Hair Raising Monster

During my last trip to Dollarama, I decided to buy this Green Frankenstein bucket to make something for Halloween.  I have been toying with ideas when I had a hair raising experience while picking some grass out of my flower garden this afternoon.  A little sod came out of the garden and it hit me
"Frankenstein Hair".  I went and go the bucket and stuffed the sod into it and it was exactly what I was looking for.

It would be a great activity to do with children, but instead of filling it was already grown hair to let them grow their own.

 A little untidy.

A trim would be good.

Get it out of his face with an elastic.

I experimented a little with styling , but he looks happy enough!

Halloween Sign

With Halloween around the corner, I wanted a sign to hang up in my entrance way for the occasion.  I didn't really want to pay $30 + dollars, so I decided to make my own.   I looked at some of the items I had and then went to Dollarama.  Here is what I came up with:

2 pieces of wood-- it has to be double sided, so I will make two signs and join them.
Mod Podge
Jute
Happy Halloween sign
Paint and Crackle
Fabric (Looks something like burlap)
Pressed Leaves.

I began by painting the wooden signs white and after it dried I added crackle.  When that dried, I painted the signs black.   I didn't paint the centers since they will be covered later.

Then I took the Mod Podge and covered the front of the signs.  I put the fabric on the centers of the signs ensuring that the Mod Podge would act as a glue.  I added more Mod Podge to the top of the fabric and placed the Happy Halloween sign and the the leaves on top.  Again, I applied more Mod Podge to the top of the arrangement.     This is what I had:

To add a touch of Halloween, I put a sticker of a ghost on one sign and a skeleton on the other.   I waited for it to dry and put some jute around the perimeter of one of the signs.  I left the other plain.

I drilled two small holes in one of the signs ( to prevent the sign from splitting) and attached it to the other with two small screws.

Then I hung it in its place.  It cost a maximum of $5.00

View from the kitchen.

View from the other side.   Now I just need to put a little bit of black paint on those silver screws.

Goblin Watching the Door

I was recently given a large supply of lace and material, so I decided to make something out of it.  I wanted to have something at the top of the stairs looking towards the door, so that when the trick or treaters come they can see it.

Here's what I started with:  A balloon on a stick, some fabric strips, white fabric and lace, and black lace.

I took a couple of pieces of white fabric and covered the balloon and used a strip of fabric to tie them in place.

Next, I attached a hanger to the back of the balloon to prevent the next layers of fabric from just falling down around the stick.  

Oops!  I forgot to take a picture of the eyes and mouth that I painted on the front of the balloon (head).  Oh well, you will still see them later.  

I took another piece of fabric and wrapped it around the painted face and tied it with a strip of fabric.  Spooky!!

 Then I added a little black lace and put it looking towards the door.  By the way, I used the stick on the balloon and put it in a wine bottle so that it would stand up.  Almost done.

Wait, some bats would definitely add to the atmosphere.  I have just the thing:  plastic bat belt buckles (how's that for alliteration?)  They were also a part of the boxes of craft supplies that I got.  I also have some pieces of black and silver that I cut off of something else-- but that's a different blog.  Can't post that one until after the Halloween party at my nephew's school.  Now, that's going to be interesting.  

Anyway, I need to get back on topic.

I pulled the material through the belt buckle to make it look like bat wings.

I added the bats to the rails, along with some lace and the result is the Goblin watching the door.  I can't wait for my dog to have her first encounter-- it will be interesting.  To be safe, I even tied a piece of lace around the rails to hold the goblin in place.  

The Haunted Pumpkin Patch

In a previous blog, I made a pumpkin patch.  Now I will build on this arrangement to make it more for Halloween and make it haunted.

I began with an old book that was destined for either the thrift store.  I painted the book orange and then added some wood crackle around the edges of the book.

After the crackle dried, I added some antique white paint (oops, I have Ivory White in the picture). Then I used the letters to put the title on the book, added a ghost and Jack-o-Lantern sticker, and finished it with some footprints.

Then of course, I placed the book next to the pumpkin patch.  However,  that pumpkin patch still doesn't look haunted.  Let's add a few ghosts.    

To make the ghost, I began by cutting out a template out of white material.  

Then I cut out two pieces of material and batting using the template.  ( I want to keep the template just in case I need it for another project sometime).

Then I stitched the three layer together without hemming the edges.  Pulled on the edges of the batting to give it a ghostly look and painted on a face.

I made two and added them to my patch.

One more thing-- a great place for the ghost tree. 

Okay, I think I'm done with ghosts and pumpkins.  For now.....

Ghostly Tree

Another simple fall/ halloween craft.   I used two twigs that I purchased from the dollar store and bent the twigs to make a tree.  I twisted the twigs around the main branch to hold the two together.  I put this in a  small vase that I filled with styrofoam mini balls to keep them upright.  Stick on some foam ghost stickers and there you have it- a ghostly tree.  So simple, fast to make, inexpensive, and adds to the spirit of Halloween.     I am not sure where I am going to put it yet, but as usual I will fine somewhere I am sure.

BOO!

Ribbon Pumpkin

This project took me to the corners of the shed where there were pieces of 2x4 lumber left from the construction of our flower garden.  I selected four of these pieces for my ribbon pumpkin.   You need 1 piece longer ("6), 2 about the same size (4"), and 1 small piece (1"). I painted 3 of them terra-cotta orange and 1 green. 

Then I took one of the 4" pieces and drilled 6 holes in it.

I then took black craft wire into each hole, bent it on the bottom and put it to one side for now. Using screws I attached the 6" piece and the other 4" piece.

Next I took the 4" piece with the wire.  I put hot glue on the bottom of each piece of wire.  

Before it hardened, this piece was placed on top of the other two pieces.  Again, I used screws to attach it and the green piece.  All wood is now screwed in place.

Using hot glue and wire ribbon, I attached pieces of ribbon to the top of the wood.  I curled the wire as well to make it look like vines.   This was the result.