Category Archives: Props

Creepy Crafts, DIY Horror, Halloween, Props

Reaper Madness: How to Make an Easy Floating Ghost

October 12, 2016 thefrightowl Leave a comment

Nothing dresses up a yard at Halloween time more than a floating ghost. Stores carry these guys plus floating zombies, monsters, and clowns, but they can get pretty pricey for some reason. Luckily for you, these are crazy easy to make. Please follow along, class.

First, as with all projects, you need to gather your materials.

For your floating ghost, you will need the following:

A plastic skull
Creepy cloth
String
A wire hanger
Foam pipe cover
Pliers
Box cutter (not pictured)
Outdoor duct tape (not pictured)

You can buy a skull and creepy cloth from Dollar Tree, so this project is not only easy; it’s insanely cheap. The foam pipe cover is pretty inexpensive, too. You can get a package at any hardware store for a couple of bucks. They actually sell white foam cover, too, but for this project I went with the dark gray.

After you’ve gathered your items, it’s time to start the assembly.

First, you need to make holes in the top and bottom of your skull. Cut a small hole in the top and one that’s a little larger in the bottom. You won’t be able to see them when you’re finished, so don’t worry about being exactly even.

Next up, it’s time to make the shoulders (yes, your ghost will have shoulders) and attach it to the head. My wire hanger was one with the cardboard middles, so I’d recommend using the same kind. If you only have a full wire hanger, you’ll need to untwist the hanger and shape it so you have a hook in the middle or just use a wire cutter to cut the middle of the bottom hanger bar.

Straighten out the sides of your hanger to make the shoulders of your ghost.

Add the foam pipe to the shoulders on each side and secure in the middle with duct tape. Use outdoor duct tape for the best results. That stuff works miracles.

Tie your string together to make a circle, and thread it through the bottom of your head up through the top hole or vice versa. Take the hook of the hanger and thread it through the string from the bottom hole.

After you hook the string, pull it through to secure your ghost. Add a few small pieces of duct tape to the top hole to keep the string from dropping through. When you’re finished, it will look like this:

Your last step is adding the creepy cloth. Just drape it over the ghost’s shoulders and head, threading the string through a hole in the cloth to secure it. You can add as much or as little as you want depending on how transparent you want your ghost to be.

Tada!!! Your ghost is finished!

Doesn’t he look cool? It was so easy that I plan on making a few more.

So there you go. You just made a cool decoration for your yard. And the beauty of this little project is that you can change it up quite easily. You can do all sorts of variations to make different kinds of ghosts or other types of monsters.

Paint the head with glow paint.
Use white foam cover and cheesecloth to create a classic ghost.
Use a foam head with a mask.
Add lights along the shoulders or draped down under the cloth.
Add hands with extra wire and duct tape.
Use longer, stronger wire to make a gigantic creature.

There are so many possibilities. Not to go self-help on you, but the only thing limiting yourself is you.

I hope you enjoyed this quick and easy tutorial. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or shoot me a message through the contact page. Happy Haunting!

Creepy Crafts, DIY Horror, Halloween, Props

Corpsing A Skeleton: An Easy Guide

October 10, 2016 thefrightowl Leave a comment

I just discovered my favorite Halloween DIY project today: corpsing a skeleton. I’d been hesitant to try it before because I’d only seen tutorials that used sticky adhesive or latex, and I’m cheap enough to not want to “mess up” one of my skeletons. But after finding a tutorial online that only involved plastic sheeting, a heat gun, and some stain and realizing that I can pick up a new skeleton any time I need, I decided to try it out.

It’s way simpler than I thought it would be, and I love the results. If you have a skull or skeleton or even just a bone lying around, you should seriously think about giving corpsing a try.

First off, let’s talk supplies.

To corpse a skeleton or skeleton part, you need the following:

Skeleton/skull/bone
Plastic drop cloth
Heat gun
Spray adhesive (optional)
Varnish (assorted colors)
Box cutter/scissors
Rubber gloves

Speaking of heat guns, just look at this beauty I picked up this weekend, care of a well-timed gift card to Lowe’s from my husband. He’s a good man.

