tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56759610197747880492024-03-05T11:11:58.504-08:00Tangle of WiresThe Halloween blog of Scott Axworthy.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-89425222605327910592010-11-13T14:44:00.000-08:002010-11-13T14:44:33.232-08:00Rotting Jack o'lanternsThese fine fellows aren't getting older, they're getting better.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROkYvNQTykbRH8HLED_Q4v5SBVi8kxne0KZ7M6ErfNCEo9bfqopJFffqEV6gdwtOe2tSiyIpF4h8k-ElDYM9g5n-GwEs5bdUJsF2sFZxwTCqEtXjS66j68aU5TSI3gJ6MFou_a2mt84Y/s1600/Rotting+Jackolantern2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROkYvNQTykbRH8HLED_Q4v5SBVi8kxne0KZ7M6ErfNCEo9bfqopJFffqEV6gdwtOe2tSiyIpF4h8k-ElDYM9g5n-GwEs5bdUJsF2sFZxwTCqEtXjS66j68aU5TSI3gJ6MFou_a2mt84Y/s400/Rotting+Jackolantern2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnlaCSfc9keiULQ-tAX6pQhEGAx6ABA_1Y7CN9zNvgbInP4jbB-SIyF5n4OUJUJdUofPTziIJUaBYTxVlBdgup5wiaMdkpqX73Ak2vHh77F9xvAKjfTBqVTE58eMmBUi_OJy8z62h6rY/s1600/Rotting+jackolantern3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnlaCSfc9keiULQ-tAX6pQhEGAx6ABA_1Y7CN9zNvgbInP4jbB-SIyF5n4OUJUJdUofPTziIJUaBYTxVlBdgup5wiaMdkpqX73Ak2vHh77F9xvAKjfTBqVTE58eMmBUi_OJy8z62h6rY/s320/Rotting+jackolantern3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8ocJuMyuMPwWxm5n-fxSpJPQq3i1MQZa8u3tdLzGMh9ZbeWNR9CBOtvisT4az1uuXwi87ExFAN0Wj8Xl9_iVQTljGSTRaWlyCcO7JSdUCoDBhcgz6ROrMCOJDXLyzAtKyYkWzxRlcOA/s1600/Rotting+Jackolantern1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8ocJuMyuMPwWxm5n-fxSpJPQq3i1MQZa8u3tdLzGMh9ZbeWNR9CBOtvisT4az1uuXwi87ExFAN0Wj8Xl9_iVQTljGSTRaWlyCcO7JSdUCoDBhcgz6ROrMCOJDXLyzAtKyYkWzxRlcOA/s320/Rotting+Jackolantern1.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/scottax/PumpkinPhotography?feat=directlink">rotting jack o'lanterns here</a>.</div>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-15136649990624662010-11-06T15:46:00.000-07:002010-11-06T15:46:39.156-07:00More Pumpkin Photography - Rotting and Polaroids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcUeVmVxRWuhNe2aGmlXrzXVCKTTuaY3f4-GOp67ypv3ZX-a7H6x3n_8jkU9Sq1AA6ff9LXA5QOJwEMqWQazTdAf4th7uRFDAlFGiAv6bi-TycZOJRo5bvrdq-TQC02ctMXvpkmSEXq8Y/s1600/Pumpkin-Patch-Polaroid1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcUeVmVxRWuhNe2aGmlXrzXVCKTTuaY3f4-GOp67ypv3ZX-a7H6x3n_8jkU9Sq1AA6ff9LXA5QOJwEMqWQazTdAf4th7uRFDAlFGiAv6bi-TycZOJRo5bvrdq-TQC02ctMXvpkmSEXq8Y/s320/Pumpkin-Patch-Polaroid1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The jack o'lanterns are waning almost as fast as my stock of 4x5 Polaroid Type 54 film. As promised in a <a href="http://tangleofwires.blogspot.com/2010/10/polaroids-neo-vintage-halloween.html">recent post</a>, I've take a few Pumpkin Polaroid shots. I'm heartbroken that this film stock is no longer made. Unopened boxes of 20 sheets are going for hundreds of dollars on ebay now. I've run out, but just bought 12 more sheets on ebay for $37.00, which will likely be my last. On top of that, my Polaroid back that I use in my Crown Graphic is really acting up. It doesn't want to spread the processing chemical goo evenly across the picture. I lost three of five shots today, two to this problem, and one to a jam that occasionally happens. As is often the case when trying to take shots close up, the focus leaves something to be desired. It is a total crap-shoot to get the focus correct the first time under about 8 feet. But since I was low on film and losing shots to technical problems, no retakes came out.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVVwRbK6Q0cHxgguE1kT0SVnqRSHVcEmtKWEnraK7fkc-J1DhToO_sLVNpwo1kPY8zpPw0h6B1Up79zD7wK69WqYCYcrDseq77D9JiJibxJhk54zcfrVL3RIqgQdHInLZs-7I9OqFK2A/s1600/Pumpkin-Pot-Polaroid2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVVwRbK6Q0cHxgguE1kT0SVnqRSHVcEmtKWEnraK7fkc-J1DhToO_sLVNpwo1kPY8zpPw0h6B1Up79zD7wK69WqYCYcrDseq77D9JiJibxJhk54zcfrVL3RIqgQdHInLZs-7I9OqFK2A/s320/Pumpkin-Pot-Polaroid2.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>I also took more shots with my Nikon, back to one of my favorite subjects, the rotting jack o'lantern. I tried to mimic the look of the Polaroids by taking them black and white and sepia.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMM-N0qZFReF0ZZouzFKlg80-grcYH4RVur2dVx0pBNxT5jxXwJ3INnPuKJyRFNkshnugiltocy9KcaLrUrVNK3mhVXOIRDDHKYHb3BNQsZOidKos1f9yI1oPO3xuOZWJhXjcjg4dt6io/s1600/Pumpkin+Rotting+B-W2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMM-N0qZFReF0ZZouzFKlg80-grcYH4RVur2dVx0pBNxT5jxXwJ3INnPuKJyRFNkshnugiltocy9KcaLrUrVNK3mhVXOIRDDHKYHb3BNQsZOidKos1f9yI1oPO3xuOZWJhXjcjg4dt6io/s320/Pumpkin+Rotting+B-W2.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBY2AMDsABqEns1n2VcTeTaYi8uTrkZQMibNGTCQiANj9olbX86KZmxYOBfM3iLUp1ITHcUjsOxn_5x5PBmRBcFZmHaNYSpNUxydKR64yJKCg5wSZMIzguHrDBjLS-bdPjllTicrKplY/s1600/Pumpkin+Rotting+B-W+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBY2AMDsABqEns1n2VcTeTaYi8uTrkZQMibNGTCQiANj9olbX86KZmxYOBfM3iLUp1ITHcUjsOxn_5x5PBmRBcFZmHaNYSpNUxydKR64yJKCg5wSZMIzguHrDBjLS-bdPjllTicrKplY/s320/Pumpkin+Rotting+B-W+1.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-62021961134433722612010-11-02T15:57:00.000-07:002010-11-02T15:57:25.981-07:00Flying Ghost -- I've been out done!Long ago, in the days of the Halloween-l mailing list, I invented a ghost system that came to be known as the <a href="http://scaredy-cat.com/afg.html">Axworthy Flying Ghost</a>. Mine was relegated to a fixed flight path with a complex system of pulleys. But now, Michael from <a href="http://www.utahaerials.com/">Utah Aerials</a> has built a <a href="http://www.utahaerials.com/2010/10/evil-remote-controlled-ghost.html">remote control flying ghost</a> that is free to roam in the range of the RC transmitter. <br />
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<object height="390" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jr8stcBBN_s&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jr8stcBBN_s&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></embed></object><br />
