An Unorthodox Halloween – Page 78

Looking back, to look forward.

As everything has reached it’s resting place for the ’08 season, it’s time to reflect on what worked…and what didn’t.

First, the struggle with the totems may be over.

ORIGINALLY, these were a TEST ONLY. Maybe be used one year, testing to see if the paper mache would hold up for the “real” project. (which was abandoned as I have no way to store it)

It was at my son’s Boy Scout Blue and Gold Banquet that the concept struck me. The kids had made these little totems out of brown paper bags and drawing faces on them for center pieces on the tables.

That got the wheels turning. Remembering how cool the old pumpkin totems were in the neighborhood growing up. And, as we sat for dinner, I sketched the idea out on a napkin.

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

Then began the construction. PVC pipe frame, chickenwire skeleton, and paper towel mache with 50% wood glue 50% water mixture. (this was before my power grab mache)

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

Totem 1 went well, and was tested in early spring…to the confusion of folks driving by at the time.

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

Totem 2, however, was nothing but trouble from the get go. A new roll of chicken wire that, while the same guage and hole size, was softer. Then some trouble with the glue application that resulted in my sprayer actually filtering out the glue and applying more water. (it was a good idea at the time) The thing went soggy when I tried to apply a hardening coat with more traditional newspaper.

This led to the application of Monster mud over both to shore up Totem 2.

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

Finally, they arrived at a completed state.

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

These things have single handedly resulted in more intimidation than most anything else. Especially coupled with the music. As one little Indiana Jones put it this past year, making it through the field of skulls, past the scarecrows, and being faced by the totems. “I’m NOT going in THERE!”

The Totems have become as much an icon of the yard as the skulls out front. Yet…the rain Halloween evening may have finished off Totem 2 for good. It may be time to re-envision the Totems in a more permanent fashion. Fiberglass is in the back of my mind, yet, that powergrab mache should do the trick cheaper, and survive a fair bit of weather.

The Grave Mounds have suffered a similar problem. Though only one fell victim due to the rain (well, more a victim of a bookcase falling on it the week prior to halloween to be fair), they all collapsed in the center due to weight in the weeks prior. They will be needing some re-thinking. Not to mention plans in store for them need them LIGHTER anyway….

Another in the ‘works, but didn’t work’ category are the bead curtains.

From Halloween 2008

Yes, you could KINDA see through em, but not well, PRECISELY as I wanted. I could hide in there unseen by approaching people just fine, yet see out perfectly thanks to the optical illusion they presented. However, their loop design caught on every pixy wing, every little mask, every wheelchair and stroller….

Time for SMOOTH beads….

Finally, while really neat in the daytime, the webs went largely un-noticed at night.

From Halloween 2008

Simply not enough light to see them.

The solution WOULD be to add more light…that’s not possible with my torches. So, the answer is to add more webs. THAT would require a larger gun…

Just a few things to ponder as we close out the 2008 season.

…….or DO we?…..

From Christmas

The Great Rot-off.

You may be wondering why Fred was…NAKED…on Halloween.

From Halloween 2008

Well, that story begins back in May. When we buried a few clothes for Fred. Basing it off a tutorial over on SkullandBone.com.

Well, concerned that my fish-tank solution would not be quite as effective as their pond scum, I happened upon some sheet composting information, and figured it may just work for rotting clothes too. So, we put some more clothes to use there.

Thus began the great Rot-Off!

WHICH method would be better? Which one would Fred wear? Will my wife kill me over the piles of rotting crapola in the yard? Would anyone even notice?

We dug things up a week prior to Halloween.

The “pond scum” method came out pretty much as expected. But…a little bad luck made them useless for Fred.

Top half of a shirt that covered a bit too much of Fred’s chest.

From Halloween buildup '08

“Fun” digging up graves…

From Halloween buildup '08

Kyle finds a pair of pants…that had the entire front eaten away.

From Halloween buildup '08

And, that fancy button down white collered shirt…only the right half survived.

From Halloween buildup '08

But, the question remained…just how would the sheet composting match up???

Peeling back the newspaper we were greeted with a most UNIQUE smell…and a bunch of insect life I had never seen before.

From Halloween buildup '08

What remained of the shirt buried here…

From Halloween buildup '08

The pants only had the seems, pockets, and zipper left.

From Halloween buildup '08

But, instead of tossing a bunch of holey pants that no longer fit Alec, we tested them in the sheet compost pile, and the results show just how I can fine tune it for next year!

Alec pants placed on top of the compost pile, show no rot, as expected.

From Halloween buildup '08

Alec pants placed in the middle of the grass, not touching ground have very nice rotting.

From Halloween buildup '08

Alec Pants placed at ground level and covered once again have only the pockets and seams intact.

From Halloween buildup '08

So, just how potent is this sheet composting? Sheet composting on the left, ‘traditional’ method on the right.

From Halloween buildup '08

And, my understanding is that LEAVES make even better material than GRASS clippings for this sheet composting…so, as the leaves fall…maybe it’s time to rot some clothes.

Videos 2008

Slideshow updated below. Will add it to the sidebar later.

Video 1: several groups going through, including some kids too scared and needing to see I was just in a mask.

Video 2: More ‘clean’ run through.

"The UnOrthOdOx Halloween Experience 2008"

Or so my wife likes to put it.

We’re sitting at 90% completion.

Got some more skulls to put up, ones that needed more foam…

Speaking of which, along with the other events conspiring against me, the brand of foam I typically use was sold out. So, I had to go with this other brand, which is proving to have advantages and disadvantages to the ‘normal’ stuff.

Then, we get to web everything tomorrow. Didn’t want to do it too early because the stuff yellows.

Big night tomorrow with lighting tests, and adjustments in prep for the real thing on Friday.

So, I may be too busy to post tomorrow night, but here’s the 2008 slideshow, that WILL be getting updated.Update 10/31.

The slideshow has been updated with last night’s pics, and I’m pleased to add a live soundtrack from my little brother. The camera doesn’t really capture the full tone of the djembe, unfortunately.

Reliving Childhood.

My younger brother showed up the other day with a wee little present for me.

From Halloween buildup '08

Spud and I go back quite a ways for Halloween. From visiting Haunted Houses, to trying to make our own. I recall fondly the days he and I would put on silly masks and hide in the dark, or up in the trees…watching my uncle climb up on his roof to moon us…and winding up on his porch with nothing but blankets, waiting for trick or treaters to pass so we could go flash them in return….

(Yes, we had a fun childhood there…)

Well…He sure knows the right presents to bring these days.

And, as spoken of earlier, back in my childhood days, the first thing I tried to build was a scientist lab that really rather sucked.

Well, I got the opportunity earlier this week to rectify that. So, anyone out there who may have been subjected to my crappy attempt back in the 80’s, I hope you enjoy this a bit more.

As a special treat, here are some very rare sketches of the plan. I don’t typically reveal just how bad I suck at drawing, but it’s fun to see how this come to be.