I’m going to go through this step-by-step as if you’re doing a full skeleton, but you can use the technique for whatever part your corpsing.

If you opt to use spray adhesive (and I highly recommend that you do), lightly spray the torso of your skeleton. Cut a section of drop cloth to the length of the torso, and start wrapping. You can wrap the full plastic around the torso at one time, or you can wrap in sections.

After you’ve wrapped the torso of your skeleton, it’s time to break out the heat gun. Focus the heat gun on the plastic, making sure not to stay in one area too long (you don’t want to melt your skeleton). You should also focus the heat on different sections of your plastic to melt holes strategically around your skeleton. Corpses don’t rot neatly (I should know), and you don’t want your nasty guy looking too Martha Stewart perfect. Play around with it. If you don’t like what you see, add more plastic, and melt it again.

Repeat on each section of the skeleton. I recommend going in the following order:

Torso
Arms
Legs
Pelvis (overlapping the legs)
Shoulders (overlapping the torso and arms)
Neck
Skull

This is what your skeleton should look like after torso and arms wrapped and shrunk.

For the hands and feet, you need to use your box cutter or scissors to cut the plastic around the fingers and toes. Then, shrink the cut plastic around the smaller bones.

When adding plastic to your skull, it’s much harder to wrap like the other areas, so this is where the spray adhesive really comes in handy. Take smaller squares of the plastic and spray lightly with the adhesive. Smash the sprayed plastic on the skull without keeping it straight. It looks best when it isn’t perfectly flat. Add heat, and when it looks right to you, you’re finished.

Next is my favorite part of any project: making it pretty!

Using a foam brush, dab whatever color of stain you’re using to the plastic on your skeleton. You can use any combo of colors you want. I went with a red and dark brown combo because I wanted my corpse to have that human-jerky look.

After dabbing color on a section, use a paper towel to smear and spread the stain around to hide any brush marks and blend your colors. When you’re finished and the stain is dry, dry-brush the full skeleton to highlight the sinewy effect of the melted plastic. I used a moss green here, and I really liked the result.

These are some other color combos you can use:

Bloody corpse: red stain with a little black stain added; bright red dry-brushing
Toxic corpse: green, gray, and black stains; lime green dry-brushing
Buried corpse: light tan and brown stains; black dry-brushing
Burnt corpse: dark brown and black stains with red highlights; orange dry-brushing
Moldy corpse: green, brown, and tan stains; light green/blue dry-brushing

Play around with it. There are so many different kinds of paints and stains out there that you can get any look you want.

And here’s a close-up of my guy. The pic really doesn’t do him justice. He’s much better in person, and I’ve already gotten quite a few compliments.

I really hope my newfound corpsing enthusiasm takes some of the trepidation out of corpsing your own props. I also had a little fun corpsing a Dollar Tree skull, but I’m saving that for another post. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or just send me a pic of your project!

And if you’re interested in some other fun things you can make for Halloween, please check out my other tutorials below!

Creepy Crafts, DIY Horror, Halloween, Props

How to Make a Giant Spiderweb

October 6, 2016 thefrightowl Leave a comment

We’re now 6 days into October, so I hope everyone’s Halloween decorating is going well. I had a full Saturday putting out all of my yard decs, and I feel a little more complete now. Halloween-time just does that to me.

I’m sure there are some of you out there that feel like you need a little more oomph to your yard, so I thought I’d give a quick tutorial for a simple project that makes a big impact: a DIY giant spiderweb.

Surprised? You shouldn’t be. That’s the post title. Keep up.

So for this little project, all you need are a few simple items.

As you see in the pic above, you need a good length of clothesline, a few yard stakes, and scissors. They’re not pictured, but you also need some nails to attach the cobweb to your house.

You basically want to make a six-pointed star with your nails and stakes, with the nails for the top three points and the stakes for the bottom three. If you’d rather use hooks to attach the web base to your house, that would work, too.

