# 2011 Haunt Plans- Advice Needed



## Dr. Scarecrow (Mar 14, 2011)

Hi all- So I am beginning to plan the 2011 haunt. We have a little one on the way this summer, so I figure I need to get some stuff done now as I will not have time later.

I want to do a "witch's apothecary" set up. A store where a witch (and maybe a wizard) work and have stuff like ingredients and potions for sale. Kids will be able to pick stuff up and look at it and it will be interactive. 

My issue is- when I envision it- I see it being in a rural set up, in a shed or cabin in the woods or in the marshes or swamp. 

We live in a townhouse development that is rather dense and all brick. We have a front patio that is about 12x12 where I plan to put everything, that is all brick- walls around it as well, plain old red brick. Imagine the Aunt and Uncle's house from the Harry Potter movies. 

Which got me thinking- maybe I try to make it look like a Diagon Alley/ Knockturn Alley set up? Urban wizarding if you will??? But how to achieve that and still make is actually somewhat scary???

I also wanted to do a scarecrow to have up for most of October- but again, it will look out of place, despite my best efforts. The scarecrow is big because (obviously my nickname taken into account) I have been wanting to do a good one now for YEARS. But it won't look all that great in front of a brick townhouse AND how the heck will it remotely fit in with my witch's apothecary? 

Anyway, my plan is to use table and shelves we already have (covered and disguised ofcourse) to display tons of witch and wizard props- potions, ingredients, spellbooks, scrolls, wands, mortar & pestal, etc. etc. Everything from stuff in jars and bottles to perhaps stuff like a gelatin made "fresh zombie brain" on a cake platter we have that could be cut and weight with an old set of scales I have... In this early phase- the possibilities are endless. 

There will also be a spiffed up plastic cauldron attached to a fog machine and LEDS over a fake flame setup (I have seen several designs forthis floating around over the years). I also plan on having a witch's broom and maybe even a wizard's staff with a globe or crystal on the end that can illuminate with LEDs. 

Finally- if I can get ahold of one- maybe a crystal ball- but it would need to be a good showpiece size- like one of the old gemmy ones where I could either (A- do a projection) or (B- hook up ancillary fog and use LEDs, strobe or other lighting or make it look worthwhile). And, I would need to figure out a decent way to incorporate it into a witch's or wizards store.

I know its alot to do- I may end up paring back. Then again- if I find myself on a roll this spring and summer- I may barrel through.

My big ask though is- how would you incorporate this theme given all the brick- any suggestions on atmosphere and style before I get too far in? I am likely doing a whole bunch of bottles tonight and tomorrow during NCAA Tourney games since my wife is working all weekend. They are easy enough to wash, print out labels in a script font, soak in coffee and then attach. Piece of cake.

So, uh- thoughts? Preliminary advice?


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## JustJimAZ (Aug 19, 2010)

Brick is better than siding for Halloween. I don't know if you'd be willing to add a bunch of "great stuff" vines to the brick, but I think that could lend an air of decay. Pretty much anywhere you live you can find big branches that have been cut or broken off of trees. Those can create a woodsy feel and obscure the brick in certain spots.

Blue light turns red bricks black, doesn't it? That could help too. Of course, there is always the camo netting / landscape fabric/ black plastic option if you really want it.

As for the scarecrow, maybe the apothecary is set up in an old farm? I bet someone within an hour's drive has a real farm that grows corn. They will no doubt give or sell the stalks to you in October. You could set up a bunch of stalks along your walk and put the scarecrow out there somewhere. That would also obscure some of the brick.

I think using old branches and cornstalks will give you the aesthetics you want, and of course you can arrange them however you like. You could probably even arrange hiding places for actors or props.

So a witch moved into the Hansen farm just outside of town and set up shop selling potions to the desperate. Maybe she inherited it when old man Hansen died mysteriously. The farm has fallen into decay, but many of the old stalks still stand. The sign in front of the farm is still there, but now there is a second sign (or has the original been defaced?) heralding the apothecary. 
Rumors abound that the cornfield and woods around the house have been enchanted. Other rumors include a scarecrow made from the bones of trespassers / customers (or does it bear an unnerving resemblance to Old Man Hansen?), the witch luring in children with sweets, and of course the weird things in the potions themselves. They might even have animal familiars and maybe a spirit trapped in a skull or a crystal ball...

