Dressed Up for Quarantine-O-Ween #quarantineoween

Hubby and I color coordinated and dressed up for Quarantine-O-Ween. 

I did a few crafty things but was lacking in inspiration so I didn't get far.

Later I'll probably watch a spooky movie with The Kid (who declined to dress up).

What are you doing for Quarantine-O-Ween?




March 31 is Quarantine-O-Ween


So my Halloween friends have come up with a way to enjoy Halloween fun while being quarantined.

March 31 has been declared Quarantine-O-Ween.

Sounds like a great distraction to me.

So put up some of your Halloween decorations, put on a costume, and have some Halloween fun on March 31.

Share photos of your Quarantine-O-Ween costume and decor

Be sure to use the hashtag #quarantineoween

The Snake Goddess of Belle Isle




The Snake Goddess of Belle Isle
An Ottawa Legend

There is something forlorn and desolate about Belle Isle.

It is a space lost in the time. Historical relics are everywhere so desperate to fit into the current time but the ghosts of the past linger. They just won't let Belle Isle move on and become one with the present. 

A doorway through time, the historical buildings are there, not quite in their original glory, their beauty is faded, some are really shabby around the edges even though efforts have been made to restore them there's something just not quite right. It’s like peering through a lens and seeing directly into the past, but the lens is covered with dirt and grime.

The island is tragic and beautiful. A sense of unease hangs in the air. 

I can't quite put my finger on what is wrong but there is something definitely “off”. Amidst all the beauty and nature malevolence slithers just out of sight.

There are many deaths connected to the island. So many people have died on the island, on the bridges, and in the water surrounding the island. 

Have those deaths occurred because something sinister lingers on the island sucking people into its despair?

Today I'm going to share some of the stories I've found about Belle Isle.

The first is an old Ottawa legend tied to Belle Isle about a Chief and his daughter.

Chief Sleeping Bear had a daughter so beautiful he had to keep her safe from the gaze of men who would try to steal her away. He hid her secreted away in a covered boat tied in the Detroit River.

One day when her was visiting his daughter to bring her food and supplies the winds caught a glimpse of her beauty. They were entranced. Huffing and puffing they blew away the cover of the boat so they could fully gaze upon her beauty. But they blew so hard that the ties snapped and the boat floated away.

The keeper of the water gates caught sight of her and pulled her boat to shore. He took her to his wigwam so he could claim her as his own, but the winds were unhappy and they beat at him until he died.

The winds returned the maiden to her father but begged that he not keep her from their sight. So he put her on a remote island in the Detroit River where she could run free. He called upon the Great Spirit to guard her by surrounding the island with snakes so no one could enter. The snakes were charmed by her and began to worship her as a Goddess. The Great Spirit seen this and made her immortal so she could rule over the island for eternity.

When the white men came to the area they first named the island, Isle Ste. Clair, then they discovered the snakes and called it Rattlesnake Island. Much later, after being called Hog Island, it was renamed Belle Isle which translates to beautiful island.

Some lucky visitors to the island still catch glimpses of the beautiful native girl dancing with the wind. Some say that if you park on the island by the woods, you should wait in your car for the Snake Goddess to call too you. She will beckon for you to follow her into the woods.

The unlucky man who had tried to claim the Chief’s daughter and was thus killed by the wind, he was buried on Isle au Peche (Peach Island) where it is said his spirit remained for generations. He became an oracle, his voice sounding like the wind in the trees and only those who prepared to receive his counsel could understand his advice.  Chief Pontiac spent seven days on the island fasting and meditating so he could receive counsel before planning his campaign against the British.

The White Lady of Belle Isle


Detroit folklore has a Lady in White story connected to Belle Isle.

One legend says that a young bride was murdered by her new husband on their wedding night. Now her ghost wanders the island full of despair. She is drawn to young couples.

Another legend claims that the Lady in White is an old woman who appears by bridges. Urban legend claims she is the mother of a girl who was murdered on that stretch of road (perhaps the mother of the bride?). If you stop on or by the Tanglewood Bridge and wait, she might appear. If you are in car, honk three times, this seems to get her riled up and she’ll come out, perhaps to shake her fist at you for disrupting her peace and quiet. Or maybe, she’ll try to lure you into the woods.

Some versions of the legend claim the Lady in White is the beautiful maiden who became the Snake Goddess. 

One version even claims that she transforms into a white doe that is often seen roaming Belle Isle.

One of the more detailed versions of this urban legend ghost story was collected by Dave Sprybrook in 1969 and detailed on Wayne State University’s Walter P Reuther Library website:

“The story of the ghost of Tanglewood Bridge on Belle Isle concerns a young lady who was in an accident on or around the bridge and was thrown through the window of the car and onto the rocks below the bridge in the woods. The ghost involved, however, is not the young lady killed in the accident, but rather her mother who comes to the bridge each night to search for her daughter. The lady always seems to come back around midnight each night dressed completely in white. ...the mother was coming back to look for her daughter who had been killed. The ghost is always seen on the bridge or in the woods surrounding the bridge. The ghost sometimes comes right up to the car to look into the car to see if her daughter is in the car ….and may tap on the window of the car to try and get in.”



