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I typically begin to plan for the next season in the middle of the summer but I begin saving for it a little bit before then.
When does the new haunt season start for you?
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Hello everyone,
As for the Nightmare Family, our haunt season ends on Nov.1st, then we take a break through the holiday's to spend some much needed time with our family's and then it's officially the new haunt season Jan.1st, although were not working on haunt stuff during the holiday break at least for me i am always thinking and coming up with new ideas during our time off.
What about the rest of you fellow home haunters?
As for the Nightmare Family, our haunt season ends on Nov.1st, then we take a break through the holiday's to spend some much needed time with our family's and then it's officially the new haunt season Jan.1st, although were not working on haunt stuff during the holiday break at least for me i am always thinking and coming up with new ideas during our time off.
What about the rest of you fellow home haunters?
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Nov 1, I sit down and make a list of what went well and what didn't. Nov-December, I'm usually researching concepts and coming up with a build or two I want to focus on. January, it's go time.
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2,287 Posts
Same here for me, I start thinking about things right after Halloween. What didn't work, what new stuff I need to add. Then all year I pick up stuff for the different scenes I have. I'm never really looking for anything but when I see something I'll know right away which scene that could go in. Thats how I ended up with this big antique organ and these spinning wheels. I watched that organ for at least a year, the price just kept coming down & I snagged it for $150.00, well worth it.
We use to start building a couple of months before Halloween but now we are not getting done. I already sat down & made "Projects & Planning" list for the 2015 season. I plan to start as soon as we get all the halloween stuff put away. I'm gonna start w/ the small projects I started that are not finished. I have room to work in my office. Wanna be ready to start one of those mud monks by late Feb. - March. I have read that they dry slow if you try to make them in the summer. Also on the list is re-construction of the cemetery. We have wooden tombstones & this year I plan to make styrofoam ones.
We use to start building a couple of months before Halloween but now we are not getting done. I already sat down & made "Projects & Planning" list for the 2015 season. I plan to start as soon as we get all the halloween stuff put away. I'm gonna start w/ the small projects I started that are not finished. I have room to work in my office. Wanna be ready to start one of those mud monks by late Feb. - March. I have read that they dry slow if you try to make them in the summer. Also on the list is re-construction of the cemetery. We have wooden tombstones & this year I plan to make styrofoam ones.
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Same with us, we began planning for 2015 on Nov. 1, we made notes on what worked well, what needs to go, and what needs rework. Our list is pretty extensive already! Also, like UnOrthodOx we begin some building in the New Year. Our probelm is that it is very cold up here so we work on the smaller, more detailed items in the basement. Larger builds have to wait until spring as the garage is too cold.
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1,827 Posts
I can't say it really ever ends. Seems like it is just a project that continues to evolve. Prior to Halloween I knew what items where on the way out. First to hit the trash was the breathing grave and a couple stones which have been around for a while or just didn't tickle my fancy. I have a few plans and I am certain new plans will develop throughout the year. Sitting here with nearly 20 pneumatic cylinders of various sizes and a few solenoids looking for a project to replace the space vacated by the breathing grave.
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18,198 Posts
I think Halloween all year round. I'm always on the look out for new ideas. and thrift stores, goodwills, and garage sales, whatever, are always in my sights.
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7,256 Posts
Ravens Grin is open every night of the year. November sees people still coming for house tours, but as the month chugs on and the weather becomes definitely more Winter-like, business drops way off to just a few people a week.
Collage kids return during Christmas break,but once again it's totally weather-dependent.
I have a large haunt full of things that would never "Work" for most people.but I put energy, creativity into my presentation and make the silliest, most lame things entertain and scare people. Most of this has to do with timing and anticipation, then messing with each of these factors.
Last winter the broom and snow shovel scarcely left my hands. On a positive note, I got used to the extreme cold so I wasn't miserable out in it. This is what my Wife tells me,since I woke up in a snow bank not too far from the cliff behind the house. "You like the snow,Jim! More shoveling to do,get busy."
I have a garage 4 blocks away I can work in but the only heat there is an ELECTRIC heater $$$$ So I Really have to decide if any thing I am doing there will be worth that expense. (Mostly NOT!)
I always have something here in the house that needs.. something. If all else fails, I have a nice place to sit and draw pictures for maybe a new Tee-shirt design.
I finally decided as of last Winter to quit shoveling the backyard maze because we had SO MUCH SNOW,there was no place to put it if I shoveled it.
I might have sometimes shoveled the maze 5 times and then 2 people show up, or nobody!
I got away from much drive way shoveling, I bought a JEEP! I just drive over the snow.
This month I drew then cut the drawing out of fairly thick steel sheet, the image of my cartoonish Pterodactyl with the words "Raven's Grin" around his face, painted it and bolted it to the grill (I previously made) in front of the JEEP's radiator grill.
This all compliments the rocker panel steel signs I bolted on both sides of the JEEP below the 4 doors painted bright blue on a bright Yellow body (With a black roof and fenders ).
Collage kids return during Christmas break,but once again it's totally weather-dependent.
I have a large haunt full of things that would never "Work" for most people.but I put energy, creativity into my presentation and make the silliest, most lame things entertain and scare people. Most of this has to do with timing and anticipation, then messing with each of these factors.