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And it gets better, it even broadcasts back video!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubdaBuzDL6tIpDZnEjWebehSsV1oihjgVYNsH_5c9nodzlyW1mGZq9YGqVXgrjFffkTTD4Lk9NTGieCOxfemH-HEH4CoY-0s0X8AM_tDdrfeQa1yuzHh7OAB3-2faQV-E14OjOrugazxG/s320/Mr.T.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubdaBuzDL6tIpDZnEjWebehSsV1oihjgVYNsH_5c9nodzlyW1mGZq9YGqVXgrjFffkTTD4Lk9NTGieCOxfemH-HEH4CoY-0s0X8AM_tDdrfeQa1yuzHh7OAB3-2faQV-E14OjOrugazxG/s200/Mr.T.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Here is a picture of the device. It is based on the platform from <a href="http://kkmulticopter.com/">kkmulticopter.com</a>. The biggest drawback I can see in proper haunt use, is the obvious noise this would create. My tethered specter at least has the advantage of being whisper quiet. As soon as the black ops stealth model comes out, I'll be building a new ghost.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-61402121367467133472010-10-25T22:14:00.000-07:002010-10-25T22:14:07.827-07:00HalloweenDrinks.net is launched!<div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Ok, the site was actually launched quite a while ago but I keep forgetting to announce it. The <a href="http://www.halloweendrinks.net/search/label/pumpkin%20liqueur">pumpkin liqueur recipe</a> and pumpkin martinis got a lot of attention here, so I decided that a site devoted to all types of Halloween drinks and cocktails must be needed. <a href="http://www.halloweendrinks.net/">HalloweenDrinks.net</a> is the result. <img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8UA6MmRrAfKgBC6pMfhgghO56nNDjyXcb4ETj6-_fp2Z3NBbXbqXn78eUAaqzBwqCkdJ_utAKmi0ympXAoiuAUgxSWv5Eb0OrAA3IMRYz08rC_E-tU7jp4g22XSrcaLGcSw4bOy4-jc/s400/DSC_9023.JPG" width="400" /></div><br />
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I'll be doing a new series on the pumpkin martinis soon, and have some new pumpkin martini photos to show off as well.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0FUsNZIvelUWp7qt5mbNP4RRj-sTWNCtxYkpinmyPOzrnwRewhyphenhyphenip9N-3JODTpBLSsg5aEp6HjZBHPbnh7NpArlW5mevLxHAChjzjBK66Vq_lXuDiEg3hMzRL9AgaZigcBdmCOhMmmU/s1600/DSC_9312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0FUsNZIvelUWp7qt5mbNP4RRj-sTWNCtxYkpinmyPOzrnwRewhyphenhyphenip9N-3JODTpBLSsg5aEp6HjZBHPbnh7NpArlW5mevLxHAChjzjBK66Vq_lXuDiEg3hMzRL9AgaZigcBdmCOhMmmU/s400/DSC_9312.JPG" width="265" /></a></div>Check it out at <a href="http://www.halloweendrinks.net/">http://www.HalloweenDrinks.net</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-76498411536230245352010-10-25T08:44:00.000-07:002010-10-26T19:50:05.357-07:00Polaroids - Neo Vintage HalloweenSweeet! <a href="http://pumpkinrot.blogspot.com/search/label/polaroid">Pumpkinrot</a> has some great new-old Halloween pictures.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZr0EHfP6qCoG_X5oX1f0_KgJ1w15x8zY0njtKuE7s745mlGYRf3v0MnC7MeTXuwco1v9wfnxB7L6gluKf8GF_R97S-cHezEnbGwTmnNArBwQ7RZjR2auqSfMPI-XNAoEZ5E8nfnFmCvI/s400/decorations0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZr0EHfP6qCoG_X5oX1f0_KgJ1w15x8zY0njtKuE7s745mlGYRf3v0MnC7MeTXuwco1v9wfnxB7L6gluKf8GF_R97S-cHezEnbGwTmnNArBwQ7RZjR2auqSfMPI-XNAoEZ5E8nfnFmCvI/s320/decorations0001.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><br />
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Taken with old-school Polaroid gear, they specifically went in search of vintage Halloween items.<br />
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I'm a huge fan of Polaroid pictures, they have a certain quality to them. As part of my pumpkin photography project I plan to shoot some Polaroids as well and I'll have them coming before too long.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2TaH_XkWKebECbGVW_B4s3aee2py0X7KmcdF0vKknxydpgwNoINsCo6RgjwKi3KqEsg7fdIWdDfls7Emn0EtqomZJSmpENOenD0KaO5hvWiJJgTAERKF1EdbnyfsanO0GnrNDmWw41s/s1600/decorations0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2TaH_XkWKebECbGVW_B4s3aee2py0X7KmcdF0vKknxydpgwNoINsCo6RgjwKi3KqEsg7fdIWdDfls7Emn0EtqomZJSmpENOenD0KaO5hvWiJJgTAERKF1EdbnyfsanO0GnrNDmWw41s/s320/decorations0002.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1VsU7x4tyruwP7AyudTr8uDS5dJWRF5vUZSB2arK86CX3oStJscsGpPnNpJ5I6E_O_aB7Z-Y7w05_tOf8C6PGx7W1SAVEHDfE96ITdbNQe5Z9rIYnF7NWFUWjQMcgd0wkYi2kyDZk5U/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1VsU7x4tyruwP7AyudTr8uDS5dJWRF5vUZSB2arK86CX3oStJscsGpPnNpJ5I6E_O_aB7Z-Y7w05_tOf8C6PGx7W1SAVEHDfE96ITdbNQe5Z9rIYnF7NWFUWjQMcgd0wkYi2kyDZk5U/s200/images.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I've got my Dad's old 4x5 Crown Graphic Graphlex with a Polaroid back. I only shoot black and white and it takes amazing pictures. Polaroid stopped producing the film, though there is another brand available now. I've only got a few shots left but I'm going to use them for pumpkin shots. <br />
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Go visit <a href="http://pumpkinrot.blogspot.com/search/label/polaroid">Pumpkinrot</a> to check out all the pictures. Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-86010149927688969012010-10-24T12:25:00.000-07:002010-10-25T22:22:51.591-07:00Pumpkin Photography<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I finally had some time to start experimenting with <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/scottax/PumpkinPhotography?authkey=Gv1sRgCOzNz8bewovWWQ&feat=directlink">pumpkin photography</a>. I've been needing pumpkin and jack o'lantern pictures for a variety of uses, but also wanted to try some artsy stuff. Here are a few of the early examples:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItfBCJ2gWDqJ7DjmrznTGlJ52-KyrCXbCKk8bQP7_aC-KD5ESLB6ed_bEG2M7b7mVIBL8fWHyv7idObFcPQ9A-MI35OiJVhglFMivJJ0fpPurN5b67S2Yvr5FRC3KVRvT49HCpF0tw-w/s1600/DSC_9128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItfBCJ2gWDqJ7DjmrznTGlJ52-KyrCXbCKk8bQP7_aC-KD5ESLB6ed_bEG2M7b7mVIBL8fWHyv7idObFcPQ9A-MI35OiJVhglFMivJJ0fpPurN5b67S2Yvr5FRC3KVRvT49HCpF0tw-w/s400/DSC_9128.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuUPrwfF2dwuUnyVa69fVa1atIegeHXju7GlYUkTREI7z_v1pwBmpQL9gUV7S-4shKneFEZprt4OCmKzYgnaPS1F9QN8gxAT8k2stY_Yw0b2TnyQCbBq41AOyqhM0TWtT5NiYssi7TFQ/s1600/DSC_9095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuUPrwfF2dwuUnyVa69fVa1atIegeHXju7GlYUkTREI7z_v1pwBmpQL9gUV7S-4shKneFEZprt4OCmKzYgnaPS1F9QN8gxAT8k2stY_Yw0b2TnyQCbBq41AOyqhM0TWtT5NiYssi7TFQ/s320/DSC_9095.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<embed flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fscottax%2Falbumid%2F5531682205976715569%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26authkey%3DGv1sRgCOzNz8bewovWWQ%26hl%3Den_US" height="267" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"></embed><br />
