Dark Elegance Upcycled Frame

It's funny, all I did was glue on a few plastic bits, add a smidge of lace and give it a paint job, but I feel accomplished with this project, unlike last time.


The skeleton hands were from a past neighbor, she was cleaning out her Halloween stuff and wanted to know if I could use them.   Of course I could.  And then I didn't, forever.  I get this mental block where I have to save things for the "right" project.  And of course no idea is ever perfect enough, so I have all these interesting items, neatly tucked away, being underutilized. Now you know my dirty little secret.  Well at least one of them.


I did temporarily use the hands as a sand fence in a fairy garden years ago.  Besides the hands, I also used two small plastic spiders and a few leftover bits of lace trim from my textured vases.

I gave everything a couple of coats of black gesso, and dry brushed on some Champagne Gold.  I've never been a fan of gold.  It's too yellow and I dislike yellow with it's sunny disposition. Give me a dreary gray or a moody mauve.  But Champagne Gold I'm utterly in love with, willing to look past it's rather festive name.  It's like a warm silver.

The picture of the darling little boy is from this awesome collection of altered photos by Kelloween.  I was torn between using that picture and this owl.  I can't find the original source for the owl, but I'm hoping by the way its strewn across the internet that it's public domain, just search for top hat owl.

Thrift Store Finds or Barely Crafting

I decided to take pictures of some of my thrift store finds from last years adventure as I was reorganizing after Halloween.  The first couple I barely did anything to enhance them, in fact it could be argued they would have looked just fine without my interference.  The latter two I left alone, not trusting myself to not muck them up merely for the sake of feeling I had to do something to them.  

I love this owl lantern, especially with the red tea light.  As you can see below it was fabulous all on its own before I came along.  It was nicely aged with dirt and rust, giving it a suitably eerie look.  I might have done it a disservice by cleaning it up, but I can't abide by having other people's dust and crud, preferring to start fresh and build up my own.  I painted on a faux patina with acrylics. I fear I might have made it a bit brighter and cheery looking.  Thankfully nothing can diminish it's evil scowl.  

Next are these metal candle holders ranging from 5 to 7 inches tall.  Nothing special, but these sort of things are always handy for displaying not only candles, but pumpkins, skulls or severed heads.  Again I could have left them as is, black is always stylish and they would have functioned just the same.  

Instead I added little skull danglies made from chain, which was procured during the aforementioned thrifting spree and some after Halloween clearance beads I've had forever.  I toned down the black with a few Gunmetal Gray highlights, to match the beads and chain.  

Seriously I scored all this chain for about $5. When it comes to making jewelry I like to know exactly what metals I'm dealing with, but for art projects it matters not. 

The following stand I didn't change one bit and maybe it looks a little too shiny and nice.  And that might have to change, but it looked nice with a severed head this fall. 

I have a cosmetology head from the days when my daughter was all about practicing fancy braids which was nothing short of frustrating on one of those stupid Barbie heads.  Later I came across this tutorial for turning it into one of the undead, but I can't bring myself to cut it up.  Instead I have a handful of simple masks, so she can change up her look from year to year.  It's the best of both worlds, princess by day, ghoul by night.  I rather like the pretty eyes behind the mask, it reminds me of Eyes Without A Face.

I haven't done a thing to this one either, but it calls to me.  I like it plain, in a merely supportive role, but the urge to add textures is strong.  I just don't want to overdo it and have it competing with whatever it's displaying.