New Website

Hi Haunt Fans,

If you have somehow found yourself here, I just wanted to let you know that this blog is no longer active.  I have moved up a bit in the food chain.  Chabby House now has its own website -

chabbyhouse.ca.

We look forward to seeing you at the new site!

Chabby House in September Project 1: Wishing Well

Hi Halloween fans,

It has been a hot summer.  Unfortunately it was so hot it was hard to do anything outside and then we had smoke blow in from B.C. It was pretty unpleasant outside a lot of the time so things slowed down a bit and I didn't get as much accomplished over the summer months as I wanted to. However, I did get some props started and I am finally getting them finished.

After I decided to collect donations for Made by Momma I realized I would need something to collect them all in.  I asked around and found that quite a few haunts just build a wooden box.  I wanted to do something different. The one idea that came to me and stuck was a wishing well. Made by Momma posts a wish list every few weeks with the things their clients need, so a wishing well to collect these wishes in seemed appropriate.

The structure is built of a round wood base, scrounged and purchased Styrofoam and Great Stuff.  First the round base was cut and I placed that onto a left over and damaged piece of pink Styrofoam.  This was to protect the wood from the elements and to catch any falling Great Stuff.  I then cut up the scrounged Styrofoam into blocks of approximately the same size.  Next I used wooden skewers to attach the blocks together leaving gaps for the Great Stuff.  I had to build the structure a couple of times. 

The first attempt I built in the house because there was less smoke and it wasn't so hot but I ran into a problem when I tried to get it out my back door.  It wouldn't fit. So it was damaged and had to be rebuilt outside. It took 2 cans of Great Stuff to fill in the cracks and create the "mortar".  Once it dried, I took a Dremel and smoothed out the "mortar".

I then added the top ring of stones which overhang the rest of the well. These were cut from a 1 inch piece of Styrofoam in order for them to be as even as I could get them.  It gave a nice finish to the top.

Next I painted the interior of the well with flat black exterior latex paint. Then I added a form of Monster Mud all over the exterior surface.  I did not measure the drywall to paint so I think it was a bit thin but it did the trick and gave a good base coat to the well.

A day or so later, I did the dry brushing in light gray and then white using acrylic paint.  I added a sponging technique using a green/brown mix of exterior latex on the mortar to give it a more aged and mossy look

Finally, I sprayed the entire exterior and part of the interior with Leak Seal clear spray to give the prop more weather proofing.  I am expecting a bit of snow or rain for Halloween this year and want to be prepared.  

So this is it.  I will be adding a few more atmospheric effects but I won't show them off until Halloween.


Next Prop: Pumpkins!

Changes

The new haunt year has begun.

The CHA Awards for 2016 are over.  (A great show by the way -  available on YouTube if you haven't seen it.)

But I did not win. I wasn't even a finalist. Of course there were many entries and not everyone can win.  Still, it did sting a bit, discouragement set in and I began to think about giving up.  But I love Halloween and my Haunt so I came to the conclusion I can either quit or get better. I am going with getting better. If I am going to get better, I have a lot of work to do this year to get ready for October.

Ch-Ch-Changes

There was an issue in Calgary last year with one of our largest and best haunts which is likely going to result in changes to our regulations on building and running a haunt.  Currently I am small enough that no building permit is required, however, in a couple months that may change. There are plans to have meetings with the city.  I will keep you all posted on how that turns out.

If you haven't noticed the new tabs, I am now working with a charity - Made by Momma.  I will be collecting donations on their behalf this year.  I will post a list of what is urgently needed closer to Halloween. Their website address is posted under the Location and Dates tab. 

I am also adding a few new pages this year.  The back story of Chabby House. 

Next, props.  If you are going to build a larger haunt, you need things to put in it.  Things to scare and delight.  I have a long, long, long list of things I am going to build. I am not sure if I will get it all done but I am going to try.  I am planning on adding about 3 new rooms and changing the design a bit. 

Lastly, actors/actresses.  I am hoping to get a few volunteers to help out with the haunt this year. So, crossed fingers, we will have more living, moving bodies in the haunt.

Happy Haunting - and in the words of Allen Hopps - go make stuff. I know I need to.

Canadian Haunters Association Awards 2016

I thought it was about time I posted the link to my video entry for the CHA awards.  I hope you enjoy it. 

CHA Awards Entry

I will be posting more updates soon.  I am already working on new props for this year and an expanded set up.  I have also added a page for my location and hours this year and will be adding a couple more for our backstory. 

I have also made arrangements with Made by Momma, a charity here in Calgary, to collect donations for them this year. They are a great organization and support families with small children. You can check them out at madebymomma.org.

More to come. .  .

Halloween 2016

Well, another year has come and gone.  It has taken a couple of weeks to put up some pics.  I am still putting Halloween away and we paused for Remembrance Day.

I am working on my video to enter the Canadian Haunters Association contest.  I don't expect to win anything, I have very stiff competition, but I would like to get my haunt out there.  After speaking with a few people who did the walk through this year, I am thinking of doing a charity haunt next year. So admission would be a donation.  We will see though.

There were a few mistakes made this year in the rush to open and get everything finished.  A major one that I will mention is that I forgot to turn on our front door light.  I think I lost/missed a few kids because of it.  I ended up with about the same number of kids as last year and definitely more adults. This was okay because I had kind of expected less, being a Monday.

I am also looking to recruit a few more scare actors next year but that is easier said then done. 

All in all it was another fun Halloween, with screams, giggles and candy.

The Cemetery

Two of the Ladies of the Kitchen.

The invited guest in the parlour.

Lilly's room.

Count Down

The count down to the big day has begun.  I have been very busy trying to get all my projects finished.  I am just taking a quick break to post a few pictures of the Haunt so far this year.


This is the improved archway.  We have replaced the pumpkins with stonework.  This was done because the pumpkins didn't light properly and as a result were not glowing very well.  They are going to be used elsewhere in the haunt.

In the second pic you can see the cemetery going up.  The ghosts and ghouls have not arrived yet but I hear they are coming.  The veil just isn't thin enough for them to cross over yet.

The last pic is a quick glimpse of the walkthrough being built.  I have most of it finished.  You are looking down the hall past the parlour and into the kitchen.  I am hoping to have everything ready by Saturday so I can have a friends and family night preview. 

Well, I need to get back to contacting my ghost friends and finishing up props.  And if I don't get a post in before Halloween - have a fun and safe one. 

Happy Halloween!  Happy Haunting!  Happy Samhain!

The Promo is Here!

Hello all you Halloween and Yard Haunt fans,

I have finally - finally finished my first Chabby House promo video.  I know it may be a bit rough around the edges but I can't help but be proud of it.  So, here it is at last.

Chabby House Promo 2016