new time saving prop idea

What do you like to decorate with? That bucket of blood?
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putrid
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new time saving prop idea

Post by putrid » Tue May 06, 2008 1:14 pm

now, I may make myself look really stupid her but...after last year I decided there has to be easier and cleaner way to make life size zombies. I was saving up newspaper and stuffing plastic bags. Not only did it take forever to make a single zombie ( and I have 8). if it rained, or got really windy the zombies didn't look right because everything got soggy or blew away. then to make things even worse after Halloween was over everything ended up in the trash. so I decided to get some mannequins this year. and being that its only march. prices are pretty darn cheap. if you get on ebay right now look up inflatable mannequin. you can get them for about 10$ not including shipping. so after blowing them up, using a little PVC for structure. The time alone you will save, landfill space you are not taking in plastic and ruined newspaper, plus the many years in the future you can use the same mannequins will more than make it worth it. of course I have yet to make anything so wish me luck !!

I am trying to think of a way to make some really really cheap headstones that will not easily blow away, yet last a long time. if anyone has any suggestions please !!!
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Re: new time saving prop idea

Post by Andybev01 » Tue May 06, 2008 4:16 pm

Inflatable mannequins...? sounds like something else to me :lol:

I made some headstones out of 2" thick insulation board, basicly styrofoam. You can find the basics on Martha Stewart's site. http://www.marthastewart.com/article/tombstones


The wind is VERY strong where I live so instead of wimpy ol' garden stakes I use 4' rebar to stake them down and drilled two sets of holes about a 1/4 from the top and bottom of the 'stones & then secured them to the rebar with foot long zip-ties.

These went the way of time as I had to downsize my decorations a couple years ago and I don't have any pix of the assembly to post :!:

I did use the same staking technique on some cheap-y store bought 'stones last year...
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Re: new time saving prop idea

Post by HalloweenDot » Tue May 06, 2008 4:36 pm

Those are good tips!
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Andybev01
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Re: new time saving prop idea

Post by Andybev01 » Tue May 06, 2008 4:42 pm

HalloweenCom wrote:Those are good tips!
Thanks!

I'm not kidding about the wind. A normal windy day can see gusts up to 30mph. We live on the ocean side of an exposed mountain and it can strip the paint off of that side of the house in a year or so.

The foam 'stones didn't even budge.
All you that doth my grave pass by,
As you are now so once was I,
As I am now so you must be,
Prepare for death & follow me.
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