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Preparing for Halloween


Matusalem

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I remember as a 6 year old, I went to a school field trip to the Smithsonian institution in DC, Which I believe was the National Archives musem (or whichever the building that had this plumb-bob pendulum swinging acroos the floor knocking of some pegs lined upin a circle).

Anyway, what I remember most, and what scared the living daylights out of me was a white bust on a roman column, with an Uncle Sam top hat. All of us students gathered round, then the face of the bust suddenly lit up, which was actually a front 16mm film projector illuminating a movie onto the bust, and it talked.

Sooooo. ....naturally I am putting together something of a similar concept for the front window or front yard, using a fake skull/bandana/leather tricorn on a bust that sits on top of some kind of column,and use a Powerpoint projector and some audio equipment. I was also planning on renting a theatrical smoke machine aand project some kind of videos onto the smoke. Nothing overly technical or the most original , just something that makes my house stand out on the 31st. Only problem is is all the wee ones will be out on the trick-or-treat run before sun-down So I'm worried the project would be a bit of a wash.

Too bad,really...because growing up,I don't ever remember trick-or-treating before sundown.

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What a great idea, Matusalem! I would love to see how that looks. As for the smoke machine, most of the home improvement and Party City stores now have them for sale…pennies for what you could rent one for.

I know how you feel, though. Since moving here to the Midwest, I do miss the good old days of Halloween when you would start trick or treating at dusk and not get home until 9 pm!

In the town I live in now, Halloween is down played. Back in the early 1970s a horrible murder of a little girl happened on Halloween night. Since then, the holiday hasn’t been the same here. Trick or Treating happens in the early afternoon during daylight hours and always on the weekend before Halloween (if Halloween lands on a week night).

I miss the elaborate decorations of black and orange (purple too), black light, pumpkins, skeletons hanging from the front yard tree, and gravestones lining the path to the front door. Being an military brat, I remember the base always having a full week of Halloween events for the kids. We’d go to the youth center for a big party after trick or treating, houses would enter a competition for the best decorated, and hayrides, pumpkin picking and hot cider always was something to look forward too.

This year, I plan to flock my trees with the figures from ‘the Blair Witch’ movie. I have a very large Chestnut tree that hangs over the front entrance of my drive. It’s the perfect spot for the ‘moss covered stick figure’. They are cheep to make, and can be burned in the bonfire that following weekend!

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Good luck with your project Matusalem. It sounds very interesting. I'd love to see the final outcome. We haven't started our preparations yet but that time is coming soon. We have a fairly large yard haunt and make most of the displays ourselves. (If you want to see an example check out my profile there is a link to our photobucket page). I don't know if you've heard about the monster list but there are hundreds of projects in there and you might find something relating to what you are trying to accomplish. Best of luck.

http://www.halloweenmonsterlist.info/

If you're gonna give me a headache, please bring me an aspirin!

http://www.forttaylorpyrates.com/

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I miss the elaborate decorations of black and orange (purple too), black light, pumpkins, skeletons hanging from the front yard tree, and gravestones lining the path to the front door.

Aye, Halloween, one of my Favorite Holidays. I miss the old childhood days too where it was magical, fun and spooky.

My mother and I always had a good time making our house look like a haunted house. We would set up all kinds of displays such as: tomb stones, dummies, flames, spiders and webs, skeletons and ghosts and other scary stuff. And my father would play spooky music with moans and screams. We would have people coming from 4 different neighborhoods just to see our house. And even today, the adults who were children back then still talk of it.

Happy Memories.

Now in our neighborhood where we live nothing happens. It is total silence.

I do long for those childhood days....dressing up....and having a spooky good time.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

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Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.

The Dimension of Time is only a doorway to open. A Time Traveler I am and a Lover of Delights whatever they may be.

There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.

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*Coughs* Im a big hallowwen fan myself, and it is disappointing to see all the wee ones out before sun down. However, I am working on an event that will include the neighbors on my street. We are going to try for a street Party. Glow in the dark footprints on the sidewalks, adults jumping out at the kids from the bushes, costume contests, food, music...It's time to put Hallowwen back on the map.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v519/Dara286/trident01-11.png

If you got a dream chase it, cause a dream won't chase you back...(Cody Johnson Till you Can't)

 

 

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If you build it, they will come Rose. :ph34r:

I can't even begin to tell you how much fun we have on Halloween. The kids, costumes, laughter and especially the screaming that can be heard for a few blocks away. You could always join us at our house. We are always in need of a few good victims, I mean volunteers. :ph34r:

I miss the screaming.

If you're gonna give me a headache, please bring me an aspirin!

http://www.forttaylorpyrates.com/

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You're welcome Cheeky. I have a lot of different links and sources for all kinds of things relating to Halloween and prop making. If and when you're interested, I'd be happy to pass them along.

Syren, that is such a great idea. I wish you much success with your party.

If you're gonna give me a headache, please bring me an aspirin!

http://www.forttaylorpyrates.com/

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Block party sounds like a good idea Black Syren. Everyone can share in the creative process and the kids will have a ball.

I know friends down in Walworth, WI would have kids come in by the mini-van load to visit their 'Halloween display' and every year it was different. The last year they were there, they did a great 'Ghouls Formal Dinner Party'.

