2012 Yard Haunt

We skipped the party this year but we did the yard haunt.

I just wish the weather would cooperate. It was cold and snowed – yes, SNOWED – though, happily, it didn’t stick.

Calling All Creatures, Part Deux

Last night, Halloween, was cold, cold, cold – we even had snow! However, the show must go on and so did our Yard Haunt 2010.

Jack, the Pumpkin King

Yes, indeed, the big addition to our yard haunt this year was Jack Skellington!  The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my oldest daughter’s favorite movies and she requested that we add Jack to the haunt.  My husband, daughter, and I spent approximately 60 hours creating Jack, most of it spent on the 4-stage molding process for his head.  We are extremely happy with the result and, in the dark, he really popped (see below)!  We had many compliments and all the hard work was really worth it.

Our yard haunt is basically a cemetary, which we’ve been adding to each year.  It’s starting to fill out a bit and we have plans for additions for next year already in mind.

We bought extra lighting this year and I think it makes a big difference.  In the front row, we have three lawn flood lights that have spikes you push into the ground and in the back row, my husband mounted a double flood light onto a wood base. 

You can see the wind really fills out our flying ghost.  On Halloween day we had a series of storms sweep through the area and the wind was terrible.  We had to add supporting wires to Jack and the headstones so they wouldn’t get blown over.  It kept us from using our fog machine (again), which would have set everything nicely.  But, my inexpensive flying ghost made with styrofoam boards, pvc pipe, skeleton head and hands, and lots and lots of the cheapest garbage bags I could buy, continues to be a big hit.  We also set up my daughter’s laptop and speakers to play music out a window – The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack and Midnight Syndicate. 

So, what do you think? 

 

Anticipating Halloween

Since I was young, I have loved Halloween.  It’s my favorite time of the year.  Living in northeastern U.S. there is a slight chill, the leaves are turning red, orange and yellow and there is a certain smell to the air, a combination I associate with the fallen leaves and the clear, cool air of the north.  And best of all – Halloween.  I’ve always loved the fun of getting scared and scaring others (the fun kind, not the grotesque, slasher-movie kind), dressing up in costumes (and, as a child, trick-or-treating) and decorating my house.  When my kids were little, I was too exhausted to get excited and when they got a little older, they were too scared of some of my decorations, so those stayed packed away. 

Starting a few years ago, I gradually brought out a few things and each year since, Halloween has gotten a little bigger here.  Last year, my husband got in on the fun and helped me make some props and get set up for the big night.  We had a blast.  Following are some pictures:

There was also a cemetery, but I didn’t get very good pictures of that.  This year, we are adding to the whole tableau and my children are even getting in on the fun (my babies!!!).  And I will get better pictures.  Check back after Halloween.