Nickols Manor

Halloween Animatronic

2010-06-22T16:21:00.000-05:00

The only thing I love as much as Halloween, are robots. After stumbling across the video above, I am now in Nerdvana! Oh man...the bank account is going to be very dry this year. Now...how to hide it from Dixie?

Hmmm...maybe NOT posting it on the blog would have been a good first start. There's that damn hindsight again. I swear I have 20/10 vision looking backwards!

Sword of Blight ( or me just playing around with rust…again)

2010-05-20T15:50:00.001-05:00

After my last post about creating a rust look, I got some really good tips. So, I needed to test them out again.

I didn’t have anything handy that I wanted to look rusted, so I needed to make something. Hmm….we have a graveyard, and everything is old, undead, moldy, and decaying but not dangerous. I need to punch up the danger factor in the yard, so it’s time to arm the yard!

Months ago I took a scrap piece of wood and sanded it down to look like a sword blade. I was just playing around to see what I could do with the piece. I never planned it out or did anything else with the blade. It’s actually a little too short to look like a real sword. I also never threw it away. It’s been floating around the garage since last summer.

Well, I had some new rust techniques I needed to test out, and I didn’t want to use another boring piece of PVC pipe. So, I had a purpose for the wee little hobbit blade now.

I needed a hilt and crosspiece for the blade, so I took a piece of 1” PVC pipe and cut a slit down the middle of the pipe using a hacksaw. Be CAREFULL and go slow if you decide to do this like I did. (NOT advised). What I should have done is place the pipe in a bench vise and cut the piece. What I ACTUALLY did was hold the piece with one hand while cutting with the other. Not smart or safe. Outside I was all cool and businesslike (cause you know, that’s what’s really important, looking cool), inside I was saying, “NOT SMART! NOT SMART!” over and over. (See?!? That’s not cool on the outside.) (Yes…men are stupid, but you love us anyway!)

I think I just demonstrated the classic instance of a dumbass. I knew what I did was wrong, but I did it anyway.

Next I pried the two slit pieces of PVC apart and slid the wooden blade into the slit. Then I took the miraculous wonderment of all haunters, crafters, DIYers, and NASCAR called Gorilla Tape, and locked the blade to the pipe.

Now I needed a crosspiece. I took a small piece of blue foam insulation and cut it down to size. Cut a whole in the center of the foam, slid the foam down the wooden blade, and promptly broke it in half trying to force it over the tape.

SOoooo, I take ANOTHER piece of foam (Pink this time) and make a bigger piece with a bigger hole. This was hot glued to the PVC pipe and blade. I also used the hot glue to fill in the gap between the blade and the crosspiece’s hole. Things are looking better. Except, the crosspiece is shaped wrong and pink. I took a wood rasp to the foam to rough it up and shape it a little. Shape is decent now. Color is still pink.

So, now I put down a basecoat of brown latex paint on the crosspiece, and spray painted the wooden blade silver.

The hilt is still stark white PVC. So, I wrap the entire pipe with the black Gorilla Tape. It gives it a wrapped leather look from a distance. It looks like tape up close. Don’t get up close. I’ll go over the tape later with some brown and black washes to make it look more like leather. It will do for now.

Finally, it’s time to start rusting this thing up. I now have Pre-Mixed Concrete Patch and Oatmeal, as suggested by Dave the Dead and others.

The concrete patch is very nice! I spread it on the prop like peanut butter on bread. Then, I took a cotton swab and started dabbing at the patch to give it a rough texture. Next, I threw the obligatory sand into the mix and added a little oatmeal here and there. I used the cotton swab to press the oatmeal in a little deeper. I only waited a little over an hour for the concrete patch to dry, before I started painting on the rust colors. In hindsight, not a good idea. I learn a lot from hindsight. Not so much by foresight. That’s Dixie’s department.

The finish turned out ok in the long run, but it took longer to dry and every little bump would cause the concrete patch to smear and show from under the paint. I also put some of the patch on a PVC pipe and let it dry for 24hrs. I had no problems with that piece at all. There’s that damn hindsight again.

