Craft an Animated Skeleton

      An animated skeleton – that glows brightly in the dark can be used for all kinds of harmless but amusing Halloween pranks. The skeleton is jointed so that a slight shake will cause the arms and legs to swing about in a realistic manner. The figure may be gripped at the neck from behind, or you can attach a screweye and suspend it at the end of a long pole that has been painted black. Black threads can be attached to the arms and legs, if desired, to operate them from a distance as you would marionette figures.

      A skeleton that is already printed on heavy paper, as well as small bottles of luminous paint, can be purchased inexpensively at most any novelty or 5 & 10c store. Disjoint the figure into nine pieces and attach them with glue to 1/4″ plywood or composition board, then cut them out on the scroll or band saw. To rejoint the skeleton use tubular rivets with small washers, taking care that they fit loosely. At least two coats of luminous paint should be applied; three coats are not too many and will assure greater brightness. Blacken the edges of the figure with black stove polish or similar material and it is ready for use. It should be subjected to a bright light before exhibition and will glow for hours thereafter. The effect of this skeleton, shining out of the dark, is really startling and it should not be tried out on persons with weak hearts.

Craft More Skeletons for Halloween:

• Skeletons made from Q-tips
• Skeletons made from paper plates
• Skeleton made from cork
• Skeleton made from pasta
• Skeleton made from bottle caps

Craft with old-fashioned Halloween silhouettes . . .

      Use these stencils to trace around with a white lead pencil onto black construction paper. Then hang them in your windows or cut them out for cards and stationary.

A black cat with glowing eyes peers into the darkness.

An old hag, witch, flies on her broom at night.

An owl perches on a fir branch with the moon behind.

More Vintage Fall Silhouettes:

• Paper cuts for Halloween of black cats here
  
• Vintage paper cuts for fall
• Paper cuts of more black cats... 
• Halloween silhouettes for paper treat bags
  

Two red-eyed owls perch in a tree in front of a big red moon.

Wise - Owl

At Night the Owl comes out
To sit and look about.
His wife and he 
Live in a tree-
Like other owls, no doubt.

 

At night he's very wise,

But he's blind in the bright sunrise,

And he turns his head

Clear 'round, 'tis said,

As he stares with his owlish eyes. 

 

by George Cassard

How To Make "Pumpkin Spice" or "Pumpkin Pie" Playdough

      

      This video from TheParentingChannel shows you how to make Pumpkin Pie Play Dough KEY INGREDIENT Pumpkin Spice This is great for Halloween Parties, Halloween Crafts, Fall Parties, Fall Crafts, Thanksgiving Parties, and Thanksgiving Crafts.

Bake a Fortune Cake

Halloween fondant cake tutorial.

      On your menu, don't neglect the Fortune Cake. It contains a ring, a thimble and a dime. Whoever gets the ring will be married soon; the thimble means celibacy; the dime, wealth.
      The fortune cake can be made in any way but the inclusion of the ring, thimble and dime is a very old tradition from the British Isles that dates back several centuries. You can bake these little trinkets into any cake recipe you wish; sometimes, you can find them in cake bakery shops as well.

More Halloween Cakes:

• Reese's Halloween Pinata Cake
• How to Make a Giant Reese's Peanut Butter Cup
• Bubbling Halloween Cauldron Cake
• Decorating a Scenic Halloween Cake

"The Ghost and Mr. Chicken"

      "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" is a 1966 American comedy-drama film starring Don Knotts as Luther Heggs, a newspaper typesetter who spends a night in a haunted house, which is located in the fictitious community of Rachel, Kansas. The working title was Running Scared.

Theatrical Release Poster

      Luther Heggs is a typesetter at the newspaper in Rachel, Kansas, but aspires to be a reporter. One night, observing what he believes to be a murder outside of an old, supposedly haunted house, Heggs rushes to the police station with his scoop. Unfortunately, as he relates the details of his story to the Chief of Police, the murder "victim" walks into the room. The next morning, Heggs walks downstairs to the dining room at the Natalie Miller boarding house and overhears Ollie Weaver (Homeier), a full-time reporter at the newspaper, mocking his mistakes of the night before. According to a legend noted in the film, the Simmons mansion was a "murder house" 20 years earlier, when Mr. Simmons murdered his wife, then jumped from the organ loft to his death. Legend says that you can hear the ghost of Mr. Simmons playing the organ at night.

