An Unorthodox Halloween – Page 95

Busy Weekend.

Been a busy weekend.

First, we started the weekend by putting some real work into the new mask for the first time.

This one is coming along quite nicely. I’m rather excited. The full design will be remaining a little secret for some time yet as I’m not 100% finalized, but am really liking the visions in my brain. It’s too bad I can’t sketch worth a damn.

Anyway, face design is coming along. Needs teeth, needs some details, and the eyes need some work. As usual, this is made with Power Grab over Model Magic clay.

Probably obvious what I’m basing it on to anyone who has walked by my cube at work.

To the rest of you. As usual, more Swap Meet salvages:

Then it was onto the big school project sale, spoken of earlier.

Saturday morning was reserved for soccer games. And Saturday afternoon resumed my search for green fire. I’ve made my own, using alcohol as a base fuel.

However, I’ve become increasingly concerned with the safety of the stuff. Both from fumes and from, well, to put it bluntly, kinda sorta burning a couple of my torches…

So, I heard there was a commercial product using oil. Figured I’ld give it a try in the torches. And, the company listed Rainbow Gardens as a retailer. So, my poor kids got thrown in the car.

First, we stopped by Valley Nursery to pick up a couple pots of decorative grass, for use on Halloween as well as making an easy-to-care-for flower bed along the fenceline.

Then, off to a couple stores in a futile attempt to find some wire clothes hangers. Guess I’ll just have to buy a bail of wire.

Then to Rainbow Gardens, where, we came up completely empty. They sell the birthday candles that burn colors, but not the oil. However, the nice folks at Planet Rainbow had a tiny oil lamp set. One green, one purple, one red. They are looking into getting in just the replacement oil for me.

And, what weekend would be complete without the trip to the swap meet. Where else can you find dirt cheap hair extensions of questionable cleanliness? For my use, who cares if it’s clean.

School Project, Sale Day 1

So, give 2 boys a business selling jewelry and skulls, and what do they come up with?

Pirates, of course!

I’m no good at the pirate speakification or this whole thing would be in character. We get there, and are still setting up when the fuss began. The boys in the school are taking a liking to the skulls. Both the plaster variety, and the super limited edition “crystal” skulls (they had 6, clear resin). So hot were the crystal ones, they attempted to upiddy the price. But the powers that be put a cap on the price at $20. (fake money, folks). They did look especially fine with the color changing battery operated tea lights lighting them up from behind.

So, still straightening things out, the barterin began. And the “oh crap, we need to make change?!?!” moment occured early.

The crow actually speaks, but it was too loud to hear it. The Shrunken heads and various other crap dug out of my halloween collection added in for some decorations.

Kyle running his sales pitch.

Jen’s got some better pics of the deal. I’ll pilfer some pics once she posts em.

Strolling around, there were several pet rock shops, several pen/pencil creatures, a number of dollar store toys, a couple of marshmallow shooters, a number of contests, and LOTS of food.

But, popular, were the 2 Guitar Hero stands.

No word who got the high score prizes.

My personal favorites, however, were the fortune teller. A cute little gypsie with a full getup and a magic 8 ball. Fortunes for $1 a question. She had a pretty good act for a 9 year old, too.

And, the magician. Or rather, the child who was promoting the magician, selling magic wands, a book, and magic acts.

Of the acts, I saw a lot of kids buying a petrifying water trick. Such an original concept has to be acknowledged, but I made sure to pay for the fire magic trick. It was no disappointment. We exchanged a little information, who knows, perhaps there’s a future in working together on a halloween project.

Now, there’s 2 weeks to prepare for Sale Day 2. How could we pass up the right fine banner sitting in the grande ole yard sale known as the Swap Meet this morning?

YARRR!!!

School project, part 2

Finally.

We can get back to some sense of normal.

Kyle’s little plaster skull production line is finally at an end.

On one hand, I had to smile with the idea. On the other, there was more than once I had to tell myself it was his project, and let him mess this up, do that wrong, ruin that particular skull, and make a royal mess all over the kitchen.

With hitting the target of 40 Saturday, we put that all aside. One. Last. Mess.

White skulls are all fine and all, but uninteresting at the end of the day. So, it was time for the little mad scientist to finish up.

Gloves I bought just for him to mitigate the mess. (I hate gloves myself, and just use my hands) My wife’s lab coat from school she recently donated to my Halloween supply. And a pair of goggles I made him wear just for the picture because I thought it funny.

Uh oh….coat is not so white anymore…

Eek! A little smear up on the chest now too…

Alright…HOW did it get all over your FACE?

Well. Friday is the big day. We just have to make a sign and name his business now.

As long as we were making the mess, I figured may as well join in.

For a full guide on how to make some of your own, I have completed the instructions over on halloweenforum.com. With more pictures, and detailed instructions from model preparation to making the mold to casting and coloring the skulls on both mini and full size varieties, along with answering any questions.

Because, you can never have too many.

I am Legend.

Ya knew Extremely Crappy Movie Friday Night wasn’t a decent enough fix.

Kyle and I sat down to watch I Am Legend Saturday night.

Now, I am no fan of remakes. I frankly cringe at the thought of a remake. And, as one who was introduced to this story by Last Man on Earth with Vincent Price, I have forgone viewing any of the numberous remakes, until now.

I was curious to see Will Smith carry a movie, alone. It was not disappointing.

As with the original the start of the movie surrounds how the last man manages to survive day by day. The specifics of that survival have changed considerably, but IMO for the better.

What this does is suck you in to caring about the character, much like watching Cast Away. The one thing you can complain about is we don’t get enough of this. It’s very compelling, and some of the finest acting out there, especially in the genre.

As the story progresses and unfolds, the movie expects the audience to make a number of connections. Little clues are left throughout the film for you to catch and pick up on why things are happening where, but they are sometimes far from obvious, and often leave lingering doubts and questions in your mind.

One of the greatest things of the movie is in what it does NOT show. In contrast to most horror films today, we are given lots of suggestions, and are left to imagine the gory details for ourselves. It’s an art that is sorely missing, but hopefully making a comeback.

It is this combination at the end of the film, you’re left with questions burning in your brain. Searching for the connections in the film, replaying, and filling in the blanks we do not see that leaves you wanting more.

Many complain about some of the CGI in the movie. It’s not great. It’s far from bad. And better than most in the genre. Ultimately unneeded. It serves it’s purpose.

The best review of I am Legend I can think of:

Kyle was awake several times in the night. The burning questions turned to dreams of evils outside his bedroom window. It was not until I moved the cat to sleep with him he settled down for the night.

And first thing he wanted to do the next morning is watch it again.

THAT is what makes a fine movie.

More Pictures!

I’ve dug into the archives and dug out pics from 2005 and uploaded them for your viewing pleasure. Most of it is pics of the building of my mask for that year, as that’s really the only major addition that year.

Also added in pics to 2006 of some work in progress peices, and some pics off the other camera to 2007.

And don’t forget, it’s AMC’s Extremely Crappy Movie Friday night!