I still have to try out the Great Stuff technique that Chris Davis mentioned in my earlier post. That’s a two person job, but Dixie is leaving me for a week for Vegas. Looks like I will have to postpone this for a bit. Unless someone wants to come over and help this weekend?

By the way, I posted a How-To on this same topic over on after I was asked how it was done. If anyone has some input, chime in on the forum. Here is the link to the post:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=21644

Seriously, I could use some help this weekend. The grass doesn’t mow itself you know!

Corrosion Explosion

2010-05-17T11:02:00.001-05:00

I got to experimenting with a few techniques for the old rusty nail, guaranteed tetanus shot look in the garage this weekend. I wanted the props to look more realistic during the daylight, and the black PVC fence was just looking too “tidy” for my taste.

I have this:

And I want this:

So, I dug out some left over plastic finials and started my quest for metal decay!

I’m not going to drag you step by step through the errors I made trying to get this to work. Dixie put up with enough abuse to cover everyone. I’ll spare you guys from the ordeal and skip to the end.

After 3 hours I finally ended up with the fine piece of tetanus on the right:

It doesn’t really take 3hrs to accomplish the look, it just takes me 3hrs of playing around and repainting to figure out what works.

Ok, this is what you’ll need:

Orange latex paint
Small sea sponge
Wood glue
50/50 mixture of dark brown latex paint and water in spray bottle
Mahogany wood stain
Sand

And this is what you do:

Coat the item liberally with wood glue.
Throw sand onto the item ensuring it sticks to the glue. This will give you the grungy texture we are looking for on the prop.
Let this dry.
Take the sea sponge and randomly dab the orange latex paint over the item.
Spray or drip the 50/50 brown paint mix over the item while the orange paint is still wet.
Allow the two paints to run and mix.
Oh, this gets kind of messy so I hope you read ahead and haven’t just ruined your kitchen table!
Now, drip some of the Mahogany wood stain onto the prop to dirty up the look.
Set aside and let dry.
That’s it!

I’m not sure how well this will hold up outside in the elements, so you might want to seal this with a urethane to be safe.

I’ve read of other people using concrete patch to create their texture, so I ran out last night and bought a small tub of ready mix concrete patch for about $8 at Home Depot. I’ve applied it to a PVC pipe and rolled the pipe in sand but it takes 24 hours to cure, so I’ll update this post later with the progress.

I would love to hear how everyone else dirties up their props. The more techniques I can pick up the better, so chime in and let me know what you do with your haunt.

Now, back to the garage! I have to get columns and a Facade/Mausoleum designed and started.

I LOVE MY WIFE!

2010-04-16T15:50:00.002-05:00

So things have been pretty busy around the Manor lately, but not in the Halloween sort of way. I’ve been feeling very anxious as of late because the blog has been neglected, no new props have been built, I’ve missed like a million Make and Take meetings (ok, maybe two or three actually), and all of our blog and forum friends think we’ve died or fallen off the face of the earth!

So, I’m a little stressed out about a hobby I love and enjoy so much. Feel like I’m letting people down. Then I get this in my email at work from my beautiful, loving, and understanding wife:

THAT’S THE SIGN!

This is like seeing the first flower of spring or the first snowfall of the winter. When Dixie starts thinking this way and put’s pen to paper, that’s the first sign of the Prop Season! My favorite season of the year!

Can’t wait for this weekend to get started!

Easter Bunny Hates You!

2010-04-02T10:20:00.001-05:00

Have a Happy Easter everyone!

The Best of the Best: Skull Shoppe

2010-03-25T22:10:00.001-05:00

It is with great honor that we are finally able to blog about a dear friend of ours with amazing talent and a new online store.

If you ever hang out at Hauntforum.com, then the works at this shoppe will be very familiar to you. These are the amazing works of sculptor extraordinaire Scourge from the forums. The man has a true passion for sculpting accurate and realistic skulls. He has been wowing us in the forums with his talent for quite sometime. He also happens to be an extremely nice guy!

So please support a fellow haunter and show the man some love this haunting season!

