It’s that time once again my friends! Time to make something old look new again. For today’s show, I have decided to focus on glass and crystal. We all have glass we don’t use. If not, you can always find great used items at the local second hand store. Halloween crafts and decor are usually categorized into three styles; glamorously kitschy, cute for kids and creepy. Obviously, I tend to go for the first one! My samples on the show can easily be modified into a different style using the same techniques. (I use that word loosely, considering we will be playing with my usual “red neck” supplies of duct tape or a glue gun.) Here’s how to make a fabulous centerpiece with just paint, a glass vase or bowl and a few items from my favorite spot, The Dollar Store! Including paint, I spend $30 dollars on this project. All this will be better explained on TV today. This is just a guide in case Lauren and I start yakking and run out of time. 🙂
Morticia Addams Centerpiece
ITEMS NEEDED
Glass vase, bowl, etc.
Spray paint (Black and silver for this project.)
Alcohol (no, not to drink…RUBBING alcohol you goonies!)
Glue gun
Stick on rhinestones
Fake flowers
Foam ball
Silicone skull ice cube trays
Costume jewelry or beads, etc.
STEP ONE
Wash the glass in hot water and dry well. Then wipe it down with rubbing alcohol and let it dry THOROUGHLY!
STEP TWO
In a well ventilated room or outdoors, spray the item with GLASS FRIENDLY spray paint such as KRYON. Start spraying with BLACK about 8-10 inches away. Allow the item to dry for at least 30 minutes. Next, spray a contrasting color like SILVER 12 inches away so you only get light flecks of color. Allow the item to dry for another 15 minutes, then spray with clear coat for a more lasting finish. If the item is slightly wet and you use clear coat, the paint will crackle. I like that look for Halloween! (To make this craft kid friendly, you can use Martha Stewart’s High Gloss Multi Purpose Acrylic Paint and brush it on. That brand is dishwasher safe. Gotta love Ms. Martha!) You can find more info on glass painting here.
STEP THREE
Take your skull ice cube tray and bast it with cooking oil. Then start filling up the skulls with hot glue. Put the tray in the freezer for a few minutes then take it out and run it under HOT water. The skulls will pop right out! Now you are ready to paint them silver. Just make sure they are completely dry first and wipe them with alcohol for a lasting finish. (Nail polish also works very well.) Set the skulls aside and let them dry for 30 minutes. *HELPFUL TIP: Paint the items and let them dry overnight. Then embellish the next day…while eating cookies!
STEP FOUR
Now your glass item is dry, you can start to embellish it! Wehoooo! Dot the vase with a marker to ensure you are spacing the skulls evenly around the top. Glue the skulls on four corners of the bowl or vase. Stick on the rhinestones gluing them as you go. I chose rhinestone stickers so I could cheat a straight line. *HELPFUL TIP: As you know, you can never have too much hot glue! If you make a mistake, use an ice cube or a blow dryer to remove the unwanted glue.
STEP FIVE
Now for flowers! You will need three colors. I chose red, purple and black. Cut all the flowers as tall as you can. Start by putting the tallest one in the center of the foam ball to give the arrangement height. Next stick flowers all the way around the edges like a flying saucer, rotating red, purple and black as you go. Your flowers should start to have a pyramid shape to them. Once the arrangement is finished you can add ribbon, spiders, etc. *HELPFUL TIP: Dollar store flowers are usually very bright and cheap looking, so I used black spray paint and clear coat to dull the colors down and give them a wet look.
HAUNTED CASTLE CANDLE HOLDERS
Glass candle holders
Spray paint (Black and silver for this project)
Alcohol
Glue gun
Costume jewelry chains from old necklaces
Metallic permanent marker
Repeat STEP ONE & TWO from the above directions.
STEP THREE
Take the permanent marker and color in the raised areas for accent color. *You can also dry brush the glass with metallic acrylic paint for an antiqued look or nail polish for a shiny look.
STEP FOUR
Take the candle holder and put it upside down. Glue the chain necklace on each section where the crystals would be, forming loops as you go. Once you are finished you can spray or brush on black paint to cover the glue.
AND THAT’S IT! You are well on your way to an Addams Family style Halloween!
Happy Pre-Halloween everyone! I look forward to seeing you at the store. I deeply appreciate you selling us your unwanted jewelry. As you can see, we always have a use for it. Without you, these craft shows would not be possible. Let me know what you’d like to see for the Christmas show!
Love,
Malena