Pumpkin Pals

 Spotted at  Party @ Display & Costume over Labor Day weekend.

It's beginning to look a lot like --

 Not sure why, but that Halloween Feeling hasn't been hitting me as intensely this year -- which is why I haven't been updating this blog or my Instagram much. 

That didn't stop me from feeling absolutely delighted about exploring the selection I found at Nordstrom Rack this weekend, however:

I bought the fuzzy skull blanket -- I mean, who needs yet another Halloween-themed blankie? Me, that's who.

It seems like they were just beginning to put stuff out. Lots of fun bed & bath related decor.

A busy October - part 2

 It's Cabbage Night -- the 30th of October, also known as Devil's Night, Mischief Night, or simply Halloween Eve. The post-Halloween funk is already creeping up on me. Despite all the stuff I got to do this year, especially compared to last year, I should feel super grateful -- and I do, I absolutely do. 

But, as every year, it seems like there is just never enough time to do all the things I want. And social media is a both good and bad for me, in that I get to see so many other people's Halloween experiences, projects, costumes, and events, while also suffering a serious case of FOMO (fear of missing out).

I don't have a home that I can really decorate the way I'd like -- I live in a small apartment. We don't get trick-or-treaters here. I definitely can't do a home haunt. I've been so busy with various life things that I haven't even had a chance to carve a pumpkin yet.

But here are a few more cool things that happened this month:

-- My BFF, who I just spent 3 weeks with visiting in Connecticut, came out to WA to visit me! 

-- We paid a visit to Champion Party Supply in Seattle, an old-school party store that has tons of great Halloween stuff, semi-vintage and new:

 

-- We spent a little time exploring the small town of Wilkeson WA, which is rumored to be haunted. I'd been there before without knowing its reputation, which I learned about recently via a Pretty Gritty Tours video, and it definitely gave me the creeps even then.

 

 

(Click this link to watch a video by Pretty Gritty Tours about Wilkeson and another creepy Washington town, Bucoda) 

-- We went, on a very rainy weeknight, to Fright Factory, a haunted house in Buckley, WA. My partner and I went several years ago, but my BFF had never been so we decided to go again and drag her along. 

 

The main takeaways from this year's experience: 

1.) Weeknights will get you in the door quickly, especially when it's raining, but there won't be nearly as many actors. 2.) The actors, both this year and a few years ago, were overall top notch. 3.) The sets are creative and aesthetically pleasing, though a few seemed a bit lacking in lighting in areas that seemed like there should be more actors; wondering if those are different on busy nights? 4.) There are a lot of animatronics used pretty strategically that help make up for missing live actors. 5.) This haunt is LOUD. Lots of jump-scares based on sound alone. Might want to bring some ear plugs for this one if you're sensitive to loud sounds. Their use of music was a great touch though, I loved it. 6.) The final room was a maze, and got a little confusing. The room became a bit bottle-necked because people (including us) kept second-guessing the exit, which lead outside to seemingly nowhere, making us all wonder if we'd gone through an emergency exit. A slightly exasperated evil clown finally just told us that was it. Wish there had been even a simple sign saying "thank you for visiting" or something to indicate that it was the end of the haunt.

**Unfortunately, we had two minor injuries during our visit. An animatronic in the ceiling in one scene extended too low, and smacked my partner in the head, leaving a slight mark. This should not have happened, either the animatronic should have been up higher in the ceiling out of the way of customers' heads, or the area should have been blocked off to prevent this from happening. Also, on our way out, an actor with a chainsaw ran at my friend and didn't back off quickly enough, thus bumping her slightly, which left a slight bump/red mark where his chainsaw came in contact; when it happened, he muttered angrily and openly blamed her (???). My partner, my BFF, and I more or less shrugged off these incidents, realizing that they were just minor accidents, while at the same time acknowledging that someone could have been more seriously injured. Never in all my time of going to haunted attractions has something like this ever happened, and they should never happen in a haunt, pro or not. Although there's lots to like about Fright Factory, I'm not sure I'll ever go again because of this, which is a serious bummer. 

-- We paid a visit to the annual Dia de los Muertos exhibit at the Tacoma Art Museum, a beautiful and somber display featuring a massive sand painting, and an entire room full of community and personal ancestor altars, including ones dedicated to missing and murdered First Nations women and children.

