Happy Thanksgiving!

A Little Poe

Helped my youngest son with his English homework tonight, he is reading Poe's "The Tell Tale Heart" and we found this great short on youtube. The animation is fantastic and very entertaining, a very cool interpretation of the story.

Classic.

Sacrifice

Out with the old. In with the new. 


Don't freak, just got rid of some old props that were damaged beyond repair or no longer needed/wanted/usable. 


Sort of a haunting experience to throw props into the fire. 

The Rats in the Walls

Very well done short film depicting H.P. Lovecraft's The Rats in the Walls.

Halloween 2011 Gallery

Click here to go to the gallery.

Happy Halloween!

Embrace the Darkness

We decked out our back yard in a very scary fashion. Saturday, October 29^th will be the only night to view our Halloween display. This year the props are in the back yard along with a roaring fire, s’more fixings and other assorted treats. Dress warm and help us celebrate our favorite holiday.

Please park across the street and use caution crossing the road as it is currently under construction. The display is scheduled to operate from 7pm until 10pm weather permitting. Please email me if you need our address or further information.

Gusty

Started blocking out the back yard last week in preparation for our October 29^th open house and since this was just an exercise in finding the best location for each prop nothing was anchored.

Two days of high winds taught me to secure everything….even if it will be moved.

Nothing is broken, just needs to be set upright again…..and anchored. 

Cat vs. Spider

Apocalyptic Sale

Now thru October 21^st, 2011 you can save $21.00 on pieces priced over $100.00.

Also, all items priced under $100.00 have been reduced by ten bucks!

Save before the world ends …after all what are you going to do with your money once you're toast?

Happy Halloween!

Crimson Carpet

In a month or so all this will be covered with snow.

Blocking The Yard 2011

stack-o'-lan•tern

stack-o'-lan·tern
n.pl. stack-o'-lanterns
1. A phenomenon occurring due to overabundance of Halloween props and lack of adequate storage.
2. See seasonal obsessions

Fall Magic

Again, autumn has sort of crept up on me…as I was going about my day I took a second to glance at our maple tree in the front yard and it shouted that Halloween was around the corner.

Bright golden daylight, crimson leaves and crisp blue sky.

Autumn is magic.

Nice Surprise

Last week was my birthday and I never get tired of turning 25.

(wink)

A few days after my birthday I was at our local 7-11 when one of the clerks surprised me with this cool ceramic skull and raven that she made for me.

We have known Deb for years and I was very touched that she though enough not only to get me a gift but to actually make something that she knew I would love.

Thanks Deb, you are awesome!

Great Pumpkin Workshop Fun

I’ve been a really crappy blogger the last couple of months, seems that I’ve had to many irons in the fire.

October is our month and I promise to get off my ass and start sharing all the cool things that surround us this time of year.

We are halfway through The Great Pumpkin papier mache workshop.

Everybody seems to be having a good time and there are some very cool pumpkins in the works.

I will do a follow up blog once the workshop wraps.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

American Horror Story

Looks interesting.

Where's Rick Baker When You Need Him?

10%-WTF

Watched “Season of the Witch” last night with Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman on DVD and expected a train wreck of a movie based on reviews.

Rottentomatoes.com gave the film a 10% positive which means that 90% of reviewers found the film rotten.

Nine out of ten people found this film unworthy.

 Really.

Ninety percent?

For some unknown reason I feel a need to defend this movie.

It’s not terrible and it hardly deserved the onslaught of negative reviews.

With that said I will state that the film is no award winning piece of work but it is entertaining, it has some great sets and locations and some decent FX work.

The movie did what it needed to do and that was to entertain me for one and a half hours.

Do reviewers really hate Nicolas Cage so much that they trash anything he touches?

I liked “Con Air,” “National Treasure,” and “The Sorceress Apprentice” as well and these all received less than glorious reviews.

Back to “Season of the Witch,” the film is the story of two Crusaders that leave the church and find themselves charged with transporting an accused witch to a monastery for trial.

Simple premise but the film gives you plenty of eye candy.

-“300” style battle sequences.

- Plague doctors.

- Nasty black plague make-up effects.

- A cool dilapidated bridge sequence.

- Unique “transforming” wolves.

- Scary fog filled forest.

- A decent looking demon character.

- And a gorgeous looking “accused” witch.

Plus a bunch of other little touches that makes “Season of the Witch” a satisfying medieval romp with a touch of horror and supernatural thrown in for good measure, it’s an entertaining mix that in no way deserved the bad rap.

Abstract (EPIC)

The Art of War.


If you have boys you probably know the term “Airsoft,” as in Airsoft guns…the modern equivalent of the BB gun.

Anyway part of this summer’s activity for both of my sons has been staging EPIC Airsoft Wars.

The definition of an Airsoft War is getting a bunch of your best buds together and shooting each other with little plastic balls.

 (Proper eye protection required)

Part of the fun comes in creating elaborate Airsoft courses complete with barricades and fortresses to protect oneself against the barrage of flying plastic stingers.

Yesterday my youngest son staged another EPIC Airsoft War in our backyard and it was quite a sight to see.

Pallets, wheelbarrows and crates were all utilized to create the most EPIC warzone imaginable.

Then Kyle decided to make some shields out of cardboard.

He also decided to paint them.

And this was the result.

An EPIC abstract painting.

I’m tempted to frame the dang thing and put it up on Etsy.com for $3,000.

Somebody would buy it.

“EPIC”, an acrylic abstract painting by Kyle A. Stoll.

Good job for a kid that thinks he has no creative juice whatsoever.

EPIC indeed.

Great Pumpkin Workshop

Class Description:

Spend four fun filled evenings at Legacy Art Studio and Gallery in Midland Michigan creating your very own papier mache pumpkin.

Scott A. Stoll will teach you a variety of techniques and lead you through the process of building an incredible pumpkin using your own design.

The class is fun, fast paced and chances are good you will make a few new friends during the process.

All tools and materials are supplied and no experience is required.

Time and Dates: 

Tuesday, September 27^th 6-9pm

Thursday, September 29^th  6-9pm

Tuesday, October 4^th 6-9pm

Thursday, October 6^th 6-9pm


Cost: $95.00 per person.

Registration:

To register please contact Hannah Manges at 989-835-1655

Legacy Art Studio and Gallery,  716 George Street, Midland, Michigan

Disclaimer:

The Great Pumpkin Workshop is recommended for ages 12 and older. Participants will need to use a variety of tools such as scissors, sharp blades and hot glue guns. The class is physical requiring standing, bending and lifting during each three hour session. Please wear comfortable shoes and appropriate clothing. The workshop uses wheat flour, drywall joint compound, white glue and latex paint and may be unsuitable for those sensitive to these materials.

Random Sightings

The Midland County Fair is going on this week and while browsing the 4-H Pavillion a few things caught my eye.

Tucked amid the thousands of items on display were some Halloween goodies as well as a few pieces made from papier mache….a little bit of October in the dog days of August.

The trolls even made it to the fair.

Spooky gingerbread house.

 Lots of Halloween crafts.

  Papier mache something.

Gourd carving.

Real pumpkins.

Papier mache "Despicable Me" guy.

Cool T-shirt.

More miscellaneous Halloween.

 

Papier mache piggie.