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Sunday, May 10, 2009

This blog is moving!

Today I'm excited to announce that Haunted Mansion Collectibles is moving to a new home! Our new site will still offer the same material, but in a much better format in which to showcase my pictures more easily. Anything and Everything HMC will still be here for reference sake, but I will no longer be updating this blog. Please don't forget to update your bookmarks.

Our new home can be found at www.HauntedMansionCollectibles.com or click here.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Congratulations!!

Happy Friday! Today is a good day! I'm excited to announce, in a triumphant voice, the winners of my first ever giveaway...way...way....

Yes, I feel triumphant that this giveaway wasn't a complete flop, and that I do have some readers who are willing to open up and share and PARTICIPATE!! Thank you. You made my day!

So here are the winners of my first ever giveaway!


You know, I was just realizing that we didn't really showcase the fabulous prize we're giving away today, so I'm sure you won't mind if we take a quick moment to share photos of some really good looking models wearing the Haunted Mansion Mickey Ears. Sam has been officially fired.

Here's my daughter Tannis... much easier on the eyes... speaking of eyes.. just look at hers!



But wait, this post isn't about how fabulous my daughter is. It's about this awesome prize. Of course, the iconic Hitchhiking Ghosts sit front and center.





Take a closer look at the cute little bats embroidered on the hat.



And since I'm an equal opportunity photographer (and mother) I had to get some pics of the boy. Yes, that is what we call him 'round these parts. The boy. And boy, oh boy, is he cute!



Well, cute in a "Mom, you better not take another picture of me," kinda way. He's just gonna have to get used to it. I can't help myself.



Ok, ok.. enough braggin on and on about my kids. Onto the announcement you've all been waiting for!

The winners of the Haunted Mansion Mickey Ears are.......

Ok.. so I have a confession. When I saw that there were 6 entries, I really couldn't bring myself to pick only 4. I couldn't just leave 2 fans hanging there...yeah, its my sensitive side rearing its ugly head again..





So You're All Winners!!

*applause, applause*


cmlegnax, bRENDAN, M.Gracey, MainstreetMom, gimmepig, and loosetoon are all going to receive their very own, brand spanking new set of Haunted Mansion Mickey Ears.  I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, so before I freak out over the cost of postage, send me an email at hauntedmansioncollectibles@gmail.com with your name and address and I'll send your prize.

I sincerely thank you for playing along and I hope you enjoy your prize!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

I Know You're There...



I realize that my husband's modeling attempts might actually frighten my readers rather than inspire them to comment! Please, readers, do not be alarmed. He can't help himself. He's harmless, really!

This is the last day to post your comment for a chance to win a FABULOUS prize! Click here, and leave a comment telling us your favorite Haunted Mansion collectible. Its that easy. Really!


That, and I have a fragile ego. Don't leave me hanging like this. I know there are more of you out there; I've checked the stats!


*Sam wanted me to add that if you don't leave a comment, he's going to fart in your general direction!


* I'm not responsible for my husband's actions. You've been warned ;)

Sunday, May 3, 2009

My first giveaway

Today is my birthday and since its better to give than to receive, I've decided to have my first giveaway.

On a recent trip to Las Vegas to photograph my first wedding (have you checked out our other obsession yet?) we came across the Disney Character Warehouse and found these Haunted Mansion Mickey Ears. Disneyland had these ears awhile back where my dear husband, Sam, so willingly modeled one for a picture.


Well, when I saw these sitting in the bin, I thought of you and thought it would be fun to give these away on the blog! So, here's what you have to do. Just leave a comment telling us your absolute favorite collectible. It could be one you have, or hoping to get your boney fingers on someday. Just spill your guts and on Friday, May 8th, I'll randomly pick 4 winners! Hey, only one entry per person, please!

Thanks for stopping by and now, its time for me to go eat some birthday cake!

Friday, May 1, 2009

Adora Bell Haunted Mansion Hostess

Greetings Guys and Ghouls!

Today's collectible is definitely more cute than spooky, but I'd expect nothing less from Marie Osmond, doll creator extraordinaire! Marie Osmond personally sculpted Adora Belle, a Disneyland Park Exclusive, which is limited to 1000 pieces. She comes complete with a Miniature Pin Trading Lanyard and Mini Pins which are permanently affixed to it. Her costume is a perfect replica, down to the pockets in the long skirt. The apron, jacket & bat bat complete the official Haunted Mansion hostess costume, but the details don't stop there.

Take a look


Adora Belle is sporting some cute Mary Janes!




Check out the lanyard this ghost hostess has!




This is probably my favorite piece of the costume.




Brace yourself! Adora Belle is gonna show you her bloomers! I don't think any other Disneyland Cast Member can get away with holding up their skirt.. but she can. Because she's just so darn cute!




Seriously, just look at that face! Adorable Adora Belle, who can get away with showing her Mickey bloomers....



Even the box she comes in is adorable...
Unfortunately her box has a few creases and marks. The box is not as perfect as Adora Belle!





And no proper hostess could do her job without this unexpected accessory, the hair net. We wouldn't want any hair in our snake and spider stew, now would we?




