[Bugabooloo]

If you wanna chat it up about what I did and how I did it, just message me about it

 

[Crypt Keeper Chris]

Shapd, great work on the fencing! The small details, like the caps on top of the posts and the little circle cutouts (not sure what to call them) really add to the overall look. You're making great progress for one of your first props ever!

 

[Crypt Keeper Chris]

Ferryman's Wake, you make a very good point about not doing a graveyard, carnevil, etc this year. You also suggested some great ides for the harvest theme which I will implement in my haunt this year! I have come across Pumpkinrot and Grim Hollow before in my "research" and all the work featured has blown my mind! Thank you so much for the help, I really do appreciate it and oh .. I will have fun

 

[Crypt Keeper Chris]

Bruzilla, although I have considered the pirate theme (what theme haven't I considered) I would never actually go through with it because like you said it takes a certain type of person to find it scary and its also everywhere with Pirates of the Caribbean, etc. The pictures you posted are great, the skeleton scarecrows are perfect inspiration for me! Also, I agree with you on the pumpkin archway .. its fantastic! Thank you for your input and for the pictures, I really appreciate it

 

[MonsterGuts]

I actually think planning out your themes is a good thing. Think about how you can use props from one year to the next so you aren't starting fresh each year. You can't take much from carnival to cemetery but you could easily go from harvest to witch to cemetery and be able to roll over some of your props from one year to the next.

 

[Crypt Keeper Chris]

Blarghity,

#1: Bugabooloo, has done nothing but try to be helpful and encouraging, they are entitled to posting as much as they wish so lay off.

#2: Why would I blame any of my fellow haunters if I have nothing to show for myself this year? My lack of production is solely my fault. If anything they are only benefiting me as they are helping to organize my thoughts and ideas while pointing me in the right direction. Without the input of experienced haunters I really do not have anything to go off of as this is my first haunt. These people really are helping me and I appreciate their efforts very much.

#3: I am not making any excuses for my indecisiveness, I know I'm indecisive, I'd be the first to admit it.

#4: When halloween does roll around I will have something to show for myself, I can assure you that and my haunt will only continue to get better each passing year.

 

[matrixmom]

Bruzilla - my feelings were crushed. How can anyone NOT love a pirates theme? I tell you what though - its sheer size of the props that have to be built (if its to be done full throttle) costs a fortune IMO. Nothing ever is on sale for pirate props either. EVER. I know, I have been looking for small items since January.

Anyways - the most important thing in your first haunt - lighting. Whatever you pick, how big or small, if its not lit correctly - no one can see it or appreciate it.

 

[Crypt Keeper Chris]

MonsterGuts, exactly! You completely understand me! This is why I am having such a hard time determining what I want to do because I would like to carry on props from one year to the next.

 

[matrixmom]

Bruzilla - my feelings were crushed. How can anyone NOT love a pirates theme? I tell you what though - its sheer size of the props that have to be built (if its to be done full throttle) costs a fortune IMO. Nothing ever is on sale for pirate props either. EVER. I know, I have been looking for small items since January.

Anyways - the most important thing in your first haunt - lighting. Whatever you pick, how big or small, if its not lit correctly - no one can see it or appreciate it.

 

[UnOrthodOx]

I don't often pull the whole, I R moderator act out of my hat, but I'm going to here. I'd like to remind everyone that personal attacks against any member here is against the forum rules, no matter how many posts someone might have. Post count doesn't mean a thing around here. I'm removing some personal attacks from this thread and will be taking further action if needed.

I'd also like to remind everyone that if you ever find anything you feel is inappropriate, there is a little triangle icon at the bottom of every post, this is to report to us moderators. We can't be everywhere, so it's always nice to have people reporting.

Thank you, and back to your regularly scheduled FUN.

 

[Bruzilla]

Bruzilla - my feelings were crushed. How can anyone NOT love a pirates theme? I tell you what though - its sheer size of the props that have to be built (if its to be done full throttle) costs a fortune IMO. Nothing ever is on sale for pirate props either. EVER. I know, I have been looking for small items since January.

Anyways - the most important thing in your first haunt - lighting. Whatever you pick, how big or small, if its not lit correctly - no one can see it or appreciate it.

Sorry to crush you, but after being inundated with pirates for ten years now I think it's a theme that's gotten even more stale than the Pirates of the Carribean film series. To me the pirates theme has always been more about dress up than scary because pirates are just thieves and not monsters or ghosts or anything inherently scary.

Definitely agree on the importance of lighting. It took us about three years to figure out the greatest prop ever isn't very good if people can't see it.

