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This is a reminder about the "Thrifty Halloween Challenge".

Next week, the week of Oct. 15 we are posting pictures of what we are using to make our final projects. Just a picture of that terrific thrift store, or attic, or basement, or garage sale find that you will be turning into a Halloween decoration. This is meant to be a sort of a teaser, not a picture of the final project. We all get to wonder for a week, "what you are going to do with THAT!"

We will be posting photos of our "reveals" the following week - October 22.

I started a new thread because the first one had over 2,000 views and I feared that it might be locked soon. (For anyone who wants to read the first thread, it was titled "Thrifty Halloween Challenge".)

If you aren't in on this yet, you could be! Everyone is invited! Just use something you found in a thrift store, or something you found in your attic, basement, garage sale, closet etc, and make it into a Halloween decoration. Keeping with the idea of thrift, many of us are keeping our projects to under $10.00, but that is up to you. And remember, this isn't a contest, or a competition. It is just for fun, and will be a friendly and fun show and tell.

I have found my thrift store item and I am so excited about it! It only cost me $3.99, which made me even more excited! I hope you all have found your items too! (And if you haven't, there is still time!)

Remember:
Oct 15 - pic of thrifty item
Oct 22 - pic of the item transformed into a Halloween decoration

This message has been edited. Last edited by: cocok,

Bumping

I'll go first, Cocok. This is a log holder.

We have had it a long time. It is kept outside and in the winter often on the front porch.

Oh, gosh you are way ahead of me Lady! I haven't even taken my "before" photo yet, but will tomorrow.

I can't wait to see what you make out of your log holder! Exciting!

bump

Did my before up tonight. Pretty busy looking collage.

I don't do scary halloween.

So, here is the before pic of what I used.

I also used a piece of construction paper and a little bit of black glitter I had on hand.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: victoriangirl,

Oh, that all looks so interesting victoriangirl! Can't wait to see what you are up to!

Posting my before shot tonight as I will be in meetings tomorrow for a lot of the day.

I am transforming this piece I found at a thrift shop for $3.99.

Cocok and Emily, can't wait to see what you two are up to with your finds.

Not doing Halloween decor this year, but if anyone wants to re purpose a few clear dishes in Black or orange for Halloween, this blog has suggestion with MS paint on the back of clear dishes.
Seems like an inexpensive way to add to your Halloween decor! Could even tape off a pattern before painting perhaps!
http://chezlarsson.com/myblog/.../painted-plates.html

Here are the paints suggested:
http://www.plaidonline.com/mar...aint/146/product.htm

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

I got this very ratty pallet from my work.
Cost, free!


Happy Haunting,
Candy

A cardboard box, also free.



Candy

A book from the thrift store, $1.

Candy

2 packages of foam pumpkin shapes from Dollar Tree, $1 ea.

See you next week.

Happy Halloween,
Candy

Can't imagine what you are up to Christmas Candy! Can't wait to see it next week!

TODAY IS THE DAY!
POST YOUR FINISHED PROJECTS!!!!

I will be back to post mine. Waiting for the sun to come up so I can take one more photo.

Can't wait to see what everyone accomplished!!!!

This is my "before" I also used a square of fabric cost $4.00 and had a print made a/c our printer is on the fritz; that was 73¢

This is my "after" the idea was better IMHO, than the execution. This is unscary. It is Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater's wife in the shell!

The stem is the end of a log which DH notched out to fit over the top.

This is the "wife" it is really DGD at a job she had a summer ago in a historic house.

Were I to do this again I would use the same form but probably some kind of foam core or poster board I could shape to be more round. but guess what? I will never do this again!

Here are my afters.

Foam shapes before:

After, I used the shapes and a doormat I bought at Dol TR. that said "Happy Halloween" and some Jack O"lantern stickers, also from Dol. Tr.
I used the doormat for 4 different projects so total cost was $3.25 as I already had the ribbon I used to string the garland.
I cut out each letter from the doormat and glued them onto the foam Jacks, with a sticker in between each pumpkin and then glued them onto a thin piece of ribbon. I then hung it on my fireplace.

The cardboard box:

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Christmas Candy,

After:
I bought a Jack O'Lantern head at Hom. Gds. after Halloween last yr for $4. I added a black spiral candleholder from GdWl ($2), some scrapbooking paper from Hob. Lob. ($2.36), ribbon I already had, cut up a wire coat hanger and added a bead from my craft stash.
Also, the black Jacks on the front are from the doormat I used already for the letters.
Result:

A Jack In The Box!!

Before: a $1 black book from a Thrift store:

And after:
I used some candle decorations I already had, some upholstery tacks and hinges I had in the garage (the hinges were so old, the price sticker on them was 39C!!!), some glue from the glue gun, gold paint, and some bias tape that I glued on and painted gold.

Result, a Spell and Potions book.

Fianally, the pallet before:

And after:
I took all of the boards off of the back, some of the boards off of the front, cut off the legs and used them for the bench legs front, and the rest of the boards to create the bench.
Then I added a witch ($3.39) and black cat ($1.69) from GdWl. The bottles were from the basement and I added internet labels, and cut out letters from white felt left over from a Christmas project may yrs ago. The books are also from the basement, covered with black paper that I painted the titles on, and added a Halloween TS goblet(.69c)

Result: a bench for the front porch.

I also used the nails I pulled out when deconstructing the pallet, and put them in a jar with the label "Coffin Nails."
So, I got 2 decorations out of the pallet!


Do zombies eat popcorn with their fingers?

No, they eat the fingers separately, LOL.

Happy Halloween everyone,
Candy

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Christmas Candy,

Oh my goodness, what creativity!!!

Lady of shallot: I LOVE the concept!!! Looking "into the pumpkin" and being able to see Peter's wife at her chores! And using the log holder was perfect! What a fun Halloween decoration! And it seems that you can undo it and still have your log holder! Fabulous!