It seems as this Adora Bell has been carefully repackaged in her original box and is ready for shipping! Yes, Haunted Mansion Collectible readers, it is time for me to say goodbye to this precious collectible.



I would be remiss if I didn't mention a few things..The original trading pins are not included in this purchase. This item is number 531 of 1000. If you're interested purchasing this Haunted Mansion Hostess Adora Belle Doll, please send me an email at hauntedmansioncollectibles@gmail.com


PS In case you forgot, be sure to stop by and check out the creative video by Patrick Hurd! Its quite a tale!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Its time for "The Show"!

Greeting Ghost Fans!
Today I want to share with you all the many talents of Patrick Hurd. I first was introduced to Patrick through his website Doombuggy Productions, which sadly, is no longer on the internet. When I first started out looking for ideas and inspiration for my own haunted abode, Patrick's site was THE place to go. He offered many DIY projects with step by step instructions on how to make all sorts of Haunted Mansion and Haunted Mansion Holiday recreations. My favorite was the Jack head from the garland for Haunted Mansion Holiday. Thanks to his wonderful website and easy to follow instructions, I was able to create my own HMH decor. While I was influenced by the wonderful decor of the Haunted Mansion Holiday, Patrick was really the one who inspired me and gave me the means to create the decor of my dreams, er...or rather, nightmares!

Here's the Jack Skellington head



please don't chastise about the green garland. I'd always meant to spray paint it.. and then Michaels started carrying it! My new garland is black. I just don't have an updated picture.


You might have noticed the Scary Teddy Tree Topper. Patrick made that for me, and it probably gets more compliments than any other single item in our HMH decor. The candle that the toothy teddy is holding plugs in and offers just the perfect glow to the top of the tree. We plug ours into a flicker box when we want that extra special effect.



And finally, here's the video, with the tree all-a-flicker, and the jack head in place.


Ok, ok..so enough about me and onto "The Show"!!
Patrick is the host of "The Show" which can be seen on Youtube or iTunes. Here's more info about an upcoming episode which you won't want to miss!




On Friday May 1st, Patrick Hurd presents:

The Story of the Haunted Mansion.

You’ll learn how the wish of one man to provide a loving home for his family, became the nightmare that destroyed one generation after the next.

The 32 minute story is visualized through the art work of over 40 talented artists.

Nearly 300 original pieces of artwork were created exclusively for the story!

The short films voice cast includes actor Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser MD, How I Met Your Mother), Corey Burton (The Haunted Mansion Holiday’s Ghost Host), Peter Renaday (The Ghost Host from the classic 1969 Haunted Mansion LP), and voice guy extraordinaire Brian Sommer!

Find out how your favorite characters came to live and die inside Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion…and the surprising way their stories intertwine.

Visit the Window to the Magic video feed on iTunes on May 1 to download the high quality video for free…

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id(7955543

Or visit Patrick’s YouTube channel on May 1…

http://www.youtube.com/user/Doombuggy

So you think you know all about the Haunted Mansion…

You don’t know half the story!


Please be sure to subscribe on iTunes or Youtube and leave him some feedback love! His videos are hilarious and extremely well done. Be sure to check out Episode 3, the Halloween special. It's to die for!

And Patrick, thanks again for sharing all of your wonderful creations with us!

Monday, April 6, 2009

Another Haunted Mansion Tattoo

I received an email from one of our blog readers, Heather, showing off the picture of her new tattoo. I love it when fans show off their ink! I love it even more when they share what they love most about the mansion. Funny, it seems like so many of us fans have fond memories from childhood....

Heather had this to say:

"Wow, I've been a fan since I was a kid. I remember my brother and I standing in line waiting while my mother went to ride the train. Lol, this was back in the 70's when you could leave your kids alone.
I've been to both parks but I'm a WDW girl through and through though I'm desperately wanting to see Phantom Manor. It looks so different.
The HHG's are my favorite. I'd say all the wall coverings (ie. Wallpaper, changing portraits and ghosty picture frames) would totally be my fave if they counted as characters."




I love this tat! Can't wait to see it filled in. Keep us posted, Heather!


Also, on a side note, Disney artist Javier Soto will be featured this week on Extinct-Attractions-Club.com weekly podcast, talking about the Haunted Mansion 40th event. Be sure to tune in!

Monday, March 16, 2009

back from the dead

Greetings Blog Readers...
First I owe you a HUGE apology for dropping of the face of the web for so long. I hate to admit this, but I was feeling bitter after the Haunted Mansion 40th fiasco and decided to have a month long tantrum. I didn't want to look at my stuff, which was easy since a lot of the collection was still in boxes. I didn't want to discuss the Haunted Mansion because the estrogen in my body would cause me to cry like a girly girl at the mention of Grim Grinning Ghosts or the like. I just wanted to sulk, which I did, but I don't feel any better for it, and now I have guilt for not posting so long. So, I am done with my tantrum, and will stop sulking and pouting and crying, well...sorry, I'm a sensitive girly girl and this girl just has to cry every now and then. Forgive me readers for my poor behavior.

