The Book of
Haunts
A How-to for Halloween fun on a
Budget written by Chelsey Batchelor
Table of Contents
iii
Table of Content
Table of Content ............................................................................................................................ iii
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 5
Chapter One: The Beginning .......................................................................................................... 7
Choosing your Haunted Space .................................................................................................... 9
Devising Your Haunted Space .................................................................................................. 10
Chapter 2: The Supplies ................................................................................................................ 11
Coming from the Attic… .......................................................................................................... 13
Coming from the Stores… ........................................................................................................ 14
Chapter 3: The Execution ............................................................................................................. 17
Creating the Basics .................................................................................................................... 19
Creating a Haunted Yard ....................................................................................................... 19
Creating a Haunted Garage.................................................................................................... 20
Creating a Haunted Entry .......................................................................................................... 21
Creating the Specials ................................................................................................................. 22
Window Shadow Cut-outs ..................................................................................................... 22
Holograms ............................................................................................................................. 23
The Best Friend ..................................................................................................................... 24
Index ............................................................................................................................................. 25
Sources .......................................................................................................................................... 27
Introduction
5
Introduction
Made from experience and love for Halloween, I have devised a fool-proof ‘how-to’ manual for
families who love the spirit of Halloween but with insufficient funds. This manual will also help
those who stress over large projects by providing a visual aid step-by-step template. Children
older than seven will have a blast helping out with these activities. Young couples will also find
my manual helpful as they begin their first Halloween together.
My family and I have perfected the art of juggling work, school, and personal time during the
busy Halloween season. By following this manual, you will gain the ability to enjoy the spirit of
Halloween free of stress and organized. First, we will walk through the early stages of a haunted
Halloween. Then I will guide you through valuable checklists and keep you from overspending
by giving you tips on where and when to shop. Finally I will show you three easy to make and
inexpensive props which will “WOW” your neighbors.
C
hapter One: The Beginning
The Beginning
9
Choosing your Haunted Space
You should have a basic idea of how much of your home you are willing to give up to the ghost
and ghouls. Also, take into consideration the weather when you chose your sinister lair. High
wind and freezing temperatures can create later complications when the time comes to execute
your little house of horror.
Front Yard
Entry Way
Garage
10
The Book of Haunts
Devising Your Haunted Space
You will want to get the most out of the space you choose and reduce product wasted on
indecision. The most basic materials often lead to the cleanest results, so pick whichever works
best for you.
Paper and Pencil
You will create a simple sketch of the area you chose to work with. I have found using a
blueprint makes it easier to organize broad landscapes or just a great way to get the ideas out of
your head {without surgery that is}.
Place holders (such as series of chairs)
You can use these to keep track of the space you have left in your area. This becomes useful
when decorating smaller spaces.
Painter’s Tape (also known as blue tape)
Using this or any other cheap, removable tape allows you to tackle the planning stage in a
physical retrospect, giving you a realistic idea of what your place will look like and an
accomplished feeling of getting started. This also makes creating elaborate haunted spaces, like
mazes, easier to grasp proportionally.
Chapter 2: The Supplies
The Supplies
13
Coming from the Attic…
“You will now bring forth what creatures have been sleeping in your attic and bring it down so they may live
again.”
Now we can see what we need to make your haunted house a dream come true. Here is a basic
list of what every haunted dwelling needs.
Essentials
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Cobwebs
Lights
Candles (LED preferred)
Cardboard
Ghoulish candy bowl
Black Plastic
Nice to have

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A monster or two
Coffin
Black lights
Strobe lights
Inflatables
Decorated Plastic
Other Novelties
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Glow Non-Toxic Spray paint
Masks
Scary Music
Tacks
Spray paint
Duct Tape
A Pumpkin and Carving kit
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The Book of Haunts
Coming from the Stores…
People first turn to the Superstores such as Wal-Mart and Target for their Halloween needs
which leads to the overuse of the same prop in multiple houses. Specialty stores, though great for
the extra dazzle, are overprice. Instead, you should try any of these great places for your spooky
shopping needs.
You should begin your shopping at Dollar
Tree. Here all your basic needs are sold for the one low price of a dollar. This is great is great if
you have issues with getting carried away and to avoid the “check-out price” shock. During the
season, they sell your typical cobwebs, glow sticks, tombstones, fake blood, tacks, and other
craft accessories. These stores even have a cult following who have taken upon themselves to
create dollarstorecrafts.com, a website with thousands of nifty tutorials to make crafts and
decorations.
