Halloween Discussion Forums, Costumes, Horror!

I've been trying to brainstorm ideas of a scene involving a stuffed dummy (meaning the old clothes stuffed with newspaper and a mask on) on my yard. I want to do something easy. I've been thinking of putting a dummy in an old shopping cart with a sign saying "Dead End Cemetary" but maybe someone has a better idea. I'd appreciate the advice,

Erin.

Do you get TOTers? If so here's my take on the stuffed dummy. (I have posted this elsewhere, but here goes.) Put the dummy in a somewhat comfortable spot for the weeks leading up to Halloween. Then Halloween night, dress a real person in the clothes and mask, and have them sit (or lay) where you have had the dummy. Then when the TOTers come around, the dummy can "come to life" and scare the ever-loving-wits out of them! We did this one year and it was a HUGE hit with the kids (after they stopped running screaming down the street...and came back to get their candy! LOL!)

LOL great idea!

Save all those plastic shopping bags from the supermarket and use them to stuff yard dummies. The bags are waterproof, so the dummy doesn't break down if (when) it rains.

Another trick is to stitch up polyethylene body parts, i.e. lower leg, thigh, arm parts, etc. Stuff these with the plastic bags. Then stuff the dummy clothing with the proper bady part for a very realistic effect.

Boo!

I had a great idea last year that I think I'll use again this year too. I had one of those stupid pumpkin leaf bags, and I thought, oh, gag me. Then I decided to stuff a pair of my old jeans and cut a slit in the "mouth" of the bag just big enough for the waist of the jeans to fit snugly into. Then I stuck some old shoes on the end of the jeans to make it look more real. My man eating pumpkin was complete. I had people stopping to take pictures they thought it was so neat, and the little kids all did double takes and made a wide path around that pumpkin. If you do it right, it should look like the teeth on the pumpkin bag are gnawing on the "man".

I made my scarecrow a crow. I took a volley ball and wrapped it in black fabric tied at the bottom. Then I made a beak out of orange felt and stitched it on. I sewed on big white buttons for eyes and put an old straw hat on the head. I used an old red/black check wool coat and jeans and stuffed them with straw. I cut foam pieces into approx. shape of bird feet,
spray painted black and then using upholstery thread wrapped them in places to make them look knobby. They stick out of the jeans that are rolled up so they aren't too long. I left straw sticking out of the sleaves
of the coat spray painted black to look like feathers. I sat him on haybails out front. It was supposed to be cute, but it does look a little creepy and last year the little kids didn't want to walk by it. Too funny!