Hello Guys and Ghouls!!!

 It has recently come to my attention that a lot of you have been wondering where I have been. I just wanted to let you all know I am alive and kick'n. The move has taken longer than expected so I am still unpacking. I am still awaiting my phone and internet service to be hooked up. As soon as it is you will see me often. And that is a promise!!!

 When I am back online I will have some pics of the granbaby's first halloween. Sorry it will have to wait for those were wondering what costume she picked out. In the meantime I will try to get on here at some point to tell you about my Halloween.

Much love and hope you all had a KICK'N Halloween!!!

Hugs to all my haunted peoples!!!


Tina

1 comments View Entry

Hello Guys & Ghouls!!!

 Well I can finally update you on the Scarecrow and the Reaper Menu. They are finished!!! Finally!!! It took me forever to get them done but they finally are. Throughout this I learned many lessons. The biggest one being not to build props too large to assemble inside the house. Or too big to get out of the house. It creates all sorts of problems, lol.

 Today I put the finishing touches on the Scarecrow and put him all together. I went to take pics of him and NO CAMERA!!! So I called up the kids - they had it with them. I figured no prob I'll just wait for them to get back with it. By the time they made it back here it had rained and was foggy. But at least I got pics - right!?! I will post them to the gallery shortly. Well as soon as I finish this blog that is, hehe.

 Another lesson I learned is to listen to Scott. Poly BEFORE paint, lol. The scarecrow did turn out to be shinny ( rain didn't help that in the pic ) as he said it would. BUT!!! I was also using acrylic paints. I had to use up what I have left. Thank goodness they are about gone now. Needless to say . . . next time I will prime and poly before hand. Even though he is shinny I am proud of myself. That scarecrow is the biggest prop I ever tackled and finished to boot, hehe. Will I ever build another one!?! Don't count on it, lol. Probly so - someday!!! But the next one won't have so many complications. And that is a promise!!!

 As for the Reaper Menu Sign - he has been done for some time now. I just haven't had the time to get pics up of him. He lacks only one thing - the chalkboard paint. I have the paint but again just haven't had the time. I didn't go ahead with painting him before the pics because you can clearly see where it will be. No need to wait any longer to get him posted. After halloween you will get to see him with his completed chalkboard, lol. For now please overlook his nakedness, hehe.

 Now for a short note on time issues. Sorry for my long vacation form HauntSpace. Since we are no longer doing the trail I have found TIME to do a lot of other things. I actually enjoy waking up now. Instead of the past painful dread of what haunt stuff I HAVE to do the next day. Now I can build whatever I want; whenever I want. No rush to get anything done, no hurry to finish one to start another and no it has to work in the trail or why build it. I am again free to enjoy and love Halloween, my props and my life.

 Beware!!! You never know what I might come up with next, hehe.

 Happy Hauntings . . . Tina

2 comments View Entry

Hello Guys & Ghouls!!!

 I have taken plenty of time to step back and think about our haunted trail. It was a long process of do's, dont's, why not's, why should I's and who even cares . . . BUT . . . at the end of it I knew the answer.

 Having a haunted attraction open to the public is awesome. Helping others through your attraction is even better. I have worked very had for what I have accomplished at this point. I worked in a furious pace every single day for the last 3 years. Then when I step back, take a look and ask myself, "Is it all worth it?" The answer is, "NO!!!" It is not worth it if I have to sacrifice time with my family, tending to my house or taking away my great love for Halloween.

 I could sit back and say if only I had more help or if only I had done this or that . . . but . . . in the end none of that matters. All that matters is that I get back to doing what I loved best. I have loved Halloween since as long as I can remember. I refuse to allow a silly haunt to change that. I won't be hanging up my haunting hat. I will, however, be hanging up my haunted trail hat for good. I would rather be a yard haunter and enjoy myself.

