# Race to the finish line! Running out of TIME!



## Ironside (Aug 1, 2008)

Anybody else starting to panic now that October 1st is right around the corner?

We've been working hard for over a month to build this years haunt and there is still quite a ways to go until it's done... I always get edgy when October sneaks up on us... cause that means we have only 3 weeks left til GO TIME!

Anyone else down to the wire with their haunts?


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

I still have to build everything. I just decided to go big this year about a week and a half ago. 

I guess i am somewhat disturbed. I can't just do a little and be done with it. My phylosophy is go big or go home. So i am waiting for most of my stuff to still get delivered. 

The only real projects i have to build is a 7-8ft scarecrow, decorate and warp some pvc to look like sticks/branches, fix my foggers, and make a few hedgestones. I plan on starting tonight and working on them one piece at a time till Halloween. Slowly adding things as i finish them.


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## Spartan005 (Mar 13, 2007)

bignick said:


> I still have to build everything. I just decided to go big this year about a week and a half ago.


Wow that makes two of us. I finally decided that people would probably be pretty dissapointed if they came to this really cool haunted house last year and then there's nothing there this year. (or just a sucky display)

anyway this is what I want to get done by then

a crypt/mausoleum (probably not)
some old wooden fences for the graveyard
a few cheap wooden crosses
two full standing static props
one ground breaker
a grave grabber animatronic
corpsing two buckies and re doing last years
and then lights, fog, setting everything up b/c I didn't even start yet etc. etc.


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## Scary Godmother (Oct 13, 2007)

Jeez, I'm only putting out a yard display, and I am so stressed. I took on way too many new things for this year. Still have more tweaking to do on my cauldron witch, was planning to paint my new pillars and fence this weekend, but we are having rain all weekend Also just repainted all of my old tombstones and then coated them with fleck stone paint. Need to cut and paint pvc pcs. for the backs of all of them for staking. I'm hoping to set up the graveyard on Columbus Day weekend. Crossing my fingers that everything will be ready!:jol:


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## Spartan005 (Mar 13, 2007)

me too, I wanted to get started but its going to pour for the next two days apparently. 

oh and by "sucky display" I meant if I made a display that sucked.... not that displays suck in general lol. In fact thats what I'm doing this year

just wanted to make that clear


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

I started back in June and I'm still going to be pressed for time. Going to start putting up my fence, columns and stones today. I need room in my garage so I can finish building my maze. I still have two rooms to figure out how I'm going to set up as well as creating another drop panel and finishing my unknown number of props in my nursery. 

And friends and family thought I was crazy when I started keeping up with the countdown about 180 days out.


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## Daddy's Little Corpse (Sep 7, 2006)

PANIC!
Seriously, I just got to my big stuff and am at the point where I _need_ to be outside building and *BAM!* a north-easter has come to play. ARGH!!! Normally I'm all for rain and blustery misery, but why this weekend!! The first and only one I'm going to have off between now and Halloween....


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

I too am only doing a yard display and i so plan to blow all of my neighbors out of the water. I think the closest thing i get to competition by me is cob webbed bushes and pumpkin lights. So a small graveyard, Slaughtered Pigs heads and a Huge mean scarecrow should be a real crowd pleaser.


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## Monstermaker (Aug 4, 2008)

Being a professional haunter that just survived our opening weekend, the best advice I could give to those working on their displays and props at this point of the season, is to pace yourself and think things through. When you get in "panic" mode it's real easy to get lost in the details of what "could be", and forget to include a crucial step in construction or assembly, which inadvertantly causes you to have to go back and either fix or re-work your project to get it "just right". Having to do so only stresses you out all the more. 
Remember to relax and have fun creating your haunt. It is supposed to be fun, right?


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

Thank you for popping in with the cool voice of reason Monstermaker! heheheh It's so easy to start freaking out and that only gets you into trouble.

