# Slow Year for Props?



## Zombie-F (Apr 12, 2004)

Well, I'm having a slow year for new props. We're doing quite a few renovations to the house this year, so money is very tight for us. I have a few projects to do, but nothing too big for this year.

Is anyone else having an off year too, or is it just me?


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

Same here. It's called "House Broke"
I have a couple of things I want to do, we'll see if I get them off the ground.


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## DeathTouch (Sep 6, 2005)

I know what you mean. Still waiting for the money for my new house and getting things done. But once that is finished I will have my own house. I can't wait.


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## Bloodhound (Oct 16, 2007)

*The Joy's of Home Ownership*

Let's see umm fix this or fix that? Do the honey do's? Build props for this season? What to do, what to do? argghhh!!

Fix this and that. Maybe do the honey do's. Try to get some thing's made for the season.:zombie:


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## Zombie-F (Apr 12, 2004)

I absolutely have to re-build my cemetery fence, or else it won't have a fence this year. The paint never stuck to the old one, the wood was starting to split and most of the fence toppers I made broke and/or fell off. That's probably about the only real project I have this year.

I got a free motor for a shaker board, so I may work that in too, but mainly the issue with that is time.

We're re-doing our front walkway, just fixed the rotted portion of the sill under our house, have to strip and paint the exterior of the house, are installing a lantern post, and sooo many other little things it's ridiculous.

The joy's of home ownership indeed. Still, I'd rather have all this to do rather than rent.


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

Considering I didn't start anything till about the 2nd week of September for 2007 (first year), I'm off to a great start. 

I just started building my first FCG night before last and should have it completed this evening. 

I have the majority of the materials purchased for my 12' x 12' addition (meat locker) as well as my 16' hallway (entrance). Hopefully I'll find time to start building my panels for those real soon.


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## lewlew (Mar 15, 2006)

Seems like there's always yardwork to be done, something to be planted, mowed, trimmed, pruned, mulched, ripped up and re-planted. I don't know when it turned into Busch Gardens around here but I barely have time to scrounge the curbs for supplies let alone actually make anything.

New for this year: cemetery sign and columns, pepper's ghost attempt, another stalkabout costume. I hope.


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## TearyThunder (Jul 1, 2006)

After the big spend for everythign we did last year and then the clearance sales we won't be doing much more since the haunt is new. Not to mention the new house and remodel we have been doing. Next year it's on though.


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

I rent, which sucks, but I do have time to build props! LOL!


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Same boat here. I have an arguing witches project (dueling Borii), a new rocking chair for Miss Thrifty, and an animated Buried Alive coffin as well as more groundbreakers. Since my wife got involved this year the yard haunt is expandng dramatically, bigger graveyard, more lighting, more fencing. After this year I'm taking a break, minimal new stuff for 2009.


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## PeeWeePinson (Feb 23, 2006)

I had a really hard time myself getting things going this year. I wanted to do this huge haunted midway, but it was an undertaking I just didn't feel like I could give my best to so, I am scaling way down and just having good food and a graveyard. Not sure how my guests will react when they are used to big haunts, etc. I just don't have it in me this year.


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## eanderso13 (Apr 10, 2008)

I, too, am realizing that my ever-ambitous haunt ideas will most likely be crushed down into tiny, more manageable pieces. We've been in an apratment since January, in a new town, with only a bed, a table and two folding chairs...and garage sale and thrift-store finds slowly threatening to take over the small space. But we're supposed to close on a house May 29!! But that leaves us with undermining of patios and driveways, and yard grading and fence-building (no, not cemetery fence) to contend with...


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## Haunted Bayou (Feb 16, 2007)

I will have to use what I bought last year. I won't be expanding much because I am broke just like everybody else.


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## Ms. Wicked (Nov 14, 2006)

We'll be moving in a couple of weeks, which has kind of taken over. 

Of course, I want to get into the new house so that I can truly begin to conceptualize what I want to do there. That's hard to do until you're actually in the space.

Hopefully once we're in, I can run my ideas past my Director of Production and Manufacturing (Mr. W), see what he has time to do then get a few props rolling off the assembly line (together or by myself as the case may be).


