Crazy 4 Halloween!

Boo! ...it's Friday the 13th, are you nervous?

2010-08-13T13:05:00.000-04:00

...here's wishing you a Happy Friday the 13th, 2010!!

According to CBC and London's Daily Mirror there are over 60 million people around the world that have treacherous thoughts about Friday the 13th and will even avoid work or driving, is that you? ...and you're probably terrified of black cats and cracks in the sidewalk too? ;)

The Greek term Triskaidekaphobia is explained as - 'tris' means '3', kai means 'and', and deka means '10' which sums it up as a fear of the number 13 and it's related specifically to the day Friday the 13th.
Apparently, if the first of the month begins on a Sunday it will be followed by this 'unlucky' day.

Personally, I'm not superstitious. Yes, I'm aware breaking a mirror or walking under a ladder could invite trouble so, I don't chase it but, if it happens it happens. I'm not one to live my life in fear of superstitions and quite frankly, I fear finding your hair in my food, much worse!

Halloween Home Haunt - Scare Actor - Pumpkin Head

2010-07-05T14:32:00.000-04:00

Making inanimate objects come to life is a thrill for Halloween home haunters, pranksters and most Trick or Treaters. Unless, you've come across the type of youngster who squeals off the property as you shriek 'Hey, kid...you forgot your candy?!'

...grab a willing Scare-Actor, 3-5 straw bales (I love odd numbers including 13!), 5-13 pumpkins of various sizes, shapes, carved and uncarved, some illuminated inside and some not but all lit up strategically from afar with an unobtrusive spot light. Within the mix of real pumpkins, intermix a couple of store bought plastic or styrofoam pumpkins (styrofoam preferred) with the intent of cutting a hole in the bottom and eyes (keep in mind when purchasing) and placing it over your head as a mask. With dark shrouded, torn or even scarecrow like clothing you are sure to scare! The lantern and chain this creepy cartoon pumpkin head adds to the fright and is easily replicable in the real world ;)

I wanna Halloween shopping Spree!

2010-06-25T16:50:00.000-04:00

A Halloween shopping spree that doesn't include high heels, clothes or make up?! No girlie bits, just gory bits ;) Well, I'd be more than willing to make the sacrifice for that shopping trip! Making our own Halloween props and decorations is by far more cost effective than purchasing them and sometimes a lot more fun but, sometimes you just wanna shop! You can't make everything from scratch, right?

Yes, sadly the theory of a budget still applies to Halloween decor. ...yada yada yada, you'll thank me later when this wonderfully wicked day is over and you still have cash left to grab dirt cheap goodies for next year's Halloween ;)

Halloween by babblicious on Polyvore.com

Midnight Dreary Halloween Party Supplies - Tableware Themes -..., $6.99
Gothic Greetings Halloween Party Supplies - Party City, $3.29
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Skeletons, Body Parts - Halloween - Holiday Parties - Party City, $9.99
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PSD Detail

Black Cat
Official PSDs
tube toile d araignee - Page 3
Happy Halloween Clear Mini Stamp
Scary Mansion
Penniwigs: Welcome Dearies and Elf-Friends: halloween
L'île de Kahlan: TUBE:HALLOWEEN
L'île de Kahlan: TUBE:ASTRE/CIEL
halloween tubes - Page 21
LTC Halloween Ornaments - Fonts.com
tube halloween - Page 8

Jon Metz: a Real Life 'Saw' scenario!

2010-06-18T18:20:00.000-04:00

We've all had a 'good day gone bad' scenario but for 31 year old Jon Metz, this saying has never been more real. His nightmare began as a normal day on June 7, 2010 and ended two, hellishly long days later with a story that resembles that of the horror movie SAW!! ...only Jon was the only one playing and it wasn't a game!!

Jon Metz sat trapped in his basement with his arm wedged and rotting, within his own furnace, for hours upon hours before he was forced to choose between continuing that same fate or removing his own arm from his body?!!

When no sign of help came for poor Jon Metz (at least not until June 9, 2010) he'd already began to saw off his own arm with a freakin' hacksaw! OMG!! until the pain caused him to pass out. According to doctors, this brave and courageous effort he did put forth to dislodge himself also saved his life, despite the fact that it cost him his arm.

For the full story of Jon Metz and his life changing experience visit msn.com - Cutting off own arm...

If you'd like to follow Jon Metz's story and/or offer donations please visit http://helpjonmetz.com/

Thanks for visiting and please feel free to comment!

The Aliens have landed...

2010-06-14T22:04:00.000-04:00

I love it when families get into the spirit of Halloween. Creating a home haunt together makes for long lasting memories that just may inspire them to become future home haunters ;)

These Halloween fanatics went all out with the sci-fi genre and these vid's provide some great inspiration for those wanting to know how it's done.

Halloween countdown...only 138 days away!!

Home Haunt Ideas - Area 51, Zombified Redneck Saloon & the Occult

2010-06-14T21:38:00.000-04:00

Halloween home haunts come in an array of scary flavours like that of terrifying ghosts and goblins to more of a happy Halloween with smiley faced pumpkins feeling (ick)! Sometimes though, it's cool to see out of the ordinary thrills such as a bizarre cult with cloaked figurines, an unleashed Area 51's scientific laboratories or even a zombified saloon!

Create an Area 51 by utilizing those green and yellow flood lights, some fog and that sheet of plexi glass you've got laying around or old fish tank. Find some odd looking faux dead things and place them in the tank, behind the glass or in pickle jars. Have scare actors or figurines in authoritative gear like army camo, police gear or even those white plastic painters outfits. Have props like gas masks, clear shields and amo such as a cheap airsoft sniper rifle, lots of bloodied garden tools on nearby trays and an empty, blood covered bed or table with straps lying in wait for the next victim....!

Or, if your home haunt needs a theme, try recreating an old zombified Redneck Saloon. Load it up with zombified cowboys, saloon girls and sheriffs in period type clothing like torn jeans, plaid shirts, vests, cowboy boots, hats, bandanna's, faux pistols and a cheap airsoft sniper rifle! Then, place the artillery on the side, redneck cowboys turned Zombie don't shoot guns (anymore ;)...now they eat brains!! Use both static and live scare actors and set up a walk through home haunt area that simulates a saloon with a card table or two and a bar area. Have 'people' playing cards or standing at the bar until the trick-or-treater shows up, then it's dinner time!

