digitalTRASH.org

Fri, 18 Sep 2009

Materials

One key is: If you intend to build props, Halloween shopping is a year round effort.

Buy at the end of season sales - Halloween *and* Christmas. Christmas decorations can be re-purposed for Halloween. (I think I like the term "re-purposed") If you're going to make props and merchandise is on deep discount, don't be afraid of buying something that is beaten up or might be broken. You're only going to tear it apart (or break it) yourself. If it's at full price but is obviously busted (I see this often at Big Lots), always ask for a discount. You'll probably get 10% without question but with the stipulation that you can't return it. This is win-win so don't feel shy. You get a discount and the store sells something that they otherwise couldn't sell. (don't expect to get a "broken" discount when things are already on a "no returns" clearance)

99 Cent Store (now the 99.99 Cent Store)

I've mentioned on other pages that I like the 99 Cent Store and other similar stores, like The Dollar Tree. You can pick up neat little things there like costumes and masks. They always have some sort of blinky/noise making thing that can be re-purposed. The skulls and the flicker candles for the fence project came from the 99 Cent Store. I found "talking" picture frames there. They are plastic picture frames that have digital voice recorders in them. I bought several to tear apart to add voice/sound effects to props. 99 cents each! They have laser "pet toys" (a laser pointer). I bought several for a future laser "vortex" project. The Dollar Tree has little stands for glass sculptures which have color cycling LEDs in them. Lots of possibilities there.

Big Lots

My rule of thumb with Big Lots is to always hit the 99 Cent store first. I'll find the exact same thing in 99 Cent that is more expensive at Big Lots. Of course, that is for little stuff. The Big Lots stores around where I live are really trashy. Lots of broken or scuffed up stuff. Seems like a lot of brat kids with no adult supervision. If I'm looking for an item that will actually work I have to pick one carefully. Unless I really want something and I'm afraid that they'll sellout (which they can) I won't buy until the clearance sales. I've missed some things that I would have liked but nothing I couldn't do without. Then again, I'm a cheap bastard.

posted at: 04:30 | path: /Projects/Halloween/Materials | permanent link to this entry