Left Overs

Saturday I started the big clean up in the Dead Sailors Inn, after our pirate party. It's very nice to be able to close the door to the mess, when the party is over. With a vague plan to clean it up later. Sometime, at some point. Some other day. Not so nice anymore, when that day arrives. Nothing in there is like good wine, that gets better as time goes by. On the contrary.

Armed with several plastic bags, kitchen paper and Jif spray, I went into the hazard zone. After opening the big barn door, hitting the light switch and letting my eyes adjust to the poor light, from the door and a couple of lamps. The sight of last weeks fun hit me, like a sad smack in the face. Tonns of empty bottles, shot glasses, wine- and champagne glasses, all with sticky, squishy left overs on the bottom. Stinking ashtrays, with old sigarette buds falling over the edges. Broken glass, wine corks, bottle tops. A sweater in a corner, scarf, a chinese parasoll. And a bit on the wild side: nipple pasties and a pile of corsets.. We. *Eeehm* I, were going to "dance burlesque", instructed by my burlesque dancing friend. one of those great ideas, that usually forms at the late side of a party. But decided not to, in a moment of clearness.. Thank Godzilla!

Every item being a reminder, of something that happened that night. A bit of giggeling and "Ooooh's", as I went through it all. Almost like re-living the whole party, just on fast forward.

Oh, and of all odd things, the strangest must be; a shoe heel! So if someone is missing

 a shoe heel, please contact the gobblin at the information desk.

Must clean with style..

Information desk goblin..

Drunken Sailors

I'm back after some days of much needed rest, after the Halloween party.. Everything turned out really great, we had an awsome time! It's such a good feeling to gather friends to something like this. Seeing that everything turns out as planned and that everyone is enjoying themself. I think a good party can leave you with a real boost of energy and good wibes. This one surely did!

We had the Dead Sailors Inn full of tipsy and more or less drunken sailors, pirates, one mermaid, a demon, and a banana (!). The banana claimed she was sailors food and that we was more than welcome to take a bite. She handed out flyers with information to the sailors. Saying that bananas is good for scurvy and winter depressions. In case you wonder, she was still intact at the end of the night. I think all the Halloween candy we had strategically placed around the bar. might have saved her from a gloomy, ghastly death lol.

It was a wet evening, with rain showers that came and went. But it was warm. Turned out we didn't have to worry about the heat at all. We were so worried that people would freeze, so we went out and bought an extra heater that runs on gas. Instead it got really warm. So warm that our mermaid friend running around in her bra, thought it was just perfect. Me in my padded, chinese jacket and wool socks on the other hand..

Our very good buddy, Kim Lia. Gave us a hell of a concert and rocked the bar big time!! It was so awsome to have live music in our saloon. We have been talking and dreaming about it for a while now. Finally the dream got realized.. The best feeling! We're so greatful that Kim wanted to play for us. As my love put it: The best birthday and Halloween party ever!! Big words coming from an american.

I've added a few photos from the night..

More obscure photos, will be added in a later post!

Me as pirate Ching Shih, with my pirate friend..

 

Kim rocking the joint

 

Ching Shih, Miss Mermaid and Banana Lady...

Happy belated Haunted Halloween

Hope you all had a wonderful spooky Halloween last night? Mine was spent doing some last shopping, for the birthday Halloween party tonight. Also some last adjustments at the Dead Sailors Inn. Believe it or not, still a couple more things to do. Think we could be doing this fulltime! Then we'll hopefully be all set by the time our dead guests arrive.. Can't wait to scare the living crap out of them! Mooooahhahahahahha....

 

 

Cold Beer and Music

*Yay* We got the electricity back on in the barn. Thank Godzilla for that! It would have been a very dark and horrific Halloween without. A night to remember. Sitting there in the light of our trillion candles, listening to the sighs and whispers of the wind, around the corners and the trees, hearing eerie footsteps from upstairs.

