Lucy's last halloween house of the season (I think)

Post by **Lucy** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 12:29 am

Ok, here it is. The last house of the Halloween season for me. It's called Jack's house because it's for my friend, Jack, who LOVES halloween so I tried to make a relatively creepy house for him. I meant to do some bloody touches like blood dripping from a window but I just couldn't do it. The creepiest thing is the "bone chimes" which I'm not sure about anyway. I just taped them on the porch roof temporarily. I'm also deciding on the spooky tree placement, whether to include fall leaves scattered about and the "skeleton" flattie.

I hand drew the wood clapboards. I found the 13 hour clock online and shrunk it down to fit the opening. It think it is somehow from the Disney Haunted Mansion. I have used Paul's clock before, but I've had to delete the "Merry Christmas" message. I cut strips from cardboard and made irregular cuts for the shingles for the roof. This is my first porch. The railing is a from a crooked halloween fence paper punch with strips at the top and bottom to make it look like porch railing. I painted the base fall colors because the house itself is so monochromatic. I think it works.

The main fence is a Tim Holtz fence die that is available online. I think I glued together 5 layers of cardstock to get it sturdy enough. The gate is a retired Martha Stewart fence punch where I glued many layers together to make it strong. I wanted it to look like the gate was coming off it's hinges.

The skeleton flattie is from a Halloween scrapbook paper glued to a paper clip with a black backing. It's not great, but probably good enough for this project.

I haven't been posting patterns because mine aren't really drawn that well, but I can clean them up and post them if someone would like them. Just let me know.

Lucy

Post by **maria** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 4:13 pm

This is wonderfully creepy without being over the edge! Bravo!

Post by **Lynn** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 9:03 pm

This is a great Halloween house!

Post by **Lucy** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 10:36 pm

Maria,
I thought about a comment you made on another house with the parchment paper windows - something to the effect that overall it was too macabre for your tastes. I've been getting Halloween ideas on the internet for months and some of the houses are seriously gory with body parts all around. I just couldn't do that. I figure bone chimes and a skeleton flattie are good enough. I may do a grave somewhere on the base but I didn't leave much room for it. I'm always second guessing the size of my base. At least this base allows the house to show up pretty well even with the fence. Thank you for your encouraging comment.

Lynn, thank you for looking at my houses. I am always flattered whenever you comment.

Post by **paulrace** » Fri Sep 25, 2015 7:33 am

Lucy, I keep the gruesome stuff off my pages, anyway. All my sites are family sites. But you're entirely on target with the "creepy" and maybe even a little macabre, but nothing grisly or gruesome. Your work is delightful!

Post by **BrianB** » Mon Sep 28, 2015 11:44 am

I love it!! Love the coffin shaped door!!

Post by **DCrowe** » Tue Sep 29, 2015 9:08 pm

I also love the coffin shaped door. Do we all know that a coffin is tapered and a casket has square corners? Since we are talking halloween I want everyone to use the right words among friends. I do hear the two words used interchangeably (horrors) by those outside the know!

Since we have a few working weeks before halloween, how about a hearse quickie prop to go with one of your creations? Several vehicles that could be used for hearses have been shared here over the years. My only requirement is that it have white tires and red wheels. I am the newly self-appointed putz companion vehicle police and have given my verdict. White rubber tires placed over red wooden wheel hubs have been traditional toy equipment since the 1920s and thru the late 1940s. If you are in doubt, send me a pic of you idea and I will give tentative approval if it makes muster. Ha Ha, of course I have no input whatsoever into what each talented artist here creates! But adding vehicles is fun in my opinion.

Post by **Lucy** » Wed Sep 30, 2015 2:00 pm

I did not know the difference between a coffin and a casket - good to know - now I will be using the correct terminology. I'm making these little houses to sell as a fundraiser for a Head Start school so they go on sale tomorrow. No time for hearse quickie props this year, but maybe next year. I will post my ideas for any putz companion vehicles before I make them so they can make it past the "self-appointed putz companion vehicle police" before I actually start working on them. I want them to be authentic. Thank you.
Lucy