This spooky skeleton garland is from Asda and was given to me yesterday as a "get well" present, along with a bag of other Halloween goodies! The garland consists of five skeletons, which are made of painted plastic and held together on a length of twine.
Each of them has jointed arms and legs, which means they can each have a unique pose. Their head also turn slightly, but I haven't moved them too much, as I'm not sure that this was intended.
These are really fantastic and I think when they've ceased to be Halloween decorations I'm going to transform them into a necklace of sorts, or pin them to a shelf in my room (it already has a large, jointed skeleton hanging from it...).
Although the skeleton garland isn't available on Asda's online store, they do have some other great Halloween horrors:
I bought this strangely adorable little fellow, dressed like a teddy bear skeleton, from Closet Child (a second hand / vintage store chain in Japan) in Shinjuku in 2009. A brand called Skull Daddy made him, along with a rabbit version, which I don't have. There were also pink versions of both designs, but I don't think Skull Daddy make either of them anymore, unfortunately.
As well as being a toy, he's a fashion accessory of sorts, as there's a clip on his back that can be attached easily to a bag or parasol handle. He's a little too large to be attached to anything else.
His cute bear guise can be removed - or rather the hood can be pulled down - to reveal his true skull with a mohawk form. Even after the transformation he's about as scary as The Nightmare Before Christmas, but I am very fond of him regardless of that. (I like TNBC too though).
The title of this post is Skull Daddy, simply because I don't remember what his individual name was, only the brand. If anyone happens to know it, tell me!
It's a dark and stormy night; a thick fog rolls in, distorting everything in sight, including your own reflection in the steam-covered mirror in front of you. Everything is silent and still, except for the low gush of flowing water. Suddenly, through the eerie mist, you see zombies, bats, spiders, skulls, brains, and all sorts of horrors in front of you! A shiver of terror creeps down your spine, but, being the knowledgeable spook slayer you are, you know just what to do...dissolve them in your bathwater! For these are no ordinary ghouls, dear devils - oh no! These are the fantastically frightening soaps from The Soapy Shop of Horrors, where "horror isn't just for Halloween...it's for bathtime too!"
Each of these creepy cleaners are designed and handmade in the UK, by Soapy Shop of Horrors founder Suze Laing. She started the shop after "buying some “Halloween” soap for friends in the U.S.A" and, after finding that the UK selection was somewhat limited, she began to make her own. Following this creative soap crafting, Suze had a breakthrough moment, and realised that "maybe, just maybe, others would want some oddly shaped soaps too, and not just at Halloween!". She was right!
As well as the products being gory and gorgeous, they're amazingly detailed, and most look like little sculptures rather than soap! This level of detail, together with with the ability of the buyer to choose the colour and scent combination desired, for most of the items on sale, and really affordable prices, make The Soapy Shop of Horrors a very unique and delightfully strange find. Moreover, the little facts about the featured soap horror character, at the bottom of each page, are a great bonus, and make the website interesting and endearing too!
It's not strictly horror, but it is a little bit of strangeness from Japan, featuring three guys dancing around in skeleton suits! Suberutons (スベルトンズ) theme song~!
Thank you to Gabrielle for showing us this video!
For more info on Suberutons you can visit the sites below: Official Site Twitter
Firstly, I should point out that Valentine's Day is not really something I care about one way or the other. I don't think I've ever celebrated it, but I don't hate it either. It's just kind of....there. However, if you're going to mark the occasion, why not do so in horror-themed style? Or at least give the object of your affection matching skeleton cakes!
Mrs. & Mr. Bones cakes
If you can't or have no wish to bake cakes, then don't worry, this entry is all about how to decorate store-bought slices! You can either decorate one of each, or two of the same depending on your relationship and, you can even customise the accessories to make them more personal to your darling devil. to top it off, they're really simple too!
Christmas brought some delightful creepy cute and horror themed gifts scuttling their way to me this year. These 6cm high Clockwork Horrors, sold by Hawkin's Bazaar, lurched like little zombies! They come in four designs - Dracula, a pumpkin head, a skeleton and Frankenstein's Monster (not pictured, as sadly, I don't have that one...yet).
Although their balance isn't fantastic unless they're on a flat, smooth surface and they are a little bit noisy, they're well-made, fun toys and you don't have to wind them up much to make them go. Clockwork Horrors would make excellent party bag fillers or equally interesting things to keep on your desk to procrastinate with.
"In the spirit of Halloween, Mezco's latest set of Living Dead Dolls pays tribute to the skeleton filled holiday known as The Day of the Dead or El Día de los Muertos. The variant series features intricate skull designs and exclusive crimson and black elaborate costumes, depicting traditional imagery with a Living Dead Dolls twist. Each doll comes in a signature coffin package with death certificate. This set is extremely limited and will ship in mid-October."
Horror shopping and decorations again! However, whilst the previous entry was dedicated to budget Halloween decor, this time we're going to the other end of the spectrum and looking at a store that's for fit for professional haunters and those of you who've been amassing your weath during your long years as members of the undead! Established in 2003, Creepy Collection has been specialising in anamatronics and props, aimed at ghost houses and Halloween/horror-themed events for 7 years.
As you would expect from a high-end, large-scale vendor, the items supplied do not come cheaply, with prices ranging from a hundred dollars to a few thousand. However, Creepy Collection do offer a huge selection of products, even providing fully made rooms of props for convenience and some of the cheaper "economy" props could even make an affordable, one-off addition to a private house. Even if the costs on the site run a little too high for your means, it's still worth having a look just to see all the ghoulish treats on offer!
This charming crocheted table adornment (left) and devilish Dead Fairy decoration (right) would be ideal for everyday use, or even Halloween parties. The doilie first appeared on Lipstick and Laundry and the decoration is by user Varifiresis on on the Craftster.org forum. Dollar Store Crafts also gave tips on how to make them, both, although the Dead Fairy guide on Craftster is very thorough. Whilst you're on the Dollar Store Crafts site, you might also want to check out the guide on how to make a styrofoam spider and post on spooky Halloween decor.
Thanks to Kei for sending the Dollar Store Crafts link to me!
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