The occult and satanic rituals is another deeply disturbed re-creatable act that works nicely on Halloween. Candles, pentagrams, eclectic daggers, goblets of blood, a shrine and a 'dead' rubber chicken or two is thought provoking in an all too terrifying, nightmare like way ;)

Please, if you use any Halloween props that in real life simulate the real thing, such as the cheap airsoft sniper rifle, use them responsibly! Do not load the airsoft when it's in use as a prop at your home haunt, it's only a prop!! And yes, of course you can play with your new toy some other day, just not on Halloween, got it!?! Good!! ;)

Zombie Walk - Downtown, Vancouver - Summer 2010

2010-05-27T13:55:00.001-04:00

2010 Zombie Walk in Vancouver!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Time: 4:30pm - 6:30pm

Location: Downtown Vancouver

Halloween props & Anything else with a Surface can be Painted! anytime of year ;)

2010-05-19T20:53:00.000-04:00

Some may beg to differ but as an avid 'I really need to change the color' person I will stand true...so far ;)

Being a Halloween haunter and avid crafter/home decorator I've been known to throw paint on just about anything believing that anything with a surface can be painted...and so far (knock on wood) I've been right. My secret is spending quality time doing the prep work for each project.

The surface of whatever you may be painting needs to be lightly scuffed with a very fine sandpaper first then thoroughly cleaned of all dust particles. Then the secret paint/primer is required and I always, always, always use the Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 Water Based Primer since back with my first home project in 2000!

What does this have to do with Halloween? Everything because you can change the look of anything with a simple coat of paint which makes it an economical choice for creative tasks other than home decor ;) Halloween props often require some form of paint to create the illusion of spooky like blood, tombstones, spider webs, sayings, faux rocks or wood, coffins, boxes like the Hack in the Box prop, even masks and costumes can be touched up or enhanced with paints.

If someone says 'that can't be painted', prove them wrong but do it quietly on the side first just to make sure you are right ;)

Paper Mache Halloween Props - DIY - Torn Torso Body Part... Haunted Tree & Broken Leg!

2010-05-17T18:21:00.000-04:00

Instructions to create a Torn Torso out of Paper Mache for Halloween home haunts!

... all thanks to inspiration from Martha Stewart. I watched, took notes then headed to the hardware store for some supplies. This was a huge!! project for me to undertake and by the time this and a few other projects were complete, I had ample unwanted paper mache experience. These projects were the messiest, most time consuming props I've ever made but, in the end also the most rewarding.

I have previously written and posted the DIY instructions for all of the paper mache props on my Squidoo lens so I'm just posting the instructions for the Torn Torso... to view the haunted tree, broken leg and the three eyed martian just click here.

This gruesome torso would look fantastic in a bloody butcher shop, kreepy kitchen or stewing pot in the graveyard!

How to Make Body Parts out of Paper Mache

Supplies needed...

To make the form - chicken wire, thin gauge wire for threading, silver tape, metal snips, white glue, newspaper, thin stake, garbage bag, gloves.

To make papier mache - newspaper (rip into thin strips), flour, water, white glue, paper towel and container.

To finish - primer sealer, paint brushes, paints in flesh tones, reds, black, blues, yellows and white(I wouldn't recommend using oil paint) to simulate blood, tears, cuts and bruising and red tissue paper.

Okay...

;) please remember this isn't an exact replica of the body!

Step 1 - Get the chicken wire, snips, thin gauge wire and gloves. Snip the sharpest tips off of the chicken wire to prevent future gouges. Wrap a good sized piece of chicken wire around a garbage bag full of newspaper (made into the general form of a torso).

Step 2 - Pull the chicken wire firmly around your form. Make a smaller waist and wider shoulders as you determine the basic shape. Be sure to leave an overlap so you can secure the joins with the wire. You will need to nip, tuck and perhaps sew on the arms, depending on how you made your form. Secure the stake to form at this stage or skip it if you wish to display differently.

Step 3 - Make at least three bones by simply cutting thin strips of chicken wire and folding them a few times. Then wrap the tape around the entire piece.

Step 4 - Get your mache paste ready, if you havne't already and keep your supplies handy in case you need to make more paste or tear more paper. Be sure to keep openings for the bones you made.

Step 5 - Do at least 4 or 5 layers of paper mache and let them dry completely. On the last last couple of layers begin building up the rib bones, collar bone, spine and any torn holes in the skin.

Step 6 - After many days your torso will be dry. At this point, wedge the bone part into the openings. Make them stick out, as though they were snapped off. Crumple up newspaper and place it tightly around the openings, to fill in the rest of the hole. Secure with tape where ever you have to.

Step 7 - Begin by painting your entire torso with a base coat of primer and let dry. Then paint the entire torso in flesh tones. Using darker colours to create the deep gashes. Yellows, browns and dark blues are great for creating bruises. Just blend, layer and build up the colours as you go along. Add lots of reds, purples and blacks for fresh blood and dried blood on the wounds. Darken deep cuts and highlight the upper most areas with a lighter shade, to create depth. You will need more than one coat of paint, so don't do any fine details until the final coat of skin is finished. Let paints have a chance to dry, even as you are building up colours. This colour palette will get muddy really quickly.

Step 8 - Grab a few pieces of red tissue paper and smoosh them up, this will give them some texture. Pour glue onto the ends of the openings, but not on the bones, then place the tissue paper onto the glue. Press gently to set in place. Push raw edges into glue or add more glue if necessary.

Step 9 - Use red paint and touch up all around the end openings and paint down any loose tissue pieces.

Step 10 - Admire your latest creation as you are now finished!! Congratulations on the making of a paper mache torso!

There are a few key tips n' things to keep in mind and they are available with the other project instructions (just click here)....and remeber that rain is not your friend with paper mached props! Be sure to protect your Halloween artwork from the elements or display them indoors only.

Get a Fog Machine for your home haunt, you won't regret it! - Halloween Prop

2010-05-10T21:40:00.000-04:00

Enhance your Halloween home haunt and props by adding a fog machine to your repetoire! When an eerie fog creeps along the ground and moves amongst your set up it not only looks amazing but hide a multitude of ground sins such as wires, cords and basic tricks of the trade. For us, purchasing a fog machine for our home haunt was a worthwhile, affordable investment that I couldn't imagine living without!

Fog machines are readily available at most big box stores and the price has dropped dramatically compared to when they first became available in retail markets. What once cost hundreds of dollars is now available for under $100. Our fog machine was purchased a few years ago at Walmart for around $70 which included the machine and two extra containers of fog juice. We won't need a refill of juice for Halloween 2010 either.

Fog machines can be placed in any safe, out of the way location then directed where ever you'd 'like' such as hidden on porch, in the corn field or graveyard even inside your house. The only limitation having the ultimate creeping fog is wind, wind is not your friend as most natural weather elements at this time of year ;)

Ouija Board

2010-05-05T00:23:00.001-04:00

Every scare fanatic, past the age of 13, has at least heard of the Ouija board if not tried it. Having a seance and talking to spirits from the dead dates way back historically to Greece 540BC and has only been recently popularized.

It seems that regardless of your age the chill of anticipated fear and 'what if's' is still exciting, at least for me. Many will stay away from the board completely while I just can't seem to help myself from curiosity. The Ouija board concept intrigues me enough that I'm always the one to initiate a 'game' and on occasion I've even 'played' in the graveyard at night, in the dark. That was a little bit scary but I think it was more my own imagination combined with my cohorts.

