Freaky Funghi

 

3 weeks into July and I hadn't started on a single new Halloween prop making me quite obviously, ghastly behind.  Well cue testing positive for COVID and I suddenly had more than enough time on my hands.  Hoarding enough craft supplies to stock a small Michael's proved very wise on my part as I had no problem tackling an idea I'd been bouncing around for a bit - mushrooms.

There's a picture in my head of a witch, walking around her lair plucking ingredients for her next potion from jars and pots, scooping up bones and plucking feathers from birds, and snapping off bits of plants growing right out of the walls and floor.  There's a single post so I thought it would be grand if a creepy vine twisted it's way up with glowing gorgeous, and poisonous, mushroom sprouting.  I'd seen a few videos on making mushrooms from fairy lights using hot glue so I was halfway there.  

There are some nice vine options available but I settled on using fake plants one would place in a terrarium as I thought they might stand up to being outside for 30 days.  They're also quite easy to bend into just the shape you want.   

What you'll need:

• Fairy Lights (I like these from Harbor Freight)
• Terrarium Plants
• Hot Glue Gun (preferably one with Hi/Lo setting)
• Glue Sticks (I prefer the glue that dries somewhat opaque)
• Wax Paper
• Outdoor Acrylic Paint: Daisy Cream, Marigold, Tiger Lily Orange, and assorted Greens

I googled images of "beautiful poisonous mushrooms" because you know how I like authenticity.  We all love the classic bright read with white spots look but worried they would potentially come across cartoonish.  I liked the look of the conocybe filaris but there's some other wonderful options for inspiration.

Start by stretching out one of the vines and positioning it into your desired shape.  You'll still be able to adjust it somewhat afterwards but best to get it as close to what you want to start.

Begin wrapping the end of the string lights around the vine and create stems by pinching together sections of the wire and giving it a twist to keep it in place.  Best to have a light bulb at the end/top of each so that each mushroom cap glows.  I did a few that didn't and while they're still pretty, they're just a touch less cool.  You've got some creative freedom here - you can make clumps or spread them out, make rows or rings.  Whatever feels right.  The string can be long so you can always work you way back up if you get to the end.  This is what it'll look like:

With you glue gun set on low, begin adding glue to the stems.  It doesn't have to be perfect!  I worked my way top to bottom on one side and then turned and did it again on the other side to get decent glue coverage.  The low setting prevents drips and allows more control.  Here's what it looks like now:

Quick note: on the small/short stems I added extra glue to the top to create small caps.  The process for making the caps makes these smaller ones a bit tricky so it's easier to just build it up directly on the stem.

Caps!  Now this had a learning curve for me, the timing has to be just right to work properly.  Using the Hi setting, make disks of glue on the wax paper, different sizes and only a few at a time.  One the glue has cooled enough to peel up from the paper but not too much that it can't be manipulated, peel up the disk and using your finger or the end of a pen, press on the center and mold the disk into a cap.  Like I said, there's a curve here - sometimes you'll peel it up too soon and it'll be too sticky and other times you're too late and you can't shape it.  Hold onto these!  They can be used later to figure out your paint.

After making a few caps of various sizes, let them dry fully and reset your glue gun to Lo.  If the glue is too hot for this next step it can melt your cap.  Either add a drop of glue to the inside of the cap or to the stem and position the cap.  You don't need too much glue and again if it's too hot, you run the risk of the stem piercing the cap.

Repeat the cap making and placing process until all stems have caps.  It should look something like this:

Now these glow quite nicely just on their own and were so magical I almost stopped.  Check it out:

Time to paint!  Start with the stems and similar to applying the hot glue, do a pass from one side and then again from the other.  No need to be perfect here or worry about complete coverage,  I focused mostly on hiding the copper wire.  After that dries it's time to apply the first coat of paint to the caps.  Starting with the lighter color, work your way from the center out to the edges of each cap.  It's hard to hide the brush strokes so might as well make them work for you.  Here's some close-ups of the first coat:

Once the first coat is dry, go back with the darker color again starting in the middle but cutting the strokes short so there's a lighter edge.  Add layers as desired, it's beneficial to paint with the lights on to get an idea of the ultimate effect.  I was happy with just 2 coats of the darker color:

And there you go!  I couldn't be happier with the result and look forward to scaling up for a floor to ceiling post that inspired this to begin with.  I think these would be great for centerpieces and mantels or even wedding centerpieces.  And as for realism, check out this comparison to a shot from CBS Sunday Morning my husband found hauntingly familiar.

