Book Review - How To Haunt Your House, Book One

This Book by Shawn & Lynne Mitchell is a great place to get started if you are looking for ideas to create indoor or outdoor props. The price was a bit higher than I would have expected, and there were too many pages wasted on the inside with colorfully lit props without accompanying how-to instructions. But overall, it covers many of the basics of prop making including painting effects, lighting, and fog machines.

Most of the supplies and tools are readily available around your house and the rest can be easily picked up at your local hardware or craft store. (I recommend saving old paint, Styrofoam, and even dryer lint throughout the year so you are ready) I created a version of the Graveyard Fence described in the book for Halloween last year.  It is amazing how much of a difference a fence can make in the overall effect of your yard decorations without too much cost. More on that later...

Liquid Latex - How To Video

Zombie Makeup Tutorial #2 - Rotting Flesh

The above is a great video on how to apply liquid latex.  I haven't tried it yet, but will post a video once I do.  Here are the supplies that are suggested in the video (links are to Amazon, but you can probably buy them other places as well):

Liquid Latex Ben Nye 8oz Bottle
Professional Makeup Wheels Ben Nye Master Bruise Wheel
Creme Color Liners Ben Nye Steel Grey
F/X Creme Colors Sallow Green
Translucent Powder Shaker Bottles 3.0oz Ben Nye Neutral Set (or Baby Powder or Corn Starch)
STIPPLE SPONGE 2-Pack Snazaroo Face Painting Sponge
Pampered Chef Citrus Peeler in Bright Orange Color
Toilet Paper
Cosmetic Wedge
Cosmetic Round
Powder Brush
Art Brushes

Welcome to Forget The Candy . . . And RUN!

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved Halloween.  Sure the candy was great, but my favorite part was running from house to house with my friends and wondering when (not if) someone or something was going to jump out and scare us.  See, I always assumed other people loved Halloween as much as I did and I was terribly disappointed when Trick-or-Treating would end without someone playing a "trick" on me and my friends.

When I was too old (by local laws) to go Trick-or-Treating anymore, I just couldn't give up the holiday.  So, I started setting up little Tricks around my front yard for the other kids.  It started out simple - a homemade ghost on fishing line run from my upstairs window to the top of a tree across the driveway.  But since that didn't really scare anyone I quickly progressed to Halloween makeup, spooky music, and props like "severed legs" and fake chainsaws.  My Senior Year in High School I even made my girlfriend (can you believe it, she still ended up marrying me years later) join in on the fun and play the part of the bloodied victim.  I knew I was on to something when my mom called me at college the next year and said that all of the kids were asking where I was as they collected their candy - without any Tricks.

Many years later, and with a kid of my own, I have gotten back to creating that fun anticipation for the neighborhood kids and spend a significant amount of time each year planning, building, and executing a Halloween theme.  Throw in an annual Halloween party and you can see why I decided to start this blog...  Stay tuned for ideas on music, costumes, makeup, party and lawn decorations, recipes, book and product reviews, event calendars, and many more things.