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halloween (2)

The House is Haunted

Posted by TheMadBlonde on October 29, 2008 at 8:30am

HAPPY HALLOWEEN to all my lj friends!I'll be offline until after the holiday, so here is my annual "holiday spirit" post.If you're looking for some online resources to help "set the mood" for the holiday, I have compiled a list of favourite/useful links. I began collecting these (mostly free) Halloween resources a few years ago, but have updated it quite a bit this year & added some really fun sites, so please check it out. Enjoy!Lost In The Web:The Book of Halloween (period book recounting origins & traditional celebrations in the UK & Europe): http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/boh/boh02.htmA page of links to sites that discuss the history of Halloween & its customs: http://www.halloweenmagazine.com/history.htmHalloween traditions from around the world: http://www.jackolanterns.net/traditions.htmHalloween superstitions: http://www.halloweenhowl.com/halloween-superstitions.shtmlSome General Halloween websites:Halloween News (articles, links, tips, fairly comprehensive & looks pretty utd): http://www.halloween-news.com/net/index.htmlHalloweenMagazine.com (general info/tips/cards/links): http://www.halloweenmagazine.com/Halloween.com- www.halloween.comThe Halloween Database- http://www.halloweendatabase.com/Halloween Online: http://www.halloween-online.com/Halloween link lists: http://www.halloween.com/links/directory/, http://www.darklinks.com/dhauntweb.html,Happy Haunting!In the Haunted House (commercial haunted houses):This site bills itself as the most complete listing in/for the country (beware, annoying but closeable pop ups): http://www.horrorfind.com/Haunted_Houses/A few back-ups, in case it's an empty boast: http://www.hauntworld.com/ (easy to search) or http://www.hauntedhouse.com/search/Haunted_Attraction_Directory/A site devoted to commercial houses, dark rides, & their tricks: http://www.halloweenproductions.com/The best haunted house I've ever been in (though the website SUCKS as it doesn't really tell you much about the place, just ticket info, etc): http://www.edgeofhell.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1DoomBuggies (a site devoted to Disney's Haunted Mansion ride/s): http://www.doombuggies.com/I DO believe in Spooks! I DO! I DO! (TRULY haunted places):Haunted Places Listings for all states & around the world- http://www.theshadowlands.net/places/Haunted Places in the Twin Cities: http://twincities.citysearch.com/roundup/40468/ or http://www.pulsetc.com/article.php?sid=2774 (or for ghost hunters: http://twincitiesparanormalsociety.com/)Haunted Places in MN- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntmn.html (or for ghosthunters http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2007/10/25/72164065 or http://minnesotaparanormalinvestigators.com/hauntedmn.html)Haunted Places in WI- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntwi.htmlHaunted Places in IA- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntia.htmlHaunted Places in Kansas City: http://kansascity.about.com/od/entertainmentattractions/a/HauntedKCMO.htm(or for ghost hunters: http://www.ghost-investigators.com/Haunted Places in MO- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntmo.html (or for ghosthunters http://www.missourighosts.net/ or http://www.hauntedmo.com/)Haunted Places in KS- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntks.htmlHaunted Places in NE- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntne.htmlHaunted (& Weird) Places in IL- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntil.html (or if you'd prefer COMMERCIAL haunted attractions: http://www.hauntedillinois.com/ )Haunted Places in OH- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntoh.html or http://www.forgottenoh.com/haunted.html (or if you prefer COMMERCIAL haunted attractions: http://www.scaryohio.com/home.htm)Haunted Places in OK- http://www.prairieghosts.com/oklahoma.htmlHaunted Places in AR- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntar.htmlHaunted Places in TX- http://www.texasescapes.com/FEATURES/Texas_ghosts.htm or http://www.hollowhill.com/tx/tx.htm (or for ghosthunters http://www.lonestarspirits.org/hauntedtexas.html)Haunted Places in DC- http://godc.about.com/od/pictures/ig/Gallery-of-Ghost-Stories/ (or for ghosthunters http://www.dchauntings.com/)Haunted Places in MD- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntmd.htmlHaunted Places in NYC- http://gonyc.about.com/od/halloween/a/haunted_newyork.htmHaunted Places in NY: http://www.essortment.com/travel/hauntedplacesn_skfn.htmHaunted Places in Sacramento, CA- http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/38986/haunted_sacramento_the_ghosts_and_spirits.html?cat=8 or http://www.hauntedamericatours.com/ghosthunting/hauntedcities/SacramentoCalifornia.php.Haunted Places in Canada- http://www.tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i261-10_Most_haunted_Places_to_Visit_in.html(Winnipeg- http://www.unexplainable.net/artman/publish/article_3360.shtml)Haunted