Halloween Memorial: John Wolfe (Halloween Blogger)

I have been very blessed to know some amazing bloggers, but one who was very dear to my heart was my good friend, John Wolfe. He ran the blog Season of Shadows and embodied all things vintage and true Halloween. He would begin early in the year designing elaborate home haunts and sharing on video how he went about designing them. He did lots of volunteer work and was always available for anyone. He sought to understand the spiritual and the other side. In fact, as he was dying, he said he would contact me through EVPs. And, he asked me to write his memorial which I did and he read it and approved of it before his passing at much too early an age in his 30s. Each Halloween, I will post his memorial here. Halloween is his season, his paradise, and I miss him something awful every October. I'd like to share him with you now -

Entrances to Hell?

 

Caves and entrances to Hell, they seem to be inextricably connected. Hell Cave (Jama Pekel) in Slovenia is one such supposed entrance to the underworld. Many locations have been called the entrance to Hell. Let's check some out - 

Bonfire Tales: The Saratoga Lights

  

There is something about the stark winter backdrop that makes one realize that the forests, now bare, could be exposing all its secrets and yet the monsters of old still lurk, unseen.

How to Make Any Haunted Doll

This is a delightful and expert guest post from a fantastic psychic, Vienna Voodoo Queen.  We are entering Halloween time and I know there are readers out there who are intrigued by haunted dolls and magic. Having an expert discuss it is helpful to those who are wanting to know more about this arena. 

Scary Movies Set in Abandoned Places

 

Movies based in abandoned towns, ghost towns, abandoned houses - they are a great late-night watch. Here's an extensive list - 

Is Bigfoot a Creature of the Night?

 

It was while reviewing dozens of Bigfoot cases for my private research group that it became evident to me that, yes, Bigfoot DOES like to operate mostly at nighttime, but the question was why? 

When Dolls Cross the Line From Cute to Terrifying!

Photo source

Isla de las Munecas or "Island of the Dolls" (popularly coined "Doll Island") is a thing of horror for many. Why would an island filled with dolls for decades, laid to waste by the elements and neglect, be terrifying? Well, let me introduce you to its most unsettling beginnings.

Halloween Party Food

 

Having a Halloween party of a movie marathon with your family or just getting together with friends in your favorite season can be reason enough to have fun with the food table. 

Here's just some great ideas - 

Are You Brave Enough to Sleep HERE?

 

A contest was held offering you a delightful tour of the French catacombs, dinner, a scary storytelling time, and then they leave you there to sleep....

You might have slept in a spooky place before, perhaps a seedy motel in a bad part of town, an arguing couple's home, a really old historic inn, but there are some places that would definitely not be sleep-friendly for most folks.

What To Do With Candy Corn

 

Candy corn, you love it or you hate it. Some of us feel compelled to get it every October and then bite into a few and go, "okay, I've had enough!" Then, they continue the season as a decorative dish item and desperate movie time candy when one runs out of the first choice. I plan to show the many candy corn inspired possibilities for the season - 

How to Make a Scarecrow Head Cheap and Easy!

 

Enjoy this how-to on how to easily and very cheaply make a scarecrow head.

Scarecrows! Scarecrows! Scarecrows!

 

Josiah Scarecrow 

fashioned after the hero in my novella, "Josiah: Undead Cowboy"

Originally mannequins were made for fields to keep crows and other birds from eating newly cast seeds. They are extremely ineffective, but still beloved creepy reminders of growing season and coming autumn.

Hidden Rooms and Strangers Hiding in Homes!

 

One of the most creepy themes involving old buildings is a new owner investigating only to find a trap door, a movable bookcase, or a wall that was covered over to hide an unknown void....

Unexpected Encounter on Extraterrestrial Highway Resulting in Physical Damage and Amazing Conclusions!

Researcher Dennis Guern took off on his way to an expedition and decided to take the infamous Extraterrestrial Highway in Nevada. It seemed like a fun place to say you've driven through and take pictures of the funny UFO/alien-related stuff.

But, it didn't go like either of us imagined - at all!

Halloween Selfies

 

There is nothing better at Halloween time than updating your profile pic with a Halloween selfie.  In this photo above I am peeking around the corner of a curtain with an element of terror. If you want to amplify the look, consider using a filter on Photoshop like "poster edge" or just up the contrast.

