The Spooky Vegan

Lollihop Snack Box Review

2012-01-21T17:43:00.000-08:00

Last month I signed up for the coolest thing I had ever heard of...Lollihop, which is a monthly subscription of SNACKS!! That's right, every month you are sent a new box of tasty snacks! And these aren't your everyday run-of-the-mill snacks, either. The snacks included in each box are handpicked, organic and healthy! Plus, they also have an option for a vegan snack box! Woo hoo!!

My Lollihop haul!

Of course I immediately signed up because that sounded like all kinds of heaven to me!

This past week, I received my very first Lollihop box! Unfortunately, I learned this will also be my last snack shipment for a while as the company is pausing memberships so they can make improvements to their service. Maybe it's just my snack exhilaration talking here, but I think these boxes are super-cool as-is!

The cute Lollihop box :D

Here is what was included in my vegan subscription snack box:

Two Degrees Bar - Cherry Almond flavor
Larabar - Cherry flavor
Pure Organic Bar - Wild Blueberry flavor
Flamous Falafel Chips - Original flavor
Beanfields Bean and Rice Chips - Sea Salt flavor
Late July Organic Chips - Sea Salt by the Seashore flavor
Go Raw Original Super Cookies
Gourmet Inka Corn - Original Flavor

The first thing I tried was the Go Raw Original Super Cookies. Made out of organic coconut, sprouted sesame seeds and organic dates (yup, that's it!) these were subtly sweet and had a slight crunch. I only needed a few and they satisfied my sweet tooth! And they were a whole lot healthier than the junk food I usually eat!

I also had the Two Degrees Bar in Cherry Almond, which intrigued me because it is made out of quinoa, chia and millet. It had huge chunks of dried cherries that gave it a tart flavor plus the crisp rice, quinoa, chia and millet gave it a nice crunch! I really liked this bar and I could totally see myself buying more in the future.

Beanfields Bean and Rice Chips in Sea Salt called to me next. These were surprisingly light and crispy, though I didn't get much sea salt flavor in these. However, they were quite tasty and I especially like that they boast that a one-ounce serving has 4 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber—twice as much as most other tortilla chips, corn chips, or potato chips. I can't wait to try these with some salsa or dip!

The Inka Corn tasted just like the Corn Nuts from my childhood, but the puffs of corn were much bigger and they definitely didn't feel as greasy! Win-win! These were a great treat!

I already know I love Larabars (in any flavor), but I can't wait to try the rest of my snacks! And I certainly hope Lollihop opens up membership again and that they keep their vegan snack box option intact. This snack box subscription is genius and I can't wait to try more exciting new vegan snacks!

To learn more about Lollihop, sign up for their mailing list for updates!

Still Sick and an Unhappy Birthday

2012-01-20T15:16:00.000-08:00

I've been battling a nasty flu bug since last Sunday and this whole week has been a wash. I usually never catch the flu, but with nearly everyone at my work coming down with this particularly virulent strain, I couldn't avoid catching it. So I've been pretty useless and miserable this whole week.

To top it all off, I had to cancel my birthday party plans (kind of an "official" celebration since most of my friends missed out on the Hicksville excursion) for this weekend since I am so deathly ill. I am super bummed since it was a milestone birthday and I'm going to miss out having a special day all about me (we didn't really have a birthday celebration for me while we were in Hicksville). Plus, this birthday meant a lot to me and I feel it didn't get the acknowledgement it deserved from my friends. I know this probably sounds like I'm just throwing a pity party for myself, but I'm still very hurt and disappointed with how everything turned out.

Oh well...Mister Spooky and I are throwing our own intimate birthday party this weekend (flu or not!). We plan to get take-out at Native Foods and spend the night watching horror movies and toasting my foray into my (eek) 30s!

Morrissey is here to wish me a very unhappy birthday

Happy birthday to me, dammit!

Happy Birthday, Mr. Poe

2012-01-19T12:26:00.000-08:00

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'

-taken from "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe from
Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales and Poems with Selected Essays

Make your own Poe toy courtesy of Toy-a-Day!

It is probably no surprise that I love Edgar Allan Poe, and today I feel I must pay tribute to his 203rd birthday. It seems especially appropriate that his birthday fall on today since I am already in a morose mood, having been stuck in bed this entire week with the flu. Currently I'm still recovering, but it looks like my own birthday plans for the weekend will have to be delayed until I can fully recover from this nasty flu bug. Boo hoo.

For now, I plan to enjoy some Poe literature and perhaps watch some classic horror adaptations of his work.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Poe and thanks for all you've bequeathed us!

My Top 10 Horror Picks Plus the Most Disappointing and the Worst of 2011

2012-01-16T12:42:00.000-08:00

Yes, yes, I know I am extremely late posting this list...I meant to post it way back in December, but with the holidays, traveling and my birthday all squeezed within the last couple of weeks I never got the chance. I'm finally getting the chance now, and even though you've probably read about a billion "best of 2011" or "top 10" lists (I know I have...just can't get enough of them!), I just couldn't resist posting my own. Especially since 2011 was the year that nearly killed my love of horror. Yep, with so much detrimental crap out there, I really stopped caring as much for horror and found myself watching it less and less. I mean, what was the point in watching another watered down, predictable movie? I became completed disillusioned with the genre.

In fact, this mediocre state of horror led to my horror site effectively coming to a standstill. I just didn't find myself getting as excited about the genre as I used to and writing reviews/posting news became more of a chore rather than a joy. The site is currently "on hiatus" but I'll be shutting it down pretty soon.

However, despite the crappy year, there were some awesome horror movies (and one TV show) that came out in 2011! And while the horror genre definitely challenged me this year, it still didn't completely kill my love of horror!

A disclaimer about my choices below: You might think I have some weird picks, but please keep in mind these are my opinions and my opinions alone. Keep any comments respectful, please!

My Favorite Horror of 2011:

[source]

1. Insidious – This was the scariest movie of 2011, hands down. I had such a blast watching this in the theater and pretty much loved everything about it, from the spooky score to the creepy cinematography to the chilling scares! And it definitely holds up to repeat viewings...it filled me with dread every single time I watched it.

[source]

2. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil – Pretty much the perfect horror-comedy! I was absolutely delighted with watching this one and it was literally a laugh-a-second!

[source]

3. American Horror Story – This got off to a rocky start, but after the 3rd episode I was hooked! I can’t remember the last time a TV show has been so addicting.

[source]

4. Attack the Block – A plain, ol’ fun sci-fi film with lots of street-wise edge. I found the black fuzzy aliens to be so cute and was kinda rooting for them instead of the hooligans.

5. Grave Encounters – Whoa, this was a big surprise! I wasn't expecting much from this, but it was one of the scariest films I've seen all year besides Insidious. I can't count the number of times it made me jump!

6. I Saw the Devil – I know this is popping up on everyone's list, but it's well-deserved. An unsettling but rewarding experience.

[source]

7. Drive Angry – I actually like a Nic Cage movie?! Why, yes, I did! Lots of people hated this movie, but I thought it was pure madcap fun! This is my list, so those that didn't like this can shove it!

[source]

8. Trollhunter – What a beautiful and original film from Norway. Not only were the trolls awesome, but I loved how troll myths were worked into the story and actually liked the characters, especially the grumpy old troll hunter himself!

9. The Last Exorcism – Released way back at the beginning of 2011, I nearly forgot about this film. However, once I was reminded I remembered it being quite the effective creepy possession movie (despite the lead looking like a female version of Michael Cera...am I the only one who saw that?). Chop off the last 10 minutes and you have a truly creepy film!

10. Chillerama – This is a tasteless, offensive and raunchy popcorn anthology perfect for watching with a big group of friends. Though not perfect (I didn't really connect with "I Was a Teenage Werebear"), it is so reminiscent of cheesy and just-plain-bad drive-in horror movies that it completely charmed/repulsed me!

Honorable mentions definitely worth checking out:

Kidnapped
A Horrible Way to Die
Sucker Punch
Dream Home
Stake Land
Black Death

With the best unfortunately comes the worst. 2011 had a ton of bad horror films, but I narrowed it down to a few picks that really stood out (in the worst way possible). Below you'll find my picks for the most disappointing and worst horror films of 2011.

Most Disappointing:
Hobo with a Shotgun - I do not understand all the praise this movie gets. It takes itself too seriously and ends up a boring, mean-spirited flick that totally misses the mark on paying homage to exploitation movies.

Paranormal Activity 3 - The first two films were okay (I liked the 2nd one best), but the third felt like it had all been done before and didn't offer any new solid scares. It wasn't all bad, but I just wish they had been more inventive with the scares.

The Worst:
Creature - Ugh I hate even remembering this movie. It was absolutely abysmal and a horrid rip-off of every stupid horror movie cliche. It's like it was made by someone who had absolutely no respect or love of the horror genre.

Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 - I actually enjoyed Laid to Rest, but this sequel was one boring mess that completely ruined what could have been a new icon in horror. Pity.

Deadtime Stories Vol. 1 - I don't know how or why George Romero agreed to put his name on this piece of crap, but I don't think I'll ever trust him again. This was just painful to watch and should be avoided at all costs unless you feel like wanting to claw your eyes out after viewing.

What were your favorites of 2011? What were your picks for the worst?

Trailer Park Goth at the Hicksville Trailer Palace

2012-01-15T11:03:00.000-08:00

Greetings lovelies! I apologize for being away for so long, but I have been enjoying the new year! So far, I've been relishing starting many of my new year's resolutions, participating in the Batfit fitness challenge (along with many of you, I'm sure!) and celebrating my birthday! Unfortunately I'm a little under the weather today, but at least this gives me a chance to share my latest adventure with you!

For my birthday this year, I did something extra special...I went trailer park goth and spent the weekend at Hicksville Trailer Palace near Joshua Tree, CA! I first heard about Hicksville on Zoetica Ebb's site, and since I love the desert and "glamping" (that's glamour camping to you), I couldn't wait to go!

Let me tell you, after last weekend it was everything I hoped for and more!! I got complete solitude, endless stars, the brightest moon I've ever seen, tons of yummy s'mores and lots of things to explore in the nearby towns (including the coolest biker bar ever!). Not to mention the actual trailers in Hicksville were adorable! Each had a different theme, and Mister Spooky and I stayed in "The Lux" a Cramps/horror/tiki-inspired vintage Airstream! We had an old black and white TV that played movies (we watched Night of the Living Dead and They Live) and even our own tiki totem, zombie and skeleton flamingos outside! We stayed by ourselves one night (and made some new friends!) and our friends met up with us the next day/night!

Check out photos of the getaway below:

Hicksville Trailer Palace

Sunset over Hicksville

The Lux

Inside and Outside The Lux

Our zombie :)

My first bullseye (on my first try!) at the archery range

Watching Night of the Living Dead on the old skool TV

in our trailer!

The Pioneer

The coolest biker bar ever!

Invaders beware!

Sigh...the desert is soooo beautiful

Fuzzy cactus

Random dinosaurs in Joshua Tree

We got to check out Joshua Tree National Park, a cool curio/comic book shop called Hoodoo, the local flea market, Pioneertown and a veg restaurant called The Natural Sisters Cafe that had the most divine eggless tofu sandwich! I've seriously debated driving the 2 hours out there JUST for that sandwich!

There was plenty to do at Hicksville too...chat up the other guests, play rad music on the free outdoor jukebox, peruse the library (there was even a Friday the 13th novelization in there!) shoot some bows and arrows, roast marshmallows for s'mores, take a dip in the rooftop hot tub, lounge around the pool, talk to the awesome owner, Morgan, hang out in the teepee, and just relax!!

I miss it so much there! It was such a special time and the perfect birthday getaway! I can't wait to go back!

Batfit 2012 Challenge #1: Journals

2012-01-03T20:08:00.000-08:00

I'll be participating in Batfit 2012 this year with a bunch of fellow spooky bloggers who want to get in shape, be it physically or mentally (or both!). You can read all about the challenge on Le Professeur Gothique's blog or on the Facebook page (and even join in if you are so inclined)!

Anywho, our first challenge was to pick out journals where we can record our goals, our progress and our pitfalls. I found the cutest journals at Whole Foods that are eco-friendly and printed on recycled paper. And I just love the key motive and the message of unlocking dreams on the cover. Here are a few pics:

I am a few days late in starting to write in my journal, but I hope to start tonight!! My first task is to write about my goals for 2012...easy peasy, I did that yesterday. Haha...perhaps I will "backdate" my journal!

The second task was to write about what I consider to be "healthy" or "good health". To me, to be healthy means being strong and resilient, both mentally and physically. This year I plan to work on being strong inside and out! This includes eating more whole foods and avoiding processed foods and vegan junk food, re-incorporating exercise into my daily routine (and hopefully making it fun!!) and working on my stress/anxiety issues and being a more positive, happy person overall! You can read more in-depth about these resolutions here!

Being vegan is also a big part of being healthy to me (as long as it is done right), and hopefully I can share some healthy and yummy recipes to inspire you to adopt a healthier (not to mention more compassionate), plant-based way of life!

I'm hopeful that the sense of community will keep us all accountable and help us achieve our goals. I'm thankful for all those participating...you all inspire me and I couldn't ask for better company!

Thank you for sharing my journey to health this year and I look forward to cheering you on if you participate as well!

Happy Birthday to Me and New Years Resolutions

2012-01-02T16:51:00.000-08:00

Today is my birthday (I am getting less and less excited about my birthday every year), and since I won't really be celebrating until next weekend when we go on a "glamping" (glamour camping) trip, I decided today would be the perfect day to share my 2012 resolutions with you. I usually don't do resolution lists, since I find them kind of passe and I'm more in the mindset of thinking that if you want change, you shouldn't wait until January 1st to implement it.

However, seeing as I want to make some major improvements in my life, I can't see a better time than my birthday to declare these intentions. And since my birthday falls on January 2nd, it pretty much perfectly aligns with the time for traditional "new years resolutions".