Congratulations on your new web store Scourge!

Trick or Treat or Die!

2010-03-16T22:33:00.002-05:00

Surfing the net for new prop inspiration and ran across this video:

BackyardFX shows you how he made the Pumpkin King costume below:

Amazing Giveaway from The Shadow Farm

2010-03-07T23:40:00.001-06:00

Do you know Dave the Dead from The Shadow Farm? If not, you really, really should. So much talent rolled up into one person that sometimes he scares me.

Okay, MOST of the time he scares me. But then again, he’s trying to… so that’s ok.

If I had found these Easter Eggs when I was five, I would still be having nightmares.

That’s just how Dave does it. ;)

Visit him at The Shadow Farm and enter to win HERE.

To Foam Putty or Not To Foam Putty….

2010-03-06T10:20:00.001-06:00

That is the question.

Woodland Sciences Foam Putty

Anyone ever used it before? Got any opinions?

Thanks!

Alice….

2010-03-06T09:35:00.001-06:00

Did anyone go see it last night?

Was it awesome? Everything you hoped for?

Am I going to survive 10 more hours til I can drag Jayson to take me to see it?

Oh and I just love Helena Bonham Carter, that’s why I chose a shot of her and not Depp above (although I adore him too!). She is amazing!!

FYI

2010-01-24T11:17:00.001-06:00

You might have noticed that I (being Dawn) have been a little scarce lately. Well, just humor me and ACT like you noticed that. ;)

I started a new girlie blog of my very own, because believe it or not, I really like decorating my home in bright vibrant colors, and I rarely (ok never) get to talk about that on this blog. Jayson would kill me and use me as a prop in the haunt if I did that.

So, I have been putting some time into getting my new blog up and running, the web design of it all has taken longer than the posts themselves!

Not that any of you would be remotely interested, but the page is called Wacky Whimsy and can be found here. (Well, except for Frog Queen, who, bless her heart, was my first non-family member follower, LOL Thank you for that!)

Jayson told me this morning (in a voice that screamed “traitor!”) that since I have all but quit posting on NickolsManor lately, that I should just combine the two and call it Wacky Manor. I died laughing.

We would be the only blog in the (short) history of blogging to lose every one of their followers in one day. So don’t worry, he was just joking. Just know that I’m still here, just a bit scarce for a bit.

Happy Sunday, hope it is fairly warm where you are!

Oh, and….. GO SAINTS! (sorry, had to say it!)

Fun from neatorama.com

2010-01-17T12:54:00.001-06:00

The next time you are shopping for your favorite haunter or zombie lover, consider some of these awesome items from neatorama.com....

No office desk would be complete without its own Glow In The Dark Zombie Play Set. The best part would be secretly naming each zombie after your most ~~hated~~ beloved co-workers, then considering the ways to kill them and bury them in your October haunt…

Then there’s the Zombie Pet Shop. I think it would be hilarious to put these in with the family hamster and watch your spouse/child/hamster freak out.

And last but not least a classic for family game night…. what I like to call Skull Jenga…. Stack the Bones. Call the parents and have them come over to play a family friendly game of bone balancing with the grandkids.

Wouldn’t any of these items be great for secret haunters gifts?! Love them!

A Bad Theme Idea.

2010-01-17T11:00:00.001-06:00

Sitting around, surfing the internet mindlessly, I somehow start thinking… ok, so here goes – another mental mind train you have to follow:

1. How much the hubby likes The Davis' Calvin & Hobbes Christmas display

2. How even though we try to do Christmas yard displays here, they NEVER come to fruition

3. Wouldn’t it be fun to do something like that for Halloween one year then?

4. Can’t do cute. Can’t do grave bloody injustices to Calvin or Hobbes either. Just aint fittin’.

5. What other comical characters could I slaughter without warping the mind of a 4 year old?

6. 4 year olds aren’t allowed to watch The Simpsons because Bart is a Bad Influence.

