Its time for "The Show"!

Greeting Ghost Fans!
Today I want to share with you all the many talents of Patrick Hurd. I first was introduced to Patrick through his website Doombuggy Productions, which sadly, is no longer on the internet. When I first started out looking for ideas and inspiration for my own haunted abode, Patrick's site was THE place to go. He offered many DIY projects with step by step instructions on how to make all sorts of Haunted Mansion and Haunted Mansion Holiday recreations. My favorite was the Jack head from the garland for Haunted Mansion Holiday. Thanks to his wonderful website and easy to follow instructions, I was able to create my own HMH decor. While I was influenced by the wonderful decor of the Haunted Mansion Holiday, Patrick was really the one who inspired me and gave me the means to create the decor of my dreams, er...or rather, nightmares!

Here's the Jack Skellington head



please don't chastise about the green garland. I'd always meant to spray paint it.. and then Michaels started carrying it! My new garland is black. I just don't have an updated picture.


You might have noticed the Scary Teddy Tree Topper. Patrick made that for me, and it probably gets more compliments than any other single item in our HMH decor. The candle that the toothy teddy is holding plugs in and offers just the perfect glow to the top of the tree. We plug ours into a flicker box when we want that extra special effect.



And finally, here's the video, with the tree all-a-flicker, and the jack head in place.


Ok, ok..so enough about me and onto "The Show"!!
Patrick is the host of "The Show" which can be seen on Youtube or iTunes. Here's more info about an upcoming episode which you won't want to miss!




On Friday May 1st, Patrick Hurd presents:

The Story of the Haunted Mansion.

You’ll learn how the wish of one man to provide a loving home for his family, became the nightmare that destroyed one generation after the next.

The 32 minute story is visualized through the art work of over 40 talented artists.

Nearly 300 original pieces of artwork were created exclusively for the story!

The short films voice cast includes actor Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser MD, How I Met Your Mother), Corey Burton (The Haunted Mansion Holiday’s Ghost Host), Peter Renaday (The Ghost Host from the classic 1969 Haunted Mansion LP), and voice guy extraordinaire Brian Sommer!

Find out how your favorite characters came to live and die inside Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion…and the surprising way their stories intertwine.

Visit the Window to the Magic video feed on iTunes on May 1 to download the high quality video for free…

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id(7955543

Or visit Patrick’s YouTube channel on May 1…

http://www.youtube.com/user/Doombuggy

So you think you know all about the Haunted Mansion…

You don’t know half the story!


Please be sure to subscribe on iTunes or Youtube and leave him some feedback love! His videos are hilarious and extremely well done. Be sure to check out Episode 3, the Halloween special. It's to die for!

And Patrick, thanks again for sharing all of your wonderful creations with us!

Fan made Staring Bust

First I want to thank everyone for their condolences for my broken heart, er, I mean gargoyle candle holder. I have taken all your suggestions to heart and have sought out a professional to have it repaired. The guy I hired works with these 'cold cast porcelain' type resins on a daily basis and has given me great hope that my gargoyle will look as good as new. I'll keep you posted. In case your wondering why I just don't do it myself? Simple. I have about as much grace and patience for this type of delicate repair as a bull in a china shop. I also think that some of the pieces might need to be pinned to add reinforcement to the repair. Just not my cup of tea.

I'm in much better spirits today however!  On the very day I posted that horrific story, I received a rather large package in the mail. On the outside were some very specific instructions telling me to 'cut here' and 'fold' there. I then saw the return label and discovered it was a gift from my dear friend and HMC blog reader, Gary! Remember Gary? He's the fabulous sculptor from Michigan who shared with Haunted Mansion Collectibles a video of the Hitchhiking Ghosts that he made for his Halloween yard display.

He has been working on a Haunted Mansion inspired staring bust and sent me the first prototype! Thank you so much Gary! This piece is amazing. And it wasn't enough for him to send me just the prototype - the package also doubles as the display piece, which explains all the cryptic instructions on the outside of the box. I basically had to make a few incisions in the protective tape layer (Gary was kind enough to have everything precut), plug in the power cord, and be amazed!

I'll admit it. I was intimidated by the box at first. 

But curiousity got the best of me, and I had to open it.  

There were all these other places to cut on the box. But Gary was so thoughtful and precut all these special areas.

Thank you, Gary!! 

This has got to be the coolest package.. 

and not for just what's inside....

but also because of the built-in cord storage.  What?!  I loathe stray cords and prefer my cords to stay neat and orderly.  Gary, you rock!