So, without further ado, in 2012 I resolve to:

[source]

1.) Relax - I am a fairly anxious person that gets stressed out very easily, so my #1 wish for 2012 is to relax, laugh and let it go. Stress and anxiety can be so unhealthy, especially if when experienced frequently. I immediately notice the physical aspects of stress and anxiety in my body - tight muscles, higher pulse, etc. To combat this, I will try some homeopathic remedies (I can't wait to try Bach Rescue Remedy Tincture), meditation and breathing exercises this year. If that doesn't work I may need to go to my doctor to discuss it. One way or another, though, I WILL get my anxiety under control!

Gothercise!

[source]

2.) Exercise - Of course I'm sure this is on many people's list, but it is sooooo important! In 2011 I became a total couch potato. After starting a new, intense job, all I wanted to do when I got home was lay on the couch...and that is pretty much how I spent my evenings (especially since now we have Netflix streaming, Hulu Plus, etc. that give us endless and instant entertainment options). I completely neglected exercise in 2011 (and put on quite a few pounds to prove it). So this year I want to get healthier by exercising more often and on a more regular basis.

[source]

3.) Explore More - Speaking of being a couch potato, this really limited me from going out and exploring. There are so many places just in the city I live in where I haven't gone yet. If I put myself out there more, not only will I discover cool new places and people, but I think this will also make my life more fulfilling and in a way, more meaningful. Again, all I want to do after a hard day of work is lay on the couch, so this will be a challenge...plus, I don't want to drop $$ on dinner/drinks every night (not to mention the additional cost of gas), so this will definitely need some careful planning.

[source]

4.) Eat Healthier - I admit it, I am a junk food vegan. As long as dinner takes less than 10 minutes to prepare (or pick up) I am a happy camper. In 2012 I want to change that...I will stop relying on convenience foods (oh Gardein, I will miss thee!) and actually start making healthy meals for myself and Mister Spooky.

[source]

5.) Think Healthier - Health isn't just about being fit and eating healthy, it is also about thinking healthy. This resolution somewhat goes along with #1, in that reducing anxiety will help to develop a calm and positive mental mindset. I would like to banish negative thoughts, learn to live in the now and appreciate life more.

[source]

6.) Buy Less, Live More - I would love to stop spending so much of my hard-earned dough on stuff I want but don't really need. I am a horrible impulse shopper and if I want it, I have to have it. Whenever I want to buy something, I will ask myself, "do I really need that?" and "will I be glad I bought that in a week's/month's/year's time?". I will also think about what other uses my cash could go towards - donating to an animal sanctuary (I love Farm Sanctuary!) or even saving up for a vacation. I also need to keep reminding myself that buying things don't make you happy, experiences or people do! I especially love this article about redefining "luxury" from the A Little Minimalist blog! Buy Less, Live More should definitely be my motto in 2012!

I'll be taking these resolutions day by day, and hopefully they will stick in 2012! I'll also be participating in Batfit, so I'm anticipating that will keep me accountable as well!

What are your resolutions for 2012?

Also, you can check out what I was doing last year during my birthday via this old post!

Happy New Year (and a belated Merry Christmas)!

2012-01-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

Happy 2012, fiends!

It has been a few weeks (eek!) since I've last written, and for that I apologize. I have lots of catching up to do, starting with how I spent my Christmas. For Christmas, I actually got to go home to my parent's house in the Napa Valley in Northern California. It has been three years since I was home for Christmas, so I was majorly excited to spend the holiday with my family! I got to hang out with my younger sister, my mom and dad, and even got to see my best friend from high school while I was up there! It was a great time of spending time with family (including many games of Bananagrams with my mom!), eating yummy homemade food, reminiscing about the past and just enjoying the beauty of the Napa Valley (I miss nature...the concrete jungle I live in is depressing in comparison!).

Christmas was awesome because my sister and I spoiled our parents with lots of gifts!! After they spoiled us so much growing up, we decided it was high time to return the favor. They were so surprised and it was so adorable to watch them open all their presents!

I also got some very nice gifts, including recipe book Vegan Pie in the Sky, lots of beauty goodies (including my favorite mascara, Ecco Bella Black Mascara and awesome Murad Oil-Control Mattifier), a cute iPhone Monsta Case and a super-cool Table Top Photo Studio Light Tent Kit!

Here are a few photos from my Christmas:

Buon Natale a tutti! (Merry Christmas to everyone in Italian)

Yummy (vegan) nog and homemade gingerbread cookies

The cutest wrapping paper ever!

Christmas dinner - vegan Hazelnut Cranberry Field Roast, mashed potatoes,

green beans in tomato sauce (much yummier than it sounds!), fruit salad

(we used vegan sour cream and vegan marshallows for this...yay!)

I returned home to Mister Spooky in time for New Year's Eve and my birthday (which is tomorrow). Last night we were just going to relax at home, but at the last minute decided to head over to a friends' house to ring in the new year. We introduced Mister Spooky to Star Wars (he had never seen any of the films) and around 11:30 watched the New Year's Eve celebrations on TV (eeesh...is that the kind of music people listen to nowadays??).

A very foggy New Year's Eve!

Today I'm catching up on posts (hopefully)...I know everyone is doing their "best of" 2011 lists, but I would like to share mine, too! Plus, I still need to complete my first Batfit challenge!

For now, I'd like to wish you all a very fulfilling and prosperous 2012! Or, as others have been calling it, Happy Mayan Death Year!

Sunday Funday: Favorite Photos of the Week - Christmas Edition

2011-12-18T17:51:00.000-08:00

Hello lovelies! I am a bit under the weather today (blegh!) but I still wanted to do a quick post and share my favorite photos of the week with you!

Since Christmas is only one week away (weeeeee!) and I likely won't be posting until after the 25th (I'll be traveling and spending the holiday with my family), I decided that today's edition should be Christmas-themed! Check out some festive photos below!

Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of any of the photos below unless otherwise noted.

I love the stark colors of this Christmas card plus

you can't go wrong with a skull topper!

Adorable lil' gothic doll!

Those kooky Adammses!

One of my favorite Christmas movies...Gremlins!

Gomez and Morticia trimming the tree

I can't help it...I enjoy the heck outta Elf!

Addams Family Santas!

So true!!

Make Jack's spider snowflakes! How-to HERE!

Another spooky Christmas tree!

I love the stark beauty of this print by Anne-Julie Aubry

The Cure Christmas! I love this photo, it is so cute!

What Brings Me Comfort and Joy

2011-12-14T14:38:00.000-08:00

The lovely Professeur Gothique has tasked her adoring readers with a homework assignment this month...but a very easy one for me to complete! The assignment this month is "Comfort and Joy" and sharing what makes us feel less frazzled during the stressful holiday season. I've been so focused on Creepmas and getting ready for the holidays that I didn't think I would have time to complete this homework assignment...lucky for me, Le Professeur accepts late homework!

When I need comfort, there are a few items I turn to for instant joy. Whether I've had a long day at work, stressed out over driving (always an adventure in SoCal) or having a humbug, grinchy kind of day, I can always turn to any of the items below for an instant pick-me-up!

Havoc

All I need is a good snuggle with my kitty-cat Havoc to know everything is right in the world!

Petting him is one of the first things I do when I get home from work and it immediately gives me a warm fuzzy feeling and makes all my troubles seemingly melt away!

A Good Book

I am an avid reader, as evidenced by this stack of books on my nightstand. If it is one thing that can make me forget my troubles, it is a good book! I grew up without watching much television, so my nose was always buried in a book. My second home was the library! I love a good horror novel (I started reading Stephen King and Anne Rice in elementary school/junior high) and even used to review books (among other horror-related media) for my old site (Fatally-Yours.com if you're interested). However, I DO read other books besides horror-fiction as long as they have a darker theme. Little known fact: I also count the Lord of the Rings novels among my favorites!

Cleaning

[source]

I don't know what it is, but cleaning totally zens me out. Whenever I am really upset, I start cleaning and the busy work takes my mind off of things, plus as I scrub away it works off any tension and aggression I'm feeling. Doing something productive like cleaning really helps pull me out of any funk!

[source]

Zoning Out with some Horror Movies or TV

There is nothing like crashing on the couch and zoning out to my favorite genre - horror! I have over 1,000 DVDs on my own, but now with Netflix streaming and tons of video-on-demand titles, I pretty much have access to whatever I want to watch whenever I want to watch it! I have also been digging the horror-themed TV shows on air - new favorites include American Horror Story, Grimm and even Once Upon a Time! Old standbys include Supernatural, Fringe and The Vampire Diaries.

My Sanctuary

I love cuddling up in bed with Mister Spooky and Havoc (and my bat pillows!) as Tim Burton's Vincent and Tobe Hooper's Leatherface gaze down at me. My bedroom is a place where I can unwind and be alone, if I choose. I love lighting some candles and just vegging out, either by watching movies, losing myself in a book,

drawing or spending countless hours online.

Tea or Hot Chocolate

Ahhhhh...I love a good cup of tea or mug of hot chocolate to really sink into pure relaxation! I found this yummy Starbucks Peppermint Hot Cocoa at the grocery store and thankfully it was vegan! Yay! It is usually hard for me to find cocoa mix that doesn't contain any milk products (ick!), so I'm glad I found this! Hot chocolate is usually a special occasion for me, so I drink tons of tea, especially in winter. I discovered this Trader Joe's brand Vanilla and Cinnamon Black Tea and OMG it is my new obsession! I love this tea and it really helps me chill out...and how can I resist that cute lil' lemur?!

Other things that bring me comfort and joy are lovely massages from Mister Spooky, my red flannel PJs, my heated blanket, talking to my family (or if I'm lucky, spending time with them when I get to see them) and taking naps!

13 Days of Creepmas: Merry Creepmas!

2011-12-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

It's the 13th (and last) day of Creepmas and I just wanted to thank everyone who has stopped by to read my Creepmas posts! I have had a ton of fun injecting holiday fear into this Christmas season and have doubly enjoyed reading all of your creepily creative posts!

The hallowdays have been keeping me plenty busy, so today my final post will be an easy one...some favorite festive photos I've found while putting together Creepmas posts! I probably won't be posting much until after the holidays, but I just want to wish you and yours a very merry holiday season!

Please note I do not claim ownership of any of the above images

13 Days of Creepmas: Make Jack Skellington's Spider Snowflake

2011-12-12T11:00:00.000-08:00

Remember Jack Skellington's spider snowflakes from Nightmare Before Christmas (seen above)? Well, now you can make your very own spider snowflakes courtesy of some simple instructions from Instructables.com! They even provide a template! All you need to make the spider snowflake is some paper and scissors (and a printer to print the template out).

You could even try using different colored paper if you are looking for something a bit more bold. If you make multiple ones, you can string them together and create a spooky spider snowflake garland!

For the template and instructions, visit the Instructables' article!

13 Days of Creepmas: Elvira's Scary Christmas

2011-12-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

Who better to celebrate Creepmas with than the Mistress of the Dark herself, Elvira?! Last year, the Queen of Scream did a holiday special where she presented Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (available on Amazon!). This is awesome in of itself, but what I really love about it is the claymation intro that precedes the special! The claymation intro was supposedly done by the Chiodo Brothers (creators of the cult film Killer Klowns from Outer Space, which I LOVE btw) and features Elvira picking out a Christmas tree and running into some old fiends, including Santa Claus.

I love the nod to traditional Christmas claymation specials with a macabre twist!

Check it out below:

13 Days of Creepmas: The Gothic Night Before Christmas

2011-12-10T11:00:00.000-08:00

I am sure you are familiar with Clement C. Moore's Christmas poem, 'Twas The Night Before Christmas, which most of us can recite at least part way through. The poem has been altered and parodied in hundreds of different ways, from books like Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas to pretty much any holiday movie. And now I've finally found a gothic parody of the poem!

I'm not sure who the author is, and the website hasn't been updated since 2006, but this is one of THE BEST gothic parodies of this poem I've ever read! I hope the author doesn't mind me reposting, because this poem really bears sharing!

Check it out below!

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through our house
was blasting the "St. Vitus Dance" by Bauhaus;
Torn fishnets were draped on my forearms with care,
And two cans of Aquanet applied to my hair;
My thoughts were of graveyards, and horror and dread,
Black visions of pain and despair in my head;
And Bianca, whose face was as pale as the moon,
Had thrown up her arm for this evening's swoon,
When out by the gravestones there came such a clatter,
I sprang from the coffin to find out the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a ghost,
Expecting to find a dark devilish host.
The moon on the breast of the uncaring snow
Threw ominous shadows on objects below,
When, before my tormented eyes did traverse,
But a gorgeous black Crane & Breed carved-panel hearse,
With a gaunt, shrouded driver, who filled me with fear,
And eight skeletal creatures that might have been deer.
More rapid than vultures his coursers they came,
And his deep Andrew Eldritch voice called them by name;

Now, Murphy! Now, Morgoth! Now, Torment and Woe!
On, Dreadful! On, Lovecraft! Mephisto and Poe!
To the top of the gravestones where fog wisps its breath!
With a weight on my soul I consign you to death!

As dead leaves that before hellish hurricanes fly,
When they flutter like giant bats' wings to the sky,
So up to the crypt-top the coursers they leapt,
While dearest Bianca, like death, still but slept.
And then, to my horror, I heard on the roof
The clicking and scratching of each bone-white hoof.
As I drew in my arm, and was whirling around,
Down the ebony chimney he came without sound.

He was clad all in black, and he looked oh-so-goth,
A billowy ensemble of crushed velvet cloth;
His boots were knee-high, quite buckled and zipped,
And the Spandex and fishnets 'round his legs were ripped.
His eyes glowed with bluish fire, deathly and cold,
A black eye-liner'd face neither youthful nor old.
A broad lipless mouth drawn with torment and hurt,
And his sorrowful face was as white as my shirt.

A smoldering cigarette tight in his grasp,
Its smoke curling eerily 'round his cloak clasp;
His gaunt frame was topped with long ebon hair,
And a sharp scent of brimstone and cloves choked the air.
His arms were outspread in the shape of a cross,
And I quailed when I saw him, feeling sorrow and loss;
He narrowed his eyes with a twist of his head,
And I felt the full weight of his angst and dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his task,
Left some Dead Can Dance CD's; before I could ask,
A single tear fell across his aquiline nose,
And then, like an angel, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his hearse, to his team he then hissed,
And away they all drifted like early dawn's mist.
But I heard him intone, ere he vanished from sight,
"Gothic Christmas to all, and to all a good fright!"

