Avanzino Signing Event at the Disneyland Resort

I had a nice, but interesting weekend at the Disneyland Resort. It was my birthday and I wanted to go to the Food and Wine Festival to meet Dave Avanzino for the Artists signing. Apparently, there is an unspoken, unwritten rule about what Dave can sign. The Disney Gallery website stated that the Artists could only sign their respective merchandise, limit 2 per guest, and no personal items.




So I thought, silly me, that I could have him sign the Haunted Mansion Shadow box (that we purchased from Disneyland about a month ago) and his Room for One more piece (from the Happy Haunts Ball event). I thought we had understood the small print on the Disney Gallery website fairly well. But Martha, you know Martha, she plans all these events, was there to make sure that Dave only signed items that were purchased right there at the park, on that day. Boy, are we stupid or what? How did we miss that? According to Martha, all collectors know that rule. According to her, she's been doing these events for years and has never had anyone not understand that the Artists will only sign if you purchase the item right then and there.

Dave, who had been willing to sign the pieces, looked embarrassed, and Sam was clearly frustrated. He even tried to tell Martha that we had purchased the shadow box at Disneyland earlier in the day, but then Martha wanted to see the receipt. Ooops, foiled again! That's when I remembered my phone, and pulled up the website and zoomed in on the small print on the Disney Gallery page. It didn't say Artists can only sign items purchased at the park on that particular day. So I showed my phone to Martha, we had a nice conversation about the rules, which now I completely understand, and she allowed Dave to sign our Shadowbox piece, even though we hadn't purchased it that day. She wouldn't allow him to sign the other piece because it was from a Disney Florida event.

Ok, so even though we are collectors, and have attended several Disney events, we are obviously incredibly naive. It was our second time meeting Dave, but the first time we had ever attended one of these Artists signing events.

So the weekend was interesting. I did get to tell Dave that his shadowbox is one of my all time favorite pieces. He said it was one of his, as well. He also mentioned that he is currently working on something for the Haunted Mansion 4oth event. Oh, and Martha mentioned that she would have to change the small print for future signing events.

Didn't mean to be such a troublemaker...



To top off my birthday weekend, Sam surprised me with the Olszewski Haunted Mansion miniature. I was not expecting to ever to get this piece. Sam, you're the best husband EVER!!!

Thanks Friends!

My friends Guy and Natalie gave me the coolest cards and gifts for my birthday! They’re so thoughtful.

With a starbucks carmel frappuccino in one hand, and my camera in the other, I’m on my way to Disneyland for a weekend of magical birthday family fun. I’m hoping to get some spooky shots of my home away from home...The Haunted Mansion.




I'm digging my new Randotti replicas! Thanks Guy

Hatbox Ghost Tattoo

My husband and I met Ste3ve thru Doombuggies.com and I'm thrilled that he allowed me to feature some of his cool ink.




Ste3ve was one of the first people to chat with me on Doombuggies and made me feel welcomed. I've always been thankful for that. He's also has one hell of a collection, some of which I'll be sharing at a later date.

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.

Mr. Spooky Costume

I got an email the other day from Stuart Schneider, co-author of Halloween: Costumes and other Treats. Halloween is my favorite holiday and this book will be added to my ever growing collection of books on the subject.  This book shows many Halloween costumes from 1920-1970.  And wouldn't you know it, one of the costumes in the book is a Ben Cooper Walt Disney Character Costume - Mr. Spooky.  The Mr. Spooky costume comes complete with vinyl costume and plastic mask.  As you can plainly see, the Haunted Mansion logo is on the body of the costume!

So, just who is this Mr. Spooky character in the Mansion?  hmmmm?  He looks an awful lot like the early versions of the Hat Box Ghost, in my humble opinion.  What makes this such a wonderful find is that, if you're lucky, you might find one that predates the Mansion opening in 1969.  The costume in the following picture is dated 1962.   

Nice.

All photos copyright 2002 Stuart Schneider

Stuart has written many books on all kinds of collectibles, and is currently working on a new book featuring some beautiful photographs of cemeteries by Rebecca Benjamin.  Ghosts In The Cemetery should be released sometime in May, 2008.  

All photos copyright Stuart Schneider

Thanks Stuart for stopping by and for sharing a very cool vintage piece.  I've yet to see this piece on ebay, and while I'm no authority, I think its safe to say this collectible is pretty rare.  

New Merchandise

Haunted Mansion fans have been chomping at the bit for some new merchandise.  I think the number one complaint I hear from collectors is "Where is the new merchandise?!"  

Well, I was at the park yesterday, and my husband gleefully bounds up to me and says, "Honey, look at what I found?  It's Haauuuntted Maaannssion!"  He proclaims this as if it were some historical breaking news while waving back and forth a rather small package in front of me.  It's so small and close, I just see a blueish blur.  What in the name of Phineas Pock could have him so excited?

Trumpets please!  

Duh duh duh duuuuuuh!

It's a .... Haunted Mansion Ghost Disney Racer!

A Disney What Whaa?!

Its a die cast car, folks! A 1/64 scale Die Cast Metal Body Race Car in the shape of Ezra's head. Yep, its a toy car!  In all fairness, as a kid, my husband's favorite toys were HotWheels, so maybe I can understand his enthusiasm, although I certainly felt deflated after the big build up. Now don't get me wrong, it's cute.  And for $4.00, sure, I'll take it.  But Disney, if you're out there, hear me loud and clear!  If this is how a 35 year old semi-reasonable Haunted Mansion fan reacts to a car in the shape of a Haunted Mansion ghost, imagine the chorus of Hallelujahs (and credit card purchases) you'd get if you released a replica of the full size stretching room gargoyle or snowglobe of a working Madame Leota.  

 

Of course, there's another way to look at this situation.  I'm always up for looking at the brighter side.  With the 40th Anniversary of the Haunted Mansion a mere 16 months away, at only $4.00, this trinket might be just enough to satisfy our insatiable appetites until the main feast comes in the form of a Fantasically-Over-The-Top-Event and a RSP brochure that will fill our shelves and empty our 401K's.  

Yep, there's always a silver lining...

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!