Halloween Minis - Triple Tutorial

 Hello all!  Welcome to spooky season!  I absolutely love making my own Halloween decorations for our home!  So, while I haven't made many minis lately, I thought it would be fun to whip up a couple new things for the cottage!

My first thought was to make an "outdoor" door mat that the residents could wipe their feet on.  As usual I have no measurements for you lol.  I pretty much just eyeball the size I need for most things.  I made and printed BOO on some card stock and cut it out.  I gave it a touch of watered down brown paint so the white wouldn't show through.  Then I tinted some fine sawdust with a drop of black paint and a teeny bit of water and let that dry.  First, I applied wood glut to the words and sprinkled the black sawdust.  When that dried, I brushed glue onto the rest and sprinkled brown tinted sawdust.  

I also made the little ghost and I absolutely love him!  Even though I kinda messed him up at the end.  But as I always say "never apologize for mistakes when cooking or creating."  No one knows that you didn't mean for it to be that way.

For the ghost, I used air dry clay for the base and feet and the smallest clothespin that I could find in my bag.  He stands about 4 inches tall.  I took the clothespin out and let it air dry all day and then before bed I used wood glue in the base and put the clothespin in.  So, this morning I was ready for the "sheet".  I used about 1/4 cup water to 2 teaspoons powdered starch and a good squirt of white school glue and mixed that real good with a whisk.  I soaked my piece of white fabric that I cut into a rectangle size with the corners rounded.  I squeezed out as much as possible and got to shaping.  I used a Styrofoam base and sewing pins to hold the fabric in place and set it in the warm sun to dry.  Then I used craft paint to paint the eyes and finish up the shoes.

I also made the little signs today.  I made them on my computer, printed them, sprayed them with matte clear coat, cut them out and glued them to really thin balsa wood.  I made a hole in a dollar tree hay bale for the post and glued the signs to it.  I also included a picture of the signs below that you are welcome to use.  Maybe it will let you copy and paste it somehow.  Then adjust the size for your project.

Well, that's all folks!  Hope you enjoyed!  Sure have missed you!  XOXO

aging a funkin

I ventured into Hobby Lobby a couple of weeks ago and although my Witch's Kitchen is complete they had funkins on sale for 40% off.  So what did I do?  I bought me another one.  This time an orange one.  Just incase I decided to make another diorama in the future.  If not, I have a pumpkin to sit around for the season.  

When you first buy fake pumpkins I feel they look a bit too fake.  You have to put a little age on them.  It's really easy to do and all you need is a little dark brown craft paint, a paint brush and some paper towels.  You dip your brush in paint and swoop in sections because the paint dries fast.  Make sure it gets in all the cracks and before it dries wipe the sections with paper towel.  A damp paper towel is also needed.  The dry one sometimes doesn't wipe it off as good.  Waalaa!  Aged funkin!!

Much Better!!!

witch's kitchen 95% complete

Holy moly... that is all I can say about my creation.  I love that I have been blessed with the ability to conjure a project I my head, make every aspect and see my results.

I was really stumped on my chair.  I made two that I didn't like.  I got it right this time!  No measurements.  Just balsa wood and a finger nail file... and glue and drop cloth for the seat.  It even rocks!  Well not now because I had to glue everything down.

I was also  bit stumped on the bookshelf.  I finally started making crate yesterday and wound up making three and using the little feet I made for the second chair.  It turned out better than the normal book shelves that I had originally planned.

I decided I wanted a rug.  I dug around my fabric stash until I found the right fur.  Who ever heard of a light green bear rug?  Me that's who.

These little bottles are the only thing that I didn't make by hand.  I did fill them with tiny glitter though.

How do you like my demon goat scull??  Just made it this morning in about 10 minutes.

 I have added  a few more things since this picture.  All I have to do now is the outside to hide the light switches and I am done.  I am so in Love with my little creation!!!  Now what I am gonna do?!?!