13 Days of Creepmas: Gothic Christmas Music

2011-12-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty sure 97% of the population loathes Christmas music by mid-December (if not earlier). Sure, it can be fun the first few weeks of holiday shopping (even I like Christmas music in small doses...very small doses), but it gets old quick...especially since it seems like the same five songs play over and over in a hellish rotation (Jingle Bells can go suck it!). And if you've ever worked retail during the holiday season and sat through endless hours of saccharine music, I commend you for your bravery and hope you retained your sanity. I did that once during high school and by the end of December I seriously wanted to rip every single speaker out of the store. Ugh...

So, I'll bet you'd be surprised if I told you that I've developed a taste for Christmas music during December...but not for just any holiday music and certainly not the kind they pipe through malls to torture already frazzled shoppers...No, my holiday musical choices are a bit darker and decidedly more gothic. If you are looking for a different kind of holiday music that is as haunting as it is beautiful, please check out the music below to get you in the Creepmas spirit!

Type O Negative - Red Water (Christmas Mourning) available on October Rust

Nox Arcana - God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemenavailable on Winter's Knight

Arcanta - Carol of the Bells available on Projekt's A Dark Noel

London After Midnight - The Christmas Song available on Oddities

Lycia - We Three Kings available on A Dark Noel - The Very Best of Excelsis

Unto Ashes - Krampusnacht available on Projekt's Excelsis Box Set

Love Spirals Downward - Welcome Christmas available on Projekt's A Dark Noel

And just for ghoulish giggles:
Tales from the Crypt - 12 Days of Cryptmas available on Have Yourself a Scary Little Christmas

13 Days of Creepmas: Spooky Christmas Cards from Etsy

2011-12-08T10:30:00.000-08:00

I love getting Christmas cards in the mail! While I am good at receiving them, I am the absolute WORST at sending them! Let me explain...it's not that I'm a Grinch (far from it, because I love Christmastime), but I can never seem to find a card design I like, let alone that I would want to bestow on my friends and family!

Well, this year I hope things are different because I found some beautifully gothic Christmas cards on Etsy that would make the perfect Creepmas correspondence. Check them out below and wish me luck on actually getting these ordered and sent out this year! Links lead to each card's Etsy page!

GingerDead's Assorted Christmas Cards

Black Raven Christmas Card by Rocknrobin

Black Widow and Skull Snowflake Card by Agorables

Gothic Christmas Tree with Skulls by Agorables

Antler Wreath by the1900letter

13 Days of Creepmas: My Favorite Christmas Horror Movies (#10-#1)

2011-12-07T09:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome back for the second part of my list of top 20 holiday-themed horror movies! Like I mentioned yesterday, these are films I try to watch every year around Christmas. You'll find that most of these are horror films, but there are a few that are more subtle in their horrors (and one that isn't really horror at all, but that horror fans appreciate). All of the movies listed are guaranteed to put me in the Creepmas spirit!

Since the list is a bit lengthy, I posted Part 1 yesterday and below you'll find my remaining top 10 list (#10-#1!)!

10.) A Christmas Tale – This little gem is part of the DVD set “6 Films to Keep You Awake” from Spain, and is about a group of childhood chums that stumble upon a thief dressed as Santa who has fallen into a hole in the forest. After learning she is a criminal who has recently stolen a bunch of money, the kids sadistically torture her with hopes they can get their money on the cash. Eventually, they think they’ve killed her, but the woman manages to escape and starts viciously hunting down the children to get her revenge. This is an extremely well-done and tense film, but also throws in some laughs with the Goonies-like group of kids and many ‘80s pop culture references.
Buy it on Amazon!

9.) Tales from the Crypt – "All Through the House" - This creepy story in the original Tales from the Crypt anthology (based on the EC comics of the same name) stars Joan Collins as beautiful-but-deadly wife who murders her husband on Christmas Eve as their young daughter waits for Santa Claus upstairs. Soon, Santa does show up, but he’s no jolly gift-giver and proceeds to stalk them in their home.
Buy it on Amazon!

8.) P2 – A lot of people dismiss this movie, but I actually enjoyed it. A woman working late on Christmas Eve finds herself trapped on the P2 level of her office’s parking structure after everyone’s gone home…and it seems the weirdo security guard has made plans to spend Christmas with her, whether she likes it or not. While it’s not the best movie ever made, it has some great tension, wonderful holiday decorations and a yummy Wes Bentley as the psycho security guard.
Buy it on Amazon!

7.) Edward Scissorhands – This isn’t strictly Christmas-themed nor is it a true horror movie, but I love watching this classic Tim Burton movie (and one of my personal favorite movies of all time) around the holidays. There is just something about the last part of the movie, with all the snow, Christmas decorations and message of enduring love that resonates with me and makes this a wonderful Christmas flick. Plus, it’s gothic undertones and the last appearance of Vincent Price makes it an ideal choice for horror fans. This is the original Team Edward!!
Buy it on Amazon!

6.) Dead End – Ray Wise and Lin Shaye star in this little-known holiday film about a dysfunctional family taking a trip to visit their relatives on Christmas Eve. When the dad decides to take a shortcut on a dark country road, strange things start to happen. A big, black hearse is the only car on the road, they pick up a silent woman, they pass a creepy baby carriage on the road and they never seem to get any closer to their destination. This movie boasts hilarious dysfunctional family moments as well as hair-raising scenes and a great double-twist at the end.
Buy it on Amazon!

5.) Santa’s Slay – Okay, this movie doesn’t float everyone’s boat, but I just can’t get enough of this movie! It is in the same crass category as Jack Frost, and I just love it! The backstory on Santa as an evil demon is genius (and a great nod to Krampus), plus the opening scene where Santa massacres a group of characters played by some D-list celebrities is one of the best opening scenes ever!
Buy it on Amazon!

4.) Gremlins – How could I not include this on my list? This is a must-see for me every Christmas season! I know it’s not really a “horror” movie, but who can resist Gizmo and his evil spawn during the holiday season? This is a really funny and witty cult classic that still holds up today. And I can’t think of a better movie for the kiddies (and kids-at-heart) this Creepmas (well, besides Nightmare Before Christmas, see below).
Buy it on Amazon!

3.) The Nightmare Before Christmas – A classic that I watch both on Halloween AND Christmas and yet never get tired of. Who doesn’t love Jack Skellington’s plans for Christmas and his version of Sandy Claws? The coupling of Halloween and Christmas in the film is sheer perfection for those of us that like our Christmases with a touch of spookiness to them!
Buy it on Amazon!

2.) Inside – Looking for a dark, extremely gory tale this Christmas? Well, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without the ultra-violent and controversial Inside! In this French movie, a pregnant woman’s home is invaded on Christmas Eve (what is it and all these movies on Christmas Eve??) and she is forced to fight for her and her unborn baby’s life against a crazed mystery woman. Not for the squeamish.
Buy it on Amazon!

1.) Black Christmas – My #1 movie for the holiday season is still this 1974 classic from Bob Clark (who gave us the other holiday classic A Christmas Story) about a group of sorority sisters (including Olivia Hussey and Margot Kidder) who receive sinister phone calls during Christmas. The calls start obscene but become more terrifying as the sisters begin disappearing one by one. To this day, the phone calls and killer creep me the f@%k out! This film also pre-dates both Halloween (the killer’s POV) and When a Stranger Calls (creepy calls) and has inspired many horror films. The film is nerve-wracking, has characters we actually care about and a solid storyline. I also like how it leaves many questions about the killer unanswered, making it all the more hair-raising. FYI – Watch the terrifying original instead of the tepid remake.
Buy it on Amazon!

Check out Part 1 (my picks for 11-20) HERE!

13 Days of Creepmas: My Favorite Christmas Horror Movies (#20-#11)

2011-12-06T15:30:00.000-08:00

Below is the first part of my list of top 20 holiday-themed horror movies I like to watch every year around Christmas. Most are straight-forward holiday horrors, but you’ll find a few in there that are a bit more subtle and only contain traces of horror. Some are terrifying, some are gory, some are disturbing, some are romantic and more than a few are a little goofy, but all of the movies below put me in the Creepmas spirit!

Since the list is a bit lengthy, I'll be posting Part 1 (a countdown from #20 to #11) today and posting my top 10 tomorrow.

20.) Child’s Play – The horror of this tale started when a kid just HAD to have the latest, greatest toy for Christmas! His mom dutifully procures one for the greedy kid (from a creepy homeless dude), but it turns out the much-coveted Good Guy doll “Chucky” is harboring the spirit of crazed serial killer Charles Lee Ray. Pretty soon, Chucky is murdering everyone in sight.
Order it on Amazon!

19.) Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale – While this Finnish film isn’t exactly horror, it still has some extremely creepy moments. In a remote area of Finland, a corporation seems to have uncovered the final resting place of Santa Claus and plan to excavate by Christmas. Meanwhile, young boy begins to notice strange occurrences and disappearances around his village, which is close to the excavation site. Could the evil Santa Claus have been released upon the world? I found the film just okay, but the images of all those old, wrinkly and naked elves still creeps me out!
Buy it on Amazon!

18.) Two Front Teeth – A lot of people are unfamiliar with this creative low-budget effort and that’s a shame! This is a campy and tongue-in-cheek indie flick celebrates the season with killer elves, a trio of nun assassins under an oath of silence called the “Silent Knights,” an evil tooth fairy posing as Santa Claus and “X-mas Files” journalist Gabe Snow trying to piece the mystery of the crash of flight 1225 together. Though this low-budget film has its flaws, its witty Christmas references make it memorable and will put you in a holly-jolly mood!
Buy it on Amazon!

17.) Wind Chill - It’s a snowy Christmas Eve and a college student who is trying to get home for Christmas is ride-sharing with a stranger. They are in an accident that leaves them stranded and then freaky stuff starts to occur. This is a more psychological horror film than anything else, though the strange stuff that happens to the stranded girl and guy is definitely eerie. Just don’t watch it before you have to travel for the holidays!
Buy it on Amazon!

16.) Calvaire – Set during Christmas, this movie is about a traveling entertainer that gets stranded in the wrong backwoods town on the way to his big Christmas gig. The locals (who are all men), seem kind enough at first, but pretty soon our protagonist realizes all is not as it appears and he is dealing with some very lonely mountain men. This is an extremely disturbing and unsettling Belgian film by Fabrice du Welz and perfect for those looking for a something little darker this holiday season.
Buy it on Amazon!

15.) Marcus - Complaining about having to spend time with your dysfunctional family this Christmas? After viewing the bleak and disturbing indie film Marcus, I’m sure you’ll stop your bitching and have a greater appreciation for your own family. The claustrophobic atmosphere of the film creates a tension that is only matched by the family members' distrust and deceit.
Buy it on Amazon!

14.) Silent Night, Deadly Night - This is probably the most notorious Christmas movie because of the controversy it generated when it was first released. Though the film Christmas Evil came years before and had a similar premise of a killer Santa, people still protested Silent Night, Deadly Night because of its portrayal of a killer dressed as Santa Claus. Watching it now you don’t really understand what all the fuss was about, but its still a pretty solid horror film and it even boasts a topless Linnea Quigley in an early role! A young boy who sees his parents get murdered by a maniac wearing a Santa suit grows up traumatized and after getting a job playing Santa Claus at a toy store he finally snaps and seeks revenge.
Buy it on Amazon!

13.) Sheitan - Beware the dangers of Christmas Eve! In this French film, a group of twentysomethings meet a seemingly sweet and innocent woman at a club on Christmas Eve, who invites them back to her family’s run-down farmhouse in the French countryside. Once they arrive, the kids realize that the “family” is slightly off. Sheitan is another uncomfortable film and is probably the must disturbing and strange movies of the bunch. Not only does the film make you feel uncomfortable, but there is plenty of nasty violence, incest, sex and devil worship to shock and satiate even the most jaded of viewers. Would make a seriously disturbing double feature with Calvaire.
Buy it on Amazon!

12.) Jack Frost – Make no mistake, this is an absolutely AWFUL movie, but I can’t help but love it!! Known best for a scene involving a snowman raping Shannon Elizabeth’s character to death with a carrot, this movie has a silly premise (serial killer turns into a killer snowman after being in a freak acid accident), cheesy one-liners, BUT some pretty inventive deaths.
Buy it on Amazon!

11.) Christmas Evil – A Christmas cult classic, this film came out before the notoriously boycotted Silent Night, Deadly Night (as mentioned above), even though it has the similar theme of a man snapping and doning a red Santa suit to instill Christmas fear in anyone who he deems as being “naughty.” Though the first half of the film is a little slow, the action picks up in the last half as the lead character, Harry, finally snaps and begins taking people out with killer toys that he’s hand-crafted. A stand-out performance from Brandon Maggert (Fiona Apple’s dad!) and the film’s dark tone make Christmas Evil a memorable holiday film.
Buy it on Amazon!

Check back tomorrow for Part 2, where I unveil my top 10 holiday horror movies!

13 Days of Creepmas: We're Gonna Have a Gothic Christmas

2011-12-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

[source]

A few years ago, symphonic metal/gothic rock band Within Temptation released a free song around the holidays called "Gothic Christmas". With lyrics like, "Santa's going to grunt in Latin; And slay a dragon or two." and "Rudolph, he will change his name, 'Cause "Rudolph" just sounds really lame— Now we'll call him Ragnagord, The evil reindeer overlord" this song is just plain fun!

To make it even better, a fan has cut scenes from The Nightmare Before Christmas and set them to Within Temptation's "Gothic Christmas" song!

Enjoy the video below:

Sunday Funday: Favorite Photos of the Week

2011-12-04T16:09:00.001-08:00

I've been busy writing Creepmas-themed posts, but couldn't miss posting another Sunday Funday post!

Check out my favorite photos I've gathered from the web throughout the week!

Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of any of the photos below unless otherwise noted.

I adore owls!

Funerary beauty

The Cure = love

I love sparkly Christmas lights!

Burn baby burn

Totally want this!

Yabba dabba zombie!

I am OBSESSED with American Horror Story!

One of my favorite Christmas movies!