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

I feel like I am off to a good start. Money is always an issue so nothing new there. I do have projects left over from last year that were either half done or left in the planning stage. I started with a small new project that I could work on while I waited for the weather to warm up so I can get out to the shop and work. Pilars and a fireplace are my only new big projects for this year. The one major lesson I learned over the last couple of years is to make a list and stick to it. Work on only one project at a time with maybe a second to fill in while I wait for something to dry or something. It is just to easy to become over whelmed trying to work on numerous project at one time. It all ends up half done. I just got a new gallon of latex and I am feeling good about this year. Now if only the weather will be good on Halloween so I can use my foggers.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Pretty much in the same boat. I budget for at least one store bought prop each year, and make a few things. The economy is a factor for sure and priorities have shifted. I'll motorize my stirring witches head so that it turns. That'll complete that prop. I have a couple of sheets of pink foam to play with so will make a couple of stones. Plan on a coule of pvc frame figures and that's about it. As mentioned in another thread, I'll be at a HS football game for half the evening so I'd rather not do too much new this year and not be there to enjoy it.


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## BoysinBoo (Dec 10, 2007)

New major props this year: Spider cave maze walls, Bottomless Pit, Spider Wiper, Giant Lowboy popup. The plan is huge! Hope we can finish it all. Papa Boo and I have spread the build (and the budget) throughout the year. If it wasn't for Curby's amazing deals, there's NO WAY we could afford to finish everything.


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

Money is a prob for sure with all the family surprises that have happened. Still plpan on doina graveyard this year, prob going to add a few more armatures. I wish ACC didnt sell to someone else, so I could have afforded more skeletal stuffs.


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

I'm off my game this year...maybe I'll get creative later on and be able to make a few new things.


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## slightlymad (May 25, 2006)

Time is the big problem for me this year. Way to much going on even chores have been getting pushed aside latley let alone prop work. However the plan for this year stands and I wont get worried about it untill august. We find that even though we would like to work on things year round at some point we need a break or it almost becomes work.


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## beelce (Jul 21, 2007)

sure Dave ...whatever


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

I think I am doing pretty good, I started not to long after Halloween last yr.
Need to finish fireplace,large demon and topper for fountain and tube set up. Everything else I have been working on are extras ( not planned or really needed per say, just made them), so I am happy camper.
I use alot of free stuff, discounted paint, and the Love (goodwill type store) Store, so money has been kept to a minimum this yr for that. 
I also have my "Gatherer" Ghoulbug finding free things I can use and another friend does same. That helps alot .
I'm getting ancy to set up already..so I just keep making things till then to pass time.


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## pyro (Oct 7, 2006)

yep money is tight so i have to rely on what i pick up at curbys, have a couple of things plan, but then again its a plan, maybe i can finish the MIB i started last year


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## turtle2778 (Jul 9, 2006)

Well i think this year will be a reality check for me on the whole halloween spending thing. We are getting into our first home which is about 400 bucks more a month than we spend in rent. Thats our money we waste getting the expensive toothpaste or going out to eat on. It also allows me to shop on ebay and to be honest get pretty much anything in a store i want. I dont think there was anything i didnt get last year that I didnt want and then I ended up with a bunch of "stuff" and really no use for it, I just wanted it. So this year Im building my own stuff and I may add a few store bought things, but as of right now Im going to do my best to keep my budget under 500 thats for materials, store bought, village, lighting, sound, and possibly renting a hall for our party.


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## ScareShack (May 26, 2006)

This is sure going to be an Off Year for us as I sold almost all our props last year with the Bright Idea to start all over on a new theme.
Well I have yet to get too much done so far.....so now our plan is to have a Few Huge costume Charters roaming the street instead as well with a side show(details later, some of you know it already).
So yeh, seems like an off year for me...then again, every 3 years it seems I break from it.
Kinda would like the enjoyment of just taking the wee lil guy toting rathing then tending to stuff here....playing by ear this year.


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## HalloweenZombie (Jul 22, 2007)

I'm plugging right along with my props. But I don't have HauntForum upgrades to worry about. Thanks for sacrificing the quality of your haunt to make our haunts better Zombie-F.


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## midnight_moon (Apr 28, 2008)

Seems like money is tight for everyone. I try and work some overtime,
just to have some play money, but my big factor is learning.
I have gotten so much help and hints and tricks from
everyone here. I thank everyone!! This will be a learning year for me,
but it's only May, so I have a good head start!


