Saturday, December 13, 2014
13 Days of Creepmas: Best of Creepmas
Today is the 13th and last day of Creepmas, but don't fret...you can carry the spooky holiday spirit with you the rest of the holiday season! Keep the Christmas fear alive by checking out my past Creepmas posts and visiting the blog posts below, which I've picked as my favorite of the season:
Friday, December 12, 2014
13 Days of Creepmas: Gothic Halloween Gift Wrap
I don't know about you, but I love a beautifully wrapped gift! I think that gorgeous gift wrap really shows how deeply you care for someone and creates a level of awe that might be even better than opening the actual gift! I am definitely not the best wrapper around, but I love picking out lovely gift wrap for my loved ones and friends around the holidays.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
13 Days of Creepmas: My Halloween Christmas Tree
My Creepmas tree with bat topper!
I've decorated my Creepmas tree, decking it out in Halloween decorations and even a homemade bat tree topper! I have a small two foot tree and two smaller black trees (all fake, so I can reuse them every year), and I always, always decorate them like a Halloween tree...full of jack-o-lanterns, witches, bats, black cats, and ghosts! My little tree can hold lots of Halloween ornaments and decorations that I've collected over the years. I made the bat topper this year just out of two pieces of black construction paper - I traced a bat shape onto the paper, then cut out two bats, taped them together (leaving room in the middle so I could mount it on the tree), and place it on the top of the Creepmas tree!
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
13 Days of Creepmas: 10 Zombie Santas
So in honor of the 10th day of Creepmas, here are 10 awesomely scary zombie Santas:
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
13 Days of Creepmas: Creepy Christmas Tree Toppers
The hardest part of decorating my Creepmas tree is figuring out what to top it with! I have lots of Halloween baubles and gothic ornaments to decorate my tree with, but I always find myself stumped when trying to figure out what to top it with. A star or an angel is far too ordinary, I need something appropriately spooky and perhaps creepy to complete my Creepmas tree. So this year I turned to Google for help, and here are the terrifying (and terrifyingly awesome) suggestions it turned up:
Monday, December 8, 2014
13 Days of Creepmas: Witch City Wicks' Holiday Candles
Witch City Wicks is an independently owned candle company based out of Salem, Massachusetts. They make high-quality, 100% soy candles in a variety of scents and for every season, but I find their Halloween and Christmas scents to be the most intriguing!
Sunday, December 7, 2014
13 Days of Creepmas: 7 Christmas-themed Short Horror Films
Christmas Nightmares Part 2: Home for the Holidays
If you're like me, you've probably already seen all the Christmas horror films out there multiple times. Also, you are probably busy this time of year and may not have time to watch feature-length movies. Well, I have a solution to both of these quandaries - watch some Christmas-themed short horror films! There are lots of them out there that you probably haven't seen before, and they are bite-sized and perfect for a 10-minute break!
I've gone ahead and selected seven scary short horror films I think you'll enjoy this horror-day season, check them out below:
Saturday, December 6, 2014
13 Days of Creepmas: Krampus Gifts to Terrify Naughty Boys and Girls of All Ages
[source]
A few years ago, if you mentioned Krampus you would just get weird looks or blank stares, but since then Krampus' PR team must have worked overtime as now the holidays are full of imagery of the Christmas devil himself (if you need a refresher on the lore and history of Krampus, check out this post I wrote a few years back)!
And with the gaining popularity of Krampus, of course we get some cool Krampus products that would make great presents to terrify naughty boys and girls of any age! Check out some cool Krampus products I found below:
Friday, December 5, 2014
13 Days of Creepmas: More Ugly Creepmas Sweaters
MOB's Creepmas sweaters!
