Halloween Hangover

My aunt and uncle's, where we spend Halloween every year.

The two little lights in the upstairs windows are little Halloween luminaries.

The front yard. Spooky grave site with it's occupant trying to escape by clawing through the earth!

 

Close up of yard decorations.

Mr Creepy's hand is just visible in the center, at the bottom.

 

Skull torch lighting the way for trick or treaters

It was a full moon on Halloween.

If you look close, you'll notice something is wrong.

The Man in the Moon is missing!

He's been replaced by a witch!

 

My aunt - who doesn't need a costume.

She's a crazy old bat everyday.

I hope she knows I'm kidding.

A frightful sight -

she's giving my oldest a kiss.

A trick or treating neighbor -

the cutest little bumble bee I've ever seen!

My uncle, who's married to the above aunt...for 40 yrs next June!

He's a normal guy - but he's just a big kid.

He lives to pull pranks - you should hear some of the things he and his best friend

did in high school. His best friend's name was Butch...so what do you expect??

Every year he does something to mess with the kids.

Usually he scares them to the point where they need therapy.

Year after year, he gets them so good that they never forget it.

They talk about it for the rest of the year. Seriously.

His pranks are something they wait for -

with enthusiasm and excitement...mixed with total fear and dread.

Nothing is off limits to him.

So when the kids were called to their basement,

they were beyond hesitant.

It took a lot of cajoling to get them to go down there...

when they finally opened the door, turned on the light and

descended the basement stairs, this is what they found...

(this photo has not been altered - and was taken with both of us on the same level)

 (To get the full effect, you may want to click on the picture to enlarge it)

Yes, his knees are in his shoes. And he's holding a "Harpo Marx" horn.

That he honked all night.

I can't look at that picture without cracking up.

And finally...it's onto the 'beasts.

Meet Michael Jackson.

(What a pose, eh?!)

An important note about "Michael's" hair:

He actually put this entire costume together himself.

He didn't have any hair - in fact, he shaved his head earlier that day.

(I told him he could have a "faux hawk" - he's wanted a mohawk for as long

as I can remember. His hair was longer than it's ever been. He declined,

asking me to shave his head instead. What could I do but comply??

Is it good for him to be that "normal"? At 13??)
And he's blond. So he needed a little help...but the Queen,
being broke savvy, wouldn't buy the expensive wig.
So what did the young man do?
~ I'm so proud of him ~

A) Used black construction paper
B) Used black yarn & his extensive knowledge of knots he's learned
from tying up his brother and sister
C) Used wool roving and needle felted
D) Asked one of his equally bone-headed friends to cut off a few of his dreads

 While under normal circumstances, I would choose "D" if I were answering that question (come on..."D" sounds totally like what one of my offspring would do!), I'm proud to say he didn't do that. Nor did he do "A" or "B"...I'm happy to report that my son chose "C", all by himself!

He had seen me needle felt in the past - and when he saw my black wool roving, inspiration struck. He asked for minimal help at first, then completed it all on his own. I helped him cut the hair and adhere it to the inside of the hat - but I'm still shocked he did that. All by himiself. Yay! I don't know whether I'm more proud that he thought of making hair out of roving - or that he knew (mostly) how to do it. You mean they are paying attention to the things I say? I think I'm going to swoon.

I suppose that one of them listening to me go on about art - and absorb the information - is better than them totally ignoring me about everything...which is what I thought was happening. They may end up in jail - but they'll know about art, damnit!

 Funny how that leads so well into the next costume.

Since the oldest isn't allowed to dress up like he's in some gang called the Juggalos, this was his chance.

He had his face painted like the main band members, Insane Clown Posse (ICP). He bought an over-priced shirt from ICP...then, and this is the incredibly phenomenal part...he wanted to buy an expensive "hatchetman" necklace - and again, my broke savvy self said no.

(Don't know what the "hatchetman" is?

 

Now you know.)

So he actually asked for my help - and then made his own pendant.

(I know - it's shocking...a teenager asking their parent for help on something?? Don't worry - I'm calling Ripley's Believe It or Not in just a few minutes.)

He printed out a hatchetman, cut it out of 26 gauge aluminum, sanded it with the Dremel, then hardened it with the hammer and steel block. Then he used metal primer before painting it red with acrylic paint.

I know! Close your mouth - you don't look your best with your mouth hanging open.

I'm just sayin'...it's not your best look.)

This whole experience was such a shocker!

The Princess dressed up as a witch -  a combination "pretty/scary, good/bad" witch.

That made it a bit difficult to do her makeup!

This particular picture makes me smile because it totally doesn't look like her. When she would put that nose on, strange things happened. Not only didn't she look like herself, but she instantly became the ornery, sneaky, mean little witch. Well, at least to her brothers.

 

 

Before long, it was back home to scrub the faces...

(Notice his shaved head?!)

And chain their little bodies to their beds as they each came off their candy high...

and settled into sugar-induced comas.