Getting ready for Halloween V

Getting ready for a party this scale, and with this many decorations, takes a lot of work. Brett and I worked all week (with me starting some decorations WEEKS ago), but there's still no way - NO WAY - we could've pulled it off without Sharon and Andy!!! Seriously, these two worked their ASSES off, and they were completely good spirited about everything that was asked of them!

Here's a picture I took after grabbing the freshly-recharged camera showing them each working on a different project - and this was after they'd each already completed a couple of other projects!



I'd started work on fixing up Brett's store-bought mad scientist costume last week, but to make it more Dr Horrible, it needed some touch ups. Sharon, who's getting all domestic these days, finished hemming (with iron-on adhesive) the bottom of Brett's "lab coat".


And while that was going on, Andy worked on the chemistry lab stuff I either bought on eBay or borrowed from the chemistry stock room on campus (BIG thanks to Lisa Stamper for that!!). Andy worked like a pro on this, asking "gee, do you happen to have any tubing?", and when I came back in with an air pump and tubing for a fish tank (used last summer to make compost tea, which I never got around to this summer), he whipped up a kiss ass display. More on that in a bit...


Brett's annual task is to create the first place prize/trophy for the costume contest - it's the Tortured Barbie Award, simply because you can find used Barbie dolls for dirt cheap at the thrift store, and Brett has a sick sense of humor when it comes to mauling them! This year he felt a bit more rushed for time, and ran into some last minute complications, but the Tortured Barbie was as good as ever!


Barbie: "Oh no! It's just like a horror flic! I can't move - did you slip me something? Why do you have a saw and chains?! Help! And just because I'm lying here looking SO provocative, that doesn't mean you have to maim me!"


Sharon using her new-found domestic seamstress skills...



Andy having fun with phosphorescent paint, black lights, and the chemistry gear...


And just so you don't think I was just walking around taking pictures and not doing any work - I was whipping up an 8.5 lb pork roast, tortilla strips, pumpkin seeds, rice, clearing off the deck (with Sharon's help) and sprucing it up, and more! Trust me, it was a looooong day before the party even started!


Andy's finished work with the chem gear. We had even more stuff he could've used, but I think this is a less-is-more situation, plus there were space limitations. The bubbler he added was really cool. We've discovered purple is not a very uv-reactive color!


Oh, btw - did I mention my cool work on the chandelier in the dining room? I should get some close-ups of this before I dismantle it!