Friday, October 8, 2010

Eye Balls and Spell Book

This was super easy.
I just got a package of ping pong balls at Dollar Tree.
Then using permanent markers, drew the pupil and iris on each ball.  I only had blue, I wish I'd had a brown Sharpie to give my jar variety.  Then with red I drew squiggle veins.
Then I just jammed the ping ball eyes in a little mason jar, so they'd seem really pickled.  I poured about half water and half white vinegar to hopefully prevent bacteria, gross growth, and a drop or two of green food coloring.  I just wrapped some twine around the ring.  I also thought maybe yellow food coloring would look gross too, but then I thought of urine since we've had a lot of that lately with potty training and went with green.

Next:
This was another easy one with stuff you already have probably.

I just took a big text book that was black (you could always cover one with black paper or I had planned on using a brown paper bag but found a black cover and got lazy).
If you had  an old family bible that would be really cool to use.

For the pages, I used newsprint (actually the newsprint the thrift store wrapped some glassware in).
It was a big sheet, so I folded it in half and jammed it in the center of the book.
With the book closed, I could trace the size of the page without measuring anything.  Then I just took the paper out and cut out the pages.  So it's just one sheet with the fold in it.

Next I wrote the spells, which actually ended up being more like recipes, so I guess potions.  I made the left page up but decided it would be easier to just get one online rather than try to make up another one.
So I found the recipe for Polyjuice Potion, my little ode to HP.
I wrote the potions with a fountain ink pen to look like a quill was used.
Then to further age the pages, I used the shoe polish and stipple brush to add some brown tarnish.  It really showed the wrinkles in the newsprint which I liked.

To attach my pages to the text book, I opened the book to the middle, and jammed the fold in.
The I just used painter's tape on the corners to attach it to the page.
I'm displaying my spell book on my console table.  It sits on a little glob of spanish moss, and I added the centipede bookmark, and the spider. 

I also added these jailer keys I've had for a while. to the base of the book.
The last touch was the crow from Dollar Tree I just perched on the top.
Only a few more of these creepy Halloween items and then we'll show  you the whole witch table!

2 comments:

  1. I'm not a Halloween person ...being bought up in a small English village where it wasn't celebrated is probably why..but I must admit reading and looking at what you think up is very entertaining and great fun...So if I decide to get adventurous beyond the costumes and pumpkins for the kids I know just where to come for ideas ...that spell book is excellent ! :0)

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  2. The Spell Book is my favorite! Wish I had done one for you kids when you were little. Awesome.

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