The Great Pumpkin Project: October 1st 2025

I'm tired of neglecting this blog! I completely forgot to post this on October 1st, so here it is now. I'm trying to remind myself that something is always better than nothing, so.... better late than never!

We kicked off October with my favorite annual tradition: The Great Pumpkin Project!

 

It was the ghoulfriend's first time participating (which was very exciting for me and her!).  It was a cooler night than usual for Central Florida, so we sat out back and carved up two jack-o'-lanterns.  I don't know how, but I always forget how much fun carving pumpkins is; such a simple but fulfilling pleasure.

Mine's on the right, hers is on the left.  Hers is much better than mine, I think.

 

 

 

We also drew up our own tags this time. I put the URL to the GPP mission page on mine, but after seeing how much space it took up, I decided to make a shortened version (tinyurl.com/GPP-Mission) for future use (the ghoulfriend put it on hers).  

The gf placed hers on a retention wall along a dark but busy road.  A popular bike/pedestrian path runs by as well, so it definitely got plenty of visibility!

I placed mine near a bridge along that same path.  Not as much foot traffic, but hopefully one or two people saw it and appreciated it.

Afterwards, we hit up Lazy Moon Pizza for a cheese slice and a PBR.  All in all a wonderful evening spent together!

If you want to know more about The Great Pumpkin Project or participate yourself, check out this post of mine and follow @GreatPumpkinProject on Instagram!

Happy October!

A day late to the welcome party, but the sentiment remains! Less than a month to the big night!

Photo is a re-edit from Halloween 2022

Tattered Ghost

by @sacred_ghost_haunts, a prop maker that has only started posting this year.  Definitely an artist to watch out for. This old-looking ghost prop was especially exciting to me, but they have many other cool works you can check out on their Instagram.

Click here to check out other cool props on their Instagram

100 days until Halloween 2024!

As I've previously said, I won't be building a yard display this year. 

BUT, I am still quite excited for Halloween, as always!  Let's ride out the rest of summer together as we look forward to the most magical holiday of the year

Edited photo from Halloween 2021

Giants Walk on Halloween

Photo by @vault_of_scarlott

Vine Creep and his minions

By tcarter on Halloween Forum.

I love the detailed spine:

I think this little fella is my favorite... he's just happy to be here:

You can see images of their process in this thread

Extra photos taken from this thread

The Great Pumpkin Project: October 2nd 2023

A lakeside park, right off of the freeway.  The park is well maintained, so this jack probably won't last long, but it's on a popular pedestrian path and next to a well-traveled side road (Even at 1 A.M. I must have been passed by a dozen cars) so it should get some good visibility.

If you want to know more about The Great Pumpkin Project or participate yourself, check out this post of mine and follow @GreatPumpkinProject on Instagram!

Happy October!

The best month of the year is officially upon us, and the veil grows increasingly thin.  

It's crunch time for me and my yard display, and time to realize that it won't be all I had planned.  While disappointing, it's ultimately for the best. If I spend my time lamenting what I won't be able to achieve, I might not have the will to make anything this year, and that simply cannot happen!

Some time after October I may talk about the importance of building your haunt in "layers". But until then, there's much work to do!  Keep creepin'!

Jack-o'-lantern from 2022 video

Early 2000's Halloween goodness

From Haunted Eve's Halloween Blog

More images here

Chickens carve a pumpkin

Actually a pretty cool result.

Click below to watch

(from @itsbreellis on Instagram)

Swamp Foetus fanart

Some cool fanart by Hallowayne @thatskeletoninblack

Click here for the Swamp Foetus page on Pumpkinrot's Blog

The Orange Ones

And they- the orange ones, large and small

who all sleep in their earthly beds 

will soon wake and open their triangle eyes

once the primordial fire spreads.

Photo and poem by @Obscura_Hortus

Witches conjuring The Ghost Dead

By Pumpkinrot

Ol' Smiling Scarecrows

From Halloween 2020

The Owls Are Not What They Seem

Art by @drewrausch

Playful Pumpkin Girl

By @si_ot_drawing

Halfway to Halloween

May 1st means we're over the hump!  Better get cracking on those Halloween plans, it won't be long now... 

Give a comment if you'd like to share some projects you've already started, I'd love to hear about them!

Here's some fun art by @joekeinberger_art. I'd like to imagine this fella as a Halloween hobo, just passin' through on his way to October Country. 

200 Days Until Halloween!

I feel so behind! I haven't even begun fabrication yet. I keep trying to wait for life to chill out for a minute so I can begin, but let's be real here: That aint gonna happen.  

I better start soon though.  October will be here before I know it.

Photo from 2022

Modern Masters Rust Finish Kit

I've heard of these kits before, and I think I might try one out for this year's yard haunt.  It uses iron paint that is then coated with a rust activator to rapidly cause the paint to oxidize, thus creating real rust on any paintable surface (not just metal!)

@quiet_grave used it to make these awesome tin can jack-o'-lanterns:

Looks like you can pick this up at most hardware department stores.

Check out the Modern Masters website for a full product list of rust and patina effects.

Bucket-heads

Yard haunt by David T Janasiak in Caledonia Wisconsin.  I love how overgrown this looks.

Photos are from his Instagram: @dtjanasiak