A few years back, I featured some ugly Christmas sweaters that were perfect for Creepmas creeps...and since then scary/creepy/alternative Christmas sweaters have really become all the rage! There are lots of different ugly Creepmas sweaters out there, but I found one company that seemed to have the absolute coolest ones for creeps like us.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
13 Days of Creepmas: 7 Macabre Books to Add to Your Creepmas Wish List
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Vegan Bake Sale to Benefit The Gentle Barn this Sunday
Come buy some delicious vegan holiday treats this Sunday, December 7th at The Gentle Barn animal sanctuary in Santa Clarita, California! This is the first holiday-themed bake sale that is happening at the Gentle Barn, and it looks like it will be the biggest one yet! That means you can stock up on baked goods for the holidays to gift or just enjoy them yourself! Here is a sneak peek at the goodies you could be enjoying:
- Cupcakes from Courtesan Cupcakes, Luscious Organic Desserts, Sprinkles and Sensitive Sweets
- Bundt cakes from Biggie Bakes
- Various goodies from Life is Sweet Bakeshop
- Brownies from Native Foods
- Cheesecake and cookies from Bloom Confections
- Raw desserts from Feel Good Desserts
- Various desserts from other bakers, including snowballs, gingerbread and candy cane muffins, sticky buns, holiday cookies, s'mores bars, and much, much more!
Besides the bake sale, a trip to The Gentle Barn will let you meet some truly amazing rescued animals. This sanctuary takes in abused and neglected animals that no one else wants and rehabilitates them, letting them live the rest of their lives in peace. In turn, they use rehabilitated animals to teach their visitors about these amazingly resilient and loving animals. You can pet, hug, cuddle, and spend time with most of the animal residents, which is truly a life-changing experience in itself!
Go for the treats, go for the animals, and spend time with some inspiring people and animals!
Here are the details of the event:
LOCATION: The Gentle Barn
ADDRESS: 15825 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita, CA 91390
DATE: Sunday December 7th, 2014
TIME: 10am – 2pm
FOR MORE INFO: Facebook Event
You can read about my past visits to The Gentle Barn here!
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13 Days of Creepmas: Gingerbread Haunted Houses and Gingerdead Cookies
The Haunted Mansion's 2014 Gingerbread House at Disneyland!
They change it every year for their Nightmare Before Christmas
display! It is massive and I believe it is made with real gingerbread.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
13 Days of Creepmas: Creepy Calendars for 2015
Need some help creeping track of all your eerie appointments in 2015? I've dug up some suitably spooky calendars that will scare your co-workers and family while also keeping you organized. Check out some cool calendars below:
Edward Gorey 2015 Calendar - "This 2015 twelve-month calendar from Pomegranate features the wonderfully odd characters that appear in Edward Gorey's illustrations. In these images, fantastic creatures mingle with eccentric Edwardian folk in the strangest of situations. Inside this calendar you will find illustrations from the opening credits for the PBS series Mystery! , the books The Doubtful Guest, The Broken Spoke, more. Pomegranate calendars are printed with soy-based inks on FSC certified paper."
Monday, December 1, 2014
13 Days of Creepmas: Making Creepmas
It’s December 1st, which means it's time to kickoff the 13 Days of Creepmas, where we inject some much needed holiday FEAR into the season! You can read more about the event and find a list of all blogs participating on the official Creepmas site…be sure to visit the other sinister sites that are participating, too!
For some reason I didn’t join in last year even though I was part of it in 2011 and 2012, but I am back this year and will be posting every day the first 13th days of December. Everything I share will be a way to spookify the season, from gothic gifts, to sinister sweaters, to gruesome gingerbread, to zombie Santas, to creepy carols!
Monday, November 24, 2014
Restaurant Review: Fresh Brothers in Newport Beach, CA
Vegan Sausage and Cheese Pizza from Fresh Brothers
Thursday, November 20, 2014
It's Nearly Time to Celebrate Creepmas Again!
It's almost time to celebrate the 13 days of Creepmas and inject some much needed spookiness into the Christmas season! I've participated in the Creepmas blogging event since its inception back in 2011 (browse past posts here!), and I'm excited to participate again this year, along with some other fantastic bloggers!
