The 2011 Horror Hootenanny in Nashville...

I have SO many photos to process (over 250) and so much to say about it... but just don't have the proper time to devote right now, so I'll leave it at this: it was a BLAST! A stellar success and the most fun I've had since last year's Hoot. Dr. Gangrene did a great job, as did everyone else who was a part of it. Of course, I went overboard on the ghoulish monster makeup (see pic below) but it was to be expected. I think the bald cap and pointy ears freaked a lot of people out... hee hee hee.

Mark and me, scarin' things up at the 2011 Hootenanny

Overall, a great turnout of people, many fantastic bands... and I'm already at work on the next one!

Dr. Gangrene and Sheree "Little Bloody Dead Bo Peep"

Me and Sheree with the awesome Wolfie Von Crud
from the Creeping Cruds

By far, this guy was the scariest zombie in the place!
A truly amazing makeup job!

Sheree and me pose for our latest 'portrait'

I have LOTS more photos to come in the next few days.

Day of the Dead Cackling Coffin

I've finally finished the grand bit of handmade swag that Sheree and I (as our Wicked Witch Productions biz) will be giving away at this year's Horror Hootenanny in Nashville. I sent a few photos to Larry (Dr. Gangrene) and he absolutely loved it! 

(I am less than happy at how the photos turned out - this thing looks a helluva lot better in person)

Deep purple on the outside, encrusted with faux jewels, stars, and roses in an homage to Dia de los Muertos. The skull and swirly leaves below it are crafted from Sculpey, and painted with an array of acrylic paints and sealed with a satin finish.

The inside was lined with a really fabulous blood-red crushed velvet that Mark found for me at a neighbor's yard sale.

When you open the lid, the coffin makes an evil cackling sound. As I was trying to finish lining it, I grew tired of hearing the ongoing laughter, so I came up with the idea of placing something over the light sensor to keep it quiet but easy to remove in order to hear it. I found a tiny resin rose with a sticky back that I put over the sensor, and came up with a poem:

Remove the Rose and you will hear

The laughter of the Dead

Return the Rose and then the Dead

Will sleep in Peace again...

I'm also including a scroll I made about the origins and rituals of Dia de los Muertos that I rolled up and tied with a black satin ribbon which will go inside the coffin. And I have to say, I had a total ball making this, as my creativity just flowed like water. The weather had turned cool and breezy and very Autumn-y as I sat in my studio with the side door opened wide, playing inspiring music like Dead Can Dance (very appropriate, eh?), watching early fall leaves float down to the ground, and feeling like Halloween was just around the corner. 

Well, I plan on doing a whole bunch more of these as my signature 'Day of the Dead Coffin Cackler' series, and will really go to town with the designs, get truly ornate and wild them. I already fashioned a whole slew of skulls that are ready to be used for this purpose (some which are made from that fun glow in the dark plasticene clay!).

Oooh I 'm so excited about this being given away at the show in October! 

And the Horror Hootenanny's "Best Costume" prize goes to...

ME!!!

The Dapper Zombie!

I am elated (though remain humble as always... hee hee) about winning this year's 1st prize at Dr. Gangrene's annual Horror Hootenanny. The prize was a $75 gift certificate to Lone Wolf Tattoo Studios in Nashville! I've been seriously jonesing for some fresh ink for a long while now, and will certainly put it to good use. My dreams of completing my arm sleeves are another step closer!

This year's theme was "Rock 'n' Roll Zombie Party" and with it, many kids simply slapped on some white-face and smeared black around their eyes to complete the look (along with a few splashes of stage blood).

Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill, always... I knew I wanted to win the much-coveted first prize, and set off on an evil, greasepaint-laden course to achieve my wicked goal. And, as most of you know, I once aspired to be a Special Effects makeup artist when I lived in Hollywood, so doing scary monster prosthetics is something that is near and dear to me.

A trip to Mecca (aka Performance Studios near downtown NashVegas) to procure a horrifying latex mask was first in order in the steps to render myself into a festering minion of the Undead. I found exactly what I needed, which was a fully-articulated foam rubber variety that allowed me to move my jaw once it was attached to my face. After all, being able to talk and drink liquids through a straw was important, you know. 

That done, I proceeded to step 2: What to wear as a costume? 

