# Some Halloween pics



## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Got some pics up from Halloween this year. Some are props and some are of the display. The big project was the castle wall across the drive. Didn't get the hanging flame pots on due to the weather, but you get the idea. I'm no photographer as you can see, but it shows a bit of what we had going on. Hope you like!
Pictures by jdubbya2006 - Photobucket


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

i really like it! i really like the entrance you made... i think i might have to do something like that for next year.
how did you carve out the motor lines?
also, i really liked the potion bottles you made... they turned out great!


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

frontyardfright said:


> i really like it! i really like the entrance you made... i think i might have to do something like that for next year.
> how did you carve out the motor lines?
> also, i really liked the potion bottles you made... they turned out great!


Thanks! I used a dremel with a router attachment and a cutting bit. Worked very well but the foam gets EVERYWHERE!! After the routing, I used a heat gun to distort the foam and give it a more natural look. Hard to tell from the pics but up close it looks very much like stone. I didn't have time to dry brush some added color so that's a next year project. The potion bottles were fun. Got some great advice from some other folks here.


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## Dreadnight (Jul 9, 2006)

'Dubbya... that's great work! I really like the throne area-


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## slimy (Jul 12, 2006)

Loved the throne, good job.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Thanks! The throne (or "death chair" as I call it) is built from scrap wood which I had laying around. I literally put it together with the help of a neighbor in two hours. Added two wrought iron hooks from HD and a TS skull and it came out pretty good. I need to add some texture to the color. Maybe airbrush some black or darker gray to give it a spookier look, but it's pretty imposing. We had a guy with a great reaper costume on sitting in it handing out candy.


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## ScareFX (Aug 18, 2004)

Very nice work jdubbya. The entrance looked great. I really like that dragon head. Nice balance of props in your graveyard. And nice work on your witch too. The death chair scene was great. Were there any tots that would not approach the reaper?


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

ScareFX said:


> Very nice work jdubbya. The entrance looked great. I really like that dragon head. Nice balance of props in your graveyard. And nice work on your witch too. The death chair scene was great. Were there any tots that would not approach the reaper?


Thanks Woody. Our yard is small so we try to put enough stuff to give it interest but not so much to make it look crowded. Only have 9 or 10 headstones, plus the other props. THe witch is a work in progress. Used smaller pvc than yours which I'll remedy next year. Had a nice older mask and some cheap hands that worked. I also need to animate it next year but had all the cauldron effects (fog/lights/sound) going and it made for a good scene.
There were several TOTs who were very skittish of walking up to the garage where the reaper was. He was pretty menacing just sitting there 
The dragon head is better than I hoped. Really detailed and it hangs from two mounting holes over large head screws. I didn't get any night shots of it this year but it looked cool and a lot of the kids just stood and stared up at it!


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## Hella (Feb 6, 2006)

great work jdubbya, I love the dragon head (where did you get that?) on your wall. You did a great job with the space you have to work with.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Hella said:


> great work jdubbya, I love the dragon head (where did you get that?) on your wall. You did a great job with the space you have to work with.


Thanks! I got the dragon head through Design Toscano.
http://www.designtoscano.com/shoppi...RODUCT&iMainCat=91&iSubCat=93&iProductID=4023


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## spokanejoe (Sep 16, 2006)

Great job....I too, love the dragon head over the entrance to the haunt. The kids in your neighborhood probably can't wait till next year.


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## Death's Door (Mar 22, 2006)

Nice yardhaunt ya got there jdubbya! Nice entrance. I think you did a great job with the amount of space you have. I think I spotted a few "orbs" in your pictures. Spooky!!!


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Thanks spokanejoe and Da Weiner. Appreciate the kind words.
Joe, the kids start asking me in the summer if I'm going to put out Halloween stuff, so I just tell them they'll have to wait and see. 