They moved their dining room table outside, dressed it with black and silver accents, cobwebs everywhere. The menu had a little bit of everything; dead lady’s arm, brains, eyeballs floating in blue or green jell-o, Rat on a stick, the list goes on. The kids got the biggest kick out of the ‘head on the platter.’ The whole yard was lit with black light with red light accent. Very cool and extremely successful as Halloween events go.

The neighborhood has asked that they move back to Walworth just for Halloween!

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Hmm This year as all the neighbors have hedges I was thinking of taking some ping pong balls and cut them in half they spray paint them with glow in the dark paint and put them in the hedges like eyeballs..lol.

Then will need to find some painters stilts for the Grim Raper to walk about.

Not sure if I can pull it all together this year, but if not Ill add more every year..*grins*

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v519/Dara286/trident01-11.png

If you got a dream chase it, cause a dream won't chase you back...(Cody Johnson Till you Can't)

 

 

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  • 5 weeks later...

For those of you interested in Halloween, the Anatomical Chart Company is having a sale which ends August 31st.

The URL is http://www.anatomical.com/bcategory.asp?c=7

No min order:

SMALL BAG OF BONES

BONES2 Was 31.95 Now $ 7.98

LIFE SIZE SKEL HAND LEFT

CH10HANDL Was 6.95 Now $ 2.75

LIFE SIZE SKEL HAND RIGHT

CH10HANDR Was 6.95 Now $ 2.75

BUDGET ARM W/HAND RIGHT 4

CH46R/D Was 12.95 Now $ 5.48

BAT SKELETON MODEL

CHBAT Was 65 Now $15.95

PAIR BROWN EYEBALLS BLISTER PK

CHE1B Was 3.5 Now $ 1.25

EYEBALL W/VESSELS 2PC SOFT

CHE2 Was 3.95 Now $1.25

CLEAR SKULL WITH 3 REMOV TEETH

CS20CL Was 37.95 Now $12.00

BONEYARD SEESAW W/SKELETONS

SEESAW Was 59.95 Now $19.98

SKULL FOOTED BOWL

SFB1 Was 46.95 Now $19.98

SPIDER BART 4TH QUALITY

SPID2 Was 99.95 Now $35.00

BONEYARD SWING SET W/SKELETONS

SWING Was 65.95 Now $23.95

GIANT SKULL NATURAL COLOR

VB20 Was 48.95 Now $17.00

GIANT SKULL SILVER/BLACK COLOR

VB20S Was 48.95 Now $17.00

MR. THRIFTY SKULL 4TH QUALITY

WCPSD Was 6.95 Now $ 2.48

Min order of 10 to get these prices:

BUCKY SKELETON, 4TH QUALITY CH10D 159.95 $ 60.00

4TH CLS BUDGET BART SKELETON CH95D4 79.95 $ 32.48

PM me for information on how to order.

Happy Haunting

If you're gonna give me a headache, please bring me an aspirin!

http://www.forttaylorpyrates.com/

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It's Halloween in my office every day of the year... (and this is an old pix. Twics as much stuff now)

SamsOffice3-1.jpg

And you just NEVER know who will stop by!!

MrRogersKruger.jpg

(It's good to be *Part of the Magic!* :lol:

Well, you may not realize it but your looking at the remains of what was once a very handsome woman!

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My back yard becomes a graveyard (partly because of two streetlights out front, and partly not to scare the littlest ones). I don't think I'm up for addin g anything this year, but it's still the biggest effort in the neighborhood. Gravestones, lights, fog, music, ghosts in the windows, flying in midair, and one that's basically a giant stick puppet:

GhostPuppetSide.jpg

Entirely too much fun. The neighbors make comments in May.

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WOW is that the face behind the tankard???? :lol::P

im loving the puppet..is it heavy? How did you make it..step by step..I think I need one to chase the kiddies...lol

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v519/Dara286/trident01-11.png

If you got a dream chase it, cause a dream won't chase you back...(Cody Johnson Till you Can't)

 

 

Black Syren Logo small.png

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WOW is that the face behind the tankard???? B);)

Yah, now you know why I keep it hidden. ;)

im loving the puppet..is it heavy?  How did you make it..step by step..I think I need one to chase the kiddies...lol

It's sort of a combination of these two techniques:

this one for the harness and most of the armatures:

click here

this one for the ribcage:

click here, too

Here's a front view, for the effect from the kiddies' POV:

GhostPuppetFront.jpg

Ya like the "orb" floating around its head? oooOOOOoooOOOooohhh... ;)

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Just thinking of Halloween makes me long for the Autumn Season. And I look forward to decorating our house too.

Now I got to start thinking on costumes for this year, especially for the wee lad.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

BriarBannerHerbsGlowGreenBorder.jpg

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.

The Dimension of Time is only a doorway to open. A Time Traveler I am and a Lover of Delights whatever they may be.

There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.

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What an awesome site Lily. Thanks for posting it. I am enjoying the tombstone readings as well as the documentations.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

BriarBannerHerbsGlowGreenBorder.jpg

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.

The Dimension of Time is only a doorway to open. A Time Traveler I am and a Lover of Delights whatever they may be.

There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.

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YAY..... My Boss asked me to decorate her restaurant for a Halloween Party.....

Now me mind is buzzin' with all kinds of fun ideas.....

Oh.... and the place has a real ghost..... I have to get all the details from Carol about it, but a Lady Hung herself in the house that is now the resteraunt... she dosen't mess with anyone, but she will move things......

COOL.... Halloween in a real haunted house......

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