I really don't know why I was so concerned about opening the box. Gary sent very detailed instructions. Don't worry, Gary, I won't leave the box unattended! :)

But enough of the tease already.... hehehe

Take a look at what Gary made! I'm in awe and so grateful that you shared this piece with me.




email subscribers.. click on the blog to view the video of Gary's great fanmade Staring Bust!

One final note.. if this is just a prototype, I can't wait to see the actual finished product!!  

But of course, you'll have to hurry baaack to see it for yourself.

Scary Hitchhiking Ghosts

One of the more unique pieces in our collection originated from the Haunted Mansion Comic Book franchise. One of the artists for the comic book, D.W. Frydendall, had a booth at the Black Market for Bat's Day promoting the comic. Something came over us when we saw this piece...we had never seen any Haunted Mansion art take on a darker, more sinister look and we were drawn to it. We made an offer for this one of a kind piece, he thought we were nuts, and he may be right, but we were thrilled when he agreed.

This piece is a huge at nearly 4 feet across and 3.5 feet tall and is mounted on foam board, making it very light for hanging.





We've loved displaying this piece in our home, using it during the Halloween season in our large picture window to scare the bejeezus out the kidlets. Now we are offering it up for other Haunted Mansion fans to enjoy. As far as I know, this is the only one of its kind. Shipping could prove tricky, but the great folks at my local UPS store are awesome and will figure it out. If you're interested, please shoot me an email.

Handmade Props by Gary part II

I had tried to post videos of Gary's handmade animatronics with the original post, but Blogger must have been playing April Fool's on me.. Not a single video showed up.  

So I just went to youtube instead.  Problem solved.

Thanks again Gary for sharing your fantastic work.

Gary's Hitchiking Ghost Sculptures

Happy April Fools Day! Did playful spooks get you today?

I'm so pleased to share another fan's collection and this guy is no joke!

Meet Gary, from Michigan, an artist who has never taken an art class and has made over 35 animated Halloween props. Of course, no self-respecting haunted house would be caught dead without Hitchhiking Ghosts or the Organist from the Ballroom. So Gary decided to add some Disney magic to his "haunted yard".

Gary describes his first trip to WDW!

"My first trip to Disney World was in 1991. (I got a late start) Ann and I were there for our wedding anniversary. I had never gone prior to that because I had thought Disney World was for kids. But was I wrong!!!

I have never been to any place that fills me with such wonderment and awe. Corny as it sounds I DO feel that it is a truly magical place! Anyhoo.. Ann had been to Disney World before and she wanted to ride the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride. ( I liked it better before they changed it to parallel the movie!) Anyhoo again...That ride was being renovated so we went on our way. A few shops and snow cones later we rounded the corner and there it was!

The Mansion. 

Looming large and ominous in the distance. With each advancing cautious steps we made, the sounds of laughter and joy were slowly, yet inescapably being replaced with the sounds of a storm blowing in. Wind and thunder. And was that a cat screeching? Or a muffled scream?? Past the iron gates to the graveyard. Surrounded by memorials to lost friends and family. A rose placed lovingly on a tombstone pays grim testimony to the loss still felt. But where are the smiles? Where is the warmth? Where is the bright, warm sunshine? An invisible weight has been placed on your very soul. Your heart beats fast and loud in your chest. The beginnings of doubt, fear, nay TERROR start to overtake your thoughts. Should I go on?? CAN I go back??? Then you are in. No turning back. TOO LATE....Too late..........Then you are greeted....???......

WELCOME!.....FOOLISH MORTALS.............

That was the beginning. Since that time we try to get back to Disney at least once a year. But of all the attractions...All of the shows...All of the MAGIC that is truly Disney. The Haunted Mansion has been, and always will be, my favorite!!! It has inspired me and given me many, many, ideas for my Halloween yard display. Plus it has been upgraded since last I was there. So it will be a NEW experience! A new thrill!" 

Its hard to believe that Gary hasn't had any training in sculpting!  I'm insanely jealous of his talent!  I asked him to share more about the process of making these really cool props.