Next , make your way to the nearest Big Lots where you can find tons great special effects,
props and supplies. During the Pre-Halloween season they will most likely have their seasonal
items on sale starting at 30% off and dwindling till the end of the holidays. You can find CD’s of
scary sounds for background sound, fake blood, walking hands, and other scary props for the
fraction of the price of superstores.
The Supplies
15
For those more industrial-like needs Home Depot or any hardware store
will not disappoint. Here you can grab black plastic, which is essential to
nearly every haunted house and the all-important painter’s tape. You can also
find spray or crackle paint to create an old affect as well as black light bulbs or replacement
fluorescents. Buy these here because if you go to a specialty store like Spencer’s or Spirits the
markup will be about three times what you get here. They sell fake moss by the 10 gallon bag
and you can also pick up a pumpkin while you’re there.
Thrift stores have tons of lightly used seasonal items. All year long they stock-up on
Halloween goodies to bring them to you for a good cause or church. You can also find genuine
creepy lamps, pictures, and other antiques to really haunt your house.
Craft Stores , such as Johann’s Crafts and Fabrics and Hobby lobby also have great
selection of spooky accents. They, like Big Lots, begin marking their Halloween inventory
around mid-October, but specialize more in smaller items, such as doormats, cake decorations,
paints, and craft sets. Both these places offer monthly coupons which could save you between
20% and 40% off a single item. You can find these at www.hobbylobby.com or
www.joann.com/.
16
The Book of Haunts
Internet Retailers , often have the best prices. if you can begin planning with enough
time for shipping, Internet will become your best friend. Some helpful sites:
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Costumeexpress.com
Esty.com
MeWanty.com
Amazon
HalloweenExpress.com
ThinkGeek.com

hallowindow.com

http://www.horror-shop.com

Hauntedfog.com
November 1st , also known as the most important date for Halloween shopping or the
‘Real Black Friday’ is when you will want to rise early and head to the stores. This is the only
time to buy seasonal items at department and specialty stores. Typically, all Halloween items
will be marked at least 50% off but often retailers will give larger discounts. Check before hand
and scout out what you want or make a mental note if you see something expensive you want
while shopping.
Chapter 3: The Execution
The Execution
19
Creating the Basics
Creating a Haunted Yard
If you decided to create a Haunted Yard, follow your blue print starting with your largest object,
then adding smaller ordainments such as Styrofoam tombstones. It also always helps to have a
helping friend sitting next to you as trick-or-treaters arrive. (See the best friend)
Grounds
 Blow up inflatables if you have any and,
secure them to the ground with rope
*Be sure to turn them off during windy or wet
periods.*
 Light up your carved jack-o-lanterns
 Set Cobwebs in the trees and where ever you
see fit.
Lighting
 Hook up colored light nets in the bushes and tress
 Replace any porch lights with colored, black or flame bulbs.
 Spike strobe lights to emphasize tombstones, coffins, or creatures, or face it along the
pathway.
 Use a flood light with either a colored bulb or light gels.
*Make sure to remove anything flammable from in front of the light before use.*
Windows
 You can enhance your windows with either, posters, and shadow cutouts (see Simplistic), or
a Halloween projection video (see It Came
from the Store…).
20
The Book of Haunts
Creating a Haunted Garage
If you decided to create a Haunted Garage, First clear out a space in your garage, for me this was
always the hardest part. Then Follow your blueprint and begin creating walls by reinforcing the
black plastic with duct tape and tacking them to the ceiling.
In the past, I have created false walls to jump out at trick-or-treaters; silted hanging plastic to
walk through, mazes, and floating head holograms head (see holograms). Sectioning out the
garage or hallway makes for more scary detail as well as blocking any unwanted lighting. This
also allows you to change themes from ‘room-to-room’, which comes in handy when you run out
of matching props.
*Please use spray paints only in a
well-ventilated area.*
*Must be 18 years or older to
buy*
*Spray paints will stain anything
they touch*
Once you have the walls up and the bottoms secured to the ground, you can then begin coloring
the walls with glow in the dark paint, or a mixture of neon- colored spray paint and large black
lights.
Some great ideas are:
Trees
“Caution”
Handprints
Ghosts
Hazard symbol
Silhouettes
Basic clown faces
Cauldrons
Skeletons
“Beware”
Blood stains
Dungeon Bars
“Keep out”
Eyeballs
Jack-o- Lanterns
“Go back”
Tombs
Giant Spider
The Execution
21
Finally, you can begin bringing everything together.
