Greetings Halloween Lovers!
Welcome to the 8th Issue of the Fear Crafters Newsletter!


We need your help!
If you would like to write and article or suggest a subject for the newsletter,
please Click Here to send it to us!


Please note all images and videos are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the owners permission!




This edition's features:
(click on article to go directly to that section)

Latest Happenings!
Halloween Short Film
New type of Mini Spot Lights
Eyeball How To
How to create your own "Fog Scents"
"Rust it up" How To
Awesome 2010 Home Haunt Videos
Wax Fangs
Recipes
Movie Previews
Dead Spiders Creations & Blog
Great Halloween Blog: HauntStyle
Featured Web Site - A Haunted Halloween At Blackstone Cemetery
Featured Vendor - Trick or Treat Sudios
Funny Halloween "mini" Muppet Shows




Greetings Everyone!
First of all, let me apologize for getting this newsletter out so late. As you all know we have been experiencing some major chaos around here. Now as the dust starts to settle, I can pull the wooden steak out, crawl out of my coffin, set out to find some new blood and get back to moving forward.

Ok enough about me, lets get on with what's been happening lately........

Halloween has come and gone, another year of great props, scenes, and lots of screams!
We hope everyone had an awesome turn out and all your displays looked awesome!
I can not wait to see everyones photo's!


Tammy has won the Haunted Attraction Magazine subscription, which was the prize for the drawing we had for posting the Fear Crafters Posters at various locations.
Congratulations Tammy!


Coming up next will be the annual "Chili Feed" which will be January 22nd at 4:00 pm at our house.
Members you will want to attend this event as we will be announcing some new and exciting changes to the club!

We will be providing home made chili and cinnamon rolls.
Please let us know if anyone is able to bring bowls, napkins, spoons, crackers, shredded cheese, cups, or pop for this event.
Don't forget to bring your favorite photo's as we will once again be voting on the "Best Halloween Haunt/Display" and the winner will recieve an awesome prize package that Brad and I will be putting together!
I am really looking forward to seeing and chating with everyone!



Fastly approaching is "Transworld Halloween Party & Haunt Show" in St.Louis March 10-13.

Check out the video of the show below!


Quoted from their website: "The Annual Halloween & Attractions Show continues its tradition of creating a unique business environment designed to allow buyers to meet face-to-face with exhibitors. Our exhibitors bring all the newest products and classic designs, providing buyers with a one-stop shopping experience. With thousands of products in hundreds of categories, buyers will find everything they need to stock their businesses and make their time at the show a success. Products at the Annual Halloween & Attractions Show include:

Props, Animatronics, Games and Crowd Pleasers, Concession Supplies, Tickets and Crowd Control, Masks and Costumes, Lighting and Special Effects, Make-Up and Prosthetics, Fabric Paint and Décor, Gift and Novelty items, Haunted House Design and Installation, Sound/Visual Electronics and Effects, Mobile Haunted Houses, Educational and Instructional Videos, Spooky Music and SFX, Wristbands, Visitor Automated Tracking Systems, Haunt-Oriented Graphic and Web Design, and much more!

Networking events, award ceremonies, local haunted house tours, industry relevant seminars and an expanded Dark Zone make this the best Halloween & Attractions Show yet! Don’t miss out!"



We are planning on leaving to make our way up to St. Louis Friday March 11th. We do have extra rooms reserved once again, the price is $ a nite. So if any of you are thinking about going (by yourself or with others), please let us know! We will need to get you "badges" which we need to get ahead of time that have your name (everyone will need their own badge) on them. Getting your badge does not mean you have to go. If you end up deciding not to go, we can always cancel the room.

This year the Halloween "party" side will be joining us once again. What does this mean?
This means besides seeing all the haunt vendors that carry masks, props, make up, lighting supplies, etc. you will also see tons of vendors that carry the items you see at the "party stores" around Halloween time. Items such as flickering candles, foam skulls, body parts, window clings, spiderwebs, party supplies, pumpkin patterns, costumes, and sooooooooo much more! Most but not all of these vendors will have a minimum order requirement some are very low and some are high, but if anyone else that goes wants any items from the same vendor, combine and create one order to meet the minimum requirement.