I've learned with projects the best thing is to do it like a business plan... A Track, B Track, and C Track. B Track is the version you actually are planning on getting done. C Track is the simplified "this will do" fallback version you switch to if you get into trouble and you know you won't have enough time to finish it according to plan. And the Holy Grail is the A Track, in the unlikely event that you end up ahead of schedule and have a little extra time to really trick it out and go beyond expectations.

I had to switch to C Track in making my zombie crawler, but it'll still look very cool. Just not so detailed. I'm not worried. Not many people have remote-control corpse parts so it should still be a hit.


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## Robotparts (Jul 5, 2008)

I started working on this year's haunt the week after Halloween last year. I've thought about giving up but thanks to a little help from a friend this past weekend I'm back on track. One thing I've had to do is scrap some projects and replace them with more practical (easier) ones.

~ Robotparts


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## Scary Godmother (Oct 13, 2007)

bignick said:


> I too am only doing a yard display and i so plan to blow all of my neighbors out of the water. I think the closest thing i get to competition by me is cob webbed bushes and pumpkin lights. So a small graveyard, Slaughtered Pigs heads and a Huge mean scarecrow should be a real crowd pleaser.


Same here as far as competition goes, there is none, although a few people showed interest in doing something with their own yards last year and asked where I bought things. Most just some webbing, lights, and inflatables in my neighborhood. That's okay, it makes my amateur display look very professional!:jol:


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## Moon00 (Oct 7, 2007)

I'm freaking out a little but not too much yet. Thankfully we started on our biggest projects earlier than usual and there isn't much left that needs to be built. So we're pretty much moving on to the the detailing phase now (painting, dying fabric, and so on). So considering what we have left to do I think we'll make it and have everything done in time. Even though I did have to change a few things and push some ideas aside until next year.
The only thing that I'm really freaking out about is that I still have quite a few things that I need to order and have delivered on time. Right now I'm just trying not to think so much about how close Halloween is because when I do that's when I start stressing out. When I just block that out and focus on what I'm doing I tend get more done alot faster. Plus I have more fun getting everything ready.


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

I can't really get started till most of stuff gets delivered. I ordered a lot of my props and prop material online so i have to play the waiting game which is horrible!!


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## Monstermaker (Aug 4, 2008)

Look at it this way bignick...with all the talent and resources running around this forum, you'll develope numerous contacts and "go to" people who'll always lend a hand. Come next year you won't have to wait for things to be delivered until the last minute. You'll be making your own props/ gadgets/ gizmos/ etc.


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## Aelwyn (Jul 7, 2008)

Not stressed yet---give me a week, though.  Luckily, I only need to do the tiny yard for the 31st, since my party isn't until November 8th.  My only stress is the Makeup Show (which I should attend) is the same weekend as my party! LOL!


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

29 days ...chop chop


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

*Yikes......October 1st!*

The looks of things I won't have my halloween stuff up until the second week of October. I am still finishing up projects and fine tuning others. I am still waiting to get my coffin, so I don't feel too bad not having the graveyard fence up yet. LOL...I didn't even come close to having my contest prop ready and thats due this weekend. Ok now I'm S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D! Ok back to work!


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## HauntedHacienda (Sep 16, 2008)

We have started to Purchase Supplies for this year, but won't be able to finish until after the 10th.
I AM Panicking! I want my Halloween!


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## halloweengoddessrn (Feb 14, 2007)

I have been ill for a couple of weeks- couldnt breathe- so its hard to get much done but I managed to get the inside almost done. Its been 98 degrees here in sunny California so I finally talked my hubby into turning the water off in the front yard so that I can start to decorate the front yard! Last Friday I got an email that the new media will be here to take video the night of our party on the 25th so....IM FREAKING OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Ironside (Aug 1, 2008)

27 DAYS!!! AAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!

I made a short video showing the progress of my haunted house but cant find my cable to put it on my PC!!! DANG!

I was gonna give you guys a sneak peak!


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