# My First Year - 2011.



## QDance (Aug 16, 2011)

***Updates from the big night are on page 4***

Hey guys! This is, what I like to consider, my first year of haunting.
It's not technically, since I always decorate, but this year is my first year of
A) Making my own props !
B) Experimenting with lighting (Last year you couldn't see anything)
C) Giving out candy (Bye trick or treating  )

OK, first thing we did was get a remote control fog timer thingy.
Next, we started on the Grim Reaper, named Tom. (Real name is Thanatos but I like to call him Tom for short )

Here's a picture of Tom:








Note: I'm probably going to get a different mask. The one he has on now doesn't really stay as well as it should. (Or as well as I want it, so I can feel safe that it won't fly away XD)
Also, he has a scythe, however we haven't set it up yet.

The second thing we started was the tombstones. These were A LOT of fun to make! And so cheap! I got like 12 tombstones out of a $7 package of styrofoam insulation!
Here are some pictures:

These are the first tombstones I ever made!  (The RIP one with the cross is the first one that was finished.)









More tombstones:









And the warning tombstone (which didn't work so far... the little idiots next door were throwing things at the display on the same day I built it...)
* Inspiration from someone on the forum... I got the name from them and used it without protection but  I couldn't think of anything*









Now these, I came up with quite a while ago. I just used some costumes I had when I was little (I loved being a ghost...), dirtied them up to make them realistic (do you really think someone who's dead is gonna be perfectly spotless? xD)

At night, you can't see the hangers, and I don't plan on putting a spotlight on them.

This one hangs on a branch that goes over the path the ToTers will walk up, so it flies above them!


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## QDance (Aug 16, 2011)

*Continued*
And this one:









Oh and of course I went overboard with the spiderwebs:









Well... That's all for now.
I'd like to thank the forum for giving me such amazing ideas and so much help!!!!!
This has been a great experience, and I hope next year is too!!


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## Dixie (Feb 18, 2009)

Yep, you have been bitten. Look back fondly on this year as THE year that the sickness really began, LOL!!

Everything looks great - I wish you the best on Halloween night, you are going to have a ball!!! (And you won't miss trick or treating at all, I promise!)


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## MrGrimm (May 19, 2009)

Yeah trick or treating is (was) fun, but the real candy his haunting! 

Your set up looks great! You can be proud, and as Dixie said this is just the beginning! 

MUAHAHAHA!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Yep, you're in trouble now, because there's no going back once you start the haunting habit


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## halloween71 (Aug 9, 2007)

Great job!


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## CreeepyCathy (Mar 28, 2009)

everything looks great!


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

Welcome to the hauntingly wonderful world of...Haunting. Everything looks great, and as was already said, you will love looking back at the first year and seeing how it all started. There is no place to go up but up. Have a great Halloween.


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## ouizul1 (May 22, 2010)

QDance said:


> ...Oh and of course I went overboard with the spiderwebs:...


Is there such a thing?!? I'm kinda thinking webs are like tombstones and skulls...you can never have enough of 'em.

Your yard looks excellent for haunting!! Stone wall in the background...stairs leading up a hill...a turn at the top...I'm kinda jealous.


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

Your parents must be so proud. You've turned into a really fine haunter. Your'e place looks great. I love the ghost chained down in the tree. I think the tots will be afraid to walk below it. Tell the little idiots next door if they keep up the rock throwing next year they will be planted in the cemetery. Good luck on the big night.


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## QDance (Aug 16, 2011)

Blargh... My computer froze last time I typed all this D:<
Anyways, I first just want to say thanks so much, guys!! You're all so nice here 

Well, today, I made some changes to the display! However, I finished them at around 5, played basketball until about 7, and then by 8 (after I came out of the shower and finished part of my English project) it was too dark to take pictures without flash. All of the lights are going to wait until the big night to be put up, so I couldn't take any non-flash pics.

So anyways, here are the updates!

First: Tom got his scythe! It's not exactly in his hand but close enough 









Second:
It surprised me how much a dollar store skull can improve a prop!
Now that he has a face, I decided to name him Henry! 









And last:
The other ghost got a cape made of creepy cloth. (Any other ideas what I should do with the creepy cloth are welcome! This is really stumping me!)









Well, that's all for today.
The only things left are
A- the fence. I know what I'm doing for this now! Dad can bring in pieces of wood from where he works, which I plan to stick in the ground (somehow) and get some white creepy cloth to make a fence out of.
B- the lights.
C- the makeup for my costume (getting it on the 15th)


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

Welcome to the haunting world. You've got a nice start there, and I don't think you can really go overboard with the spider webs.