7. The Haunting of Springfield… Yes, Thats IT! We can do foam or plywood cut outs of all the Springfield folks – they are easily recognizable, we can still use our graves since some will be Simpson zombies…. (notice, this is all coming out in the same number 7, because my mind was working so fast now) and… and… Bart can be stabbing Lisa, and Maggie can be killing Krusty the Clown – bludgeoning him with a baby bottle, and… and… I could do all the painting and it will be big eye balls and a lot of yellow skin with blood all over it, and wow, that would be funny AND scary.

I guess someone on the internet already thought of it. Oh well.

Repeat 1-7 to Hubby without taking a breath, and just WATCH him stare at you like you forgot to take your meds this morning. (“Not in MY yard, you don’t” I could just HEAR him say, although he didnt say a word, LOL)

Back to the drawing board.

Dracula's Lament

2010-01-11T11:40:00.002-06:00

Music by Jason Segal
Animation by Carlyle Wilson

Anyone Else in the Planning Stages??

2010-01-09T13:54:00.001-06:00

When it’s too cold outside to even BE in the garage,

And paint wouldn’t dry even if you begged it to…

Then it’s time best spent Planning…. Scheming…. Devising.

So I found the COOLEST website called Incompetech that allows you to print graph paper.

What’s so fabulous about that?

This particular site lets you customize your graph paper, and allows you to save as .pdf form to print now or later, as your heart desires.

Square graph papers, Triangles and Hexagons, Circular and Polar, Asymmetrical and Specialty Graph Papers, and as you are about to read, my favorite: Writing pages.

Choose how many squares to an inch, the color of the lines, etc. But that’s not all. (I sound like the ShamWow guy, eh?)

As shown in the links above, they have many different shapes for graph paper, which I’m not smart enough to know why you would need those, but it was this little baby that got me all excited:

Yes, that’s a tiny picture, but I still can’t figure out how to embed a picture of a .pdf file, and I refuse to look like an idiot taking a picture of my laptop screen.

It’s found in the Writing category, under Cornell Graph.

The page lets you customize the layout of your page – how much graph paper, how much blank space for notes, where the blocks are located on the page, etc.

I think this is just awesome for sketching out your prop on one side, and putting notes about how to build it, or what colors, epitaphs or motors, or whatEVER!

I can already see printing out a stack of these and putting them in a 3 ring binder for my prop planner.

I hope this is of use to SOMEONE… and if so, then have fun making your very own prop planner!

01-01-10

2010-01-01T09:04:00.001-06:00

That title looks like binary, doesn’t it? This 2010 stuff is just freaking me out. Where’s our rocket ship cars, and our robot maid’s?

On this first day of the year, I wanted to make a short post, no tutorials, or pictures…. no Prop do’s and don’ts….

I wanted to thank every single person that has become a follower of our little space on the web… I know how precious time is, and I am truly honored that you take even a moment from your day to read what Jayson and I have written.

I have said it many times, and I really believe this – the haunt community has some of the most kind and creative, talented and MacGuyver-Like people I have ever had the opportunity to be around. Thank you for everything you have taught me in 2009, and know that I am looking so forward to spending 2010 with you.

Happy New Year!

Dixie’s Secret Santa Can Suck It Gift…

2009-12-19T18:39:00.001-06:00

I had the awesome opportunity to be able to BUY for our gracious host, Cobwebs of Shadow Manor. What’s really cool about that is I get to give her MORE because she is our host, so I have an unlimited budget. The web is my playground and here I go.

The fun part about shopping for someone with an incredible blog, such as Shadow Manor is that her Wish List is laid out day by day… for the last 2 1/2 years or something like that. So not only did I get to take a step back in time and relive some of her great posts, I got to pick and choose my gifts to her from amongst things I read she liked!

I start off with a stocking by the hearth…. because of COURSE, its a Secret SANTA, and everyone knows he comes via the computer chimney.

PS. This picture is stolen from the internet. Use your imagination people.

PSS. Just imagine that one of those stockings says Cobwebs, ok? Don’t make me drag out the Photoshop.

PSSS. Don’t ever type in “Halloween Stockings” into Google. Some of them aren't the kind of stockings to hang on the mantle, and some of them should not be squeezed onto the leg that is in the picture. *shivers*

Ok, Cobwebs… open your stocking!