On the other hand, it could have been fitting I guess.. But, we like some music and heat. And cold beer is nice to have too. I like old, but some modern inventions are great to have.

How to Survive a Horror Movie

Man Crates is a new online company, that has the most creative gifts for men I've heard of in a while. They ship a wood crate to the fellow you want to surprise, filled with all sorts of manly goodies of your choice. Where the receiver has to open it with a crowbar at arrival! Could also work for a girlfriend. Sounds pretty cool to me. They even have a zombie preparedness crate, which would be right up my alley..

Man Crate gave me this awsome challenge, to make a post about what I would bring, to survive a horror movie! A challenge that shouldn't be too hard, for someone who love scary movies. I'm probably not the only one, that think people in scary movies act pretty ridiculous and annoying sometimes. It's like they almost have some kind of inner death wish, doing everything opposite of what they should. As I think they should, anyways. Trying to guide them around, from my safe place under the blanket in the sofa. Often with a huge popcorn bowl, placed in my lap. Reminding myself, there probably wouldn't be any movie, if they didn't act brainless and totally dumb. It's half of the thrill I guess. If you wathced a fair ammount of horror movies. You should know, there's things to do and not to do. Like a few very obvious ones..

• DO NOT enter the haunted woods at night. Especially not on a full moon night. Monsterous howling, or whispering voices of any sort. should also give you a clue something's not right.
• DO NOT go into the scary, abandoned country house, in the middle of the storm, in the haunted woods.. Especially if you heard a scream from inside.
• If you for some reason have to enter the house. DO NOT throw on a loud "HELLO, anybody home??" As you open the squeaking door.
• NEVER go check out creepy, veird noises. And never ever alone.
• If you spot a monster, DO NOT stumble around in circles, screaming and waving your flashlight around, so the monster can see exactly where you are.
• DO NOT hide in the creepy, old closet, in the upstairs bedroom. Or under the bed, for that matter. Bad places for hiding, get you killed.
• DO NOT by any circumstances attempt to go down in the basement. Bad shit always happends in the basement. Don't forget, that's where the veirdo got all the dead bodies stocked up.. And most of the time it's haunted.

Lets pretend for one moment, that I found myself in this very scary, shitty and highly deadly situation... There's certain things I would like to have.

1. Holy Water. Can be used on any supernatural creature. It burns and can buy you some precious time.
2. Salt. To protect against supernatural creatures. For making safe circles for yourself, trapping and to burn old remains of evil ghosts. Don't forget to burn their personal items.
3. Zippo Lighter. Always have a lighter that works. To kill and destroy.
4. Silver Bullets and a Gun. To kill and wound supernatural creatures.
5. Rope with a Hook. A long rope is a super item to bring. Either it is for climbing, or tying up bloodthirsty phsycos with. Be sure to know your scout knots. Just remember, this will not work for the supernatural creatures.
6. A Pocket Bible. With religious verses, that sends your monsters right back to pergatory. Exactly where they belong.
7. Hiking Shoes, or leather boots. Be sure to have good shoes, so you can run like Forest Gump and to protect against sharp objects, no high heels or flip flops.
8. Samuray Sword. Like the chic in Walking Dead has. Perfect for slaying anything evil, coming your way..
9. A Big sharp Knife. An excellent tool, for making booby traps and wooden stakes, poking, stabbing, also good for close kills.
10. An Ax. For the very same reasons.
11. Camuflage Net and Bear traps. Great items for catching bad guys in.
12. Black Bodysuit. To hide in the dark.
13. Night Vision Goggles. To see any danger lurking in the dark, before they see you.
14. A working Flashlight. Sometimes you do need a little light, to see what you are doing.
15. Strong Work Gloves. To keep you from cutting yourself and spilling blood all over the place. When handling sharp objects, broken glass etc.
16. A couple of Grenades. For massive destruction. 
17. GPS. To find the right way out of there.
18. A Motorcycle, with a full gas tank. To get you fast out and away. Through narrow passages and even out of the haunted woods.
19. A Military Veichle, at a strategic point. Loaded with first aid, food, water, a phone and warm clothes. To get you safe and sound home, away from all this madness.
20. Having a friend waiting in that military veichle, would be even better. Someone you can trust.

