Mini Creepmas Frames

This Creepmas I saw a few different references to the lovely ornaments at Me and Annabel Lee.

While mine are nothing like those, I rather like theirs better, they were the inspiration for me to finally use these mini frames I picked up at a garage sale years ago.  My frames are approximately 5x7cm, outside dimensions, so perfectly suited for my tiny Creepmas tree.

The frames where already dark in color, highlighted in bronze but they were too shiny and perfect.  It made the metal frames look like plastic.  I covered them with a flat black and randomly highlighted the raised areas.  I also added some rhinestones, clearance purchase of course. Even the black ribbon was bought on clearance, thrifty down to the last.

I went with what I consider to be Creepmas images.  The image of the vintage creepy Santa is all over the internet.  As is the dapper owl, who in my mind looks perfectly attired for Victorian holiday festivities.  The skeleton child with her goat seems very Yuletide to me and this altered image is by Kelloween.

And on the subject of Yule goats, I really love the goats in this video.  

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.   

Wicked String Tree

This started out as another experiment in textures and grew into its own thing.  It's not unlike my wire tree, just more untwisting, than twisting involved.

True story: I once made a life sized wire tree, if by life sized I mean very small sapling.  Later it acquired the nickname Jingle Bell Tree. The bare wire tips were some times hard to see depending on the light, not to mention pokey, so I added a jingle bell to each tip so that it couldn't sneak up on unsuspecting victims. I loved that tree, but it was a menace.

It survived many years and two moves, but as a new mom I chucked it one day, because even with the bells it was still a menace and it took up a lot of space.  To this day I regret doing that even though I have no idea where we could have safely kept it.

I'm sure it would've eventually drawn blood and once these things develop a taste for human flesh there's no going back. But think how lovely it would have been to have a jingle bell tree with blood lust tromping through the neighborhood for Creepmas.

At least this tree wont poke anyone's eye out.  I didn't take many pictures of the process because it's hard to take pictures when your hands are covered in goop.  This ended up being a great way to use some of the little pieces of twine from when my spool was butchered in sacrifice for the Pomegranate Princess.

The process is easy, grab a bunch of pieces of twine, yarn, rope, anything that is comprised of twisted strands.  They can vary in length. If you're sifting through Pomegranate Princess carnage you don't have a choice. Just make sure some of them are longer than you'll think you need.

Gather them together side by side and apply a thick mixture of texture paste to what will be the base of your tree trunk.  Stack the twine together so they form a rounded trunk.  Divide them into smaller groups as you branch out applying paste as needed.  Once you are down to single pieces of twine I recommend stopping to let things dry.  And also so you can go wash your hands.  

With clean hands untwist the individual strands on each end of twine.  My twine was comprised of three strands, so some branches are two twisted strands that break off into single strands.  Add more paste as needed to keep things in place, but leave the tips of the branches free.  Go wash your hands... again and let it all dry.  

Add a bit of glue to each branch tip twist the strands so the ends are tight. This is the messiest part.  Every couple of branch tips I was peeling glue coated in twine fibers off my fingertips.  Some of the shorter tips I twisted and then pushed into place.  The longer ends I wasn't sure where I wanted them trimmed so I added glue to the whole length and then cut them at an angle after they dried. 

Wire trees are much less messy and don't stick to your hands, but I do like the bark-like texture of the twine and paste. I also like that the texture runs vertically up the trunk whereas with wire the twists are less organic looking. Not that I don't appreciate a good wire tree. I love that they look like they spun up from the ground in the vortex of a tornado.

It was only after I painted it that I decided it needed an owl.  Lucky for me I have an owl charm the right size and I've been playing at making my own molds.

I really liked the molded components that I added to my skull.  I have jewelry pieces that I think would work well with mixed media, but I don't want to only be able to use them once and I still have actual plans to use them in jewelry.  Enter silicone molding material to the rescue. I'm using Easy Mold Putty.  It's really easy to use, but I'm still figuring out how make a better mold and what mixture works best filling them.  Above is the original charm and a spackle mixture which ended up with a lot of air bubbles.  

This is the mold, above it is a painted piece I made using hot glue to fill the mold. These molds can  be used with just about anything, polymer clay, resin or even chocolate.  Although if you are going to use them for food they should never be used with non-food substances.  

I used the spackle owl for my tree, cutting it out with an x-acto knife.

I wish I would have thought of adding it sooner because it was hard trying not to muck up the existing paint job (which looks much better in person), but otherwise I think he looks right at home.