"It starts out as a clay sculpting that I do during the winter months. I only work on it for an hour or so a night. I usually have a sculpting done in a week. (depending on the detail). That would be for one head. Then I needed to sculpt the hands. Head and hands are all that were needed for Phineas and Ezra. Gus was another thing. Since he is dressed in a nightshirt (or is it a mental hospital gown? ) his arms and legs are visible. Also he is barefooted. So it takes more to sculpt.
When spring finally arrives a mans thoughts turn to......Mold making!!! The sculpting is molded in a very hard plaster like compound. Hydrocal or Ultracal is usually used. Think of it as plaster of Paris on steroids. The molds are usually made in two or more pieces to help with removing the finished product. After the plaster has hardened the sculpting is removed. This always breaks my heart! You see, You usually (almost always) have to totally destroy your sculpting to get it out of the mold. Technical stuff like undercuts and entrapment's and other annoying stuff. You tend to grow attached to your creation and then have to rip it to shreds just to make another identical to the one you already have. That makes a lot of sense does it not?? Perhaps that is why artists are always depicted as , shall we say, MAD!!! I do not classify myself an artist. Having never taken an art class. But the MAD part.....

The mold shells are cleaned, dried, and reassembled. You now have in essence a giant Jello mold. Liquid latex rubber is poured into the mold. The mold soaks up water from the latex and a thick wall of latex forms against the mold sides. In about a half hour the remaining rubber is poured out and the rest sits overnight (or more) to cure. (vulcanize). When all that has taken place you can open the mold and remove the rubber copy of your sculpting. Yah... Like it's ever that easy!!! But if it were no challenge...Where would be the rewards?

Now you have yourself a Jim Dandy set of hands and a head to go with them. You could put them in the freezer and wait until someone goes for some ice for their soda. Or you could make a body for them. I chose the latter!

My job title is "Sheet metal model maker". A fancy way of saying that I bend, pound ,grind, weld, pry, cut, assemble, and in a word "fabricate" Metal from it's crude base shape to a finished and hopefully usable product. I know!! Sounds GLAMOROUS!!! But I get paid weekly....VERRY WEAKLY!! But I am straying.

I use tube steel to form the basic "Skeletons". Welding it together. This is faster than bolting things together but the downside is that ...it is what it is....After making many props comes another problem. Where do ya put 'em?? But that's another problem! The skeletons are animated using gear reduced electric motors. Real "hi tec" stuff only!!!! My motors of choice are B.B.Q. rotisserie motors or can openers. Nothing but the best!!!

Then foam padding to give it shape.....Some hair.... A little paint and a prayer..... Plug it in..... And if you do not smell ozone or hear the sound of approaching firetrucks you have yourself an animated Hitchhiking Ghost!

So to answer the question....About three weeks each to make the ghosts. (All that explanation and I could have summed it up like that????...Sheeesh!!!"

Funny, artistically talented, and drives the coolest little car I've ever seen. Some people have all the luck!  Gary, I hope you and Ann can make it to Disneyland sometime!  I would love to visit the Haunted Mansion with you guys! In the meantime, I look forward to progress reports on the band you're making to accompany your Organist. Please keep us posted and thanks for sharing! I've got a special gift to send your way to say thanks...

If you would like to share your Haunted Mansion collection, please email me at hauntedmansioncollectibles@gmail.com!

Hurry baaack!

I love fanmade!

Haunted Mansion fans are the best. We love all aspects of the ride, from the music and art, to the details in the furniture, walls, and haunted halls. If there is a way for us to capture a piece of it, or recreate it...we're all over it! For some of us, its not enough to have a few Haunted Mansion trinkets scattered around the house; we have to recreate the house, or rather the mansion!

Do I dare admit, my husband and I are just those kind of people? Our collection started in the living room, with just a few items. In fact, we considered them to be seasonal and only brought them out for Halloween. It was my friend, Nat, who suggested that I leave my collection out all year long. So, yeah... I blame her! LOL In a few short years, the collection has taken the over the house. It was also my dear friend Natalie who painstakingly drew and hand cut several stencils to recreate the Rolly Crump inspired Demon Eyes wallpaper in the Corridor of Doors. And it is my favorite of the fanmades!!



Its a work in progress, but I have made progress and just as soon as its finished, I'll be posting more pics.

**BUT WAIT**

I found two more fanmade items that Natalie made that I also just LOVE!



Haunted Mansion slippers!!! I love how she pays attention to details, down to the little bat on the bow. I'm so glad the weather is getting cooler, so I can pull these out of the closet and wear them!

And here is the other amazing piece she made us for Christmas one year. Its a faux stain glass piece and this picture just doesn't do it justice. Unfortunately I don't have access to all my pictures at the moment, so I had to pull this from my photobucket account.