The Barn

Things has definitely changed, since we moved out of our tiny, little, one room, studio appartment down town, around 3 years ago. Or is it 4? Time flies, that's for sure. And things change.

We were looking for something bigger, more space, something of our own, freedom and a place to call home. One of the conditions my love had, was that it had to have a barn. "A barn" I said, "what do we need a BARN for?" The city girl I am (was?) thought he had lost his mind and that it would be difficult to find something within our pricerange, that had all that. Little did I know.. I remember there was a time, when all we wanted was an extra room, a fireplace and a balcony lol. That was back when we still lived in the asphalt jungle. Before we started looking for a house on the countryside. When we did find our house, it felt like winning the lottery. It had everything and more. Even the barn! Lets just say, I was totally wrong about that barn. Getting a barn, was the BEST idea ever!

The first few months living in the new house, I didn't see much to my love at all. Every evening when we got home from work, he would grab a thermos with coffee, a bag of pastry and disappear into the barn. Also every weekend. For a couple of months, all I heard was hammer noise and the pitch sound of an electric saw, piercing the cold, crisp winter air.. I remember we had temperatures down to -22 C/-7,6 F that winter and in a barn without heating.. I found myself staring out of the window, towards the barn. Glad I heard some noises. At least it meant he was alive, not frozen to death out there.

When we bought the house, the first floor of the barn was very basic, dark and really eerie looking. With dirt floor and beams a bit above the ground, probably from an old floor that once had been there. Also the barn walls was of the plain panel, that lets through both sun and weather. Not very good for the norwegian weather, at least not for the plans my love had for the place. In the back of the barn there was and still is, the old barn. A really old building, used for animals at some point, with thick timber walls and old crooked doors. Not a place you wanted stay long in, or even could use for much. That was before my man turned the place upside down, with his head full of creative ideas and passion.

Every now and then I would peek in, curious to see what was going on and the progression.. First he made a floor, which made a huge difference. Then the walls and a bar. Even a small fireplace was put in. All made with used wood and materials, found in and under the barn, and from an old house, they were remodelling up in the village. When he finally was done, I was stunned, the change was amazing! It was a whole new place. Such a cozy little bar. I was litterarly clapping my hands, at this point.

And our barn bar, Dusty Saddle Saloon was born! A place that already holds many happy memories of fun times, with good friends and family. It's also the PERFECT location for our Halloween parties. Let's just say, it's not very dificult to get that old, creepy feel to the place, when we want to.. Also the bar never really gets done, there's always something going on there. Some small, new quirky little details popping up. Or like this summer, when my love decided to expand the bar, to the double size.

Everyone should have their own barn bar! At least if you live on the countryside..

 

First photo after project barn started..

 

Got some more old materials, to use on the bar..

 

A small rest and thinking about what to do next..

Getting the bar roof on.. I love that detail.

Details from the bar.. Fish heads from the lake, near by.

And the finished result, before he added on more space..

 

A Place to rest

Bessy and hubby

And just because it's pretty. The gorgeous sunset view, from Dusty Saddle!

 

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..

Friday Tunes - Old Devils with William Elliott Whitmore

Finally weekend and I'm back with my Friday tunes! First out is this wonderful treat of a song, by William Elliott Whitmore. Such an amazing voice, tune and lyrics. Love, love, love it!! Do check out his music, if you haven't heard of him before. Lots of great songs.

Happy Friday everyone,

wish you

a

great one!

 

 

 

Ps: We're pulling out our Halloween decoration here tonight.. Lets get started!

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

31 Days to Halloween

Countdown to Halloween, the most terrifying and horrific day of the year starts today my dearest! After a couple of years of being absent, I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am.. The last couple of days I've been busy in the laboratory, testing some new potions for this jolly season. My rotten heart is filled with joy and my inner ghoul is curling it's claws with excitement.

Like previous years I'm a Cryptkeeper and will be joining the yearly countdown, over at countdowntohalloween.com. What is the meaning with all this, you say? One month long of Halloween treaties, for all you good folks of course! And let me tell you, I can not wait. I'm definitely ready for some good, old creepy fun! The question is; are YOU ready? Lets just say.. I do have a couple of ideas, on how to scare your heartbeat up a couple of nothces.

Take my hand, child.. Follow me. You do not want to be left behind, trust me..

Ps: Head over to countdowntohalloween.com, to visit other dark corners of the world wide web. You find a complete list over all the Cryptkeepers of 2014, all participating in the count down to Halloween. With daily posts, for joy and scare.