You can check out
www.hauntshow.com
to find out all the events, classes, gatherings and vendors that will be happening and that will be at the show.






Halloween Short Film!

Here is a short "Halloween themed" movie.
This one is a cute story about a scarecrow. The first few seconds have a few squares in view (animation issues), but clears right up.










Featured Vendor - Trick or Treat Studios!



I first came across this company at Transworld.

You couldn't miss their booth with all the colors and awesome masks that definately stood out.
These guys have kick ass characters. They remind me almost of cartoons, mostly because of the color themes they use. The details that go into each mask is phenominal making their creation top notch work!

What are the prices you ask?
Check this out! At the Transworld show their prices were mainly around $25 to $35 with a few masks exceding that amound because of size or details of the character. On their web site their retail prices range from $45.99 to $59.99.
Going to Transworld next year? Keep these guys in mind if you are!
When you can definately check out their web site
"www.trickortreatstudios.com" and all their work, you won't be disappointed!





New Type of LED Mini Spot Lights!



Ok, so we all know or have heard about "mini spotlights"; the small LED light inside a metal tubing that you can virtually mound anywhere, wire them all together and connect them to an adaptor to create awesome "spot" lighting of any color, anywhere , focused only on the object you want lit without having light go past the item and creating unwanted scene lighting.
So........ You think those are cool? But didn't have the extra cash to spend for a hand full of them?
Check this out!

Someone on Halloween Forum came across these lights. They are similar to the other ones, but they are small plastic LED lights that take batteries (watch batteries). That's right, no more wiring and plugging them in! Can you say AWESOME for outdoor use?! Especially for here in Nebraska where we always have a chance for rain or drizzle on Halloween Night! Big Safety Plus!
Now, the next best thing about these little guys is that they do have a metal clip on them to make them extremely easy to attach to anything anywhere. No need to use nails or screws; meaning no adding new holes to walls or props!
They are available in the colors of red, blue and green.

Can it get any better? YES!
The absolute BEST PART is that they only cost $.95 each. Making these babies extremely affordable, safe, easy and cheap!

Two things to keep in mind. One is that now that Haunters have taken a liking to these little guys, they sell out real fast, so you got to keep an eye on the web site to see when their stock gets replenished and to get your order in.
Another thing I would suggest is that I would get a few to test how they work under cold temperatures as I know some batteries last about 10 minutes in the cold on Halloween Night, from experience, if the temperature drops and we have a real cold night it could effect the batteries. Never hurts to test it out first!

Here is the link to the page at
JacksToolShed.com .







A Haunted Halloween At Blackstone Cemetery

www.hectorturner.com/halloween/index.html



This haunt is created by Hector Turner who lives in Canada

Quoted from his web site
"A Haunted Halloween in Brampton, Ontario

Spooky music echos down the street as weird lights play across moldering tombstones. Spider webs dangle from overhead trees ready to catch unwitting prey. Lightning flashes across the sky just as an unholy scream rends the night. Werewolves howl as other darker terrors lurk among the shadows. Trick-or-treaters beware! I've been into Halloween my whole life (my last official Halloween as a TOT my friend and I went out as Lepers - just a hint of things to come) but I am relatively new to the whole Haunt scene. It started with a few store-bought decorations and dressing up in costume to jump out at the kids when they came to the door. Later we took the haunt to the front lawn and this was so much more fun - you got to interact with the kids more and could see their reactions better.

Things kicked into high-gear in 2004 with the creation of my Uruk-Hai costume from Lord of the Rings and then in 2005 with tombstones and other props. Every year the plans are even bigger and better. Word has spread among the neighbourhood kids and they really look forward to coming to our house Halloween night. If you're in the area, stop by - everyone's welcome!"