Attractions
 Setup tables to display masks and hologram set- ups, strobe lights to shine down slender
hallways
 Setup Fog machine on ground or secured to a fixture
 Place any monsters you may have
 Cut slits or leave spaces to jump out from
Lighting
 Place Strobe lights in a safe area
 Hang Black lights from ceiling
 Tape down any wires that run across the floor
Decorations
 Use thumbtacks as anchors for a huge spider web ceiling
 Hang bats and spiders from the ceiling securely, but high enough where visitors won’t get
hurt
 Setup your scary sound system
Once you have everything up, feel free to make changes after you make your walk through.
Remember when creating your haunted house; make it your own by trying different things out.
Creating a Haunted Entry
If you decided to make a Haunted entryway, follow your blue print or begin replacing your
placeholders. When you decorate, add lighting, and place attractions to your entry way you will
follow the same guidelines as a Haunted Garage (see above)
Like a garage, closing off your entry way with plastic allows you to create a dark space. This
also enhances your lighting choices. However, I would refrain from using spray-paint inside your
house.
Set up tables, holograms, heads and other props as you see fit.
22
The Book of Haunts
Creating the Specials
Window Shadow Cut-outs
1. Gather a large sheet of card board, a box knife, a white sheet (or a thin curtain), and a white
or colored light ( ceiling light may work for your home)
2. Strike a menacing pose on the board and let a friend draw your outline.
3. Cut Along the lines drawn
4. Make a kick stand and duct tape it to the back
5. Hang the sheet or curtain and shine the light behind it to create a gruesome murder scene or
frightening werewolf.
The Execution
23
Holograms
An instant favorite, you can quickly make the hologram effect in your home while making it
look professional. To get started, you can either buy the DVD seen below at Hauntedfog.com or
can use the clips at http://geeknfreak.tradebit.com/files.php/2001-Movies-Fun for only 99
cents.
1. Gather a DVD player, a monitor (either a projector or old TV), duct tape, a sheet of Plexiglas
that is either longer than the monitor but about the same width or whatever size you want
projected and
Or the DVD at Hauntedfog.com
2. Turn the monitor facing upward and
secure it.
3. Adjust the brightness so the dark
background is completely black
4. Place the Plexiglas at a 45 degree
angle sloping down and away from
the viewers
5. Tape the glass in place, making sure
its straight
6. Put a table in front of the TV and
decorate!
24
The Book of Haunts
The Best Friend
Great for a night watchman or a candy guard to protect your porch swing, you can bring a
companion to life by using household items.
1. Decide where you want to place your new friend.
2. Begin with a black trash bag and stuff it with newspaper, leaves or any disposable item you
have plenty of.
3. Insert a sturdy stake to hold a head into the bag and tie it off.
4. Dress the bag with a large pair of pants and tape the top to the bag.
5. Add a shirt and stuff the arms and legs.
6. Add shoes and stuffed gloves.
7. Add the mask and any other dressings you wish.
Or you could make a traditional scarecrow like the one above by
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Nailing or tying two poles together to make a cross
Decide where to place him in your yard and hammer it down.
Adding a shirt, and then tying it off at the bottom.
Stuff its chest.
Add mask, gloves, and any other dressings.
Index
25
Index
Big Lots
Black Plastic
blueprint
Craft Stores
Creating
Cut-outs
Dollar Tree
Entry Way
Garage
Halloween
Holograms
hologram
Home Depot
Internet
Lighting
lights
light
mask
Masks
Painter’s Tape
Place holder
sites
website
Tacks
tacks
The Best Friend
Thrift stores
Window
Windows
Yard
14
13
10, 20
15
19, 20, 22
22
14
9
9, 20
5, 14, 15, 16, 19
23
15
16
19, 21
13, 19, 20, 21
24
13
10
10
16
13
24
15
22
19
9, 19
Sources
27
Sources
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/louish/5516226421/
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http://homedesignlover.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/15-halloween8.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93779577@N00/6872225215/
http://www.hauntedfog.com/images/Big%20Scream%20TV/btubepic9.jpg
http://www.hauntedfog.com/images/Big%20Scream%20TV/btubepic4.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/AhoCCGOZIi8/Tg7asNs_u8I/AAAAAAAADXU/bFvto7CPp6g/s1600/_MG_7890_web.jpg
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http://www.prlog.org/11987453-halloween-costumes-2012-sale-of.jpg
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http://allkindsofhistory.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/1890s-electric-chair.jpg
http://www.toppartyideas.com/images/Halloween/HauntedGarage_2a_Walls.jpg
http://www.wkbw.com/younews/10781106.html?img=1&mg=t