Poltergeist Halloween Yard Display
My favorite horror movie growing up was “Poltergeist,” and the cover of the film with Carol Anne pressed against the television is such an iconic image to me! So this year, I decided to recreate that shot as my main Halloween yard display! I’ll show you the steps I took to create this fun Halloween decoration in various parts. Remember, my best advice with any craft is to always think outside the box and use what you have on hand or can quickly get! This was a fun challenge making an old-school television and doll that won’t blow away.
Creating the Carol Anne Poltergeist Halloween Yard Display Step-by-Step
The Frame:
First, I started with making the television. I knew I wanted it to stand up and needed it to be sturdy enough to be able to help brace the Carol Anne doll. While I could have made the frame, that would have taken many more steps, measuring and cutting. Instead, I had a piece of wall art from IKEA that we no longer needed. It was a perfect size; they used actual wood to print on, not canvas.
I then sketched out a television screen design on the back. I gave it rounded corners and edges to give it more of a vintage TV look and, using a jigsaw, cut out where I wanted the screen.
Next came the painting. Since I didn’t have any of the colors I needed, I headed to my local hardware store. Pro tip: Look first in the “Miss Tint” or “Returned Paint” section. This is where they put the incorrectly tinted paint that they couldn’t sell to the original customer or was returned. I got a gallon of blackish purple, which I used for the main base of the TV. For the side panel I used a pint of the grey for a fraction of the cost of what it would have paid for them if I had picked exact colors or had them mixed for me.
I then used spare wood we had lying around to create the back base stands, painted them the same color as the main part of the television, and attached them using a simple hinge. Next, for the numbers I hand-painted them using neon yellow and green acrylic paint. I wanted to give it that old-school digital channel look. (42 is the channel the TV is set to in the original film Poltergeist).
I found a heathered material at a local fabric store to make the static screen. I wanted to use the material to backlight the screen to give it an eerie glow like the TV was on and to silhouette the Carol Anne doll at night.
The Carol Anne Doll:
For Carol Anne, I started by going to a local thrift store to find child-size pajamas. She is in a nightgown in the original, but I went with footie pajamas as I felt this would better hold her frame.
I used foam stuffing around a wig head on a pole to create the body and used sand in her feet and legs to help weigh her down; so she was less likely to fall over or be blown away. To securely keep her hands up in that position, I attached black hair ties to the screen, which her hands can slip in and out of.
Make sure to pin the wig on securely, as that could easily blow away. I have color-changing solar yard lights that stay out all day to get the TV screen to glow at night. For an extra effect, we are adding a speaker on Halloween with sound effects of static and “They’re Here!”
I hope you successfully create this fun Poltergeist Yard Display, and have a Happy Halloween!
Follow the author on social media @anwines!
For more fun Halloween decor check out our Crafts and DIY section!
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