Trading tips for dark displays and prop production.
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By shaft28
#94872
Alright I finally got the majority of it up - still a bunch of pumpkins to adorn the front steps and the Hallowindow to be projected at the end of the driveway to go. But to give you an idea.

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These will look better at night when I drop in the pumpkin lights...that's my boy petting his cat.

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This looks better at night with the string lights and pumpkins lit...and no cat butt in the photo.

Last year I had arch ways and all kinds of stuff in the front and around the walkway. Had to rig up a bunch of supports and with over 275 kids it became a nightmare to keep it all in place. So this year I pulled it all back to the framing of the grass (aside the cat, what can you do) and the kids will have free reign to romp all over the yard. Should be a little more user friendly.
User avatar
By mesmark
#94875
shaft28 wrote: This looks better at night with the string lights and pumpkins lit...and no cat butt in the photo.
Cats! What are you going to do ... they never listen.

The monster sign at the front is great. I like the windows as well.

But, I love the pumpkins strung up like that. I'm sure it looks amazing at night. Great job!
User avatar
By shaft28
#94895
Thanks, built in 1928. Neat house but a lot of work... Those 3 wee windows are into our upstairs bath. I put eyes in then red cellophane behind them, add in a flickering light for a bit more creep factor. Unfortunately we keep them closed most of the time; the left one is at an unfortunate height right at the toilet. No need to give the 80 year old an all natural "hey how are you!"

Will get some pictures at night later this week when I do a dry run with all the lights on/kins a glowing!
User avatar
By shaft28
#95145
Yeah I like those eyes. They are a little on the cheap side so falling apart - I'll be fixing after Halloween with a glue gun. They are in a side window of the house this year along the driveway. So any kid coming up the block from the left will see them 3-4 houses away.
I've always wanted to do something more with them, we have a huge tree (an 80-90 year of cedar of Lebanon) that the eyes would look great on the front of it. Especially since a street T bones into the street we live on right center on my house and that tree.
So you'd see the eyes from 20 houses away. You could kind of see them in the window prior but only when you got close (the street gradually descends). Alas, Portland rain and that those eyes are not waterproof... Someday I'll find something right.

On a positive note I have a 3 foot Santa face I put on the tree so it gets some love during Christmas.
User avatar
By shaft28
#95405
Alright, I'm first to admit the photos aren't great. It was raining, hard at the time so I was rushed and forgot the flash was on half the time and moving when I was trying to hold still for lit up shots. Plus the heavy traffic...despite the heavy rains all day and huge puddles we still had over 225 trick or treaters. Portland kids don't stay in for nothing! Everyone was soaked.

My Hallowindow display, first time so it took a bit. While I was setting up the sheet was flapping like a flag due to heavy winds and I was leaning in my car getting soaked. Took bit but the final result was pretty good, kids loved it (or ran in fear).
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T rex - was a huge hit
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Even the garage is haunted
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Unfortunately the flash is on the for the next few
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Toothless needed a tickle
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Dragon on the loose
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All in all a very wet but fun night. Had a few friends over to hang and enjoy some homemade gumbo and beer.
LOVED the performance of the led waterproof lights, key to brightness is fresh batteries. But the small size and as it turned out the very important need to be waterproof paid off huge.

I must admit I do love hearing how much the parents and kids love the house "best in neighborhood" and "saved yours for the grand finale"...just cool. Unfortunately my photos don't do it justice but with the lights and sound it is quite a playground for kids.
Hope all of you had a Happy Halloween!
User avatar
By nosferatu
#95429
What a great display! I love, love, love that cat. Totally awesome, you did a great job. If I lived nearby, I would save your house for the grand finale too.
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By shaft28
#95459
Thanks. The cat is great, the head moves a little every 5-10 seconds and is scares the bejeezus out of every dog (and we have a very busy dog walking neighborhood). Spooks the little kids initially then they just want to hug it.
User avatar
By mesmark
#95466
shaft28 wrote:Thanks. The cat is great, the head moves a little every 5-10 seconds and is scares the bejeezus out of every dog ...
That sounds awesome! Nice to get a good reaction from a prop, be it human or K9.

The house looks great! It's a bummer when the pictures don't do it justice, but it's hard to get everything set up and try to take time to snap good pictures.

It sounds like you enjoyed it and I think it's awesome of you to go all out and make Halloween fun for those around you!

How long does the clean up take?
User avatar
By shaft28
#95475
Thanks, we do love it. Clean up, well I take down most of it Halloween night. We have a lot of teenagers in the neighborhood and a college within walking distance so I take down all the foam pumpkins and more and toss into the garage (also to dry it out). That takes about two hours...mind you literally tossed into the garage in a pile. Another hour for indoor stuff then probably 1-2 hours a week later to bag/box and load it up the garage attic. So 4-5 hours but not at one shot so it doesn't seem so bad.

Still lighting the real pumpkins nightly until they rot (judging by the weather any day...)
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By Raven
#95494
We unfortunately had a rainy Halloween night as well, though it did hold off really coming down till about 8 p.m. It didn't seem to really stop any kids from ToTing though.

Everything looks really great at night, and Toothless is super cute!