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## Bloodhound (Oct 16, 2007)

*The Joy's of Home Ownership*

LewLew: mentioned Busch Gardens, ain't it the truth. I have plant's to move, remove, and just simply change the landscaping around today, tomorrow and the next day. Painting the house is coming faster than I want it to. If I don't get that damn trim up in the living room soon (four years later) including resanding and finishing the hardwood floors. My better half is going to turn me into a prop.
This season's haunt projects need to be done/started, purchased. I am going with the haunted house style facade to cover the carport entrance and on top of the carport roof should be a eight foot by eight foot facade with a creepy window and of course it will be removeable, foldable, moveable and storable. Wish me luck on that!
O-yeah, since I don't have one yet, a mausoleum and of course it needs all the attributes of the above mentioned as well. Those are the big projects planned. The little projects are few and will for sure get done.
Now as long as nothing major happens. Like the central air and heat going to crap, the roof falling down, finding myself out of work or some crazy thing like that. My budget will be ok.
All I really need is construction ideas for the roof top prop (still brainstroming that one) and of course everyone's favorite;:googly: Time and Money to do it all !!


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## buckaneerbabe (Jun 5, 2007)

This thread was a good idea Zombie. Seems like we're all in the the same two boats, no time or no money. I went back to work after a 5 year break. I now have the money for new props but seems like no time. I decided after I spend last weekend cleaning house, and running errands, this weekend would be about prop building, and minimal house work. I mean whats the point of working for extra money If I can't make props!!:googly:


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## Wyatt Furr (Jun 5, 2006)

OK ,now I dont feel so bad because it seems everyone else is in the same boat.
I really only have one project to do this year,and if I dont get started,I will never finish it.Just how long does it take to bulid a haunted mine?


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

I (as usual) have tons and tons of new ideas for my haunt this year.
Some are, as some of you have metioned, plans from last year that either weren't completed... or never even started.
I especially want to go all out this year due to the fact that this may be my last year...
At least at home...
So if I go out, I'm going out with a bang!
I have started the haunt for this year already... I've build two eight foot tall pillars for a new archway for my cemetery.
Soon I will be starting two four foot tall ones for the ends of the fence.
After that I don't know what else I'm going to start...
I have a list... Someplace...
.


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

Looks like not much for this years Hauntforum DVD! Crud.


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

now that would be cool wyatt..you have good ideas...

Bloodhound don't feel bad we have been here 12 yrs and I still haven't done things I want to.


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## Merlin (The Quiet One) (Feb 23, 2006)

Nothing yet started here, the weather sucks, lots of rainy days then when it's nice lots of clean up. I have some props to re-do when the weather breaks and a couple things I picked up recently at a local theatre to paint that will be new for my haunt. Looking forward to this year as we are fencing the yard and hopefully what I set up will stay that way!


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## halloween71 (Aug 9, 2007)

I have yet to complete a pvc fence-finish motorizing witch-replace motor for peering tombstone(lurker)-finish corpsing bucky and skulls(weather always rain when I can do anything).I have managed to make tombstones,corpse a few skulls,repaint tombstones.


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## NoahFentz (May 13, 2007)

Tell me about it...I have been renovating our first floor of our house since October of 2005. Ran out of money in the middle of 2006. Left with the living room with electrical, drywall, paint, molding, hardwood floor, front door, front steps, siding and new shingles for roof. We are up to drywalling. Thanks to the NJ make and takes I have been getting some props done and in a prop mode. I left a good portion of the haunt up in the basement so I am able to tweak during the year.


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## psyko99 (Jan 11, 2008)

I'm in the same boat as many others, no time & no money. I have tons of house projects, including building a patio, rebuilding my front porch, getting the house painted. On top of my oldest is graduating from high school and going off to college. So there goes the money. Soccer season has started & I coach my daughters team. Along with having a 40 min commute, I'm to tired to do anything at the end of the day.

Fortunately, I'm not in this alone. I have a core group of neighbors who are helping build props this year. My biggest challenge is planning and coordinating. Fortunately, that is basically what I do for a living anyway.

But hey, I knew time and money would be short. That's why I started planning back in January.


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## Metaluna Mutant (May 18, 2008)

I still live with my parents and older brother. They all owe me money. Right now I only have two quarters and a dime.


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