Ouija boards are available in stores but the older one's with a wooden planchette (the heart shaped pointer) look a little more authentic, are less commercial and way harder to find. According to legend a real Ouija board must stay with the original owner or else! Why and what?, I'm not sure. True, not sure ;)

Either way, having a seance is a great night to spend amongst friends. Just grab a Ouija board, some candles and a group of friends who are at least open to the concept of a what a spirit board is and does. Loudmouths and scaredy cats will end the seance rather quickly due to laughter and lack of concentration. I think it's a mood, vibe thing... if only one persons energy is focused while others are causing distractions it's just harder to talk to the dead, lol?!

I'm not saying I believe or disbelieve but what I can tell you is that I've used the board a lot and you can tell when people are pushing it (I think ;) but I've also used it on one occasion where myself and two other people had a freaky experience. My boyfriend at the time, his brother and myself sat on the living room floor cross-legged in a triangle with the board resting on our legs. We each reached out and put our fingertips onto the planchette and once all six sets of fingers made contact the planchette immediately began to swing back and forth. It was pivoting on an exact spot very quickly causing us to swing our arms back and forth like a swoosh, swoosh sort of motion. If one person released their fingers it stopped immediately. When two of us got on nothing happened, then the other two and nothing happened but with all three of us, swoosh swoosh. It was kinda going crazy! Real or fake? Not sure but both of the other people involved I trusted but who's to say they weren't just really good at faking it?

If you've had Ouija board experiences I'd love to hear them, the good the bad and the cheesy!

Halloween Make Up Techniques - Zombie - DIY Video

2010-04-28T22:41:00.000-04:00

Regular Joe... it's time to check out! Night of the living dead Zombie wanna' be... it's time to check in!

Turn your untouched skin into rotting, bloodied flesh with basic household ingredients.

Supplies needed...

- Toilet paper
- White glue (liquid latex is preferred)
- White cream make-up
- Basic make-up kit with black, red, blue, green and yellow
- Paint brushes or sponges

Directions...

Clean skin thoroughly and let dry. Paint a thin layer of glue to the areas of your face you wish to build up and let dry. Apply a layer of toilet paper then reapply another layer of glue and allow to dry. Completely cover your face with white cream make-up and begin to blend in your colours. Begin with the darkest colour first then build up where needed. Create tears in the flesh then add highlights and lowlights with your white and base colours. Experiment and have fun with it, there really is no right or wrong way to create a realistic creature from the dead ;)

Liquid latex dries faster and is better suited for this application but in a pinch, glue pulls through! When you'd like to be yourself again, rinse your skin with warm water to remove the layers of tissue, glue and make-up. You could peel some off but keep in mind that you may remove hairs in the process, much like waxing ;) Do an allergy test patch too, before you cover your face!

This tissue technique is not limited to Zombies nor to your face! Switch up the colours and create the look of an aging vampire, a witch, old people or victims with melted skin, bad acne or severe lacerations. You just need to change the texture of the tissue as you apply it to your skin. For example; pulling or stretching the tissue up and down will appear like melting skin or you can create pock marks with a pen tip drilled gently into a pile of wet tissue. Just think gross, then get gross!

Movie Review - Legion

2010-04-21T20:23:00.000-04:00

Welcome to What Wrinkles? Movie Review

Some movies are worth the watch while others

fall flat and disappoint. Here's what I think about ...

Legion
Horror - Released in 2010
Starring - Paul Bettany, Dennis Quaid, Tyrese Gibson, Jon Tenney, Charles S. Dutton

Legion is a movie that awakens apocalyptic thoughts of something far more powerful than any army on earth which leaves you wondering if you're even protected and if so, from what?

...this movie almost had me wishing I hadn't chosen it within the first couple of minutes until Granny shows up, such a bad Granny! Then I was interested, until the story seemed predictable and for myself, far from scary. It felt at somepoints like watching Tremors, similar backdrop much like other movies but of course none others come to mind ;) at the time of this post. Let's just say, if I have to drive thru the desert, I'm going to be prepared!Movie Review... 2 out of 5!

Use Weed Barrier to Create 'Walls' in your Halloween Home Haunt

2010-04-07T18:54:00.000-04:00

One of my must have items for the Halloween home haunt is black weed barrier, found at most hardware or garden stores. Only by accident did I learn that in a pinch the black fabric makes not only the perfect barrier, wall or hallway but it even works well for Halloween costumes.

The black fabric is very lightweight and comes on a roll about 50' long x 3' wide and is under $10 each. Our Halloween budget includes 2-3 rolls and best yet, it is reusable year after if you store it properly. Or, use it in your gardens as it was originally intended.

Our Halloween home haunt incorporates our large wooden deck which is wide open without railings or posts and makes a great base for an outdoor room. To create a small stairway, hallway and room both 2'x2's and weed barrier came into play. If you have similar features or you can pound the 2'x2's into the ground you could create this Halloween 'prop'.

Depending upon how you want yours 'rooms' to look consider spacing your posts every 4' maximum. Once your walls are formed then use a staple gun to attach the barrier to the wood. Leave an overlap so you can weave the pieces together with a popsicle stick once the walls are formed. Add hidden areas, walls within walls so Scare Actors can hide behind them. Use black paint to cover the look of wood if you have time. I'd recommend painting before you attach it temporarily to your deck.

The above pic is our Hack in the Box Halloween prop but if you look behind and beside it you can see the black 'wall' which is actually the edge of our deck...and below, the background for this Creepy Clown is the other end of the deck. From the exterior the 'room' appears completely blacked out and covers an area 10'x16' feet. Open stairs with an inner hallway here and ending with stairs and a long hallway at the other end that opens into the Corn Field. Sorry for no pics on that prop, it's another one of those things you don't try to take pictures of on purpose. Note to self: you've now got hindsight!

Videos- Halloween 'Scary' pranks and funny gags

2010-03-30T16:32:00.001-04:00

I love the humour involved with scaring the crap out of people, scary pranks & funny gags rock!

These two video clips had me laughing out loud and even inspired me to set something up on my own. Perhaps this long weekend...hmmm, who's gonna be my prank victim, the children or the spouse?

In the meantime watch these videos...

Thanks for visiting, please feel free to comment!

Zombie Walk - Toronto 2010

2010-03-29T18:03:00.000-04:00

Dabble in some pre-Halloween fear & endless gore...
Join the 8th Annual Zombie Walk in Toronto!

Brain sucking Zombies will be dragging their lifeless bodies through the streets of Toronto, Canada this year for the increasingly popular Zombie Walk. You'll see thousands of bloody, scabbed up dead people in search of fleshy human brains to feast upon (a distraction from their normally dead boring lives). Rising from the dead Zombies group together then parade amongst common, living folk. They will be searching, possibly for you! Will it be your brains they devour next? Or will you be Zombie?

Here's a video clip of Toronto's 2006 Zombie Walk...

