Aghast in Au-Ghost! (Get it? August)

Well, Aughost (August) has finally descended upon us.

What does this mean to normal people?-Summer's end is nearing...people go "fall clothes" shopping...the days end just a little quicker...kids moan and groan about "back to school" business and how much summer-reading didn't get done....and the beach gets completely mobbed for its final month of this year.

What does this mean to Monster Bash Blog? HALLOWEEN IS SO CLOSE!!! Don't get me wrong, I love Summer and I'm a huge fan of the warm weather, swimming, carnivals and fairs, and vacationing to beaches...but just humor me and take a deep breath...can you smell those apple orchards yet? what about the pumpkin patches? what about the FEAR and HORROR that Halloween produces? Me too!
In fact, last year, 8/11/2007, was when I made my very first Halloween-related purchase.

Because this year's Monster Bash will be such an intricate production with an elaborate theme, I had to begin a little early. While Ghoul-eye was when I actually began my shopping, Aughost is when I delve deep. Party City sneaks a cauldron and some lights out...testing the waters...and I greet them eagerly while the employees find me to be a strange individual, dancing through the aisles of partially-labor-day/partially-fall items.

Since we're such good spoOoOoOoky friends, I'm going to give you some helpful hints for planning your own bash (not a Monster Bash though, a smaller-scale bash that isn't comparable to MB in any way, shape, or form):

So far this year, I've ordered much of my props and decor from OrientalTrading.

I don't know if I've truly given OT the credit it deserves. This website is a phenom. I found out about it when I was initially going to be a spoOoOoOoky teacher. They have great classroom decorations...but what many don't know is that it also has great, cheap Halloween props. They sell some things by the dozen or in bulk, and, you can get great deals on shipping, which helps me out for the bigger props.

I use OrientalTrading in combination with a shot of Amazon.com, and I tend to dabble in the eBay world for the more obscure products. I am wary of eBay though, because it's slightly less trustworthy than the others.


It's really simple math:

+

+

=

(Halloween Magic...I had to fit a Joker cameo in here somewhere)

What I can't get online, or I don't trust the visuals I see on my computer, I head to the Party City/Party Box combo. While slightly more costly, nothing gives me greater joy than walking up and down, up and down, down and up the aisles and envisioning Jim's room becoming the scariest room on the block..er...in the universe!. Last year, I saw a giant hanging gutted pig prop, and if it wasn't $700, I would've found a place for it. Even though it almost induced vomit.

I have also been drawing sketches of the layout of Jim's room and where all of the props will be. Last year, I spent a hefty sum of money on absurd props and decorations, so this year, it will be about being innovative and creative and reworking everything to fit into the theme. This is the first time in Monster Bash history (2 years) that we will be having a solid theme. First it was the mad scientist lab...then...the morgue...and this year....well...you'll have to wait and see!

Soon I will begin dropping hints to the theme. Very subtle of course.


And so, while all year long I dream of what Monster Bash 2008 will be like, Aughost is when the actual real shopping and designing truly begins! After all, we're in the 2 month stretch here!


Can you take the wait?



(picture courtesy of my mother at Monster Bash 2006....can you guess what she is?)