31 Days of Halloween - Macabre Mussie-Tussie Ornament

Time got away from me today, so I'm posting a project I did a couple years ago, but never posted. The project is called a mussie tussie. These come in all shapes, themes and sizes, but mine starts with a toilet paper roll. First, I adhered Haloween-themed scrapbook paper to the roll, then stapled one end flat, covering it with lace to hide the staples (and make it look pretty).

Next, I added a Dollar Tree skeleton and a faux flower also from the store. I used some shiny packing strips to keep my skellie and flower from falling out. I decided another piece of lace around the top would balance out the look. I added a couple Halloween tombstones (wooden) to the front, and made a hanger from some black trim.

I've made mussie tussies for Christmas, St. Patrick's Day and Valentine's Day. I even facilitated a craft workshop that featured them. They make unique stocking stuffers and you can even put a gift card in one. And I made them all from Dollar Store items while recycling the cardboard roll.

I hope you're looking forward to the end of my post, where I always add a gruesome giggles cartoon to leave you smiling or laughing. Enjoy...

31 Days of Halloween - "'Sup, Witches?" Halloween Decor

 

Evidently, I had a stash of wood cut into 1"x4". I painted a few black and this is my first finished decoration. The bat and words are stickers, the witch's hat and shoes are buttons, and the pumpkin is from my Dollar Tree stash that keeps giving and giving and...well, you get the idea.

I used white acrylic paint to frame my wooden block, as well as draw a few stars to finish up my project. Very simple and very quick, and no $$ spent again (today). I am itching to go to the Dollar Tree, but I have way too many supplies  and want to see if I can last the month without spending any new money. 

Enjoy today's gruesome giggle...

31 Days of Halloween - Boo Stew

 

You'll never guess what I rediscovered in my Halloween bin of leftovers...that's right, a few of those little plastic cauldrons from Dollar Tree! Usually I would use them in a scene while creating a shadow box, but today I decided to let the cauldron stand as its own decor.

After stuffing the bottom of the cauldron with paper from my shredder, I added a piece of spider webbing, also from Dollar Tree (as well as a skull from a small skeleton, a leg from same and a glittery spider. Years (maybe a decade) ago, my closest Michael's closed. The clearance prices were too good to pass up, and I bought a bagful of tiny buttons (think grocery bag) - hence, the added curly-cue in the back and the word BOO on the cauldron's front. 

I colored small sticker letters orange to match the BOO button and now I have a small Halloween decoration that fits perfectly with the others. I adhered everything with my glue gun. This was a super quick project, and if an adult handles the glue gun, the kids can join in. They can put some candy in the bottom of each cauldron before putting the spider webbing and use it for gift-giving. A suggestion for a tag is "You've Been Boo'd from the ______ Family if you want to treat the neighbors...

Challenges I am Entering:

Crafters' Castle - Anything Goes

Crafty Calendar - Halloween

Just Us Girls - Word Week "Halloween"

Art*Journal*Journey - My favorite color is October

Mixed Media Lovers - Anything Goes

Two Old Bats Halloween - Anything Halloween Goes

Now for your daily gruesome giggle...