 

[Crypt Keeper Chris]

Matrixmom, do I love the pirate theme? Yes, but could I ever take it on? At the moment I don't think so so I'll just have to leave the theme to you! Your photo album leads me to believe you are off to a great start, make sure that you keep us updated. From my research and experienced helpful haunters, such as yourself, I have been able to gather that lighting is very important so I'll make sure to pay it attention. Thanks!

 

[Bugabooloo]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Malibu-Low-Voltage-LED-Black-50W-Equivalent-Flood-Light-8401-2650-01/203196540?N=5yc1vZc7qw

These were the lights we bought last year from Home Depot. We bought them in a kit, which had the power panel thingy and about 6 fixtures. It was a bit pricey, but you can't just buy the lights separately, unfortunately. You have to start with the kit and then add on from there.

We went with a warmer light, rather than an LED blue or white light. It just looked a bit spookier that way, and the awesome part is it is SO EASY to change the color from year to year - just get sheets of colored plastic (heat resistant) or stained glass and mount them on the front of your fixtures. No need to buy colored bulbs!

 

[LoveAndEyeballs]

Bugabooloo - I looked at those lights at Home Depot today! How much area does each light cover? I'm wanting to light our house in purple.

 

[Bugabooloo]

Bugabooloo - I looked at those lights at Home Depot today! How much area does each light cover? I'm wanting to light our house in purple.

(don't make fun of my boring cemetery haha)



This is a bad picture, but it at least shows the kind of coverage to expect. The higher the wattage, the further the light will shine (duh).

I JUST checked, and it turns out that mine was actually just a 20 watt set! It'll do the trick for small setups like mine, but you may want to go for something brighter if you have more area to cover. This at least gives you an idea!

Ask an employee if they sell colored covers or materials you can make them with. It's a waste of money to buy colored bulbs if you can just switch out pieces of plastic or glass and get the same effect

 

[UnOrthodOx]

There are numerous advantages to such landscaping light setups, especially in the wiring and concealment departments, but from a strictly bang for your buck perspective, it's really hard to beat a couple clamp lights and colored CFL bulbs.

Clamp lights can be found at Wal Mart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. CFL bulbs are about $5 each.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bayco-8.5-Clamp-Light/14003467

 

[thehalloweenchick]

Then allow me to suggest the perfect theme for you - "Holiday Vomit."

What is Holiday Vomit? It is the most popular of all holiday decorating themes, regardless the holiday. You've seen it plenty, particularly at Christmas. They are the homes that always look like "The Spirit of Christmas puked all over the place," with completely mismatched decorations scattered with little thought to organization.

If you're someone who can't pick a solid theme and stick to it, don't worry about it! Holiday Vomit is the theme for you! So go ahead and build that witch cauldron creeper and have her serve a tea party of evil clowns! Have the sadistic butcher serve up raw zombie like sushi to the corpse in the electric chair at the head of the table! Make the giant spiders beg for scraps like a pack of cute pet dogs!

I have been watching this thread since I am setting up my first larger size yard haunt this year, and this post made me LOL because it was basically my plan! Haha.
Holiday vomit- perfect.

 

[LoveAndEyeballs]

Thank you so much for the visual, Bugabooloo! This will be my first time doing "real" outdoor lighting, so I didn't have an idea of how wide the lights would spread. I would never make fun of your grave yard. It's bigger and more impressive than mine! I like your weeping lady tombstone, and the obelisk in the back.

 

[LoveAndEyeballs]

There are numerous advantages to such landscaping light setups, especially in the wiring and concealment departments, but from a strictly bang for your buck perspective, it's really hard to beat a couple clamp lights and colored CFL bulbs.

Clamp lights can be found at Wal Mart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. CFL bulbs are about $5 each.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bayco-8.5-Clamp-Light/14003467

Unorthodox - I saw that suggestion on a couple of other sites, but I also read to not use the clamps and CFLs if there was going to be precipitation or harsh weather. The weather here in TX is pretty unpredictable around that time of year, so that deterred me from buying them when we were at Home Depot. Do you have any experience using them in rain or very hot weather?

 

[UnOrthodOx]

Unorthodox - I saw that suggestion on a couple of other sites, but I also read to not use the clamps and CFLs if there was going to be precipitation or harsh weather. The weather here in TX is pretty unpredictable around that time of year, so that deterred me from buying them when we were at Home Depot. Do you have any experience using them in rain or very hot weather?

I haven't expressly used them in heat, but don't really see how it would be troublesome.

Now, rain... Mine have never even noticed the rain, but I'm not usually placing them in a position where the reflector acts as a rain catcher. Theoretically, they could fill with water and that would not be pleasant.