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More pictures <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ctable%20style=%22width:194px;%22%3E%3Ctr%3E%3Ctd%20align=%22center%22%20style=%22height:194px;background:url%28http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif%29%20no-repeat%20left%22%3E%3Ca%20href=%22http://picasaweb.google.com/scottax/PumpkinPhotography?authkey=Gv1sRgCOzNz8bewovWWQ&feat=embedwebsite%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://lh3.ggpht.com/_erot8kWE934/TMR7qIGXYTE/AAAAAAAAHog/sdFhrTl5_1Q/s160-c/PumpkinPhotography.jpg%22%20width=%22160%22%20height=%22160%22%20style=%22margin:1px%200%200%204px;%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/td%3E%3C/tr%3E%3Ctr%3E%3Ctd%20style=%22text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px%22%3E%3Ca%20href=%22http://picasaweb.google.com/scottax/PumpkinPhotography?authkey=Gv1sRgCOzNz8bewovWWQ&feat=embedwebsite%22%20style=%22color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;%22%3EPumpkin%20Photography%3C/a%3E%3C/td%3E%3C/tr%3E%3C/table%3E">here</a>, and more to come.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-34594706709975490262010-10-19T21:29:00.000-07:002010-10-19T21:29:09.359-07:00Extreme 3D Pumpkin CarvingMy brother pointed me to some <a href="http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=70618309&blogId=440625067">extreme 3-D pumpkin carving by Ray Villafane</a>. I've used 3-D carving a little, but I prefer the classic Jack o' Lanterns look myself. But this one is especially nice:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://villafanestudios.com/PumpkinCheeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://villafanestudios.com/PumpkinCheeks.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Check out his site, he also talks about his experience with in an upcoming episode of the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food-network-challenge/outrageous-pumpkins/index.html">Food Networks show, Challenge</a>, competing against other carvers for a $10,000 prize.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-42560236227041210002010-10-15T17:09:00.000-07:002010-10-15T17:09:35.450-07:00Laser Pumpkin CarvingThe folks over at <a href="http://metrixcreatespace.com/">Metrix Create:Space</a> are at it again. Carving pumpkins with lasers! So many possibilities here, the mind reels. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/5058474607_f1e3bddbfe.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/5058474607_f1e3bddbfe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>There was some small print; "Pumpkin must be smaller than approximately 8” in diameter." Sounds to me like they just need a bigger laser!Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-70934185219335522152010-10-14T20:11:00.000-07:002010-10-14T20:49:43.944-07:00Seattle Fall Arts - Chris SheridanWe've got a Fall arts event underway here in Seattle called <a href="http://artscrush.com/">Arts Crush</a>. In searching through all the events I came upon this artist, <a href="http://www.sheridanart.com/">Chris Sheridan</a>. Some of his work caught my eye, so -- shall we say -- seasonal. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sheridanart.com/"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVML4wmydYmQUDc4eShWYVuV7L2o5YkAQdb0liewF8LB0aYCTAHtAE_HZQzy7oIAHGccPcZciXBIP3LodWfvPzeNO56afbBWYnLP9uQyLjmpBfKoW8pxYCPiGR-d-rTe90LALGy6h_go/s400/chrissheridan_room_existencewebcopy.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><br />
Check out the images in the category called, "The King of Change". The show will be up at <a href="http://www.bherdstudios.com/">Bherd Studios</a> until the first week of November. I can't wait to check it out in person.<br />
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</span>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-59771090709965601832010-10-11T22:19:00.000-07:002010-10-11T22:20:39.085-07:00Hauntless in SeattleFor the first time in years, I've got no Halloween haunt. The Zoo canceled their annual Pumpkin Prowl event due to budget woes, and I was working with a new group that pitched to the zoo to do an event at the zoo this year, but it didn't come together in time. But being sleep deprived from August through October isn't all its cracked up to be and this year I get to enjoy the season.<br />
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We took a first time ever late summer vacation, doing a road trip down the West coast. We ended up in LA and <i>had</i> to spend a few days at Disneyland. The last day there was the first day they opened up the Haunted Mansion, re-themed for Halloween with a Nightmare before Christmas theme. I was amazed, as it is a top to bottom rework of the attraction. Everything has been touched right down to the sound track. I guess Disney finally figured out that they had a theme that would last from September all the way through Christmas. <br />
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And while I'm a fan of the Nightmare before Christmas, it really makes for a lousy Haunted Mansion theme. I've got my fingers crossed that when they take another shot at the Haunted Mansion movie, there will be new fodder to work with for Halloween re-theming. But given the amount of work that went into the HM, I doubt that will happen.<br />
