Thread: learning from mistakes

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i built a creature this weekend that is a disaster.[:I] but,he'll do for this year and ive learned some things from my mistakes. can anyone else offer "dont try this at home folks" tips? tell us about your failures, mistakes, misadventures, etc... it may help us all learn something...

the world is a vampyr

Whynotgrrl666, how was it a disaster? What went wrong?
Never set up a walk threw display without a clearly marked trail. Had TOT's tromping on Deb's azaleas. I also have to put up something between the street and the haunt. Had trouble with grown ups walking up through all the electrical cords and stuff. I use rebar, twine and big black trash bags to make a 'fence'. Just because the sign says, "Enter Here" doesn't mean that's where they want to enter.
It's a learning experience. Every year brings new things. As far as bad or just plain mistakes, I put them out anyway. No one seems to mind.


'What’s all this flack about my bitter end. None of the rest of me tastes any better.'

well,(please dont laugh) ive never built anything in my life. or used a power tool.and this husband is a useless fluff. i dont drive so getting supplies was a wash.soooo i tried to build a 7 foot high monster outta wood that was lying about in the garage. no drill or screws just nails. i figured i could make it work ya know? hey, i can dream cant i? no amy, you cant. so he looks funny and is held up with cinderblocks and wired to a railing.....can you picture it?next year a trip to home despot and proper supplies and tools a must.-ah hell go ahead and laugh.--amy

the world is a vampyr

No one laughing, here we all start some where.
It may not be so good looking in the daytime, but haw does it look at night?
But the right tools can help. There is a lot of info on making props from nothing. Surfs up.
I am still learning with this years display, mainly, that I should have started a month ago.

My tip have a clear plan of what you intend to do.
I built 32 feet of (8' high) castle wall out of 2" foam.
I figured I could glue furring strips to the back and then cross furr and brace. On my trip to Depot I bought PT furring and it was "wet", big mistake, when it drys it warps and pull free of the foam. Wound up costing an extra $30 for more Liguid Nail!
Now I cut out windows and put bars in them, I knew the height of the windows and I cut the PVC bars 4" longer.
Drilled my holes and went to install the bars, and my dumb ass forgot that I arched the the windows and the bars were all short.
Measure twice, cut once, sounds easy huh?



I'll be lurking for you.

Many many mistakes later, (my worst being allowing vampira a bottle of hooch in her casket, which disabled her "silence" button, telegraphing her presence to anyone within several blocks; I thought it might help her stay at her post....) the main thing I've learned is that most mistakes at halloween can be turned into something even better than I originally imagined once I stop crying about what a mess I made. The caveat is that sometimes it costs more than I wanted.

Often if I just add more stuff, it works better. Make it bigger, odder, blacker, change the light, stick a talking box on it, paint/mache/tinfoil/wax paper/ fabric, yard junk, anything at all. change his face, attach things to hands or head or arms that are anchored to the trees nearby or what ever.

How about stringing some cobwebs or branches or leaves or newspaper or something from him. Spray paint? Black light? or string of lights around his head? or Chicken wire addition?

It probably isn't that he's a failure, just that he isn't done! And BRAVA grrrl, for going for it!!

And, just for the record, I DID start two months ago, and I am always rushed at the end!
happy haunting!

A couple of years ago I tried making a skelly into a charred corspe. It's a simple proceedure involving spray adhesive, paper towels, and dark paint. My mistake: assuming the paint would be dark enough to cover the pattern on the paper towels. I ended up having to recover almost the whole thing because all the big blue flowers showing through gave him a rather unhalloweenish hawaiian look. =)

Any day above ground is a good one.

thanks for the supportive attitude and ideas. he isnt sooo.. bad my guy but he could use tweaking. yes in the dark that covers all sins it works. like the guy hanging out my attic window by his sleeve etc... i need more styrafoam heads... i need: a strong man,his tools,his car, his credit cards ,his sense of humor and then baby im in like flynn. gotta go cut up my black velvet evening gown....-amy

the world is a vampyr

I've learned to never use powertools by myself after my husbands drill went flying across the garage while I was trying to enlarge a hole in a piece of wood and it got away from me...LOL! Sure glad he wasn't home to see that!!!!!

see, thats what im ascared of! i think anything bigger or more dangerous than a dremel or paint brush would be a hazard for me...im a LITTLE accident prone and klutzy.

the world is a vampyr