Merry Christmas and Happy New Year too.

I haven't posted anything in a while so I thought I would take a moment to say Merry Christmas and give a written update on things that be.

Been working on some plans for my 2011 Halloween haunt and party. It is going to be Twisted Fairy Tale themed. More details to come on that. I've started making bodies for my snow white and the seven dwarfs scene. Going to start with the 7 dwarfs. There is going to be a LOT of details associated with the 2011 party. It will have the following fairy tales and fantasy themes in it:

• Wizard of Oz
• Alice in Wonderland
• Rapunzel
• Pinnocchio
• Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs
• The Three Little Pigs 
• Little Red Riding Hood/Wolf
• Humpty Dumpty
• Princess and the Frog

My costume is going to be Alice and my husband is going to be the Mad Hatter. We are going to host the tea party. But guest will arrive and walk "through the looking glass" a archway that will resemble a mirror and then when you go through you will walk the yellow brick road through our front yard which will having mini scenes along the way. These fairy tales aren't like the ones you are used to though, they are Twisted. :)




I started a series of pumpkins...they are the homemakers tortured pumpkins. They are kinda funny. The first one I have started is a pumpkin with buttons for eyes and his mouth is sewn shut and a large needle is shoved into its top. I'm coming up with other ones, like one pumpkin has iron burns imprinted on it all over it. Just something kinda funny for the the haunted season too boot.



I'm still working on the Saw Reverse Bear Trap. I've taken a little break from it to clean my head of all the details that go into it. However, it is coming along very nicely! It looks awesome.

Want to wish everyone a safe Christmas and a wonderful New Year! 

Stuffed like a turkey

These past few days have been exhausting and to think it ain't over yet! 
I got a few more pieces done on my Saw Reverse Bear Trap and started working on a few original art pieces as well. I haven't really had the time to get anything accomplished art wise hence the reasoning by no posts. 
I did however manage to cook a complete Thanksgiving Dinner for my 2 brothers, my grandma, my husband, my aunt and her 4 children and her very handsome date, Carlos. I was plum exhausted afterward though, but I must say that deep fried turkey was delicious!

Today consisted of putting up our Christmas tree and working on the handmade Christmas stockings for my family this year. They are being embroidered with their names as well. I also wrapped all of the Christmas presents that I have bought so far and I have to add that I'm only in need of 3 more people and my shopping is complete! :)


My next mission is to begin sending out my Christmas cards which are already addressed and signed and ready to go, just gotta get the stamps. Then I must begin the Christmas cookie process. Every year for the past 5 years I have made Christmas cookies and given them out as gifts to co-workers, various family members and of course our friends. Last year I believe I made 15 dozen cookies of various kinds and they were delicious. This year I have made my cookie list, which includes around 8 different types of cookies and I have also gathered the goodie bags I am going to be putting them in this year. The next couple of weeks will consist of me hanging out Christmas lights outside on the house and getting the yard cleaned up and baking cookies. I just love the holidays.

Oh and we had our first snow fall on Thanksgiving night. It was rough driving back from my brothers in it. It did however, get my hopes up for a white Christmas.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

The days of our lives...

I think I would love to be one of those people who sit around eating bon bons right now. I am sooooooo busy I can barely remember what day it is anymore. Between work, building props, housecleaning and getting ready for the holidays I don't know which way is up anymore. Ah, oh well, these are the days of our lives.



Keep checking the Reverse saw post as I am updating it with photos and how to's as I go. I'm going through a lot of trial and errors as well as me just being nit-picky as hell, haha. In my opinion, if I am going to take on a project as complex as a reverse bear trap or any of the Saw traps for that matter, it better be done right or at least damn near close.

Just wanted to add how cute the little boy I babysit is. Today when we were on our way home from eating at Tumbleweed, Lucas  (who is turning 2 in January) started singing "Shake your booty" to one of the songs on the radio. I couldn't help but laugh. It amazes me how the minds of children work. He comes up with some of the oddest things to say and do, especially for a 1 year old. They grow up so fast.

Saw Reverse Bear Trap

One of the haunts that I make props for, Wolf Creek (wolfcreekhauntedforest.com), has asked me to try and replicate some of the Saw movie's traps. So in the past week I have started creating the Reverse Bear Trap from Saw. This is a very popular trap (one of my favorites).
Never seen any of the Saw movies? Well below is a photo of the trap. I will be posting photos and blogs as I get the thing underway. It is definitely going to be a piece of art when it is done. Mind you, it will be made by paper mache.