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That all said, there was some really nice work that went into the production!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATx_CNdzcTLcn7A8ES0sy53IjSBSZitaP574gdc6Bz8fQyWdrWo-YkxHHmBrs4n9s-BR2tEGI5Au-unJXnoRTnad0-SgLZxoYDXWjPh_ubXC7AG0vrOHWEm3p2jbBpKgALUkneI7i_-Y/s1600/hm-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATx_CNdzcTLcn7A8ES0sy53IjSBSZitaP574gdc6Bz8fQyWdrWo-YkxHHmBrs4n9s-BR2tEGI5Au-unJXnoRTnad0-SgLZxoYDXWjPh_ubXC7AG0vrOHWEm3p2jbBpKgALUkneI7i_-Y/s400/hm-blog.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-12161589173658810902010-07-11T16:44:00.000-07:002010-10-05T18:22:53.713-07:00Pumpkin Carving -- Nice!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt84yWmpO3xyObGP_7jRqWmd5JxgHNkivIZu6M_zWoehfA34EUZnFNbxpxwBVRszYHpbZ64CPa0QOj78Qb1utVDUNiMIKTpV3ZbBQU7FBpuCMsKxtYbguOF_O-uZzch4DkXLJ_l0hjY2Q/s1600/pumpkinway.33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt84yWmpO3xyObGP_7jRqWmd5JxgHNkivIZu6M_zWoehfA34EUZnFNbxpxwBVRszYHpbZ64CPa0QOj78Qb1utVDUNiMIKTpV3ZbBQU7FBpuCMsKxtYbguOF_O-uZzch4DkXLJ_l0hjY2Q/s320/pumpkinway.33.jpg" /></a></div>Every year, just before show time, comes that little wave of panic knowing that you've got to carve some hot jack o'lanterns. I scour through my own old pictures looking at previous pumpkins that worked well and also cruise the web to find nuggets of inspiration. I wish I had found this site, <a href="http://pumpkinway.com/">Pumpkin Way,</a> earlier, talk about inspiration. I've used some of these techniques before, like the partial carve through, but these pumpkins are particularly well done.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-olpcYfmSTqj9PGgOW_0DhHhYTfbYPm64Edgtt5ZJB9XuXvFLqsSyH-G7EIrE7OaTFHboXyEA2sC11X3HmwAgzvbpG2UHL9vso4dunV-XQGl-j9G4ldIYDjkSpvFhPgzzUMdy8oc4zQo/s1600/pumpkinway.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-olpcYfmSTqj9PGgOW_0DhHhYTfbYPm64Edgtt5ZJB9XuXvFLqsSyH-G7EIrE7OaTFHboXyEA2sC11X3HmwAgzvbpG2UHL9vso4dunV-XQGl-j9G4ldIYDjkSpvFhPgzzUMdy8oc4zQo/s320/pumpkinway.25.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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I also like how the face is obviously adapted to the pumpkin. I've always been a fan of the imperfect pumpkin, the pumpkin in the pile that was unique in some way. Some of the oddball pumpkins give instant inspiration. The hardest pumpkin for me to carve is the classic, perfectly formed pumpkin. If I don't have a planned use for the perfect pumpkin, I usually end up frozen, staring glazed at the orange orb with "carvers block."<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzz1MuyTS-S3qloXRCaSRHqaT2xkZ6jL7vSY2Yr9vK1sCDVkmdW33gtOhWH1Xv8eI85xLV2LyGO04uITi0-QBVHlBLwvMz-qnyApED2rssjz1kNFD8MQ-QdkT_71LK8R1cUJRa_tmdfs/s1600/pumpkinway.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzz1MuyTS-S3qloXRCaSRHqaT2xkZ6jL7vSY2Yr9vK1sCDVkmdW33gtOhWH1Xv8eI85xLV2LyGO04uITi0-QBVHlBLwvMz-qnyApED2rssjz1kNFD8MQ-QdkT_71LK8R1cUJRa_tmdfs/s320/pumpkinway.23.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuNjcgcUVt54ipS5-asOhEpQdSsTNvjfRdDSW7Ynm82YLmEiDIcE88EMSQErq6EftG5MURooBrWG2Azmhmny4YPPdMX0RXDw-On9zxcoU9WY-sWA8678DhyonuBVPPRMXgQrGPY0FtfM/s1600/pumpkinway.7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuNjcgcUVt54ipS5-asOhEpQdSsTNvjfRdDSW7Ynm82YLmEiDIcE88EMSQErq6EftG5MURooBrWG2Azmhmny4YPPdMX0RXDw-On9zxcoU9WY-sWA8678DhyonuBVPPRMXgQrGPY0FtfM/s320/pumpkinway.7.jpg" /></a>And finally, the photography is exceptional. I've wanted to spend some time photographing my jack o'lanterns but never have the time in the heat of the event.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Check all of them out here at <a href="http://pumpkinway.com/">Pumpkin Way</a><br />
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Via <a href="http://hauntstyle.blogspot.com/2009/10/pumpkin-inspiration.html">Haunt Style</a>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-71855095970664793372009-11-08T21:03:00.000-08:002009-11-08T21:19:52.655-08:00Other blogs of interest...One thing I regret getting so deeply sucked into my own Halloween project is that I miss what everyone else is up to. I'm getting caught up on what a few other folks have doing this year and I realized I needed to add a "blogs I like" section (on the right and down a bit.)<br /><br />A few comments about the first blogs in the list.....<br /><br />Donovan's <a href="http://roboyeti.blogspot.com/">Accidental Shock Therapy</a> (nice name!) - New, but keep your eye here for things to come.<br /><br /><a href="http://theludwigs.com/">The Ludwigs</a> - Look to the Halloween tags, and also the repeated theme of "Things I want but don't need". All I can say is John, stop it! Every time I look at your blog, I suddenly realize it is an hour later and I've done a deep Internet dive getting sucked from link to link. And it was John's blog that reminded me to go back and look at the next two blogs.<br /><br />Kurt's <a href="http://grimvisions.com/">Grimvisions</a> - A local Seattle Halloween master, I've got to set some time aside to delve deep into his site.<br /><br />Scott's <a href="http://www.stolloween.com/">Stolloween</a> - I remember Scott from the old Halloween-L days... He has some amazing papier mache work going!<br /><br />That's it for the moment, more to come.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-52876511269067453782009-11-03T19:36:00.000-08:002009-11-03T19:43:17.202-08:00Skull Clock<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://hauntstyle.blogspot.com/2009/11/400-year-old-skull-clock.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 335px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbMIo7EyFjDNiGOSXi7kUfBKO7qtBw5J-ivCywhjgqeC74n-M4fVWBUXZ-N6uuh9Ci1a6lH0SHmjhpQUv-58dBeRyltGNRJP3VnyrIJK3coFOl3sR6jcMpz-fSCoyenuanM5WNFnncFkg/s200/skull+automaton+clock.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400088498118921810" border="0" /></a><br />This clock is nice, though it would be even better if it was about 10 feet high!<br /><br />Via <a href="http://hauntstyle.blogspot.com/2009/11/400-year-old-skull-clock.html">Haunt Style</a>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-40969480606975385372009-10-31T22:35:00.000-07:002010-08-02T10:22:34.808-07:00Vintage Halloween<a href="http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/10/vintage-halloween.html" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/.a/6a00d83451c45669e20120a6963fa0970c-500wi" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" width="392" /></a><br />
