Dual purpose props

[spookineer]

Since many of us came here from halloween forum I'm sure this is a common thought. I've become so used to building halloween props all year, it seems wrong to do anything else with free time. I've started thinking about props that could be converted to Christmas props or built with the intent of dual use by just a costume change or simply turning it around. Anybody done any of these yet? So far all I've come up with is a really heavy duty axworthy drive to fly a sleigh and reindeer around the yard. (or a full size bucky at halloween) What have you come up with? Even just ideas?

[Sickie Ickie]

Wormy T came up with a neat FCG snowman. Look on the SP site under snowman.

I've also thought about the axeorthy sleigh...and how about Santa looking at his list while rocking in his chair?

[putrid]

Don't know if this would qualify. A Jacob Marly tree. You'd need a small tree of about 4 ft. Have a corps head with a rag holding it's mouth closed on the top. A grim reaper standing behind the tree. A good 3 ft. tombstone with Scrooge written on it in the tree front and center. 2 or 4 tombstones behind it at odd angles to give that old grave yard look. And the entire tree and all wrapped in spray foam chains. When I told the folks at work I had a tree to bring in I told them that was what I was bringing. LOL

[Sickie Ickie]

LOL I love it! :D

[putrid]

LMAO Sickie Icke, after I put up a traditional tree at work I found out they checked to make sure I didn't cut the head off the tree top Angle and replace it with a Jack-o-lantern. Some folks just don't have a sense of humor. LOL

[Xmaslilly]

your scrooge tree sounds like a good idea..
a fake fireplace can quickly be transformed from halloween to xmas..take out the cauldron from the pit area replace with just a fake fire..instead of bones hanging from it replace with stockings etc..

[Xmaslilly]

I have one of those metal Xmas trees that have lights strings that attach at the top and angel out to the bottom,
this year I made a preacher out of that for my food graveyard..turned out pretty cool

[Blinky]

Since many of us came here from halloween forum I'm sure this is a common thought. I've become so used to building halloween props all year, it seems wrong to do anything else with free time. I've started thinking about props that could be converted to Christmas props or built with the intent of dual use by just a costume change or simply turning it around. Anybody done any of these yet? So far all I've come up with is a really heavy duty axworthy drive to fly a sleigh and reindeer around the yard. (or a full size bucky at halloween) What have you come up with? Even just ideas?

I'm in the process of sculpting Gravestone Angels The one that I have near completion is sitting on a ball globe that is 4' in diameter . Sickie came up with The idea as tree toppers. I will post pics in a new thread called Gravestone angels /toppers.:tree:

[Kymmm]

After seeing JustWhisper's Christmas Reaper and Scrooge tombstone prop, I was going to start a new thread for getting ideas or showcasing Christmas props with a Halloween twist. I saw this thread and figured it was close to the same thing sooooooo.... I'm putting it back out there.. Show us all those slightly twisted props or give us, die hard Hallowieners, ideas for these kinds of props!!! Thanks!!!

[Just Whisper]

I am the original prop recycler. I have several Halloween props that I have turned into Christmas props and then back again. Here are some of them:

Animated tomb that opens and closes with a head emerging:
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg54/Just_Whisper/2008/Halloween/th_IMGP1356.jpg (http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg54/Just_Whisper/2008/Halloween/IMGP1356.jpg)

Turned into an animated gift box with a teddy bear emerging:
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg54/Just_Whisper/2008/Christmas/th_IMGP1587.jpg (http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg54/Just_Whisper/2008/Christmas/IMGP1587.jpg)

I took my decapitated "mother" on the animated swing:
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg54/Just_Whisper/2009/Halloween%20Haunt%2009/th_IMGP3456.jpg (http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg54/Just_Whisper/2009/Halloween%20Haunt%2009/IMGP3456.jpg)

And turned it into Santa and Mrs Claus on the swing:
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg54/Just_Whisper/2009/Christmas%202009/th_mrandmrsclaus1.jpg (http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg54/Just_Whisper/2009/Christmas%202009/mrandmrsclaus1.jpg)

I don't have pictures of the "after", but I once took my bottomless pit and painted the outside like bricks. Then I built a pair of kicking legs and dressed them like Santa. I put them in the "chimney" with the boots sticking out the top. It looked like Santa stuck in the chimney.

