Moss And Stone

A terrific video showing the process of creating some lovely cemetery moss and tombstone aging, by the extremely talented gravekeeper Revenant Manor.  

Click below...

Revenant Manor Halloween 2025: Otherwhere

Another exceptional year from Revenant Manor.  So much atmosphere... so many details.  It's spooky and elegant at the same time.  That's not easy to do.

Click here for a WONDERFUL video.

More images here.

Revenant Manor Halloween 2024: PENUMBRA

Stunning work here.  Oh, to stroll through those ruins on Halloween night.  So much texture.

More gorgeous images here.

Thanatopsis

Wonderful prop by Revenant Manor.

More images here.

Memories Of Halloweens Past

The next nostalgic entry for cherished memories and special Halloween possessions comes from Revenant Manor.  In his own words...

"Allow me to present Jack.  While he is certainly not our oldest Halloween item, and while at first glance he seems kind of silly and plastic, he has creeped his way into our Halloween season in a way that other treasures simply haven't (and really can't).

You see, Jack is a hand puppet; a sinister 10" little guy with articulated stretching arms that can act as a bit of an avatar for someone so inclined. 

He arrived on the scene ~20 years ago at the perfect time to help introduce two young daughters to Halloween. Offering the perfect mix of slightly scary and mostly silly when being chased around a house; he's been a part of the Halloween backdrop their entire lives.  

Over the years, he has spent spooky season leering in from darkened doorways, unexpectedly poking his head around corners, tapping the shoulders of unsuspecting people, appearing from nowhere at just the right moment during a spooky movie scene, greeting visitors at the front door, and generally causing the household pets to wonder what exactly is wrong with their humans. 

The kids (both the two and four-footed kind) have all known Jack since their earliest days, and have enjoyed his antics...it's really just not Halloween season until he arrives on the scene."

What an amazing design.  Seeing something like this makes me wonder why we don't see anything similar out there these days, as something like this would sell out every season for sure.  It's Sinister.  It's beautiful.

Thank you, RM, for sharing this incredible piece from your collection!  I love imagining its antics each Halloween season.  

And for anyone wanting to see this guy in action, click the link below!

Jack in motion.

For anyone interested in submitting, you can email me at pumpkinrot @ gmail . com (remove the spaces, of course!)

And click here to see past entries!

The Mysteries

A book by Bill Watterson and John Kascht.

Really grateful to Revenant Manor for recommending this one to me.  I was completely unaware it existed.  As a fan of Watterson for decades, I can't explain the joy knowing he was making art again.  Anyone who was a fan of his comic Calvin & Hobbes probably knows what I'm talking about.  Waking up and reading that daily strip was pretty much magic every day.  He created this small world that was as real as anything else on this planet.  And his artwork and humor were second to none.

I highly recommend this "fable for grown-ups."

In addition to recommending this book, Revenant Manor also sent the below link.  It's pure gold for people obsessed with the reclusiveness of Watterson, as it's an interview with both artists about their creative process.  

Click here to watch.

Huge thanks, RM!

Revenant Manor 2023: Illusions Of Time

There's an elegance and sophistication that I haven't seen topped elsewhere.  The Haunt of Revenant Manor is more like a small haunted attraction than a home haunt.  It feels wildly professional, like this is where the inventor of the Haunted Mansion must have ended up when he retired from Disney.  It's complex and classy, dripping with spooky atmosphere.  The kind of Haunt where I'm assuming folks linger a long time.  Where it's the first stop on the Halloween trick-or-treating route for those who are too excited and can't wait... and where it's the last stop for those with some self-control who want to end the night on an extreme high note.

Click below for a beautiful video from Revenant Manor...Illusions of Time:

And click here for his IG account where there are loads of wonderful photos and short videos.

Revenant Manor Teaser

Wonderful video below giving us a glimpse of what appears to be an epic year for the Manor.

Revisiting Revenant Manor

Here's to all those folks who create a cemetery on their properties come each Halloween.  Temporary undertakers, funeral directors, gravediggers, ... Morticians.

Tending to plots of unrest and horror, with unholy moans and groans, flashes of lighting, unusually thick fog...  and, of course, the Undead.

Whenever I see a beautiful artificial cemetery, I am always deeply impressed with the amount of time such an undertaking must require.  It's staggering to me.

One of my personal favorites is the hallowed ground of Revenant Manor.  So much detail... so many beautiful props.  The atmosphere is off the charts.

Click here to see more.

Holiday Cocktail: Peppermint Schtick

Wanted to feature this cocktail by fellow haunter Revenant Manor.  Originally left as a comment on an earlier blog post, it was too good not to feature.

He wrote...