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A friend sent me a link to some <a href="http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/10/vintage-halloween.html">vintage halloween pictures.</a> I really love some of the old pictures and imagery. Be sure to follow the link referenced to see all the pictures. Halloween had gone through a golden era in the late 1800's to early 1900's, everyone participated in some fashion. It wasn't until the 1970's when gore, horror, and other silliness got associated with Halloween and it started to get a dubious reputation.<br />
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We were treated to a slideshow at my wife's folks cabin a couple of years ago, and there were some vintage Halloween pictures from the 1960s. These were taken in Colville, Washington, a vintage small town. I quickly snatched up the Halloween slides and had scans made. <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/scottax/Halloween1960s?feat=directlink">All five pictures here.</a><br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/scottax/Halloween1960s?feat=directlink"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwwa08lUihOkqaew-FWBLDRKD3KiLnOHi3bhfah205bc-fqqOVpoHuUPSxhhVpbJ1m9_tkLf1EBdHeKHNQof6Ki1HmK4X11HxuZ3MWR-WloV-iN4r_sUsCocsPSVbAlK-LXqRtWHA2Ys/s400/Diane-Russell.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/scottax/Halloween1960s?feat=embedwebsite">Halloween - 1960s</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-44188484628524415782009-10-31T22:13:00.000-07:002009-10-31T22:28:22.855-07:00Pumpkin Prowl 2009<a href="http://pumpkinprowl.com">Pumpkin Prowl</a> at <a href="http://zoo.org">Woodland Park Zoo</a> finished up last week. Finally getting caught up on sleep and just now getting <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/scottax/Halloween2009PumpkinProwl?feat=directlink">pictures posted</a>. <br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="288" height="192" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fscottax%2Falbumid%2F5398997002565613249%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br />The weather was iffy on Friday and Sunday, but Saturday was nice and it was *packed*. Donovan's full spider made its debut, it really looked great. His banshee got worked over as well and kept people mesmerized. The witch got a voice this year and movement with an over-sized FCG mechanism. The new controller worked flawlessly, though there is a lot of programming to go before it gets its full web control.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-75591723266385766812009-10-08T10:52:00.000-07:002009-10-08T11:07:24.735-07:00Metrix Create:Space<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kqttf1pRQV1qzmv6z.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 280px;" src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kqttf1pRQV1qzmv6z.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />There goes the neighborhood, this is like a porn shop for the maker community.... A new hackerspace/coffeshop place is opening soon on Capitol Hill here in Seattle. Part high tech workshop, part coffee shop, tools including laser etching and a 3D printer. And arduino microcontrollers in the vending machines! Can't wait to check it out.<br /><br />Via the <a href="http://blog.capitolhillseattle.com/2009/10/05/what-can-you-make-asks-metrix-create-space">Capitol Hill Blog</a><br /><br />Website: <a href="http://metrixcreatespace.com/">Metrix Create:Space</a>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-34511679586054761042009-09-19T12:40:00.000-07:002009-09-19T13:57:15.692-07:00Arduino, Vmusic2, XPort -- Halloween Controllers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mimTYP0KJGpuwFJ4A3_ARK66GXUz5FVa3a3NXWBU3WODBNgOcQ_m3qkQ1cLG0k7Yi5Mmi8tt2WuMcDDJsfsi6qc4ZCZNPlLN_979EKJENwHuAQ_j24HTGq-FrbYGUK1Y8hvlfbs5UUY/s640/2009-09-19%2013.27.49.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 440px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mimTYP0KJGpuwFJ4A3_ARK66GXUz5FVa3a3NXWBU3WODBNgOcQ_m3qkQ1cLG0k7Yi5Mmi8tt2WuMcDDJsfsi6qc4ZCZNPlLN_979EKJENwHuAQ_j24HTGq-FrbYGUK1Y8hvlfbs5UUY/s640/2009-09-19%2013.27.49.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I've been working on advanced concepts in controlling Halloween displays for a long time. But I've only just started executing some of my concepts last year. The tentacle controller was the first, but it is still very specific to the tentacle. I hope to have a set of fundamental capabilities in every controller and a set specific to the particular exhibit/device.<br /><br />My microprocessor platform of choice is still the <a href="http://arduino.cc/">arduino</a>, I'm excited to see the broad range of variations available, especially the <a href="http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardMega">Arduino Mega</a>, I need a lot of I/O. The most important feature of my controller concept is that they are networked and can be remotely controlled, configured, tuned, and monitored. That means adding an ethernet interface. I've been experimenting with the <a href="http://www.lantronix.com/device-networking/embedded-device-servers/xport-ar.html">Lantronix XPort AR</a>. This device is amazing, so many protocols built-in, including SSH, HTTPS, and email. The built-in web server appears advanced and there are numerous configurable pins. As these devices go, it is on the pricier side (~$65) but you get a lot of features. BUT.... the downside is that you need a software development tool kit to really modify the device for your project. You can drop basic files on the device that the web server will see, but there is some secret sauce in here to have the web server talk to the UARTs and configurable pins. Too bad, it was a promising device but I'm not going to buy the tools. I don't even know how much they cost, you have to talk to salesmen...ick. Come on Lantronix. Give us the razor and we'll buy your blades like crazy. I still haven't decided if I should stick with this device, or just go with a really basic <a href="http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9360">ethernet to serial device like this one.</a> Half the price, but I would have to move some capabilities into the Arduino, like email alerts. In the XPort AR, I can just trigger a pin high which in turn sends an email alert. I have to make this decision soon! Need to get a couple ordered.