Haunting Potion Bottles

Make your coffee table, console table, or any surface with a tray fun and "scary" with some of these "custom" made potion bottles. This one is especially fun to do with the kiddos!!  All you have to do is find an assortment of different clear glass bottles and then simply pour  black acrylic paint into each one. Swirl the paint around until the entire inside is the color black. Pour out the excess paint. (If you are going to use the potion bottles for food or cut flowers, then just spray paint the outside of the glass bottle or jar with black spray paint.) Create your own labels with construction paper in different colors and write with different color markers. You can also make your own labels on the computer and let your imagination go crazy. The scarier the label the better!!!  Mummy Jars are so darn cute and SO easy to create. All you do is wrap any size glass jar with lots of rubber bands in all different directions. Make sure you leave plenty of exposed glass. Then spray paint with white spray paint. Let dry for about 2 hours. Take a sponge brush and paint two black eye balls with acrylic paint. Also add some eyebrows. Fill with Halloween candy for the touch of sweetness to an otherwise scary mummy.

Now, take those haunting bottles and display them on a tray and add other elements such at artificial black roses, etc.

Pumpkin Terrarium

Most of us are all familiar with planted terrariums but have you ever heard or seen a pumpkin terrarium? All you have to do is take a large glass terrarium or for that matter, a small fish tank and even a large glass clear bowl, and layer it with one layer of green sheet moss, then a layer of gourds or small boo pumpkins and then another layer of moss and so on. Be creative and try not to make each layer level but instead create valleys and hills with each level. You can even add other elements such as an old small branch or two for more drama and texture.

Spooky Pumpkins

 

Make your Halloween a "spooky" one with scary owl and eyeball pumpkins. Chris will show you how with a little paint and a few supplies you can create your own individual pumpkins that will had fear to your Halloween decorations.

 

Make your Halloween a "spooky" one with scary owl and eyeball pumpkins. Chris will show you how with a little paint and a few supplies you can create your own individual pumpkins that will had fear to your Halloween decorations.

Instructions:

Hoot’n Owl Pumpkin

 

 

 

You will need:

8” artificial pumpkin

Yellow sunflowers

2 large wiggle eyes

Assorted fall leaves – we used maple leaves for the eyes

And slender elongated fall leaves for the wings

Paddle wire

1 large pinecone

1.5” yellow cardstock

Hot glue gun and glue sticks & Pliers

 

1.      For each eye, glue a wiggle eye in center of a flower. Cut petals shorter with scissors and glue eyes to pumpkin. For eyebrows, glue a maple leaf behind each eye.

2.      For beak, hold cardstock square at opposite corners, and fold into a cone shape, glue to hold, then glue to pumpkin between eyes.

3.      For each wing – gather 3 long leaves and wind wire tightly around them to hold them together. Cut off ends just past the wire. Poke a hole in each side of pumpkin with scissors and insert wing, glue in place.

Spooky Eyeball Pumpkin

 

 

 

You will need:

8” artificial pumpkin

Gloss acrylic paints – white, purple, red, black

Tulip Glow in the Dark Dimensional Paint

Paintbrushes – fine line, medium, and fan brush, and sponge brush.

 

{If you buy a white pumpkin you can skip Step 1}

 

1.      Use sponge brush to paint your pumpkin white. You may need several coats, if so, allow to dry between coats.

2.      Use medium brush and purple to paint circle in the middle of the pumpkin.

3.      Use liner brush and black paint to outline eye. Then paint center of eye.

4.      Use liner brush and red paint to make veins outside the iris.

5.      Once all is dry, use glow in the dark paint to highlights veins.  On iris, outline the center of the eye. Use fan brush to pull paint out from the center into the purple area.

 

{Do not spray paint your artificial pumpkin, as the paint will cause the pumpkin to peel, crack or melt.}

 

 

 

Potted Pumpkins

Add a twist to your fall decorating. Create your very own "Potted Pumpkins". All you have to do, is take a container,  plant it with green ivy, and then simply sit a pumpkin on top! So easy!!  This will give the illusion that the pumpkin is growing on the vine. If you have or can find a Terra Cotta pumpkin that looks carved, then just add a light in it and place that on top of the potted ivy. Placed on a timer, your pumpkin will glow at night with out any real flame. I find that variegated creeping fig, pothos, or any houseplant vine, will work just as welll.  Even a hanging basket of blooming petunias can work and add a hint of color to your autumn display!  The most important thing to remember is to have fun!

 

 

Autumn Brunch

Be original and create your own brunch for the fall season. Use a muffin tin to hold an assortment of fall goodies such as jam, pieces of biscuits or some kind of roll cut into smaller sizes, fresh fruits, figs, etc. What ever you want makes for a perfect display that not only looks great but taste so good.

Even a round cake pan makes for a perfect container to house autumn snacks. If you can fine a cake tin in the shape of a pumpkin or leaf!!  Look around you will be amazed at what you can find!

 

Perfect Fall Wreath

It's time to start decorating for fall!!  I can't wait for the cooler temperatures, it's ONE of my favorite times of year!   As a matter of fact, this week I am getting my front porch cleaned and ready for pumpkins, etc. While I wait for them to arrive, I can put up my fall wreath.  When it comes to decorating for autumn, remember to be different and chose that perfect wreath that is unique and may be a little fun.  You can use a berry wreath, but what about one that is covered in green foliage and a snake.  Scary,  yes.......  Or something more elegant like a wreath made entirely from silk white gourds.  The possibilities are endless.  But it's time to get that wreath now or create one yourself before the good stuff is gone.....  Have fun....

Growing Indoor Topiaries

If you love outdoor topiaries, did you know that it is actually easy to grow certain topiaries indoors.  The key is plenty of light and the right variety of plant to tolerate the dry conditions inside.  Most of us are familiar with the English Ivy topiary.  Lush and green English ivy will grow successfully indoors with a least 4 hours of very bright light.  But the real problem is usually insects, especially spider mites.  Spider mites will kill ivy in a matter of just a few weeks.  What to do?  Spray your topiary every 4 weeks with a insecticide and miticide.  I use a great product called Triple Action Plus by Fertiliome. You can find this spray at my shop,  Botanica Gardens in Little Rock, or other garden centers.   

Other varieties of topiaries include rosemary and the olive tree.  Both should be cared for just like you would the English ivy.  Keep moist and do preventive maintenance.  Rosemary will require about 6 hours or more of bright light.