HalloweenDrinks.net is launched!

Ok, the site was actually launched quite a while ago but I keep forgetting to announce it.   The pumpkin liqueur recipe 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.   HalloweenDrinks.net is the result.

I'll be doing a new series on the pumpkin martinis soon, and have some new pumpkin martini photos to show off as well.

Check it out at http://www.HalloweenDrinks.net.

Polaroids - Neo Vintage Halloween

Sweeet!  Pumpkinrot has some great new-old Halloween pictures.

Taken with old-school Polaroid gear, they specifically went in search of vintage Halloween items.

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.

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.

Go visit Pumpkinrot to check out all the pictures.  

Pumpkin Photography

I finally had some time to start experimenting with pumpkin photography.   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:

More pictures here, and more to come.

Extreme 3D Pumpkin Carving

My brother pointed me to some extreme 3-D pumpkin carving by Ray Villafane.   I've used 3-D carving a little, but I prefer the classic Jack o' Lanterns look myself.   But this one is especially nice:

Check out his site, he also talks about his experience with in an upcoming episode of the Food Networks show, Challenge, competing against other carvers for a $10,000 prize.

Laser Pumpkin Carving

The folks over at Metrix Create:Space are at it again.   Carving pumpkins with lasers!   So many possibilities here, the mind reels.  

There was some small print; "Pumpkin must be smaller than approximately 8” in diameter."  Sounds to me like they just need a bigger laser!

Seattle Fall Arts - Chris Sheridan

We've got a Fall arts event underway here in Seattle called Arts Crush.  In searching through all the events I came upon this artist, Chris Sheridan.  Some of his work caught my eye, so -- shall we say -- seasonal.

Check out the images in the category called, "The King of Change". The show will be up at Bherd Studios until the first week of November.   I can't wait to check it out in person.

Hauntless in Seattle

For 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.

We took a first time ever late summer vacation, doing a road trip down the West coast.  We ended up in LA and had 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. 

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.

That all said, there was some really nice work that went into the production!