Christmas Candy: wow! So many projects! Love the garland, and your mantel is really fun and spooky. The Jack-o-lantern in a box is darling. The book might be my favorite, and the bench is as cute as can be!!!

And here is mine. I started with a thrift store 3.99 small table

I ended up with a "cloche table". (is that a word?) I used a cloche that I already had and have used many times. The total of what I spent was the $3.99 for the table, and $6.00 for the owl. Everything else I had in my supplies or stashes at home. So about $10.00.

I had a hard time getting a good photo as the light in my neck of the woods has been grey and dismal lately. A flash reflected too much on the glass of the cloche. Finally just opened the door and got as much light on it as possible. I am using the table in my living room, setting near the fireplace.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: cocok,

Wowser! I love all of your creativity. You all took things and gave them a new life. Now that's a gift!

Cocok, what a fun thread and idea!

You are all amazingly talented. Great idea with the log holder, Lady of Shallot. You could use the same idea for Santa's workshop and make the covering like a peppermint candy or a snowflake.

Christmas Candy, your creations are always amazing. You really should have a blog.

Cocok, I love your cloche table...very clever and can be repurposed for other holidays.

Wow! You guys have amazing talent! Tell me, do you know or have an idea what you're going to create when you pick up your "treasures?"

nance425: my process is to wander around a thrift store with an open mind. I had no preconceived ideas about what I was looking for. Just something, that I could make some fun thing for Halloween out of. I don't get my ideas until I see an object and stare at it for a while.

I've anxiously been waiting for the reveals. You are all so creative.

Christmas Candy, you are so creative. I love your bench. I was so excited to see what you were doing with it. The box is very creative too and the book, pumpkin words.

Emily, that is creative as well. Do you have a back light? that would make it really show up at night. What did you use for the orange?

Cocok, love your cloche table too. The little owl is adorable. The table turned out looking like a much higher end table. A little paint sure makes a difference.

So, this is what I started with.

and this is what it turned into. I took advantage of my silver table in the entry and did a vignette in silver and black.

This is a breakdown of the cost and what I did.

-Pumpkins - added tinfoil tape to them $2.00. Had tinfoil tape on hand but original cost was $1.00. Still have lots left on roll.

-Black cat - cut out of construction paper and added black glitter. I had black frame but it was originally $2.99 from second hand store. Cut bat out of construction paper I had on hand

Books - from my book shelf but originally free, thrown out at flea market.

-Fabric over lamp shade was a halloween cape from dollar store $2.00. I just cut a hole in the top and draped it over the shade. Cut out some bats from the tinfoil tape and stuck them on the front.

-Catwoman - vintage (salvation Army), found in original box 20% off coupon = $2.20

-Cloche - originally a glass light globe (salvation army) 20% off = $2.20. Glass plate .50 cents. Bottom vase, had in my yard sale for $1.00 and didn't sell. I had some metallic silver at home so I sprayed both on the underneath of the glass. Branch from back yard. BOO from scrapbooking supplies.

-Spider web with spider, second hand $1.00 (I did add a little black glitter on spider).

close up

I actually bought this doll thinking that it was vintage and may be worth something but it was only selling for $10.00. I enjoyed making it into a halloween vignette more than selling it for that much.

I turned an battery operated candle upside down so the cloche has a glow at night.

My little glittery cat

I added the bats to the cape fabric

and lastly, the spider web. I added glitter to the spider too.

Thought I'd share my dollarstore challenge craft too.

wool, plastic tray, pompoms all from dollar store. You can also get some chalk paint in the small craft bottles at the dollar store but I had this left over from the diningroom doors. I used a few little bits and pieces I had laying around the house in my scrap booking supplies.

Before

After

quote:

Tell me, do you know or have an idea what you're going to create when you pick up your "treasures?"

For me it is that the log holder suggested the idea, although I have always been taken with the nursery rhyme. BTW mine will go on the porch Halloween night for the trick or treaters.

Brenda, I used fabric for the orange.

What I like about this "assignment" is that it really demonstrates how some of us go about the creative decorating process. I hope we have some more projects like this esp in the dead winter months.

Victoriangirl...Very nice!

I'm thought twice about posting because I'm not really sure that this is in the spirit of the thread but here goes.
Last year I made 2 trees out of garland in my attic and some tomato cages and put them in the urns on each side of my sidewalk. I never got around to taking out the trees and planting this summer and so I put red,white and blue light caps on it for the 4th of July.
So here we are at Halloween. I found some jack-o-lantern and ghost light caps in my attic. (???)
The traffic cones could probably use a few coats of paint after all these years but here they are. Can't see much on my night pictures so here they are during the day.

And at night....

I LOVE everyone's creativity! I wish I had had time to play. It would have been a bit of a challenge for me (but a fun one) since I definitely decorate from thrift stores and my own stash, but I don't "re-purpose" much...I just find "new" ways to use as is. I have a free weekend coming up, so I might just chime in at the last minute if something comes to me!

quote:

Tell me, do you know or have an idea what you're going to create when you pick up your "treasures?"

For me, I saw the Pumpkin shapes and had been thinking about making the mantel garland, so that idea just came together. I was looking for a black book for the Spells book. I bought the large Jack O'Lantern on clearance after the holiday in 2011 and as I was putting him away, I had the idea to make him into a Jack in the Box.

Finally, I was actually looking in the thrift stores for a rickety old chair, when I had a light bulb moment to use one of the pallets from my work and make the bench.
So...sometimes I have the idea first and sometimes the pieces fall into place.

The witch shoe that I made and posted on the first thread was an idea the came to me after I saw the ceramic shoe.

Happy Haunting,
Candy

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Christmas Candy,