Where do you imagine these spores popping up at your haunt?

101 days till Halloween...

Dark Shadows

 

What to do with big, gaping vertical spaces other than investing time and space into big, vertical props?  Fill the void with shadows!  A low rent version of some of the projection FX that blends some of the new "technology" with some old school ingenuity.

The old place had lots of old growth hedges and trees that I never worried too much about height when it came to decorations.  If anything, I was hanging stuff down rather than building things up.  The new abode however recently had undergone a remodel, leaving the curbside clean and tidy and minus full grown plants.  I'd stand back taking in the new set up and fixate on these massive gaps from the bottom of the curtain to the tops of the props.  As much as I love Halloween, storage is always in the back of my mind as I dream up new stuff so how to fill these 6 foot gaps of reality that were interrupting the whole illusion?

I turned to a favorite source of inspiration - nature.  I had a small stash of Manzanita branches leftover from the new scarecrow so I leaned them up against the wall and uplight them with an Orange Fire & Ice light.  The result was even more than I had imagined.  The following night I took the little one on a short hike to my Manzanita branch source and we hauled out some lovely, twisty fallen/cut branches that were a solid 6 feet.  Total cost: the light, that's it!  And no need to hold onto the limbs, each year we can go on a new adventure and create a spooky effect with a bit of nature spiced with light.  Check it out!

During the day, the limbs look like a creepy, dying garden,
perfect witchy landscaping.

At night, the shadows climb the walls like the thorny
bushes a wicked stepmother might incant

Creepy Curtain: New and Im-BOO-ed

 

I've been using the trash bag method for my creepy curtain for years and figured this Halloween would be no different.  Spent 3 hours prepping panels, starting the clothesline & threading the first panel on.  Within minutes the wind had whipped the strands into intricate, knotted braids and they were caught up in the roof shingles & gutter.  So much for that.

Time for a new plan: burlap!   It's rather inexpensive if you buy it from the home improvement or garden store, around $12 with tax for a 3'x24' roll.  As with the trash bag method, plastic clothesline works great for this and also won't break the bank.

Tie of one end of the clothesline to an eye hook and then begin threading the other end along the long end of the burlap, weaving it in and out every 4"6" and about 1.5" - 2" from the edge.  Working in 3' sections, slide the the fabric all the way to the start and anchor in place with a piece of electrical tape.  Each section should then be "anchored so the weight of the burlap doesn't cause the line to sag too much.  Eye hooks are great for this but I was able to thread the line through the gaps in the boards of the eaves.   Repeat this process until you've covered the desired area and tie the clothesline off to another eye hook and tape the burlap to the line.

Starting at either end, use sharp scissors (I used my fabric scissors) and cut strips upwards towards the line, stopping with around 3"- 4" to spare.  The strips can be assorted sizes, I varied between 3"-8" so it wouldn't look too perfect.  After cutting a few strips, use your fingers to poke, pull and stretch imperfections into the burlap.  You can fray the edges as well but bear in mind if this is up all month long, the burlap will naturally start to fray so anything you do to it will get exaggerated.  You don't want to wind up with burlap threads all over the yard and little hanging from the eaves.

And there you go!  It was fun to watch it evolve over the month, getting creepier with each rain.  They weren't impervious to wind - I had to use a stick every day or so to unhook strips that had blown up onto the roof or were tangled in the gutters.  But that also made them look ever better with time - the rain gutter goop was so icky and fabulous!

The burlap can be dyed as well if you'd rather have a different color.  Dark greens and black both look great.

Thrifty Thrills: Part Boo

 

I'm not shy about my general dislike for most mass produced Halloween props.  Too much of what is out there is poor quality and overpriced.   Part of my Halloween mission is to lure people away from these options and into the world of creating your own which I guarantee will wind up both way cheaper and way cooler.  Sometimes I have a clear idea what I want to build when I'm scouring through thrift stores but it's far more likely that I'm going in blind, just looking for cool things that speak to me.

You may remember the metal sconce I picked up at a thrift store for $5 2 years ago seen in my Thrifty Thrills post.  Still looking for large open spaces to figure out how to use the $3 boomerang I also found that day.  Anyone with boomerang throwing knowledge, please reach out.