This is an animated rocking chair I built for my pirate scene:
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg54/Just_Whisper/2007/Halloween/th_October07011.jpg (http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg54/Just_Whisper/2007/Halloween/October07011.jpg)

At Christmas I took the skellie out and put Santa in it. He was sitting, rocking in the chair reading his "naughty and nice" list:
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg54/Just_Whisper/2008/Christmas/th_IMGP1582.jpg (http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg54/Just_Whisper/2008/Christmas/IMGP1582.jpg)

[cinders]

I made a Halloween fireplace that I used for a couple years, then last year I used it in a Christmas display. I had it decked out in lighted pine garland and a lighted wreath above and stockings hanging and some candle decorations in the logs. I had a coal bucket with logs painted white and decorated. The whole scene was set up to look like after Santa came while the house was still asleep (outside, of course.) The problem was that everything looked fine and festive but I didn't repaint the fireplace and just left it black. Even though it was all decorated it still had a kind of Halloween feel. If I use it for Christmas again sometime, I would paint it a more jolly color.

[chris]

Thats totally awesome JW I really like the Animated tomb!

[Kymmm]

Nice work Melissa! Thanks to you, I went to bed last night thinking about making a whole scrooge scene for the yard... :) For NEXT YEAR!!! lol

[ErinLovesChristmas]

JW! I love the Mrs and Mr Santa Claus, where did you get their faces or masks from? I would love to turn my pirates into a winter wonderland. Great ideas

[Just Whisper]

Thanks Erin. Mrs Claus' head is a beauty school head with a wig on it. Santa's is a styrofoam wig head that I painted and added hair, etc.

[2Ryled]

Yeah!!! I found some more Halloween forum buddies here!! Whoooopeee!! Ive been :( lately, bc I had to put away all the Halloween props for yet another yr. But.... I love idea to re-use the props, or make new one- of-a- kind props for Xmas. Thats the best part bc You know theyr'e not mass produced, and it makes much more of an impact that way.

So here is what we've been doing the last several yrs. I have a homemade life size moveable prop/pvc guy that I display/position on the roof every yr for halloween. Each yr I change outfits/poses/placement etc. He is usually reaching over our porch roof trying to get the kiddies.
Anyway, we loved him sooo much, I bought him a Santa Suit and grinch mask, and have done up as the Grinch on the roof, nice & safe. I change poses/etc too. So I get to enjoy him another month or so b4 he has to go away. He's one of the best props I own along w/my FCG....


Here he is a few yrs back.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/Ryled1/th_DSC00080-1.jpg (http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/Ryled1/?action=view&current=DSC00080-1.jpg)

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/Ryled1/th_DSC00090.jpg (http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/Ryled1/?action=view&current=DSC00090.jpg)

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/Ryled1/th_002-1.jpg (http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/Ryled1/?action=view&current=002-1.jpg)

Here he is as GRINCH for xmas. This is one of the early pics. We usually have him lounging on the roof, one leg up, arms up tangled up in xmas lights. I want to do something diff w/him this yr. The kids love him.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/Ryled1/th_dogs001.jpg (http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/Ryled1/?action=view&current=dogs001.jpg)

[Just Whisper]

2ryled, that looks great as the grinch. good idea.

[2Ryled]

Just wisper, love ur props, way 2 cool!

[Kymmm]

2Ryled, You did a great job on your prop.. I love him both ways!!!

[EnlightenedGrinch]

That's so cool! I love the Grinch!

[Sickie Ickie]

(snip) I love him both ways!!!

No comment. LOL

I have never thought of doing the pvc guy like a Christmas Grinch. I like this so much, I may have to do one next year!

[Kymmm]

lol No comment needed... tisk, tisk.. lol

[EnlightenedGrinch]

Aww, no baby Grinches. :(

[Sickie Ickie]

We were hoping you were working on that EG. :p

[EnlightenedGrinch]

Well...Cindy Lou HAS been trying to set me up with her Mom.

[2Ryled]

I also thought about doing something w/my FCG ghost prop. I thought abut adding a nice set of wings on her, so she is a christmas angel. The only problem is that, she is painted a nice fluorescent blue color to show up better under low lights. I dont want really want to repaint her although I could repaint her again for H next yr. This is a really, old pic around 10yrs ago. She looks much better in person/has glowing blue eyes.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/Ryled1/th_DSC00086-1.jpg (http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/Ryled1/?action=view&current=DSC00086-1.jpg)

I also have this guy. His head comes off and is changable. I have another head, but it looks like he is really stoned w/big eyes. Thought about putting on a santa hat & big scarf around his neck, and putting him outside to chop wood. But I have to be careful.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/Ryled1/th_DSCF0001_edited-1.jpg (http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/Ryled1/?action=view&current=DSCF0001_edited-1.jpg)

Teens (usually girls) tend to like to joyride around Xmas eve and steal things for laughs. They stole my 5ft dancing santa the first yr we had him out. They dropped him off at someone's house so the police got him back for us. The police told me that Halloween items are stolen much less often than Xmas ones for some reason. A friend of ours said that the police caught 5 girls joyriding w/his blow up characters they stole, sticking out of their trunk on xmas eve.

