# Halloween Prop Building 101-2009



## trishaanne (Aug 20, 2005)

Just thought I would pass along this little bit of advice that I learned the hard way today. When you think you have a great idea, sit back and take a long hard second thought before starting it..lol. I decided that since I'm so far behind this year, and I still have about 70 wall panels to paint, and the grout lines are taking me about an hour per panel, I needed to squeeze in every little bit of time that's left to work on stuff. Now, I have 2 grandkids here all day every day, both under the age of 2 and two days a week I have 3 more kids here, all under the age of 4. Add to that mix a new puppy, my mother in law for dinner 3 nights a week and exactly ONE free weekend between now and Halloween. One of the grandkids is here about 13 hours a day, 2-3 days a week.

Well, today was a nice day and I decided to take them outside with some acrylic paints and brushes and brushes so I could paint some pf the panels. Now, here comes the advice part...listen carefully. NEVER let two, 2 year olds loose with paint and brushes. I painted 1/2 a panel and then realized it was very quiet at the next table. They were painting each other, faces, backs, arms, you name it. They were painting the patio chairs, the poles for the tarp that's out back, the patio, the windows on the back door and then they painted........MY DOG!!!!!!!!! Yup, my new puppy has a new orange stripe down her back. Needless to say, the paints went away, the panels got put back, the kids went into the tub and I'm just as far from being does before I started, but now I'm twice as tired from all the extra work. Looks like I'll be staying away from this place at night and locking myself into the garage for a few hours a night.


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Ouch! You made me tired just reading your post. So now I think the kids are more dangerous than the NJ/PA Make and Take group.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Forget the kids... The poor puppy! If you haven't picked a name yet may I suggest Stryper or Urnge. LOL... Please tell us you took pictures. I know it was probably frustrating as hell but that's comedy gold in the making. 

I can see the first time you meet their date... "let me tell you about the time they painted the dog." muhahaha.

On a serious note though, definitely lock yourself away and get some work done girl!


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## Lauriebeast (Feb 27, 2007)

Aw Pattie, that's awful! I say sell the kids and keep the puppy


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Better yet, leave the paint on the kids and put em on display Halloween night. Make em work instead of trick-or-treating.

Gotta love the silent giggles from the kids... It's ALWAYS a HUGE sign of TROUBLE!

It could have been worse, they could have decided to repaint the panels you already finished.


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## Kaoru (May 6, 2009)

Understandable about locking yourself away considering how much work you have to do. If you need more time on labor day weekend to work on your stuff let us know. We definately don't want to impose if your busy girl. The poor puppy, I don't know how thats gonna come off her fur. I'm thinking she might need a shave and end up with a temporary bald spot until her fur grows back? 
Trish I've been there and done that with my daughter. If she's TO quiet I know that she's up to something. And I'm always right about that too since even now I catch her doing stuff she is not allowed to do. Good luck and hope you feel better! And yeah you will laugh at this once you get over the shock of it.


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## trishaanne (Aug 20, 2005)

I laughed at it as it was happening, although I couldn't let them know that. Well, all except painting the puppy...that kinda made me a little cranky..lol. She's fine..she went and rolled in the grass and managed to get some of it off. I was going to give her a bath after the kids leave but it seems that she managed to wipe most of the paint off on my COUCH!! I trimmed off the little bit that was left...and you can't even tell it was there or that she was trimmed. As for Labor Day weekend, PLEASE come visit...I could use some adult company....even if it is the haunters..LOL.


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## stick (Jan 21, 2009)

Sorry you did not get much done on your panels but that was a funny story. Thanks for the laugh


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

OMG, this is SO funny! Oh, er, I mean, how terrible for you

I think most of us are guilty of overbooking ourselves - lots of great ideas and just not enough time to get it all done. I try not to do that anymore because it just makes me cranky when I have no free time (and can only blame myself because I didn't plan better).


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## Kaoru (May 6, 2009)

trishaanne said:


> As for Labor Day weekend, PLEASE come visit...I could use some adult company....even if it is the haunters..LOL.


No problem on our part, we will see you labor day weekend! Also I wish I could have taken a pic of the dog with the paint on its fur. When you said a line across its fur I thought, skunk like peppi le pew!


