With the final Harry Potter movie due out in theaters on July 15, 2011, I’m planning a movie marathon with my friend Jim. We are going to watch all of the Harry Potter movies at home on Blu-ray before going to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in the theater. Yes, we are grown men. No, we don’t care what you think. Harry Potter is Cool Beans!

I turned my garage into a haunted house again this year. It consisted of a projection screen at the entrance showing various Halloween scenes, a pair of TVs showing “white noise” clips, and a table covered with real animal skulls and fake body parts. The final scare was a motion triggered metal grinder that made a loud noise and shot sparks. I wore my new giant jester costume called Freakshow.

I made Freakshow, a giant jester costume, as a companion to go with “Chunk the Clown” (aka Jumbo). Both costumes are oversized, and are scary enough just as a simple costume, but they both also include an additional scare that people aren’t expecting. In the case of Freakshow, the torso tilts back to expose my own head so I can scare people. It also helps me cool off and interact with people at parties.

For several years I turned my parents’ garage into a haunted house on Halloween for the trick-or-treaters. Now that I have my own house in a neighborhood that’s full of kids, I decided to start up the tradition again. I already have quite the reputation in my neighborhood for going all out with my yard decorations and costumes on Halloween (2007, 2008), but this was the first year for a home haunt at my new house.

I was hired to make the mouse and bird puppets for a local high school production of the musical Cinderella. I made a total of 4 mice. One has animated arms. All 4 have animated heads.The bird’s wings can flap.

I was also responsible for designing the pumpkin carriage and the fire in the fireplace.