DW, yeah, our front yard is small, so we really are a bit limited. THat's the reason for expanding a few years ago to include the drive, covered pation and garage. We make the walk through part fairly spooky but not out and out terrifying. Once we started doing this, our numbers grew noticeably. At some points, we had 40-50 people waiting to walk down the drive. Pretty funny:jol: 
You noticed the orbs too:xbones: Truthfully, the couple shots where it looks like there is mist in the picture are pretty baffling. The night was clear and cool. All pics taken with no foggers running and some taken seconds apart. I'm sure it has some "logical explanation" , but then again, all bets are off on Halloween night, even in a prop graveyard!


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## Death's Door (Mar 22, 2006)

Yeah, I remembered seeing the mist and thought it was from a fogger. Come to think of it, I do remember taking pictures of my front yard and I was across the street. When I got the pictures back, there was a mist in some of the pictures, and yes, it was a clear night. My hubby tells me that we bring out the spirits on Halloween because of all the decorating we do. Well, like ya said all bets are off on Halloween night!


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## ScareShack (May 26, 2006)

Very, Very nice. I really like that dragon looking thing. Nice pics, i really enjoyed looking.


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## Nytemare (Nov 3, 2006)

Nice Job. Along with everything else already mentioned, I really liked the skeleton on the swing. I have a lot of trees, why didn't I think of that? Thanks for sharing.:jol:


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

good job love the skelly in the swing, dragon head is cool and nice chair.


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## mike (Dec 24, 2005)

Love it!


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## Blackwidow (Jul 9, 2005)

Nice work jdubbya! Just like everyone else has said, that dragon is gorgeous... and it looks great on your stone wall. I love the whole set-up but I had to laugh at the close-up photo of your potions jars. They're nicely done but WHERE did you get so many locusts?


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Blackwidow said:


> I had to laugh at the close-up photo of your potions jars. They're nicely done but WHERE did you get so many locusts?


LOL! If I had a locust shell for every time someone asked me that... 
During the month of August, my youngest son and I would go for walks every day. THe cicadas were out in force, and we'd check every maple tree we could find for shells. We noticed (and I'm not sure if this is fact or not) they were only on maple trees and no other species. Some days we'd find a couple..others we'd have a small bag full. If they were too high to reach, he'd climb on my shoulders and get them. We had a ball, and even saw some in the process of shedding the exoskeleton, which he was really enthralled by. We could have filled two jars but figured one was enough. Mrs dubs was creeped out by them but to a 10 y.o boy, they were the best!
Thanks for the comments. It was fun!


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## Blackwidow (Jul 9, 2005)

What a great story...I bet those cicada collecting trips will be something that your son will always remember


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## Empress Nightshade (Jul 25, 2004)

Very, very good stuff ya got going there! I know you had fun.


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## sparky (Dec 7, 2006)

Looks great!!!! I'm lovin the walls!!!! How much time does it take to build that,and where do put them after the season????


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

sparky said:


> Looks great!!!! I'm lovin the walls!!!! How much time does it take to build that,and where do put them after the season????


As far as time goes, I'm thinking I might have 30 hours (give or take) between the framing, routing, painting. The routing was the most time consuming (and messy!). Since it's in three 4x8 sections, it stores nicely against the back wall of my garage.


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## sparky (Dec 7, 2006)

LOTS OF TIME,WOW!!!!! I don't think i have the room left to store walls like that!!! Maby nows the time to buy a house with a bigger garage.YEA,THATS IT!!!! I wonder if the wife would go for that?????


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

nice setup, really like your witches bottles.


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## Nightshade (Feb 26, 2005)

jdubbya, Wow what a fabulous job. Your cemetery is fantastic, what a great house for Halloween! And your pics are awsome.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Nightshade said:


> jdubbya, Wow what a fabulous job. Your cemetery is fantastic, what a great house for Halloween! And your pics are awsome.


Wow! THanks. I'm in the minor leagues compared to a lot of the talent here. I hope to get more/better pics next year, and with any luck, a video. As always, it's a work in progress.


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## slightlymad (May 25, 2006)

Looks great I definitly have to get that dragon for next year


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