MONSTER SIZE SKELETON WALLPAPER

Hey folks, I just changed my desktop background to something more skeleton-y! If you'd like to do the same then by all means click on the pic and grab the full size image. Then consult a local computer repair service (possibly Best Buy) for instructions on how to apply it to your desktop. Remember, it's not your "screensaver!" Avoid that confusion and save yourself about 15 minutes of phone time right there, which saves you money considering their $85 an hour fee. But it's worth it. At least it was to me. Plus they defragged my hard drive and removed all my unwanted script kiddies, although that required three nights in the shop. : (

Ad courtesy of Todd at Neatocoolville!

GOTTLIEB HAUNTED DESKTOP

As a kid, I constantly longed to be wherever video games were, be it the lobby of the grocery store, the local arcade, or ideally, gamer havens like Showbiz Pizza. Even after my supply of quarters was diminished I didn't want to leave the comfort of those warm, buzzing monolith-like machines. I often found myself among them with nothing to do but study their demo screens and cabinet art (and finger the little garage-like coin return slots for stray quarters.)

One of the most inviting, most intriguing images I ever encountered among those electronic wonders was the backglass for Gottieb's 1982 masterwork of pinball, Haunted House. Its stunning rendition of the classic Victorian haunted abode was illustrated by Terry Doerzaph (who also did cabinet graphics for Q*bert). The typeface is gorgeous, the color choices are unexpected, and the entire piece has a flawless quality. And how amazing is that cluster of floating skulls in the window? The answer is very.

I was recently overjoyed to find a beautiful, high-res scan of the art on this site. Of course my first move was to use it as desktop wallpaper. I started with the entire thing (as seen above) and later I cropped it for a closer view (see below). I invite you to click on either of the images (for larger versions) and grab it as well. It's such a welcoming sight every time I sit down for some good ol' computing.

More images of the machine are here and here. See also this screenprint by Sam Chivers inspired by the piece.

MAGICAL WALLPAPER

Computers are sort of like magicians' top hats, capable of producing magical wonders galore. Aren't they? Sort of? If you agree with this statement, then it makes perfect sense to put this magic themed desktop wallpaper to use. Click on the above image to grab the widescreen 1600 x 1000 version, or see below for 1024 x 768. Ta-da!

DIME STORE HALLOWEEN #2

Naturally, the concept of a disguise kit held tremendous appeal when I was a kid. The right disguise can grant you access and privileges, and can even save your life in certain situations. Trouble was that no disguise kit I could afford was really serious about the matter. For example, the set seen above is a pure mockery. For starters there's the mustache. Might I remind you that children are not capable of growing facial hair. A real disguise is supposed to be undetectable as opposed to one that garners laughter. The glasses would have been fine had the eyebrows not been sculpted into the frames. And I shan't dignify those teeth with even a comment.

Here's another case...

A knock off of a rip-off of the Groucho glasses. One still wonders how the red mustache came into play.

Traveler's Bloody Eye is pretty great. Though the header card seems to suggest an unexpected effect— the wearer turns into a fanged, long-haired ghoul that boasts bleach-white eyeballs.


And if you want a bloody face to match your eye, one of these should suffice...


Moving on to teeth, this first specimen features my favorite product slogan in the history of commerce. It's a phrase that is totally quotable and can be worked into most any conversation with surprising ease—"Looks Life-Like in a Dopy Sort of Way." I laugh even as I type it.

(For those wondering, Dopy is an accepted variant of Dopey.)
And hey, stop worrying— "Will Fit Right In Mouth."

There is one way to avoid any unintentionally funny captions...

That's really all you need to know— wear these and you will look like a terrifying quaker, and your lips.. sensational. The sad truth is that over the years, plastic vampire fangs have evolved into a far less pointy state. Modern versions sport mere nubs compared to the flesh-piercing choppers of yesteryear. In fact, both this pair and the dopy ones are actually so sharp they punctured their plastic baggies.

Want to work every member of the family into a fit of laughter? Try Gory Fangs. Or go with fangs that are completely free of gore and still call them gory, what's the difference? I liked this shot so much that I turned it into some desktop wallpaper, just in case you want to replace your tired old Sleepy Hollow background. If you put this image on your screen you will see that it looks practically life-like! Well, in a dopy sort of way.