On your own or with assistance, can you appear like a groaning, gut covered lost limbed soul?

Or

would you prefer to go hang out and see what creatures have risen from the dead?

Thanks for the visit, please feel free to comment!

HandPainted Backgrounds - Halloween Props DIY

2010-03-26T19:11:00.001-04:00

A haunted house has rickety, clap board siding, broken shutters or a crooked stairway.

Your home however may not! Therefore, recreating these eerie characteristics could be your next Halloween home haunt project.

Get creative and make your haunting facade as rustic or decorative as you choose. I apologize for not having pics for this prop, I've used it twice so far and both times it was neglected at picture time.

How to Make your Backdrop...

You need to decide how you want your home haunt to appear to Trick or Treaters and their 'followers'. If you have cemetary props paint your design to reflect a spooky masoleum, crematorium or butcher shop. A haunted house with the similar look and feel of the one in Psycho by painting slat walls, busted shutters and windows with crazy old ladies in them. Paint a butcher shop, funhouse, forest or dungeon for your home haunt theme then paint up some rocks and stones of various sizes, bricks, skulls, bones or even logs.

Supplies needed...

- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- Exterior water based paint. Black and white for stone or brickwork is good.
- Paint brushes
- Unprimed canvas cut off a large roll (leftover from previous projects). You could use painters drop clothes which are large, affordable and durable. Be sure to get ones that are made of canvas or heavy cotton even rubber backed drop clothes will work as long it has a paintable surface.

Directions...

- Measure the area of your home haunt facade albeit the shed, garage or frontage of your home you want disquised. Now measure again ;) Lay out your material as flat as possible then measure out those same co-ordinates onto your fabric. Now measure again ;) Use the scissors but do not cut out openings for the doors and windows unless you need to or want to.

With our home haunt disquise we cut out the living room window for the reasons of sanity but left the front door area alone. The doors were measured separatly and the measurements drawn onto the fabric as a guide. It was cut so the door could open and close but the 'hinge' side remained attached uncut. This may not work with your home so check first!

- Once you've determined the style it's just a matter of painting the design onto the surface. If you want it extra durable and long lasting, prime both sides of the fabric first (I didn't do this and ours has lasted for quite a few seasons).

Buy at AllPosters.com

When choosing either rolls of canvas or drop clothes, consider the size and price. A roll of canvas may be only 5'2" meaning to cover height, you'd be rolling out the whole roll for barely two strips 8' long. You will most likely have a seam somewhere within the design so remember to overlap and paint accordingly. Whereas drop clothes are more squared off and far more economical!

Creep em' out with Clowns! - Halloween Props DIY

2010-03-05T10:15:00.001-05:00

...the Psycho Circus has arrived to send fear into kids of all ages, even the grown-ups!

Deep seeded fears get buried but at Halloween why not raise it up the surface at your home haunt. I've never encountered a clown that I've liked, there's just something creepy about them that give's me the willies, even stuffed clowns.. Due to this fact, Clowns are one of my favorite props to use at Halloween because I know I'm not the only one who dreads them!

A few evil clowns paired with the Hack in the Box halloween prop creates an eerie funhouse effect and when combined with traditional carnival music you've got the makings for a very chilling scene.

How to Make Clowns...

Most Halloween props, including the static dummies and stand alone creatures that I use are made from old clothing and usually a 2x2 for support such, as witches in The Witches Gathering prop. A few of the clown costumes came from the goodwill store and for the rest came from raiding my husbands closet that I'd hoped wouldn't be missed (which hasn't always been the case ;)

Attaching a small clown to this kids bike was tricky but worth it for the effect! The back wheel is wedged between a makeshift wooden bike rack then covered over with dried leaves. It seems to have lost it's running shoes which had both of the clowns feet on the pedals.

The evil, short and oddly bow legged Clown is posing on a Pogo-Stick! The pogo stick itself is slid down over a medal rod that has been pounded into the ground. I had to alter the pogo permanently, to allow the rod to go inside, so there's no more bouncy bouncy with that toy. He's also wearing a huge curly black wig to cover his stuffed rain.

The psycho clown in the wheelbarrow was put together rather quickly in lieu of a missing Scare-Actor, temporarily missing that is ;) Inside of the clown is a coat hanger with fishing line attached to the hook and a garbage overtop acting like a dry cleaning bag. It was then stuffed, tied and clothed with buttons done right up to the neck so the hanger wouldn't slip out. I cut a small hole in the top of the mask and slid the fishing line thru it and tied it to the Cedar branch above to hold up the body. With some stuffed pants, boots and accessories he turned out pretty good for last minute scare. The masks were an awesome purchase I made online quite a few years ago. At that time I was able to buy five high quality rubber masks for $20US on Ebay, $4 bucks each! The clown in the wheelbarrow is a full head mask that and even comes down the neck and over the shoulders. It's perfectly frightful to come face to face with and equally so to wear, if you are not at all claustrophobic!

These terrifying masks and many more are available at Amazon

Click on any of the pics to take you to the product page!

Must have Blood! - DIY Recipe for Blood

2010-02-27T14:32:00.003-05:00

Get gruesome with gore!

Halloween brings forth the need for lots of fake blood for use on props and Scare-Actors. Depending upon the application I've used many methods some of which are permanent while others wash away. So, unless you have a stash of the real thing you are going to need some ideas.

Recipe for Homemade Blood...

No Cook Blood

1/4 cup of water
2 cups of clear corn syrup
1/4 cup of corn starch (may use flour as a substitute)
1/2 oz. red food coloring
10 drops of blue food coloring

With this recipe I found it best to first mix the water with the corn starch, adding a bit a time until you have a white paste. As you work it all together slowly any small lumps ought to disappear. Once lump free you can then add the corn syrup into the mixture and stir thoroughly. It's now time to carefully add in all of your red food coloring and stir. Now add in your blue to darken the blood and richen up that colour. Depending upon the purity of dyes in your brand of food coloring you may need more or less so judge accordingly and experiment. Remember this fake blood will stain most everything it touches, sometimes permanently other times not. It also does not have a long shelf life so do not prepare too far in advance and store in the fridge. I would recommend using this type of fake blood on Scare-Actors who have no sugar allergies. Because it is water and sugar based clean up is easy, except for the dye factor!

Fact: Old black and white horror films used chocolate syrup as a base for theatrical blood!

- On static Halloween props I prefer the permanent approach. With clothing I use both red and blue food coloring by placing it directly onto fabric in specific areas. I then use acrylic paints to highlight and deepen those shades. Bright reds work best and use black to deepen and add some contrast.

Of course having someone make something for you is always easiest. Get some Stage Blood! here or click on any of the following pic's for product information.

Prop - Upsidedown Scarecrow - Halloween Project DIY

2010-02-09T18:46:00.001-05:00

Scarecrows protect our crops from outsiders but what protects us from them and that pitchfork?...their dark, glaring eyes seem to follow, always watching, waiting to strike!