I also owe you a HUGE thank you for emails popping up in my inbox as of late asking about my whereabouts and posts. You really know how to make this bratty, sensitive girly girl feel much better. Sincerely, I thank you for your concern.

Yesterday, I pulled out some collectibles and actually started to feel better, so much so, that I redecorated my master bath with our Lenticular collection. I felt like I was visiting old friends. Today I will be hanging up my Duelist portraits in the master bedroom, where most of our collection seems to be ending up. All the little pieces are still in boxes, but I'll be paying them a visit soon, and getting reacquainted. Once the bedroom and bath are completed, I'll share some pics.

Since blog posts are always more interesting with pictures, here are some pictures of the Duelists that I'll be hanging later today. I had these framed by a local framer here in So. Cal by the name of Link, who does amazing work. Check out his site here.



Thursday, January 22, 2009

Haunted Mansion 40th Event Registration Fiasco

The day of the Haunted Mansion 40th event registration, a friend of mine facebooked that she was spending the day at the "Happiest Place on Earth." I had just spent the last hour and half trying to register for this highly anticipated event, and out of complete and utter frustration and sadness I responded with "Oh yeah, well give the Mouse a kick for me."

I thought I had better explain myself. And I do not advocate kicking any of the Disney characters... some might hit back.


So I'm not really mad at the mouse, just the company he represents. Would you believe that Disney Event Services would only allow one person per registration for the Haunted Mansion 40th event? Basically what that means is, there are a lot of married folks, family and friends who were not able to purchase all their tickets at the same time, leaving some people out of the event. Registration was online; only so many people could get thru at one time and the servers couldn't handle the influx of requests. I have friends back east who have planned a family vacation around this event, but Dad didn't get a ticket, or daughter didn't get a ticket. What are they supposed to do now? My friend's husband didn't get a ticket. While Sam and I were lucky enough to get a ticket, it wasn't for the package we wanted, so we don't get to attend the dinner and seminar with many of our friends. (I am grateful to have something, but missing out on the entire event is terribly painful. I've waited for this event since I missed the 30th Anniversary all together.) So.. yeah... I was a little miffed at the mouse. But its not really Mickey's fault that the people running Event Services are so damn Goofy!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

40th Event Merchandise Announced!

If you haven't already heard, the Haunted Mansion Event 40th Event Merchandise is online.  Check out DisneyGallery.com or click here.


I was beyond excited to see Javier Soto as one of the artists featured with his amazing ghost sculpture, which interestingly enough could be Ezra or the Hat Box Ghost. There's been a lot of speculation that the HBG might be materializing for this swinging wake and I know many fans, myself included, would just die if the rumors were true.



I was introduced to Javier thru GhostRelationsDept. I chatted with Javier on Facebook tonight and he said that he worked on this piece for a year! All that hard work paid off Javier! I'm sure the collector who is lucky enough to get this piece (in green or in blue) will be thrilled. How I wish it were me. :)

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Fan made Staring Bust



First I want to thank everyone for their condolences for my broken heart, er, I mean gargoyle candle holder. I have taken all your suggestions to heart and have sought out a professional to have it repaired. The guy I hired works with these 'cold cast porcelain' type resins on a daily basis and has given me great hope that my gargoyle will look as good as new. I'll keep you posted. In case your wondering why I just don't do it myself? Simple. I have about as much grace and patience for this type of delicate repair as a bull in a china shop. I also think that some of the pieces might need to be pinned to add reinforcement to the repair. Just not my cup of tea.

I'm in much better spirits today however!  On the very day I posted that horrific story, I received a rather large package in the mail. On the outside were some very specific instructions telling me to 'cut here' and 'fold' there. I then saw the return label and discovered it was a gift from my dear friend and HMC blog reader, Gary! Remember Gary? He's the fabulous sculptor from Michigan who shared with Haunted Mansion Collectibles a video of the Hitchhiking Ghosts that he made for his Halloween yard display.

He has been working on a Haunted Mansion inspired staring bust and sent me the first prototype! Thank you so much Gary! This piece is amazing. And it wasn't enough for him to send me just the prototype - the package also doubles as the display piece, which explains all the cryptic instructions on the outside of the box. I basically had to make a few incisions in the protective tape layer (Gary was kind enough to have everything precut), plug in the power cord, and be amazed!


I'll admit it. I was intimidated by the box at first. 



But curiousity got the best of me, and I had to open it.  





There were all these other places to cut on the box. But Gary was so thoughtful and precut all these special areas.




Thank you, Gary!! 





This has got to be the coolest package.. 




and not for just what's inside....



but also because of the built-in cord storage.  What?!  I loathe stray cords and prefer my cords to stay neat and orderly.  Gary, you rock!




I really don't know why I was so concerned about opening the box. Gary sent very detailed instructions. Don't worry, Gary, I won't leave the box unattended! :)



But enough of the tease already.... hehehe

Take a look at what Gary made! I'm in awe and so grateful that you shared this piece with me.




email subscribers.. click on the blog to view the video of Gary's great fanmade Staring Bust!

One final note.. if this is just a prototype, I can't wait to see the actual finished product!!  
But of course, you'll have to hurry baaack to see it for yourself.