I knew at the time I'd work this into some sort of skull candle thing but with the move I didn't have a chance to get to it.  Until now.  Super easy and total cost is under $20 (not including the candles.)  I see metal sconces at thrift stores all the time so that shouldn't be too hard to come by.  Home Good or other off-price stores would be another place to look but may not be as inexpensive as a thrift store.

I glued 2 foam skulls from my skull stash (they're always significantly marked down end-of-season) to the spiked candle bases.  I cut the bottom off 2 water bottles for "candle holders" which I had done before for the Gothic Window and glued them to the tops of the skulls.  They help hold the foam back and create the perfect sized cup for the candle to sit in.  

For the Spray Foam I use Great Stuff Gaps & Cracks.  It doesn't expand as big as other formulas and if you can find the Natural Color it'll help down the line when painting.  Trick to this part is a little goes a long way.  You might want to practice on a piece of cardboard to get a feel for how little you have to squeeze and how much comes out.  You can build it up so start small.  I fill the space around the water bottle base first and work my way around, allowing the foam to drip down the sides & filling in gaps.

After the foam dries I added the classic glue gun glue drips as I think this makes the foam look less like a a whipped convection and more like wax.  Anywhere the foam is a little too smooth and perfect I add drips and I extend foam drips with a little glue.  

Once dried, it's time to paint it all an off white color like the candles.  I use DecoArt Patio Paint and cover all the white and glue.  Here's some side by side's of the two skulls, one already painted the other still exposed foam and glue.  You can see the water bottle bases as well.

Ack!  The jar!  Almost forgot about that.  I didn't like the gap left at the back of the skulls so I glued a Witch's Jar from my stash to the sconce.  I love when hoarding pays off. 

When the paint was all dry I thought it looked a little flat so I used some leftover brown wood stain and dabbed it into some holes and cracks as well as dry brushing areas.  It added the depth and aging I was hoping for and again, used something I already had laying around and needed to use up.  Check it out:

• Sconce = $5
• 2x Skulls = $2
• Spray Foam = $2.88
• Paint = $2.29

      TOTAL = $12!!!!!!

18 Days till Halloween...

Prey and Decayed

 

Skeleton animals fill shelves every Halloween and had yet to impress me much.  There was a level of appeal but they were still to manufactured for me.  Meanwhile, my birdcage collection had grown and what to place inside was still a mystery.  

In the Halloween aisle at Michael's it hit me like a freight train - make it molt!  I could hide the fabricated look of the skeleton under some strategically placed feathers.  Grabbed a vulture skeleton on sale, 2 packs of black Maribu Feathers some Beacon glue and headed to the workshop.

Before......                       ......After

Pretty straight forward process of picking out the right size, shape and placing them where they line up with the bones and body shape.  I started off thinking I would just put a few but the more I added the better it got.  Finding a good balance of bare spots and plumage is the key.  

Initially I planned to keep the head bare but then remembered I had some red & black suede in my fabric stash that would look stellar as that leathery, pink vulture head that so recognizable.  Lucky me I had 2 different reds that I laid next to each other to give more depth & character.  I also frayed the edges to make it easier to wrap the pieces so they laid flat and looked more realistic.  You could also use felt or even just paint it.  Or leave it bare skull, it all works when it comes to zombies.

I dug 2 red beads out of my bead stash for the eyes.  Was hoping for something black that would catch the light but no luck.  Red does the job more than well enough.  Checked my reference photos one more time and realized they had black toe nails so slapped some outdoor black paint.  

I'm a little tempted now to dig out some faux fur to add to some skeleton rats.  I love this is a 100% craft store DIY project.  I can get discouraged each season with the new props - so much is either "been there, done that" or uninspiring.  It can make me think I've plum thought of all there is to be conjured up.  Moments like this Zombie Vulture get all the creative juices flowing again.

There's just something about an exposed spine
that makes me flutter

52 days till Halloween...

Dawn of a New Scare-a

 

New house, new era!  New era/new scare-a...get it?