Last winter the broom and snow shovel scarcely left my hands. On a positive note, I got used to the extreme cold so I wasn't miserable out in it. This is what my Wife tells me,since I woke up in a snow bank not too far from the cliff behind the house. "You like the snow,Jim! More shoveling to do,get busy."
I have a garage 4 blocks away I can work in but the only heat there is an ELECTRIC heater $$$$ So I Really have to decide if any thing I am doing there will be worth that expense. (Mostly NOT!)
I always have something here in the house that needs.. something. If all else fails, I have a nice place to sit and draw pictures for maybe a new Tee-shirt design.
I finally decided as of last Winter to quit shoveling the backyard maze because we had SO MUCH SNOW,there was no place to put it if I shoveled it.
I might have sometimes shoveled the maze 5 times and then 2 people show up, or nobody!
I got away from much drive way shoveling, I bought a JEEP! I just drive over the snow.
This month I drew then cut the drawing out of fairly thick steel sheet, the image of my cartoonish Pterodactyl with the words "Raven's Grin" around his face, painted it and bolted it to the grill (I previously made) in front of the JEEP's radiator grill.
This all compliments the rocker panel steel signs I bolted on both sides of the JEEP below the 4 doors painted bright blue on a bright Yellow body (With a black roof and fenders ).
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7,256 Posts
Today I accomplished more welding, drilling and grinding of steel to make a protective "Box" for the trailer hitch-mounted extra tail light/ turn signal light. I now have it completed just waiting for the Yellow spray paint to dry. The all plastic light fixture sticks out, at the mercy of any boot-swinging idiot, so I cut and welded 2 small steel bars across the light right where the division of the lights are.
there will now be two regular Jeep tail lights, one brake light above the spare tire mount (Factory) the mounted spare tire has a red reflective insert showing through the openings in the design of the spare tire openings.
Then down low is my new light bar with three bright LED? lights wrapped by thick steel, supported by thick steel, slightly below the back bumper.
"And let there be light! " More tail lights, more brake lights and they all emergency flash too!
Just maybe I have decreased the odds of getting run over again?
there will now be two regular Jeep tail lights, one brake light above the spare tire mount (Factory) the mounted spare tire has a red reflective insert showing through the openings in the design of the spare tire openings.
Then down low is my new light bar with three bright LED? lights wrapped by thick steel, supported by thick steel, slightly below the back bumper.
"And let there be light! " More tail lights, more brake lights and they all emergency flash too!
Just maybe I have decreased the odds of getting run over again?
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68 Posts
Immediately after Halloween, I usually start brainstorming about themes. We have several possible themes for next year, and at the moment we're busy seeing what props we could build for every theme. The actual building will start somewhere in july.
I don't think I ever really stop. I always have about 3 or 4 themes in my Halloween notebook and I'm always jotting down notes and doodling little ideas. However, I try to wait till after Mardi Gras to start the building. I also love Mardi Gras/Carnival but in Western NC, I'm pretty much a one man show. I jokingly tell my friends there are only 2 holidays - Halloween and Mardi Gras!
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I have already started the planning stage for new props & projects for 2015 and have acquired some components of them.
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Yeah, what Badger said!....call me a 'lil bit obsessed
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I gotta say, just around now depending on the weather. Sometimes the colder it is the more I think about it since I'm stuck inside. After Halloween I'm all about getting ready for Thanksgiving & Christmas & right after Christmas I'm just done with decorating & holidays in general.
Usually around mid to late January, now, I start thinking about it again. I just need that mental break for a month or so before I can even start thinking about it again because by March it's my birthday & time to think about being outside & doing some gardening.
Usually around mid to late January, now, I start thinking about it again. I just need that mental break for a month or so before I can even start thinking about it again because by March it's my birthday & time to think about being outside & doing some gardening.
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I was thinking about new stuff the night of Halloween! Probably has a little to do with that I had two unfinished projects sitting in the garage that I didn't have time for.
This year though with the change of address and uncertain living situation come the big day I'm going to have to hold on a bit before I start building. I actually threw away an entire truck load of props this week in preparation of the move, including the entire burned at the stake prop minus the corpsed skelly. Tossed my giant spider, gibbet cage and skelly, Dread Pirate Roberts, two stuffed bodies, another prop stand body, hands/arms for Barney Demon, packing tape mom and child, all four of the 4" diameter monster worms, and the PVC fence posts I used to put up my rope barrier.
This year though with the change of address and uncertain living situation come the big day I'm going to have to hold on a bit before I start building. I actually threw away an entire truck load of props this week in preparation of the move, including the entire burned at the stake prop minus the corpsed skelly. Tossed my giant spider, gibbet cage and skelly, Dread Pirate Roberts, two stuffed bodies, another prop stand body, hands/arms for Barney Demon, packing tape mom and child, all four of the 4" diameter monster worms, and the PVC fence posts I used to put up my rope barrier.
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2,879 Posts
It never completely stops for me, either. Before Halloween arrives, I have ideas for the next year, as I finish up the current year's work. I have other interests and activities away from Halloween decorating, so how much time I spend on prep ebbs and flows. Those darned ideas are always fomenting, though, and I'm constantly on the lookout for just the right props and supplies.
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455 Posts
It started about a week ago for myself.
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Currently trying to move out and get my own place. I want something Victorian inspired. Planning on moving out of Texas if possible... But, then again, I'll probably end up staying in the Mansfield area....
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