So please bid farewell to Earl's Woods Haunted Trail. Though I will remain here as a member with the same ID the prescene will change. I simply want to get back to chatting with all of my friends here and having a grand ol' time. I love everyone here!!! Thanks for your advice and for listening. It means a lot to me to know I have such good people I can count on. You're the bestest!!!

Just a Yard Haunter . . . HUGS . . . Tina

11 comments View Entry

  I have yet to make up mind mind but I am strongly considering throwing in the towel. I have serious time and money invested but keep asking myself,
"Is it worth it?"

  As if we haven't had enough problems in the past this year is worse. Now we have land owners feuding, gas prices are too high to entice volunteers and the economy is suffering all the way around. Not to mention I am really tired of doing it all alone. You have to step back when you think about it and wonder, "Why do I keep trying!?!"

  We all know I love the haunting season. It is the one time of year I get to truly be myself, lol. But when is enough - enough!?! When do you cut your losses, say I'm finished and go back to yard haunting? I know I can get people to attend. Getting people to participate is a whole other story. Getting anyone to lend a hand is a whole new playing field all together. I'm just getting really tired of the fight and can't help thinking I would be much happier as a yard haunter. I just wouldn't get paid for it.

  As I said - I'm still thinking on the subject. After all I have worked my a$$ off on props for the trail. Crying, "Uncle!!!", just seems to be the most sensible direction.

Depressed, disgusted and possibly disgruntled, lol.
 Tina

11 comments View Entry

Hello Guys and Ghouls!!!

 I just uploaded the latest pics of the Scarecrow and a couple other projects I am working on. I have yet to name the Scarecrow but we are working on it, lol. Anywho - you can see his head and chest are almost ready to paint. I can't wait to get to the painting part.

 The body is one I created last year. I haven't decided how I will do the skin yet. I have been playing with pantyhose though. I mached a mesh material on him then put the hose on top of that. Not sure if I like it yet. Will have to wait and see.

 The head was made in 2006 and I just finished him up last week. Now I have to make his body. My daughter said the pic with the flowers and angel on the side looks like he is attending his own wake, hehe. The plan for him is to be a half body with a lantern in one hand and the other pushing up from the ground. This may change later. Depends on how he turns out once I get started.

 Okay!!! That's all for now. Looking forward to the feedback, lol.

 Happy Haunting . . . Tina

2 comments View Entry

  Hello Guys and Ghouls!!!

 Things to do while mache drys . . . !?!

 Waiting for mache to dry so you can move forward with a project is a lot like watching the grass grow. Its just making me crazy!!! I want to get that scarecrow done but it seems every time I feel I'm making progress I have to hurry up and wait. If it wasn't for looking really bad I would have pulled my hair out by now, lmao.

 During my wait times I have already started on 4 other projects. One is waiting for glue to dry, another is waiting for more wire and the other two are waiting on mache to dry. I have a total of 3 projects waiting just because the stupid mache has to dry. I jump from project to project with mache because I never let it waste. When I get to a point I can go no further I move to the next. I do this until all the paste has been used. Then I spend countless hours just waiting.

 Talk about being bored, lol.

 Now I don't know if I should start on the next project or just take a well deserved break!?! My workbench in the shop is full, my livingroom looks like a special effects shop and my dining room has become home to the scarecrow. I'm running out of place to work on things here. Next thing you know I'll have the computer under the desk to have the workspace.

 Nahhh . . . but I have considered it, hehe.

 I guess for now I will go find a good, creepy movie to watch and hope my mache gets dry before 2am.

 Happy Haunting!!!

 Tina

3 comments View Entry

Hello Guys and Ghouls!!!

 Yes!!! I did say a new project. So don't rub your eyes. You read it right, lol. I was working on a few things today because it was just too rainy to mache anything. It would never dry!!! My backyard looks like a lake so I knew mache was totally out of the question. That's what I will be doing all day on Sunday, hehe.

