Ghoulishly Good Bath Treats GIVEAWAY!!!

First off, I'd like to give a heart-felt thanks to my loyal followers. It wasn't long ago that I jumped blindly into blogging without a clue how to get started. I'm grateful to all of you who have not only joined, but tolerated us enough to stick around. As a token of appreciation, we're hosting a giveaway- finally!

We'll draw for the spoils on Saturday, August 6. Just leave a comment to enter!  And a hint to the men- folk, this prize will score big points with the ghoul in your life... or heck, just hog it all for yourself- we don't judge! ;)

If Morticia treated herself to some decadent tubby time, I'd imagine she'd use this Pampering Pumpkin Pack... from some of the very best artisan bath and body etailers, this hand picked collection includes;

~Purple Pumpkin Shea Soap from Magic Hands Workshop. Queen of cold process soapers, and sadly, recently out of business. When the news broke, I hauled her stuff like a squirrel with ADHD preparing for a never ending winter, and saved one precious for the prize pack.  This moisturizing lavender & pumpkin scented bar is simply exquisite.

~Pumpkin Cake Lip Lust lip balm from Haunt. Her stuff is cult popular, but scarce. Try to catch when her shop opens for a fleeting moment- it happens only a couple of times a year. http://www.haunt.bigcartel.com/
(hint: she's famous for Halloween goodies!)

~Imp Pumpkin Butter from Haus of Gloi. Cute little 2oz jar- ridiculously softening and loaded with pumpkin seed oil! Scent description from the Haus; This little fellow longs to be your bath time companion! Peculiar passion fruit mingling with sun cured apricots, perfectly pink grapefruit juice and innocent whispers of wet mimosa blooms. Great stuff! Available at; http://host.pappapak12.com/~hausofgl/

~Pumpkin Bread Bath Truffle from Skindecent. NOM! Amazing shop filled with tricks and treats... and Canadian to boot! http://skindecent.com/

Good luck to all!!!!

BTW, blogger isn't letting me post comments on my site- or anyone else's. Am I the only one?! It's become a frustrating loop of endlessly signing in and getting nowhere. Blargh. Just wanted to let everyone know how much I've been enjoying all your awesome blogs and thank you for the kind and encouraging words you're left for me here. Really, THANK YOU!

First look at Witch Gartilda

Just have to glue on her wig and attach her teeth, and this old bat is done! Not sure yet if she's destined for etsy, or if I'd rather build her into a character for the haunt. I've been trying to work on her sister, but my brian brain has melted from the heat, and it's all I can do to think straight, much less work on props. On the upside, we're walking around like zombies, so it all works out.

Her core is the ever versitile wig/ hat foam form sculpted over with paperclay, and skinned with cloth mache. Brows, wart (and teeth) are polymer clay.

bare cloth mache

56 kinds of creepy :)

Hauntingly beautiful

is how I would describe this gravesite we stumbled upon in Bond Head, Ontario. The fence of harps is incerdibly ornate, and one of the most unique memorial features I've seen. Wish the epitaph was still legible though; we couldn't even make out a date due to the extreme weathering of the limestone.

Thrift store SCORE!!

There's a thrift store near us that holds monthly silent auctions, and once in a while they have some real primo stuff. Usually it's the vintage kitchenware or a dazzling piece of costume jewlery I'm after, but the most exciting thing ever was finding this lot o' Ghostbusters toys in the glass case.

The bidding started at $15, and everytime I had a chance to stop by and check my book-bid, the same guy had bid me up by a lousy dollar. This carried on all month. Determined to win, I hightailed it to the store on the last day to put a final bid in minutes before auction closing, and came away with the box for $52.00. WIN!!!

As if that wasn't a great enough haul, this treasure was on the open stock shelf for two bucks; a 1964 battery operated coin bank in decent working condition. To be honest, the box is way cooler than the bank, which is an undetailed black box with a teeny blue plastic arm that pops up to grab the coin.

                                   

So, who wants to come over to play?! :D

Vulture Culture

Hubby took these pics on his Saturday morning hike. Wish he'd bagged a birdie and brought it home for me to adopt, but no such luck. Guess I'll have to settle for rebuilding Vera this year- if time permits, knock on wood.

Vera was my first ever made prop (she just had her 10th birthday- carion cake for everyone!), but looking back it's shocking to see the rudimentary mache/sculpt skills I was limited to. Even the paste was wrong, and she's detiorated badly for it. However, she's definetly served her time and has been enjoying early retirement in her laundry room roost. The water meter reader guys think I'm nuts, no doubt. And so, I'm going to start laying plans for her successor and see how far we get. Stay tuned! 



 

WANT!!

 John D. Sewell
Toronto Star reporter.
May 21, 2011

(A reader asks)
Q: This unusual bat fixture hung in the front hall of my grandparent's home in Peterborough.
The house dates back to 1870, but I am not sure if the fixture was original to the house. The fixture is brass-plated and has no identifying marks. The bat measures 53cm (21inches) wing tip  to wing tip, and 56cm (22inches) from top to bottom. When the light is on, it casts a long winged shadow on the ceiling. No one in the family wants to sue the fixture in their homes nor does anyone want to part with it.
We would appreciate any information about it age, place of manufacture and current price.
Betty, Peterborough Ontario.

A: Because so many have a bat phobia, it is easy to understand why your relatives do not want this ceiling fixture. But any enthusiast of the rare and wondrous would be thrilled to have this piece.
Your fixture could have been made by German manufacturer Franz Stubgen, a specialist in metal items including lamps. His company logo is a Fledermaus (German for bat) and was registered in 1892. But I suspect it's more likely this piece was made in the U.S. in the early 1900's.
Your lamp would have a shade covering the light bulb and a suitable one from the period could be found easily . The fact your bat light is the original, functioning and a delightful conversation piece adds up to a sure value of $1,000 plus.  

Happy Mothra's Day!!

Give her a hug today, will ya? She just wants a little love! ;)