Last, but not least.. Don't trust that any strangers, cops, or officials, will get you out of this sticky situation. They'll just end up dead and so will you, if you entrust them with your life. You're alone on this one. Trust yourself and your instincts. Also, don't attempt to make a phone call. Phones and mobiles never work in horror movies and just let the bad guy know where you're at. You can be sure you'll get a text, just at the wrong time..

From the movie The Descent

Lights Out

It's been a very busy weekend, preparing for our monster ball. We made a couple more monsters, got the last props in and a few little details in place.. Also purchased a couple of horrifickly fun Halloween props. Couldn't help ourselves when we found a banjo playing Skeleton and a sweet creepy talking doll, with no eyes and cracked skull. As the man in the shop said "isn't it adorable?"

Only a few more red led lights and batteries on the shopping list.. We use red bicicle led lights, to light up and add a touch of spookiness to our installations. They are inexpensive and it gives it that extra, little eerie feel. Can't have enough of those. Also we might have to get a few more grave lanterns, for our graveyard.

We had some fun testing out the creepiness, in the Dead Sailors Inn on Saturday. Besides, we had to try the music list. Had the whole circus going, with all the trillion candles, oil lamps, jack'o lanterns, Halloween lights and light chains blinking. Only four small days left till Halloween!! I'm so ready. Like my love put it, as we were sitting there with our beer; Wish it was tomorrow!

Apparantly he spoke too soon, or maybe the barn ghost heard us. As we were sitting there, all happy and oh so ready for Halloween. A buzzing sound from the heaters and the music blured out with a muffed sound. The power was gone. Possibly the worst thing that could happend, one week away from Halloween! Needing power for our heaters, stereo and the mini concert we'll be having. A buddy will be playing for us. Really not a good timing, if things like that ever has a good timing. On top of that, we found out that our stereo had burned out. No more stereo. Dead. No hope of any resurrection there. Have to look for a new one.. A bit of bad luck there. Crossing fingers that bestest Miss Lindy Lee and hubby, has a stereo we can borrow for the night.

An electrician will be coming today. Hopefully he'll be able to find out what's wrong, with the electricity in our barn. On the positive side, it was REALLY spooky in there, with only candles and oil lamps lighting the bar.. O and I swear I could hear footsteps from the top floor, when I was out there alone the other day. Talking about creepy.

Costume Coming Together..

I'm so happy to say, that my costume is coming together! I tried everything on yesterday, with the makeup. I'm very pleased and thrilled to see my idea coming to life. Just a couple of small details left and I'm ready for the monster ball, at Dead Sailors Inn.. Most of the items I already had, looking through my wardrobe. Other items I found in a variety of shops down town. Maybe the coolest prop, I found in an antique shop out where we live.. An old fake, gun that someone made, out of wood and a steel pipe. With really nice details of mother of pearl on the shaft. So excited now that it's getting closer...



Love this print of The flying Dutchman

Macabre Carpenter

We haven't been too busy making new props this year, as we decided to reuse most of what we already have.. But some new things is slowly being added, to our collection of horror. I really wanted a coffin for a graveyard this year and eagerly babbled, waved my arms and sent links of what I thought would look cool, in our little graveyard.. Sometimes this eager babbeling of mine, seems to find it's way into his brain. I'm now the happy owner of a huge standing coffin, thanks to my macabre carpenter! It will be standing by the doorway, outside the saloon. Not sure yet, if it will house a scary monster, or if we should make it as a "photo booth". Where our guests can take their photo in the coffin..

"I want a coffin" I said.. And baby made a coffin.