Mmmmmm...candy canes!

Love this movie and this poster is amazing

Mwhahahaha!

13 Days of Creepmas: Trimming the Creepmas Tree

2011-12-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

Hello boils and ghouls! Last weekend I took the opportunity to put up my Christmas (or Creepmas) tree! Mister Spooky and I have a small two foot faux tree we use every year and for as long as we've had it we've decorated it with Halloween ornaments. We get our ornaments from Michael's every Halloween - I have a fun collection of pumpkin, tombstone, black cat, witch, skull, ghost and monster ornaments that makes our tree fit right into the other spooky decor in our apartment! Besides our main tree, I also have two small black Christmas trees I also decorate and use throughout our apartment.

You can check out a few photos of our trees below:

Need ideas for decorating your own Creepmas tree? Why not re-purpose items from Halloween - horror items, decorations, knick-knacks, skeletons, pumpkins etc. - and use them for decorating. You can also use a creepy color scheme to give your tree a sinister feel - try orange and black, black and white or even purple and green for a terrifying touch! Or you could pick a theme an decorate around that - Nightmare Before Christmas is a popular one you could use. I also recommend using ribbon (to match your color scheme or theme) to wrap around the tree or to tie bows onto its branches.

There are lots of other things you can do to creepify your Christmas tree! Just be creative and feel free to share your ideas with other below!

13 Days of Creepmas: Treevenge (2009) Short Film

2011-12-03T13:00:00.000-08:00

You'll never look at your Christmas tree the same again after watching this insane holiday short from filmmakers Jason Eisener and Rob Cotterill (Hobo With A Shotgun)!

Happy Horror-days!

"Ever thought about how bad it would suck to be a tree during the Christmas season? This wildly bloody and ingeniously insane short from HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN filmmakers Jason Eisener and Rob Cotterill shines light on the forgotten victims of the holidays. Prepare to have your Yuletides yacked!"

13 Days of Creepmas: Creepy Calendars for 2012

2011-12-02T10:00:00.000-08:00

Looking for an awesome calendar to make a great Christmas gift for your favorite goth, horror fan or someone who just plain appreciates all things dark and spooky?

Well, I've dug up all the best creepy calendars for the coming year! Take a gander below (links lead to each product's Amazon page, cuz I like to make it convenient for my dear readers!)!

Haunted Realm Calendar

This has been my go-to calendar for years!

This calendar always has gorgeous photos as well

as some scintillating history on the places it features

Guardian: Cemeteries and Their Sentinels Calendar

It looks like this year this will be my #1 calendar (sorry

Haunted Realms!). I love cemetery photography

and these compositions are absolutely striking!

Jasmine Becket-Griffith's Lady Masquerade Wall Calendar

I absolutely adore the artwork of Jasmine-Becket-Griffith,

so I was thrilled when I found this calendar featuring her

stunning artwork.

Black Cats Calendar

Who doesn't love beautiful black cats? I have

one of my own at home (and if I had it my way,

would have more), so I have a special place in

my heart for the mysterious black cat!

Hammer Glamour Calendar

The Hammer Glamour book is brilliantly sexy on its own,

so how about a companion calendar to go with it?

The ladies for horror's golden age await you!

The Walking Dead Calendar

You love the comics (and maybe the show), so why not

enjoy some of Robert Kirkman's most heart-stopping

images from the zombie comics year-round?!

13 Days of Creepmas: Welcome to Creepmas!

2011-12-01T10:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the 13 Days of Creepmas, which runs December 1st through the 13th! It is the first year ever for this event, which allows spooky kids like me to participate in a creeptastic Christmas celebration! According to the official blog, Creepmas is:

"A reaction to the continuing incursion of Christmas into Autumn and Halloween, CREEPMAS is a good-natured chance for Halloween lovers to exact revenge by bringing some spooky good cheer into the holidays or, more appropriately, the Hallowdays."

I'm so excited for this celebration and super-stoked to share my terrifying Yuletide traditions with you! During these 13 Days of Creepmas, I plan on sharing with you my favorite holiday horror movies to watch, recommending gothic gifts, covering the darker aspects of the holiday, showing you some spooky decor and posting other fun things so we can have a proper horror holiday!

Looking for a way to spookify the season? Why not have a horror marathon and watch scary movies set during the holidays? Or turn traditional gingerbread cookies into gingerdead cookies by severing some heads and/or appendages before popping them in the oven? Or use Halloween decorations to decorate your Christmas tree?

Whatever you do for the Hallowdays, I wish you a very creepy Christmas!

Tonight's Viewing: Chillerama (2011)

2011-11-30T18:56:00.001-08:00

I've been wanting to check out this anthology written and directed by Adam Rifkin (DETROIT ROCK CITY), Tim Sullivan (2001 MANIACS), Adam Green (FROZEN), and Joe Lynch (WRONG TURN 2) for a while now and tonight is the night! I'm curling up on the couch and planning on getting grossed out by this campy tongue-in-cheek horror collection!

Check out the synopsis:

It’s the closing night at the last drive-in theater in America and Cecil B. Kaufman (OFFICE SPACE’s Richard Riehle) has planned the ultimate marathon of lost film prints to unleash upon his faithful cinephile patrons. Four films so rare that they have never been exhibited publicly on American soil until this very night! What could possibly go wrong?

In the spirit of classic anthology films like CREEPSHOW and TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE and containing films that not only celebrate the golden age of drive-in B horror shlock but also span over five decades of cinema, CHILLERAMA offers something for every bad taste. With titles like WADZILLA, I WAS A TEENAGE WEREBEAR, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANKENSTEIN, and ZOM-B-MOVIE and featuring appearances by Joel David Moore (AVATAR), Lin Shaye (INSIDIOUS), Ray Wise (X-MEN: FIRST CLASS), Kane Hodder (HATCHET), and more cameos than you can count, CHILLERAMA is the ultimate midnight movie that critics call “a late night classic for the new millennium” (Killer Film), and “the most offensively nostalgic fun time I’ve experienced in theaters in I don’t know how long” (Dread Central).

Sunday Funday: Favorite Photos of the Week

2011-11-27T14:03:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone enjoyed themselves this Thanksgiving...I know I sure did! I've been enjoying the loooong weekend by watching marathons of holiday horror movies (a huuuge top 20 list will be revealed during Creepmas next week!), eating leftovers and just being lazy. It's also been quite warm these past few days here in SoCal, so that gives me even more reason to stay inside!

However, the holiday is coming to a close and tomorrow it's back to work. Boo. To put me (and hopefully you!) in better spirits for the coming week, I figured I would do another Sunday Funday photo post! Last week's was so well-received that this will more than likely turn into a regular post.

Without further ado, here are some photos from around the web (lots from Tumblr) that have caught my fancy this week. Disclaimer: Most photos did not have an original source listed. I do not claim ownership of any of these photos and they are merely reposted for your enjoyment.

Much love, Vampira

I pinch!

Big Bang Theory...one of my fave TV shows!

Jack and Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas re-imagined as

Mary Poppins' characters!

Haha! This is so true!

Beautiful Dita von Teese

Um, this is me, like everyday!

I do this ALL the time!

Loved this movie as a kid!! Such an amazing poster!

Tim Burton, I love you!

I dunno what this is from, but it sure is creepily beautiful!

Giving Thanks

2011-11-24T21:25:00.001-08:00

I've been busy cooking/stuffing my face/napping all day and haven't had a chance to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoyed the holiday with good food and spent it surrounded by the ones you love. I had a wonderful day that started with a massive cooking frenzy around 9 AM. I had baked two pumpkin pies on Wednesday night (for those interested, I used this recipe, which turned out AMAZING by the way!), but this morning I set out making two Tofurkys, oven-roasted potatoes, green bean casserole (check out the delicious recipe) and herb seasoned stuffing (all vegan, of course!). I hadn't planned on cooking so much, as Mister Spooky and I had been invited to my uncle and aunt's house for Thanksgiving, but I guess the cooking bug bit me hard this morning!

After cooking up a storm, we headed over to my aunt and uncle's house, where I had the opportunity to introduce them to Tofurky! My cousins even tried it and said it was tasty! Woo hoo! It was a fun afternoon and I got to see some relatives I haven't seen in far too long. Ah, and my once little cousins are growing up so fast!

After feasting with the fam, Mister Spooky and I headed home for some much needed "couch time"...we kinda just zonked out on the couch for a while as I caught up on American Horror Story (FYI...I've been meaning to do a post on this show but for now I'll just say: LOVE IT!). And then we pretty much spent the entire night on the couch...where I'm currently writing from haha!

Couldn't resist posting Eli Roth's faux Thanksgiving!

Anywho, Thanksgiving always gets me all introspective and inspires me to think about what I am thankful for, and I have many, many blessings to count! Among them is my fantastic boyfriend Mister Spooky, my loving family, my stellar friends, my black kitty-cat Havoc, the roof over my head, the food on my table, groundbreaking vegan/animal rights organizations that make a positive change in the world, the vibrant vegan world and the unique horror community! Sheesh, a hundred other things come to mind,, but I could spend days listing everything I'm thankful for!

What are YOU thankful for?

There's always Roth's faux Thanksgiving trailer to be thankful for!

Vintage Thanksgiving Postcards

2011-11-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

I hope you are enjoying this Thanksgiving week, spooks! I am thankful it is a short work week and I only have to work through Wednesday. And I am definitely ready for a Tofurky feast this Thursday! The rest of the week I'll be hibernating and trying to recover from the inevitable food coma I'll slip into come Thursday night!

In the meantime, please enjoy the following vintage Thanksgiving postcards (I simply adore vintage postcards!) for a bit more holiday cheer!

Pretty turkey!

I love the melancholy feel of this one!

I love pumpkin-y postcards!

This one is my favorite!

If you want to spare a turkey's life this Thanksgiving, please consider "adopting" one through Farm Sanctuary's Adopt-a-Turkey project!

Thankskilling (2009)

2011-11-21T11:00:00.000-08:00

Horror fans don’t have many options when it comes to horror-themed Thanksgiving holiday movies. When Eli Roth’s faux Thanksgiving trailer was seen during the Grindhouse double-feature in 2007, interest in a feature-length Thanksgiving-themed movie only grew (hmmm...whatever happened to making a full-length feature out of the trailer, Roth?).

Well, now horror fans have another option with Thankskilling, and independent production from In Broad Daylight Pictures that was released in 2009. Thankskilling comes off as a wacky Troma film, filled with bad acting, ridiculous situations, silly one-liners and hell, a talking turkey! You definitely need a sense of humor to get through Thankskilling, just like you need one to get through seeing your relatives during the holidays.

Thankskilling is about a group of friends that drive home for Thanksgiving, but inadvertently find themselves and their community terrorized by a talking, killer turkey. The turkey was resurrected 510 years after a Native American placed a curse on the pilgrims after the very first Thanksgiving.

This is a campy, over-the-top film that is completely silly and isn’t to be taken seriously. The best parts are when the turkey is on screen…he is completely hilarious! There is even a part where he skins and wears someone’s face a la Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre that’s pretty awesome! And take a look at some of the gut-busting lines he utters: “I’m gonna drink your blood like cranberry sauce” after threatening one of the characters or “You just got stuffed!” after raping a character or the infamous “gobble, gobble motherf*cker!”

The rest of the characters are all basically brain dead and are intended to poke fun at all the stereotypical horror situations. There’s the slob of a redneck, the nerdy bookworm, the jock, the slutty airhead and the Final Girl. The characters’ parents all play minor parts in the film as well, and I really enjoyed the silly Sheriff’s character! Of course, some of the acting is pretty bad, but most of the actors are decent. I really enjoyed Chuck Lamb as Sheriff Roud and Aaron Ringhiser-Carlson as the redneck Billy. And whoever voiced the turkey was just brilliant!

Some situations are so unbearably stupid, though, that my disbelief was wayyy too suspended. For example, a dog peeing on the turkey’s grave resurrects him. Really? Writers Kevin Stewart and Jordan Downey couldn’t think of anything more creative than that to bring back the killer turkey? Or how unbelievably dumb the characters are in certain situations (hmmm if a turkey was wearing my dad’s face you’d think I’d notice!). I understand that this was the tone for the film and part of its appeal, but if you don’t enjoy horror-comedy hybrids that are this outrageous, you probably won’t enjoy Thankskilling.

For a low budget film, I really was impressed with the look of the killer turkey. Besides being hilarious, he also looked pretty awesome. I believe they used a puppet, and whenever he spoke it did indeed look realistic. The gory effects were pretty good too…I especially enjoyed when one of the characters ate the turkey and the turkey ate its way out through his stomach! The skinned face of one of the characters looked pretty realistic as well. And the turkey used an electric carver, a meat thermometer and other Thanksgiving utensils as killing tools! Unfortunately, there were some instances of CGI that were noticeable, but luckily these weren’t too numerous or distracting.

If you enjoy campy horror-comedies in the vein of over-the-top Troma releases, you just may count Thankskilling as one of your blessings this Thanksgiving. If those aren’t your thing, though, you way want to steer as clear of Thankskilling as you would dry turkey and nosy relatives!

Order it on Amazon!

Sunday Funday: Favorite Photos of the Week

2011-11-20T14:06:00.001-08:00

Happy Sunday, fiends! I am enjoying a rare rainy Sunday bundled up in blankets on the couch watching Fringe and drinking some espresso. Mmmmm it's heavenly!

However, since I always have to be doing at least two things at once (I'm a chronic multi-tasker), I am also browsing the web (especially Tumblr) and looking up pretty pictures while I lounge around on the couch (which I do on a daily basis). I figured, hey, why don't I share some of my favorite photos from the week on here? I adore photo posts, plus I thought sharing some of my faves would also give you a glimpse into what makes me ME!

Be forewarned, though, I don't have sources for a lot of these since I pulled them from various spots on the web, including Tumblr, which is notorious for not listing the original source. Grrrrr I hate not listing sources! Please note that I DO NOT claim ownership of any of the photos below, and they are posted merely for your enjoyment!

LOL...I swear this is me nearly every weekend

(and I wouldn't have it any other way)

Going batty!

Mmmmm...::sigh::

Tee hee!

Eye see you!

This is SOOOO Mister Spooky and me!

