Halloween

Andrew Bell is the artist behind the monsters on The Creatures in My Head.

He constantly updates with illustrations of playful creatures - often drooling and with bad posture - that always make me smile (even the ones that are decidedly sad).

Today was no exception, for what should appear in my blog feed but a post entitled "Out Out Damned Corn (Patient 0)" with this new figure.

At 4″x7″ high (including the glass dome with wooden base), I think I could certainly make room for him in my house. 

Be sure to follow the links above and check out all the images.

(Updated: Oh look! He has a friend)

For this Misgivings Day Weekend, why not make one of these? It's super simple to make. And I mean, who doesn't need a Skull Candle Holder?

Closer to Halloween, I will be adding webbing (using a webgun), but for now here's the (almost) finished image. All you need is a skull (the ones from the dollar store work great), PVC pipe (or you could use a paper towel roll or tall can), hot glue gun, paint, and whatever you want to attach your skull to (I used fake books).

Most of the skulls you find at the dollar store look like they are from the the dollar store. But if the shape of the skull is good, then you can easily spruce it up with some paint.

When I first bought the foam skull, it was yellow (see the side-by-side image below). I took some watered down black paint (a wash) and added more shadows around the jaw, the eyes...basically anywhere there was a contour.

To round out my jar project, here are some specimen (or ingredient) jars.

I haven't finished putting them all together, but you get a sense of where I'm going with this.

How are they made? Simple. I coated the inside with watered down white glue and let them dry. Then the fun part begins: figuring out what I have around the house that could be creepy ingredients.

The cool thing about the glue-haze is it allows me to use items I might shy away from normally, because the grimy-screen blots out the details of the item inside. For example, the tiny rubber snake (pictured right) would not strike fear in a four-year old, but placed in the jar, and carefully glued into place with a little epoxy at certain angles, it suddenly looks a little more plausible that my critter is alive.

I spent most of my hot and humid Sunday hidden away in my office, trying to forget the heat outside. The best way I know to do that is to make things for Halloween.

A total of 19 candle stubs are ready for their part in my jar project. They are made with hot glue, acrylic paint, toilet paper rolls, and LED candles.

If you're waiting to see the final product of the jars, it'll be posted soon (not quite done). If you'd like to learn more about how I made these, I've included some pictures and basic instructions below.

For years I've wanted a glass cabinet that would protect my art and display my personal collection of items. Thanks to an early Christmas present from ma mere (thanks mom!), all my goodies have a home.

It even has white and orange stripes on the backboard.

With a little creative cutting, I was able to make a hidden opening to run wires through so I could have two of my lamps and a string of lights inside.

The funny thing about it (wasn't funny until about an hour ago when I solved the problem) was one of the main items I wanted protected - the carnivorous plant - didn't fit. I kept trying to be ok with the idea, but finally decided enough was enough, and I pulled out the trusty hacksaw. I always thought the thing was too tall (hey, it was my first plant), and if I end up ruining it, well, that would solve my problem too and I wouldn't have to worry about the darn thing anymore (it hasn't looked right ANYWHERE I put it).

Did you know using a hacksaw on an item you're mad at is therapeutic?

With a little touch up, it all worked out.

Now let me take you on a tour of my cabinet.