The New Additions to our Stranger Things Yard 2022

Posted on November 8, 2022 by thewritegirlforthejob

Hopper and Eleven are in the elevator, trying to close gate.

Now that Halloween is over, and props are back down, I have a little time to share my latest additions to my Stranger Things yard haunt. Last year, I created The Mindflayer, with over 200 feet of legs, Nancy’s arm coming out of the tree from the Upside Down World, a Gate, Will Byer’s Castle, Eleven, and an Alphabet Wall that actually spells secret messages.

This year, I added several more props, and created a different scene from Season 2, episode: The Gate. Continue reading →

How to Make a Real Hair Beard for a Costume or Prop

Posted on October 18, 2022 by thewritegirlforthejob

Hopper’s beard, mustache, and eye brows were all made with real dyed hair. But you’ll be surprised on what kind of hair was used.

Are you having problems finding a decent beard from your local stores or online vendors? You’re not the only one. After scouring Amazon, and other places, I felt a little desperate. I was making Hopper, from Stranger Things to go into my Halloween yard. I thought, how hard can it be to find a normal beard, that didn’t break the bank? Continue reading →

Fast and Easy Stranger Things Demodog Heads to Make

Posted on October 15, 2022 by thewritegirlforthejob

Adding to our second year of our Stranger Things yard, we added a more visible gate, where demodog heads are scattered upon it. I even built a life-size, animatronic demodog that turns his head, when sensors are triggered. No, this is not that tutorial. It was not easy, nor fast. But the demodog heads on the gate? Easy Peasy. Follow these quick directions, and you’ll have a Stranger Things vibe in no time.

Continue reading →

Making a Life-Sized Shock, from The Nightmare Before Christmas

Posted on September 30, 2022 by thewritegirlforthejob

First, let me apologize to the several frustrated creators looking for directions for the Shock and Barrel tutorials. The posts were written, and I thought were linked/published. But after a creator clued me in on the missing posts, I went back and couldn’t find them. Continue reading →

Making The Tree Portal From The Upside Down

Posted on September 22, 2022 by thewritegirlforthejob

Since I decided to build an Upside Down World for my 2021 Stranger Things Halloween display, making a huge Mind Flayer was a must. It was the first thing accomplished. Then, making all kinds of vines.

Next, it was The Tree Portal. The scene when Johnathan pulled Nancy back out of the tree, from The Upside Down World, must have struck a cord. Because I was determined to recreate it.

I knew whatever I used, had to hold up to the elements, allowed for a light to shine from inside out, and show Nancy’s hand through the goo and vines, reaching for Johnathan. This is how I accomplished it: Continue reading →

Making Vines for Your Stranger Things Yard

Posted on October 27, 2021 by thewritegirlforthejob

One of four types of vines, created for The Upside Down World. Copyright 2021, All Rights Reserved, Debbie Morrow.

After creating a Mind Flayer for my roof (tutorials Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3), I knew the creature needed something more: Vines. The Upside Down World was filled with vines that hung everywhere, and vines that attacked. They were a part of the hive mind, associated with the monsters of Stranger Things.

After scouring the web for prices on vines, it was clear: My budget couldn’t afford the 100 or more feet needed. Continue reading →

An Easy Cauldron Cake for Halloween

Posted on July 23, 2019 by thewritegirlforthejob

If you are looking for a super easy Halloween cake, this is the one for you. I’ve made this cake twice over the years and one of the first tips I have to offer is: Make sure you make your edible objects a few days before (or purchase them) and give yourself enough time to put it together. I had to rush to make this cake before our Halloween Bash, and I can see ever flaw – but my guests loved it. I had to put this together in about an hour’s time. I seriously would have liked another half hour to perfect the cauldron walls, smoothing them out. But it worked. Continue reading →

A Baby Vampire From The Nightmare Before Christmas

Posted on October 4, 2018 by thewritegirlforthejob

The baby vamp from Nightmare B4 Christmas. Copyrights reserved, Debbie Morrow

My previous post gave a tutorial on the duck that appears in the same scene as the baby vampires in The Nightmare Before Christmas (NBC) movie. Although in the movie the vampire didn’t ride inside the duck, I couldn’t help myself by making it so. It seemed like a fun and almost “Burton-ish” thing to do.

At first I looked at what others had done in their tutorials for making the vampire. They were either foam or stuffed and that just wasn’t what I was looking for. Since I was already creating more doll zombies and clowns, I sat there one night and thought, “why not turn a doll into a baby vampire?” So here is the quick tutorial to transform a plastic baby doll into a NBC vampire. Continue reading →

Two New Nightmare Before Christmas Props Added to the Family

Posted on October 4, 2018 by thewritegirlforthejob

If you’ve been checking out this blog, you might have guessed that I love the Nightmare Before Christmas (NBC) characters. I’ve made the Mayor, Jack Skellington (with a few improved remakes or blunders), Sally, Oogie Boogie, and Zero. As you can see from the image, I’ve added a duck and baby vampire to the family. I’ll be breaking these tutorials into two posts for the sake of shorter, more manageable reading.

The Duck Tutorial:

You’ll Need:

A Plastic Duck Blow Mold

Large High Heat Glue Gun

Piece of Styrofoam or Foam from a Boxed Product

Black, Red, and White Acrylic Outdoor Paint/Brushes

Spackle or other Pre-made Drywall Compound/ Large Brush

A Dremel Saw or something else that cuts plastic easily

Artificial Nails

Tweezers/Marker

Super Glue Industrial Gel ( NOT liquid) for plastic and other materials

A Protractor or any round shaped item you can use for outline