2005 Haunt Theme

This year's Haunt Story...  As all the great home haunters say... "You gotta have a story."  Here it is...

You may be wondering why there is a cemetery in the front yard of a house.  There is good reason… this home is old, built over 150 years ago by the Countess Tortura, also known as the Countess of Pain.  She was a witch who used the blood of her victims in spells to remain young for hundreds of years.  To keep her prisoners nearby, she constructed a dungeon behind her home and most of her victims were buried here in the front yard. 

It is rumored that the Countess remains here and is looking for more victims.  If you dare, you may continue down the path to the dungeon where you might encounter the Countess, her Executioner or even the spirits of those buried here who can’t rest in peace.

10:18 AM - 10/21/2005

95% Done

We're about 95% done now... just a few last minute things for Trick or Treat night.  Costumes are now the focus... 5 to go in less than 10 days.  I'll be busy.  Check out our new guillotine, dungeon and stick scarecrow!

11:44 AM - 10/20/2005

New Projects

11:43 AM - 10/20/2005

Set Up Tonight

I'm very excited!  Tonight begins set up of the cemetery.  We've decided kinda last minute that we'll be building 10 new sections of fence to completely enclose nearly a 1/4 acre in pvc fence.  We're insane.  BUT it's fun!

Tonight we'll be setting up the gates and the existing fence for the graveyard.  We'll probably put the tombstones out too.  Then construction begins.  We need to build the 10 sections of fence as well as a guillotine, stockade, witch's cauldron and fine tune our gallows. 

Of course we decided early on that we weren't building much of anything new for this year, but October rolls around and now we'll have weeks of construction ahead of us to get it all done before Halloween.

12:48 PM - 9/30/2005

Set Up Begins

Or I should say "TRANSPORT"... 3 loads and more to go.  Our back porch and garage are getting full with the fence & tombstones.  Set up begins Friday evening.

Thanks Anita & Marie for your help loading and unloading!

10:09 AM - 9/28/2005

Caught Up in Halloweening

I haven't had a chance to write in a while.  Getting everything ready for Halloween.  This week is set aside for hauling our decorations out of storage at my in-laws barn.  Several truckloads later and we should be ready for set up on Friday night.  I want the graveyard to look as if it appeared overnight on October 1st.

I got some cool stuff from Oriental Trading Company to use in the dungeon which replaces Dr. Doom's lab.  This year's villains are Countess Tortura and the Executioner.  We also got an inflatable gargoyle from WalMart.com for $35.  Very cool and actually scary.  Hope to get it on the roof or it'll end up in the far corner of the yard by the woods.

I'm also in the middle of making several costumes for customers which has taken quite a bit of time.  It seems like no matter how early you start, you're always behind the 8 ball!

I did take some time to build a website with some more pictures and details of our haunt. 

www.geocities.com/costumes5by5

4:26 PM - 9/27/2005

Costume Time Has Started

I've gotten my first few orders for the upcoming Halloween season. I'm working on an Omlette costume for Cupcake and am in the hunting stages of the Sleeping Around bed costume.  I'm gathering the materials for my 'picnic' ballerina style costume... too much to explain without the visual. 

Last night I made my first 'Halloween Couture' item, a black skirt with cool sparkly ghost material and dark gray denim.  I can't wait to wear it, but August may be too early to sport Halloween gear for work.

11:59 AM - 8/11/2005

All Talk, No Action

Still no projects started for this Halloween.  I do have my shopping list planned out for JoAnn's for costumes and Halloween apparel.  I'm shooting to have several "work appropriate" Halloween inspired outfits for wear this October.  I plan on spending a good deal of time this weekend sewing.  I need to finish my husband's Ren Faire costume so that's out of the way.  I try to get our costumes for Halloween out of the way by September so I can sew any costume orders that come in.

9:35 AM - 7/28/2005

Costume Time

I've been trying to use my daily commutes to brainstorm costumes for this Halloween.  I have a new idea that I'll need to work with to see how it'll turn out.  I need to have a costume that is the perfect mix of sexy, unusual and sewing intensive.  I might have one that'll work and it's only July!  I'll probably be tired of it by October, but we'll just have to wait and see.  Thinking about my projects is almost as fun as actually doing them.

10:13 AM - 7/26/2005

A Haunting Good Time

12:58 PM - 7/25/2005

The Countdown is On...

Only 98 days until Halloween.  Last year we started working on our props in May, but it's almost the end of July and there's been nothing new designed or created for 2005.  We're starting to reach the limits of our storage capacity, so any prop additions are going to have to be smaller or disposable.  Last year's theme was Dr. Doom's Haunted Cemetery which left kids screaming and running!  But we'll need something new for this year...  Maybe Aliens?  I have broken out my Halloween music so at least I'm getting geared up mentally for the challenge ahead.

12:19 PM - 7/25/2005