The Dimmick Family's Halloween Haunt
Posts tagged Scaretaker
Halloween 2009
Nov 2nd
This year’s haunt was a real success. I focused a lot of my time and budget into the lighting and ambiance of the haunt this year. Black lights, fog and chiller, lightning, thunder, candles flickering all added to the creepy, haunted vibe. My “Scaretaker” was a real hit with the kids and adults alike. We had a steady stream of ToTs all evening and at one point there was a huge crowd of parents and kids standing in front of my house admiring all our hard work. I wish I had taken a picture of that, it was quite a sight to behold. 
Here are some miscellaneous pictures from Halloween night.
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- Drawing faces for our jack-o-lanterns.
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- Carving our jack-o-lanterns.
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- Annie loved hers until she touched it, then not so much.
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- Ben making a face like his jack-o-lantern.
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- Tyler didn’t want to have anything to do with his jack-o-lantern.
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- The finished jack-o-lanterns.
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- With the lights down and “candles” inside.
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- On the front porch.
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- They looked spooky.
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- Not sure what happened here, but I like the effect somewhat.
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- The Never Moor
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- The Never Moor
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- The Never Moor
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- The Never Moor
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- The Never Moor
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- The Never Moor
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- The Never Moor
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- The Never Moor
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- The ghost video projected in our upstairs window.
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- One of the cooler shots of the night.
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- Fog machine and chiller worked okay. Hopefully I’ll figure it out better for next year.
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- The Scaretaker
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- Lighting was awesome this year.
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- Creepy walk up to the door.
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- Last pic of the jack-o-lanterns.
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- The Scaretaker
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- The Never Moor
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- The Never Moor
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- The Scaretaker
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- Just before taking everything down.
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- Just before taking everything down.
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- The kids hanging out in the graveyard.
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- Princess Leia (Annie), Jedi (me), Yoda (Tyler) and Darth Vader (Ben)
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- Annie’s first Halloween.
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- Ben smiling underneath his mask.
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- Tyler cheesing it as Yoda.
Scaretaker Update 10-30-2009
Oct 30th
Well, I’ve been working hard on all of my props and I’m afraid I will not be able to finish all of them for this year. Here is an update on the “Scaretaker” prop.
After completing the papier mache I filled the head with expanding foam.
I used a "T" joint and short PVC pipe inside the foam to use for securing the head to the body.
I built the body out of PVC pipe. I used 1" screws to secure them all together.
I carved the foam on the hands then applied several layers of papier mache. Again I used PVC pipe so I can secure them to the body I made.
I then used chicken wire to bulk up the body. It is secured to the PVC with hot glue where it touches the pipe.
I used some old Church clothes to dress him up. My wife unstitched them and sewed Velcro into them so I could get them on.
This is what it looked like all put together except for the head. I still need to sculpt a face and eyes. I decided that if I don't finish the head tomorrow he can be a headless Scaretaker.
It looks pretty awesome with the blacklights. I'll pick up some old shoes from DI tomorrow for him.
I’m very happy with how the body turned out. I made him so he separates at the waist, so he will be a little easier to store. If I can’t finish the head by tomorrow night I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. He looks cool headless.
“Scaretaker” & Pumpkin Monster Head Bases
Oct 22nd
“Scaretaker”
The “Scaretaker” will be a creepy old man standing ominously in my graveyard, leering at passersby. This is just the base of the head/face.
I wrapped a foam skull with aluminum foil then applied the papier mache.
After 3 layers of papier mache I cut the paper and foil off and then put it together with tape and glue. I made the neck at this point too. I then applied 2 more layers of papier mache.
Pumpkin Monster
This creature will be emerging out of one of my papier mache pumpkins. This is just the base of the head/face.
Same process here. Wrap skull in foil, then apply layers of papier mache.
An experiment in carving teeth from insulation foam.
“Scaretaker” Hands
Oct 22nd
I’ve been meaning to put a post or two on the progress of my “Scaretaker” of my graveyard. If I can find the pictures on my wife’s computer, I’ll post them. Last night I worked on the hands. They needed to be strong, so they will hold the weight of the lantern I got for it and maybe a shovel or other prop.
I used the wires from an old wire pantry shelf we took out a few years ago.
I made the palm out of cardboard and cut the fingers individually. I slid the wire down inside the cardboard and used hot glue to hold it in place.
I shaped the cardboard a little and used hot glue to hold it in place.
I used expanding foam to bulk up the fingers and hands.
When they’re completely dry I will carve and sand the hands to shape them, then I will apply a few layers of papier mache to make them hard.