Hiding in the Forest

 

Some creepy things in the woods produce goosebumps and others, smiles. Why is that? Well, there are pleasant unexpected finds and dark and horrifying unexpected discoveries - 

How to Make Vintage-Looking Halloween Masks

 

Halloween masks of the 70s and 80s were plastic store-bought variety, but prior to that, folks made their own masks often times. Some of the masks they came up with were very unsettling. I believe they are much scarier than any "realistic" werewolf and clown masks of today.

Nature Spirits

 

At some point, you are likely to have taken a photo and looked back at it and thought you saw a face.

How to Make Fog

 

Whether you are determined to make fog for a small party or set up a huge Halloween haunt in your yard, you will want to master fog making. This post is going to help make it easier, whether you use dry ice, make your own machine, or purchase one.

Pizza and Horror Night!

 

You know you're going to do it. It'll be the weekend, Halloween is around the corner, and you will dial up for pizza, hunker down with a blanket and the lights down low and watch horror movies marathon style. I have some suggestions for this well-earned evening escape. 

What to do on a Dark and Stormy Night!

 

Nothing like a dark and stormy night to give you the atmosphere and mood to stoke the fires of mystery. Even if your power isn't out, just turn out the lights and screens in the house and let the lightning illuminate the creepiest corners - 

Indoor Tree Decor

 You love trees. Why not bring them in your home for a woodsy feel? 

Vintage Halloween Pinups

   

If you're nostalgic about Halloween, you recall the pinup poses of advertising. Enjoy these!

Apples and Autumn - So MANY Uses!

 

Autumn and apples - a match that is divine! A crisp, organic, locally-grown apple has a flavor that no store bought apple from some other state can compare to. If you can just get some locally grown ones to eat, you will feel rewarded beyond belief. But, apples aren't just for eating at this time of year. Let's see what you can do with a bushel  - 

Things To Do In October: A Month of Outdoor Activities!

 

It's hard to justify staying indoors when October weather comes. We are so fried from the summer and seeking the deep shadows and chill air of evenings outdoors.

And October doesn't just usher in great weather, it also ushers in as many events outdoors as summer does.

If I could Design Haunted Attractions - I Want These!

 

Here's a couple haunted attractions that I believe work on what your mind fills in, what it worries about, what it imagines. Those are the best scares. There are universal scares like people jumping out at you, but it's the sinister unknown that makes your creep factor peg over to a "10" on the rating scale.

Instead of loud noises, chainsaws, and in your face "terror," let's get back to basics - 

Creepy Abandoned Structures in the Forest

 

Creeping through the foggy woods in the autumn, you stumble upon a structure. You explore it and ponder, "who lived here and why did they leave?" 

Here's a collection of such spooky cryptid dwellings - 

For Sleepy Hollow Lovers

 

When I was a child and our librarian during reading corner time read us Washington Irving's tale of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," I was perpetually in Halloween in my mind. 

It is a tale that is so full of autumnal vibe and spooky haunts that it pops up in a lot of haunted attractions. 

If you love the legend, here's some great versions to watch, music to listen to, and ways to put that vibe into your Halloween home - 

Super Cheap Halloween Party Themes

 

In 2009, I had a post-apocalyptic graveyard theme for a Halloween party. It was very cheap to put together and very effective. You don't have to spend a lot for a Halloween party, as the idea is to make it as dark and rugged as possible which means repurposing junk. 

1970s Scream Queens and 1980s Scream Queens

 

The 70s and 80s were the most amazing decades for horror movies. The scream became the primary focus of these terrifying films and the female leads put in the position to scream did a damn fine job. 

Let's look at some familiar actresses and their work in those decades.

How to Take Advantage of Your Garden at Nighttime For Spooky Pics

 A wee walk in the garden after the sun goes down and the fading corn and sunflowers, the Halloween doll heads and scarecrow, take on a new and sinister tone - 

CHEAP Halloween Decor From Around-the-House Items

  

This is my season! I know I'm not alone because readers of my  "Halloween book Adult Halloween: Taking Back the Season!" tell me that they get more excited about Halloween than Christmas!

Most of these things you probably have around the house and from Halloweens past. Other items are cheap or free to obtain. Take advantage of the dollar store and thrift stores - no need to get fancy.

Michael Myers Crush

Michael Myers.

I don't know if it's a genuine crush, but I've held a fascination for this character from the 1978 film, "Halloween."

I'm pretty sure that it stems from it being the first horror movie I saw in the theater that captured the boogeyman theme and his character being so silent and stalking that he terrifies the reptilian part of the human brain. 

I also like tall boys.

Making a Shrunken Applehead Tree

  

This was a fun project. I actually did it in August so that the apples could age.