Tag Archives: skull

🏴‍☠️ Curses, Cutlasses, and Cauldrons | Joel Fatal, Local Troublemaker

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Curses, Cutlasses, and Cauldrons by Joel Fatal, Local Troublemaker

I’ve posted before about other friends that have written books. That’s not new. I know some cool-ass people. This scoundrel has an Ernie and the Berts tattoo though.

I was on a boat in the ocean exactly once in life. We were far enough out that we could not see land. I was told it was a rather calm sea that day. I still puked over the side. I caught an amber-jack, that apparently was not good eating because of a potential parasite? I am deathly allergic to shellfish, and I am not a fan of the beach. I have probably only had rum a handful of times and it was always mixed with Coke or Dr. Pepper. Still though, who doesn’t love the romance & adventure of pirate imagery, and pirate songs?

Here’s my review of Joel’s book:

This collection of thoughts, reflection, & feelings is delivered not unlike catching a glimpse of a ghost ship in the mist on the barely discernable horizon. Sometimes it’s just hinted at on the whispers of the wind or waves of the open sea. Then, all of a sudden you’re in the crow’s nest surveying the chaos of the poop deck in a storm or in the captain’s quarters as he sips rum and recounts tales of anarchy, punk rock, rebellion, & love by candlelight. Maybe it’s the brig? Or a deserted island. It’s left to the reader to fill in the gaps as they dream of their own adventures, shenanigans, & longing. Who can’t relate to a journey, physical or metaphorical? What is the line really? Get lost in this book, & create your own treasure map to get out or to get further lost. 🏴‍☠️

You should pick it up on Amazon via KDP or check out the Goodreads page.

A hand holding a book with an illustration of a witch stirring a cauldron against an orange background, featuring a skull and crossbones in the upper corner.
Curses, Cutlasses, and Cauldrons by Joel Fatal, Local Troublemaker

After you read Joel’s book, you’ll probably want to listen to my “Let’s Get Scurvy 🏴‍☠️🦜“ playlist, and maybe even try my treasure map maze (from my book, You Can See Yourself Out). Tell me what you like from the playlist & make suggestions for more songs in the comments!

A hand-drawn treasure map maze featuring a pirate ship, sea creature, palm tree, and treasure chest, set against a background of winding paths. (Hand-drawn by AiXeLsyD13)

You can get this one on a T-shirt, and a ton of other stuff too.

But really, buy Joel’s book. Tell me what you thought about it in the comments, you barnacle-ridden bilge pump!

A person with a beard and glasses (Joel Fatal) holds four copies of a book with a pirate-themed cover featuring a skull and crossbones.

Spiderweb Maze 🕷️🕸️🪰

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I felt like drawing another Halloween sort of maze. I will probably do some more. I wanted to give this a bit of color too. As always, I’d love it if you solved the maze on paper or on a screen, posted it so social media, & tagged me.

Have fun with this. Print it for your Halloween parties, to pass out with candy, or just for fun. Free to use, just don’t steal & sell it.

I really used to be super creeped out by spiders. Perhaps I should make a series of different kinds of spider mazes. The fly is kind of a blob here. I may do a cleaner version at some point. Still working out if I want the next book to have a theme or just be chaos (again).

A black and white maze depicting spider webs with a spider and a fly, featuring the text 'HELP THE SPIDER GET TO THE FLY!'
A Halloween-themed maze with a spider at the top and a fly at the bottom, featuring intricate web designs and an orange gradient background. The text at the top reads, 'HELP THE SPIDER GET TO THE FLY!'
A Halloween-themed maze illustration featuring a spider and a fly. The maze is intricate with spiderweb patterns, and a red text prompt reads 'HELP THE SPIDER GET TO THE FLY!'

You can get the black & white version on all kinds of stuff like stickers, T-shirts, mugs, & wall art at TeePublic & Redbubble.

You can also get the orange version on all kinds of stuff like stickers, T-shirts, hoodies, & aprons at TeePublic & Redbubble.

There’s a whole Halloween category of my stuff at Redbubble. I got some stickers for myself to pass out in our non-food Halloween treats bowl.

We are a food allergy household, and while peanuts, tree nuts, or chocolate aren’t triggers for us, we participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project & offer 3 separate bowls… of “traditional” stuff, stuff that is does not contain or is not processed with nuts or chocolate, & total non-food treats. The non-food stuff goes well every year!

Don’t forget to check out my other Halloween mazes like the Haunted House/Graveyard, old Halloween maze merch, and stuff from long ago, or even longer ago!