His web site is full of photos of his haunts from 2002 to the current 2010 season.
You will also find many project how to's with lots of photos to guide you along the way.
He also has a "download" page where you can download templates for various tombstones,signs and more.

You definately don't want to pass this site up, take a few minutes and check it out, just seeing his photos are inspirational to your prop and scene creative juices!







This is awesome, a "Rust it up" how to!
Learn how to make your props look old, nasty and rusty!

This is from Jaybo on Haunt Forum:

I was asked in another thread to show how I created the rusted look above. I just recently learned how to do this myself and thought I would pass it along.
There are a couple of different ways to accomplish this, I'm just showing you how I did it.

This is what you need:
Orange latex paint
Wood glue or Concrete Patch mix
Dark brown latex paint wash created with half paint and half water
Mahogany Wood Stain
Garden spray bottle for brown paint mix
Cheap chip brushes (these are the really cheap paint brushes)
Sea sponge
Oatmeal
Sand
Drop cloths to work on (this gets messy)

This is what you do:
Coat the prop with either lots of wood glue or a layer of Ready Mix Concrete Patch. Now throw sand and oatmeal into the glue or the concrete patch. This will create a nice texture on the prop. The oatmeal will create the flaky metal pieces, and the sand makes it look rough and uneven. If you used the concrete patch, you can also dab at the material to make it lift up into little peaks. Now you wait and let this dry. It's best to wait a day for it all to cure, but you can dirty it up after about an hour if you're in a hurry. You just run the risk of a longer drying time once we start adding the paint and a chance the finish will run and drip more than you like. Think herding cats. It can be done, but it's not easy or worth the effort.

All dry? Good! Now take your sea sponge and use it to dab the orange latex paint over the prop. We aren't painting the prop, we are just dabbing it with the orange in strategic places on the prop. You don't have to use a sea sponge, but they sure are handy. You can also just use the tip of your chip brush to stab the paint onto the prop.

While the orange paint is still wet, take the spray bottle of watered down brown latex paint and spray the prop. Let the brown wash mix with the orange paint and run.

Now take the mahogany wood stain and drip it onto the prop to dirty the piece up and create the dark spots of corrosion. It will be very shiny at first and look more like a massive amount of bloody tissue than it does rust. Don't worry, this will tone down as the piece dries.

That's it! Now go make your Momma worry about you getting tetanus and foaming at the mouth.

Here's a boring video of the two pieces shown in the photos above. The finial of the pipe on the right was made using wood glue and sand, no oatmeal. The actual pipe the finial is attached to is made using concrete patch and sand, no oatmeal. The sword is made with oatmeal, sand, and concrete patch.







This is a cool "eyeball" how to!
You can purchase these 1/2 eyeballs for this project on ebay starting at $.99 for a 4 pair set!








Want to have scented fog?
Read this how to to learn how to create your own "Fog Scents" to add to your fogger to create the added element of scent to your haunt or Halloween display!
This how to was created by "Eyegore" on the Halloween Forum

Homemade Fog Scents

I started testing some custom scents.
I read everything I could regarding essential oils, and fragrances oils. After testing the safety of the fog vapors on both the eyes and mouth, as well as the safety of using it in a fogger; I have come to the conclusion that it works just as good as the commercial stuff, and is safe. I experimented mixing fragrance oils together for my custom fog scents. The price is a little bit less vs buying commercial scents, plus it's more fun to make them yourself! This isn't a tutorial, so much as it is a recipe guide. As with all fog scents; the fogger should be flushed with fog cleaner or distilled water-vinegar when putting it back into storage. When making custom fog scents, wear rubber gloves, if you don't...your hands will STINK!

Make sure you use Fragrance oils and not Essential oils.

