Halloween Reaper Swap

I signed up for a Post Halloween Reaper Swap. Sounded fun...and I was working with paper mache so I figured I would make cool coffin to ship it in. Now I am not so sure I can do that! i also made a paper mache witches hat that holds a pin/necklace that contains a drawing I did that is specific to the reaperee. I also put a hanging vampire bat in there that I bought. A blinking light too. Oh and a picture with the drawing.

Sisler FAST 5 minute ghost - in three easy steps

5 minute ghost in three easy steps .....with stuff you probably already are tossing away.

Hint:
Click on the pics for bigger image.

Supplies for this ghost will be slightly different as I don't have another spring-bag laying around. The whole point is cheap but cool.

2 packages of cheese cloth (about 4 yards each)

Home depot is 3.67 but they will meet plus 10% our McCoys price plus 10% off. Our McCoys was 2.29.

white milk jug

2 metal coat hangers

string or ribbon to hang ghost

scissors for the cheese cloth

wire cutters

I have a green house so I can do the really messy work there....LOL You need to hang this while you are working on it. I have some metal plant hangers that I use to hang work from. You could use string even. What do you have laying around?

Step 1: Rinse and poke two holes in the bottom of the jug with a nail or the scissors. Don't stress on the size as the string will be what it hangs from; just make sure that you leave the middle between the two holes intact. This bottom will be the top of the ghosts head. I was frustrated and cut the handle to poke my hand thru so I could string it fast. Hint: Try to remove the label.

Step 2. Cut two wire hangers. I cut near the twisted part on one side to get maximum length. Use the nail again and and make a hole on either side of the spout of the jug. Thread the wire thru the holes then twist each side together. I curled the hook part of the hanger into a circle. In retrospect I wouldn't of made such a big circle. I use it to catch the edge of the cloth on for draping

Step 3. Drape the cheese cloth. I cut the first package in half. As you can see by this pic it isn't enough. I cut the second package in 1/3's. Don't stress. Maybe it was maybe it wasn't. It was just sort of. I used my hands to make a hole to string the cheese cloth over the ribbon hanger. You could use scissors if you want. Making a hole in the cheese cloth section makes it so you don't HAVE to glue stuff up. My idea was to drape it over the thing and when it is time to pack up halloween I toss the jug and hangers.

My other ghost had a bridge between the two arms made of a hanger. I didn't think this one needed it. I also dripped white paint mixed with glue and wall mud. I am not going to do that to this one. It started to rain and I needed to get back to the house. The puppies need their beauty sleep!

More papermache pumpkins and graves

This my door pumpkin...papermache of course. The others are just flat.

Here is my 30 minute ghost. Hangers, an old spring type candy bag and two packages of cheese cloth...with some monster mud to hold it together. Total 6.00. I will add to it next year and make it a flying one! How cool would that be?

Ok...still working on stuff. I have a large box that I cut up into pumpkins. I painted those in the window after filling in the sides with spakling. I don't count the cost of that or the paint as I always have that on hand but if I did have to buy the paint it came to 2.00. The cat is a piece of tissue paper I cut into that shape. The monster cost me 29.00 at Walgreens tho. I already blew my budget of 20.00!

The stryo stuff was also from the box. I cut it up into shapes and quickly painted them. Cost zero...the bones are just rolled up newspaper that I papermached. Did 23 and it didn't take me long. I had the pumpkin so I am not counting that cost. Like I said...I don't count the paint but if you did a .50 bottle of white and black acrylic would be all you would need.

Here is a picture of my giant papermache spider. Left over box and coat hangers. Cost zero. It did take me three days and I haven't finished spider 2 which actually is a better looking spider. I would like to add spider led eyes but I just priced those at the shack and WOW. 15 for two leds and batteries. Gotta rethink that.

The witch I had from last year.

I should be finishing the othe spider and adding my festoons to the stairs to the porch but I bought some cheese cloth and am going to start me a ghost. THIS wont store well. Yickes. The other stuff will store flat.

Fall invigorates me

Its been a tough year. I lost to old age two of my dogs. I now have a new one...and Halloween is in the air. I have tried to resist the urge to decorate the haunt but alas...it's a no go.

I went went to Big Lots, wally world, all our dollar stores in a ten mile area and I could not find anything I wanted to buy. AND if I did I didn't want to pay the price they wanted....Plus there is the storage problem. SOOOO. Being green I was recycling and thought why not just STAY green. I am working on several things at once but they all are a papermache group. They will basically pack up for storage really flat. If they don't I will toss them.

It rained all day yesterday but I caught a break in the rain for a pic of the pod people. I have two large spiders that go between. I made 23 leg bones out of paper mache. Two pairs of creepy hands and about six styro grave stones. Just the basic shapes painted. IT IS GETTING WAY LATE. So my kitchen looks like a mess. I have a door decoration waiting to paint too. I will take pictures when I have it all out.

Art Dogs, Oily things and recycled glass

Well Jazz has been helping me again. She had the heart worms and so to keep her calm they gave her some tranquilizers. It really didn't slow her down much. There is a reason we call her Jazz the Spaz. That's drywall spackling on her side. Thank god it isn't paint! I am also working in my hall. I want to do an old faux technique for a long time.

I have been painting again. This time in oil. The first one here is an 8X10 and the rest are 16/24 I believe. They are more just playing I should say. I am experimenting on colors with oil paints. Concidering these are only the 5th and up paintings I have done in oil I kinda like them. The others are in a show down town San Antonio. I need to get down there and see if they are intsalled correctly.

This is a real place and the next one is if you look to your right. Notice the 8/10 above is also of this. I was just playing around with comp and colors.

I have been recycling glass. I have a lot more done besides these wind chimes and sun catchers. I sent a lot to people. They make the best sounds on a windy day!

You can also see two of my yard sculptures on that top shelve. They need one more coat of cement and they are done. I also have a big easter island one that is still in its armature state.

Art Show

Well...here I am with one of my many paintings that was displayed at a art show. Paul and Jessica are with me too. Notice the purse...I made that too. The necklace and braclet too.