      To increase newspaper sales, Luther is assigned to spend the night in the house on the 20th anniversary of the murders. At midnight, Heggs sees the old organ begin to play by itself, as well as other ghostly happenings. His story gets the town abuzz and Nicholas Simmons (Philip Ober), nephew of the deceased couple, sues Heggs for libel.

      In the courtroom, Heggs is made out to be a fool, but the judge orders the courtroom to the Simmons house at midnight to allow Heggs to prove his story. Nothing happens, and everyone leaves except for Heggs. Soon after, when he notices the old organ playing again, Heggs discovers Mr. Kelsey, the newspaper's janitor, producing the creepy tune from an additional keyboard located under the pipes. The typesetter and janitor then confront Nicholas Simmons, who killed his aunt and uncle and has been trying to cover up the story all this time. A secret passage from the study up to the organ loft had been Simmons' alibi, and Mr. Kelsey was the last one who knew the secret. Luther knocks Simmons out with a body slam, and the case is closed. At the end of the film, Heggs marries his sweetheart, Alma Parker (Joan Staley) and the church organ begins to play the same spooky tune that came from the Simmons house, with the keys moving, but no one there.

^{More Related Content:} 

• The Ghost and Mr. Chicken at the Internet Movie Database
• The Ghost and Mr. Chicken at AllRovi
• DVD review and production history
• The Ghost and Mr. Chicken at kiddiematinee.com

Around The Apple Tub

      No Halloween party is complete without the large tub filled with cold water, its surface crowded with the reddest of rosy checked apples. Some one should be selected as manager of the sports, as guests, in their excitement, need to be regulated and controlled, or they may tumble headlong into the tub!

      A line should be formed, and each should kneel in turn and bob or duck their heads down into the water, trying to secure an apple with the teeth. Frequently the persisting apple has to be pursued to the very bottom of the tub, but this makes the game all the more exciting, although the clothes are apt to get utterly soaked.

      To prevent this, the wise hostess will lay in a stock of water-proof bibs for the girls, while the men should remove collars, ties and coats.

Even horses love to bob for apples!

Bobbing For More Apples:

• Bobbing for apples game with champion Tony... - baby very jealous.
• Huskies try bobbing for apples too! and blue berries and bananas with and without skin em.

"The Raven," by Edgar Allen Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, 

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, 

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. 

"'T is some visiter," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door— 

Only this, and nothing more."

 

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow:—vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
Nameless here for evermore.
 

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
"'T is some visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door
Some late visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door;—  
This it is, and nothing more."
 

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you"—here I opened wide the door;—
Darkness there, and nothing more.
 

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore!"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"
Merely this and nothing more.
 

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping, somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore—
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—  
'T is the wind and nothing more!"
 

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
 

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,  
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,  
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore,—
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
 

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore;  
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door—  
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,  
With such name as "Nevermore."
 

But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.  
Nothing further then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "Other friends have flown before—
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."  
Then the bird said, "Nevermore."
 

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful 
Disaster Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore—  
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore  
Of 'Never—nevermore.'"
 

But the Raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore—
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore  
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."
 

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;  
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er  
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
 

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee  
Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!  
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
 

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!—
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,  
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—
On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—
Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
 

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil—prophet still, if bird or devil!  
By that Heaven that bends above, us—by that God we both adore—
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."  
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
 

"Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting—  
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!  
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"  
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
 

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;  
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,  
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;  
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor  
Shall be lifted—nevermore!

for further study 

How to make caramel apples, yum!

Sam and Louis teach kids how to make caramel apples!

      Caramel apples or taffy apples (not to be confused with candy apples) are created by dipping or rolling apples-on-a-stick in hot caramel, sometimes then rolling them in nuts or other small savories or confections, and allowing them to cool. Generally, they are called caramel apples when only caramel is applied and taffy apples for when there are further ingredients such as peanuts applied.