<br /><br />The other thing so many Halloween props need is quality sound. I've been searching around for the right method and finally decided on the <a href="http://www.vinculum.com/prd_vmusic1.html">Vinculum Vmusic2</a>. This is a slick device, a full MP3 player with a serial interface. It has a USB port for a USB fob with MP3s and a 1/8" mini stereo jack for output. Then a set of pins for the serial and power connections. It was frustrating getting it to fire up the first time, the docs are worthless. There is an excellent <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Getting-started-with-VMUSIC2/">instructable here</a> on getting this thing set up, but even that didn't point out the key step. Then I found <a href="http://www.garageofevil.com/tech/vmusic2_tutorial.php">this reference</a> from the <a href="http://www.garageofevil.com/">Garage of Evil</a> -- fellow high-tech haunters and my problem became clear. By default the Vmusic2 is setup for a CTS/DTR hardware handshake. You can tweak the settings through their firmware editor to just do tx/rx. But I couldn't get the device to come alive, which was required to pull the new firmware from the USB stick. I was beginning to think the default firmware wasn't on the device. Others have alluded to this in numerous posts, which then requires you to jump through hoops with the right cables to talk to the device to flash it. But the trick is to tie CTS to ground, that's it. The device woke up, reflashed itself, and everything is good. I dropped a couple MP3s on a thumbdrive and was soon talking to it through a serial connection firing off music while tweaking the controls. Nice! So in moments I'll be wiring up the first one to the current controller I'm working on. The picture here is the in-progress shot. A chassis from an old Sun outboard SCSI drive (12v and 5V) supply built-in, Arduino, protoshield, several relays, the Vmusic2, and much more to come.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-10408277337795218332009-09-10T13:09:00.000-07:002009-11-08T11:27:14.564-08:00Welding!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3vbJdqljOFxe9Q63mtZyL7kDF13Kne_ysLbWDeaKee50WPTKh9EK4L2kiZADjXHJLhL-V30Jqh8pqKhlTQKSocMjivEwA7XQbyEbtab2lZx6DBb-9XngSjXwWSxIkj0ZPMJkQLjlwME/s640/2009-09-11%2021.38.13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 440px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3vbJdqljOFxe9Q63mtZyL7kDF13Kne_ysLbWDeaKee50WPTKh9EK4L2kiZADjXHJLhL-V30Jqh8pqKhlTQKSocMjivEwA7XQbyEbtab2lZx6DBb-9XngSjXwWSxIkj0ZPMJkQLjlwME/s640/2009-09-11%2021.38.13.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Last year I borrowed a welder from Donovan, my Halloween fabricating colleague. I had to fab a cart that would be a roving platform for the tentacle. It was a MIG wirefeed welder and even being a complete welding newb, I produced a very functional unit. <table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0NJrMP54Ms1yksQW6STzDA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hHQPVUak5-TNaYIu6goWqaW4lfCxBA9TN0pF51RoihzPpQuwBjrSMzd2kRcaJlp_bQbiK2puFotF4m3peVnnkqEEkQ6XluDDNRTqGanmHo8RvU8DIYeXypwXuH5Ex-DKZVQgrsEn6vo/s288/tentacle-cart.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/scottax/TangleOfWires?feat=embedwebsite">Tangle of Wires</a></td></tr></tbody></table>My family got sick of hearing me wax on about the joys of welding and they got me a welder for my birthday. This is a bargain unit from <a href="http://harborfreight.com/">Harbor Freight.</a> We've got a Harbor Freight store close by and while the quality isn't always the best, the price/performance can't be beat. For us seasonal warriors, the gear works well. I started with flux core wire, but my results were pretty ugly. I added a regulator, and a small tank of C25 gas (75% argon, 25% C02) from my local <a href="http://praxair.com/">Praxair</a> store. I got a spool of the regular wire as well and now my welds look terrific!! What a difference in weld quality. Now I just need some serious practice. I've only welded ornamental additions on my pumpkin hanging shepards hooks so far this year, but plan to get more use fabricating various odds and ends. <table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/RYlsbf6UydoNG0fU3l4kRA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJId4AjFESgZdJG9khCK_f3d-fE-iQ1GeA9TZx1FWGuT1P1pnLvfHzo5yhAYzV5yJ_AAhsRA-xBCXYqy7ajAUS4sm3eWCY1ej4uSIgpkg6oPW-1hCnc-qtRm30JfzZOXpeqP1a3PQ_QKE/s288/detail.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/scottax/TangleOfWires?feat=embedwebsite">Tangle of Wires</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-65082645059153572082009-09-10T11:57:00.000-07:002009-09-10T13:07:01.179-07:00'Tis the Season...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADCbgy342_NxRIIfS4i8DeS2ceuFmT8uIGOwOkb5YCOXwSVzQdq6Z1q3jWlPIJK-ymTTJCeFZSG5hNWQQNueZQ_LG6wt9o3UFLnrt_Whyy4_qkRtWTVtAC5RimDzlQJS_9KKAmlqoetM/s1600-h/fountain-prepumpkins07.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADCbgy342_NxRIIfS4i8DeS2ceuFmT8uIGOwOkb5YCOXwSVzQdq6Z1q3jWlPIJK-ymTTJCeFZSG5hNWQQNueZQ_LG6wt9o3UFLnrt_Whyy4_qkRtWTVtAC5RimDzlQJS_9KKAmlqoetM/s320/fountain-prepumpkins07.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379931375054654338" /></a><br />Halloween is coming up quickly and I've been negligent in posting any new blog entries for a long time. My plan is to do the Woodland Park Zoo Pumpkin Prowl Event again this year, at least if we can work through the insurance requirements for us wee vendors at the zoo. Liability insurance for events is 'spensive to say the least. And it appears hard to get a policy tailored to my situation. Getting quotes now from the various providers that do coverage for Halloween events -- stay tuned.<br /><br />Not sure it there will be any new biggies this year, so many details still to do in the existing props. The witch will get some new features, she is still too static right now. I'm hoping to add a new Pumpkin Fountain controller that will still interface with the Zoo's Z-Play control system, but allow me direct access and control and tuning as well. Also it will be easier to monitor what is happening with it. Ethernet interface, arduino controller, and vmusic2 sound. Options for triggers and remote manual control, test modes for setting the sensors, and manual control of the duty cycle. Also control of the lights, fountain pump and compressor too. Web interface, hoping for syslog for logging, email out for alerts (low water, low air pressure, etc.) and more. We'll see how far I get. Can't seem to find any good pictures of the Pumpkin Fountain at the moment, the picture here is just after setup, but before the pumpkins were on it.