I considered a moldering, ripped black evening gown to complete the look of 'freshly risen from the dead,' but that was far too typical. I needed an EDGE... what to set myself apart from the rest of the herd? Then I remembered, I had an old pinstriped men's suit that had been hanging in my closet for years (last time I wore it was at the AVN Awards in Las Vegas in 2004), and what better usage than this stellar opportunity, eh? A well-dressed rotting corpse is one you're likely to remember long after the show, and a Dapper Zombie will surely leave a lasting impression for years to come. 

The foam latex mask was about a half-inch thick, adhered to my skin with that trusty old standby of stage and screen, spirit gum! I swear, when I smell its acrid odor, it lifts my mood and gets my old black heart pumping happily. I slathered my face with the malodorous goo, then applied a heavy layer to the inside of the mask.

The beginning stages of applying the foam rubber latex mask

Spirit gum is coated inside the mask and allowed to become tacky

With the appliance securely glued to my face, it was time to add several layers of liquid latex to the outer edges, to further adhere and blend the appliance onto my face.

(NOTE: Not a very pleasant thing to use, as it smells strongly of ammonia and and can be potentially dangerous, particularly if you have any latex allergies - therefore, extreme care and ventilation is needed whenever using this product!)

At least ten full layers total were painted on to form a strong, skin-like bond, with each layer being dried thoroughly with a hand-held blow dryer before the next layer was applied.

I wanted to create the look of rotting, peeling flesh, and as each layer was dried, I lifted my neck up to pull it almost off my own skin and then painted another thick coating of latex. This process was repeated several times until I achieved the desired look.

The effect was very realistic, especially when I inserted a good blob of coagulated stage blood seeping out of the wound!

After this painstaking process was completed, it was time to move onto my favorite stage - applying the horror grease paint. Ahh, it was Zen for me to dab it on.

Ben Nye Studios makes a whole line of awesome products. For my look, I used the "Ghoul Kit." It consists of a very dead-looking grey base coat, with bruised-looking contrast colors and deep black.

Slowly yet surely, I am transformed into a horrifying minion of the undead!

Filling in the slashes and ragged areas with contrasting makeup and you can see a fetid, decaying Zombie shape beginning to take effect... bwa-hahahaha!!!

But wait! Can't have a brain-devouring Zombie without a little coagulated stage blood, can we? And of course, I went on overdrive with it. A little blood is good, but a LOT? Why, that is so much better, indeedy.

A little more makeup and blood, and I'm almost done... almost there. Hair is spray painted with dead white temporary color, and pulled back into a skinny ponytail to keep out of my undead face.

I decided to cut off the sleeves from this dress shirt - and good thing I did, as it turned out to be very hot inside the club that night. But as you know, one must SUFFER for one's art, right?

Close-up of my handiwork, including the gaping, bleeding neck wound.

And the end result is...

Add a snazzy pinstriped suit with jewel-encrusted spider lapel pin, a crushed velvet top hat, demon skull (with light-up eyes that changed color!) walking cane, and viola! My look was complete. 
Total time spent in this transformation: 4 1/2 hours. Well worth it!

Dr. Gangrene's 7th annual Horror Hootenanny

(clickable link above takes you to Dr. Gangrene's website)

The show itself was huge fun, with the following bands playing live:

The Creeping Cruds (www.jeanoroid.com/)

Spookhand (www.myspace.com/spookhand)
Psycho Charger (www.psychocharger.com)
Alucard

The stage was set at The Muse for the 7th annual Horror Hootenanny!

(Photo credit: Jeano Roid Coffinberry)

The Doctor is in...SANE!!!

(Photo credit: Jeano Roid Coffinberry)

Me and Zombie hubby, Mark, who had a role onstage during Spookhand's show, where he jumps onstage and does a wild dance, pissing the Dr. off, who, along with two other ghouls, grabs and drags him to a chopping block. Down comes the axe on his right paw... SPLATTER! With the use of a hidden spout, fake blood is squirted all over the excited audience. The good Doctor then takes the bloody appendange and drinks the blood from it. It was the PAWS that refreshed indeed. Delicious!

(Photo credit: Jeano Roid Coffinberry)

The Dr. and me!
(mobile phone photo by Mark)

Swag table full of frightfully good stuff!

(Photo credit: Jeano Roid Coffinberry)

The marquee for The Muse

Me posing beside the Spookhand sign in the dressing room.
My biggest fan is behind me.

It was such a 'high,' it's disheartening to think that it will be a full year till the next horrific Hoot. 

I can't wait till next year's show... and am already planning my costume.