Yes, the awesome Chandelier nightlight she found at Target. Coolness.

An awesome Zombie toy. Who doesn't need a dismantle-the-zombie toy??

Well, and a $1000 gift certificate to Think Geek because she said she has an unnatural liking of the joint. (And I have an unlimited budget, yay!)

Ok, and last in her stocking,

I mean, that stupid thing goes in EVERYONE’S stockings, right?!!

Ok, onto the pretty wrapped presents. woohooo!

From The Mourning Sampler. This one was my favorite, I hope she likes it too!

(And I hope that stupid copyright thing isn’t on it either, LOL)

Then we have this,

Found here... It appears to work something like a slinky, only its Regan MacNeil from the Exorcist, and I just think that ROCKS!

Ok, next is a gift certificate to this place, since I know she likes the shirts, but I’m not sure which one. While buying the gift certificate for her, I’m buying this one for me, because its my horror favorite movie, and well, I can’t resist.

Onto another favorite item – and something that I know she will like, some of the world famous DeadSpider of Arana Muerta.com Witches Kitchen labels for, well just about anything that she wants! (Excellent blog, by the way, if you don’t subscribe, you SHOULD!)

Another item that Cobwebs spoke of was GoogleGoth, and I thought it would be great to see what it thought I should get her. So after putting in “Christmas Gift for Her” the first link was the Top 25 gifts to give her from askmen.com! I don’t know how GoogleGoth knows Cobwebs, but I guess they know everything. Well, until I clicked on #1.

“Philosophy: The Winter Escape

This limited edition collection of bath products from Philosophy is only available at Sephora. Any woman on your list can enjoy the comfort of a cup of hot cocoa in the shower or bath with new peppermint Hot Cocoa Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath and then finish off with delicious Melting Marshmallow Cream Body Soufflé and Melting Marshmallow Cream Lip Shine -- the man in her life with thank you too for this sumptuous Christmas gift.”

So, well, if she doesn’t like that, she will forget when she opens the next one. I saved the best for last. I had trouble wrapping it, so I just got a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiig bow.

and here it is……..

The only problem is…………… it comes with JAYBO… sitting on it… because he wants it so bad he can’t stand it.

Enjoy your new couch, my hubby sitting on it, and all of your other gifts!

Thank you as well for such a wonderful and informative blog – I had a lot of fun researching all of your old posts to find just the thing!!!

Cool Idea: “Secret Santa Can Suck It”

2009-12-15T06:54:00.001-06:00

A Virtual Secret Santa for members of your fellow Haunt community – where you don’t have to spend a dime, but put a bit of thought into it and make someone smile…. who could ask for MORE?

Its a creation first brought on by Bee's Musings last year, that happily was stolen and reused this year by Cobwebs at Shadow Manor. (Click on the Shadow Manor link to read more on how it works)

Today is the last day, so if you are interested in giving someone the perfect virtual gift, and have a heck of a lot of fun…. sign up by commenting on the Shadow Manor post HERE Today, as names will be grouped together tonight.

And be watching in the coming days, as both Jaybo and I have signed up…. because SECRET SANTA CAN SUCK IT.

Haha, I just like saying that. :D

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

2009-12-03T13:20:00.002-06:00

ThinkGeek :: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Nothing like a reboot of the classics to get you reading again! Perfect stocking stuffer for any haunter who happens to also enjoy Jane Austen!

Honey? You want a copy? ;-)

Christmas Shopping…

2009-11-27T23:41:00.001-06:00

We tried so hard to be normal, red blooded CHRISTMAS type people today, and got out with the masses to celebrate Black Friday. Happened by Big Lots to pick up some cheap stocking stuffers. Found an angel tombstone topper that I’m sure is supposed to be all Christmas-ey and stuff…. oh, and 8 packs of flicker LED tealights that are probably supposed to be in a cute little Christmas window or something….

Yeah, tried really hard to Christmas shop, but gosh darn we are coming home with more Halloween stuff than Santa stuff!

