17 Days 'til Halloween: Happy Columbus Day

19 Days 'til Halloween - Spooky Sign Post DIY

A few weeks back, I sketched this concept of a spooky sign post for my own Halloween yard.

 

I haven't found the time to create it until earlier this week. Home and Family producers needed a DIY project idea at the last minute for the next day's show. So I suggested the sign post and sure enough, it got made. 2 drums of midnight oil were burned getting it done, but working into the wee hours on a project like this is never painful. The completed version was a bit simpler than the original concept, but still captured the intended spirit of the sketch.

 

The complete "How-To" and video from the show explaining how the signs where made can be found over on the Hallmark Channel show site here.

My Halloween Countdown Begins - Universal Creepiness

I'm back from the dead blogging world and ashamed. It's my favorite time of year and only now starting my Countdown to Halloween posts!

I'll be honest, the day job is to blame. After a 12 hour workday, everyday, eating dinner and passing out overrides my urge to blog. But I'm determined to not let these wonderous October days slip past without celebration anymore.

With work in mind, I thought I'd start my countdown with a small portfolio of creepy images I took over the past year around the Universal Studios lot, where I'm one lucky Halloween enthusiast and able to wander.

Oh and there is this place there too...

Witchcrafty Window Silhouette Printables

Witches are the latest additions to the Halloween window silhouette series. And what would a witch be without including her cauldron and black cat too.

As with the previously posted Zombie and Maniac silhouettes, if you like 'em, feel free to steal and use in your own decorating (but don't use for profit).  Click on images to enlarge.

Maniacal Window Silhouette Printables

Here's a small gathering of maniacal miscreants to decorate your windows this Halloween season. As with the previously posted zombie silhouettes, feel free to use (but not for profit). Click on images to enlarge.

Still more to come soon, including, by request, witches and spiders!

63 Days 'Til Halloween: Zombie Window Silhouette Printables

I've been doodling up my own Halloween themed window silhouettes for possible use in my haunt this year, and thought I'd share 'em if you'd like to use in your own decorating. Feel free to swipe the images below (as long as NOT for profit) The ones above are just to give an idea how they might look in windows.

I'm having a lot of fun drawing these, so if this Zombie horde below doesn't appeal to you, stay tuned, many more creeps and creature silhouettes in the works.

You can cut these out of black foamcore, poster board, or construction paper (anything opaque really). Then simply tape into your windows. There are a few ways to scale the images to fit your window once you know how big you want 'em. No one way is best, whatever is easier for you. If you have a better way, DO IT (and share as a comment).

- If you have the funds, take the images to Kinkos (or similar copy center), have enlarged and printed as a poster (if in your budget, they can also mount onto foam board for you).
- If you have a projector (or can borrow one), project the images onto a board and trace. In that vein, project the image onto fabric or a shower curtain, then paint on and hang in window.
- The cheapest route, scale the image on your computer, print in sections and use as a template (BTW most copy centers can tile/section image for you as well ).
-The No-Money route is an old art class 101 copying trick. Using a ruler draw a grid over the image in small equally sized squares (like 1/2" by 1/2"). Then draw a larger, scaled up, grid on the board. Freehand copy only what you see in each smaller square into each larger square. It works. Breaking down the image into simpler shapes makes freehand copying more accurate.

Here's the first batch. Click on images to enlarge.

Bat Cage Prop

What witch, warlock, wizard or weirdo like me wouldn't want to have a wee bat as a pet? Since the local animal shelter doesn't have any to adopt, I decided to make my own.

I was inspired to make this prop by the great Disney artist Marc Davis, based on his unused concept sketch for the Haunted Mansion.

My version doesn't come close to having the personality Davis' has, but it was really easy to make with cheap materials and took no time at all. Here's how mine came together.

First, I prepped the bat for hanging around. The one I used was a better than average plastic toy found at Michaels. His outstretched wings wouldn't fit inside the cage (plus they didn't have a relaxed look), so I folded them over and super glued. A couple of binder clips held them in place until the glue set up.

I made the bat's perch out of a cut pencil and some wire, then painted black. Once dry, the bat was super glued to the perch.

The bones inside the cage were made out of Crayola Model Magic. Not anatomically accurate, but they sell the idea. Once dry I gave them a wash of dark brown acrylic.

The cage itself was found at Home Goods last year, and already had a great Gothic look. I filled the base with some moss and added the bones. An "S" hook was hot glued inside the top dome of the cage to easily hang the perched bat from.