The history of Scarecrows date back through centuries as a way to instill fear without harm,

so that's what we'll do! The fact that this Halloween prop is easily made with a couple of wooden stakes, old rags, some straw and a cowboy hat means you just gotta make more than one! When grouped in a pack, have a live 'Scare Actor' posing amongst them ready to jump when the time is just right!

Supplies required...

- two 2'x2's (10' long)

- coveralls

- cowboy hat

- straw

- boots

- 3 small bags, 2 pillowcases, lots of newspaper, tape

- paint; flesh, white, black, red

- 2'x2' round piece of canvas or paintable fabric (an old drop cloth will work)

- saw

- 5' piece of string

- large needle, strong thread

- heavy duty stapler, staples

- sledge hammer

- ladder

To create your Upsidedown Scarecrow begin by painting the fabric with flesh tone paint and let dry. When it's dry proceed to paint on black eyes, mouth, stitches and whatever else looks terrifying!

Then cut the bottoms of the 2'x2's to form stakes (they pound easier when cut on an angle). Place each stake in each leg hole of the coveralls and proceed to pound each post into the ground. Crumple up the newspapers and fill up each of the bags until they are full but pliable then use the staple gun to attach the bags to the body, giving your Scarecrow more definition. Attach the string to the remaining plastic bag and then set it upon your fabric face (face side down) and use as a head. Pull the fabric around the bag forming a head (leave string hanging out of neck area) then secure with a needle and thread. Staple that string to one of the pieces of wood inside the Scarecrow (ought to hang just above ground level). Place on the boots and proceed to stuff handfuls of straw into all of the penings and inside the cowboy hat which just slides underneath your Scarecrow's head.

Corn Creeper Scare-Actor

When making your Scarecrow prop use old, wragged items from around the house that won't be missed and feel free to add your own twist ie; long sleeve checked shirt, trench coat, burlap sacs, housecoat or robe, pold pair jeans with patches, housedress or moo moo, wigs, glasses, skeleton bodies, socks, gloves, straw hat or make one with a pumpkin head!

Haunted Attraction - Haunted Adventure @ Magic Hill

2010-02-02T23:03:00.000-05:00

Hidden in the quiet hills north of Toronto lies Magic Hill Farm a destination hot spot for those wanting to experience a wonderful evening in the country that ends in terror! This farmland is not for the weak kneed, scaredie cat. This Haunted Adventure stems from true stories based on murder and mayhem whose whispers of death travelled far beyond the local community of Stouffville decades ago.

Blood curdling horrors and rambling ghosts roam the dark shadows of Magic Hill creating an ultimately terrifying adventure that you need to see for yourself. Survey the fields and forests upon a haunted wagon ride, walk through the barn, explore darkened trails and the cavern.

Refreshments are always available, along with other Halloween and farm related items such as pumpkins for carving your 2010 Jack - O- Lantern! It is best to come early as activities within Magic Hill begin at dark. Remember, no one under the age of 8 is permitted into this outdoor haunted attraction and due to the weather at this time of year you must remember to please dress accordingly. Be prepared to wait in line, as Halloween approaches it does get busier. Groups are allowed along with VIP treatment, please enquire.

Magic Hill
13953 Ninth Line Stouffville, Ontario

Phone: 905-640-2347
email: info@hauntedadventure.ca

View maps showing How to get to Magic Hill!

Prop - Hack in the Box!

2010-01-28T20:38:00.003-05:00

Greet Trick or Treaters with a Hack in the Box this Halloween!

Round and round the mulberry bush the monkey chased the weasel...

Step right up folks and crank on the big red knob...unless you're too scared!?

The Hack in the Box Halloween prop is ideal for home haunts as it adds a horrifying twist to a seeminly friendly child's toy. The dark of night is the perfect place for the Jack in the Box to be reincarnated into a terrifying Hack in the Box Halloween prop. The perfect interactive, spine tingling scare for all ages!

Supplies needed...

- 3 sheets of scrap plywood 5/8" thick measuring 4' x 8'
- 14 studs (not men, wink wink well actually yes, one stud to do the cutting and hammering) 2 x 4's
- ice auger handle
- 2 large rubber rats
- circular saw, jigsaw, drill with 1/2" drill bit, nuts, bolts, hot glue gun, hot gun glue, pencil, string, nails, hammer, random wood screws, 2 strong hinges with screws, paint (black, white and red)

You will need 5 pieces of 4' x 4' ply; 3 for the visible outside walls, 1 for the bottom and 1 for the top (the backside remains open for easy access to the inside). The inner frame is built on the same scale (duh!) with no length being longer than 4'. Before assembling, lay the top piece down and either eyeball a large circle, trace one or use your finger, the pencil and string to draw one in. Flatten off the back of the circle (like a toilet seat). Use the drill to make a starting hole on the inside of the circle then move to the edge and finish off all around the entire outline then attach the hinges. Use the drill to predrill a hole to slide the auger handle into; secure with nuts and bolts from the inside (once fully assembled). Attach the base to the frame with both nails and wood screws, then the three walls and then the lid.

Once assembled, your Halloween home haunt Hack in the Box is ready to paint and accesorize with some evil glued on Rats and anything else creepy you may want to attach to it. Put a Scare Actor inside the box, grab a sound clip of Pop Goes the Weasel and crank it, loud! As the Trick or Treaters approach the Hack be sure there is a large, easy to read sign closeby telling them to turn, rotate or crank on that handle for the fun to begin...

Spooky Effects and Songs - Get 25 FREE iPod® compatible downloads from eMusic! - Choose from over 4.0 Million songs!

Recipe - Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2010-01-26T23:37:00.001-05:00

A delightful, rewarding and fun snack to enjoy after the traditional pumpkin carving festivities have long ended. Save that slimey orange pulp 'cause now the extra sticky job begins!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Grab a chair and some extra hands, if those hands haven't disappeared already, and separate the pumpkin seeds from the pumpkins pulpy orange mush. Rinse seeds in cool water, pat dry and allow to sit for as long as overnight.

Preheat Oven - 325 Degrees
Cooking Time - 25 Minutes, tossing a few times throughout the cooking process
Prep Time - 30 minutes or more depending upon the # of pumpkins, size etc.
Ingredients - pumpkin seeds, melted butter and seasoning salt

Preparation - toss the pumpkin seeds (washed and dried) with the melted butter, then spread evenly on a baking tray lined with parchment or tinfoil. Sprinkle with seasoning salt then place tray in the oven and roast those tastey seeds!

Variations - try using flavoured oils and/or butter, garlic, dill, chilli, cinammon, white or brown sugar, honey, maple syrup (sugar burns easy so always watch carefully), taco seasoning, pepper, onion salt, popcorn toppings, cocoa powder, ginger, cayenne pepper, sea salt, paprika, cumin or curry.

For more great recipes, check out How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds at my favourite recipe site allrecipes.com!