Hope everyone is enjoying the Turkey Day weekend… this 4 day weekend is just such a blessing for me – time with the family, then time to unwind. Love it!

End of the Season

2009-11-23T16:36:00.001-06:00

Ok, it’s official now. I took our last prop down on Sunday, so the season is finally over for the year. I had left Jack, our large Pumpkin Reaper, up in our yard after everything else was put away weeks ago.

He’s my favorite guy and I always have a hard time destroying him every year. I always find an excuse to keep him around as long as possible, but the excuses finally ran out and he had to go.

I created a little tribute video to see him off.

As it is November 23rd…

2009-11-23T06:21:00.000-06:00

Happy birthday honey… even though I nag you more than I should, and bitch about Halloween related TO-DO’s more than I should… I have always loved you, and always will. You are a wonderful husband and father, and I hope today is very special for you because you are very loved. :)

Makeshift Tombstone Painting Station

2009-11-22T22:04:00.001-06:00

You come up with the most fun things when your hubby has every available inch of the garage taken up with huge a$$ props…. You end up in the driveway one day, making an assembly line for painting and aging tombstones…. and find a way that you will use whether there’s space in the garage or not! (Yes, I did notice that I had been kicked out of the MAN CAVE, but come to find out, it was ok!)

I didn't get a pic of my “table” set up, but it went something like this…

Take one of these

and move the two boards together to sandwich 2 pieces of rebar between them. This is where you will put the tombstones (with embedded PVC, right?) to stand upright to paint.

Then pull up your city trash can, and make a white trash (haha) painters bench…. it even has a girlie little towel rack built right in! LOL

I couldn't have built anything better if I had planned it.

You can see one on the workbench in the shot below….

It gets you up close and personal with your stones, at eye level, from all directions, and lets you allow it to dry for a few minutes before moving it.

Perfect!

Blog Spotlight: Johnny Thunder’s Midnite Spook Frolic

2009-11-21T19:11:00.000-06:00

Haunters are some of the best people I have run across – both in person, and in real life. I would really like to share some of the encouragement that we have been given in our first year in the Haunting Community, and introduce you to some blogs you may or may not know about. Either way, they will all be from people that have inspired me, encouraged me, or otherwise touched my life.

The first blog is Johnny Thunders Midnite Spook Frolic. I know many of your are familiar with the famous JT from Haunt or Halloween Forum (and probably others that I dont even know about!) and especially Hauntcast. (JT, there is not a single bad day that I could have that would not be instantly brighter just hearing that LAUGH of yours!) But you may not know that he has an amazing blog that he just started on September 21, 2009.

If you are on the forums, you have been no doubt amazed by the threads with articles of the strange and stranger…. and he keeps us up to date with horror movie news and reviews on Hauntcast. But the blog… well, his blog is a thing of wonder for Horror movie buffs and haunt enthusiasts alike.

It promises “Monsters, Martians, and Madmen”, and it delivers.

Classic horror movie reviews? More than you can imagine. Movie poster eye candy? As far as you can see. General tidbits, including actor/actresses’ birthdays, movie screenshots to take you back through memory lane, more of those wacky articles he finds about the weirdest things I have ever heard of, festival/convention info, horror DVD releases and of course, announcements of the newest release of Hauntcast.

All wrapped up into one amazingly entertaining blog. Its a visual treat, as well as such a good read. If you arent already a follower, you will be doing yourself a favor to add him to your list.

Johnny Thunder, you are a treasure to the Haunting Community for all that you bring to it, and speaking for myself, I appreciate all the time and effort you put into it!

Reuse Broken Things…

2009-11-21T07:05:00.000-06:00

At times like this – when someone you love breaks one of your favorite err… thingee-ma-bobbers (I have no idea what to call that little mini-column thing that I use as a plant stand all year long til Halloween when it just becomes a creepy place to showcase a favorite object)

Anyways, when it gets broken, don’t toss it out…. save the big pieces, and arrange it in a graveyard as if it broke naturally…. 70 years ago.

It will make you feel better! :)