We've settled into our new house which brings with it the need to rethink my entire haunt.  What do I have that worked at the old house that will work here?  What won't?  And what new thrills can I create for all this new space?  It's a blank canvas and I've got plans.  Side note: today was the first day I was outside, in the driveway, working on Halloween in all it's glory.  I wasn't 100% sure how the new neighborhood would receive me.  Back at Little Pearl, tinkering away like this elicits delight from those in the know.  No one here "knows" yet.  To my delight, I had a car stop, windows rolled down and a giddy "oooooh so scary!!"  "It's so beautiful!" They asked if I was an artist.   Such an uncomfortable question for me.  Yes...?  I mean, when it comes to Halloween props, sure?

A mom pushing a stroller also stopped, big smile and lots of questions.  She informed me it's a good street for Halloween; lots of kids, good trick-or-treating.  She has no idea how calming that was to hear.  I come in hot with Halloween.  I dread that going poorly.  Anyway...

First up - a scarecrow for the garden. I've been obsessed with Pumpkinrot's mind-bendingly amazing scarecrows for ages and did my take on his 2004 Scarecrow  (100% credit them for my inspiration). 

There's lots of great aspects to this guy but top of the list for me is that it can be dismantled into smaller pieces for storage.  Instead of a 10' scarecrow peeking over the fence year round, it can be broken down - chest cavity, arms, head, base & post) and stashed away.

Supplies can be gathered from the DIY Store, Dollar Tree, the Craft Store, your backyard and your stash.  I had a lot of this already around from other projects - my hoard is my go-to for troubleshooting when I have a new prop I'm working on.  I don't always know *exactly* how I'm going to achieve each detail but surrounded by the detritus of my Halloween crafting, inevitably an answer emerges.

Supplies List:

• Rope Handle Tub
• 1x 50 lb bag of Concrete
• Sand
• Treated Tree Stake
• Pre-Cut 2"x4"x2' Pine Board aged (SOS/Steel Wool Antique Wood treatment)
• 2" Wood Screws
• 4"x 2' Black ABS Pipe
• Over the door hooks, narrow/not too wide (similar to this)
• Sticks (I used Manzanita for it's color and abundance in my area)
• Zip Ties, assorted sizes
• Coiled Wire
• Raffia
• Jute string
• Plastic Skull
• 33.8 oz Plastic Water Bottle
• Black Spray Paint
• Glue Gun
• Duct Tape
• Burlap
• Foam pipe insulation
• Creepy cloth or other fabric
• LED String Lights (with remote!!)
• Glue Gun
• Snips
• Scissors

Before we get started you'll need to make the base & uprights first to be able to build the rest.  I made 2 uprights (tree post + pine board).  I work better with my feet on the ground so one upright was shorter, around 5 feet while the other is the full 10' pole.  I built the chest piece, lined up where the arms should go, draped the fabric & worked on the head all on the 5' upright.  When it came time to build the "legs," I simply moved all the parts to the taller pole so that I could line it all up without pieces from one element getting in the way of another.  See the very end of this entry for how to construct the base & upright.

Let's break it down, top to bottom.  First up, THE HEAD...

You'll need your skull, plastic water bottle, spray paint, duct tape, burlap, jute string and string lights.

Cut the top of the bottle off and set aside, you'll need it later.

Here's the Instructables I used to make the plastic skull out of a milk jug but you could also use a store bought skull as long as it's hallow.  Mine are open at the base so if yours isn't, start by cutting a hole in the bottom big enough to put your plastic bottle through.

Spray the eye sockets of your skull with the black spray paint so they'll stand out under the burlap hood.

Use duct tape on both the inside and outside of the open edge of the bottle.  This beefs it up a bit making it more stable.  Slide the bottle into the base of the skull.  Now you have a head & neck!

Use your glue gun to secure the skull to the bottle.  I like to allow the glue to drip down between the two and then flip it over so it comes back towards the seam to ensure it's really, solidly on there.

Good solid glue gun seal

Now you could just plop this on the pointy end of your pole and be done but there's something about it hanging down at a bit of an angle that's just creepy.  To achieve this, slide the head on, leaning it forward, until the point of the pole touches the bottle "neck."  It tends to land right about the duct tape line, so approx 2" in.  You can see the angle and where the point lands here:

The point is just above the upper edge of the tape

Mark this spot with your finer and then cut a small hole.  I used my extra sharp Fiskers Micro Tip Pruning Shears, I use them for everything except pruning.  If your pole doesn't have a sharp point you can stick a plastic thumbtack in the top to act as a pin.  I plan to duct tape over the hole and cut into it again to ensure the hole doesn't grow bigger as the head moves around.  Oh yeah, I should mention, the head moves in the breeze since it's not nailed down.  Very fun.