Maleficent by Arnaud de Vallois - source

Truth

Trouble Breathing lyrics - Alkaline Trio

::Just like me::

I <3 The Smiths

Damn straight!

Truth x2

Me on Sunday nights!!

This Sunday Funday photo post MAY turn into a weekly post...let me know if you enjoy these kind of posts!

I Adopted a Turkey for Thanksgiving!

2011-11-18T22:32:00.001-08:00

The adorable Payton

This year I solidified a new Thanksgiving tradition for myself...adopting a turkey for the season from Farm Sanctuary! I've been meaning to do this for YEARS now, but for one reason or another (finances, running out of time, etc.) I never got a chance to donate to this very worthy cause.

I'm not a big fan of Thanksgiving (or as I call it, Thankskilling, which is also the name a pretty hilarious horror movie where a badass turkey turns the tables and massacres humans!), which seems like a silly holiday since we Americans have lost sight of what it really represents, instead treating it like a free-for-all glutton fest. And of course, it puts me in a very fowl (mwahaha...couldn't resist a poultry joke) mood to see turkey carcasses littering grocery stores. You can learn more about Thanksgiving’s toll on turkeys here.

This year is different, though, since donating to Farm Sanctuary and adopting the cute Payton (seen above) has put me back in good holiday spirits! I saved a life this Thanksgiving and realized I can and do make a difference for turkeys. I plan on adopting a turkey every year from now on and joining many others in making the compassionate choice this holiday season.

Adopt your turkey this Thanksgiving instead of eating one! Save a life instead of senselessly ending one!

Learn more about the Adopt-a-Turkey project (the rad Ellen DeGeneres is the spokesperson for the cause!) by reading the official press release below:

Who can resist the adorable faces of turkeys gobbling for compassion at Thanksgiving? Not Ellen DeGeneres. That’s why she’s back for the second year in a row to serve as Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt-A-Turkey Project spokesperson, inviting everyone to save, not eat, a turkey this holiday season.

Says DeGeneres: "Did you know that every year between 250 and 300 million turkeys are bred for slaughter in the United States? More than 46 million for Thanksgiving alone. So, this Thanksgiving instead of eating a turkey, please join me in adopting one from Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt-A-Turkey Project and you can give a turkey something to be thankful for."

For 25 years, the Adopt-A-Turkey Project has put smiles on the faces of both carnivores and vegetarians alike, while providing support for the care of more than 1,000 rescued turkeys and inspiring people everywhere to make more compassionate choices. For a one-time donation of just $30, adopters or a recipient of their choice will receive a special Adopt-A-Turkey certificate complete with color photo of a rescued turkey who resides at one of Farm Sanctuary’s shelters and fun details about their adopted turkey.

This year’s irresistible flock of “adoptable” turkeys include Skip, who advises prospective adopters “When preparing Thanksgiving dinner, skip the turkey!;” Antoinette, who declares ”Let them eat squash!;” Elizabeth, who demurs “This Thanksgiving, give a turkey the royal treatment;” Victoria, who proclaims ”A holiday feast that’s cruelty-free is one fit for a queen;” Payton, who counsels “In a ton of ways, compassion pays;” Amelinda, who reveals “I’ll be having a happy Thanksgiving, thanks to kind people like you;” and Raphael, who pleads “Picture a more compassionate world. Start with Thanksgiving.”

“We’re thrilled to have Ellen’s support again this year,” says Farm Sanctuary President and Co-Founder Gene Baur. “Here at Farm Sanctuary, we live with turkeys, so we know they are interesting and intelligent and have complex emotional lives like dogs, cats and other animals. Sadly, the meat industry subjects turkeys to intolerable cruelty and treats them like inanimate objects with no feelings or personalities. Fortunately, each one of us can choose not to support this cruelty by adopting a turkey at Thanksgiving instead of eating one.”

You can learn more about Thanksgiving’s toll on turkeys here.

To join Ellen DeGeneres in starting a new tradition by adopting a turkey instead of eating one and to view this year’s “adoptable” turkeys, visit adoptaturkey.org or call the Turkey Adoption Hotline at 1-888-SPONSOR.

About Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary, the nation's leading farm animal protection organization, promotes legislative, policy, and individual lifestyle changes to help farm animals. Farm Sanctuary’s shelters in New York and California provide lifelong care for nearly 1,000 rescued farm animals. For more information, please visit farmsanctuary.org.

Restaurant Review: Freesoulcaffe in Tustin, CA

2011-11-12T19:38:00.001-08:00

Freesoulcaffe

I recently learned of Freesoulcaffe from the awesome Vegan Vagrant, a fellow OC vegan, and couldn't wait to try this all-vegan, organic Old Town Tustin eatery! This past rainy Saturday, Mister Spooky and I made the quick drive over to the quaint Old Town restaurant. The first thing I noticed was how beautiful the place was. There is a cute patio with a bubbling fountain outside and inside was very modern and chic-looking. It was also larger than I imagined with ample seating (though it filled up fast!).

My breakfast - strong coffee and sweet muffin

We arrived in time for breakfast, but were told lunch wouldn't be served until 11 AM. No worries, though, since we decided to try some light breakfast items then come back an hour later for lunch. I had originally intended to order the pumpkin waffles, but the friendly staff had to apologetically tell me those were temporarily discontinued. Oh well, perhaps next time!

Just look at all those berries ready to burst in my mouth!

Since I needed something light for breakfast anyway, I ordered a Sweet Berry Muffin and a Rude Awakening coffee (I needed something besides the brisk morning air to wake me up). Mister Spooky got a Caffé Mocha Granita. My muffin tasted really fresh and the luscious berries just popped in my mouth! And my coffee was robust and strong...just the way I like it! I tried the granita (when I finally wrangled it away from the boyfriend) and it was quite tasty as well! So far, so good!

Our big BLT and plentiful salad!

After killing time by walking around Old Town Tustin (cute, but not much to see besides antique stores), we returned to Freesoulcaffe just in time for lunch! I had heard good things about their BLT sandwich, so Mister Spooky and I ordered a "whole" size of it to share. The all-vegan BLT was served on yummy sourdough bread with organic greens and tomatoes. The sandwich came with a large salad on the side too, seasoned expertly with vinaigrette. Both sandwich and salad were satisfying and delicious. The sandwich could have used a bit more "wow" factor, but overall Mister Spooky and I were pleased with lunch.

I'm ready for my close-up!

Since they had a bakery case filled with all sorts of delicious-sounding vegan desserts, I couldn't resist ordering a Pumpkin Pecan Cake with Sour Cream Ganache for dessert. I could barely contain my drool! The cake was richly decadent. The chocolate ganache on the outside was divine and the pecans on top added a nice crunch. The pumpkin cake on the inside was soft, dense and "mmmmmmmm"-inducing upon the first bite!

OMG...look at all that vegan goodness!

I was sooooo tempted to order one of each...

Freesoulcaffe was a nice treat and I definitely want to go back to try more desserts (pumpkin cheesecake, you are so next on my list!) and to try their waffles! Their Atlantic sandwich (a vegan "tuna" sandwich) sounds intriguing as well.

NOM! Pumpkin Pecan Cake with Sour Cream Ganache

I commend the restaurant for using fresh, organic ingredients that make the dishes there all the more unique and delectable. I also applaud them for making everything plant-based and vegan, but also making it so everyone, not just veggies, can enjoy their food!

Whether you are looking for artisan tea or coffee, some sweet treats or a full-sit down breakfast or lunch, look no further than Freesoulcaffe for good-for-you and good-for-the-planet food!

What is Coming to Get Us

2011-11-11T12:39:00.001-08:00

[source]

The biggest danger in each state, according to horror and science fiction books and movies! Click image above for a larger view.

Vampires are coming to get me in California.

What's coming to get YOU?

Halloween Leftovers: A Photo Post

2011-11-07T13:00:00.000-08:00

Hello boils and ghouls!

I just wanted to share some leftover Halloween photos with you that I never got around to posting. The following were all taken on or in the days leading up to Halloween and include my photos of Disneyland, my costume and pumpkin carving on Halloween night! Please enjoy:

Me and my Halloween night pumpkin...I didn't blow the candle out 'til

Halloween was over!

Me as Wednesday Addams and Mister

Spooky as a backwoods killer at a

Halloween party

LOL...my Halloween night dinner...a Vampire Burger

from the always amazing Native Foods!

It even came with garlic fries!

One of my vintage-looking Halloween lamps.

It stays up year-round.

Our Spooky entryway!

This also stays the same year-round too!

Halloween specials (above and below) at

Mother's Market and Kitchen!

YUM!

A cute pumpkin I spotted at my favorite grocery store, Trader Joe's

Halloweentime at Disneyland!

My favorite time of year to go!

I loved all the pumpkins throughout the whole park

Dia de los Muertos at Disneyland!

Ghost Mickey Mouse containers at Disneyland

Too cute Vinylmation figure! I have far too many

toys already so I resisted buying it

Ghostly cupcakes

Grim grinning jack-o-lanterns at the Haunted Mansion

Jack Skellington taking over the Haunted Mansion

for the holidays

Wow! Disneyland actually had a pumpkin tree!!

It was hidden in Frontierland, but I found it

Haunted Mansion...my favorite :)

Luckily it was the first thing we rode when we arrived

cuz it kept breaking down the rest of the day!

Haunted Mansion entrance

In all its early morning gory, errr, I mean glory!

Inside the Mansion - Toys from Sandy Claws, Jack Skellington style!

One of my fave parts of the ride that has been "Nightmared"!

I love the snow and pumpkins!

Dearly departed

I won this cute lil' guy at a Halloween party!

Ok, actually Mister Spooky won him for me...

I'm ashamed to say he totally schooled me

in horror trivia!

Our friend's amazing digs all decorated for the

Halloween party!

My Wednesday Addams makeup

Liebster Blog Award Plus 5 Blogs You Should be Reading

2011-11-06T00:20:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Jen at Zombies are Magic for awarding me the coveted Liebster (which I am told means "Dearest" or "Favorite" in German) Blog Award! You should definitely be reading Jen's super-awesome blog on all things spooky!

I'm supposed to name 5 of my favorite blogs, but all the blogs I follow are awesome, so it's really hard to choose. However, here are some fantastic blogs I've recently discovered that I'll think you'll enjoy:

Horror Shock Lolipop - Lots of horror fun! And I just ADORE the name!

Little Gothic Horrors - Creative posts from a lover of all things dark! Check out her adorable zombie dolls too!

Miss Muffcake- I feel like this is my long-lost twin! Another vegan (who posts awesome recipes!) with a strong appreciation of spooky things!

Mockingbird Lane - A cute new blog with beautiful photos and fun personal posts.

Midnight Monster Spookshow - I am seriously addicted to this blog! Lots of Halloween and horror-related posts from an amazing artist.

Go check out these awesome blogs...they are 100% Spooky Approved!

And while you're at it, check out Zombies are Magic! And thanks again to the lovely Jen for the award!

Ack! Now I'm off to turn the clocks back an hour as Daylight Savings Time ends tonight in the U.S. At least I'll get an extra hour of sleep tomorrow!

Goodnight my dearies!

Food Review: New Moon Kitchen Cookies

2011-11-05T16:11:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of This is Vegan

Last month, I participated in an awesome giveaway put on by the lovely Mary of This is Vegan (go visit her rad site, like, now!), and I actually WON! The giveaway was for two boxes of New Moon Kitchen's cookies - one box of chocolate chip and one box of ginger snappers! Mmmmmmm...

This is the first time I've won anything through a blog giveaway, and boy, was I stoked! Also, apologies for not blogging about this sooner, but last month I was indisposed with Halloween celebrations (if you haven't already, check out my 31 Days of Halloween!).

I received the cookies one rainy afternoon in early October and promptly heated up some tea so I could dunk and eat! From the box, I learned that the New Moon Kitchen cookies were 100% vegan (that was a given), organic, peanut and nut free, contain no preservatives and no trans-fats, and are certified Kosher Pareve. They are also all-natural and are made using spelt flour!

As you probably already know, I am a sucker for vegan sweets and I love trying new vegan foods, so I was very excited to try these. I've also been meaning to try baking with spelt flour, so I was eager to see how these cookies would taste.

I first tried the Chocolate Chip cookies. One bite and I knew I was in heaven! Though they had been shipped from Canada, the cookies were still soft and tasted delicious. I loved the texture the spelt flour gave the cookies...nice and chewy! I had to pretty much stop myself from eating the whole box in one sitting!

Luckily, I left enough room to try the Ginger Snappers. These tasted the best dunked in my tea, and were just as yummy as the chocolate chips. These aren't your typically tame ginger snaps...these roar with a strong ginger taste that comes from real chunks of ginger and blackstrap molasses. These are simply perfect for a mid-afternoon tea break and seem especially appropriate for fall!

I absolutely adored New Moon Kitchen's cookies and they are some of the best vegan cookies I've ever tasted. Plus, you know they are the kind of cookies that were made with a lot of love and care! In fact, the story behind New Moon Kitchen's founder Eden Hertzog is quite extraordinary (read about it on their website) and it goes to show how much love Eden has for her cookies and her loyal (and ravenous) customers!

I must thank Mary of This is Vegan once more for choosing me as her contest winner and introducing me to these delicious cookies and wonderful company! Now if only I could find them in the States (New Moon Kitchen is based in Canada) so I can try all 8 of their amazing-sounding flavors! Well, I'm sure that with their indisputable success they will soon expand to the U.S. (and beyond)! Just you wait...these will be the next big thing in the vegan world! Heck, not just the vegan world, but THE world!

Until then, do any of my Canadian friends want to send me a few boxes of these?!

For more info, please visit New Moon Kitchen's website, Facebook and Twitter!

Join The 13 Days of Creepmas!

2011-11-04T16:53:00.000-07:00

Artist extraordinaire Chad Savage and awesome blog AEIOU...and Sometimes Why have come up with a holiday celebration for us spooky kids called CREEPMAS! On December 1st through the 13th a creepy coalition of bloggers will be making the holidays haunted again with CREEPMAS!

