Goodies!

Goodies in the mail!

Specifically some of the stuff we ordered from the "Seasons" catalog.

They only sell wholesale so you have to buy things in quantity (1 case each) but they do have some good stuff - and some items we needed for the haunt this year.

The order so far (not everything we ordered has arrived yet, but most of it did - and ahead of schedule);

• 6 Body Bags
• 6 miner's/zombie hunter helmets with lights
• 6 axes
• 4 foot diameter poseable spiders - 3 in brown and 3 black

We like the body bags. Since we have 6 "slabs" in the morgue this year this worked out just right. They zip open down the middle with plenty of room for an "occupant" inside.

The miner's helmets are pretty cool as well - and nicer than we expected. The lights come on automatically when you tilt them down; they have adjustable fittings inside to adapt to different head sizes; and each came with a spare light bulb.

The axes are pretty cheap... They looked better in the catalog - but with some touch ups I think we can use them.

The spiders are nice. These 6 (plus some more larger ones on the way) will be added to the menagerie that took over the front yard last year for a REALLY creepy overrun feel.

We have a few more packages en route. And hopefully tomorrow we'll be getting a ~100lb FedEx package with the remainder of the pipe fittings we need (from the wonderful folks at tarps.com) to put together both the mine shaft and the field hospital in the carport...

Should be a constructive long weekend at CreepyNights.org!!
 

Feeling the Pinch...

In more ways than one...
 

Finally took a little time this weekend to do a little Halloween prep. After attacking some of the weeds that were taller than I was, I got the control center mausoleum moved down to the back where I could work on it. Also started laying out the new-and-improved Mine Shaft '13.

Assembling those pipes is a tough job - especially by yourself. Hence the first Halloween related blood of the year when my finger got in the way of some of the pipes coming together.

The control center mausoleum is in dire need of a facelift - as well as a more convenient access. To date the lid lifted off, requiring a ladder to climb up and down into it to do any setup. That will change as I refit the sides and attach a permanent water-tight top - and add an opening in the back. 

First step was to knock off the rotted sides and back and chase away all the spiders that had moved in. I'm going to let it "air out" for a few days (and make sure all the tenants have vacated) before I move it inside for its refit:

The front is salvageable; it needs stripping and re-painting but it's stood up well and I still like the look. The frame was built to last another 20 years.

The dryer pipe you see in the picture is attached to a vent at the front/bottom where we route fog from the fog-chilling trash can mounted inside. We get a VERY satisfying and creepy ground-hugging fog from it.

Mining:
 
The BIG project this year is the doubled-in-size Mine Shaft and I REALLY needed to get that started. Besides, seeing even the start of that structure every day when I look out back will serve as motivation and a reminder to get things going.

Fist step was just to get the general layout setup. I still need to order a bunch of additional pipes, fittings, and tarps so I couldn't finish it yet if I wanted; but getting the layout done also helps me work out final details for the other areas in the back. Also since all of the passages in the Mine Shaft will be narrower and a different layout this year I'll need to both cut lots of new parts - as well as trim most of the lumber "supports" we used last year. The sooner I have all the supports in place, the sooner I can start on those as well.

Here's the beginnings of the layout. 10x20 last year - 20x20 this year.