You can try to solve some of these while listening to my Halloween & monster playlists! Or, check the newest one (I cannot stop!): Halloween | Certified Bangers 💀🦇🕸️🕷️

Skeleton Dungeon DIY Halloween Decoration 💀

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I really enjoy setting up Halloween decorations. I have been thinking I should do one of these “skeletons escaping a dungeon” pallet things for years. Finally did it.

Halloween decoration featuring skeletons appearing to escape from a wooden dungeon, complete with chains and hands reaching out.
A Halloween decoration featuring a wooden pallet with skulls and skeleton hands appearing to escape, secured by chains.
A spooky Halloween decoration featuring skeletons appearing to escape from a wooden crate illuminated by purple lights.
A spooky Halloween decoration featuring skeletons trapped under a wooden pallet with purple lights and chains.

💀💀

It really didn’t take long, and I neglected to look at any instructions online. Some other ones have a definite “burning pit of hell” vibe. I just went pretty spooky/chill. I have seen some people using Saran Wrap and heat guns or hair dryers to make sinewy gross zombie-ish skeletons, or people painting or staining the bones. I may get to that later, but these looked pretty neat as is for now.

The wood came from a recently town-down old swing set. I didn’t like the two pallets I had on hand for this. I had an old rattle can of black paint that I used to just barely darken it up & kind of make it look more aged.

I got the one skull & forearms/hands from Giant Eagle. I got the other skull, hands, chains, lights, & netting for the back at Dollar Tree. All-in, I think I have around $20 to $25 in this? I swapped the hands for the skulls because the sizes made more sense to me.

After letting the pallet dry, I stapled the lights into the bottom, then I stapled a weird grey ratty cloth under that. Then, I just picked a spot, positioned the skulls, arms/hands, & chains, then plugged it in. OH yeah, I put a weird motion-sensor screamy thing in the one corner too, because it was super-annoying everywhere else.

Do you like to put a DIY spin on Halloween or other holiday decorations? Show me what ya got!

💀☠️💀

Halloween Playlists 🎃🍬👻🐈‍⬛🍫🦇💀🍭🕷️🕸️

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If you read this, you know I mostly use Amazon Music, but I do copy stuff to Spotify. I should copy these ones over. I refuse to pay to synch them with Tune My Music though, so I try to wait until I’m close to done to copy it. I may have copied some of these a long time ago.

What are your go-to Halloween songs? What am I missing from these lists?

You can peep this Misfits tribute from 20 years ago too, and don’t forget to get some Halloween swag or solve some free Halloween mazes.

Get Your 'Ween Out (Halloween Punk Rock) 🎃

AiXeLsyD13 maze T-shirts in the wild!

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Well. One.

I have sold a few, but I love being tagged on social media if you get one, like this post on threads.

Made a sale & got tagged on Threads!www.threads.net/@funnypunkba…It looks neat on a T-shirt!

— ᗡʏꙅ⅃ɘXiA ƆiЯƎ 🎸 (@aixelsyd13.bsky.social) 2025-01-25T21:51:13.757Z
https://twitter.com/AiXeLsyD13/status/1883271326363996579

Check out all the stuff in my merch stores on RedBubble and TeePublic!

Hit me up on all the socials if you do buy a sticker, T-shirt, book, or anything. I’m @AiXeLsyD13 pretty much everywhere.

Oh yeah, I ordered my Ohio Valley Style Pizza T-shirt, too… and a sticker & some maze stickers. They look neat on stuff!

Shameless Plug

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📖

I recently published my first maze book (via Amazon KDP), have sold a few copies, and thought some people here may want to support a local artist. I’m already working on book № 2!

The first book is packed with easy-to-solve mazes, and I think it would be enjoyable for kids as well as adults.

I had my youngest drop a copy in one of those free little library boxes nearby over last weekend. Hopefully someone out there locally picked it up & is enjoying it already!

You can check out and/or purchase my maze book here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CH2FMH7W

It’s called – So I Finally Made a Maze Book: Easy Mazes by AiXeLsyD13

✍️

I also put together some designs to be printed on merchandise, and I’m trying two different shops online right now. I’ll be uploading more themed designs as soon as I complete work on my 2nd maze book.

I have sold a few T-shirts, and bought some stickers and a magnet for myself. Between the two shops you can get everything from coffee mugs and pillows to shower curtains or clocks featuring my designs.

Check out my RedBubble shop here:

Check out my TeePublic store here:

Thanks for taking the time to read, hope you’re moved to check some stuff out!

Screen shot of my book: So, I FInally Made A Maze Book!
A preview of 6 mazes going into my next book.
Samples from by RedBubble store.
Samples from by TeePublic store.
@aixelsyd13

Check out my first #maze book! this was a test run, I plan to do more. can you spare $6 to help fund some art? If not, it’s cool… maybe just share the link? https://wp.me/pwqzc-3ba I am super excited to get this out there. How do you share a damn link on here?