 

Full Moon Views..

A lovely full moon view from the garden.. Sometimes the views are so stunning at our new home, I almost have to pinch my arm, because it looks like a painting... Like the night of this caption, which doesn't quite measure up to the real deal. Last spring sometime, we had this huge, redish orange, hunters moon on the night sky.. I've never seen the moon quite that big before. A special night indeed.

Catching up

Last week I checked into my blog again, after what seemed like forever. Reading through the old blog posts, it was like flipping the pages of an old diary. Places I've been, things we've done, our wee nest down town, parties, people, friends, thoughts and all the little things that I had forgotten.. Those good old times!

I saw that my last blog post was written at the end of December 2011 (holy Godzilla).. Just before New Years eve. I knew it was long since my last mutter, but didn't realize it was that long. Time flies and alot has happened since my last post. It's not that I didn't want to write, as I really appreciated the time with my blog. The hours oif the day, just didn't seem to quite measure up. What to say? Life happened and I got too busy.

Of everything that has happened the last couple of years, one of the most important and life changing things: we bought our first home! So excited still!! No more renting, studioapartments and living in small spaces and sudden increase in rent, that we had not forseen. Feeling like what you have, can be pulled away underneath you any day.

Our very own dream house, on the country side. Yes, my love managed to lure this forever hardcore asphalt girl, out on the countryside. You might wonder what happened.. But the choice was real easy. It was either a shoebox in town, for a ridiculous amount of money. Or space, space and more space. Nature and wonderful views. When we stumbled over this gem. With a barn, guest house (stabbur; small, quaint, traditional building, used for food storage in the old days), a green house, fruit trees, berry bushes and lots of space. We even got a tiny forest. In fact, much more than we ever dreamt of... Lets just say, I wasn't hard to convince. Life definitely has it's ups and downs. We all go through rough times, but I'd say that times like this, certainly makes up for it.

Roseland, our small patch of paradise..



A place to rest and watch the sunset. Working on a ring of various roses, around the old well in the garden.. Yes, we got a well.. Guess which movie we  instantly thought of when we saw it.

Our closest neighbours

Gorgeous sunset view, one evening this summer..

 

Madame Talbot

I recently stumbled over some delightful, dark art, on one of my google searches, here on the world wide web.. That instantly got my dark heart, to pick up a few beats and beat a little faster. Madame Talbot is the talented artist behind these lovely posters. All hand-drawn with pencil and finished up with delicious, black ink. She got an amazing eye for details, blended in with wicked dark humour. What not to love, right?

Of course I had to get myself a treat.. After some heavy drooling over every single poster, I finally managed to pick out a few. A few for myself and a few for my love. Some for the staircase, some for the saloon in the barn. Smart shopping move, to justify me buying 8 new lovelies for our semi empty, longing walls. Eeeerrr Right..?

Impatently waiting for my new treasures to arrive. *Rolling thumbs*




Remember Me.. The first poster to catch my eyes.
Just love the inscription on this stone.


Quote from the artist herself, Madame Talbot: "During the Victorian era, cemeteries were considered the place to be and the place to be seen. Some of the most interesting graveyards and cemeteries are located in England, Bunhill (probably from the words "Bone Hill"), Highgate and must we not forget the most poetic and beautiful of all, Père-Lachaise cemetery, which is located in romantic Paris, France.

At the bottom of this tombstone in the poster is an old saying that had once been described in stone:"

"Remember me as you pass by

As you are now so once was I -

As I am now so you will be

Prepare for death and follow me"

*Sigh* Ooooh wonderful, wonderful.. Do I have to say more? Head over to Madame Talbot's dark corner of the world wide web, to see more of her lovely art! Oh, and did I mention.. She also makes mourning dolls and sell other horrifick goodies. No reason to wait. 

Ps: Do also check out her blog!

 

Curiosity Cabinet

St. James Infirmary

Whiskey Jack

Man's Ruin

Tap, tap, tap...

Hello..? Anybody out there? Pardon my little microphone check, but with all that cobweb and sticky dust covering it, I wasn't sure if it was working anymore..

My restless ghoulish, soul, has once again woken from a rather long sleep. Much longer than I first intended, but that's the way it goes sometimes. However the smell of autumn and cold chill in the air has awaken my sences. The dark season and Halloween is indeed closing in... Alot of work and planning ahead. For some serious fun of spooking, frightening, thrills and sending cold chills down the spines of you, my dear friends. Beware!