Prop - Creepy Corn Field - Halloween DIY

2010-01-21T18:41:00.002-05:00

Corn stalks represent another staple prop in our Halloween home haunt!

With a little ingenuity, some space and a huge pile of corn stalks you can create your own field, pathway, trail, fencing or mini corn maze.

We use 100's of dried corn stalks from the local farmers to form a scary pathway that takes Trick or Treaters from one haunt zone to the next, which in turn becomes it's own haunting area. From the road it appears as though it's a corn field guarded by a freaky Upsidedown Scarecrow while from within it's a narrow path that has hidden areas for Scare Actors to leap out from. There's just something terrifying about walking through the rustling corn at night, in the dark...Boo!

Supplies needed...

- corn stalks (100's of them) depends on what you're going to do and how large your area is. If the stalks are spindly you will need to bunch them for full effect.

- long wooden dowels used as anchor stakes for tying up the corn (they won't stand on their own).
- string & scissors, heavy hammer

Begin by tying your corn stalks tightly together, in groups of two or three, securing at the bottom, middle and top. Pound the stakes into the ground about 12-16" apart in your desired pattern. Then slip the tied corn stalks down over the stake right down to the ground and tie at the bottom and top of of each stake. Wind and squirrels tugging at the corn cobs will be your biggest worries so be sure to secure the string by tying extra tight. Use pumpkins, straw bails and scarecrows to accompany the 'theme' along with directional arrows and proper lighting to ensure Trick or Treaters find their way.

Prop - Graveyard Entrance - Posts

2010-01-14T20:39:00.003-05:00

Haunted houses, castles, graveyards and cemeteries are generally fenced with gated entries and have pillars or posts on either side. Is it to keep things in or to keep things out? They are sometimes grand, ornate and large in scale while other times they are busted up, rickety old things.

Why do I need to create an entry? Creating an entryway gives your Trick or Treaters an initial destination point, a place to start your home haunt. Kids are running around the street like they're on sugar so finding the start is important. Therefore, show them where it is and how to get there. Our home haunt has signs, directional arrows and a gate with fencing and taped areas, kids still ask how to get in.

I had my hubby make both of these requesting two tall, rectangular posts then I painted them. Measurements, sorry I have no clue but it's over 5' tall. There is a boxed frame made of 2x2's inside which is what he nailed the outside plywood too. Just wing it with whatever you have on hand.

Supplies needed...

- Approximately 1 1/2 sheets of 1/2" plywood, there is no good side on the stuff we used.
- (2) 2"x4"

- circular saw, 2" nails, 60 grit sandpaper, black and white paint and a paintbrush.

Build it or get your hubby or partner to build it (no kids allowed at this stage!!). For the outside walls of post you need 8 pieces cut the same size and for the trim at the top, 8 more pieces cut the same with mitered corners. Build that inside frame first, for sturdiness or it may not last. Go over the finished product with sandpaper then wipe the surface clean. Paint your pillars to resemble either brick, stone, wood, skulls, bones whatever you think will achieve the desired effect. Add a rat to the top, pumpkins, lanterns or a live Scare Actor being a Gargoyle and your entrance is ready!

Spooky Halloween Styrofoam Cemetery Gate

9 Ft. - Gemmy Halloween Airblown Inflatable - Cemetery Archway Gate

Graveyard Gates

Haunted Attraction - Screemers - Toronto, Ontario Canada

2010-01-13T08:16:00.000-05:00

Screemers, located in the city of Toronto, Ontario draws in thousands of devilish Halloween fans every year with their terrifying imaginations. Get your scare on and be thrilled by an amazingly terrifying display of Halloween spirit that includes live and not so live Ghosts, Ghouls and Goblins who yearn to send chills down your spine. Blood curdling screams ooze out from behind those closed doors you are about to enter. Fog thickens and lights darken, do you Dare to Enter Screemers?!

In 2009 they featured 7 different Haunted Attractions. The Haunted House, Skull Castle, The Black Hole, The Asylum, The Maniac Maze, Terror in 3D and Curtain Chaos each more frightful than the last. Try them all if you're not too scared!!

Screemers
Located at Exhibition Place
By phone: 416-979-FEAR
By email: info@screemers.ca
Url: http://www.screemers.ca/

Runs from Mid - October thru October 31st
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from October 12th - October 21st
Everyday from October 25th - October 31st!

Price: $27.95 ($22.95 with discount coupon)

The hosts of Screemers require both Scare Actors to perform in the attractions and Halloween props (as any Haunter, new and used). Interested, give them a Boo!

Prop - Graveyard Tombstones

2010-01-07T15:57:00.002-05:00

Cemeteries are one of the most popular Halloween scenes that home haunters create. It might even be safe to say that many home haunters began their own prop collection with just a few simple tombstones and a skull or two. One of the ideal bonuses with graveyard scenarios is that they are easy to add to year after year and never get old in the eyes of Trick or Treaters. Cemeteries and tombstones, as Halloween props, represent something most people fear terribly and that is death. And as we all know and love, that's what a fun and scary Halloween is all about! So, recreating a similar look and feel is the objective. One that leaves an eerie feeling in your scary bone!

Imagine taking a short cut thru this cemetery at night, in the dark, alone. You hear noises, shadows move suddenly past the headstones and you're quite sure you are being followed!!...now, just recreate that same vision in your own version of the neighbourhood's scariest ~~house~~ cemetery. Think quality not quantity, little bits of this and that begin to look much like clutter and have less impact.

Graveyards are perfect for the home haunt because they are effective, cover alot of ground (or not), are easy to make and also affordable. To enhance the creepiness of your cemetery build an entrance with a gate and fencing then randomly place your tombstones. Rake leaves into long piles in front of each tombstone to appear like a fresh grave. Add lighting, fog, a live scare'actor' playing the Gravekeeper and of course, dead people (fake ones only!!).

How to Make Tombstone Props

Supplies reguired to build Tombstone Props

Scrap pieces of 3/4" plywood, scrap pieces of 2x2 for stakes (cut on angle), saw, nails 1 1/2", pencil, black and white outdoor paint, paint brush.

Steps Required

Use the pencil to draw the outline of your desired tombstone. Use saw to cut it out. Nail the stake securely onto the back of the tombstone. Paint a base coat of black and let dry. Using both the black and the white paint (which also makes grey) and put the details onto your headstones. Write quips on the tombstones that mark either the 'death' or current resting place of Jack the Ripper, Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger or Carrie. Or get inventive such as You're Next, R.I.P., Former Neighbour, C U Soon!, Rise Again Doughboy, Wanted Dead or Alive, Died Yesterday!, Better Off Dead etc.

Tips

There are many different products you could use to create your tombstones so try to think about what you may have around the house. I have made them out of wood, styrofoam and cardboard the first one being the most durable and long lasting. Thick styrofoam will work but is very light and blew away all the time. So then I tried to glue a stick to it and then I'd poke it in the ground but the styrofoam melted away (wrong type of glue, not good!). Cardboard, well that barely lasted half the season once it rained and I've learnt, it always rains.