Happy haunting!


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## Dr. Scarecrow (Mar 14, 2011)

I love the great stuff vine idea. Any links of a finished product that I could work off of? This is probably a week before project though, obviously have atleast 6 months. Woot.


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

Omigod dont put greatstuff directly on your brick... You'll never get all that stuff off. GreatStuff makes awesome vines but you want to apply it to a disposable or dedicated surface, not your actual house.

If you want to swampify the house face, put up a backdrop. Layering works wonders. For example: You could put some plastic scenesetters up (they have a great forest/swamp one with fog and trees), then put oddly-sized and shaped sections of jute netting/dorp on top of that, and add hunks of green and gray creepy cloth here and there and add vines and spanish moss on top of that. Natural fiber twisted rope makes great vines... you can untwist the sections and it looks like the smaller vine sections branching out, and the sections/strands are kind of coily and twisty. Natural fiber rope will take dye so you can dye them green and gray and then maybe stick in some leaves from cheap artificial plants. If you can find real hemp rope, untwisting it all the way down to the individual strands makes an awesome spanish moss.

I know that all sounds like a lot but just a few of those things can at least age the house and make it look like the woods/swamp is reclaiming it. I've seen decaying wood and brick houses in rural settings and frankly I think the brick ones look even creepier; the fact that they're still relatively solid and standing increases the likelihood that someone (-thing?) might still be living inside. Just my aesthetic $.02


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## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

Red bricks have been in use for centuries so this is a good thing, not a bad thing. Low light will do a lot for you, and spider webs too. If you don't like the stretchy kind of webs, you can procure or make two different kinds of web guns.

Mine will be in a very old barn so the walls are already pretty cool, but one thing I plan to do is cover empty wall space with aged decor - old photos etc. in weathered old frames, plus a tapestry or two.

If you don't mind a permanent solution, you could make a wash of black paint and water and put it all over the inside of the building.

Your concept is almost identical to what I originally had in mind! Mine took a dark weird turn but in function it's the same - a creepy place to give out treats. If you still need to make potions, wands, brooms, and things, you will find gobs of tutorials and inspiration here.


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## TheOneAndOnlyKelly (May 7, 2009)

You can "grow" the vines made from great stuff on a plastic tarp and use non-permanent means of attaching it to the walls. 

A different thought would be, if you are in the area that grows vines, is to harvest some ahead of time and use them instead. I guess vinyards are doing their spring trimming right now (March-ish). If you contacted them, they will prolly give you some for free. Just have to store them until Fall. Note, if you curl them up this time of year, you prolly will never be able to uncurl them again, but then you'd have a bunch of wreaths! :jol:

BTW: Love the idea. I'm going to steal it to set up a scene for my own witch, so I can better control her little environment.

Edit: I want to see pix, when you are done!


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## JustJimAZ (Aug 19, 2010)

Here are some great stuff vines on a papier mache tree.

You might also find generic expanding foam at some stores, or Touch 'N Foam Max Fill, which I hear is cheaper than great stuff and expands more.

It is true that if you do not want the vines permanently affixed to the brick, you can form them on sheets of cling wrap, or a piece of glass/ plexiglass, or whatever. Easier to paint too, since you can use spray paint.

Don't give up on the corn stalks if you really want a scarecrow! Maybe you can even grow your own. You have the time, but I'm not sure about the space.


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## Dr. Scarecrow (Mar 14, 2011)

Stupendous! This link is pure brilliance. This is the very author who has put together the best witch's kitchen I've seen to date and is my inspiration. Truly very talented! 

I have a whole can of foam insulator on hand that should do the trick when the time comes. couple it with some fake leaves and branches from Michaels or AC Moore and allll set. 