 So while I was looking for what I could do a couple things came to mind. I first started on the skele arms holding lanterns ( which i will show you another time ). Then I saw that it glue bottle said to allow 24 hours to dry. I was pissed!!! But it turned out to be a good thing. I went pilfering through the junk pile next to the house and OH MY!!! What a find!!!

 I first found an old wood sign I can salvage for our haunt sign at the road. Great find but it gets better. Then I noticed an old matel shelf in perfect shape. Moved the shelf, got up the wood sign and there was a piece of pvc pipe underneath. I did the happy dance, lol. It still gets better. I was looking to see what I would or could or had the stuff to work with today and then I spotted it. The metal bottom of an old desk chair. I thought could it be true!?! Would my pvc fit the metal chair base!?!

 It was an absolute perfect fit!!!

 So off to the shop I went, dragged hubby out of the house and got busy assembling my Reaper Menu Sign. I ran out of chicken wire but for the most part he is well under way. I'll pick up some more wire Sunday and be ready to work on him Monday. That is if the day of mache doesn't kill me first, lmao.

 Uploading pics as soon as I submit this blog so take a peek and tell me what you think. Oh yeah - sorry pics aren't better. Had to use the cell phone camera.

 Happy Hauntings . . . Tina

3 comments View Entry

Hello Guys and Ghouls!!!

 I thought it was time to give you an update on the Scarecrow's progress. I will start by telling you I will NEVER EVER make one of these things again. All the work isn't even half of it.

 Creating this sucker was supposed to be fun - right!?! Well I have suffered greatly for this project let me tell ya. I thought at first it was too much but was still happy to be working on it. By the end of the week I was too tired to care but kept working. Then by the time the weekend was over I had so many cuts, scraps, scratches, etc it wasn't even funny. When I got an infection in my finger from paper mache after the litteral hole the chicken wire left I thought  . . . well no biggie.  Then tonight came the BIGGIE!!!

 Now thanks to my big stupid scarecrow I now have two broken toes. Did I say yet that I will NEVER make one of these guys again??? I did!?! Well let me say it one more time . . . NEVER AGAIN!!! LOL!!!

 Ok!!! So this guy isn't the most fun to make AND he has cost me a lot of pain and suffering BUT I keep telling self its worth it. Well except for the broken toes. All I know at this point is that he better look damn good when I'm done or I will throw a torch to that sucker without batting an eye. ROFLMAO!!!

 I wouldn't actually do that after all that hard work and pain. But don't think for a second I haven't thought about it.

Happy Haunting . . . Tina

5 comments View Entry

Hello Guys and Ghouls!!!

 I have been working on a Scarecrow for our haunt. I got the idea to build it after seeing "The Grumble" on SpookBlue's website - I'll leave you the link at the bottom of this blog. It was just so awesome I had to give it a try. I got started and so far I love the way it is turning out.

 But . . .

 I have quickly found that this particular scarecrow is not as much fun as I thought it would be to make. I takes a very long time just to make the twisted vines for this guy. Not to mention that nearly everything has to be made piece by piece then assembled. Talk about a pain - grrrrrrrr. I'm not saying it isn't worth making because it is soooooo worth it. It just takes a long time to do so and lots, and lots of tape.

 When I get finished with it I will upload some pics. I am not making mine to look exactly like "The Grumble" but they could be cousins, lol. I won't need to give you a "how to" because I will be giving you the link to it. I can, however, promise you one thing. When this sucker is finished I will be sure to waterproof to the extreme!!! In now way, shape or form do I want the weather elements messing this guy up. It's too many hours or long hard labor to make to chance it. So I'll be hitting the hardware store ASAP for everything waterproof I can throw on this big lug of a scarecorw, hehe.

 I can't wait to see the end results myself!!! I'll keep ya posted and maybe put up some progress pics next week. Got to get some new camera batteries first.

Happy Hauntings . . . Tina

Here's the link . . .

http://spookyblue.com/halloween/scarecrow/grumble/index.htm

4 comments View Entry