Happy Halloween!

The whole gang at our local mall tick or treat event

      From our pack of crazy ghouls to yours we are wishing all of you a happy and safe Halloween!  This is our first year living in a neighborhood with trick or treaters, our kids loved answering the door and seeing all the costumes! Only our oldest seemed to grasp the concept of going door to door, the twins didn't care much for that part.

The twins didn't seem to care much for walking by the time we reached the end of the road. 

     Tonight I heard a fantastic idea for future Halloweens.  Painting a pumpkin teal and lighting it up to indicate that you have allergy-friendly alternatives for kids.  I made an effort to buy some cheap toys (pencils, bracelets, etc) in addition to candy this year to include kids who can not eat the candy.  Next year I'll include the pumpkin idea so families know to stop at our house.

The final result of our Halloween decor.  I got so many compliments on the ghost.

     Which means tomorrow I am headed to Walmart, Target and the likes to stock up on the Halloween toys, pencils and bags.  All hopefully on clearance.  Tonight, I snuggle in.  Hopefully the kids come down off the sugar highs, and I get to rest.

   

   

Read More

DIY Glowing Halloween Ghost: Part 2 Final Results!

 

     Hi everybody!  I am so incredibly sorry that this is getting posted so late in the day.  Last night we had some crazy thunderstorms roll through, lost power for a bit, and it rained like mad. So I didn't get outside like I anticipated.  However, I was able to finish the ghost project and I am so excited with the results!

     Before we begin with the final part of the tutorial, I'd like to give a big shout out and thanks to my husband Akim.  Not only did he help me with much of this project, but when I got seriously frustrated with the torso (fun combinations of words were used) he assured me that it looked ok and encouraged me to continue on.  So thank you babe!

What You Will Need:

Everything shown can be found at your local discount or craft store

• Packing tape
• Monofilament (fishing line)
• Plastic drop cloth (found in the painting section, the cheaper and thinner the better)
• Cheese cloth
• Light source (I picked this up at Walmart, you can use glow sticks or any directional light)
• Scissors
• "Ghost" Body (you can find directions for how to make this here)

     FYI the drop cloth and cheese cloth are strictly for decorative purposes  and not necessary for the function of this project.  If you so choose you can omit them, I am only including them as that is what I used to create this look.

Step 1: Hang the Ghost

    

Make a small hole at each location marked by an arrow - 4 holes total

     Using a pair of scissors, carefully cut a pair of holes on either side of each shoulder blade (I marked locations in the picture with green arrows. The holes do not need to be large, just big enough to thread the mono filament through.

Once tied off you will have a loop of filament though each shoulder to hang the ghost with

     Cut a long piece of monofilament (you can always shorten it later if needed) and thread each end through one of the holes in the shoulder.  Tie the ends together, and pull the slack back out so that the tied ends rest in the area of the shoulder between the holes.  Sorry I do not have a good picture of this, but to describe it differently you will end up with a large loop of filament, with a portion of it threaded through the shoulder of the ghost.  Do this for each shoulder.
    

Step 2: Decorate Your Ghost (optional)

Plastic drop cloth "skirt" secured with tape

     To extend the skirt of the dress, I cut a large piece of plastic drop cloth (didn't measure just eyeballed it) and draped it around the waist of the ghost.  I played with it a bit until I found a shape I liked and then taped it in place.  I didn't worry about it being even or anything like that, I only made sure there was some extra to pool on the ground.  It can get windy here in October and I anticipate anchoring the ghost at the base with some rocks and I wanted some extra "fabric" to hide them.

"Cloak" created by draping cheese cloth and securing with tape around the neck

      Next I started draping the cheese cloth to create a cloak-type look along the back and shoulders.  I didn't cut the cheese cloth to any particular shape, I just pulled it out of the package and tried out a few different ways of draping. When I decided on which way I liked best, I used packing tape to secure it in place.  

"Hood" also created with draped cheese cloth, secured with tape

      For the final part, I draped another piece of cheesecloth over the head to create a veil/hood-like look and then just let the rest of the cloth fall down the back adding another layer to the cloak.  Again I used packing tape to secure it in place.

Step 3: Light Up Your Ghost

LED spotlight used to light up ghost from below 

     If you have a directional/flood type light like I do, just plant the base at the bottom of the ghost and shine it up the torso.  I found this LED prism spotlight light at Walmart for relatively cheap and I personally think this type of light looks the best.  It has this cool swirling type effect which I think really adds to the overall look of the ghost, and you can keep the light source hidden down on the ground.   If you don't want to go that route, I have seen people use glow sticks to light up the ghosts (just activate them and tape them on the inside of the torso), I have also seen people use Christmas lights on a strand.  It's really up to you on what you want to use.


     That is it!  Thank you so much for stopping by and seeing how it all turned out!  When it dries up a bit outside I will get pictures of the whole scene and post them, it just wasn't going to work out today. If you like this project feel free to share on your own sites, feeds or whatever you use.  If you are feeling generous make a note for others to visit here.  And of course I would LOVE to see what you come up with on your own!  As always if you have any questions or comments, post them below or send them to my email at Abeautyinthechaos@gmail.com.