Okay the lights - I hadn't initially planned on this but Harbor Freight had an inexpensive set at the check-out and I couldn't resist.  The effect is very cool so I'm pleased I went with my impulse.  

Easy, Peasy Lemon Squeezey LED lights

The coil needed to be made smaller to fit inside the bottle but once in, I could fit the whole string and the batter back in the cranium.  Remember your plastic bottle top?  Grab it and shove it up inside the bottle to keep the string lights from falling out.  Like this:

Kind of hard to see but that black bulky thing
is the battery pack and the bottle top is pointed upwards

Cut a small piece of burlap, about 18"x18", drape it over the top of the skull and secure with the jute string.  No harm in cutting the burlap on the larger side and then trimming it up to get just the right look you desire.  Use the black paint to spray the eyes again.

Here it is, in all it's glowing glory...

Time for the CHEST CAVITY:

This here was my first "moment of genius while trying to meet my "must be able to dismantle" requirement.  How to build a full rib cage without permanently attaching the stick -OR- having to build it then break it down each year.  Solution?  Over the door hooks!  I found mine at the Dollar Store and apologize for not taking a picture of it first but it looked a bit like this, only black:

I wish mine had these screw holes, love the added extra security

Now the fun begins; you'll need your door hooks, sticks, zip ties, coiled wire & raffia.

Working one stick at a time, attach them to the hooks using the zip ties (or coiled wire).  I liked the zip ties because I could just snip them if I wasn't happy with the placement.  I did my best to try to both hide the hooks and keep everything towards the front so that I wouldn't get hung up taking the chest cavity off the upright.

Note only one branch hooks over the top, otherwise
the back is free of obstructions

After placing a few sticks, wrap the raffia around your zip tie connection points to hide them.  Raffia reminded me of decaying tendons and I could match the colors of the Manzanita whether it was still fresh orange red or already aged brown.

Don't add too many sticks without wrapping them.  It's far more difficult to wrap when they're stacked deep, like some twisted game of Pick Up Sticks or Kerplunk.

Door hooks clearly visible from the back...

Not as much from the front

Close up of raffia over zip ties

A drape or coat further helps cover the mechanics of the door hook.  I plan to go back and wrap raffia around exposed metal and perhaps tuck Spanish Moss in for more movement and decay.

Next up, ARMS!

You'll need 2 sticks (at least) that ideally fork out at the end to create fingers & zip ties/coiled wire.  With the Chest Cavity in place, line the arms up and secure them with the ties/wire.  Key here is to ensure they don't interfere with the Chest Cavity while also lining up to create an illusion of one single piece.

The front stick is attached to the chest pack, the back
stick attached to the 2x4

The red stick is attached to the chest cavity. The brown
stick, the arm, is attached to the 2x4

Finally, LEGS:

The lower half of the body gets attached to the tree post portion of the upright, similar to how you attached the arms to the 2x4.  Again, be mindful of where the Chest Cavity sticks meet up with the "legs" as well as any pieces that might stick out and get hung up on anything else.  Extra long zip ties work great for this step and I used jute string instead of raffia as I needed to cover more area & make sure those sticks weren't going anywhere.  

When this guy officially goes out, I'll add more to the base, attaching them to the ABS pipe so it appears to be growing out of the base.

The final touch is the cloak.  Burlap would work, or creepy cloth.  I had this cool piece in a bin leftover from a Halloween costume I made years ago.  Lucked out it was just the right size.

BASE & UPRIGHT:

Spray paint the tub black (use grey highlights for a marbled look)

Glue the Black ABS pipe to the center base of the tub.  Mix the concrete, I did it directly in the tub.  Was it perfect?  No.  Does it do the trick?  Absolutely.  A 50 lb bag winds up weighing 100 lbs.  If that's not enough weight, and it may not be in a windy area, use bags of sand for the rest.  KEEP THE SAND IN THE BAG and just add the bag.  Easier, cleaner & it's lighter to move a few bags than 200lbs of concrete tub.  Let cure.

Meanwhile, age the 2x4 using my tried and true SOS pad & Vinegar method.  Use the 2" wood screws to attach the 2x4 to the tree stake - the top of the board should be approx 5'5" from the top point.  Put the skull on if you want to eyeball it just to make sure you like the proportions.