What exactly is CREEPMAS and what is the reason for it? Read on to find out:

CREEPMAS is for those Halloween lovers and Monster Kids who want to say "enough is enough" - if they're going to put their Christmas into our Halloween, then let's put our Halloween into their Christmas! Tim Burton showed us that it can be done with marvelous results, and we're definitely following his lead.

The 13 Days of Creepmas is an online Celebration of Spookiness from December 1 - 13. The idea is to bring a macabre twist to Christmas and the holidays. Get creative and post it on your blog - share your twisted yule visions with the world!

You can read more about CREEPMAS on the official site, but also check out AEIOU...and Sometimes Why's post on CREEPMAS!

I'll be joining in the fearful festivities, and you can too! Just visit the CREEPMAS blog and chime in that you'll be participating! In the meantime, start thinking of ways to scare up some fun this holiday season!

The Business of Halloween

2011-11-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

I received this infographic a few days prior to Halloween but haven't had a chance to post it before now! I love infographics and this one definitely has a lot of info related to 2011's Halloween!

Check it out and enjoy:

Via: Business Credit Cards Blog

Dia de Los Muertos Photography by John Rees

2011-11-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Dia de Los Muertos, dear readers! I want to take a moment to welcome to all my new followers...I hope you'll stick around and keep haunting the place for a spell.

Today is Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday that falls on November 1st-2nd. This holiday is celebrated throughout Mexico and other Central American countries as well as parts of North America. Traditional events include decorating deceased family members' graves and leaving them offerings of sugar skulls, marigolds and favorite foods and drinks. Elaborate and colorful altars are built for the deceased and skeletons and skulls dominate the decorations. You can learn more about this holiday in the awesome book Skulls to the Living, Bread to the Dead: The Day of the Dead in Mexico and Beyond by Stanley Brandes!

However, today I wanted to leave you with some gorgeous Dia de los Muertos-inspired photography by John Rees (please note I do not claim ownership of the photos below!). Enjoy and I hope you take a moment today to celebrate the Day of the Dead and pay your respects to the dearly departed.

For more John Rees photography, please visit his website!

31 Days of Halloween: Wishing You a Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T11:00:00.000-07:00

The time is nigh, ghouls and boils! It's finally Halloween!!

I've been waiting and preparing for this day all month long (thank you for celebrating with me during my 31 Days of Halloween!), but now that it is here it is definitely a bittersweet feeling. I'm overjoyed that today is my most favorite holiday, but at the same time I'm sad because I know that Halloween season is drawing to a close. Of course, I have next year to plan for, but over the next few weeks I'll be going through Halloween withdrawals, like many of you other Autumn people out there. Symptoms include hoarding of all candy corn and pumpkin-flavored edibles, repeated viewings of The Nightmare Before Christmas (hey, it helps to ring in the Christmas season!), slowly taking down decorations (while sobbing a little...in fact this usually makes me so sad that I purposely leave what some might consider "Halloween" decorations up year-round), trying to preserve jack-o-lanterns for as long as possible and a general malaise that lingers for the first few weeks of November.

I'm a sad pumpkin after October

But enough doom and gloom...it's Halloween and let's enjoy this most ghoulish holiday! Since Halloween falls on a Monday this year, it will be a low-key Halloween night with just me and Mister Spooky (we attended a friend's Halloween party over the weekend). We are planning on carving pumpkins and watching some classic horror movies. I'm thinking viewings of Dracula, The Wolf Man and Frankenstein are in order. We also might watch some Halloween horror movies, like Halloween and Trick 'r Treat. We never get any trick or treaters, but just in case we have a big bowl of Halloween candy (Sour Patch Kids, Nerds, Twizzlers, Swedish Fish...pst! They are all vegan!) for any stray spirits that show up on our doorstep.

How I fancy Mister Spooky and I are :)

What are you doing tonight? I'd love to hear what you have planned for this eerie evening in the comments below!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

31 Days of Halloween: Satan's Little Helper (2004)

2011-10-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

I love a good Halloween horror movie, and I’m not talking about your usual haunted house flick. No, I’m talking about movies that put you in the spirit to spook, movies that haunt your dreams with visions of Halloween and really inspire you to get in the season.

One such gem of a Halloween film is Satan’s Little Helper, part perverse satire, part vicious horror film and a whole lotta fun!

Young Dougie (Alexander Brickel) is obsessed with a video game called Satan’s Little Helper, in which a character helps Satan send people to Hell. It’s Halloween day, and Dougie and his kooky, spacey mom (Amanda Plummer) are picking up Dougie’s sister Jenna (Katheryn Winnick), who is back home from college just so she can take Dougie trick or treating. Problem is, Jenna’s brought her boyfriend Alex (Stephen Graham) home for the holiday and Dougie is pissed…so he storms off to wander the neighborhood alone, clothed in his own Satan costume.

Dougie comes upon a creepily masked serial killer who is going house-to-house, killing people and then re-arranging them on front lawns and porches as macabre Halloween decorations. Dougie thinks he’s finally found his Master and brings Satan home to meet mom and sis. They think the person under the mask is Alex, trying to please Dougie, so they think nothing of the weird behavior. Dougie goes on a crime and killing spree with “Satan,” thinking it is all just a game…until his “Master” attacks his family that is.

Satan’s Little Helper is a fun, darkly humorous flick that borders on satire. You’re never quite sure if director Jeff Lieberman (who has created other cult classics like Just Before Dawn, Squirm, Blue Sunshine) meant it as a social commentary on kids being desensitized to violence or if he just wanted to have a bloody good time, but whatever the case he succeeds in creating a cult classic!

Though the character of Dougie is unbelievably naïve at times (what kid, no matter how desensitized, would think that an old lady being hung out of a window is all part of a game and not real?), I couldn’t help but get sucked into the imaginative story. The whole Halloween setting really helps with the story, especially due to the fact that everyone is in costume and things are expected to be gruesome. The killer, whom we never learn much about, has it pretty easy since no one can see his face and no one really takes the dead bodies he leaves in his wake to be real. My favorite part is when “Satan” gruesomely kills a black cat (very cringe-worthy in of itself!!) and uses its blood to write “BOO” on the side of a house he’s already decorated with a very real body. A lady with her two trick or treating kids asks our killer to pose for a picture, which he obligingly does!

Now, this is by no means a perfect film. For one, the character of Dougie does grate the nerves with his stupidity. For another, the acting at times isn’t all that great. The film also has a low-budget look (it was shot on digital in 2004) that will turn some viewers away. The story is engaging, but towards the end it starts to drag a little bit. Still, despite these flaws Satan’s Little Helper is an extremely fun and clever horror movie.

Buy it on Amazon!

(Ed. note: My review was originally posted on Fatally-Yours.com October 20th, 2008.)

31 Days of Halloween: Vegan Halloween Recipes

2011-10-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

My vegan Halloween sugar cookies!

It's almost that time, lovelies! In just a few days it will be Halloween! Woot!

And in preparation for that grand holiday, I wanted to share a handy list of delicious vegan Halloween recipes for your enjoyment and use! Below you'll find links to autumn and Halloween-inspired vegan recipes that I've posted in past years as well as the ones I've posted this year.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Autumn Chili and Cornbread

Spicy Pumpkin and Black Bean Burgers

Jack-o-Lantern Sandwich Cookies

Halloween Sugar Cookies

Caramel Apples

Dia de los Muertos Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Pumpkin Brownies

Pumpkin Pie Hot Chocolate

Enjoy!

31 Days of Halloween: Hellbent (2005)

2011-10-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

Most well known for being the first gay slasher movie, HellBent is a by-the-numbers horror flick that nevertheless is a blast to watch! Unlike typical slashers, the characters are extremely likable and you care about what happens to them. The wild setting of the West Hollywood Halloween carnival adds to the thrilling atmosphere of the film and the spectacle of muscular men all done up for All Hallow’s Eve kept this girl spellbound! HellBent has to be the horror film with the hottest male cast ever!

The night before Halloween, a gay couple is brutally murdered by a man wearing a devil mask. Not letting the murders dampen their Halloween spirit, the next night four friends head off to celebrate at the annual Halloween Carnival. Responsible Eddie (Dylan Fergus), shy Joey (Hank Harris), outgoing Chaz (Andrew Levitas) and model Tobey (Matt Phillips) all dress to impress and join the flamboyant festivities despite there being a killer on the loose. After inadvertantly making themselves targets for the killer, the men are stalked and methodically killed by the devil-masked murderer.

Sure, the plot is a little thin, but aren’t all slashers? The difference with HellBent is that is actually makes the effort to develop its characters and make them likable. Writer/director Paul Etheredge-Ouzts definitely did an outstanding job with his characters. He makes them human, each with their faults and drama going on, but each very likable. The actors also did a wonderful job at portraying these characters. There were no stereotypical, over-the-top theatrics, just believable characters. I was especially impressed with Matt Phillips’ portrayal of Tobey. As the film progresses, his confidence slowly dwindles and leaves him very vulnerable. Each of the actors had a chance to delve a little deeper than most horror films would have let them and show a spark of humanity in their characters.

The film is low budget and it shows in some places. The picture is always a bit grainy and the lighting in some of the scenes is a little off. Still, despite the film’s budgetary constraints, for the most part it looks great! There are some stunning shots like the killer’s silhouette in the woods, a disorienting dance floor scene and the shots of the Halloween parade and carnival, among others. Despite the story being a little stale and familiar, the candy-colored visuals kept my interest the entire time (not to mention the amazing-looking actors!).

The violence and gore are pretty middle-of-the-road in HellBent. While there are some pretty impressive decapitations and stabbings with the killer’s weapon of choice, a hand scythe, they aren’t really anything that horror fans haven’t already seen before. Nevertheless, the fact that the audience actually cares about the characters makes the murders that much more effective. We are affected by them a bit more because we come to care about the guys. My favorite scene is the dance floor murder, where one of the characters gets murdered under the disorienting strobe light. We’ve all experienced the dizzying effects of strobe lights, and it’s not hard to imagine that a murder could be pulled off under our very disoriented eyes under one of these brightly pulsating lights.

For those fuddy-duddy’s that don’t think they can handle a “gay” horror movie – relax! There is no full-frontal nudity and just one hinted at sex scene towards the beginning of the film. The rest just shows kissing and not much else…so quit worrying your pretty little head and just enjoy the film! There is much fun to be had with HellBent!

If you are looking for a fun, Halloween-themed horror movie with a bunch of hot guys in it, HellBent is definitely hotter than Hell!

Buy it on Amazon!

(Ed. note: My review was originally published on Fatally-Yours.com September 2nd, 2008.)

31 Days of Halloween: A Disneyland Halloween

2011-10-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

My family is in town, so by the time this post goes live, I'll be at the Happiest Place on Earth, Disneyland! I try to make it to Disneyland during October because 1.) I love it there and 2.) they just have the cutest decorations this time of year and 3.) Haunted Mansion turns into a Nightmare Before Christmas spectacular!

Fun fact: Did you know that Disneyland only started its Halloween celebrations in the late '90s? Yup, they've only been decorating the park for Halloween and having corresponding activities for about 16 years (I found this out when I searched for vintage Disney Halloween photos and didn't find any)!

Nonetheless, I've gathered some photos (I do not claim ownership of any of these) for you to enjoy of the Happiest Place on Earth decked out for Halloween! So while I am at Disneyland today, perhaps I can share some of the fun ambiance with you!

Here's a fun Disneyland 2011 Halloween commercial featuring your favorite villains:

31 Days of Halloween: Best Halloween iPhone Apps

2011-10-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you LOVE spooky games year-round, but in particular for Halloween! So, below I've collected some of my favorite games for the iPhone to play this time of year.

In no particular order:

Plants vs. Zombies - I've been addicted to this game ever since it was first released on PC! I love the cute (but tough) plants and the colorful cast of zombies!

Scene It? Horror Movies and Scene It? Horror Movies 2 - The best horror trivia app I've played ... awesome design and a variety of games that contain horror trivia from the classics to new favorites that will keep any horror fan entertained for hours!

Candy Catch and Monster Munch - Two cute little games where you either catch and/or dodge Halloween items falling from the sky. A fun little time-waster for all ages!

Monsterpieces - Eric Pigors' create-your-own-monster app! I've previously blogged about Pigors' awesome artwork here, and this app features his artwork PLUS you get to build your own monster that you can save to your camera roll and share with friends!

Pumpkin Carnage - In this game you shoot a pumpkin out of a cannon and control its projectile, trying to hit as many items as possible, while avoiding those that will smash your pumpkin. I love this game - so simple, yet so fun!

Infect Them All! - Another zombie game, though in this one instead of killing zombies you ARE the zombie and are trying to infect as many others as possible!

So there you have it, a few of my favorites that should have you entertained for hours!

What are your favorite Halloween and horror-themed apps?

31 Days of Halloween: Pumpkin Carving Party with Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

2011-10-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

A few of the pumpkins we carved plus my Pumpkin

Cheesecake Brownies (left) and Pumpkin Chocolate

Chip Cookies (right)!

This past weekend Mister Spooky and I hosted a pumpkin carving party for our close friends. We are taking this year off from throwing a Halloween party, but we still wanted to do SOMETHING to get all of our friends together and celebrate the spooky season. And what better way to do so than pumpkin carving?!

Since it was a casual affair, I decided to go relatively easy on the treats. I made some vegan pumpkin cheesecake brownie bites (see recipe below) and vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Both were HUGE hits! I also served orange-colored chips to go with the pumpkin theme (Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos are vegan!), hard cider and regular spiced cider (Trader Joe's brand is yummy!).

My bat kitty and Skellington-esque pumpkins!

While carving our pumpkins we watched Halloween-themed movies like The Simpson's Treehouse of Horror, Night of the Demons and Trick 'r' Treat! It was a wonderful, relaxing and fun night with friends!

Check out the recipe below for the pumpkin cheesecake topping! The original recipe was a bit vague, so I've fleshed it out a bit more (after some trial and error) to make it easier for you, dear reader!

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies!

I served mine in individual small bowls to

make devouring them easy for our guests.

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Topping for Pumpkin Brownies

First, start with a basic vegan brownie recipe (I posted a TO DIE FOR recipe for pumpkin brownies HERE!). After you have that batter all ready to go you can start on the pumpkin "cheesecake" topping.

