When do you start decorating ?

[metallica_87]

My DD (17) is going to be Robin Hood this year - last year she had to work.... very tragic she had planned on being a Dark Fairy.... DH - well he has not decided if he is going to dress up - I have a very hard time getting him to do that.... (Spoilsport) I think that I am definitely going to go with the Sorceress from last year but kicking it up a notch. I am starting to get things sooner this year too - especially if I can find coupons for Michaels/AC Moore/JoAnns... I just wish Home Depot, Radio Shack and Lowes had coupons too.... LOL Has anyone ever built a prop face using Fimo or Sculpy clay? If so - was it easy?

Yes, I've tried that once, and its very, very time consuming, messy and hard to do. I would go with what shanda told you to do.

Also, if I may, may I suggest www.frightcatalog.com for your costumes/decorations, as they are very fairly priced, and they send cupons with every order, and have a catalog they send out every year.

[shanda]

My campground, where we enjoy warm fires and swims in a cool lake, is having a Christmas in July. Make that 2 weeks in July! The entertainment group decided that we need some Christmas spirit. Here I am planning a spook fest, and camping with carolers and Santa!!! Now if I would have pulled out the Grim Reaper we would have had some looks.

Hey! I know I will pull ole Grimmy out and put a Santa hat on him!!! That will fit!

BTW: Yankee Candle will be putting out all of their Halloween stuff the first of August. I bought a beautiful haunted house there last year. It is about 2' long and 1' across and holds I think 6 or 7 tealights. That is the very first thing I'll pull out . Anyway, the lady at the store said they will be back this year. They only get 3 or 4 per store though.

And! Big Lots will start Halloween first of August. My mom works there!! Lucky Me!!!

[Samhain]

I wish we had a Michaels around here.
Believe it or not, Walgreens usually has the best stuff in my neck of the woods. Well, them and the Halloween warehouse that opens in September. That place is expensive, though.
I've got so much stuff that I bought after Halloween last year that I haven't even gone through yet. I'm going to have fun opening it all in a few weeks.
Still haven't seen any Halloween stuff in stores yet, though.

[Halloweennut08]

Not that getting started early isn't good but I Start planning right now buying extension cords and I start decorating inside Mid September and Decorate Heavy Outside The last day of of September. It takes a while to get everything out. But I'm starting to get motivated to really start planning. I try to have some pics up when I get it done.

[Wicked Witch]

I have a wig form that I got for a few dollars at a Sally's Beauty Supply - I was thinking of using the Sculpy Clay or Fimo Clay to build up the face of my witch that I made last year. I was on a site where they talked about building up the face using either clay or paper mache and then they cut out the eyes and put in LED lights. It looked really awesome.... Shanda - I seen the Haunted House that you were talking about at Yankee Candle and it is gorgeous.... There is a Big Lots not too far from where I live - but I have never been in there - I am going to have to check it out.

[shanda]

Are You Kidding Me???
You have GOT to check out Big Lots!!!
They have cool stuff from small treat items to big stuff. I got this 5' black with purple tree last year. Wire with spooky branches for outside. Year before a mummy about 5' also with a moving head and blinking eyes. Neat stuff. I get 90% of my stuff there!!! Go! Go! Go!

[Wicked Witch]

Gulp - Nope - I am not kidding you... But, I will make a point of going over there either Friday or Saturday..... I am hoping that I find all kinds of good things......Make DH weep......LOL

[Samhain]

I would also suggest that people check out Walgreens.
They usually go all out for Halloween and have some very cool stuff that is relatively inexpensive.

[Wicked Witch]

Well - I made it to Big Lots today - it's a pretty neat store.

They did not really have anything out for Halloween - a couple of fall things to hang on the door - but that's it - but I did pick up some neat solar lights that I am kind of excited about- you can put them in the water to float or if you want they have a loop so that you can hang it from trees or whatever. I purchased two of them to see how they work and if they do well - I am going to pick up several more to work into my halloween display - Glowing orbs would be cool - at least I think so.

[Samhain]

Well, don't worry. Big Lots will get their stuff out in another week or so.
They start putting Halloween things out in late July. It's not much at first. Usually just those artificial light up jackolanterns and some other knicknacks.
They end up with about three aisles of things, howerver. And some of it is pretty good.

[DemonSlayerMau]

Big lots, is that located in the city areas? I live in a more rural area and there's nothing like that around here where I live.

[Halloweennut08]

I usually get the bug when the weather turns and you get that certain feeling of the changing seasons. About late August to September I get it bad, I plan a lot now and earlier months but like other people I don't want to get burnt out plus I half to wait until Wal-mart, Menard's and Halloween USA gets are of there stuff out then I really get the bug. Other than that I try to come on here throughout the months and keep a Halloween wallpaper on my desktop all year around. And quick question how do you put an image as your signature ???

[SpookyBlackKat]

My husband tries his best to keep the decor in boxes until October 1st. That's usually the day that I am allowed to put out whatever I want. But since I don't have to live with the wrath of my coworkers...I started decorating my office July 21st. It's just a couple pieces to get the office talking but it's who I am and I love it. I hung a wreath I made last year and scattered a couple gargoyles around my office. My mom picked up a couple crows last week to add to my office collection. You gotta love a mom that only encourages your Halloween addiction ... in July!

[Halloweennut08]

I agree with you 100%, I am currently thinking about going with this schedule. I like to start with small things and work my way up.

September 1st: Start putting out pumpkins and little fall decorations orange and brown themed items. And a couple minor Halloween items.

Last Day of September: All the fall stuff is out by now and Halloween stuff is getting ready to go up.

October 1st: All interior decorations go up and a couple exterior decorations goes ups up.
Nov. 2nd all the outside decorations goes down, and then from them slowly I take the interior down.
(Man I really hate that part and I kind of get really disappointing and empty feeling when that happens because I really love Fall and Halloween. Now you all think I am officially nuts.

[DaviesGhoul]

I always do my party invitations first. I started those at the end of June (prototype done first, which I show to a few close friends for their thoughts), and finalized the design by July 10th. I managed to finish all 100 invites last week.

I have moved onto my costume and am about 1/3 of the way done. Once that is finished, I'll do my boyfriend's costume.

I then plan how I am going to do the decorating for this year, which takes about a week. I will have a design complete with specific decoration locations, making it easy for my helpers. It looks like I will start decorating the second week of September. Luckily, I get lots of help!