See you next week!
    

Read More

DIY Glowing Halloween Ghost: Part 1

     Hello everyone!  As you may have guessed from my sneak peek image (and from the title of this post) this week I am showing you how I created a ghost for my Halloween graveyard. If you didn't see the sneak peek and wonder what I am talking about you can follow me on twitter at HawkimamaV. 

     I did not originally intend for this to be a two part post, but this project proved to be more time consuming than I originally anticipated ONLY because mass quantities of packing tape and small children do not mix. Something about the ripping sound of tape and the magical stickiness makes kids think "oh hey I'm gonna put this in my hair, on the wall, on the cat..." anywhere you DON'T want packing tape. I'm telling you now if you have small kids resolve yourself to only working on this project after the Littles go to bed. Consider yourself warned. 

     For this first part I'm going to show you how I made the main part of the ghost, the head and torso. Tomorrow's post will be about adding the details, how I am hanging/securing it outside, and lighting it up.  I will also include some photos of the graveyard scene and our outside decor, so make sure you check back to see the final result. 

What You Will Need:

This is what you will need for today's part of the tutorial:

• Clear Packing Tape - at least two large rolls
• Styrofoam Wig Head - you can find these at Hobby Lobby for $4.
• Saran Wrap
• Scissors
• Pillow, dress form, or someone volunteering to be your "torso" 

Step 1: Wrap the Wig Head in Saran Wrap

Wig Head (bought at Hobby Lobby)

     Try to get it as tight as possible, covering all the surface of the Styrofoam. It does not need to be smooth, and the number of layers does not matter, although to keep the details of the nose, you may want to limit layers to 1 or 2.

Step 2: Apply 1st Layer of Tape Sticky Side UP

I added some tape around the chin/neck first, then started in on the top of the head

     I found the easiest way to work around the curves and details of the face, was to work with smaller/shorter pieces of tape vs longer pieces.  Lay the pieces down slightly overlapping each other creating one cohesive layer of stickiness covering the full head.  On tight curves and angles (nose, chin, neck, etc) feel free to fold the tape over on itself to mimic the shape in the tape. Again do not fear wrinkles and folds in the tape.  You do not want this to be perfectly smooth, the wrinkles will catch and reflect the light adding to the overall glow of the ghost.  It's more important to get a solid layer of tape that covers the entire shape. 

Step 3: Apply 2nd Layer of Tape Sticky Side DOWN

What it will look like after two layers of tape, note the wrinkles and folds

     In other words you are making a packing tape sandwich, with the adhesive sides being the tasty peanut butter middle.  Again for the head, it's best to work in smaller pieces, working slowly over the surface to ensure that there are no sticky parts left exposed. 

     For a time reference, I made the head while watching The Walking Dead, and Talking Dead.  So I spent roughly two hours just on this one part (the torso took far less time).  It was time consuming but I am far more pleased with this part of the project.  Spending the extra time was worth it. 

Step 4: Carefully cut the "Cast" Off the Head

Beginning of the incision, just wiggle the scissors under the tape

     Using a pair of scissors, I created a "T" cut.  The main vertical part extends up the back and the short horizontal slice is along the top of the head.  The tape layers are fairly sturdy, but if you use too much pressure it will rip along the parts you cut.  I found it best to gently fold the tape flaps back and ease the head out using a consistent and constant pressure. 

The vertical and horizontal cuts making the 'T' incision 

Step 5: Pull Off Remaining Saran Wrap and Tape Up

The 'cast' is fairly sturdy, use additional tape to close up the incision

     After the head cast is off the Styrofoam form, pull off any Saran wrap that is easily removed.  If some parts remain stuck to the tape, just leave them and cut off the excess.  "Stitch" the cut on the back of the head with packing tape, use at least two layers to keep it secure. You can reach the inside of the head via the bottom of the neck to cover up any exposed adhesive. 

Step 6: Create Your Torso Shape 

This is a king sized pillow, a standard pillow will work fine as I didn't use the full length

     I didn't feel like using a human model, nor do I have a dress form, so I created a vague torso shape using a pillow.  I simply tied a piece of saran wrap around the middle to create a waist.  In hindsight I do wish I had borrowed a dress form or found a human model as I think it would offer a better definition of shape, but this turned out fine too.

Step 7: Create the Torso Cast with Tape

Wrapping the tape around tightened up the form a bit, causing it to lose some shape. 

    Create the torso cast by following the same steps used for the head. Since there are fewer curves and details to work around, I sped things up by using larger pieces of tape.  The removal process was also the same as the head, I made a cut up the back and pulled the pillow out.  

     To attach the head, I cut a circular opening in the "shoulder" part of the torso. I then inserted the neck into that hole and secured it with pieces of tape.  I did this before stitching up the large cut on the backside of the torso so that I could place some tape on the inside. When in doubt add more tape! Just keep going until you have gone over the entire junction of the two pieces.  Doing so creates a surprisingly stable head. 