I will be posting updates on my Saw Reverse Bear Trap below.

 The very first step that I did was make a base and the measurements I used weren't specific, basically I put the pieces of recycled cardboard over my head, lol. If you are making this piece to go over a head (obviously) you will need a head to fit it over, lol.

 I started making some of the gears, nuts and bolts that go on this thing. They take the most detail work. Everything is made from cardboard, newspaper and recycled plastics, oh and straws...I use straws to  build up the base for all of bolts and screws and such. I  am also using some cardboard tubes that I have saved from my aluminum foil rolls (they are the length of a paper towel roll, but smaller in width). There are a lot of details to this trap. So prepare to be taking some time on it.

I coated the structure so far with paper mache and added the nuts and bolts that I have made as well. This is all trial and error as I have never made anything like this before. I used straws to make the screw part of the bolts and I used small buttons covered with paper mache to make the bolt head. The buts are made from cardboard cut in hexagons and then double layered and paper mached. All the pieces are made individually and then assembled after the paper mache has dried. On the screw part of the bolt, while it was wet I took my exacto knife and shaped the screw lines into it (I don't know what they are called, lol) to give it more detail. You can't really tell right now what they look like but once they are painted they should look awesome.

The remaining parts will be made individually and the assembled onto this base. A coating of paper mache over that in places will ensure a tight hold.


------------------------------Update Nov. 17, 2010------------------------------

 I have been busy readjusting the base above. The back needs to be larger to hold all of the pieces that go on it. I have also been making some of the parts  (c-clamps, pipes, wiring) to go on the trap. Keep checking this blog to see updates and more photos.

My new toys.

It has been a few days since I have had the chance to post anything to this blog.. time just flew by so fast.
 I have been really busy. We started some renovations to the house that we live in, which meant a lot of moving stuff around and sorting through stuff as well.
While this was going on we were also on the hunt for a new vehicle to replace the car that was wrecked in early October. So here I am, introducing our new truck! This will come in so handy when I have to make deliveries for my paper mache props.

Below is another one of my new toys, a handy tool that has multiple cutting and detailing attachments. I am still holding out for a dremel. It is on the Christmas wish list though. I managed to stock up on some paper mache supplies as well this week.



Halloween is over (bummer) and now it is time to think about Thanksgiving and Christmas. Boy...has this year flown by. I'm working on a lot of project right now, one being a reverse bear trap headpiece from the movie series Saw which can be worn by an actor at a haunt. I'm also working on a head to attach a saw trap that has been released revealing all its nastiness. Just because Halloween is over doesn't mean my prop making is through. I am also developing some ideas for some Christmas props. I was thinking of making some cornucopias for some relatives to place on their Thanksgiving tables but I'm not sure if I will have the time.

Day of the Party

The day of the party came and went without a hitch. I did the best I could considering I was in a car wreck earlier this month which put a major damper on what i wanted to get accomplished. Below are all the pictures that I had the chance to take at the party, I was a busy busy woman that night.

 My costume..I was a zombie nurse. Complete with stethoscope!

Boarded up windows made from cardboard, quick and easy but cheap look too. Next year will be tons better as we have a whole year to prepare. For our first halloween party/haunted yard I think we did pretty good.

The wind was blowing pretty hard while I was setting up so I kept fussing with stuff. This is the prize/game table before I loaded it with the gift baskets and prizes.

Setting up the food table was fun. However, i didn't get the chance to take a photo of it finished. But it has a ton of food with gruesome names and body parts lying everywhere. It was a hit, there was hardly anything left when the night was over.

This is the ghost that I made.

Hay bales were for guest seating. They were free!

Below are our tombstones.

 cupcakes, cookies, popcorn balls, kitty litter cake and tons of candy were just some of the foods that were on the buffet table. We also had hot dogs cut to look like worms on a bun complete with dressings like onions, chili cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickle relish. There were dips that were colored to look gross like zombie puss and imp snot. There were chips of course, can't have a party without chips. Of course ours weren't just called chips they were called deep fried skin slivers (lays) and troll toe nails (friotos scoop corn chips). We had sodas for people to drink if they did not want to try our dirty punch, which was brown and green haha, but it tasted amazing. People kept trying to spike the punch too funny.

 This was the beginning stages of my make up. I added tons of blood to my face which made it even more gruesome.

My husband, the necromancer.

Deviled eyeballs.