31 Days of Halloween 2012 ~ Day 9

This girl is BOSS at doing makeup! The plus side of this look is that it's completely done without the use of prosthetics making it totally do-able for those of us who aren't aspiring Hollywood makeup artists.



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31 Days of Halloween 2012 ~ Day 6

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I want to do this to every window in my house. No, not break them! It's contact paper!

Clean your windows before (and after) for a crystal clear shine. Then apply frosted contact paper in jagged shapes, overlapping, to create the appearance of glass thickness. Brilliant, right?!



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31 Days of Halloween 2012 ~ Day 3

It's great when things are crazy cute AND easy! This cupcake is just that. Use those adorable paper straws and add construction paper feet and you've got instantly adorable witch cupcakes! Click on the picture for more great ideas from Better Homes & Gardens.



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31 Days of Halloween 2012 ~ Day 2

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The next old door I find!! I LOVE this idea! We do not have a party without a photo booth ever since our first photo booth at my son's first birthday party. You can see more examples of my various party photo booths, here.

It always amazes me, given the number of people who claim to hate having their picture taken {me included!}, that everyone seems to really enjoy a fun photo booth. I just ordered a wood floor backdrop from Bubblegum Backdrops and I think it will make a great backdrop for this fortune teller door. Now to find that old door....



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31 Days of Halloween 2012 ~ Day 1

It's my very favorite time of year again and you know what that means - My 3rd annual 31 Days of Halloween!

I know I've been missing around Peach Street these days and I am very sorry about that. I've been anxious to get back over here and begin blogging again and this is the perfect excuse to do so. If you're curious what I've been up to, please see my other blog, Southern Revivals - my furniture refurbishing and home decor blog. Hopefully you'll see that I haven't totally abandoned the blogging world, after all!

Let's get the show on the road, shall we?

Photo by: Antonis Achilleos/Halloween Celebrations

I want to turn every mirror into a spook show after seeing this project on the Woman's Day website but the effect is permanent and I don't think I could afford the therapy my children might need after seeing a ghost in every mirror in the house for years on end. So, I'll be plundering the junk stores for cheap mirrors because this is an awesome must-do project. Click the picture for the tutorial.
Happy 31 Days of Halloween!

Modern Horror Movie Trivia ~ Day 28

1. In the beginning of Stephen Kings The Mist what is the painting a depiction of?

There are many paintings on the walls that are actually movie poster depictions, such the one to his far left for The Thing. It has been erroneously reported that this is the painting David is working on during opening credits, when in fact it is the image of the Gunslinger from Stephen King's Dark Tower series.

Stephen King draws inspiration from all avenues but he is well known for taking his own life events and incorporating them into a horrific story. The mist is based on an experience he had near his home when severe storm rolled through his home town, the next day while at the supermarket with his son he imagined a winged creature flying through the store.


2. In the 2001 horror movie Session 9 where does Simon say he lives?

Simon is the dark alter personality that patient Mary Hobbs other personalities are reticent to talk about. Mary has been undergoing therapy sessions at the asylum and most personalities share freely. By the end of the film, you hear Simon explain to the doctor that he resides in the weak and wounded.

The Danvers Insane Asylum, which is the setting for Session 9 is rumored to be the birthplace for the lobotomy and may have been the inspiration for Arkham Asylum from the Batman comic strips.


3. In the movie Hard Candy what is the drink that Hayley spikes for Jeff?

Central to her plan to make Jeff pay for his alleged pedophilia Hayley must drug him. She does so by explaining that she never drinks anything she did not pour herself and proceeds to make them both a screwdriver.

Unlike most movies today, Hard Candy only contains nine minutes of music in the entire film. The remainder of the background noise consists of heavy breathing and other ambient sounds.

4. In the first installation of the Saw movies what started the timer on the reverse bear trap that Amanda was wearing?

The jigsaw video left for Amanda left no doubt about the status of her head once the timer ran out. She is told where to find the key to stop the timer, what she is not told is that the timer is not activated until she stands from her chair to retrieve the key.

There is a video short referred to on the internet as Saw .5 that was used to pitch the idea to studios and actors. The original full-length film depicted David as the one in the reverse bear trap but in the end, it was this Saw movie short that became the official scene.



Source: http://www.squidoo.com/horrormovietrivia

Terror Behind the Walls ~ Day 27

***So sorry days 27, 28 & 29 did not post automatically. Darn Blogger!***

Eastern State Penitentiary is the America's most historic prison. It is also a massive haunted house.....in a REAL PRISON! Can you imagine!

