[Madame Leota]

Yeah, I just don't think the pirate thing is going to do it for me after all.
I hate the idea of starting over but it's not like I've really built a lot or spent any money on it. And I'm not even sure what I would change it to at this point. Something using skeletons, for sure, as I did just buy four new ones. I now have six. One thing I know for certain is that I do want a change from the cemetery I've been doing for many years. Just not feeling especially "piratey". Ugh. I should have known I would do this. I am notorious for changing my mind!

Anybody else ever scrap plans at the last minute and go with something else entirely?

 

[Scatterbrains]

I was staring at all my unfinished props in the garage yesterday and thought about just leaving them all unfinished and changing my theme to nekkid Halloween. Then people could just see all the inner workings of the props. No monster mud, no painting, no clothes, ....nothing but the mechanics and framework.

 

[Skeletoncrew]

I was going to go pirate this year too .. But I can't get into it. So I can understand your conundrum.

I have no theme as of yet .. But I did buy two different 9 foot tall fire and ice dragons that my skeletons will be holding down with chains on the house and cottage roof. Other than that .. I'm winging it.

 

[Scatterbrains]

I was going to go pirate this year too .. But I can't get into it. So I can understand your conundrum.

I have no theme as of yet .. But I did buy two different 9 foot tall fire and ice dragons that my skeletons will be holding down with chains on the house and cottage roof. Other than that .. I'm winging it.

That's a cool idea

 

[Icepick]

I know the feeling. I was going to do pirates again this year. I have even added a few more things like crates, during off season since last year. They're not even going to make it out as I decided to go Haunted Mansion/cemetery themed this year.

 

[Saki.Girl]

I have started over last year got a cool tone from terra and so change up my hole theme to go around that stone it was wicked cool and fun.

 

[Madame Leota]

I think I've decided to go with a theme I came up with a couple of years ago but just never did. I call it, "French Quarter Resurrection". I will use my pvc cemetery fence only it will be more of a courtyard than a cemetery this year. The main character will be a voodoo witch doctor who is performing his spell to resurrect some skeleton musicians, a fortune teller, some French quarter revelers, etc. I'm also going to build a nola style tomb with a skeleton attempting to break free. The whole thing will be draped in Spanish moss and mardi gras beads with green and purple lights.
Thoughts or suggestions? I'm open!

 

[Therewolf]

I've shifted theme's back and forth over the years. The key is to have props and decorations that you can incorporate into multiple themes. I went from a basic graveyard, to torture chamber to Mad Scientist Lab. I still keep the graveyard to one side, but might update some of the tombstones to fit. Every thing gets re-arranged every year so all the old decor gives a new feel. If you don't have much time or money invested in a single theme then go ahead and switch it up, re-use what you can, and store away a few items for next year when you feel different. Besides, I've learned nobody pays as much attention to things as I do, few people will ever notice if something is out of place in a theme or setting.

 

[Jenn&MattFromPA]

We don't actually change themes so much as we might add a new area/different scene to our yard decorations, but for the last 2 Halloween's, I've wanted to change up the layout of our yard and DH has panicked and said ''NO WAY! I finally know where things are supposed to go.".

I do get his point - keeping our layout very similar each year makes it easier to put up & take down, and saves a lot of time when it comes to running electrical wires since it's been laid out before. And we have two small kids who definitely don't make it easy for us to get outside to devote large increments of time to change things up or test out new ways of doing things.

But, I'm more of a 'creative type' in that I want to do a new layout because I like to keep things fresh, and I'm always struck with new ideas. Maybe it'll be easier for me to get my way when the kids can come outside with us safely - right now someone has to constantly watch our son, who isn't 2 yet. So that means that one of us is working at a time, which makes it hard to collaborate on putting things in a new location.

As far as your New Orleans Courtyard feel, MadameLeota, I think that's an awesome idea! I'd want to add some creepy-style jazz music piped in to your scene to really set the mood. I think the witch-doctor character from the Disney movie, The Princess & The Frog, was VERY spooky & creepy looking. I think there's a lot of inspiration to be taken from that movie for your theme. Also, there was an episode of the tv show, Grimm, that had a scary witch-doctor-voodoo guy who was creating zombies. The episode is called "Goodnight Sweet Grimm" and the voodoo guy was called Baron Samedi, so you could google for images or find a way to watch it if you're interested.

 

[Madame Leota]

I'd want to add some creepy-style jazz music piped in to your scene to really set the mood. I think the witch-doctor character from the Disney movie, The Princess & The Frog, was VERY spooky & creepy looking. I think there's a lot of inspiration to be taken from that movie for your theme. Also, there was an episode of the tv show, Grimm, that had a scary witch-doctor-voodoo guy who was creating zombies. The episode is called "Goodnight Sweet Grimm" and the voodoo guy was called Baron Samedi, so you could google for images or find a way to watch it if you're interested.

Yes! This is exactly the direction I'm thinking! The Princess and the Frog was my first inspiration, that and the fact that we're kind of obsessed with New Orleans anyway. I've lost count of the number of trips we've taken.
I am so glad I landed on this today! I was never that inspired to work on the pirate theme but now my head is practically exploding with ideas and I can't wait to get started!

 

[QueenGothica]

I most definitely think if you go NOLA-style that you could get a few ideas from Amerrican Horror Story Coven season since they featured so many different time periods from that area & based them on historical facts as well.

This year I've decided to go with pirates because I've saved stuff for years to use and have grand ideas for my house/haunt! However, I seem to be the only one on board with the idea right now *cough...husband* and can't get any help so far with the construction part of it. I have managed to make a sweet old decree sign for my front door warning people of the consequences of consorting with pirates and have materials to make Kraken tentacles to wrap around my curved staircase like he's bringing down the ship. I just need to clear out a space to work in my garage that's full of everyone else's jun...I mean, stuff.

 

[Paint It Black]

When you work on a theme all year, you can get burned out on it before you even set up. That almost happened to me last year with our Western theme. As the months went by, everyone else in the family was more into it than I was, LOL. I have to say though, that once we started setting up, we had a ton of fun with it. Now I am really glad I followed through, and it turned out to be one of our best displays yet.

 

[DarkhavenManor]

I'm with QueenGothica on this one. It would be awesome if you had the voodoo queen Marie Laveau casting the spells, or maybe incorporated Delphine LaLaurie (a real twisted woman I might add) to the haunt. Either way, good luck on the change!

 

[Madame Leota]

Oh Marie will definitely play a part in the scene. She may even be there in the flesh, that is if my daughter agrees to play the part.