Triangle incisions made at the bottom to help flare out the base 

 

    This ghost will have a fuller skirt.  To start the beginning of that form, I made some triangle shaped cuts along the bottom of the torso, flared out the bottom, and added some additional tape to get a wider shape.  This isn't necessary, it's just something I am doing. If you want your ghost to be a man you can stop here or you can create some legs and attach those in the same manner I attached the head. 

Completed torso, it's fairly sturdy and very light

     That is it for this part.  Tomorrow I will continue with the skirt, some additional details and the hanging and lighting of the ghost.  If you have any questions on a particular part of this tutorial, please feel free to ask below in the comments.  I will do my best to answer/explain more of what I did.  Being a visual person myself, I tried to include photos where applicable, but unfortunately this project doesn't lend itself to easily being photographed.  

I will see you tomorrow!  

 

Read More

DIY: Gothic Halloween Wreath Tutorial

     Hi everyone!  And welcome to my favorite time of the year!  Yes, it is October and I can officially put up all my Halloween decorations without making the neighbors wonder if they need to put me on the neighborhood watch list (ha as if I am not there already).

     Today I wanted to share my tutorial for this Gothic Halloween wreath.  I was inspired to create this look by (surprise surprise) my time spent in Pere Lachaise.  Many of the monuments there had wreaths, both temporary (comprised of flowers) and permanent (carved into the stone, or cast in bronze).  I really wanted to keep the monotone look of the wreathes carved into the stone, but seeing as I am not a mason and my front door would not support a granite wreath... grapevine and flowers it was.

     So I settled for this kind of rotten, decrepit looking thing.  If you like what I have done, please feel free to share, or to take this idea and expand on it in your own unique way. The only thing I ask is that you share your creation back with me as I love seeing how people expand on ideas.

What You Will Need:

• Grapevine wreath - any size, this is a 22" available at Hobby Lobby (remember your coupons and shop when floral is on sale)
• Flower/Leaf stems - any kind, I chose 2 leaf stems and 2 Hydrangea looking ones.  Also available at Hobby Lobby or any craft store
• "Scary Fabric" - this is literally what it was called, I got it in the Halloween section of Walmart.
•  "Trick or Treat" sign - I think I picked this up at Homegoods for like $4, but you can find this or similar signs everywhere.
• Plastic skeletons - picked these up at Target last year on clearance after Halloween.  I know they have something similar again this year. 
• Flat black spray paint - you could use a gloss or a satin to achieve a different look, for this I chose the flat. 
• Black zip ties (not shown)

Step 1: Spray Paint the Wreath and Flowers Black

    My motto when dealing with spray paint: don't be stingy and take your time. 10 super light coats will look better than 1 thick coat that drips or streaks. I probably could have gotten away with using just one can of spray paint, as I barely tapped into the second can.  However, I wanted to make sure I got everything coated evenly on the grapevine wreath so I went over it a few extra times. 

     For the flowers I used quick succession pulses of the spray paint, instead of one continuous spray. It kept the petals from sticking together too much.  Also while I was painting, I liked how a really light layer of paint would still allow the original colors through, it kind of gave the flowers a more rotted look, so I kept the paint light.  

Step 2: Drape the "Scary Fabric" Over the Wreath

     I only ended up using a fraction of the fabric that actually came in the package, so have a knife or a pair of scissors handy to cut off the extra.  There was no rhyme or reason to how I cut the fabric, or even how I draped it.  I just tried out a few different placements and stopped when I thought it looked cool.  Remember to keep the remaining fabric!  I'll probably re-purpose mine for our mantel decor.

Step 3: Attach the Sign

     My sign had these handy little wall hangers.  If your sign doesn't have them,  they are super cheap and easy to apply.  Or you can use hot glue to attach the sign.  I'd personally go the wall hanger route, as it was super easy to thread the zip ties through the hangers, and then just tie them onto the wreath.  

Step 4: Add the Flowers

     Just as I did with the fall wreath tutorial (you can find that post here), just shove the stem part of the leaves and flowers right into the grapevine. There should be enough braided material in the wreath to grab hold of the stems and keep them in place.  If you find yours is falling out, you can use a dot of hot glue to secure it.  

Step 5: Secure the Skeletons with Zip Ties

     I wanted to keep the skeletons pretty loose and pose-able, so I used a single zip tie around the spine.  If you wanted to keep the skeletons posed in a particular manner, you could easily use more zip ties to keep their arms and legs in one spot. It's entirely up to you. 

Step 6: Hang Your Wreath 

     I am assuming you already know how to do this, but it seemed like a good way to end the tutorial.  In case you are interested, I have a dual sided wreath hook that hangs over the top of our door.  I love these types of hooks as I can easily remove the hook when necessary.  Also it makes a convenient location to "store" whatever permanent sign or wreath you usually have displayed on the interior side of the door.  I currently have the fall wreath I created hanging inside, as I will put that one back out once Halloween has passed.

     Thank you all for visiting!  I'd truly love to see what you all come up with for your own homes!  Please feel free to share your comments and include links to pictures or blogs showcasing your designs!  See you next week!  

Read More