Opened in 1829 as part of a controversial movement to change the behavior of inmates through "confinement in solitude with labor," Eastern State Penitentiary quickly became one of the most expensive and most copied buildings in the young United States. It is estimated that more than 300 prisons worldwide are based on the Penitentiary's wagon-wheel, or "radial" floor plan.

Some of America's most notorious criminals were held in the Penitentiary's vaulted, sky-lit cells, including bank robber Willie Sutton and Al Capone. After 142 years of consecutive use, Eastern State Penitentiary was completely abandoned in 1971, and now stands, a lost world of crumbling cell blocks and empty guard towers.

I was watching Making Monsters on the Travel Channel tonight when I learned about Terror Behind the Walls at Eastern State Pen. They were making a monster for one of their exhibits. Naturally it's a 13 room tour that takes about 45 minutes. 45 minutes of haunted house! All while walking past dark, empty cells not knowing who or what lurks in the dark. Can you handle it? Well, the good news is at the end of the tour you can much on some funnel cake, provided you still have an appetite. And if not you might as well join Monster Mash spun by Zombie DJ.

And, Hey! It's all for a good cause. It a non-profit org that uses the revenue to preserve history. Nothing scary about that.

So, would you go....to prison....on purpose at Eastern State Pen? I totally would if I lived closer. If you've been tell us all about it, would ya?

Classic Horror Movie Trivia ~ Day 26

1. Village of the Damned is an adaptation of what famous novel?

Filmed in the UK in 1960 and is a horror film about mutant children based on the novel, The Midwich Cuckoos.

This film was originally planned as an American release but MGM decided the virgin birth spin was too inflammatory for American production. Of course, the movie was an instant hit with creepy children possessing mental abilities and a cold nature. Once the movie was printed and released for American audiences there was one notable difference from the UK print, the children's glowing eyes.


2. Night of the Living Dead was originally a black and white horror film created in the late 60's, how many times has the movie been colorized?

At three different occasions labs have created a colorized version of this classic zombie flick, 1986, 1987 and 2004 were the respective dates with a fourth revision planned for 2009 which will take the 2D movie colorize it and present it in 3D.

Surprisingly there was little criticism about this grisly movie after its release. The main problem critic Robert Ebert had was the theater policies of the time that allowed children as young as five or six to purchase a ticket. In an age where graphic video games, cartoons and television did not exist this must have been quite a shock for young children.


3. Upon what real life serial killer was the movie Psycho based on?

Ed Gein was a serial killer and grave robber from Wisconsin in the 1950's. He admitted to killing two women, whose heads were later found in his home. The most significant correlation between him and Norman Bates is probably the similarities in their mothers. Both are portrayed as teaching their sons that all women were prostitutes and immoral.

In the now famous shower scene from Psycho in which Norman takes his first victim, Marion Crane, chocolate was used to simulate blood. This was a common enough occurrence during the era of black and white horror films.


4. Was the Texas Chainsaw Massacre a real event?

No, despite the opening credits that state what you are about to see is true, the movie was a fiction based loosely on true-life serial killers Ed Gein and Elmer Wayne Henley.

The idea to be intentionally misleading at the outset of this film was to highlight the many lies being told by the federal government at the time. Hooper, one of the writers on the film felt that Vietnam, Watergate and the oil crisis were gross intentional misinformation presented by the government and his characters highlighted the fact that he felt man was the real monster.

These classic horror films have indeed stood the test of time. To this day, you can still feel the horror even though they lack the detail of today's Technicolor movies. That in and of itself is a testament to the fact that these are indeed great films that changed the horror genre forever.



Source: http://www.squidoo.com/horrormovietrivia

Based on True Events Horror Movie Trivia ~ Day 24

1. What real life water related drama did the filmmakers of Open Water, Chris Kentis and Laura Lau survive just three days after the DVD release of the movie?

Chris and Laura were in Thailand with their 7-year-old daughter when the devastating tsunami hit the island. Over 200,000 people perished in the storm but Chris, Laura and their daughter survived.

Interestingly enough this is one horror/thriller based on a true story that is close to the actual tale. Tom and Aileen Lonergan disappeared during a scuba diving expedition off the Great Barrier Reef and it was two days before the couple was noticed missing. Another little tidbit is the fact that filmmakers used real sharks as opposed to mechanical variations normally used in these types of films.


