steps.
You will be free spider....hang on, trust me....I want this more than you do.
I get up there and examine my hair in the mirror.....sure to find a spider.
And I do.
Seeing how much mud is actually in my hair.....it is apparent, he is not trying to get out.
I have buried him alive in my hair.
....NFW! This is really not happening to me.
I have never wanted to not be in my body so much as that moment.
I am soooo not touching him....but if I grab a towel to remove him....what if he is not dead and starts moving again.....I am going to faint.
Cannot faint....spider will eat my brain.
So I turn the water, put my head under the facuet the best I can, on and gingerly try to remove the mud out of my hair hoping to take said spider with it.
After what seems like a million attempts....he is free and down the drain.
Then I have flash backs to that horrible Night Gallery episode where the spider gets washed down the drain and keeps coming back, larger each time.
What have I done!
If these spiders do not leave me alone soon....I am going to run out of wine!
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Part of the abbey is up
We will be setting up up this Sunday....guess we better get working!!
New double sided interior panels.
We are changing the front of the abbey so that you will be able to see in better. That said, we need to create interior panels on the right hand wall....both upper and lower. You can see the lowers are installed...and the uppers are to the left, awaiting trim and paint.
Scissor lift arrives Sunday morning....we better be ready!!!
Sunday about 7:00 pm
The crew takes refuge in their natural environment......drinking on the patio.
Angry Orchard Cider and some metal on the stereo....life is good!!!
Monday, September 17, 2012
It keeps getting better
And we are not done yet. Wait until you see the wings. This has been a great group project. I believe that almost everyone in the crew has touched this prop in the creation process.
Proof that the sum is greater than the parts.
I just have to say for the record. Our crew ROCKS!!
Happy Halloween everyone....here we go!
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