Breath of Autumn

by Derek O'Brien (@its_halloween_night)

200 Days Until Halloween!

I feel so behind! I haven't even begun fabrication yet. I keep trying to wait for life to chill out for a minute so I can begin, but let's be real here: That aint gonna happen.  

I better start soon though.  October will be here before I know it.

Photo from 2022

“Signs of life in mummy exhibit in Mexico have experts worried”

(A news site sensationalizing headlines for more clicks? Never!)

"Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History expressed concerns about this exhibition, according to a March 31 statement. The institute said it was not alerted about the display and did not authorize or advise on the transportation, handling or presentation conditions of the mummies.

"Experts saw photos of the display and spotted signs of possible fungal growths on one mummy, the institute said in its statement. The signs of life worried experts because of the possible biohazard concerns — yet lack of safeguards — and the danger of damage to the fragile mummies."

So while these mummies look very cool, they will, unfortunately, not be reanimating. Still, better keep Brendan Fraser on speed-dial just in case.

Click here for the original article, and click here for a much better article providing some background on the mummies.

Modern Masters Rust Finish Kit

I've heard of these kits before, and I think I might try one out for this year's yard haunt.  It uses iron paint that is then coated with a rust activator to rapidly cause the paint to oxidize, thus creating real rust on any paintable surface (not just metal!)

@quiet_grave used it to make these awesome tin can jack-o'-lanterns:

Looks like you can pick this up at most hardware department stores.

Check out the Modern Masters website for a full product list of rust and patina effects.

Dressed to Kill

Another fun photo from @the_old_ghost777