       For high-volume production of caramel apples, a sheet of caramel can be wrapped around the apple, followed by heating of the apple to melt the caramel evenly onto it. This creates a harder caramel that is easier to transport but more difficult to eat. Caramel apple production at home usually involves melting pre-purchased caramel candies for dipping, or making a homemade caramel from ingredients like brown sugar, butter, and vanilla. Homemade caramel generally results in a softer, creamier coating.

      In recent years, it has become increasingly popular to decorate caramel apples for holidays like Halloween. Methods used to do this include applying sugar or salt to softened caramel, dipping cooled, hardened apples in white or milk chocolate, or painting designs onto finished caramel apples with white chocolate colored with food coloring.

      Classically, the preferred apples for use in caramel apples are tart, crisp apples such as Granny Smith or Fuji apples. Softer, grainy-textured apples can also be used, but are not preferred.

More Related Content:

• The Ultimate Caramel Apple Pie
• Caramel Apple Cake

Knock, Knock Links

      This little guy is sooooo cute! He reminds me of Fozzie Bear. I just love it when children find uninteresting things funny; what must be going through their little tangled brains? When my kids were young, they used to lay in their beds at night and giggle riotously at nothing.

      I'll post links here to Knock, Knock Jokes for those little tikes who would prefer to recite them in exchange for Halloween treats whilst they venture forth on a spooky fall evening.

• Knock Knock Jokes from Funology
• knock knick jokes from essentialkids.com

The History of Knock Knock Jokes.

      The exact date of the joke formula attaining popularity is unknown, but was likely 1936. Fred Allen's December 30, 1936 radio broadcast included a humorous wrapup of the year's least important events, including a supposed interview with the man who "invented a negative craze" on April 1st: "Ramrod Dank... the first man to coin a Knock Knock."

      "Knock knock" was the catchphrase of music hall performer Wee Georgie Wood, who was recorded in 1936 saying it in a radio play, but he simply used the words as a reference to his surname and did not use it as part of the well-known joke formula. The format was well known in the UK and US in the 1950s and early 1960s before falling out of favor. It then enjoyed a renaissance after the jokes became a regular part of the badinage on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.

      In 2010, a letter from a steward (thought to be Jim Richardson) on the Nahlin steam yacht was discovered. The 16-page letter to his mother detailed life on the yacht during a 1936 Mediterranean cruise on which King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson were passengers. The steward repeated a popular joke of the time: "Knock knock. Who's there? Edward Rex. Edward Rex who? Edward wrecks the Coronation."

In France, the punchline is sometimes a pun on the title of a popular song, allowing the last answer to be sung :

Toc Toc! (Knock knock!)
Qui est là? (Who's there?)
Sheila.
Sheila qui? (Sheila who?)
Sheila lutte finale... . (a pun on "c'est la lutte finale" (It's the final struggle), the first line of the chorus of The Internationale)

      In Shakespeare's play Macbeth a comic relief character delivers a twenty-line monologue and satire that makes reference to events of that time. It follows the pattern of "knock knock who's there?" but it is done entirely by the character and knocks from off stage. The character is a hung over porter (in most performances drunk, but in the original he was hung over) who pretends he is the porter to the gates of hell welcoming sinners of different professions:

(Macbeth ActII, sciii)

Knock, knock, knock! Who's there, i' th' name of Beelzebub? Here's a farmer that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty. Come in time, have napkins enough about you, here you'll sweat for 't.

(this is a joke referring to a price drop in crops, as well as a joke about the heat in hell)

Knock, knock! Who's there, in th' other devil's name? Faith, here's an equivocator that could swear in both the scales against either scale, who committed treason enough for God's sake, yet could not equivocate to heaven. O, come in, equivocator.

(this passage is believed to be a reference to a trial of the Jesuits who were charged with equivocation speaking unclearly or speaking with double meaning)

Knock, knock, knock! Who's there? Faith, here's an English tailor come hither for stealing out of a French hose. Come in, tailor. Here you may roast your goose.

(the tailor is accused of stealing cloth while making breeches, this is a joke about a fashion trend in Shakespearian times, also a pun for roasting the tailor's iron with the heat of hell)