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Photo Post: Halloween Leftovers
I know Halloween is over (but not really, not when it is everyday for some of us), but I wanted to share some leftover Halloweenie pics I never got around to posting before October 31st. For those that follow me on Instagram, some of these might be familiar, but there are a few new ones I haven't posted anywhere before.
Besides the 31 Days of Halloween countdown, here is what I was up to this Halloween season:
Besides the 31 Days of Halloween countdown, here is what I was up to this Halloween season:
I frolicked in pumpkin patches with lost ghosts.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Next Year's Halloween Bucket List
I still have the Halloween blues, so I decided to start dreaming of next year's events, and write down stuff I missed out on that I want to try for next year!
Though I felt like I did a lot of activities this Halloween season, I barely made a dent in all the events that Southern California has to offer in September and October (and some November). I figure that I should start a new tradition of writing down what I want to tackle next year, so I can start my plan of attack early!
I know there is no way that I could do it all (unless perhaps I took the whole month off and went completely broke), but I want to add these bucket list items on here as a placeholder/reminder for events/haunts/activities that I want to do next year in and around SoCal!
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Food Review: Eat Nākd Bars
Written by Sarah E. Jahier
I have been drooling over Natural Balance Foods' Eat Nākd bars ever since my UK friends started snacking on these yummy raw fruit and nut bars! So far they have been out of reach as they weren't previously available in the US, but that is about to change! Right now, US residents can order Eat Nākd bars online and in 2015 the delectable bars should start popping up in stores here in the USA! We will finally be able to get our hands on these all-natural, raw, vegan, gluten- and wheat-free bars!
Friday, October 31, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Happy Halloween and My Autumn Bucket List Completion
Happy Halloween, fiends!! Thanks for joining me on the 31 Days of Halloween countdown! I hope you had as much fun as I did. I cannot believe it is already over and that it is Halloween, the best day of the year! I want the season to start all over again and it's bittersweet that another Halloween season is nearly over.
I wanted to take a look back to appreciate all the bucket list items I completed this month. Let's take a look at my original bucket list and see what items I completed and can cross off, shall we?
Thursday, October 30, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Chocolate Pumpkin Mini Cakes
Out of curiosity and for my love of all things pumpkin, I did a search on Isa's Post-Punk Kitchen site to see if she might have a similar recipe with pumpkin-y, autumn flavors. I ended up hitting the jackpot and found her recipe for a Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf, which I transformed into jack-o-lantern mini cakes!
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch 2014
One of my annual Halloween traditions is hitting up the pumpkin patch, and my most favorite one I've been to in Orange County is located just about 10 minutes from me in Irvine! If you've followed me for a while, you probably will recognize the Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch as one of my most favorite places to be.
I visited the pumpkin patch about a month ago (on opening day back in September), but still wanted to share some photos with you of this gorgeous gourd garden! I wish I could visit in the middle of the night on Halloween (I still can't believe it is only two days away!) and wait for the Great Pumpkin!
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: The Art of Naisa Gómez Plúguez
I discovered the art of Naisa Gómez Plúguez just a few months ago on Instagram, but since then I have been absolutely enthralled by her artwork. Naisa draws spooky little characters that are so imaginative and express so much emotion. Her art is very much like pop surrealism, and kind of reminds me of some of Mark Ryden's work with a touch of Camille Rose Garcia, but completely unique in its own right!
Monday, October 27, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Anaheim Halloween Parade 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Nutter Butter Ghost Cookies
Sunday, October 26, 2014
New Halloween Shirt from Awful Art
I love this Halloween shirt!
31 Days of Halloween: Spooky Shorts - Selfie
Drew Daywalt has directed a lot of excellent short films, so I am always excited to see any of his new horror shorts! I recently discovered a short film he wrote and directed called Selfie. It was actually released around Halloween of last year, but it must have slipped under my radar as I just saw it for the first time recently. I had to share it, though, since it is so well-done and such an appropriate bite-sized treat for the upcoming holiday that is just a few short days away!