Halloween Harvest

We've been growing pumpkins for the first time this year.. Been so excited to see how they would turn out! Finally one is getting ready. Wasn't sure what to expect, when they would get ready, or how big they would get. But they have exceeded every expectation so far. Looks like we'll have one big and two smaller pumpkins, to carve. Think we'll just let them grow as much as possible, before we harvest.. Hoping hubby will make pumkin pai of the inside! *Yumyum*

Winter is coming..

Yesterday the first snow came.. Big, wet snowflakes, falling down from a grey and heavy sky. Which left a thin, white blanket, spread over the autumn colored trees and fields. Very pretty and long time since, but always a bit of a surprise every year. I'm not quite sure if I'm ready for winter yet. My feet sure wasn't. I was still in my thin, cotton, summer sneakers.. I can ensure you, cold and wet feet in the snow, isn't the best way to start the day. On the bright side, I found some nice new winter boots for my freezing feet. Some that I've been drooling at, through the shop window for some time now. Finally I got the excuse I needed to buy them! *Hah*

As always, when the snowfall come this early. A voice back in my head, reminds me how not so good this is for Halloween and all our props. *Sigh* Why does winter always have to come and mess things up? If it could stay away, just a liiiiittle bit longer. It would all be good. Don't get me wrong, it's nice with some snow. Just not on Halloween! Please, please, pleeease stay away a couple more weeks...

What to Wear

*Sigh* I've been struggling a bit, with my Halloween costume ideas this year. Not really a lack of ideas, rather the lack of enthusiasm. I had many ideas, but none that seemed right.. Usually I find out of my costumes quite early. Having time to plan it down to the small details, finding things online if I have to. I started to get nervous. What if I didn't find out of it in time. At this point, I can just forget about ordering costume props from abroad if I need to. As it take so long to get here. But you know what? I'm going to take up on my own advice. Go costume shopping in my own wardrobe.

I don't know if it was the horror and Halloween movies, I've been watching the last couple of days, that removed my creative block. Or just the idea that needed some time to form. It's an idea I've had for a while now.. The more I think about it, the better it feels. I went digging through some old clothes today and found some perfect garments, for putting a costume together. What I don't have, I'm quite positive I will be able to find in some shops down town. So excited now that my plan unfolds. Think it will be awsome! *Yay*

I can't reveal what it is right now, as some of my guests might read this post.. But I promise to get back to you good folks on it! All I can say, is that I'm inspired by an old photo of an historic person, that I stumbled over online.. Someone that I hadn't heard of before, that made an impression.

Also having costume trouble? Here's my advice..

• Put your soft, romantic, cry movies away and watch som good, old, blood splatting horror movies. Start with your favourite Halloween movie, to get you in the mood. I always like to start with Trick'r Treat. It never fails!
• What's the party theme? Try to think out of the box. Look through your wardrobe and old clothes that's stored away. Something there that you can use, maybe alter and make into a costume?
• If you're crafty, get the needle and thread out. This way, you can make something unique, that no one else has on the party. Also much creepier than the costumes bought in any shop! Just look at the vintage costumes, they all look like serial killers..
• Go to a thrift shop, they have lots of cheap clothes that can be made into an awsome costume.
• Get ideas from the horror/Halloween movies you're watching.. They are full of great costume idas!
• Do some research. Any historical person, someone that has actually lived that you can be? Preferably evil. Or victim of someone evil.
• And what about our fairytales.. They are full of villains and psychopaths.
• Finally; If you can't come up with ANY good ideas. Go as your dead self. It's Halloween people, it's supposed to be SCARY. Dead is good!

Vintage Halloween Costumes

Still not sure what to wear, for the grisliest night of them all? Needing some inspiration for your costume this year, do not despear! Get inspired by this collection of eerie and fabelous, vintage costumes. People were so creative, no purchasing ready costumes here..

What is your best Halloween costumes ideas? Or maybe you seen an awsome costume? Tell me, I'd love to hear about it!

