Deny, perhaps, but don’t Delay

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If you find yourself with nothing better to do this weekend than staring longingly at that bowl of candy you’ve purchased (so as to beat the crowds, wink wink) or you’ve done your pumpkin shopping early and while the lure of freshly roasted pumpkin seeds is calling, you know you must stay your knife-hand another 13 days and you find the hours in between now and then taxing your patience to its limits, stress no more!  Take up your writing/drawing implement of choice, scour your abode for an envelope of any size, fix yourself in a comfortable chair at your favorite kneehole desk, play some apropos music and muster imaginings of “uncomfortable creatures” and draw!  Why? Well, why not? If you require further prompting, consider this:

2019 Halloween Envelope Art Contest

Deadline: Postmark by Monday, October 21st, 2019

For an entry form, click any pic for link to contest page.

The Edward Gorey House is now accepting original artwork from artists of all ages for their 2019 Halloween Envelope Art Contest. An Edward Gorey-inspired decorated envelope decorated with the theme of Uncomfortable Creatures is what they are looking for this year. There is no entry fee and not a particularly big prize but winning entries, runners up, and very-close-to- being -runners up will all be displayed in the Edward Gorey House, on their website, and on their Facebook page. Winners will be notified and results will be announced on Wednesday, 10/31/19.

Mail entries to:

Edward Gorey House
8 Strawberry Lane
Yarmouth Port, MA 02675
USA

Tell your friends!

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…..and perhaps these images of past submissions will help you along, mind that deadline 😉

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Minutes til Midnight

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I am watching my clock countdown the minutes until this 31st dwindles down to moments and memories.  There were a few memorable quirks to the day and the evening, I hope you can all say the same.  As the tomb shuts on this Hallow’s Eve, I draw a final breath of cinnamon stick candle wafting up from the scorched insides of gutted gourds, I gather the crinkled remains of candy skins in their bright coverings shriveled and torn, destined for the recycle bin, and take a long last look up and down the street as porch lights dim, jackos darken and light shows blink and die.  I sigh, shrug my shoulders, turn and close the door behind me.  The house goes dark and here I am at the keyboard…already thinking about Halloween 2018 – I wonder what that escapade will reveal?  So much to plan and plot and ply, as the season passes by…so quickly, much too quickly this year.  Thanks to all of you who stopped to look around this blog, more thanks to Countdown to Halloween for highlighting another great batch of blogs this year, always so much fun to see what others are up to.  I will poke through the leftover candy and ponder…mmmmm….Junior Mints! Rest In Peace Halloween 2017.  I will remember you fondly.

 

 

 

Moonlit Revel

This one I will preface by saying you may have noticed in my header the lines from a poem that I change occasionally.  I post it here in its complete form, I hope you enjoy it.  The work was inspired by this stamp image that I once purchased after customizing with a line from my poem.  I am getting these again this year for my Halloween invites, you can purchase by the sheet, these are a great product offered by Zazzle.com go online and pick and choose and edit to your hearts desire.  Can’t wait to use these again. Enjoy!

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“Stroll with me beneath the Moon,

for surely They’ll be coming soon

to share with us the deepening gloom,

that must be Halloween.

Fellow Revelers walk this Night,

as They awake from yearly plight

deprived til now of sweet delight,

that must be Halloween.

Mischievousness the only goal,

for these few hours on parole.

And none but They could be so droll

that must be Halloween.

Sorry am I that They must wait,

upon the Eve to cross the gait.

Alas that is Their yearly Fate,

that must be Halloween.

All too soon the Night will fade,

and All shall pass into the Shade

to wait upon the next parade,

that must be Halloween.

Perhaps you’ll stroll with me once more,

when Gate stands wide and Spirits tour.

No other sight stir’s my hearts core,

that must be Halloween.”

-AE

Stalking Windows

There are always things to see in the windows this time of the year. Even if its just the virtual ones.

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(Pottery Barn Halloween 2016.  Click pic to link to site.)

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(Crate and Barrel Halloween 2016.  Click pic to link to site.)