Fragrance oils can be bought here:
http://www.wellingtonfragrance.com/
http://scentsations4u.com/
http://www.naturesgardencandles.com/...rance-Oil.html
and here: http://www.peakcandle.com/

These scents are concentrated and should be added to aprox 4 gallons worth of fog fluid depending on scent. If you like to make homemade fog juice, add the fragrance oil mixture to the glycerin before mixing it with the distilled water.
You can use a child's medicine spoon to measure the the right amount for bottles of commerical fog fluid. Shake the bottle well!

Conversion Guide:
6 tsp = 1.0 oz of fog scent (2-3 gallons)
3 tsp = .5 oz of fog scent (1 gallon)
1.5 tsp = .2 oz of fog scent (half gallon)
.5 tsp = .1 oz of fog scent (1 quart)

Here are the recipes:

each fragrance oil bottle/vial is .5 oz
some recipes require 1 oz
(do not use essential oils)

Directions:
Mix together in glass mason jar.
Close with lid, let scents mellow for 2 weeks.
Then open it up and add it to the fog fluid.
Each fragrance makes approx. 4 gallons worth of fog.
Use a measuring spoon for smaller fog fluid sizes.

Circus Gothica
Step right up ladies and gents...
anise .5
cottton candy .5

*Haywire!
No Igor. The other Switch! BOoM!
leather 1.0
lime .5
campfire .25

*Swamp
The smell only an alligator would love!
campfire .25
rich potting soil 1.0
rain .5

Manor/Mansion
It was Prof. Plum in the Library with the pipewrench!
basil 1.0
amber 1.0

Vampyre
I wish I could bottle this stuff as Twilight colone!
anise .25
black cherry .5
leather .5

Crypt
That rotting earth scent you'd find opening a buried casket!
potting soil .5
dill pickle .25
amber .5

Burton's Nightmare
This smell happens when two holidays collide!
anise .25
pumpkin 1.0
spruce .5

*Asylum
Susie just killed patient 030020 in the courtyard!
lemon grass 1.0
popcorn .25 (smells like urine in small doses)
linen .5
genuine leather .5

*Walk the Grounds
Now you too can smell like the Groudskeeper, and that malnurished pooch!
tall grass 1.0
rich potting soil .5
rose 1.0

Candy Corn
For those that want to give TOTs a sugar coma!
candy corn 1.0

*Harvest Hayride
A ride through the pumpkin patch...in scent form.
pumpkin 1.0
cedar 1.0
tall grass .5

Charred Corpse
Frank, this meatloaf is fantastic! Where's Mom?
campfire 1.0
leather .5
indian musk .25

Witch's Brew
Like the Yankee Candle fragrance.
patchouli 1.0
dragon's blood .5
cinnamon .25

*Death
This scent is in TOXIC 'cading!
Indian Musk 1.0
clove .5
rich potting soil .5

Moon Doggy
I'd call this scent Jacob; but I've already made a Twilight joke.
Mary Jane 0.5
cucumber mint 0.5
oak moss 0.25

Zombie Breath
This scent will send your nose on a journey...to the cemetery.
patchouli 1.0
dill pickle .5
butterscotch .25

VooDoo'd
The smell of a voodoo rite, minus all the blood and KFC chicken bones.
Dragons Blood 1.0
clove .25
oak moss .5

*tested scents.







Awesome 2010 Home Haunt Videos!





Here are some awesome 2010 home haunt videos I have come across.
These are fun to watch and inspiring.
You can get some great ideas from these..... Enjoy!



Old Stonegate Cemetery - 2010
Check out their set up in the garage!!!!






Nickols Manor 2010






Riverside, CA Halloween Light Show






Darkrose Manor 20110






Forgotten Cemetery 2010






Eerie Hollow Cemetery






Terror on Timberlake











Ever wonder how they make those old fashioned Wax Fangs we all love and loved as kids?
Watch the video from Food Network, from the show "Unwrapped" below!








Recipes!

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

1 box spice cake mix
1 15 oz can pumpkin

Mix together. Batter will be very thick. Spoon onto cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Let cool at least 5-10 minutes then dust with Powdered sugar if desired.