See what happens one Halloween night to a bored woman who decides to take a selfie:
Saturday, October 25, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Favorite Haunted House and Ghost Movies
I love a good ghost movie, and the ghost/haunted house story is one of my favorite horror genres! I love the atmosphere of most ghost stories, the unseen or barely seen ghosts that represent the unknown, and I love how classic haunted house/ghost stories feel. I’m not a fan of the cheap jump scare that some crappy horror movies use, but I adore when ghost stories are done right. These are subtly scary, and cause dread to slowly creep up on you until you are on the edge of your seat and the slightest noise makes the hair on the back of your neck stand straight up. Even better, they make you question every creak you hear long after finishing the movie.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Invoking the Halloween Spirit with Queen of the Track Zine
Pumpkins make dreadful sunny days bearable.
When the lovely ladies at Queen of the Track asked me to do a guest post on their online zine, I was thrilled! I absolutely adore the content of their blog, especially their Halloween series, so I was more than happy to contribute!
Since they are based in the UK, I thought it would be fun to write about how I celebrate Halloween in Southern California even though I have to suffer through cruel sunny days (it's gross, trust me) and there is no fall foliage whatsoever (damn you, palm trees!). Still, I have some tricks and treats that help me invoke the Halloween spirit despite the uncooperative weather/location - and you can read all about them over at Queen of the Track HERE!
After reading, you should check out the rest of their site, including some truly amazing articles on horror films and novels, female villains, and my personal favorite at the moment, poems based on Final Girls in horror movies by Amy Roberts! Read more here!
Pretty sure it is my favorite new site, and I am just so happy and humbled they asked me to guest blog! Please give them a look and a follow on Tumblr, Facebook, and Twitter!
31 Days of Halloween: Ghostly Decor for a Haunted House Party
Ghosts in the graveyard
[image source]
[image source]
Just one week to go until the best day of the year!! Are you seeking to invoke the spirits on Halloween but need a little otherworldly help to set the mood? Look no further than these haunting inspirations for ghostly decor that will surely entice apparitions and party guests alike to attend your spooky soiree.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
AEIOU and Sometimes Why Interviews The Spooky Vegan
One of my favorite costumes ever - my mom sewed it for me!
Dressed as a witch way back when!
One of my favorite Halloween blogs, AEIOU...and Sometimes Why, recently chatted with me about my favorite subjects , all things Halloween and spooky! It was so much fun talking about my favorite Halloween memories, my annual traditions, reminiscing about my trick or treating experiences as a kid, and much more!
You can check out the interview HERE!
The interview is part of a larger interview series conducted by Dex of the AEIOU blog, and I am having such a blast reading about other Halloween bloggers and their Halloween recollections!
You can check out the rest of the interviews HERE!
31 Days of Halloween: Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
[source]
Did you know pumpkins are packed with vitamins, antioxidants, anti-aging properties, fiber, minerals and more?! This squash's health benefits are plentiful and varied, and this is the perfect season to make all kinds of dishes with them! I've already shared a few recipes that utilize pumpkins as the star ingredient, but here is another one of my favorites!
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Misfits' "Ghoul's Night Out" Sing-a-Long Video
I have shared the stunning videos from YouTube user Nocturnaloner in past countdowns (check out Kingdom of Witches and All Hallow's Eve), but I just recently discovered a new video from him/her that I must have missed last year! It is a fun sing-a-long lyric video to the song "Ghoul's Night Out" by the Misfits!
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: The Art of Christopher McKenney
The haunting photography of Christopher McKenney is dark and surreal. I love how his images evoke conflicting reactions of both awe and repulsion. His photos deeply resonate with me, and to me speak of the impermanence of people and of life itself, and how little by little, day by day, it diminishes until there is nothing left.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Food Review: Vegan Cuts' October 2014 Snack Box
October's Vegan Cuts Snack Box (skeleton not included!)