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## DeathTouch (Sep 6, 2005)

Great Job!!!!


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## DarkTiki (Oct 11, 2011)

Nice!!

That basketball hoop is just begging to have some kind of display on it!


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## nixie (Sep 17, 2008)

Looks great! Welcome to the darkside, you are officially hooked!


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## QDance (Aug 16, 2011)

Updates!
 Today is a sad day for my grim reaper, Tom. He took his first tumble. Came home after school and saw him laying face down with a smashed tombstone in front of him. 
Well, I got him put back up at least! 

The other night, we finally got our tealights, which I plan to light up the tombstones with! 








They look pretty nice! 

Also, we carved pumpkins on Sunday!
(From left to right: Mine [grim reaper], mom's [football], and dad's [it says go back])









Also, I put up the cemetery fence - not bad for only costing $2!









That's it for now!
Just have to finish up the ground fogger, get the spotlight, and then I'll be done (I think)!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

How lovely that the entire family gets into the haunting spirit with you


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Just have to finish up the ground fogger, get the spotlight, and then I'll be done (I think)! 

I got some news for you, from now on you will never be done. 

Excellent job. So have you started thinking about next year yet?


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## QDance (Aug 16, 2011)

Bone Dancer said:


> Excellent job. So have you started thinking about next year yet?


Oh yes I have!
I have so many things in my head...
Just some:
-Blaircrows
-Toe pincher
-Making the room where I pass out candy all black light reactive
-A ghostly bride standing at the top of these stairs:








With a ground fogger making the fog eerily creep down...

-POSSIBLY a witch, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to go into motors and whatnot yet...

- If I do make a toe pincher, I think I want to try out corpsing... We'll see how that goes...


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## tcass01 (Aug 20, 2010)

Creepy Cloth, just wrap one of the kids in it with some white make up and dark circles around the eyes and presto, zombie/undead. It is so nice to add another minion to our ranks of haunters. 
PS: I love the hand made tombstones. Those are total keepers. Remind me of my kids first ones. Now they try and show me up. Keep up the good work and don't be afraid to dare yourself to go further. Happy Halloween!


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## NickG (Sep 12, 2006)

Looks like the beginnings of an addiction! Great job!


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## allisonmagic (Aug 20, 2011)

excellent


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## raregoblin (Oct 28, 2009)

Fantastic props! A lot of effort but boy, ain't it worth it! Well done


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## FRIGHTGUY (Sep 1, 2010)

Great job! Youve been bitten by the haunt bug for sure!


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## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

The haunt bite is real. The forum members tell no lie. This year is my first haunt to (on a pretty small budget) and i had so much fun building,hammering,etc,etc that i am already thinking about NEXT year and i love coming to this forum and viewing vids,pics,idea's and i've already started saving money so i can order better props online as well as make some DIY props. As a young dad who just turned 30 with a 3 year old, 7 year old and a neighborhood full of trick or treaters i can honestly say i have found a new hobby and the "bite" feels ohh so good!! haha. (Now to convince people i'm not crazy when i'm building a halloween prop in my garage in the middle of MAY lol!)


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

Dixie said:


> Yep, you have been bitten. Look back fondly on this year as THE year that the sickness really began, LOL!!
> 
> Everything looks great - I wish you the best on Halloween night, you are going to have a ball!!! (And you won't miss trick or treating at all, I promise!)


LOL....well stated Dixie. Looks like you're all in QDance. Start clearing out the garage of useless junk like automobiles. That space is reserved from here out.


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## Manon (Aug 2, 2011)

Indeed you have the makings of a fine, fine haunter! Hope you have a blast and glad Tom didn't get too bruised up. I'm on my 5th year of haunting and I've pretty much gone completely nuts!


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## buckaneerbabe (Jun 5, 2007)

Awesome job! Very impressive, especially for a first haunt.


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## Buzz (Aug 26, 2011)

Great job QDance. Love the tea lights idea, may try something like that myself. Looking great - keep the spirit!


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## allisonmagic (Aug 20, 2011)

i could definitely turn this place into a nice walkthrough hah, looks great though !


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## QDance (Aug 16, 2011)

Finished the fog chiller today.
For some reason, having the ice around the aluminum duct didn't work... But when I put it inside, it worked beautifully. I didn't use much ice, since it's not the big night yet 
Any tips? The blue thing sticking out of the aluminum duct is 'fake' ice... It's made of plastic and just has cube-shaped sacs of water inside. No clue where it's from, I just found it in the garage and thought it would be useful.


