[mesmark]

I always take a bunch of progress shots to show how I made something to somebody, some day ... Well, I've finally gotten around to writing up a few tutorials. I finished 3:
how to make a Halloween sign
how to make a Grim Reaper
how to make a treasure chest

I'm thinking next that I'll post on:
how to make swords
how to make ghosts for haunted house
how to make a pirate sign

(I've already written posts for all of the haunted house pieces from before.)

I've made things like the East India Trading company crate, but I can't imagine anyone else out there planning to make something like that. However, can you think of anything else you think would be helpful to post on?

[purple1worm]

very cool! Thanks for the tutorials! I've book marked for future reference.

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

mesmark, the prop process photos and explanations you've posted here on the form have served as a great tutorial for quite a few people. I sometimes see incoming links from other sites, blogs and forums, all directing the haunting community to check out your methods. So it makes sense to feature the useful tutorials on your site as well. You get to enjoy making the stuff... your friends, family and students get to enjoy seeing it on display... and then the internet world gets to benefit from your experience too. Hope it makes all the work seem worth it.

[nosferatu]

They are great tutorials. Local hardware chains here seem to sell very thick insulation foam though. So I may have to go looking online. I was asked to make a few props for my daughter's dance group, a wardrobe, television, some scary looking trees etc and your posts were the first I looked up. In the end, I've ended up using 3mm MDF as the trees need to rotate but I really want to make a pirate chest like yours.

I think these tutorials and more, when you make them will be invaluable to us minions. The only glitch is that you make it look so simple. The one ingredient you haven't included is craftsmanship!

Can't wait for your theme this year. The highlight of September.....well, that and the relaunch.

[mesmark]

Nos - Thanks, but it really is pretty simple. Sometimes, it just takes time. I think the hardest part is figuring out how you can make an idea actually become a reality. I've seen so many people do much nicer work.

I'd like to spend more time on certain things, but my props need to fill large spaces. I always hope to drop some jaws
However, people have pretty much just come to expect it. "Pirates this year, ey? Nice."

Looking forward to next year??? ... yeah, me too
Got any ideas?

I sometimes see incoming links from other sites, blogs and forums, all directing the haunting community to check out your methods.

That's cool to hear. I post things here all in one thread. Sometimes a set of pictures is buried on page 5 and within a certain nondescript heading, the grim reaper being a pretty good example. That was within the bloody walls post. Also, I assume that people are pretty familiar with my style so I don't spend so much time explaining things. So, it's good to hear that the point gets across.

Also, I don't really expect people to make the exact same thing. I really hope to just give them some ideas to build on and make what they need for their project.

Now to just write up some more posts ...