Creepy Crafters !!!! The Etsy for Horror and Halloween Crafters


“Monstrous” Interest Building In Anticipation For Soon-To-Launch Online Marketplace for Creepy Arts & Collectibles

Artists And Crafters Of Horror and Halloween Arts Find A New Haunt At Creepycrafters.Com




[PASO ROBLES, CA -  February 29, 2020] — What if Etsy went horror? No, that’s not the theme of a new B-movie (although it could be). It is a new online marketplace and community with a creepy twist, set to debut this year at CreepyCrafters.com. The website will cater to artists, crafters, fans and collectors of the Horror and Halloween genres, giving them a place to call home — not just for selling and shopping, but with a community built around the marketplace as well.

“I’m a Creepy Crafter myself with a background in building props for the Halloween industry,” commented Brad Golden, Founder and Creepy Curator for the company. “ My vision is to create a community that brings artists and fans together to celebrate Horror and Halloween art and collectibles.” “We are currently developing our website and are inviting those interested in selling and/or buying through the marketplace to subscribe to our mailing list, so we can notify them when the site goes live.”

Golden continued, “By building a niche online marketplace, these artisans will be selling to a target market that is specifically looking for this style of art. Fans and collectors will delight in being able to shop in one place for such unique art and gifts like prints, sculptures, dolls, jewelry, candles, crocheted items, puppets and much, much more.”

Artisans will be able to set up and brand their online shop and sell their handmade wares. Additionally, the site will offer auction functionality, giving vendors a second channel through which to offer their art.

“We’re so stoked for the Creepy Crafters site to launch! Looking forward to a dedicated marketplace for all the spooktacularly talented Horror and Halloween Artists and their incredible work in one place,” says L.A.-based artist ‘CB’ of Creep Baby Studio.


Fans and Artisans alike are encouraged to subscribe for updates, announcements and contests today at www.creepycrafters.com. For questions or more information email at info@creepycrafters.com.

###

For media inquiries about CREEPY CRAFTERS, please call Brad Golden at [805] 423-5906, or email brad@creepycrafters.com

Share Your Haunted Michigan Tales



Thanks to the popularity of Haunted Flint we're currently seeking more ghost stories from around the state of Michigan. 

We're also seeking urban legends and tales of cryptid sightings (Bigfoot, Mothman, Lake Monsters, Le Nain Rouge, etc)

Have you had a haunting experience in Michigan?

Please share your stories with us.

Something eerie you just can't explain or a place that gives you overwhelming feelings of fear or just creepy goosebumps?

Have you personally encountered spirits, monsters, or something strange?

We're collecting stories about haunted locations to research, investigate and feature on our Facebook pages and  the blog A Bewitching Guide to Halloween,which also posts to Haunted-Flint.com. The stories may possibly lead to a future book.

By completing this form you are giving us permission to use your story in future works. In the form below you can opt in to use your real name, an alias or remain anonymous. 

You can also email story details instead of filling out the form. RoxanneRhoads69@gmail.com 

Thank you for time and tales.

The Lost Boys Shadow Cast #thelostboys


You are invited to relive The Lost Boys, one of the most iconic vampire films of all time LIVE ON STAGE with The Goblin King Players. 

For the first time since 1987 Tim Cappello, otherwise known as the sexy sax man, will be reprising his role in The Lost Boys as he joins the cast on stage. 

Watch this vampire classic come to life before your eyes where you'll be transported to the quaint seaside town of Santa Carla - Murder Capitol of the World - and all just in time for Halfway to Halloween! Costumes are encouraged!

May 8th - 8pm

May 9th - 1pm and 8pm

Tickets: $18

VIP May 9 at 5:30 pm $45: Includes meet and greet with Tim Cappello, Q&A, and autographs followed by the show at 8PM 

Get Tickets at: https://redfordtheatre.com/events/lost-boys-shadow-cast-live-on-stage/ 

Party Themes Revealed for Pumpkins and Party Themes by Roxanne Rhoads #partythemes #pumpkins #pumpkinsandpartythemes



Here are the 10 Party Themes to be featured in  my upcoming book Pumpkins and Party Themes.

Each theme showcases 5 DIY pumpkin designs to match the party theme.


Pumpkins and Party Themes
50 DIY Designs to Bring Your Halloween Extravaganza to Life
By Roxanne Rhoads

Paperback: 176 pages

Publisher: Skyhorse 

Release Date: August 4, 2020

ISBN-10: 1510751165

ISBN-13: 978-1510751163

Bring your Halloween party theme to life with these quick tips and tricks!

Pumpkins and Party Themes features ten unique party themes with five do-it-yourself pumpkin designs for each theme. The pumpkin projects have a variety of decorating ideas that include carving, painting, and mixed media craftiness and easy-to-follow steps on each creation. Author Roxanne Rhoads also includes quick ideas on how to bring the theme to life through décor, costumes, and activities. These fun party themes range from gothic elegance to Edgar Allan Poe, under the sea, let's get literary, and more!

With beautiful full-color images to illustrate the tools needed, steps to follow, and final products, this book makes for the perfect gift for Halloween enthusiasts and party hosts alike!


Pre-Order on 


Amazon      IndieBound      BN      Kobo     Chapters