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-12356781753116997382008-12-02T21:00:00.000-08:002008-12-02T21:14:14.777-08:00Jack o'lanterns in the tree!Love this idea!!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-whWpUQ6JRXFi9h5FESfXuxZFGmIq0JLRWU5cJq68Us8Qeiw5etD10D6dROrWkjwO2FDwi3cnc3cgj-W591Zvnyb7xqj3XkW3SRcAaEauRrtswSVqwKi2Exv5PUnMw5uwfOeoUyFlDow/s1600-h/PA310241_edited.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267470256910338114" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; height: 300px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-whWpUQ6JRXFi9h5FESfXuxZFGmIq0JLRWU5cJq68Us8Qeiw5etD10D6dROrWkjwO2FDwi3cnc3cgj-W591Zvnyb7xqj3XkW3SRcAaEauRrtswSVqwKi2Exv5PUnMw5uwfOeoUyFlDow/s400/PA310241_edited.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Via: <a href="http://pumpkinrot.blogspot.com/2008/12/munson-creeper.html">Pumpkinrot</a><br />Source: <a href="http://thudmunson.blogspot.com/2008/11/halloween-2008.html">thudmunson</a>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-36178945356378593612008-11-20T21:56:00.000-08:002009-11-08T11:25:56.746-08:00The "Subtle Pumpkin Martini"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://scaredy-cat.com/blogpics/Scotts-SubtlePumpkinMartini.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 432px;" src="http://scaredy-cat.com/blogpics/Scotts-SubtlePumpkinMartini.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Two fellow martini drinkers taught me to appreciate a classic Bombay Gin martini -- the gin had to come straight from the freezer. Oh so dry. Two olives and an onion..... So when it came to creating pumpkin martinis, I needed something that would appeal to me as I'm just not into sweet drinks.<br /><br />After much experimentation, here it is. This is good, if I do say so myself. And I think it will appeal to any classic martini drinker.<br /><br />The proportions are really important in this drink. You can scale it up, but keep the proportions the same. The balance is what makes it work.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scott's Subtle Pumpkin Martini</span><br />1 oz. <a href="http://bombaygin.com/">Bombay Gin</a><br />1 tsp <a href="http://tangleofwires.blogspot.com/2008/11/pumpkin-liqueur.html">Scott's Pumpkin Liqueur</a><br />And the super secret ingredient:<br />1/8th tsp <a href="http://www.laphroaig.com/">Laphroaig Scotch</a><br /><br />You could also use <a href="http://lagavulin.com/">Lagavulin Scotch</a>, but you might want just a wee bit more. It is the smokiness we're after here, so you need one of the heavier smokey, peaty Islay malts.<br /><br />So good.....<br /><br />One variation I'm going to try is the same basic recipe but instead of gin, I'm going to try the vodka from <a href="http://dryflydistillery.com/">Dry Fly Distillery</a>. I'm not a normally a vodka fan, but Dry Fly's is really good and I think it will work great in this drink.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-67449725175627634102008-11-20T20:38:00.000-08:002009-11-08T11:26:24.071-08:00Other Interesting Halloween Drinks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dabbled.org/2008/10/halloween-cocktail-fun.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 171px; height: 225px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/25/56178949_d77944982d.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I stumbled across several other intriguing Halloween drinks, check these out at <a href="http://www.dabbled.org/2008/10/halloween-cocktail-fun.html">Dabbled</a>.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And be sure to check <a href="http://www.dabbled.org/2008/10/halloween-cocktails-creepy-bubble-fun.html">these</a> out as well.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dabbled.org/2008/10/halloween-cocktails-creepy-bubble-fun.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 191px; height: 371px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3166/2980137414_7a3b88d840.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-40229012034866330972008-11-19T15:08:00.000-08:002010-01-30T12:29:35.506-08:00Pumpkin Martini #1<a href="http://scaredy-cat.com/blogpics/Scotts-PumpkinMartini2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://scaredy-cat.com/blogpics/Scotts-PumpkinMartini2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 410px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 272px;" /></a>This pumpkin martini is the over-the-top, frou-frou, big, bold, seasonal martini. If you like sweet martinis, this is the one. If you prefer a classic, gin or vodka, dry martini, hold out for the next recipe that I call the <a href="http://tangleofwires.blogspot.com/2008/11/subtle-pumpkin-martini.html">Subtle Pumpkin Martini</a>.<br />
<br />
Several friends have said, "this is the best martini I've ever had." I'm not sure why pumpkin liqueur lends itself to martinis so well, but who am I to argue. Without further ado, here is the recipe:<br />
<br />
Before mixing this up, prepare your martini glasses with a rim of cinnamon/sugar mixture. Premix some ground cinnamon with sugar, pour a few drops of cinnamon liqueur into the glass, and turn the glass partially upside down while rotating to wet the complete rim of the glass. Then dip the rim into the cinnamon/sugar mixture.<br />
<br />
1 oz. <a href="http://tangleofwires.blogspot.com/2008/11/pumpkin-liqueur.html">Scott's Pumpkin Liqueur</a><br />
1 oz. Vodka<br />
1/4 oz. Cinnamon Liqueur (such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldschl%C3%A4ger">Goldschlager</a>)<br />
Candy corn<br />
<br />
<br />
Pour the above ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well, and pour into your prepped martini glass. Toss in several candy corns for garnish.<br />
<br />