We have a abominable 8ft snow monster blow up. He goes on the roof for that reason. I like him too much. I hear that kids like to take the more unusual blow up figures/resell them on ebay. Gemmy only makes them 1x then thats it.

I have a Hungry Harry prop. Thought about putting a santa hat on him, and put him in a window w/a light on him. He can be Ebenezer Scrooge.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/Ryled1/th_harryzombieprop008.jpg (http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/Ryled1/?action=view&current=harryzombieprop008.jpg)



Oooh what about doing the ghosts of christmas past/present/future? Oh too cool I think!

[Nevergoback]

You guys are too funny. Never thought about a gift with a toy popping it's head up. Great Idea. I once did a scarecrow man dummy then made him a santa using burlap strings for his beard.

[artistree]

Same thought I had. Just a change of costume and voila...Christmas. I try to set up my Halloween scenes with the "people" in the same places my Christmas "people" would be. My witches(two) turn into Mary and Joseph, the witch pot into the manager, my grim reaper turn in Santa, my ghosts turn into snowmen. Just take off one costume and add the other. Saves a lot of time. Still working one some of the transitions but works pretty go so far.

[2Ryled]

You have to show us pics!!! Cant wait to see them:)

[artistree]

but will see what I can do.

http://www.halloween-christmas-crafts-etc.com/images/snowchild1.gif
http://www.halloween-christmas-crafts-etc.com/images/ghosts-night.gif

I took these pictures for a different reason but the small ghosts are separated in my yard not grouped together, so the small ghosts are the same size as the snowman, so off with the small ghost and on with the snowman.

My Christmas is not the Christmas from the other side and my Halloween is a little lighter than some I have seen. Next time I set up I will try to take some transition pictures. In the beginning I did not have this in mind so redoing things a bit so the stands and sizes are the same and it does take some thinking to get things positioned so it is scary for Halloween but fits with the Christmas thing. I did fairly well the first year I tried it and have been getting better every year. Try to do some set up pictures for next year. My stuff gets better every year and these forums really help keep the juices flowing.

Sorry this is so inadequate.

[Sickie Ickie]

pshaw! Inadequate is only those who don't try!

[2Ryled]

Artistree, those sno-men look great! Like the pics thanks.
I was thinking about doing a sno-man. I have an old store bought one from H/Depot. Hes ok, but not what a diy'er would like. Noooo. I thought about making a sno-man out of chicken wire. Making 3 'ball's of chickenwire, and attaching them together. Then taking white batting and making the 'sno' part. I have enough branches that fall from my trees to do the arms. I gues some sort of felt to make his hat.
But the last time I got chicken wire from H/D, it was a heavier gage and hard to bend. I used it to make a ground breaker along w/some pvc for arms. He turned out great. The chickn wire was hard to manipulate bc it was so heavy. That was all H/Depot had. I think a lighter weight chickn wire would be easier to make in more of a circle. Actually it would be the top/bottom ends that would be bent in, to look like a circle. It would actually be more like a tube w/the ends tucked in.

I would love to make a sleigh but it would have to be made out of MDF and be able to be broken down to get it thru the door of the house:( Ahhh so little money/so little time bc Xmas is coming.

I want to get some nice big boxes, cover in a plastic picinic tablecloth, and punch holes thru the box for some xmas lights. Make several big, small present boxes. Put them on the roof w/my Grinch. He can be messing w/some presents up there.

[Sickie Ickie]

Great ideas, 2Ryled. The nice thing about ideas is that if you are not able to make them this year, you have a whole 'nother year to do it!

[NJWilk]

The other big Halloween display in my town has a big full moon made from an old trampoline stand turned on its side. The trampoline part bit the dust, so the owner stretched drop cloth canvas in its place and painted the moon. It looks awesome. For Halloween, he has an animated witch and cauldron in t=front of it. He pulls it out again at Christmas and had a sleigh and eight tiny reindeer suspended in front of it.

[EnlightenedGrinch]

The big full moon sounds really neat!

[Just Whisper]

I forgot, I also use my halloween fences for my reindeer corral at christmas.

[2Ryled]

Oh wow love to see pics of that. Moom idea sounds great. Ive never seen a corral around reindeer except live ones. Sounds great.