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## spidermonkey (Jul 29, 2008)

Trish,

Did you get photos? 
Sorry it put you behind and made you cranky since it doesn't sound like you gave them washable paint. But at least it will go down in the annals of your family history and you will have a great laugh!

At least they are not trying to pee on the dog. Berzerkmonkey has a friend with a young tot (boy) whom they are trying to potty train. His day is spent trying to sneak up on the dog to pee on him.


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## trishaanne (Aug 20, 2005)

They were using acrylic paints, which washes right off, so that was no problem. And, being the good grandmother, I sat there and watched them as they were doing it. I mean, once they got started, what's the worst they could do. Painting each other was funny, and it was probably something I would have done when I was a kid. Kinda pissed me off that the camera was upstairs, and that I couldn't leave them outside alone for a few minutes to get it because of the pool. The dog is fine, the patio furniture will get washed off when it rains....still no progress on the walls though. I'm guessing that may not get done until next year..lol. I did manage to get 2 pictures, one of each kid, before they went into the tub. Maybe I'll get my son to show me how to load them tomorrow.


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## dflowers2 (Mar 5, 2007)

I want to see the puppy, got any pictures?


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## trishaanne (Aug 20, 2005)

Nope...didn't get any pics of the puppy covered with paint. She was busy rolling around in the grass and I was busy cleaning up the other mess. Sorry.


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## Terra (Apr 13, 2009)

Great story! Reminds me of this famous picture:


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

LOL that is funny, but I'm sure you didn't think so at the moment. Thanks for sharing that photo that was great! Oh and did you save the television???


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## Warrant2000 (Oct 8, 2008)

I wonder if you could MM the kids...


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Excellent idea Warrant! Oh how much fun it'd be to MM their diapers!


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## DeathTouch (Sep 6, 2005)

(Taking Notes)


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## sharpobject (May 7, 2008)

Wow Pattie - what a day! Before you know it, the kids will be rotten teenagers and you'll fondly look back at that day and smile (it'll keep you sane). As for the panels - save me a couple to do at the make and take - I don't think we'll be starting anything new and with the props we've been doing lately, I don't get to paint as much as I'd like - so it would be my pleasure to help you.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Yeah, thats not a bad idea... Pattie, let us know if you need our help painting while we're there. I bet with a group effort we could knock those panels out in no time.


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## Beth (Sep 27, 2005)

If you haven't named the puppy yet, how about "Pepe" for Pepe Lepew (sp?)!!! Been there, done that!!! Kids are so wonderful!!! And silence is the most fearful sound a mother/grandmother can hear!! Teehee!!


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## Lady Nyxie (Aug 30, 2006)

So sorry to hear you are so far behind. It will be a cute story though... someday. Sounds like you handled it beautifully. If my September wasn't such a circus, I would gladly come down and do some painting for you. Keep your chin up friend.


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

I was going to suggest what a couple of people here already offered... You've been a gracious host so many times, how about if your M&T'ers paint some panels for you? If you had like 5 people on that, I bet you'd have the whole shebang done by after lunch.

Sorry I can't help... St. Louis is a bit of a drive from there.


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Terra said:


> Great story! Reminds me of this famous picture:


I will help you paint Pattie. So what color is your couch again????


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## trishaanne (Aug 20, 2005)

Thanks for the offers...I'm planning on spending all my free time this weekend doing the grout lines..after that the rest is easy. We'll see how many I can knock out before next weekend. 

On another note, how many signs do you need that Halloween is not going to be easy this year..lol. Today I decided I'd start doing the few things I can do while the girls are here. I decided to start hanging some of the faces on my tree. It's just a small thing but at least it's something. Well, dragged out the crate with the faces, got the nails, the hammer, all the stuff I need, set the girls up coloring on the sidewalk with chalk and started. Came around on one side of the tree, was about to step down and noticed TONS of yellow jackets coming in and out of a hole in the ground under one of the roots. Well, stepped away gently, moved the girls over to the driveway to draw, put all the stuff away and now I have to go outside and spray tonight. Swell..one more thing to add to the list of things I really don't want to do. Needless to say, I got nothing done again today. *sigh*


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## spidermonkey (Jul 29, 2008)

OH MY GOD! I am very sorry. No one was stung? Lucky that you noticed them before you stepped into the hive.
I hope you catch a break soon.


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