Get ready to make more, they are always a hit.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-50848002687520086282008-11-12T16:51:00.000-08:002010-10-19T08:35:09.661-07:00Pumpkin LiqueurSeveral years ago, I decided to gin up (haha) some pumpkin martinis. I scoured the Internets for recipes and found several possibilities. The key ingredient was always Bols Pumpkin Smash Liqueur. Promptly after I tried these recipes, refined a few, then created a new one, the Bols Pumpkin Liqueur vanished. I got the last couple of bottles in my state run Washington supply and that was it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://scaredy-cat.com/blogpics/bols-and-hiram-pumpkin-liqueur.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://scaredy-cat.com/blogpics/bols-and-hiram-pumpkin-liqueur.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 480px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 314px;" /></a>I couldn't find any replacement so I decided to make my own. I searched again for liqueur recipes, bought a book called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Liqueurs-Cooking-Creative-Publications/dp/1889531065/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226537833&sr=1-1">Classic Liqueurs</a> for reference, then crafted up a plan to try variations of ingredients in a series of experiments. Each generation was split into 4 batch variations, initially focusing on the pumpkin flavoring. What I discovered along the way is that pumpkin by itself tastes like squash -- go figure. What we really think of as "pumpkin" is the spices that go along with the pumpkin. So it is better to call this Pumpkin Spice Liqueur.<br />
<br />
By the 3rd generation I was making good progress. I kept plying everyone around me with tastings, and I finally settled in on a recipe. It came out similar to Bols, but I like to think it tastes better. More flavoring (from actual pumpkin and spices) and not so sweet. Slightly<br />
higher alcohol content as well.<br />
<br />
So here is the result from all my experiments, the recipe for pumpkin (spice) liqueur. I still tweak it a little each time, but this is where it stands now.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<br />
Monarch 100 Proof Vodka - 1.75 litre<br />
Libby's Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix - 30oz can (This worked the best -- really!)<br />
8 Cinnamon Sticks<br />
4 1/2 vanilla beans (split) or about 3 TBLS (close to an ounce) of Vanilla<br />
10 whole allspice<br />
10 whole cloves<br />
1 tsp ground ginger<br />
1/2 tsp ground fresh nutmeg<br />
<br />
(syrup)<br />
4 1/2 Cups Sugar<br />
6 cups water<br />
<br />
(Finish)<br />
3 tsp food grade glycerin (Beer supply outlets have this)<br />
Coloring - I use Heritage Farm Food Colors<br />
35 total drops color (28 yellow, 7 red)<br />
<br />
You'll need a BIG jar. I use a big pickling jar (sorry don't know the size here). Clean and sterilize the jar and lid really well. Then toss in all the ingredients in the first part of the list. Stir/shake it around to mix well, it will look pretty disgusting. Close up the jar and put it in a cool area to steep for two weeks. Stir/shake it every couple of days.<br />
<br />
After two weeks, we strain the concoction through a filter bag. I got mine from a beer supply place, not too fine at this point. I also clean the cinnamon sticks but toss them back in for the final phase. At this time, we also make and add the syrup. Put the sugar and water in a large pan and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Let cool. Pour the syrup into the big jar and stir it up. Close it back up and put it back in the dark/cool location for three more weeks. Once again, stir/shake occasionally.<br />
<br />
After the 3 weeks, it is time to filter, finish, and bottle the liqueur. Filtering is tough. The Bols liqueur had a nice orange crystal clear look that I can't quite achieve. My current method is to use a gold coffee filter with extra paper coffee filters in it. This takes quite a while and you'll use many paper coffee filters before you are done. But it comes out nice when complete.<br />
<br />
The final finishing step is to add the glycerin, and the orange coloring. Then find some nice bottles to put your finished product in.<br />
<a href="http://scaredy-cat.com/blogpics/Scotts-pumpkin-liqueur.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://scaredy-cat.com/blogpics/Scotts-pumpkin-liqueur.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 405px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 290px;" /></a>The final proof should be somewhere around the neighborhood of 24% alcohol by volume or about 48 Proof.<br />
<br />
I was running low this year so I recently started a new batch (4 weeks to go and counting.) I had been searching the Internets again and happened to search for pumpkin liqueur....guess what, there is a new one on the market. So if you don't want to go to all the trouble, you can head to your favorite libation source and buy <a href="http://www.hiramwalker.com/seasonals/holiday.php">Hiram Walkers Pumpkin Spice Liqueur</a>. They are apparently going to make this available on a seasonal basis. I picked one up to give it a try. I have to say that I'm not too impressed. It has an overwhelming nose and flavor of caramel that I can't get past. The Bols version had better flavor, but it was over-the-top sweet. I think mine is somewhere between these two. But now that you have the recipe, you can tweak it to your own preferences.<br />
<br />
My martini recipes will be coming up soon in another post. I have three martini recipes, though I focus on two, the frou-frou over-the-top sweet stylish pumpkin martini, and my personal favorite, what I call the Subtle Pumpkin Martini. Stay tuned....Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675961019774788049.post-40291701788573879512008-11-06T22:44:00.000-08:002008-11-06T22:49:16.383-08:00Boomazium -- at Pumpkin ProwlWe transform the zoo's Zoomazium facility into Boomazium for Pumpkin Prowl. Here is another video showing more of Boomazium:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SR97CNMmFEU"> </param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SR97CNMmFEU" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"> </embed> </object>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12777204869518859350noreply@blogger.com0