3' RIP Dome Tombstone Halloween Prop

3ft Cross Tombstone Halloween Prop (B520)

Reaper Tombstone Halloween Prop

DIY Halloween Prop - Long Fingered Ghoul

2009-12-27T18:29:00.003-05:00

Laying inside this makeshift wooden coffin lies a gnarly, sunken faced ghoul! Who's long, boney fingers once scraped down it's victims back. Now, laying helplessly with its arms folded over it's chest.

RIP! you poor soul...or are you just napping?!

Anything in a coffin spells terror for Halloween home haunts and with the threat of something evil coming to life it adds even more intesity. In the dark shadows of Halloween night Trick or Treaters won't know if he's dead or alive. Hide a Scare-Actor beneath the Ghoul and give it moments of movement that will have em' screaming!

The Coffin Ghoul Halloween prop was very easy to make just a little time consuming because the fingers on the ghoul are done with paper mache.

Supplies required...

- 6 large plastic bags

- a small plastic bag for the head

- newspaper (both whole and torn into narrow strips)

- chicken wire

- thin gauge wire

- scary mask

- tape

- paint; green, black and white

- metal snips

- coat hanger

- one coffin

This particular coffin was slapped together by hacking up a sheet of particle board and some scrap pieces of wood for the backing, then sprayed with leftover black and grey spray paint. Granted in the light of day it doesn't look the best, at night you'd never know it was so cheesy ;)

- paper mache; flour, water and white glue

How to make Paper Mache paste...

Add equal parts flour and water and a dollop of white glue, stir. Add more water, glue or flour as required. Prepare the paper mache paste in a large container just before you are ready to apply the strips of paper.

Visit my Squidoo page for Paper Mache Halloween Props such as a lifesize Haunted Tree, a bloody Torso, torn off leg and 3 Eyed Creature!

Steps to Complete the Long Fingered Ghoul

Hands...

- Grab snips and chicken wire. Snip 10 equally long strips of wire about 3-4" wide. These will be the ghouls creepy fingers. Wrap into a tube and secure with wire, poking sharp ends into tube.

- Next, snip out two long rectangles, fold each in half to form the palm. Secure with wire then attach the fingers by securing with wire. Use snips to trim the ends and lengths of fingers. Now is the time to shape the final form of the ghoul's hands.

- Create the paste in your container.
- Protect the surface you are working on.
- Get your paper strips and begin to dip them into the paste. Make sure the strips are saturated but not glopped with paste. Running them between your fingers gets off excess, then place each strip over your wire frame one at a time. Attach a long piece of wire to the wrist of each hand, used later to attach to either ends of the hanger.
- Continue building up layers until you have reached the desired thickness and appearance. Keep edges pushed down and smooth on each layer. Leave to dry. The drying process can take a long time so to speed up it up by placing in sunshine, near air flow, or heat source (safe distance, it is paper!) or a dehumidifier.
- Once completely dry, it's time to paint! Give it a few coats, allowing each to dry before doing the next one. Put your details on in the final coat. Depending on the type of paint you've used, it may need to be sealed or protected from the elements.
- Once you've created the body (see below), attach the hands to the hanger by poking through the plastic wrap and securing.
- Use a garbage bag to swaddling the ghoul, being sure to hide any parts, wire etc.

Body...

- Poke the hanger thru the bottom center of one bag then tip over and fill with scrunched up wads of newspaper, tie knot in end to close.
- Slice open the bags into a full sheet of plastic then secure it to the shoulder area with a knot around the hook and wrap it around the body to form a swaddled mummy shape. Use the tape to shape your body, wider at shoulders or not, it's your ghoul!
- Form a head and secure mask of choice and attach to the hanger.

Keep the snips and pokey ended chicken wire away from children.

Variations - originally my Ghoul had wings and was a Nasty Bat like creature! It hung upside down in one of our trees by a cord attached to the hanger that came out through the bottom of the bag. The wings were large but sadly made of cardboard and only lasted two seasons and then the rope broke...hence him now laying in the coffin. Change up the body wrap by using weed barrier it's black and cheap, switch up the masks, add viens, englarge the knuckles, make a third eye or enlarged pointed ears all while you're already all gooed up!

Halloween Pranks & Gags

2009-12-22T08:07:00.003-05:00

Fall victim to a harmless Halloween prank or

commit the harmless Halloween prank, which do you prefer?

For myself, praying on the gullible and easily scared is a delightful way to have a little chuckle.

Human nature's inward traits suggest fear and curiousity lay in us all so why have fun with it.

For example I'd love to prank my friends on this one, too funny!

There are many levels to pranking, from harmless and innocent to down right mean so please keep it within the realm of sane, non-destructive and age appropriate. Sure little ones scare easily but they could also be traumatized and ruined for future Halloween's to come. Save the scares for the older kids who are looking for it and of course the adults. You could start by sending your first victim to The Scary Maze game!

Hiding around a corner, skulking in a closet, jumping out of a box or hiding in the backseat of your friends car are classic pranks that still get genuine reactions and best of all can be practiced year round! Toss in a caramel coated onion, some Nicky Nicky Nine Door and the purse on a string trick and all will be laughing. Other seasonal pranks like tp'ing houses with toilet paper, soaping windows, smashing pumpkins, tossing rotten eggs, bags of beet juice and lighting bags of poo of fire are super funny but only to those doing the prank. You can get in alot of doo doo, so use your best judgement, be nice and have fun (karma works in funny ways)!

I'd love to hear about Halloween gags, pranks and tricks that you've pulled off or had done to you so please leave a comment.

Not so Friendly Ghosts - Halloween Prop - How To

2009-12-17T19:32:00.003-05:00

Moonlight fills the darkest corner of the towns oldest cemetary shining light upon the creeping fog. A light breeze stirs mist around the ankles of the lost sending deep chills up their spines. An eerie presence floats up from the fog...

Giving a good scare is about creating a feeling of terror, even before anything happens. Anticipation keeps the senses keen, try not to be predictable and get scarin'!!

How to Create a Ghost

To make the ghost pictured above you will need these supplies; a white queen size sheet, plastic skull, 2 coat hangers, 2/500ml yogurt containers, scissors, metal snips, duct tape, dark string, purple paper twist. Young children shouldn't handle the scissors or snips.

Instructions - Take your sheet, fold it in half and cut a small hole in the top, middle part of the fold (you will be slipping the curved part of the hanger tip through it later). Poke a small hole in both the base and top of the skull. Tape both coat hangers together. Fold a 6' piece of string in thirds and place a knot at both ends.

- Grab one of your containers and imagine it as the shoulder of the ghost. Manuever it over one end of the hanger and secure with tape. You may want to snip the plastic which will make for a better fit. Repeat the same process on the other 'shoulder'. Now take your hanger with shoulder pads and push the curved end thru the hole in the sheet.