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## Creep Cringle (Jun 23, 2009)

I bet by next year your hanging ghosts will become FCG's.... Keep it up!


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## Vlad (Aug 2, 2005)

Nice work Q, welcome to haunting!


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

Aluminum duct is a poor conductor for the cold temperature. If the pipe itself doesn't get cold, neither will the fog inside it. You could try wrapping a tube of chicken wire instead of aluminum. 

I think your on to the simplest form of chiller...a simple tube filled with ice or frozen water bottles (if large enough to let air past).


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## QDance (Aug 16, 2011)

DarkLore said:


> Aluminum duct is a poor conductor for the cold temperature. If the pipe itself doesn't get cold, neither will the fog inside it. You could try wrapping a tube of chicken wire instead of aluminum.
> 
> I think your on to the simplest form of chiller...a simple tube filled with ice or frozen water bottles (if large enough to let air past).


Hmm :/ Might have to rethink some of this  but I think the water bottle idea is perfect. My family goes through water bottles so quickly, we have tons in the recycling bin. Thanks for the idea. Also, it's a good thing I got some extra chicken wire... Might have to test how that works.

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Here's an update for you guys.

Testing out costume :

My neck










In other news, about 4 inches of snow on its way to my display tonight... I'll be shoveling it away no matter what. I am not letting snow ruin my Halloween 
I don't have a problem with snow. I just have a problem with it when it comes before Halloween. >.< Had to lay down Tom, hang up the ghosts in the garage again, and take down the cemetery fence. Let's hope the spiderwebs survive.

Good luck to whoever else is getting snow!


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## QDance (Aug 16, 2011)

*Big Night updates!

*I like writing in red. Black and red is my favorite color combination.  Anyways here you guys go.

Hmm. I guess I'll start with Sunday.
On Sunday, I went out looking for a battery-powered strobe light.
I went to (in order) Spirit, Michaels, a local store that had them cheap, Walgreens, and finally iParty.
It was at iParty.
And I forgot my coupon.
Of course.

Anyways, I'm glad I went to Walgreens, because remember that basketball net? I always wanted to put one of those huge creepy things (you've seen them. I can't really describe it, but when you see the pic you'll know what I'm talking about lol) on it. So I saw that huge creepy thing at Walgreens. I freaked out and immediately went to see the price (since they're usually $50+).
It was only $30. I was so excited. (I know I could probably make my own for a bit cheaper, but I didn't want to go through the trouble of finding a huge mask, and then that would probably $30+ by itself)
Anyways, this was a day before Halloween, and I figured I could put it on the basketball net. I didn't get it though, because I didn't have enough money. So I left a note with $30 for Mom to pick it up on Halloween, including a picture I took on my phone of what it was (because she would be lost without the picture XD)
So, I come home from school and Mom says that someone's waiting for me in the car (I legit had no clue what she was talking about)
Then I saw it chilling in the back seat and got so excited!
I figured I should move the basketball net , but then realized if I did and it tipped on Mom's car that would ruin Halloween and I also couldn't even move it anyways 
So when Dad came home I asked him what we should do with it. He suggested putting it on a chair and making it look like a real person. That was all I could think of too, so that's what we did.
We put the strobe light on it (since we didn't have a spotlight or anything since this was thought of a few hours before ToTers arrived)
Here's a pic of him









Onto other stuff, cause I need to go in 10 minutes and can't keep typing paragraphs of stuff.

Tom was looking especially creepy:









That's really it for pictures.
Now for videos because they're better 

These are the props:





The fog machine worked amaaaaaaaaaaaazingly. I love it.





This is what a Trick-Or-Treater would experience as they walk up to the door.





Well, that's it for this year.
Oh, wait, before I go, I have one more thing to say.
I feel so proud of myself. I'm happy that I didn't go trick-or-treating.
I received so many compliments, I couldn't stay in character and had to smile.
I think the 2nd best one was "I think you get the 'Best Decorations in the City' award" (which is really awesome because down the street are rich people who do haunted garages... to say that a low-budget static yard haunter is better than them is pretty awesome.)
I also loved the kids' honesty.
"Your house is scary."
"This is so scary!"
"Mommy, come up with me!!"
"Mommy can you go for me?"
(Of course if they were too scared, I would just smile and let them run off from fear )
But the best compliment was when I saw people taking pictures of the props.
Not with their kids near the props, just taking pictures of the props. It makes me feel so awesome.

Just felt like sharing.

Thanks HauntForum for all of your advice and help.
Until next year - oh wait, I'll probably be back within a week asking more questions LOL - Happy haunting!
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