 -- And, today, we finally got some sun after days and days of rain. 

 

Stay tuned for my Halloween 2021 wrap-up.

Don't Spook to Me or My Son Ever Again

 

And other adventures in Halloween decor:

(The wreaths above & below were created by my extremely talented BFF)

(All photos and content by Petrichor & Pumpkins/ Nebulosus Severine/ CMPauluh 2021)

Cheapie Halloween trinkets

Yesterday I had to stop at the pharmacy, so while I was there I decided to check out the seasonal offerings there, and at Dollar Tree next door.

Still slim picking everywhere in my area. Stores seem to be at 50% of their normal Halloween capacity, at best. Anyway, here's a few things I picked up.

From Dollar Tree I got the Halloween bone beads (left), the pumpkin truck socks, and the LED projector light. (I also got a hanging ghost, a red felt autumn leaf placemat, and a fuzzy web wreath with a pink glittery spider in the center, not pictured).

From Rite Aid I got the bat and stripey socks and the festive napkins. I mean, look at these. The artwork is so great.

I've never seen pumpkin trucks socks before. Hey, the more Halloween socks, the merrier.

Here's the Dollar Tree projector in action, it's not bad for a buck, might look pretty cool overlapped with one of those fire/ice projectors.

 

That's all for now! I am currently packing for my red-eye flight out of Seattle tonight. My next post will be in Connecticut, flight schedules willing!

The best Beetlejuice t-shirt ever??

I will be attending a Beetlejuice-themed immersive theater event in a few weeks called The Netherworld Experience at the Curioporium in Hartford, CT. Beetlejuice has been one of my top favorite films since I first saw it on the big screen eons ago and I wanted to find a fitting shirt to wear for the evening. I searched and searched thru many many different styles on different online merchants and finally, I saw this and knew this was THE one I had to have, by NerdChamber on Etsy:

 
Click on the pic above to watch a movie clip!

Spirit 2021

I paid my first visit of the season to Spirit Halloween over the weekend. I didn't go at all in 2020 so I was really looking forward to it. 

 

 

As with so many Halloween retail locations around here, it's obvious they are lacking in stock. Lots of half-empty and sparse displays. Perhaps even more disappointing, hardly any of the animatronics were on display, maybe only 5 or 6. And of those that were out, some weren't even fully operational. There were several very conspicuously empty spots where more were supposed to be. 

 

From all the hype I had been seeing and hearing elsewhere online about Spirit's 2021 offerings, I was really bummed that so much of it was not available at the store I visited. Underwhelming. I don't know why our area is getting so screwed in regard to Halloween shipments this year. 

 

This ghost was pretty rad, though - genuinely spooky voice.

 

I'm pretty tired of the psycho clown thing for Halloween, but I like neon stuff so this guy gets a pass.

 

They had some pretty cool home decor type stuff this year, but I'm honestly getting tired of the oversaturation of licensed characters and franchises. I mean, I LOVE Beetlejuice, etc. but part of the reason I've been so drawn to the Halloween and horror aesthetic is that it is, or was, more subversive and off the beaten path of mainstream culture. Now a lot of it has, literally, become Disney-fied, and that doesn't sit well with me. I loathe the idea of Halloween becoming too watered down and "family-friendly". But, that's an entirely different conversation.

One thing I did love at Spirit this year, however, is the "Pumpkin Carv-O-Matic Factory" display - I consider this to be one of the most fun displays they've had in years.

I didn't end up buying anything except for a couple of "bleeding" black taper candles. I'll be visiting another Spirit in a few weeks when I go back to Connecticut for awhile, it will be interesting to compare the two stores.

Spooky Pickles

I pretty much use any opportunity to spoil my tortie cat, Pickles. She's pretty smart and gets bored easily, so I do what I can to keep her engaged with stuff. So when I saw Halloween toys as I was buying food for her today, into the cart they went! They're technically dog toys but they're about the right size for cat kicker toys.

So far she ain't sure what to make of them. Well, I think after a little catnip, she and these monster buddies will be best friends.

 

 

(photos and content by Petrichor & Pumpkins/Nebulosus Severine/CMPauluh)