I was excited to learn that Vegan Cuts’ monthly subscription snack box for the month of October would be curated by one of my absolute favorite vegan personalities, the Vegan Black Metal Chef! The Vegan Black Metal Chef (or VBMC) creates some awesome and easy vegan recipes and presents them in epic black metal music videos, complete with corpse paint and some wicked kitchen utensils that I am really jealous of! He writes all his own black metal music, and sings/growls/screams his recipes in his videos (SWOON!). So how perfect that the Vegan Black Metal Chef hand-picked some of the snacks for Vegan Cuts during the spooky month of Halloween!
31 Days of Halloween: Haunted Places in Orange County
Since I've chosen ghosts and hauntings as the overarching theme for this year’s 31 Days of Halloween, I thought it would be fun to explore some supposedly haunted locations in Orange County (virtually of course!).
I have always been fascinated with haunted locations, whether they are the typical historic haunted houses or otherwise nondescript modern structures that have perhaps witnessed tragic events. Whether you believe in haunted places or not, there are just some locations that put your nerves on end, give you the shivers, and make you feel like something unseen is watching.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Spooky Short - Trick or Treat
While browsing the fantastic site Halloween Short Films (also a member of the great 31 Days of Halloween countdown!), I found this gem of a short film, called Trick or Treat, that was made back in 2010. I love the atmosphere of this short, as well as the costume of the killer! Check it out below!
Saturday, October 18, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Vegan Candy for Halloween
Every year it seems that we get more and more vegan candy options to hand out to trick or treaters, to serve at parties, or to munch on ourselves! I have an insatiable sweet tooth, so I am always prepared with lots of vegan candy options come Halloween. I like to hand out some to trick or treaters (if any stop by), but mostly I end up eating it myself or sharing with friends when they come over for pumpkin carving parties or horror movie nights!
Friday, October 17, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Spooky Halloween Jewelry and Accessories
Reason #1,375 why I love Halloween so much - there are so many creepy-cute accessories and jewelry pieces that are styled with a gothic aesthetic! I love stocking up this time of year because not only are they perfect for Halloween, but also year-round for spooky little girls like me!
Below you will find several independent companies that make the spookiest, most beautiful gothic accessories! Many are local to Orange County and almost all are owned by women (with the exception of an incredible candle company). I love supporting local, independent companies, especially when they make gorgeously gothic products!
Thursday, October 16, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Chocolate-Covered Macaroon Ghost Pops
[source]
Ghouls and boils, have you checked out the Fork and Beans site? It is one of my favorite recipe sites because it has so many inventive recipes, year after year and for any occasion.
I especially love the Halloween section of the site, as the culinary genius behind the recipes is Cara, who adores this time of year as much as I do! Her boo-tiful Halloween food creations have me awwwwwing and drooling (quite an awkward situation to be in if you're in a room with strangers), plus her recipes are simple and easy to make.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Ghost Makeup Tutorials
In sticking with this year's ghost theme, I've found some hauntingly helpful ghost makeup tutorials that will help you come up with the scariest, most impressive ghost costume this year!
Watch these terrifyingly talented makeup artists create some stunning ghost looks and learn how to do them yourself!
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: The Art of Heather Gleason
I cannot believe I haven't featured Heather Gleason on this blog yet! I was so convinced I had previously written about her that I spent the last 10 minutes searching for posts about her and her art. I fondly remember the serendipitous day when I found her art booth in Sleepy Hollow/Tarrytown while on vacation in New York last year! It was such a delightful surprise and I remember wanting to buy ALL her boo-tiful pieces (unfortunately I didn't have the room in my luggage, plus we had taken the train upstate and I didn't feel like hauling everything back into the city with me). I still regret not buying any of her art that day.