I think a combo of vines, webbing and lighting will fulfill my needs. Thanks for the input all.


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

Dr. Scarecrow said:


> Stupendous! This link is pure brilliance. This is the very author who has put together the best witch's kitchen I've seen to date and is my inspiration. Truly very talented!


DeadSpider is a member here  but she hasn't visited the forum since last year.


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## Dark Star (Nov 6, 2007)

Allen Hopps has a great video out on making vines cheap and simple


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## Dr. Scarecrow (Mar 14, 2011)

So- as an update since I have been nowhere to be found (work and crying baby, sorry!) I have made great strides in my haunt for 2011. Its been tough going with an infant in the house now and a wife less than enthused on me spending what little free time I have on this. But..... I persevere!!!

My witch bottles, jars and potions are nearly complete. Many thanks to DeadSpider for the how to! I just need to fill them and upload the photos.

I have also textured my cauldron with sand, oatmeal and breadcrumbs (yes... breadcrumbs!) I just need to complete the detail paint and get the fogger hooked up and maybe lights.

My scarecrow is nearly done and simply needs final touchups and final assemblage.

Now- I wanted to do a cauldron creep using a windshield wiper motor and so on. I figured I needed to have some sort of character, preferable a witch or something and not just props (And I am not the character acting kind of guy). However, our rental townhouse has NO storage- no garage, no basement, no attic, only 2-3 closets. I don't feel comfortable asking others to hold my props for 11 months of the year- I feel badly about that, especially the large trashcan part. Additionally- I don't think I have the time or the money right now to build one (I was looking at upwards of $100-$120 to do it RIGHT and daycare kills disposable income, friends....)

So.... After some web surfing, lo and behold- I found the genius of Imagineerieing: http://www.imagineerieing.com/ Do I want a witch? Yes. But a magic mirror will certainly equally impress. Plus its cheap since I already have a nice big monitor.

My plan: Using a video baby monitor we have on hand- I'll sit inside and be able to converse with the TOTers and use my wireless keyboard and earphones/ mic to interact with them while controlling the digital puppet (probably the skull) and free voice changing software I found. I will wedge the carved and painted pink foam board into our sliding door and set up the monitor as well as the fogger and dryer duct to shoot fog and candy into the cauldron outside with my bookshelf. Using thick blankets and fabric- I will make sure no light from inside reaches outside to harm the illusion.

The cauldron, as well as the bottles, jars, spellbook, etc. will be sitting on a table outside.

When we are done- I'll cut the pink foam in half. Duct tape it so it folds and slide it in between our washer and dryer nook for 364 more days.

All I need to buy:

1 large pink foam board from Home Depot or Lowes
1 large ornate picture frame (To Christmas Tree Shoppe or Goodwill!!)
Paint
Some plexiglass for the frame.
Thick black fabric from AC Moore or JoAnn

All in all- I'm looking at maybe 30- 40 bucks. That's less than what I was going to pay for just the motor to turn the cauldron creep!!

I've got 3 weekends and 4 weeks to complete. I promise I'll upload images soon from off my camera phone.

Oh yeah- and I have to plant the bulbs and the mums.... Love and marriage!


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## Damian Jay (Oct 3, 2013)

*Just a quick thought Re the Scarecrow*

Hi Dr. Scarecrow... way too late for 2011, but I've only just joined the forum and I'm having a blast reading all the posts.

Relating to part of your post quoted below



Dr. Scarecrow said:


> I also wanted to do a scarecrow to have up for most of October- but again, it will look out of place, despite my best efforts. The scarecrow is big because (obviously my nickname taken into account) I have been wanting to do a good one now for YEARS. But it won't look all that great in front of a brick townhouse AND how the heck will it remotely fit in with my witch's apothecary?


Just a quick thought on the Scarecrow idea and how it could relate to a witches apothecary...

My thought would be to use the scarecrow as a giant voodoo doll, maybe with large knitting needles stuck in various places like giant pins. Possibly use a printed human face stuck to a mask.

Regards

Damian


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