2. In the Serpent and the Rainbow, what is the name of the zombie-making drug?

The drug named in the film is tetrodotoxin, a drug that can make a living person appear dead. The way the movie depicts the administration of the drug, by blowing it into the victims face is more consistent with a mind-altering drug known as scopolamine.

Interestingly enough the author of the non-fiction book on which the film is based hated the movie. He commented at one time that he went to Borneo to escape the hysteria.


3. The Exorcism of Emily rose declares what specific time to be the devils hour? And why?

Three am is called the devils hour in an evil attempt to mock the Holy Trinity and in direct opposition to the time it is thought Jesus died on the cross, many scholars put it at three pm.

You might be surprised to find out that many of the unholy body contortions of Emily Rose were achieved by actress Jennifer Carpenter were done without visual effects. Her performance won her a Best Frightened Performance from MTV.


4. In Wolf Creek the psycho killer uses a little torture technique called "head on a stick" what event does he credit with the invention of the tactic?

After cutting Liz's fingers off her explains that during the Vietnam War, they figured out a way to extract information from captives while leaving them unable to run away. Head on a stick is a torture tactic that involves severing the spinal column.

This film is shot on location in southern Australia, an area known as arid and sunny. On the first day of shooting, it commenced raining forcing the directors to incorporate it into the movie. The interesting fact is this particular area had not received rainfall in over six years.


5. What did John Bell claim he offer Kate Batts in exchange for use of her land?

The deal they spat and shook upon included the use of the Bell's slave Samuel and a $100 loan. However, he neglects to tell the council that he charged her 20% interest, which was against the church usury law. Though he clearly broke, their law they determined is punishment was the loss of his good name, of course, Kate Batts had other plans.

This movie is inspired at least in part by the same Tennessee witch legends as the Blair witch project. Though there are many claims about this legend, such as documentation proving this was the first incidence of a human death from a spiritual entity, none of the claims can be substantiated.



Source: http://www.squidoo.com/horrormovietrivia

A Little Pre-Halloween Saturday Night Makeup ~ Day 22

You're going out anyway, why not do this makeup look instead.? You'll probably have a lot of people asking what you are. Just stand there, mouth closed, eyes blank and see who "gets it" first!

Ghost Box ~ Day 19

This is Bunny. She has a ghost box. I think that's fun. Check it out. You might, too!

Bonaventure - Savannah, GA ~ Day 16

The Bonaventure Cemetery is considered the most haunted in Savannah, Georgia. Which, for a place like Savannah, is saying something.



See my post, The History of Bonaventure. It's a great story with more photos.

Madame Has Lost Her Head - Mini Tut ~ Day 11

Just a mini-tutorial on how I made Madame a few years back should you like one of your own...

First wrap entire base in batting making sure neck stays slim. Wrap two lengths of wire (making sure to measure first so they look proportionate) with foam or batting leaving enough wire on each end to wrap around lamp base where shown.

Wrap arms and "body" with desired dress material making sure to bunch it up in the front of the body so that it resembles a bodice. Attach arms by wrapping wire where shown and pull up arm material to cover and also to puff up the sleeves. You may also want to use pins to keep things in place.

Attach collar where shown and wrap with additional dress material to form high neck dress. Adorn with broach. Wrap a strip of material around base to form waist.

Stuff a pair of gloves and tuck the ends of the arms into the gloves.

Carve your pumpkin with a grusome face and adorn it with a hat. I glittered a simple straw hat from the craft store and added some dried flowers and aged crepe paper bow. Secure the hat with long pins into the pumpkin.

Hope you enjoyed!



P.S. Pumpkins rot quickly inside and attrack maggots. Please don't ask me how I know.....

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Happy World Zombie Day ~ Day 8

Did you know it is World Zombie Day? Did you know there was such a thing? Well. There is. And it's today. So I hope your zombie day was a happy one.

If you were unaware of World Zombie Day I consider it my duty, not only as a Halloween and zombie lover but also as a cheesy zombie movie lover, to inform you. You may find additional information on World Zombie Day here:

Find out how to zombify your photos here:
If you don't have photoshop, or don't want to go to the trouble, you can always zombify your photos with Picnik. Upload a pic, navigate to edit, choose zombify. Done!



Join the World Zombie Day Facebook page here:
World Zombie Day on Facebook

Zombie Movies You Could Watch:

Dawn of the Dead

Night of the Living Dead

28 Days Later

Day of the Dead

Braindead

Resident Evil

Return of the Living Dead

Land of the Dead


That's it you crazy Halloween lovers! More from your faithful 31 days of Halloween blogger tomorrow.....

