Posted: October 27th, 2011 | Author: bettybecca | Filed under: Around Chez Ary | 2 Comments »
With this post, I’m revealing myself as an oddball. But, it’s halloween, and creepy is good this time of year.
I recently fell in love with the show Oddities (Discovery) about a very cool antiques store called Obscura in New York. It’s like Ripley’s Believe It or Not meets all of the “in” shows like American Pickers and Pawn Stars.
As I was decorating for Halloween this year, I decided to let Obscura be my inspiration. Check it out:
Starting on the left, we have a family photo. Yes, that’s a cadaver, and it’s smoking a cigarette. Let me explain. My great grandfather was a dentist. This is a photo of him and his classmates in A&P at Vanderbilt. He’s the second guy on the right looking pensively away. His name is the first one on the list. And you read that right, the year was 1918.
In the middle is Mickey. He’s a mouse skeleton I reconstructed from an owl bolus in Biology II in high school. The clay skull was crafted by Mr. J in Art class in high school. We’re all about the mementos. The rest is knick-knackery like feathers, mini pumpkins, and random black decor.
Do you think I’m weird or do you like my decor?
Posted: October 26th, 2011 | Author: bettybecca | Filed under: Try Something New | No Comments »
A few weeks ago, we hosted a Fall Fest at work benefitting United Way. Mini pumpkins were for sale along with several tables mounded with baked goods. We had prizes to win and games to play (badminton and corn hole). Food trucks sold their tasty wares. Oh yeah…and there was a pumpkin carving contest.
I had a very busy week surrounding this event, so I knew my carving time would be minimal. The weekend before the contest, I bought my pumpkin and prepped accessories for her. Her name was Etswitch (for Etsy + witch). I’d like to introduce you now…
I knew the moment I saw the pumpkin…it was meant to be a witch. I mean, check out those warts! Eww!
I crafted her collar out of natural colored coffee filters and black tulle. The base was a dinner plate wrapped in craft paper (aka a brown paper bag).
Her hat is made from black craft paper and tulle with a coffee filter, tulle, and black rafia adornment.
The night before the contest, I cut a hole just big enough for my hand on the underside of the pumpkin. I chose to go with the flat area where the pumpkin grew so that it would stay nestled on the plate well. I scooped out all of the innards and put the plug back in. For the eyes, I used my OXO vegetable peeler (like this one). It has a tiny little melon baller thingy (technical term) that I use often for getting the eyes out of my potatoes. I used this tool to carve away the outside of the pumpkin to reveal the bright yellow flesh underneath. For the mouth, I cut a rather sly grin with a small knife. The finishing touches were the zucchini eyes and teeth. The zucchini eyes were attached with yellow sewing pins to complete her menacing look, and the teeth are secured with toothpicks. I glued moss on for hair, and she was ready for her debut!
Check out the competition:
My friend Taylor won 1st place with the big teeth on the left. Etswitch got second place!!!
Note: This is not a sponsored post, but I LOVE OXO. My kitchen is literally full of their stuff.
