bookmark_borderA quickie

Louise bought a smaller pumpkin, and as I didn’t have much time, I decide on the quick option.

(It’s not exactly how it will look, as most of the insides are in a bag ready to take to the party where I’ll reassemble it).

Anyway, enough nonsense. Have a good night if you are out and about, and pop back over the weekend for some pictures from our party – ghouls, goblins and rumours of a sexy nurse….

I leave you with the first thing that really scared me at Halloween:

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I
pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume
of forgotten lore–
While I nodded, nearly napping,
suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping
at my chamber door.
“‘Tis some visitor,” I muttered,
“tapping at my chamber door–
Only this and nothing more.”

bookmark_borderCommenting

Peter prompts – which order should comments appear – oldest to newest (oldest at the top) or newest to oldest?

I’ve had it set as newest to oldest, but have changed it to oldest to newest and I’m about to head off round the blogospher (ohh ok round my blogroll) to take an informal poll of who does what with their comments.

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bookmark_borderCoupla quick things

An Advert:

Got iTunes? Get Tag&Rename which now has m4a support (iTunes info in MP3 files). I’ve been using this program for about a year now, keeping my MP3 collection in neat order. Coupled with MusicMatch for ripping it ensures filenames and ID3 tags are the way I want them

I’ve been posting at Troubled Diva over the last week. Today’s post makes me sound like a nasty person, but at least I didn’t kick anyone (remind me to tell you that story if the wife lets me!). Whereas a previous post, loosely centered around gay stereotypes, has prompted some interesting comments.

To be honest, I’m only really linking them from here so I don’t lose them in the future

bookmark_borderCarving the Pumpkin

Firstly you must be prepared. Knives are essential (obviously) as is an ice cream scoop. Other sites my advocate power tools but I prefer the hand approach (and I’m not allowed them in the kitchen…).

Firstly cut open the top, remembering to cut at an angle so that the ‘top’, when replaced, doesn’t fall inside the pumpkin.

Then scoop out the insides. This may sound simple but it’s not as a pumpkin has loads of wet gooey stringy pulp inside, doesn’t smell too great, and gets sticky after a while. Cursing is usually involved at this stage, and indeed is encouraged throughout the process.

You should now have an empty pumpkin.

The little notch is to allow the air to circulate when you put a candle inside (you can also carve additional items on the back, if placed correctly they can ‘project’ onto a nearby wall).

It’s a good idea to sketch out your intended design on a sheet of paper and then lightly map the design onto the pumpkin using a biro (it rubs off).

Then it’s time to start carving!

The order you do this is up to you, and probably depends on your design, typically I start with the nose and eyes as everything else (if you are being symmetrical) follows from there.

And that’s it, once you’ve carved your design bung a candle (nightlight) inside, and waft for the … er… lovely aroma of toasting pumpkin to waft through your house.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

bookmark_borderRe-designing-ing

As you have (by now) spotted, I’ve tweaked the design for halloween.

In fact, it was so easy, that I will be doing the same in the future and I’m actually considering seasonal designs…

So there’s a question – how much does the design (look and feel) of a website, influence your decision to visit it? Or are you all just “content content content” whores?

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bookmark_borderComing soon… *

A special Halloween feature.

The carving of the pumpkin photo fest!

[UPDATE: As Donalda points out, Halloween is very American these days. Kids arrive at your door, declaring “Trick or Treat”, demanding money and sweets. They don’t tell a joke, sing a song, or do ANYthing… just stand there. Ohh and don’t try and give them monkey nuts, a tangerine and 50p. They’ll just look at you like you’re mad. What every happened to guising?]

* Er… tomorrow