places in the UK- http://www.haunted-britain.com/ or http://theshadowlands.net/places/uk.htm or http://www.ghosts-uk.net/modules/news/index.php?storytopic=0&start=610 (fyi- these people want you to sign up)Haunted Places in London- http://www.paranormaldatabase.com/london/lonpages/london.htm or http://www.spookystuff.co.uk/HauntedLondon.htmlGhosthunters site for Sheffield- http://www.sheffieldparanormal.co.uk/Haunted Places in Gloucestershire (Cotswolds): http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/focus/2003/05/ghost/ghosts_meredith.shtml or http://www.paranormaldatabase.com/gloucestershire/glosshire.htm or http://www.mysteriouspeople.com/Cotswolds_mystery2.htmHaunted Places in the Midlands & Eastern England (Surrey): http://www.paranormaldatabase.com/surrey/surrdata.php& 101 British Ghosts: http://www.mysterymag.com/hauntedbritain/?page=article&subID=5&artID=273Pretty UK ghost site: http://www.headlesshorseman.co.uk/British Ghost Hunters: http://www.hauntedbritain.co.uk/Spook Searches (large sites that list haunted places by state/area. PLEASE NOTE- most of these do NOT verify submitted stories!):The Shadowlands: http://theshadowlands.netReal Haunted Houses: http://www.realhaunts.com/Historic Hauntings (A Collection of Articles on Ghosts, Hauntings and the Unknown)- http://www.prairieghosts.com/haunt_history.htmlHaunt Your Own HomeThe Monster List of Halloween "do it yourself" projects: http://www.halloweenmonsterlist.info/How to make a Haunted House: http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/mischalloween/a/091100a.htmProfessional Props: http://www.thehorrordome.com/ or http://www.spookyfx.com/Ghost Lit (If you like your ghost stories a little less local & more literary):Horror stories & poems: http://www.horrormasters.com/Literary Gothic: http://www.litgothic.com/index_fl.htmlThe Haunters & the Haunted 57 ghost stories from literary works, folklore and myth: http://www.bartleby.com/166/Victorian Ghost Stories (a nice little selection): http://www.lang.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~matsuoka/ghost-stories.htmlAmalgamated Brotherhood of Spooks library (a good variety & some hard-to-find stories): http://www.amalgamatedspooks.com/library.htmlThe Ghost Stories of M.R. James: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/8486 or http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9629The Moonlit Road (ghost stories of the South): http://www.themoonlitroad.com/index.htmlThe Little Colonel's Halloween (a fictional account of a typical period celebration): http://www.littlecolonel.com/books/Holidays/Chapter11.htmDark Poetry (scroll down a bit): http://www.geocities.com/anadreams/hallpoetry.html or http://thingsthatgoboo.com/scarypoems/darkpoems.htm or http://www.horrormasters.com/Themes/DarkPoetry.htmSomething Visual that's not too Abysmal:Instant Gratification (stuff to watch online):Thomas Edison's "Frankenstein:"Edward Gorey's "Dracula" (stop motion animated feature using Gorey designed toy theatre- ADORABLE!):Vincent Price reads the RavenThe Walls Keep Talkin'The Skeleton in the ClosetBetty Boop's Halloween Party:Mickey Mouse in "The Haunted House"Lonesome GhostsDonald Duck's HalloweenEgyptian Melodies (for & :Broomstick BunnyHyde & HareA Witch's Tangled HareMonster Mash1965 SHINDIG Halloween Episode, starring Boris singing the Monster Mash, Lurch singing & dancing to his namesake tune, the Lurch, and three other songs by Jim Doval & the Gauchos, & The Wellingtons.ThrillerDisneyland's Haunted Mansion Super 8Home-Rental Horror:A Horror movie fansite w/ list of the best 100 ever: http://www.best-horror-movies.com/100-greatest-horror-movies.htmla list of lists of horror movie choices for different occasions: http://www.bellaonline.com/subjects/8287.aspThe annual Halloween movie recommendations of Brian Showers: http://www.brianjshowers.com/articles_halloweenfilm2008.html(see also http://www.brianjshowers.com/articles_halloweenfilm2007.htmlhttp://www.brianjshowers.com/articles_halloweenfilm2006.htmlhttp://www.brianjshowers.com/articles_halloweenfilm2005.htmlhttp://www.brianjshowers.com/articles_halloweenfilm2004.htmlhttp://www.brianjshowers.com/articles_halloweenfilm2003.html )Lights OutIf you like Old Time Radio, there is a wonderful webgroup here: https://timespast.ning.com/ , & if you choose to join the “OTR before 1962” group: https://timespast.ning.com/group/OTRbefore1962 , there is an AMAZING collection of Halloween Radio shows (available only to group members, but well worth joining if you like OTR) here: https://timespast.ning.com/group/OTRbefore1962/forum/topic/show?id=1535737%3ATopic%3A37241Or for streaming shows, Horror Old Time Radio (beware: annoying commercials): http://www.live365.com/stations/radiobonesMonster Mood Music:Evil Online:Halloween Radio (3 different tracks): http://www.neverendingwonder.com/halloween.htmThe 13th Track (online music & ordering info for Halloween recordings) http://www.13thtrack.com/Haunted Radio- http://hauntedradio.50webs.com/Share the Scare:A blogsite with many WONDERFUL Halloween songs, stories, & sounds to share (search back a little): http://davesworld56.blogspot.com/Another fantastic blogsite with a Halloween count down, cool songs & a lot of fun comic art: http://armagideontime.blogspot.com/"Spook Party" & "Ghoul-Arama" (two super-ghoul original mixes complete w/ cover art for your own cd)- http://scarstuff.blogspot.com/2006/04/various-ghouls-spook-party-scar-stuff.htmlMake Your Own Spooky Music: (Halloween musical suggestions for your own mixes):a list of lists: http://userpages.chorus.net/burleigh/music/h_playlists.htmlrock mix suggestions: http://userpages.itis.com/burleigh/music/my_hsongs.htmlclassical: http://music.