 

Out of the Dark

Bob, George, little Halloween Ghoul and all the other monsters, were pulled out from their hiding place, in our dirt basement this weekend.. We got a good head start on the decoration and are already finished with one installation and part of the bar. *Yay* So exited to have started! The creative prosess is simple. Everything is made, as we go along. I like making small stories around the installation, that explains what's going on. I think it's easier, more realistic and much more fun that way!

Of props and decoration, we thought it would be a good idea to use what we already have. Then see what we need to find or build. Since we're doing a Sailors Inn theme and our pub is a saloon, there's a few small touches that needs to be made. I packed away a box with western artifacts and took down some paintings, that just did not fit in. We will be needing some more nautical items, to complete the look and feel to the place..

How about you, have you started decorating for Halloween yet? Do you do themes? Do you have a favourite prop, or Halloween item
that you can't wait to get out?

Rattlin' Joe, just wouldn't behave..

My First Halloween

I might have said this before, but Halloween has always been my favourite holiday of the year.. I love the whole dressing up and eerie, mystical, spookiness of it all. It's so fun! Back when Halloween was a non existing thing in Norway, we threw our own small Halloween parties at home with our friends. Though they didn't quite get it, or understand much. It was an american/english tradition, that very few had heard of, if any. Everything is different now, as most kids nowadays is growing up with it. Celebrating Halloween is finally, just as natural as celebrating Christmas! Times has definitely changed..

It all started many moons ago.. When I was a little girl, my dad got a job offer in Montreal, Canada. We ended up living there for a couple of years. I did my first two years at school, learned english, made new friends, and I also learned new customs and traditions. One of them was, good ol' spooky Halloween.. And a passion was born!

I went as Litttle Red Ridinghood, on my first Halloween ever. My mom dressed my sister up as a witch, in homemade costume and scary makeup. With a big, black, pointy witch hat, that she had worked on for days. I remember it having cob webs and a spider dangeling down from it. I thought my sister looked super awsome.. My mother has always been of the crafty type and very good at it too. But she might have done, a bit of a too good job this time. It ended in tears, when my sister saw her own reflection in the mirror. She got so scared, that mom had to scramble together a cute pussycat costume, in the very last minute. I will never forget that witch costume.. Such a cool costume, that was never used.

What happend to homemade costumes, anyway? I always liked to shop around for my costumes. Put them carfeully together. Something old and something new.. I think that makes the best costumes.

What do you prefer? Ready-to-wear costumes,

or homemade? Scary or cute?



Me (on the left, as Little Red Ridinghood) and my sister, on our very first Halloween! Think we look pretty excited..

Dead Sailors Inn

This year we're doing a ghastly Dead Sailors Inn, for our Halloween theme. The last resting place for all rugged sea folks and dark water creatures. Where dead sailors swing their beer mugs, sing their songs and dance on the tables to wicked tunes. A favoured place for all shaddow beings. Also last stop for the old, tiered, soiled doves of the town.

You find it down in the oldest parts of the harbour, with cobblestoned streets and poor street lighting. Among the aboundend, crooked buildings, that has been standing there for what seems for ever. Even since before the docks was built. Some say it's the oldest buildings in the whole town.. Here the walls are so thick, you could easily fit in three coffins on the short side. Who knows, there might be some skeletons in those walls. Or at least, that's what I've been told..

With this kind of walls, even the noise from 100 sailors swinging their mugs, armwrestling and bustling about, would be hard to hear. Less some poor, lost souls terrified screams.. But sometimes the noise, somehow finds it's way out to the narrow, dark, back alleys. As a far away mumble, with fading music and an occasional glass crashing in the floor. If you ever happend hear these noises, beware. I must warn you. No matter how curious and courageous you are, I would not attempt to find the inn. Should you suddenly find yourself standing on the thresh hold, looking over this horrific assemblage of beings. I can not guaranty for your safety, or that you will ever find your way out of there again. Not alive anyway...




Dead Sailors Inn, Ets. 1706