44 Years Ago This Week.

My Grandfather was a producer and director for CBS news. He passed away in 1965 just a few weeks before I was born. While sorting out some boxes in the garage tonight, I found this interoffice memo from the day he died which ironically was 44 years ago this week.

Click image to enlarge.

Halloween '09- First Yard Prop Done

The first new yard haunt prop for October is done.


It's based on sketches I posted awhile back.


I did cheat a bit while making this one, the zombie arm is recycled from last year.

Niece Devin at the Bat

The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Blue Bulldogs that day...

Halloween '09 - Awwwwww Really?

I don't ever claim to be the most original idea thinker upper. Once in awhile I like to believe I come up something that has a unique feel, especially with my own details or touches. Such was the case with this doodle from the other day...
Today though, I'm in Target and while enjoying all their new Halloween items, I see this...
Okay, it's not that it's a zombie skeleton dog that bothers me, but it's the ears, they're just like my drawing. I'm sure they're there for the same reason I added ones on mine, they help sell the visual that it's a dog. So now I will brood wondering if it was for sale last season and I saw it and it got stuck in my head? I'll still make mine I think. No ideas are truly original. Heck, my dog house tombstone doodle is inspired by Zero's in Nightmare Before Christmas anyway.

Tis Talk Like a Pirate Day it Be!

Halloween '09 - New Colors for Fall

My skeleton zombies over the years have usually been a blue hue, influenced by Disney's grim, grinning ghosts in the Haunted Mansion. This year, all the old and new living dead residents in the yard are going green.

My Vote For Re-Election Is Secured

Photo via Star Wars Blog via Newsweek

Halloween '09 Could Be A Thriller

I had this idea for a lawn zombie a few years ago. Back then, clever maybe, now, might be too soon and in poor taste. I really do want to make this though for some Halloween down the line...

Halloween '09 - Zombie Sketches

Sketches of a few new skeleton zombies I'm working on for the lawn this year. I've taken some anatomical liberties in the first one but in my haunted world, dogs have ear bones.

Labor Day Project: The Windex Strikes Back

The Star Wars toy display cleaning went well. If there is a neat and tidy center to the universe, these shelves were the farthest from.

Before...and this is after I had already removed many of the toys.
Progress..."Dune Sea" barren for a nice fresh start.

After...did you know you can vacuum a Bantha? Well, you can.

Why was this a whole Labor Day weekend project? Each one of those figures, vehicles, light sabers, blasters, stands, etc. were hand washed, dried and of course, had to be posed just right. All the while looking over my shoulder every 5 minutes making sure none of my neighbors can see what I dork I'm being. I still have a few more characters to add plus numerous accessories to distribute correctly. I applaud Hasbro's attention to detail, but curse them as I go cross-eyed examining blue light saber hilts to sort out which is Obi Wan's and which is Luke's.

Regrettably coming soon, still two more movie toy shelves to tackle on another wall in the collection cleaning trilogy.

Labor Day Project in a Galaxy Far, Far Away

It is a period of disarray.

Plastic Rebel spaceships are piled upon shelves
along with vehicles from the evil Galactic Empire.
Within the display, Jawas and Ewoks
are mixed up in playsets of the Empire's
ultimate weapon, the Death Star.
That's not canon. Left unattended by
a sinister and lazy owner, Princess Leia
and other action figures, covered in dust,
await a secret plan that will clean the collection
and restore order to the galactic mess.

Coming soon...the exciting next episode!

September Foreboding

September began with an apocalyptic ambiance.

Although I live miles from the current wildfires burning here in Los Angeles and thankfully safe, their presence is ominously apparent. A hazy smoke covered sky today with bits of ash drifting down and everything lit in an amber glow from a foreboding sun.

Halloween '09 - Stef's Giant Eyeball

I really hate my friend and past co-worker Stefanie Girard...crafter, artist, author, blogger, decorator, TV producer and many other job titles too numerous to list. She's posted a clever and easy Halloween project "how to" on her site, Sweater Surgery.

I don't hate her because I didn't think of this first or some other jealous reason. I hate her because...well... it had to be a yoga ball? Come on, I'm the very last person on Earth who would have any exercise equipment to use. Thanks Stef, now I may have to go buy one from a healthy lifestyle store. Nothing on Halloween could ever scare me more than those places.

Click here to visit Stef's site.

Halloween '09 - Apothecary Jars on a Budget

Click on images to enlarge.

Like many, I love creepy things in specimen jars. I prefer to create an eclectic display of containers every year. Different sized and shaped ones are more visually interesting to me and help tell a story that they've come from odd, mysterious, dark, distant places. Old world styled apothecary jars are great additions with their antique look and instant creepy feel.

They seem to be a popular Halloween item these days in many of the more "high end" decorating catalogues and stores. I want to add a few to my prop closet one day but will have to wait due to those "high end" prices. I know less expensive ones are out there to find but I'm also trying to keep it another "no budget" decorating year. So until I have the piles of cash to spend on every small detail I'd like for October, cheap or expensive, here's what I did to create some jars of my own. They'll make decent filler for my ever growing laboratory themed dining room.

What I used: old pickle and tomato sauce jars, disposable plastic champagne glasses (the kind with detachable bases), clear aquarium silicone, large craft jewels, rubber creatures and computer made labels. Not pictured: paint brush, super glue, glue stick, food coloring (yellow & green), water, Dremel tool and a strong cup of coffee (yes... coffee).


I created two style jars with what I had. For the spider jar's pedestal, I first assembled a champagne glass. Although the base and the stem fit tight, for security, I super glued them. Super glue vapors can fog up clear plastic, so I only used a small drop. Then I silicone glued it upside down to the bottom of the jar. Having the wider mouth of the champagne glass as a stand makes it stable.
The jar lid is also a flipped over glass but with an inch of the stem cut off using a Dremel tool. A craft jewel fit in the cut end neatly to complete the fancy top..

The worm jar was very simple. I liked it without a pedestal. For it's lid, because the open sauce jar top was smaller, just a detached champagne glass base worked with a glued on jewel.I made the labels on the computer, printed and cut out. I then dunked them in a strong cup of coffee for the aged look. Once dry and put on the jar with a glue stick, I brushed on more coffee while wrinkling and tearing the edges to really make them old.

Feel free to steal these labels. Let me know if you use them, be fun to see!

Creating the fluid was the hardest part...for a silly reason. I was momentarily obsessed with making the perfect hue using yellow & green food color. I spent more time doing that than it did to make the jars. I DO NOT recommend keeping water in the pedestal jar, I used just for the pictures. The base is stable but I don't trust it to be strong enough with the water weight for any extended or unsupervised time. I'm going to replace the water with colored film/gel or use stained glass paint.

Overall a quick prop making experiment that worked out okay. It should be fun making a few more playing around with different jars and combinations. I may take extra time on those...grinding the jewel points flat and cutting out the champagne glasses' base socket on lids like the worm jar's, so all appears more seamless.

Cartooning Milestones

On Monday my web comic Para Abnormal welcomed it's 50,000th visitor and also on that day, I posted the 400th cartoon. It should be noted that 46,000 of those visitors are my Mom and only 27 of the 400 cartoons are actually good ones.


If you haven't stopped by yet, I hope you do and a big thank you to all who have been checking in regularly.