I haven't really experimented with Halloween related crafting in the past but, a few weeks ago my niece asked for some advise on Halloween decorations for a co-working area she rents out. She was considering ordering some pretty pricey floral displays so I tried to talk her into creating a display herself. I think she's now in the process of negotiating something in between. This conversation got me thinking about a craft project and this post is the culmination of my efforts.
Those who read my posts know that I love nothing more than creating lovely stuff using only recycled materials or everyday objects you find about the house. And I'm very happy to report that for the first of the two pieces I've made, you only need a box of tissues, felt pens and a bit of ribbon or string. You don't even need glue!!! The second piece is made from something you might already have rotting away nicely in your garden.
This first piece using tissues couldn't be easier...
Isn't he great? I know the idea of a ghost hanging from a gibbet is pretty pointless as to be a ghost, it would already be dead! But, once I'd made the ghost, and then spied a length of black ribbon [cut from the hanger loops from a recently bought sweat shirt - I ALWAYS save these as they have so many uses], it was like some dark and malevolent force was guiding my hand and before I knew it, this little Casper was a' hanging [cue echoing maniacal laughter]! He was so easy to make. Screw one tissue into a ball [for the head] and then take another tissue and place the ball in the centre and then pull the tissue down around the "neck" and secure with string or ribbon. Then use felt pens to add eyes and maybe a bit of blood.
On the subject of blood, you'll see below that I got nicely carried away! This is the same piece, just photographed from different angles and look at the difference a bit more blood makes. I think the image on the right is the best as it looks most like there might be an actual body under that bloody sheet!
With these photographs, I ramped up the contrast and used the vignette function to create the dark edges. Then, I went a bit further by adding some creepy text. I use both Picassa and GIMP for doing this; Picassa is easier to navigate but GIMP has more functions.
My second Halloween craft item is something you might already have in your garden if, during the summer, you grew that gorgeous show-off flower, the Antirrhinum. Lovely as these majestic beauties are, it's what happens to then after they've died off that makes them useful to us.
Just look at these Antirrhinum seedpods and have a think what they remind you of...
Well? Sculls of course!
Be them fairy or alien, they most definitely look like sculls.
Isn't nature amazing?
The first thing I did was detach the pods from the stems and lay them out like an ancient burial find.
Then I added a strip of gothic related text that I had lying around [as you do!]
Then I added text properly using Picassa
Then I experimented by threading them onto a length of scarlet cotton and was thrilled with the results!
By the way, the black specs everywhere are the seeds - they come tumbling out when you shake the pods.
Do they now look more like a necklace of human teeth?!? Does it matter? I think not.
This is HALLOWEEN after all and surely the more macabre the better.
I do hope you've enjoyed this post, this one really has been about making some very cool Halloween items out of practically nothing at all.
Only one thing left to say...
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
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