# Witch-Hunter's Barn 2014



## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

The Witch-Hunter's Barn had some cool new stuff this year.

More/different photos are in the Gallery.

I had the idea of putting fortunes on the bottom of kids' candy bags and am really happy with that. I kept it mild and kid-safe, mostly things like "you will eat candy this November."

The Pumpkin Judge lets kids find out whether they are a witch by drawing tiles (craft sticks) from his mouth. You can see how it works by reading the sign. The sign didn't glow so well so flashlight-wielding Moms had to be my helpful attendants with this one while I helped kids with other stuff. You could alternately put fortunes on the sticks, or personality traits, or ambiguous names for future spouses, which would be closer to a traditional sort of Hallowe'en game.

Feed My Pet is an eyeball bounce game -- you've seen them. But if you get the right JOL bucket, it glows in UV light (as do the pingpong eyeballs). You can get a lot of fun for little investment with these because they are quick and easy to make. Didn't even start it until the 31st.

Prints of my Anatomical Monster Posters glowed really well. You can get high-res digital downloads of these for cheap. I won't link directly to it but my signature will get you close.

The only project I invested a lot of time into this year was my Great Pumpkin illustration. This huge thing has been planned for a long long time and I'm pretty happy with it. It glowed very satisfyingly. The grand prize went to anyone who could correctly count the number of pumpkins in it (there are 108!). Prints are available for this too but I won't link directly to it.

Everyone got a wand this year, first come-first served. One very tall (possibly teenaged) kid was very excited to get his wand, and said he'd decided earlier that he would continue trick-or-treating every year until he got a wand from the Witch-Hunter's Barn. I had no idea. The wands are an easy prize to make and kids seem to like them a lot. Tutorials abound so I won't bore you with that, but take a yard trimming and wrap tape and/or twine on it for a handle, apply wood stain, some doodads perhaps, and then UV paint if applicable and you are done. Make 20 or more at a time and boom, you have a lot of prizes to give out and you probably had to buy nothing to make them.

I made my first two groundbreakers ever but failed to light them very well. Here's what they looked like before I did any dental work. Thank you Allen H for sharing your method!

Instead of using the wheel to determine what candy a kid got, I made it more interactive. The kids either had to scream, howl, sing, do a crazy laugh, etc. to get their candy (I got that idea from someone here but dang if I remember who -- thanks whoever you are!).

Had about 18 ToTs total so as always I have the post-Hallowe'en blues. But the silver lining is that one kid, plus the family who says they never miss it.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

The groundbreakers are fabulous, and what a lot of fun games you came up with!

I know you're a mite disappointed about the number of ToTs you got, but the silver lining makes it worthwhile.


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## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

RoxyBlue said:


> The groundbreakers are fabulous, and what a lot of fun games you came up with!
> 
> I know you're a mite disappointed about the number of ToTs you got, but the silver lining makes it worthwhile.


Thank you Roxy!


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

LOVE the wand idea.


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## bobzilla (Nov 13, 2008)

Your graphics and art work are fantastic.....everything turned out great :jol:
Bravo on a job well done!


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol:Wow, your haunt looks great! I love how much you do for your trick or treaters, the games, the prizes. You have such great attention to detail. I'd love to have fewer kids and get to do more for them as you do. I just love the whole aesthetic of the Witch-Hunter's Barn. You have a whole history that you've created and it's so entertaining.


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## ATLfun (Oct 12, 2012)

I am amazed at the effort you put on to provide more of a carnival atmosphere for the kids. I am glad that you you determine your success by the fun that the kids have and not the number of kids. Those kids will always cherish the memories that you create.


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## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

Hadn't seen any of these comments. Thanks everyone!


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

I love that you have interactive things for your ToTers. And so clever. You put on a first rate haunt!


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## The Halloween Lady (Aug 18, 2010)

I finally had a chance to go through your pics from this year and really enjoyed them! Your ground breakers turned out wonderful and your anatomical monster posters are just insane!
I can't believe you made so many wands. What a cool and generous thing to do.
I know it can be disappointing to get so few TOTs, (we live in a neighborhood that doesn't get a ton of kids) but the life long impressions and memories you giving will be a gift that the your TOTs will have forever!!!!!


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## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

Thanks Halloween Lady! And Hairazor!


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## Grimm Pickins (Nov 4, 2013)

Great job Rahnefan, love the ambiance/setting/creatures/posters/everything - another post I forgot to comment on (darn late night browsing)! I spent some time on your website around Halloween, and I found a lot of inspiration in your period feel. A lot of the photos I remembered with folks in garb are gone, or I can't find them. 

I think you are one of the reasons that my antagonist, Antonia Grimm, has solidly become a Colonial/Revolutionary War era figure. I owe you a thanks for that, for sure!


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## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

Thank you Grimm! Awesome!


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## printersdevil (Sep 28, 2009)

Love, love everything!

I always do witches and planned to give away wands this year for my Conjurer's Consortium, but ended up having to cancel it. It will be my theme next year and I will be doing wands. 

You did so much for your TOTers. Great job!


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## Oaklawn Crematory (Oct 25, 2014)

Really great ideas !


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## printersdevil (Sep 28, 2009)

Wonderful haunt. I wanted to give out wands this year, but thanks to your inspiration, I am going to have them for 2015! Love all that you did.


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## printersdevil (Sep 28, 2009)

Wonderful haunt. I wanted to give out wands this year, but thanks to your inspiration, I am going to have them for 2015! Love all that you did.


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## thenightmarefamily (Feb 13, 2015)

Nicely done, i'm sure all the kids walked away extremely happy.


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

Very cool and love the ideas, any video of this by chance?


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## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

Thanks!

No video unfortunately. I have no helpers so when the ToTs come in I'm busy.


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## VeronikaTheWitch (Aug 23, 2015)

The wands look so great! The groundbreakers are AMAZING! The games looked awesome. Nicely done. Wish I had the talent.


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