An Unorthodox Halloween – Page 42

Preparing for exile…

Yes.

First of October.

Time to start REALLY preparing for the season, setting out decor, building this and that….

I’m being sent on a business trip, however. As such, I’ll be losing that first week of prep…another in the long list of problems this year.

So, how does one cope with such a downer?

For the drive:

From October Exile

And, to keep the spirit through the trip:

From October Exile

We’ll be on the lookout for more suitable diversions as well.

Meanwhile the great pumpkin search stands as follows:

Farm in Harrisville: $.50 1-5lb, $1 5-10lb, $2 10-15lb, $3 15-20lb, etc (best price yet on ‘normal’ size)
Day Farms: $.16/lb (best price on med-large sizes)
Maceys: $.19/lb
Home Depot: $4 ea
Walmart: $.49/lb (though I expect it will/has gone down since last time I was there)

Update:
Perry fruit stands: $2-$6 (VERY large $6 pumpkins, ‘normal’ size $3)
Produce stand in South Ogden: $1-$30 (‘normal’ size $2.50-$5 very little logic to pricing)

Corn, corn, and more corn…

Importing of corn stalks is in full swing.

And, we needed some means of storing all this corn I’m bringing in before I go about setting up how I want.

First in line to be filled as storage was our whiskey barrel. In a little bit of a coming out ceremony, we moved it out behind the countdown to help drive home our new theme.

From 2010 Buildup

The rest…is in one heck of a bundle right now. 2ft deep, 6 ft wide, I figured to strap it to the fence to keep it all up and sturdy, and provide me a little means of decoration/advertisement.

From 2010 Buildup

And, I have about half that left to go pick up.

I may just make it through the whole corn setup without having to fall back on plan B. But, there IS a plan B just in cast this proves not quite enough. It sure is looking like a lot, can’t wait to start setting it up for real…

With corn in hand, it’s time to start thinking on the Pumpkins.

So far, leading candidate is a farmer in Harrisville, pay by weight. Average price for the size I want is $2.

Wal-Mart would be slightly cheaper for bigger pumpkins. Sacco’s is out of the question.

Have to check Day Farms still…

The stand we found last year does not have pumpkins yet, however, and if they are anywhere close to the 18 pumpkins for under $12 we got last year, I’m sure it’s gonna be the winner.

Frightmares 2010 reviews.

Frightmares at Lagoon is always a fun time.

We made it out opening night and bring you our reviews of the new attractions for the 2010 season.

New in 2010 is the “Scary and Crow’s maze”. This is for wee ones, not scary, there’s a height limit (over some height can’t enter), and is a companion piece to the Trick or Treat Trail, meant to split traffic between the two. Set up also as a trick or treat.

From 2010 Fun

Talia enters….and first up is the Witch who is “Aaaa scary”…

From 2010 Fun

Talia understands Halloween so well already she is faking scared…it’s rather funny.

From 2010 Fun

Coloring at the scarecrow…

From 2010 Fun

The fairy was easily Talia’s favorite part. Thrilled when she was sprinkled with pixie dust…

Overall Scarey and Crow’s is a very fun Trick or Treat time. However, it ultimately fails miserably in it’s ability to divert traffic from the Trick or Treat lane, and that disparity is in the difference in treats handed out. The likes of spider rings and pictures to color here just can’t compete with cold hard candy.

We were unable to get into the Trick or Treat lane as a result, as traffic was simply insane there.

Also new in 2010 is LOCKDOWN.

This is a “4 spider” rated haunted house ‘too scary for kids’. Themed in a Prison with some demented guards and worse inmates.

This is actually one of the more enjoyable haunts at Lagoon, in my opinion. It actually takes the theme and runs with it in a logical progression from the kitchen, cells, laundry, and on through death row. A few recycled things from Deception last year get tossed in here and there, and don’t fit quite as well as I would like, but it’s always nice to see the top end props as the finale brings.

Alec found this one to be the most disturbing of the night.

From 2010 Fun

Talia actually rather enjoyed it, giving inmates high fives as they screamed and reached from their cells. Too scary….pah….

From 2010 Fun

Returning from last year are 3 haunts.

First is Psycho Dave’s junkyard…however, new this year is a one time through limit. Sure, it got some additions from the now defunct highschool, but I was a little disappointed to see the change. It’s still fun to see all the leftover crap, especially for those of us who remember where they came from.

Next up is Deception. This thing really lacks any kind of theme, and is a jumble of assorted rooms, highlighted by a wax museum of theatrical villains. Kyle found this one to be the most disturbing…which is strange as Talia walked through it on her own fine, not reaching to be held and only occasionally grabbing my leg. “Look daddy, they got BLOOD!” Her seeing my excessive makeup for the lab prior to it melting off seems to have rendered her more immune to the stuff on others.

I was rather disappointed with this one myself, but I’m not a fan of the random crap thrown into a house kind of haunt to begin with, so I’m a bit biased. And, they DID get Kyle jumpy.

Finally comes the long standing Funhouse. Talia’s LEAST favorite among them. She has most definitely developed a fear of clowns.

Mostly showing off effects with the 3d glasses, this is more fun than it really is scary. (unless you hate clowns) The inclusion of a chainsaw is a little odd choice. It also racked up the longest line by a long shot early into the hours of darkness.

All in all, I still say Lagoon is the best bang for your buck for Halloween fun in the local area.

Atmosphere just simply can’t be overstated.

From 2010 Fun

Product Review: Mehron 3d Gel

Before we get too far removed, I want to get up my review of Mehron 3D Gel.

This stuff claims to do it all.

Sculpt it, smooth it, use it as an adhesive, heck just add some of your makeup to it and it’s automatically colored your custom color. It even won’t stick to your hair, clothes, whatever else you don’t want it on, with just water cleanup.

And it works fabulously…under the right conditions.

I discovered this while out looking for liquid latex for my makeup in the Lab. Doing a small test prior to the lab, I quickly fell in love with it.

You simply place the bottle in a pot of water on LOW/Warm on your stove, and wait for it to melt. Then, apply it. I used a sponge, a brush, but finally settled on my fingers as the easiest means of application. Mixing makeup into the liquid form makes it whatever color your makeup was.

The stuff IS more sturdy in it’s adhesion than spirit gum, but not quite on the same level as medical adhesives. It works with all the same tricks and effects I’ve come to know and love from liquid latex. And, when it came time to remove it, it simply rinsed away under hot water. I was ready to declare this stuff the best product ever invented with the caveat of using some common sense not to burn yourself.

However….

It’s the washing away that is the weakness of this product. It responds to heat. And, when one is stuffed into an out-building with no air conditioning on a warm September day…it’s gonna melt. Thus another year with no theatrical makeup in the Laboratory.

So, this product is to be used with care at all stages. If you are going to be in a nicely cooled room/party and taking it easy, this is easily the best product out there. If you are going to be a ‘working act’ in a haunt, in a warm room/weather, or active/dancing, you’re better off looking elsewhere for your theatrical makeup as this will end up in a puddle before long.

The Harvest prep begins…….

With the Laboratory finished, it’s time to turn our attention fully towards The Harvest.

Why did we choose such a simple theme?

Could be the bad year. Could be a little perturbed that some deem such things ‘lesser’ haunts…”not scary enough”. Could be getting back in touch with my youth, hearing strange growls coming from deeper within the corn as I was picking to earn money for school clothes in those dark hours before dawn….Probably a mixture.

There are three primary focuses.

Corn.

Pumpkins.

Scarecrows.

You’ve seen the pumpkin test. We’ve been harvesting all the corn stalks I can get my hands on. It’s time to unveil the scarecrows.