 The Peppermint Schtick

As a cocktail, it's absolutely seasonal, 100% ridiculous, and best of all, super easy to make:

- 1.0 oz vodka

- 0.5 oz vanilla vodka

- 1.5 oz half-and-half (or heavy cream, depending on preferred mouth feel)

- 0.5 oz peppermint schnapps

- 1 teaspoon simple syrup (or Festive Simple Syrup to take it up a level; see below)

- Mini candy cane or peppermint stick (whole and / or crushed as garnish)

Everything but the candy cane just gets thrown in a shaker with some ice, then poured over even more ice (preferably a Truly Massive Ice Ball, if available).

It can all come out even more festive with a few other simple preparations.

- Freeze several mini candy canes; crush to tiny bits to act as rim garnish

- Make Festive Simple Syrup in advance; combine 1/2 cup each water & sugar + 1 tsp. peppermint extract over medium heat until sugar is fully dissolved / incorporated

If you're feeling extra jolly and want something that looks like the holiday in a glass, dip the rim of a rocks glass in the Festive Simple Syrup, roll in peppermint bits to coat, then deposit a whole frozen mini cane into the glass to take the thing entirely over the top.

A couple of notes:

- If no vanilla vodka is available no one will call the Christmas police. Just increase the amount of regular vodka accordingly

- If no vanilla vodka is available, but the idea of vanilla sounds appealing, make the Festive Simple Syrup with vanilla extract instead of peppermint extract for a similar result

- This thing is pretty forgiving; I've made one with sweetened vanilla almond milk in the place of the cream / half-and-half (and then skipped the simple syrup) and got perfectly acceptable results

These suckers are boozy little calorie bombs, but a fun change of pace drink that 100% look the part of a holiday cocktail without requiring a degree in mixology.

Happy holidays!

Image source.

Revenant Manor Halloween 2022

Unearthed.

Click below for an amazing Haunt presented in a wonderful video.

The Fountain

A stunning prop from Revenant Manor.  I rarely use the word mesmerizing to describe a Halloween prop, but it totally applies here.

Click below to see it in action...

The Wrenfield

Wanted to feature a drink invented by loyal blog reader (and exceptional Haunter) Revenant Manor.  During the aforementioned visit from Wren, we were anxious to make this namesake spirit.  Happy to report it's quite phenomenal.  And also happy to report that I found not just any blood orange, but a Dracula blood orange (Oh, Wholefoods, I both love and hate you).

Revenant Manor left the recipe below in a blog comment on an earlier post.  This man has a gift for booze reviews and for making really tasty cocktails.

He wrote:

The following is a take on the old-fashioned that will surely inspire the purists to break out their torches and pitchforks, or if they are on the other side of the grass, spin in their graves. (I am OK with this)

Ingredients:

-2 ounces Graverobber Unholy Rye Whiskey

-2 or 3 dashes black walnut bitters

-¼ ounce Not-So-Simple™ syrup (**see below)

-1 blood orange wedge (plus, additional for garnish, if desired)

-1 Luxardo cherry (plus, additional for garnish, if desired)

-Truly Massive Ice Ball

Concoct the drink (and enrage The Traditionalists):

-Add Not-So-Simple™ and black walnut bitters to a rocks glass

-Rim glass with blood orange wedge, then add blood orange wedge and Luxardo cherry

-Muddle into a bloody pulpy mess (pause to admire this crime scene and aroma)

-Add Truly Massive Ice Ball

-Pour Graverobber Unholy Rye over ice, and stir gently (preferably with a skull-head cocktail skewer to truly enhance the flavor)

** Garnish with additional orange peel and / or Luxardo cherry (also preferably with a skull-head cocktail skewer to make it look totally metal)

Not-So Simple Syrup™:

-1 cup sugar

-1 cup water

-2 whole cloves

-1 star anise

-1 strip blood orange peel (and / or zest of same)

You know the drill; combine, boil, etc...after all, it's just simple syrup with extra goodies ;)

We used regular Rye Whiskey, and not the grave varietal.

Jack O damage may or may not be related to the cocktails.

The Manor By The Cemetery

EPITAPH, n. An inscription on a tomb, showing that virtues acquired by death have a retroactive effect.
 
- Ambrose Bierce 

Image by Revenant Manor.

Digging Graves At Revenant Manor

Digital Decorations (Continued):

Click below for a wonderful use of projections in a Home Haunt.  

Revenant Manor's amazing cemetery gets elevated even further when the shadow of a gravedigger is spotted.  Looks incredible.  Subtle and super effective.  Adds a real depth to the atmosphere.

Revenant Manor Halloween 2021

This Haunt is always a treat.  Unreal color this year.  Wonderful.

More images here.