- Poke the curved part of the hanger up thru the inside of your folded sheet. The hook part should be poking out the top and the form of a ghost ought to be taking shape.

- Take the knotted string and feed it thru the top hole and then out thru the bottom hole in the skull. At this point, string should be hanging out both ends of the skull. Loop the base end of the string, the skulls neck, over the curved loop of the hangers and secure very, very well.

- Feed the hanger into the base of the skull (tuck away the mechanics).

At this point you should have the makings of a fine looking, potentially scary ghost. Now it's time to put on the finishing touches. Hang your ghost up by the string so it is hanging freely then take your scissors and begin to shred all the edges. You can style your ghost by cutting off more or less fabric. A scrap piece of fabric has been secured around the ghosts waist for definition. Piece by piece fill the top hole of the skull with the paper twist, until it is packed tight. Then take that creepy looking ghost outside, drag it around the dirt and voila!

Haunted Attraction - Scream Shack - Coldwater, Ontario Canada

2009-12-15T11:59:00.000-05:00

Halloween is the perfect time to scare and get scared!! How better to do that than attend one of the many live haunted attractions scattered across North America. A night out with friends to experience thrills and chills could be just what the doctor ordered, hopefully not a psychotic one!!

Last year I had the privilege of visiting a live attraction in Coldwater, Ontario Canada known as The Scream Shack. Grab a map before you go, then take a moonlit tour down secluded country roads where you will soon find a terrifying haunt in the middle of the forest.

Once you arrive, the haunt itself is very well organized. The cost and the wait are both reasonable (25 mins. for us at that time) and oh, so worth it. With it being an unpredictable time of year, weather wise, I must suggest that you bring warm clothes, an umbrella and a flashlight. When I was there The Scream Shack had both an outdoor and an indoor haunt, so it's best to be prepared. I do believe there was hot chocolate on site too, but be sure to call ahead if you have any questions.

Here is a link to the Scream Shack , check out their website if you'd like more information.

Skeletons on a Rock Wall - Halloween Prop DIY

2009-12-07T18:02:00.003-05:00

This prop was one of the first 'scary' Halloween decorations that I attempted. The idea came to me because we had received an 'assemble yourself' piece of furniture and suddenly had alot of scrap cardboard around. The creative genius came out and I came up with the Bonewall which can be used in one of two ways. Either as a static prop where it leans against support or a human-operated prop where someone stands behind the wall and moves the skeleton's arms.

The height and width of this carboard wall is approx. 9ft by 6ft, so it covers quite a bit of space. Here is how this Bonewall was made and what you're going to need to replicate: Cardboard, Paint (white & black), 2x2's (3), Pencil, Brushes, Wire (strong enough to bend, not weak enough to break), Scissors, Plastic Skeletons, Old Clothing and Wigs.

Lay out your cardboard on a flat surface and cover completely in black paint and allow to dry between coats(2 of them). Then put out a separate container of both the black and white paints. Begin in a corner and work your way across the entire surface painting on circles of various shapes and sizes using a mixture of both colours (one coat is good; use light to highlight, dark to create shadows). Let dry. Assemble the skeletons and dress them up in their costume rags (be sure to drag them around outside for awhile and get em' dirty looking). Then lay your skeletons out on top of the wall and place a mark on either side of their scrawny necks with a pencil. This will determine the height where they will hang (measure twice, cut once). Poke a hole with scissors then feed the wire through and back around, securing from behind. Do this with all of them and any limbs you don't want dangling.

Human Powered - Carefully cut holes in the back of the shirt and the cardboard directly behind that so you can slip your arms into the skeletons shirt sleeve. Now you can lift them up and scream as people walk by!

Tips: No kids playing with sharp scissors. 2x's are for support and strength, you will need them. You could also temporarily staple overhead onto a wooden brace. As always, improvise with what you have at home. Add cobwebs, spiders and bugs along with a red light and you've got an super eerie scene.

Vlad the Impaler - Dracula - Bran Castle, Transylvania

2009-12-03T15:25:00.002-05:00

Vlad Tepes the Impaler (Dracula), the sadistic Romanian Prince who became the model for Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Dracula is not exactly my idea of a Prince nor is he charming considering he loved to impale his victims and perform other hideous acts of torture on them. As a ruler Dracula did have his enemies! However, he was soon able to reclaim his throne and continued slaying the masses, especially those he felt deserved it. From 1456 to 1462 Dracula set his plans into action and committed his most heinous of acts against the human population.

Tales say, in order to kill a vampire one must impale them through the chest with a wooden stake. I'm guessing this derived from Dracula's chosen form of torturing and excuting his victims bt casing them unbelievable pain and suffering?! His need for performing gruesome acts extended to both sexes, of all ages, and was often left on display for all to see.

Check out Weird Encyclopedia for a more sickening version that has all the gory details!

Witches Gathering - Halloween Prop DIY

2009-12-02T11:45:00.007-05:00

This is one of my favourite scenes to set up for Halloween. Witches are scary and a classic for your Halloween home haunt. For the Witches Gathering, I've used three thin cedar fence posts and stood them like a tee pee securing with wire and rope. Then hung a plastic cauldron filled with faux bones, skulls and legs. There is a spotlight lightly covered with orange and red tissue paper placed under the wood pile to create a roaring fire. This literally could become a roaring fire if you're not careful so place out of reach and in a safe place!!

The two witches at the fire pit originally began as 2x2's with a (you cut) pointy bottom and a cross brace for arms. Padding underneath is built up with garbage bags full of crumpled/torn/shred paper and secured with duct tape. It's then shrouded in creepy, torn fabrics. Masks are great for different faces you just need to make a head out of another plastic bag and more paper. Place your scary mask of choice over top then secure to the wooden frame. I then drug mine around on the driveway to mess em' up a bit, don't want them to look too new and pristine. Use additional spotlights to enhance your Witches Gathering. Be sure to hide the cords or anything else 'unrealistic' to the scene. Try not to show the light either, this mistake is often made and is not only blinding but distracting. Use twigs, leaves and other items to disquise where the light is coming from.

Welcome to Crazy 4 Halloween!

2009-12-01T13:41:00.003-05:00

Ever since I was kid Halloween fascinated me and not just because of the all the candy, that was only a part of it. One year, when I was about 8, my Dad took us out trick-or-treating around the neighbourhood. I ran almost spastically here and there collecting all the candies I could until we approached one particular house. Across the lawn I ran to be stopped dead in my tracks by some guy jumping out of the bushes. Well my heart skipped as I squealed and ran off in the direction of my Dad. He just laughed, gave me hug and reminded me that there is a side of Halloween that is and can be scary. This must have slipped my mind but once reminded I was hooked and hoped someone was hiding behind every bush, but no one was. Every year my excitement and passion for Halloween grew and now over 30 years later, I'm still hooked. So, welcome to my world of Halloween and Other Scary things!

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2009-11-01T15:28:00.002-05:00

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