Back in the 80’s, summer was when they released a bunch of new horror movies. It was the kickoff to the Halloween season, whetting your whistle for the ooky-spooky before the leaves of Autumn even began to turn. Nowadays, Summer seems to be the time to release superhero and big budget action movies. For me though, summer still subconsciously triggers my Halloween and Horror button, and I start planning and crafting accordingly.
Fortunately, with modern services like Netflix, the internet and RedBox, you can create your own horror movie playlist at any time of the year! Amazon and the local library are also invaluable resources for feeding your horror and mystery craving. We’ve finally hit the point where the craft stores are putting up their Halloween merchandise, so even outside of your home, the magic begins!
So far, I’m a bit behind on my Watch List, but I’ve finally been getting around to watching the Showtime series “Penny Dreadful” on Netflix. I’m about 2 episodes into the second season, and so far it’s decent, but not what I was expecting. I do like the way they’ve intertwined all the classic horror stories of the Victorian era – a giant “What If They All Met?” kind of scenario. I don’t want to spoil anything for you though, so all I’ll really say is – not for children: it’s a lot sexier than most parents probably want young ones exposed to. Just a warning.
I also watched the second Ouija movie, and was pleased to find that it was much, much better than the first one. In fact, you probably don’t even need to even watch the first one. Chuck that out the window and just watch the second one.
Good job on really getting down the retro nostalgia feel, too – right from the beginning with the opening credits.
Book wise, all I’ve managed to get through this summer is “Meddling Kids”, by Edgar Cantero. If the Scooby-Doo series “Mystery, Inc” combined with H.P. Lovecraft sounds like a good mix to you, you’ll probably enjoy it. I understand this is only Edgar’s second book in English, so there’s a bit of adjustment to his writing style – and at times the dialogue is written like it’s a movie script. I’m not sure if this is intentional for some reason, or a sign of editing issues. It was interesting enough that I was able to get past it though.
Craft-wise, I’m working more apothecary-style prop jars (one of my old standbys) and experimenting with some new-to-me art forms. I actually sat down with some polymer clay and am learning to sculpt. Nothing too fancy for this beginner – but it let me add some dimensions to my normal jars by embellishing the lids, creating some plants and even making some doll-house sized items. Just a few tentacle monsters and pumpkins to get started, really. You can see pictures on the Hauntcadia Facebook and Instagram pages.
I also bought some resin casting materials, but I haven’t played around with that yet. So much to do! So little time! I hope everyone else is having a great summer, and you’re managing to keep the candle lit in your internal Jack-o-Lantern!
Hauntcadia 