Monday, October 13, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Three Little Ghostesses
Art by Kristy Tracy
[source]
When I was younger, I remember having a book about three little ghosts that really enjoyed toast. I was obsessed with that book, but I don't know what became of it. I think it may have been an old nursery rhyme book, but I can't remember exactly. I've scoured the web for it (I remember the accompanying pictures of the little ghostesses on postesses enjoying toastesses), but didn't have any luck.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: The Best Books for Halloween Part 2
I love curling up with a spooky book, and now is the perfect time to delve into a creepy book that will immerse you in Halloween spirit! There are lots of horror books you can read this time of year, but I like to enjoy scary books that are Halloween-themed or at least set during Halloween. I wrote about 5 of my faves a few years ago, but I wanted to share a few more that I love reading this time of year! This year’s picks vary from horror novels, to picture books, to children’s books and even non-fiction books about the holiday!
Saturday, October 11, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Cheesy Pumpkin Fondue
Jenelle York of York and Spoon
Not only is Jenelle as sweet as can be, her video series are always informative and fun, plus she is a licensed nutritionist and knows her stuff! It seems like I always learn something new with her videos, and her easy-to-follow instructions are a godsend to people who are kitchen-clumsy like me! She thoroughly explains all the steps to her recipes, and she makes it so easy to follow along.
Friday, October 10, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Vintage Halloween Magazine Covers
There is just something about vintage Halloween magazine covers that puts a big ol' smile on my face. I mean, even modern magazines with Halloween covers make me happy, but the artwork and photographs on older magazine covers have that certain something that can have me gazing at them for hours!
Thursday, October 9, 2014
25 Years of Popular Halloween Costumes
While we stress over the most creative and clever costume to wear this year, sometimes you just have to go with the classics (like my previous post on ghost costumes!)!
That brings us to Personal Creations, who is supplying the nostalgia this year with an illustrated look back at the past 25 years of popular Halloween costumes! Their illustrated guide includes one hit wonders like V for Vendetta and long-time favorites like Spiderman. Who would've thought in the 90s we'd be seeing just as many Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles decades later?
See the full guide below and share it from Personal Creations.
That brings us to Personal Creations, who is supplying the nostalgia this year with an illustrated look back at the past 25 years of popular Halloween costumes! Their illustrated guide includes one hit wonders like V for Vendetta and long-time favorites like Spiderman. Who would've thought in the 90s we'd be seeing just as many Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles decades later?
See the full guide below and share it from Personal Creations.
31 Days of Halloween: Ghost Costumes
What else is more classic for Halloween than a good old ghost costume? I love ghost costumes not only because they are a classic, but because they are so versatile. The ghost costume can be as basic or as elaborate as the wearer wants. For example, you could dress up in fancy Victorian clothes or opt to just throw a white sheet over your body! And there are so many options and different ways to go with a ghost costume! You could be an evil ghost, a beautiful ghost, a scary ghost, a romantic ghost, an historical ghost, a famous ghost...the list goes on and on!
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: Jack-o-Lantern Breakfast "Sandwitch" Recipe
Isn't this the cutest breakfast EVER?! And it is so easy to make, too!
Check out the recipe below, which I've veganized/tweaked from this source:
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
31 Days of Halloween: The Art of Rhode Montijo
Some people might know Rhode Montijo as the comic book artist who created Pablo's Inferno and co-created the cartoon Happy Tree Friends, but I will always associate him with the book The Halloween Kid, which is an adorable children's book about a pint-sized Halloween buckaroo!
Besides The Halloween Kid, Montijo has many other Halloween artwork that I adore! His vibrant, almost vintage-feeling designs are always full of so much Halloween joy and they never fail to put a big ol' smile on my face!! I hope to one day own one of his original works (or at least a nice print)!
Food Review: So Delicious' Candy Corn and Pumpkin Spice Frozen Desserts
Last week, I was ecstatic to discover So Delicious' coconut milk non-dairy frozen desserts in the new Candy Corn and Pumpkin Spice flavors at my Whole Foods! I have been looking forward to these vegan ice cream treats ever since I saw sneak peeks of them a month or so ago. If you are a lover of all things Halloween like I am, you should be excited for these cuties, too, especially since they come in pumpkin or candy corn shapes!
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