Yes, you all must think I''m nuts - why care about Halloween at the beginning of September? Well, dear readers, I was concerned about decorations for this Halloween about 10:30 PM last Halloween! It's also the same reason that I couldn't wait until Easter so that I could get a stuffed plush bunny - to use as a Halloween prop! Yup, I'm always on the lookout for something that can be used.
As a matter of fact, I found a great prop while on holidays this summer...a great looking Werewolf Skull, found at a Arthurian/gothic shop called la Table Ronde (it's in French). Have a look.
I've also found another skull at the local San Francisco store, a decent looking Demon skull, though not the quality of the werewolf one. Still, it adds something to the general ambience.
The other reason to start thinking about Halloween decorations now is sometimes you want something that isn't locally available and you have to order it. Consider that it might take weeks for the prop/makeup/costume to arrive, and they get busier closer to Halloween. ORDER NOW! Believe me, you'll save yourself frustration.
It was last year about this time that I ordered a Bag of Bones from Boneyard Bargains. They are a company that sells manufactured skeletons to, well, everyone. Many of their skelly models are high-quality, and are suitable for teaching purposes. They also have lower-quality, slightly imperfect skeletons (nicknamed as a "Bucky" skeleton) that don't cost an arm and a leg! They also have some great props for a variety of prices, so check them out right away.
Another company that I found this year, is Dapper Cadaver. I haven't bought anything from them, but they are from L.A., and have had many creatures show up in movies, so you know they got to be good. I'm worried about paying duty on a bag of body parts though. If you've tried these guys, please let me know your experience with them, as long as the quality.
If you are into the extreme Halloween makeup scene, you might want to have a look at The Monster Makers. Again, they are an American company, but are deeply involved in the industry and have an unbelievable catalog of props, makeup, tools, prosthetics, and the things you need to make your own.
So with all of this out there, why am I so excited about WalMart putting their stuff out? Okay, so much of their chinese goods are made out of Lead, with an unhealthy amount of paint thrown in for good measure, but they do have some stuff that comes in handy, for cheap. You never know when you need a roll of faux barbed wire, a Blucky (one of those skeletons made out of "blown plastic", or blown Bucky, hence the name), or a crow with actual feathers. Sure, a little tacky, but you never realize what an affect that it has to the ambience of your haunt. Or your office!
I'll post a technique soon on how you can turn one of those cheap plastic skulls into a cool Halloween Prop, just using some stuff you can find at your local Haunter's Depot, er, Home Depot. Stay Tuned.
In the mean time, if you have any ideas for Halloween shopping here in Edmonton, or in your neck of the woods, post a comment and let everyone know!
0 comments:
Post a Comment