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(Grandin Road Halloween Haven 2016.  Click pic to link to site.)

(Traditions Halloween Store 2016.  Click pic to link to site.)

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(The Holiday Barn Halloween 2016.  Click pic to link to site.)

Mirth and Musings Part 14 – Love Boney Bunch Love

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“The Incredible Mr. Bones and the Boney Bunch”

Click pic to visit site.

August.  While I realize that the Autumnal Equinox isn’t until September 22nd, making that first day of Fall weeks off, I do appreciate feeling like August is the pre-season.  I am starting to see it creeping into shops, into stalls, into consciousness.  The retail scope of the holiday merely allows us to view it that much sooner – but there is a collective audience standing in the shadows waiting for the curtain to draw up entirely on our beloved time of the year.   I applaud those few of you out there standing with us but are stand-outs too – Pumpkinrot of course, and if you are reading this, in this most obscure and little known of blogs, you’ll know who I mean.  But there is another, Boney Bunch Love, a Facebook entity who has established an amazing site for this “niche within the niche” of skeletal spectacle from Yankee Candle which I fear may be on the decline.  I have been following the page for years now, lurking as I do, have posted a poem in my original post from September 2013, and I am constantly surprised and delighted by the originality, the dedication, the friendliness of the page and it has been and I hope will continue to be a touchstone for staying connected to at least one aspect of our Season annually.  If you haven’t heard of the Boney Bunch, which launched in 2008, visit the page and spend a little time with it and you will gain an understanding past my ability to impart here.  The 2016 line is due in stores on August 27, and is always much anticipated by its ardent fan base.  It’s never too late to join the party, as Boneys past, present and future are always of much interest.  Hope to see you in line in front of your local YC store.  The door is opening, slowed by creaking hinges, but beyond lay delights and devilry, bonfires and beasties, mist and magic.  Forward!

Shall I tell you a tale of why I love so much
these black and orange figurines called the Boney Bunch?
They show up every August to herald Halloween
Their Boney faces grinning wide as they appear on scene.
Boney Sir presenting Boney Bride her spider ring
Charon Boney in his boat dead and ferrying
Gypsy Boney gazing deeply into her sparkling globe
Reaper Boney keeping time with his scythe and robe
Headless horseman Boney riding hard on english saddle
Baby Buggy Boney making ruckus with his rattle
Lady Boney prim beneath her spider parasol
A juggling Mr Bonehead with his top hat very tall
Eternal Slumber Boneys read as off to sleep they drift
Bobbing apples Boney using his peculiar gift
Organ player Boney playing organ tunes to fright
Submariner Boney floating by with his flashing lights
Witchy Boney on her broom, hat adorned with spider
and Monster Bride waves “hello”, with her Frank beside her
So why do I love Boneys? The answer seems so clear
I love that they remind me of Halloween throughout the year!

– A.E.

Nothing grim about this…

Rogers Gardens has announced their annual Halloween Boutique Opening “Grimm Tales” will debut on Friday, September 2nd @ 9:00am!  Visiting this amazing boutique yearly has become a favorite for me and I hope you find time to stop by, it will not disappoint.

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“…and the Storyteller paused…
and it was as if the wonders he retold had cast a spell upon him…”-A.E.

“The forest is dark and enchanted…branches creak and leaves rustle as trees close in, obscuring the path home.  Wander deep into the shadows and you’ll find frightful folklores, fantastical stories and chilling tales.  These bedtime stories will give you nightmares, and you’ll discover that not all fairy tales end happily-ever-after.” –Rogers Gardens

 

Auds & Enns “…up to the Shoppe door…” vid & music

This is a quick bit of video footage taken by my husband (Redwire), he is very proud of the automated cauldron prop, it was the first mechanical prop I’d asked for and I think he did an amazing job putting it together.  This is the walk up to my front door and the entrance to our “Shoppe”. The music overlay is from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, episode “Hush” a great piece of music called “Golf Claps” by Christophe Beck.

Just click here…Strolling to the Shoppe door