Ingredients:

1 container vegan cream cheese (I use Tofutti brand)
1/2 container firm silken tofu (use 3/4 of the container if you want your topping to be a little thicker)
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Use vegan shortening to grease a cupcake pan or use cupcake liners. Alternately, using a regular 8x8" brownie pan (or 9x13" if you are making a bigger batch) works as well.

Using a food processor, blend the vegan cream cheese, silken tofu and canned pumpkin until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients (sugar, spices and vanilla) and mix until well blended. If you want, you can even add a little orange food coloring (just make sure it's vegan) to give it a more intense orange color!

Pour your brownie batter into your cupcake/brownie pans, then pour the pumpkin cheesecake topping over it, creating a yummy layer! The batter is enough to cover 24 cupcakes or the brownie batter for one 9x13" pan. If you make less brownie batter (say, enough for just 12 cupcakes or an 8x8" pan), then you can make a REALLY deep pumpkin cheesecake layer...mmmmm, decadent!

Bake the brownies according to your brownie recipe (usually around 30 - 35 minutes) and take out when a toothpick stuck into the middle comes out clean.

Let cool and enjoy!

31 Days of Halloween: Video Tutorials for Creepy Halloween Makeup

2011-10-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

One of the (many) things I adore about Halloween is the makeup that goes along with the costumes! Makeup can make or break a costume, so it's important to get it right...luckily, there are many amazing makeup artists who upload Halloween makeup tutorials that show you step-by-step how to create creepy Halloween makeup looks. I posted vids last year HERE, go check those out as well!

Enjoy some of the my favorite tutorials that I've picked out this year (one of my fave artists is Angie aka goldiestarling, so you'll see many of her stunning looks below!):

Marie Antoinette's Ghost

Rotting Corpse (True Blood inspired...warning: Season 4 spoilers!!)

Spider Queen

Evil Doll Tutorial

Samara from The Ring

Skull Mask

Lily Munster

31 Days of Halloween: Mad Monster Party (1967)

2011-10-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

Looking for something ooky and spooky to watch this Halloween? Look no further than the kooky Mad Monster Party! Created by the same folks that brought you stop-motion animation Christmas specials like Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Mad Monster Party is a howling good time for the whole freaky family!

After finding the secret of life, Baron Von Frankenstein (voiced by Boris Karloff) has finally discovered the secret of destruction (“I, Baron von Frankenstein, master of the secret of creation, have now mastered the secret of destruction”)and is inviting all his favorite monsters to his castle for a celebration! He also plans to announce that he is retiring and bequeathing all his secrets to his (gasp!) human heir, the clueless Felix Flanken (voiced by Allen Swift, who also voiced most of the monsters). The Baron’s assistant, lovely redheaded Francesca (voiced by Gale Garnett), doesn’t take too kindly to the news. She and the other monsters, including Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster and his Mate (voiced by Phyllis Diller), The Wolf Man, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, The Hunchback, The Creature from the Black Lagoon and so on, plan on taking Felix out before he inherits the Baron’s secrets!

Mad Monster Party is a mad, mad, mad little movie that is a joy to watch around Halloween! With newly restored editions, I really think they should play this on television around Halloween just like they play all of the other stop-animation movies around Christmas! It’s got some spiffy musical numbers, lots of adult humor and overall just looks amazing!

The character design is amazing, especially considering how many monsters are running around. Besides those mentioned above, there is also the hilarious Chef Mafia Machiavelli (“Here we have the antipasto – black widows pickled in their own poison, smoked lizards and snakes, and marinated mice.”), Yetch, the creepy, Peter Lorre-inspired servant (Yetch: “It’s me, your Don Juan.” Francesca: “I Don Juan to look at you”.), a groovy skeleton band called Little Tibia and the Fibulas (“It’s the mummy!”) and, of course, the uninvited It that crashes the party later in the film!

The scope of the film is very ambitious, and seems much bigger than other Rankin/Bass productions like The Year Without Santa Claus or Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer. The setting of Baron Von Frankenstein’s towering castle, with its crocodile-filled lagoon and man-eating flora and fauna, is absolutely stunning and really invokes nostalgic feelings from childhood, especially when accompanied by the stop-motion animation! This is definitely one for the spooky kid in all of us!

If you are looking for some light-hearted fare this October, Mad Monster Party is one classic film to check out! Even though they slip some decidedly adult humor in there, it is still suitable for young tots, too! Anyone looking to regain some Halloween spirit should definitely watch Mad Monster Party – it never fails to put me in a kooky mood!

Buy it on Amazon!

(Ed. Note: This was originally posted on my horror site, Fatally-Yours.com, on October 13th, 2009.)

31 Days of Halloween: The Halloween Tree Animation and Poem

2011-10-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

The wonderful YouTube user Nocturnaloner (who created the gorgeous Halloween animation "Kingdom of Witches" that I posted about HERE during last year's countdown) has crafting another beautiful video for the Halloween season!

The animation uses words from Ray Bradbury's immortal book The Halloween Tree, is inspired by a painting of William Fahey of the same name and is accompanied by the score to the opening sequence of The Halloween Tree cartoon. ::Swoon:: What could be more Halloween-y?

Behold, I give you "The Halloween Tree"!

31 Days of Halloween: The Art of Pumpkin Carving with Ray Villafane

2011-10-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night I'm hosting a pumpkin-carving party, and I wanted some inspiration so I can make my pumpkin victim's proud! So of course I immediately thought of the legendary Ray Villafane, creator of some AMAZING pumpkin sculptures!

Dang...how can I top that?!

If you're into Halloween, you've no doubt already seen Ray Villafane's amazing pumpkin carving art. His stunning life-like creations have been featured in countless magazines, newspapers and TV shows, not to mention having graced places like the President’s Quarters in the White House and Bermuda’s Sousa’s Gardens. This year, Ray's Villafane Studios will even be carving pumpkins for Heidi Klum's annual Halloween bash in Vegas!

Medusa Pumpkin by Villafane Studios

Get me outta here!

Check out the video below from CBS News:

The intricacy and detail of Ray's work is simply jaw-dropping, and definitely puts my pumpkin carving skills to shame!

Skull Pumpkin

Probably the most well-known carving of Ray's,

the Predator pumpkin!

Oh, and to blow your mind even further, Ray doesn't *just* do crazy complicated pumpkin carvings...he also sculpts using sand and also makes action figures and toys for companies!

Ray Villafane and his Dante's Inferno-inspired sand sculpture

You can find out more (and check out more pumpkin art) at VillafaneStudios.com!

31 Days of Halloween: Adam Green's Halloween Shorts

2011-10-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

Adam Green and his company, Ariescope Pictures (responsible for flicks like Hatchet, Hatchet II, Spiral, Frozen and a segment in the new Chillerama anthology), have been releasing short Halloween films for years now so I thought that in the spirit of Halloween it was high time I share some with you, dear readers!

The shorts feature lots of familiar faces, including Green's friends Paul Solet (director - Grace) and Joe Lynch (director - Wrong Turn 2) and actors Joel David Moore (Spiral, Hatchet) and Clare Grant (The Graves), plus many more!

Check out some of the hilarious shorts below!

The newest, DOWNLOADING AND YOU 1950's PSA

SEXY NIGHTMARE SLAYERS

JUST TAKE ONE

THE TIFFANY PROBLEM

And my fahkin' favorite, JACK CHOP!

Check out more shorts on Ariescope's website!

Limited Edition Trick r Treat Posters on Sale 10/20

2011-10-19T20:10:00.000-07:00

Whoa...thanks to the awesome PumpkinRot's blog I discovered these AMAZING limited edition Trick 'r Treat posters that go on sale TOMORROW, October 20th (just in time for my little sister's birthday - Happy Birthday, Sea-Star!!)!

There are only 225 of the "orange" design and only 90 of the "black" design. They are going for $45 a pop, and won't last long. Designed by Phantom City Creative and offered by Mondo Newsletter, these are absolutely gorgeous and of course I WANT!!

They will go on sale tomorrow at an undisclosed time, so check out Mondo Newsletter's Twitter to learn when you can pick these babies up!

Also offered are posters for Sleepaway Camp and The Burning, which are pretty sweet as well!

Check out the Mondo Newsletter HERE!

31 Days of Halloween: Every Other Day is Halloween (2010) Documentary

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

In C.W. Prather’s documentary Every Other Day is Halloween, viewers are taken on a nostalgic and whimsical trip back in time to the golden age of television horror hosts, a time when local TV’s witching hour was ruled by ghouls and boils introducing old black and white movies for a generation of delighted fans. Prather focuses on one of the most well-known and longest running horror hosts, Count Gore De Vol, played by Dick Dyszel, as we are given a glimpse into his wacky world.

Though Count Gore De Vol is a very recognizable horror host and still makes regular appearances at conventions and hosts his own online horror show, I wasn’t that familiar with the character’s creator, Dick Dyszel. This documentary does a wonderful job at connecting the audience to the kind man behind the well-known cape! From his beginnings as playing Bozo the Clown and Captain 20 for local kid’s shows on Channel 20 in Washington D.C., we see Dyszel’s growth and desire to do something for the adults – hence Count Gore De Vol’s first show in 1973!

We are shown lots of vintage footage of Dyszel as his different characters, with the focus of course on the Count. We also see interviews with people Dyszel’s show, Creature Feature, influenced, including writers like Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), filmmakers such as Jeff Krulik (Heavy Metal Parking Lot), Scream Queens Leanna Chamish (Stakes) and Eleanor Herman (Night Beast) as well as a new generation of horror hosts including John Dimes (“Dr. Sarcofiguy”) and Jerry Moore II (“Karlos Borloff”). There are also lots of nostalgic recollections from regular old horror fans who watched his show when they were kids as well as from the man himself, Dick Dyszel. In one touching segment Dyszel recalls having Forrest J. Ackerman on the show and we are treated to rare footage of the interview.

Much of the footage shown in this documentary is rare or has never been seen before, adding to the deeply nostalgic feel of the documentary. Though I was too young to recall Count Gore De Vol’s long-running TV show Creature Feature, I still deeply appreciate the era of horror hosts and especially pioneers such as Dick Dyszel. When horror hosts seemed a thing of the past in the early ‘90s, Dyszel resurrected Count Gore De Vol and decided to host his show on the Internet (and this was back when people were still on dial-up). He is considered the first ever Internet horror host!

Nowadays, we are seeing a resurgence of horror hosts, many who claim Dyszel and his Count Gore De Vol character were huge influences on them. Many of these modern horror hosts are interviewed, including Penny Dreadful, The Bone Jangler, Karlos Borloff and more! It’s amazing to see what a gigantic impact horror hosts like Dyszel made on today’s performers and it’s pretty heartwarming to see such a great guy like Dyszel still getting adoration from fans!

Hard-working horror hosts like Dyszel basically reared a generation of horror fans and influenced a whole new breed of horror hosts to go on and inspire another generation of horror fans. Since many horror fans have horror hosts to thank for introducing them to the genre, it’s quite a treat to watch this documentary and get a behind-the-scenes peek at Dick Dyszel’s long (and still going strong) career as Count Gore De Vol!

If you are looking for a superb documentary that takes you down memory lane, check out Every Other Day is Halloween. It’s a fascinating and fun look at horror host Dick Dyszel’s life and will make you nostalgic for the golden years of horror hosts as well as make you excited for the horror hosts in years to come!

Buy it on Amazon!

(Ed. note: This was originally posted on Fatally-Yours.com May 19th, 2010.)

31 Days of Halloween: Vegan Pumpkin Brownies

2011-10-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

This time of year, I obsess over anything pumpkin-related (ok, I obsess over anything pumpkin-y year-round, but pumpkins are much easier to come by this time of year). And I'm a sucker for vegan treats any time of year, so when I saw Vegansaurus (OMG...frickin' amazing site, go there RIGHT NOW if you have not yet experienced their most excellent snarkiness) posted a vegan PUMPKIN BROWNIE recipe, I was over the (spooky) moon!

Please visit Vegansaurus' original post or check out their recipe below (which I've tweaked a little)!

Vegan Pumpkin Brownies

Ingredients
1/2 cup vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin (I use Farmer's Market Foods Organic Canned Pumpkin)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup (one 3.5 ounce bar) roughly chopped dark chocolate (vegan chocolate chips would also work!)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Melt your butter, and mix the ingredients in order, making sure each is well combined before moving on.

Grease and flour an 8x8” baking pan, pour the batter in, and bake for 26 minutes (I don't know if it was my oven or not, but I had to bake mine an additional 10 minutes).

If you’re hungry (or you have to share), double everything, pour into a 9x13” pan, and bake for 32 minutes.

YUM!! These came out ooey, gooey and absolutely decadent! They are extremely rich, moist and full of chocolatey and pumpkiny goodness and pair perfectly with a big mug of pumpkin tea or coffee!

31 Days of Halloween: The Art of Eric Pigors

2011-10-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

Eric Pigors is an amazing artist I’ve admired for many years who has a very dedicated fan base in the horror/gothic communities. He has had quite a career, spending 15 years at Walt Disney Feature Animation Studios doing art on such films as The Lion King, Treasure Planet, Aladdin, Hercules, Beauty and the Beast and most recently Princess and the Frog. Eric even sold an original feature idea to Disney called “Silly Hillbillies on Mars”.

After working at Disney, Pigors started his own company, called Toxictoons, where he has created his own monster-inspired art and animation. Pigors even made a seven minute animated film called, Let’s Chop Soo-E! that ran on MTV's Liquid Television. Pigors’ Toxictoons were released as stickers by Posterpop and by Mezco Toys under the line “Let’s Play in the Morgue”.

You’ve probably seen Pigors’ art on concert tour shirts he has done for Metallica, The Murderdolls, The Ghastly Ones, Genitorturers, Scum of the Earth, Psychocharger, 69 Eyes and many others.

Of course, with all his spooky artisticness, Pigors has created some truly memorable Halloween artwork, which you can enjoy below!

AND he has a fun app called MONSTERPIECES where you can design your own monsters!! Check it out on iTunes!

Don't forget to check out all the gruesome Halloween goodies on the Toxictoons' site!