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/0010_halloween/playlist.shtmlfree downloadable midi & wav files: http://www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/music.htmSing Your Own Spooky Song:Pumpkin carols: http://www.geocities.com/heartland/4175/pcarolli.htmlBooed Food (recipes):elegant entertaining: http://www.perfectentertaining.com/halloween/silly snacks:http://www.masterstech-home.com/The_Kitchen/Recipes/Recipe_Indices/Seasonal_Recipe_Indices/HalloweenRecipesIndex.htmlGhoul Treats: http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/halloween/goulish.htmplenty of pumpkin recipes: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook.htm#recipeA Slice of Halloween (pumpkin carving sites):The Pumpkin Nook: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/hween/carve.htmPumpkin Carving 101: http://www.pumpkincarving101.com/Pumpkin Masters: http://www.pumpkinmasters.com (more commercial but fun free patterns)More free carving patterns: http://www.jack-o-lantern.com/Tips for creating a new pattern: http://wls.wwco.com/garden/patterns.htmlVirtual pumpkin carving:Carve & Post it: http://www.cubpack81.com/images/carve_pumpkin.swfCarve & Email it: http://www.theoworlds.com/halloween/Dressed to KillAn excellent page of costume idea/planning site links, including several for wheelchair users: http://www.costumepage.org/hallocst.htmlLast minute/inexpensive costume ideas you can put together yourself:Pretty Easy: http://papa.essortment.com/easyhalloweenc_rdfm.htmalso easy & lots of ideas (including costumes for those in chairs): http://www.robinsfyi.com/holidays/halloween/costumes.htmcool site w/ one annoying pop-up: http://www.costumeideazone.com/Easy, 3-colour face paint costume ideas: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/family/33402089.html?elr=KArksUUUUMartha Stewart goes buggy: http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=59bac137bf22f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=related& tongue in cheek: http://members.tripod.com/disneyitis/LATE_H_COSTUMES.HTMArt in the Blood (my fave Halloween artists):s320x240the paintings of John Atkinson Grimshaw: http://john-atkinson-grimshaw.chez-alice.fr/Page1.htm or http://www.bridgemanartondemand.com/index.cfm?event=catalogue.artist&artistID=2565The Haunted Studio (Lewis Barrett Lehrman): http://www.hauntedstudio.com/Gallery1.htmDandelion Halloween Cards (Lori Preusch): http://www.dandelionpress.com/halloween.htmlVintage Halloween Postcards: http://halloween.lisamorton.com/cards.htmlOld Haunts- Vintage pictures of Halloweens gone by: http://oldhaunts.blogspot.com/Halloween collectables chronicled on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintagehalloweencollector/Momento Mori Miscellany:Mysterious Memorials (odd gravestone inscriptions): http://www.bbchistorymagazine.com/memorials_2.aspFrightening Fun:Halloween Hangman: Halloween Hangman created by The Dimension's Edge, Inc.s320x240Monsterise Your Name: http://www.i-mockery.com/halloween/bag/monster-initial-generator.phpHope some of these might come in handy &/or help get you into the Halloween Spirit. Happy Haunting!
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Happy Halloween!

Posted by TheMadBlonde on October 29, 2009 at 10:40am
Several years ago, I started keeping a list of Halloween themed internet sites. It's grown pretty large, though far from comprehensive, & includes quite the miscellany of things online for (or even vaguely related to) Halloween, including: sites about the history of Halloween, sites about haunted places, ghost stories & poetry online, recommendations for scary movies, Halloween music sites (thanks Katy!), a recommendation for THIS wonderful place, Halloween clips on YouTube (& other places), recipe sites, costume sites, pumpkin carving sites (not to mention virtual pumpkin carving games), & a few silly online games & activities to put you in the holiday "spirit." I've just finished checking all the links to make sure they're current, & there's a lot there if you're interested/ curious/ really bored. Hope you visit, hope you enjoy, & please feel free to make suggestions for next year's list.http://themadblonde.livejournal.com/324676.htmlI'll be offline 'til after Halloween, so wishing everyone here a most delightful, spooky, & Happy Halloween! -Karen
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