Click on the photo above for 1024 x 768 wallpaper. Cinema monitor size (1680 x 1050) is available here.

SLEEPY HOLLOW STAMP WALLPAPER

Last year, one of John Rozum's Halloween countdown posts reminded me of my favorite U.S. stamp ever (see photo). Being an authentic geek, I have indeed dabbled in the black art of stamp collecting and verily I tell you that before the 1990s cool looking stamps were as rare as cool looking stamp collectors. 1974's Legend Of Sleepy Hollow stamp delighted me as a child and gave me hope in the United States government. I think it's the reason I vote today. So this year I thought it would be fun to scan it in huge and use it as seasonal desktop wallpaper. You'll find that clicking on the image above will take you to a gargantuan version which I selfishly sized to fit a cinema monitor, but with a quick background color adjustment it should work for most other resolutions. I sure hope it gets your stamp of approval. Haw! Haw! Haw!

Update: I found an image of the original illustration by Leonard Everett Fisher on the National Postal Museum website. Very cool...

BANDIT BOX WALLPAPER

Click this image for 1024 x 768 desktop wallpaper.

Could this be the perfect package design? The novelty within is called The Bandit Box (1972) by Poynter Products Inc. (Makers of the Uncle Fester Mystery Light Bulb) I've never seen an image that single-handedly (get it?) sums up "Creepy yet Kooky" better than this.

What is the Bandit Box? A better question would be.. what isn't the Bandit Box? The answer: everything is not the Bandit Box except this novelty mechanized coin bank that contains a green plastic hand which grabs coins that are placed in the little holder.

(My Bandit Box was a recent Christmas gift from my good friend Todd... talk about great taste!)

Flashfink pointed out that it was originally sold as "The Thing" from the Addams Family. My guess is that it took on the generic incarnation after the television show was no longer in vogue...

Image from WesClark.com

As I studied the bank I happened to noticed a patent number, so just for kicks I plugged it into Google's new patent search feature and there it was...


So there's that for you.

Anyway, the box design is gorgeous and if it looks that good on my shelf then I figured it must look good on a computer desktop. So I turned the design into some super spooky wallpaper which you are highly encouraged to use. Just click on the image above for 1024 x 768 or the image below if you have a snazzy "Cinema" ratio monitor.

Click this image for 1680 x 1050 wallpaper.

WELCOME!

Hey Folks! My name's Kirk, and I'm the purveyor of a web site called Secret Fun Spot. I decided to set up this blog as an extension of it. I've felt the lure of the blog for some time now, but I've had to ask myself... Is there any reason why I should throw another blog onto the already colossal pile? Here's what I've come up with...

-This format will allow me to provide new content more often. Several neat projects (more on those later) have prevented me from updating the Fun Spot in a record nine months! I've been blessed with loads of traffic recently, and I hate to let down returning visitors seeking new fun stuff.

-Over the years I've compiled a lot of images, ideas, and stories that I'd like to share with the Fun Spot viewers which don't fit into the existing format for one reason or another. This will give me a chance to finally feature some of those.

-The comments will proved a new way for me to gather feedback. Now you can let me know that my Flash interface is "teh suck" and express that the pictures are too small. Or maybe you can inspire a new wing of this not-so-secret fun spot.

-More and more I find myself enjoying other people's blogs. In addition to the blogosphere, tools like Flickr and Youtube are really changing the face of the internet. It's becoming less about commerce and more about the consumers.. I mean the people.

So what's this thing going to be about? Much like the Secret Fun Spot, it will be a hodgepodge of the little things that interest and excite me. The emphasis will be on retro culture, neat design, and of course.. fun. While I'll spare you the details of my daily life, I will provide updates on various projects that I'm involved in. I'll do my best to bring you unique, quality content as often as my schedule allows. Well, now that my "mission statement" is out of the way.. welcome to the Secret Fun Blog! Lets start things off right with some nifty desktop wallpaper inspired by some thift store vinyl...

Click HERE for 600 x 800 and HERE for 768 x 1024