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The Legends of Savannah's Tunnels ~ Day 6

Savannah is a city built on her dead. Well, what does that mean? Exactly??

Creepy.

I don't know about you but the thought of mysterious underground tunnels gives new meaning to walking down the street at night. A series of centuries-old tunnels exist beneath much of Savannah's historic district. And to know what might've gone on down there is enough to keep you up at night.

Not much is known for certain about these tunnels. They were most likely built at different times and for varying purposes. For example, some were likely built by the British as part of the city's early defense system. And not surprisingly some were most likely built as part of the underground railroad. But it's those other tunnels that make the little hairs stand up on my arms.

Adjacent to the old Candler Hospital is the entrance to one tunnel. It's actually where the old morgue used to be. But before it was Candler Hospital, legend has it, doctors used this secretive area to perform illegal autopsies and human experiments. (Can you say Frankenstein?!) It runs under the hospital parking lot to Drayton Street.

Savannah's first major yellow fever epidemic occurred in 1820 and 666 people died. The 1854 epidemic followed killing 1,040 and it culminated in a final yellow fever outbreak in 1876, killing 1,066. By September of that year 5,000 of Savannah's 28,000 residents had fled. During the yellow fever epidemic, it is believed that some of the underground tunnels were used to hide the bodies of the dead until nightfall when they would be buried in secret away from the prying eyes of Savannah's frightened citizens.

Yellow fever was a mysterious and frightening illness causing uncontrollable hemorrhaging and sudden death. Also according to legend, many were believed to have slipped into a coma and been buried alive.

VIA

About a block away from the Old Candler Hospital, on Calhoun Square - the only square with all it's original buildings still intact, sits a dilapidated Greek Revival structure known as 432 Abercorn. The house was built in 1868 and belonged to Civil War general Benjamin J. Wilson who's wife was one of Savannah's yellow fever victims.

She left behind a young daughter who is said to have died from heat stroke after being punished by her father and according to witnesses the little girl and her father never left. Years later 432 Abercorn is purported to have experienced a triple murder (of 3 little girls) and a missing person. You might also hear that the bodies of 10,000 slaves who died on their trip from Africa were deposited here. Most Savannians will tell you just walking by the place will give you goose bumps.


And, if it's pirates ye fancy, well mateys, they had a tunnel, too!

Dug directly beneath the Pirates' House Inn & Restaurant, built way back in 1753, is a tunnel known as the Pirate's Passage. It is said to have extended from the rum cellar to a dock on the Savannah River a block away. Druken patrons of the tavern sometimes awoken to find themselves aboard ship headed to China having been "shanghaied" by pirates through the passage.

And according the Pirates' House place mat, Robert Louis Stevenson was once a guest and it was here he is said to have met the real Captain Flint and inspiration for his classic novel, Treasure Island. Of course, Captain Flint is among the myriad of restless souls who are said to haunt the place but I'm guessing none of them look like Johnny Depp.



HOPE YOU'RE GIDDY WITH GOOSE BUMPS......

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Haunted Savannah Ghost Stories Series ~ Day 5

Depending on who you ask, America's Most Haunted City might be New Orleans. I've never been to Louisiana so I can't comment, but Savannah, Savannah I know. In my humble opinion, October is the best time to visit. The heat isn't so bad and the gnats are all but gone. In fact, it's quite cool here right about now, for the south anyway. But Savannah in October is spectacular regardless of the weather....or the gnats. There's October Fest, there's the film festival, the Greek festival and, oh yeah, there are ghosts, too. Lots of 'em.

There are always ghosts in Savannah but this time of year is perfect for a ghost tour. Pick your poison: go on a walking tour, a haunted trolley, in a hearse and if you're really brave, go on the All Hallows Eve Paranormal Hunt of the Dead tour.

If you're strapped for cash or it's too late to plan a trip, how about you join me for my Haunted Savannah Blog Tour. I'll tell you all the ghost stories I know....for FREE. How's that sound?

Starting tomorrow, and various days during October, I'll post a special Savannah ghost story. If you can't wait and you need one tonight, search my blog. You'll find some really great ones, my own ghost story's here somewhere, as a matter of fact. That should tide you over until tomorrow. Just try not to scare yourself too much. You'll need your rest for tomorrow night.

ARE YOU HAVING FUN YET?

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