They are super easy and everyone loves them.









Movie Previews


Beastly - In theaters March 18, 2011
Starring: Vanessa Hudgens Alex Pettyfer Mary-Kate Olsen Neil Patrick Harris Peter Krause
Synopsis
Set in Manhattan, the movie tells the story of a handsome rich kid with a mean streak. When he ditches a date, a curse is placed upon him, turning him into everything he hates. The grotesque transformation leaves him with the seemingly impossible task of finding true love to break the ugly spell.




Drive Angry - In theaters Feb. 25th 2011
Synopsis
The story centers on a man (Nicolas Cage) driven by rage who is chasing the people who killed his daughter and kidnapped her baby. The vendetta/rescue spins out of control as the chase gets bloodier by the mile, leaving bodies strewn along the highway.




Season of the Witch - In theaters Jan. 7th 2011
Synopsis
Nicolas Cage stars as a 14th century Crusader who returns with his comrade to a homeland devastated by the Black Plague. A beleaguered church, deeming sorcery the culprit of the plague, commands the two knights to transport an accused witch to a remote abbey, where monks will perform a ritual in hopes of ending the pestilence.




Skyline - In theaters Nov. 12th 2010

Synopsis:
After a late night party, a group of friends are awoken in the dead of the night by an eerie light beaming through the window. Like moths to a flame, the light source is drawing people outside before they suddenly vanish into the air. They soon discover an otherwordly force is swallowing the entire human population off the face of the earth. Now our band of survivors must fight for their lives as the world unravels around them.
Official synopsis: In the sci-fi thriller Skyline, strange lights descend on the city of Los Angeles, drawing people outside like moths to a flame where an extraterrestrial force threatens to swallow the entire human population off the face of the Earth. Don't Look Up.







The Lost Boys - The Thirst

In theaters Oct. 12th 2010
Synopsis
As the lost boys and girls of San Cazador prepare to party under the Blood Moon, an alpha vampire conspires to turn these unsuspecting ravers into an army of undead. The only thing that stands between him and the annihilation of the entire human race is the infamous vampire fighting Frog Brothers. Armed with double-barrel holy water balloon launchers and multi-arrow crossbows, Edgar (Corey Feldman) and Alan Frog (Jamison Newlander) join forces to kick some blood-sucker butt in this latest high-energy, action packed adventure in the Lost Boys franchise.







My Soul to Take
In theaters Oct. 8th 2010

Synopsis
As legend has it, a notorious serial slayer will return to the sleepy community of Riverdale to finish off the seven children born on the night he purportedly died. But is the slayer really dead, or is he still at large? Or has the mysterious evil personality that once impelled his bloody spree entered the body of an unwary teen, who will now be compelled to do his evil bidding?
Alternate synopsis: From writer/director Wes Craven comes a thriller that warns us evil is working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And if you have any chance of beating it, you'll have to fight for your life My Soul to Take (aka 25/8). In the sleepy town of Riverton, legend tells of a serial killer who swore he would return to murder the seven children born the night he died. Now, 16 years later, people are disappearing again. Has the psychopath been reincarnated as one of the seven, or did he survive the night he was left for dead?










Dead Spiders Web Site/Blog

Need some great ideas?

Then don't pass up this site!

Check out Dead Spiders Website/Blog.
There are many of her creations both for show and to purchase through etsy.com on her
"store page"








She has very awesome props from realistic, creepy, aged potion bottle labels, hand crafted halloween beads such as skulls, to all kinds of props from a to z. Her creations are creepy, antique, and beautiful as well as frightning.











This is an awesome blog, I found myself spending hours looking at this blog and going through all the older posts.

You will find all kinds of cool, creepy, scary, stuff.
From toys, costumes, crafts, art, tatoos, food, props, haunts, books, and all kinds of weird findings.

http://hauntstyle.blogspot.com/







Funny Halloween "mini" Muppet Shows

Chef carving pumpkins:




Muppet Ghost Hunters: