We've Done it Before...

Still a great film, and wonderful Hallowe'en prop inspiration.

A Fiesta Hallowe'en

One of my favorite ceramics places, Fiesta Ware has Hallowe'en dishes!

The ghosts are just too stinking cute! WANT!

Skull and Vine is so El Dia de Los Muertos!

I've always said a girl can't have enough Skeletons!

I guess I know what needs to go on my housewarming gift list when I finally get into my own space!

Click here for the full collection.

Porch Ghost

Via Halloween Sh#t on Tumblr. Artist unknown.

The Yorick Project

Great hack for your Alexa, done by Mike McGurrin. 

Click on the pic for video. Click here to read the Bored Panda article.

Tequila and Guillermo...

Patron and Guillermo Del Toro. Could be good.

Could just be another skull-themed booze.

But who am I kidding? I'll still pick one up!

The Shape of Water

This could really be good! Click on the pic for the trailer...

Now Playing: The Charmed Pot!

If you're interested in hearing only my segments from the podcast I've been so fortunate of which to be a part, now is your chance! 

Hauntcast's G-Host, Chris Baker, has gathered all of The Charmed Pot segments into one giant cauldron of wicked good fun!

The Mistress of Mayhem adds vintage Halloween, spooky stories and all ingredients dark and mysterious in the Charmed Pot. All of Shelley's segments are now available at http://hauntcast.net/show-archives/charmed-pot-segments/.
Bloody Kisses!

It's a great chance to get your Hallowe'en fix in during prime build season.

Bloody kisses, and stay scary, my fiends!

Hauntcast: Post Mortem -- Trigger Warning

Now Slaying!

HAUNTCAST: POST MORTEM - "TRIGGER WARNING" - feat. WARREN MAXWELL OF 3RD DEGREE OF TERROR YARD HAUNT WITH MUSIC BY BARNYARD STOMPERS

HAUNTING GURU INTERVIEW:
Chris is convicted of 1st Degree Murder (murdering good taste that is) after conversing with the 3rd Degree of Terror's creator Warren Maxwell. 

THEATER OF THE MIND:
Revenant looks at haunting from a different perspective as he considers the use of optical illusions in hauntbuilding. 

BONE PHONE:
Eric Gathwait from Fatal Mentality butt dials Chris to discuss his new Octopill Arduino shield 

SHOCKTAILS:Visit the Last Bar on the Left and hear Baker suffer through DTs as he watches JT chug brews and review about 27 movies including "It Comes at Night".

GHOULIE GROOVES:
Barnyard Stompers rev up their new LP Outlaws with Chains II the Payback.

I took this episode of HCPM off this time because of the move, etc., but it's sure to be the usual haunt shenanigans!

Download the latest episode here.
Explore the site and all its treats here.

Happy Litha - Midsummer is Here!

From 1973's The Wicker Man

The Summer Solstice has arrived once again!

Time to take stock, and burn away what no longer serves you. Time to clearly see what you want and to bring it in.

Time to re-affirm your love with your partner, and to have a little romp in nature.

Time for hope.

The crops have been planted, the fruit has grown and will be ready for harvest soon.

What have you planted? What will you harvest?

I hope it's all you dreamed of. And more!

Happy Midsummer, gang!

Welcome to L.A.

It's been a couple of weeks since I packed the truck and got on the road to L.A., leaving behind my house, some great friends, and a decade of memories.

It's hard to express the mixed feelings I have about this, though if any of my readers have been through a divorce, they know, intimately, what I'm going through. There's heartbreak, yes. Lots of that, which is pretty normal after being with someone for sixteen years. There's the realization that you're almost fifty and going to live with your parents; not something I had in my planner for this stage of my life.

There's also relief and that certain feeling you get when you know you're going on an adventure.

I realized fairly early on in this process that I have the unique opportunity to re-make myself. I can find a new type of work. Create a new space for myself and Sam, a place where I can set up a studio and explore everything that's going on in my head without distraction or interference. I can start to write again, a pastime which I have missed deeply.

In short, there's enormous potential for growth, and it thrills me!

I've been in the process of recovering myself. I'd taken a few concept pictures of myself and sent them to a girlfriend with the idea of collaborating on a book (no, I'm not going to share about what it will be right now). She was intrigued by the idea and decided to come up to Folsom before I left in order to play with the idea further. Here's one:

She did a great job on my makeup, and the lighting was perfect! This picture in particular reminded me that I'm not repulsive (long story--we're not going there). I think that sometimes we need to see ourselves through the eyes of a friend before we can believe the good things about ourselves, instead of what others, who don't necessarily have our best interests at heart, tell us. It's not about physical appearance, either. It's about someone seeing that ineffable part of you and doing their best to hold it up to you and help you to see it.

Today would have been our anniversary. I find it more than a little ironic that I have to work on divorce paperwork today...

Well. Onwards right? Here's to adventure.