♬ Knowledge – 2007 Remaster – Operation Ivy
@aixelsyd13

I got some merch! Check it out, share if you can. http://tee.pub/lic/FAAYPDeC7xg #TeePublic #Guitar #Amplifier #FullStack #Maze #GuitarTone #AiXeLsyD13 @TeePublic @AiXeLsyD13

♬ Headbanger – Teenage Bottlerocket
@aixelsyd13

An “unboxing” if you will. tell me what you think! #SoIFinallyMadeAMazeBook #AiXeLsyD13

♬ original sound – Eric Carroll
@aixelsyd13

My #guitar n’ #amp #maze T-shirt came from @teepublic today! I dig the fit & quality! Get you one! http://tee.pub/lic/FAAYPDeC7xg Or any of the other designs! 🤘 #Tshirt

♬ original sound – Eric Carroll

Halloween Playlists.

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Halloween has the coolest music. I have made some playlists on various platforms over the years, Amazon & Spotify being the most recent. I thought I’d not only put them all in once place, but also share. I’m always adding to them and changing. I’m listening to the 1st list now.

So what are your go-to’s? What would you add? What would you leave off? Share your playlists!

Halloween Mazes 2022

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The maze bug bit me lately. Thought I’d share here. These are scans from my phone, so not the highest quality maybe? At any rate.. post ’em if you solve ’em!

Maze gallery of halloween mazes.
Jack O’ Lantern
Bat
Ghost
Skull
Cat
Witch’s Hat
Square-ish maze with a bat in the middle.

Goofy Little 9V Amplifier Project…

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I have a Fender Mini Twin MT-10 9V amp that I recently dug out of a box in the basement. Obviously I don’t use it much. It’s the one in a plastic enclosure, and it sounds like… it’s in a plastic enclosure. The battery compartment cover has decided to move on to better things.  My little Smokey Amp kicks its butt where 9V rocking is concerned, and it drives a cabinet if you wanna get really crazy.

Fender Mini-Twin '57 & MT-10

I have the boring MT-10 on the right in the incredibly awesome sounding high-quality black plastic enclosure.

Artistic Amplification | Duck Guitar Amp ($125.00)

If it looks like a duck, and sounds like a cat getting its tail pulled, it must be a... guitar amplifier?

One of the clamps inside that was supposed to hold the speaker busted off of the plastic enclosure anyway, so it was all in there rattling around.

I have been a fan of the stuff that the dude from Artistic Amplification is doing for a while.  The other day I got the brainstorm to turn my Mini-Twin into something like that dude does.  He uses the Ruby circuit from Runoof Groove, but I already have guts to a perfectly good amp.

9-Volt Battery Connector

9V me!

All I need is one of those 9V battery connector things (the amp has a stupid box w/ prongs), a fun shell, maybe some longer wires, a drill, some time and I’m good to go.  Even my level of poor soldering skills should work for this venture.

I was thinking something neat and goofy like a skull model or a Darth Vader helmet would be cool…

Vader Mask / Skull Model

These would certainly make badass little novelty amps.

I could possibly route out the eyes of the skull for the Twin Speaker placement.  Was thinking the same with with Darth Vader’s eyes, or even mount them in the mouth-piece.  Somehow I could maybe even work in that control panel…  If the speaker was in the mouth, I could make the eyeballs light up or something even crazier.  I can even use the integrated AC adapter, but I have read online that sometimes they produce an additional unwanted hum.

Then again, I thought trolling an antique store or two for an old box or transistor radio or crazy piece of kitsch would be kind of fun.  I might come across something that hits me as the perfect vessel for the Frankentwin.  (And a wooden box or old leather-covered transistor might sound better than yet another plastic enclosure.)

Fender Mini-Twin MT-10

HELP ME!

I pulled the amp apart with ease… I’m sort of stuck with the knobs.  They’re not coming off with a gentle pull, and while other goofy replacements might be fun, I don’t really want to bust these (or the circuit board inside) yet.  I guess I’m going to have to try to get something thin in behind them to pull them off.

The world of cigar-box guitar & amp building & case-mod type hacks is neat.  There are a ton of mini/travel amps out there, why not make one that’s all mine?  (Check out this coffin-shaped mini amp, this one from a mint container & this cracker-box amp!)

I’m asking you the reader if you have any tips, tricks, advice, suggestions, etc.  Have you done this before?  Have you seen anything similar?  Have you ever had the urge to build your own amp?  Would you buy one if I learned how to make a circuit & started making/selling weird stuff?  (Provided it sounded cool?)

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