He's Baaaack!

What are you doing reading this?!? Allen's back to show us more prop making gold!

Watch the video already!

Zombie Song

I am going through a little Halloween withdrawal today.

Red and Blue Effect

It just so happens we use a LOT of red and blue lighting in our haunt. Plus, I've been building computer controlled RGB lights, so this effect would be easy to pull off. Hmm...this would be a cool way to have faceless ghosts that suddenly change to have angry faces staring at you. I think I have a project for this weekend!

Ghosts?

We are flirting with doing a ghost theme this year. We have a few ideas to try, but haven't completely fleshed them out yet. Here is one of the ideas. What do you guys think?

End of April

Hi all, Dawn here.  No pictures today, I’m just writing to catching up with my friends – YOU! 

It’s time to come out of hibernation around here at Nickols Manor, and we are starting to get ready to rumble.

It’s been a roller coaster of an ‘off season’ for us, with the toughest heartbreak being the loss of respected Haunt blogger John Wolfe.  I didn’t write about it at the time, I didn’t really know what to say that so many others had not already communicated more eloquently than I could have.  That is definitely not to mean that it did not affect us.  John was an amazing artist that did so much through his blog and webcams to educate and share with our community.  Beyond that, he was a very kind individual, one of the first to welcome us as newbies, and I will never forget that kindness.  You are missed much, and often John. 

Jayson and I just got back from a weekend getaway to a small little haunted Texas town that is a particular favorite of ours, we will be telling you a bit about it in the coming days… but it really gave us a chance to slow down, have time to talk about things other than the kids and work…. and it led to more haunt planning than we have gotten done in the first 4 months of the year!  I guess I need to chill out and realize that just may be how we roll!

This should be an amazing build season, thanks to some amazing techniques that Allen Hopps has been putting out on Youtube… We have had the privilege of working with him a few times in Dallas, and he has really reminded us that we are doing this to have fun (imagine THAT?!?!), and to look at EVERTHING as a potential building material. 

So we are full of ideas and are ready to go…. now all we have to do is focus!  (insert laughter here…) 

Here’s to 2012!

Black Friday

Ever have one of those moments when you are at Home Depot buying Christmas gifts for others, and while waiting to check out you look down into your buggy and realize that 80% of what you are about to buy is killer deals on materials for the 2012 haunt?

Yeah, me too.

Nickols Manor 2011 - Continued

And we're back!
Ooooohh! Take a look at this gorgeous stone! All hand wrought by the lovely Dixie herself in tribute to Uruk-Hai's inspirational stones! She's a looker!

Well, lookie here! Buffy's done lost her head in the Candy Cauldron. That Slayer sure does love her some candy!

Well...here's Karl again. I believe Henry must have tuckered him out. Seems he's trying to slip away for a bit.

Uhoh! That pretty lady with the angry scowl and lovely blonde hair is Matilda. Karls wife. He's so busted. Man, she's pissed!

Hey! It's Karl and Matilda's daughter Petunia and her Aunt Lily! Oooooooooo Karl was supposed to take her Trick or Treating. No wonder Matilda's pissed!

 
Now Matilda's got Cousin Earl and his friend Bob looking for Karl. (Bob's the reeeaaal skinny fella on the stick. Don't mention the stick, he's sensitive.)

Poor Karl. You would think after 300 years he would know better, but truth be told he didn't have much in his head even when he was alive. Dumb as a rock became actual real rocks in the head. He never had a chance.

Here comes the local graveyard patrol. It's Jack Reaper, the local Underworld official. Rumor has it that he and his brothers starred in some big Hollywood todo about some silly ring or ankle bracelet a while back. I think it had some smelly little short Halflings with hairy feet in it. Why anyone would watch drivel like that I don't know. He don't talk much, and we don't ask.

Like I said, he don't talk much. When you are over 10ft tall, and reap souls you don't have to talk. Plus, no one want's to ask him any questions. He gives me the heebie jeebies!

Well, it's getting late and I gotta get going. It was real nice visiting with you folks. Don't be a stranger. I'm Jaybo for Nickols Manor, and we'll leave the Haunt on for you.

Nickols Manor 2011–Poltergeist

 

We decided to go with a ghostly theme this year, so first up is the star from the Poltergeist movies - Reverend Henry Kane , aka The Beast.

Say hello to the nice folks Henry. The Reverend here is a svelte 15 feet tall, the leader of a Utopian cult, and loves kids. Easy ladies, there is plenty of him to go around!

This one is a good shot of one of Dixie's new stones, plus Henry is still trying to smack the TOTs. Oops...I mean ea..whoa..uh...greet the lovely children?

Here is the view the TOTs have while walking up our sidewalk. Henry really likes TOTS! (usuallywithlotsofcheese)

Here we have a picture of Henry's wingman Karl. These two just love raising cane. Did you see what I did there? I crack me up!

Stay tuned folks! The party just getting started. We'll be back in another post soon!