31 Days of Halloween: Hallows' Eve and the Pumpkin Dream

2011-10-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

Check out this super adorable short film made by a father and daughter team of Adam and Natalie Sager! I love the vintage spooky look of the film and simply adore its whimsical feel.

Hallows' Eve and the Pumpkin Dream from Adam C Sager on Vimeo.

More info via the Vimeo site:

This is a timeless and eerie tale, created with the hope of awakening within its viewers the childlike fascination and terror surrounding the creepiest day of the year—Halloween.

My eldest daughter and I wanted to make a little Halloween film to share with friends and family. The entire thing was envisioned, recorded, cut, and composited in about two and half weeks, and shot entirely on our little Canon PowerShot SD970. (Read more)

31 Days of Halloween: Pumpkin Pie Hot Chocolate

2011-10-15T11:30:00.000-07:00

[source]

October's cooler days and nights call for some tasty warm drinks to keep the chill off, especially when I'm lounging on the couch, watching a marathon of horror movies. Luckily, I've found some yummy vegan recipes online for some deliciously comforting autumn beverages!

Pumpkin Pie Hot Chocolate (source)

•    1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
•    2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
•    1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice
•    1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
•    1/8 teaspoon almond extract
•    4 1/2 cups soy milk (or non-dairy milk of your choice)
•    2 teaspoons instant coffee powder

Heat up soy milk in 2 quart sauce pan on medium-low.

When milk is warm, add the vanilla and almond extracts. Stir.

Add all the dry ingredients, but start with the cocoa powder and WHISK constantly to get all the clumps out.

When desired temperature is reached, pour into mug and drink! Top with vegan whipped cream if you wish!

Pumpkin Spice Latte (source)

Makes 3 servings

•    2 Cups Almond Milk
•    2 Tbsp Canned Pumpkin or Pumpkin Puree
•    2 ½ Tbsp Agave Nectar
•    1 ½ Tbsp Vanilla Extract
•    ½ tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
•    3 Cups Fresh Coffee
•    Vegan Whip Cream, optional
•    Cinnamon Sprinkled on Top, optional

Brew 3 cups of coffee.

In a medium pot, whisk together almond milk, pumpkin puree and agave nectar on medium high heat until steaming. Remove from heat.

Stir in vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Using an immersion or regular blender, process for 15-20 seconds. If using a regular blender, hold a towel on top of the blender to prevent the steam from popping the lid off. Begin processing by pulsing first.

Divide pumpkin froth among 3 mugs, adding coffee on top. If you would like an extra pumpkin pie-like feel, add vegan whip cream with a dash of cinnamon on top!

Enjoy!

31 Days of Halloween: Night of the Demons (2010)

2011-10-14T11:00:00.000-07:00

Having experienced so many bad remakes, I was expecting the worst from Adam Gierasch’s Night of the Demons remake. I thought it would be a cheap rip-off, filled with pointless gore and tons of gratuitous T&A. I was expecting to be bored and possibly pissed while watching the film because although Kevin Tenney’s original isn’t the greatest horror movie ever made, it’s still a ton of fun and is a classic in its own right.

So color me surprised when I sat down to watch the flick and it was actually GOOD! I was first grabbed by the great holiday vibe of the film. It opens with a shot of the French Quarter in New Orleans on Halloween night and zooms through the costumed crowds before focusing on trick or treaters, pumpkins and the spooky mansion where all hell will soon break loose. And the decorations! Let’s just say the set design was impeccable in creating the perfect Halloween atmosphere!

Before I get ahead of myself, the plot is as follows:

On Halloween night, a group of twenty-somethings hoping to party the night away get trapped in an old, supposedly cursed mansion and unwittingly release demons who hope to possess and ultimately kill them.

Yup, it’s pretty close to the original story, but the remake actually takes the time to develop both the story and the characters more. It also explains the demons and how they came to be trapped in the house and what their intentions are in possessing the characters. I loved the backstory on the mansion and the setting of New Orleans. The story even manages to mix in some voodoo, hoodoo and black magic into its proceedings.

Not only was the story engaging, but the characters were also likable! I loved the party-girl twist they gave Angela (played by Shannon Elizabeth) and how each of the characters was more developed than in the original. They each had complicated relationships that added to the intensity of the film. Plus, the cast of mostly-recognizable faces (Edward Furlong, Monica Keena, Bobbi Sue Luther, etc.) did a fantastic job! There are even small cameos by genre-favorites Tiffany Shepis and Linnea Quigley (who starred in the original).

Once again, I absolutely adored the set design. The Halloween party at the abandoned mansion was amazing-looking, the costumes were great, and the killer soundtrack featuring Type O Negative, Zombie Girl, 45 Grave, Creature Feature, etc., added even more atmosphere. In fact, I realllllly wish they would release a Night of the Demons soundtrack because it would make a great backdrop to my own Halloween party!

The fun party atmosphere doesn’t last long, because the cops break up the party and only a small group remains…and it is they who inadvertently release the demons. And once that happens, all hell breaks loose! Speaking of the demons, their makeup was pretty impressive. I liked how each of the demons looked different as well. The only “look” I didn’t really dig was Angela’s – on her I actually prefer the original makeup. Besides the cool makeup FX, there are also plenty of creepy moments in the film, like when the demons crawl on the ceiling in a long, dark corridor and a demon reaches out of the darkness to snatch one of the characters. And, before you ask, yes, the infamous “lipstick scene” is alive and well in the remake, with its own new spin!

Going back to the story, writers Jace Anderson and Adam Gierasch did a fantastic job explaining the backstory of the mansion, its earlier inhabitants and the demons. I appreciated the mix of voodoo, hoodoo and black magic used in the story, but also appreciated how the survivors used tools around the house to fend off the demons. I thought this detail was very clever of the writers and in the story it works extremely well.

With all that said and done, I must say that Night of the Demons is one of the most fun fright flicks I’ve seen all year. It’s not your typical, dumbed-down horror flick remake, but rather a new take on an old favorite. It is so entertaining, clever and just plain fun that I dare say it even surpasses the original!

Last year horror fans found a new Halloween horror classic with the release of Trick ‘r Treat; this year Night of the Demons is the new Halloween classic!

Buy it on Amazon!

(Ed. note: This was originally posted on Fatally-Yours.com October 25th, 2010.)

31 Days of Halloween: Lush's Halloween Bath Products

2011-10-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

Lush's Halloween bath products are herrrrrre!! I have loved Lush's products for year's now, but their Halloween products always hold a special place in my heart! How can I resist natural, organic and vegan pumpkin soap, spiderweb bubble bath and ghostly shower gel?!

My annual favorites include their Pumpkin Soap (smells like clove, cardamom and fresh pumpkin), Cobweb Bath Bomb (smells like lavender, chamomile and a touch of blackcurrant) and Ghost Shower Gel (smells like rose and lilies)!

Get yours while supplies last at LUSH.com!

A New Trick r Treat Short: Making Friends

2011-10-12T17:34:00.000-07:00

Director Michael Dougherty has created another creepy cute Trick 'r Treat short film titled "Making Friends"! It was released by FEARnet today and features a cameo appearance by our favorite Halloween savior, Sam, as he assists a young boy with creating a frightening friend to take trick or treating.

Check it out below!

31 Days of Halloween: Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981)

2011-10-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

Dark Night of the Scarecrow, a 1981 made-for-TV movie, has finally been released on DVD! This film has been called one of the best made-for-TV movies, so I set out to see how it has held up over the years. I was also excited to check it out since it takes place around Halloween!

The film is about harmless simpleton Bubba (played by the recognizable Larry Drake), whose closest friend is a young girl named Marylee (Tonya Crowe). Though Bubba is in his 30′s, he still has the mind of a child. Though he is perfectly harmless, a few local yokels, including mailman Otis Hazelrigg (Charles Durning), perceive him as a threat. When Marylee is attacked by a dog, the men assume Bubba harmed her and form a lynch mob to hunt him down. Bubba hides in a field dressed and trussed up like a scarecrow. The ignorant men find him anyway and shoot him. Soon after, they find out Bubba didn’t hurt Marylee but actually saved her life from the dog. They go to trial, but are acquitted of all murder charges when they plead self-defense.

Soon after, all four of the men see a scarecrow that looks eerily similar to the one Bubba was dressed up as when they killed him. At first, they believe that Bubba’s mother or the District Attorney or even Marylee is out to avenge Bubba’s death. But as they each begin suffering unfortunate “accidents”, they start to believe Bubba is back from the grave.

Dark Night of the Scarecrow is a very well-done film, especially considering since it was made for television! This release has been cleaned up and looks stunning – thanks VCI Entertainment! I really wasn’t expecting much going into this film, but I was really pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed the “revenge” aspect of the film. No matter who was doing the avenging, whether it be the District Attorney, Bubba’s mama, Marylee or Bubba himself, it was just satisfying to see the four hateful men get what they deserved!

I suppose I was expecting a slasher-esque storyline with a killer scarecrow slicing its way through a small rural town, but thankfully Dark Night of the Scarecrow avoided this. Instead, it really focused on the unlikable, greedy and ignorant murderers. As mentioned above, it sure was nice to see them become paranoid, then scared, then eventually meet their end!

Since the film was made-for-TV (and aired on the CBS channel, no less!) there really isn’t any blood or gore to speak of. Those looking for a bloody slasher had better look elsewhere! However, it doesn’t need gore to be a good movie and therefore succeeds in other areas. For one, I loved the Southern Gothic feel of the film. The scarecrow costume was definitely creepy and the scenes where it is stalking the local yokels were appropriately tense. I also loved that it was set during Halloween. A few scenes are set at a Halloween party with revelers in costumes and the climax is set in a pumpkin patch, making this movie perfect to watch this time of year!

The story, written by J.D. Feigelson, was engaging and I was enthralled the whole way through. There wasn’t a minute where I was bored, despite the slightly slower pace of the film. In addition, the characters were well fleshed out (every single one of the actors did a fantastic job with their characters) and I liked the variety of characters Feigelson gave us. The direction was also well done by Frank De Felitta (best well-known for being the author of Audrey Rose) and never once did it feel like I was watching just a made-for-TV movie. Instead, the film had a very cinematic feel and no doubt could have been released in theaters and made a pretty penny!

Dark Night of the Scarecrow is a Southern-fried creep-fest that’s a fun treat this autumn! It is one of the few “killer scarecrow” movies I’ve seen that is actually GOOD and worth seeing more than once. This film will definitely become a Halloween staple in my house and I look forward to the tradition of watching it every fall.

Buy it on Amazon!

(Ed. Note: This was originally posted on my horror site, Fatally-Yours.com, on October 4th, 2010.)

31 Days of Halloween: Halloween Movies for Kids and Kids-at-Heart (Part 2)

2011-10-11T09:30:00.000-07:00

Halloween brings out the kid in me, and since last year's post on Halloween movies for kids and kids-at-heart was so popular, I decided to do a part two! Below you'll find a list of some frightfully fun movies, cartoons and specials perfect for family-viewing on Halloween!

RL Stine's The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It (2007)

For 13-year-old goth girl Cassie, fitting into a new school and neighborhood isn't easy, but she entertains herself by playing pranks on the "popular" kids and her little brother, Max. As Halloween approaches, Cassie's search for scares leads her to a mysterious Halloween store and an unusual book called The Evil Thing. When Max begs her to read the book to him, Cassie finally gives in, ignoring the warning "Do Not Read Aloud." But it's when they get to the last page of the book and its clear warning about the Evil Thing - "Don't Think About It" - that the spooky adventure really begins.

I love the gothling babybat character of Cassie in this tween flick! Plus, it features Tobin Bell of Saw fame and a great R.L. Stine spook-tale!

Buy it on Amazon!

Ernest Scared Stupid (1991)

Everybody's favorite know-it-all, Ernest P. Worrell, scares up heaps of hilarious laughs in this frightfully funny comedy! The loveable lunkhead is in for a devil of a time when he accidentally unleashes an evil demon from its sacred tomb, causing the awakened foe to go on a devastating rampage. Ernest desperately attempts to prevent the destruction of town, but a 200-year-old curse renders Ernest Scared Stupid! And that's when the fun and adventure begin! Loaded with uproarious hilarity, and a host of outrageously kooky characters, this big-screen treat delivers off-the-wall nuttiness that's sure to drive you wild any time of the year!

If you are looking for more slapstick than spook this holiday season, definitely check out this silly flick! However, I do have a friend who swears the trolls in this movie give her nightmares and she still cannot watch it to this day!

Buy it on Amazon!

Bugs Bunny's Howl-O-Ween Special (1978)

The wascally wabbit encounters dimwitted witches and vacant vampires in this merry romp.

You cannot go wrong with Bugs Bunny's antics this Halloween! Who can forget Witch Hazel or Gossamer?! For an added bonus, check out "Hyde and Hare", Looney Toons' take on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde!

Buy it on Amazon!

Goosebumps: Attack of the Jack-O-Lanterns

This DVD contains three episodes from R.L Stine's popular Goosebumps series, but the one of note is the titular "Attack of the Jack-O'-Lanterns". The story follows four young kids as they go out trick-or-treating, but a night of treats turns into tricks as the friends face off against several sinister jack-o-lanterns.

Yes, this is a low-budget take on R.L. Stine's tale, but its heart makes up for its horrible effects and small budget!

Buy it on Amazon!

Tower of Terror (1997)

A hard-luck photojournalist whose unexpected encounter with an old woman leads him to investigate an unexplained, decades-old disappearance. It seems that one Halloween night, many years ago, five partygoers vanished in the elevator of the Hollywood Tower Hotel ... and ever since, their ghosts have remained trapped inside the dilapidated old building! In an action-filled story that delivers creepy fun for everyone, Buzzy ultimately teams with his niece to solve the mystery while managing to save their lives and capture the biggest story of the year!

This is an often overlooked film that set at Halloween time in a haunted hotel that has been abandoned since tragedy struck there year's ago. Full of ghosts and action, this is a fun film to watch this time of year!

Buy it on Amazon!

Check out the original list of kid-friendly Halloween films HERE!

Check out my list of the top13 Halloween films (included some good selections for kids, too!) HERE!

What are your suggestions for kid-friendly Halloween movies?