As promised

here is the picture that my wonderful kids got me for Christmas...

They got it from a guy in Estonia. This is the first & only one I have. the seller said it was a woman in her wedding dress. I think he may have been mistaken though. I did some research and it seems that in that part of the world they often will bury someone in white (much like the "dresses" that people wear for baptism, first communion, confirmation, etc.) So it would be reasonable to think that this was such a case. Of course that is nowhere near as interesting to a buyer as saying it's a dead bride.
I am actually trying to find post-mortem pictures from around 1865 - 1915. The ones that they posed the deceased and then took pictures with them as if they were still alive. I know, one might say that is a bit weird, but that's only because we feel death is a taboo. Anyhow, I promised I would share the pic....
Happy Haunting!!!!
~Bill

My family is

the best family ever!!! How else can you describe a wife that gets her husband this book ...

for Christmas??? She so enables my obsession at times. See she knows that for next years haunt I am not only doing the outside of the house but I am also planning on doing the front room as well. And part of what I am doing involves Post-mortem photography or Momento Mori. (Click the link for info on this topic). This book is chock full of the things... I'll post a review of it as soon as I can...Also she helped the kids pick out and purchase an original Death portrait for me. (Yes, even my kids enable my obbsession.) Is it wrong that my two 13 year olds and soon to be 10 year old see nothing wrong with buying me a picture of a dead person??? So yeah, I believe I have the best family ever. Those that truely know me also know I honestly HATE the Christmas season, but I do have to say that this Christmas is in my top 10 days of my life (so far). The kids this year made it awesome:)

I did get some other cool stuff...a wood burner with 4 tips (which will also be used on next years haunt), an awesome cast iron skull bottle opener, and maybe my favorite gift of all a ukelele... I know odd. Anyway, I'll think about scanning and posting the pic that the kids got me sometime this week....

I hope your "other holiday" was as fruitful as mine:)

Happy Haunting!!!!!

~Bill

I lied....

when I said I was not going to build any more props until after the New Year. Last night I finished yet another tombstone. This time I did something different. I saw this picture :

I was like wow...I love this. So I tried to copy it. Here is what I got:

Now that I am looking at it I think I have just a few more touches to add then I'll be finished. I was trying for that "sandstone" look. Not sure if I achieved it or not. Jen likes it, the kids approve of it, so I suppose I'll add it to the cemetery next year.

Until next time....

Happy Haunting!!!!

~Bill