The bottom side point stakes should be positioned a little behind and several feet away from the bottom point stake to ensure you get a good shape to your web. If you position it too closely, your cobweb could turn out looking a little square.

Optional: If you feel so inclined and your circumstances allow it, you can make an eight-pointed star by using an extra string of clothesline and a few more nails/stakes. I think a six-pointed star is sufficient, but you can do this if you want.

After you have your nails and stakes positioned, take an end of the clothesline and tie it to your first nail. String the clothesline to the stake, tie it off, and repeat it with the side points, crossing over the center string.

To make the rest of the web, start with the center ring. Tie an end of the clothesline to the center line. Then, you’ll just wind your rope around each line until you get back to the center line. See the pic below:

Doesn’t look to hard, does it?

And that’s really all you have to do. Rinse and repeat until you get the size of web that you want. If you want to make sure your strings don’t sag, you can put a drop of glue where you wind the clothesline around itself, but I’ve never had a problem without it.

To make it even better, add a skeleton or body to the center of your web. My mother-in-law had a few large spiders on hand when I made this web for her last year, so it really made an impact.

There you have it. It’s such an easy project to do, and as you can tell, it gives you a big bang for your buck. I hope you try it out. Let me know what you think in the comments!

DIY Horror, Props

DIY Halloween: Skills You Need

August 17, 2016 thefrightowl Leave a comment

For my last DIY Wednesday post, I gave you a list of materials you needed to gather for your Halloween projects. Materials, however, are nothing without skills. What skills? I thought you’d never ask.

1. Making a budget

I know. It’s not fun to think about (unless you like math – like me), but budget plays a big part in your Halloween DIY process. Why make a prop if you can buy it cheaper? My main impetus for prop-making instead of prop-buying is saving money.

Also, I’m a little vain, so compliments about my work are a big factor, too.

When I’m about to start my seasonal prop-making process, I like to sit down and write a list of a) the props I want to make, b) the materials I need to make those props, c) the approximate cost, and d) where I can buy materials for the cheapest amount. You don’t want to just start buying a bunch of supplies that you may or may not need. That’s just wasteful.

2. Knowing what will come in handy

I’m not recommending for anyone to become a hoarder, but if it’s close to Halloween, keep an eye on your garbage. Many of the things we call trash can be very useful for a prop. Milk jugs can be cut up to become fingernails, newspaper can be used for papier mache, paper towel/toilet paper rolls can become prop arms, etc… The list goes on and on.

For example, we use plastic grocery bags for trash bags in our house. I felt like we were suddenly getting covered up in them, so I almost threw them out. I stopped myself, though, because plastic grocery bags are pretty great for filling out prop bodies. Now, I have a small bunch of them being stored for the Halloween season.

3. Having basic hardware knowledge

This might seem a little elementary, but props need tools. That’s just a fact. Know when to use a hammer, a power drill, nails vs. screws, etc… Watch some tutorials online. For real. YouTube is a valuable resource for just about anything, and that goes for prop-making, too.

4. Knowing how to use electronics, motors, etc…

This is more for advanced prop-makers, but who doesn’t love a moving prop. Or even an immobile prop that lights up. There’s just a certain oomph that electronics give to props, so don’t be scared. Dive in. The YouTube comment from the last section goes for this, too. There are also schematics online to help with wiring.

It doesn’t have to be that complicated. You can use oscillating fans for moving heads. You just have to know how to rig everything up and not blow out the motor (I learned my lesson on that one). Or you can just start small with lights and batteries from Radio Shack.

Don’t. Be. Scared.

5. Painting

Painting can make or break your prop. It’s the final step (usually), so you don’t want to screw up your prop at the very end. It’s just as easy to make a prop look terrible with paint as it is to make it look awesome. You don’t want to get to the end of making a severed head or gravestone out of styrofoam and screw up by using spray paint. Your prop will be eaten, and you will be sad.

That’s the first step: know what type of paint to use.

The second is knowing how to use paint. If you have a large prop, it’s best (in many cases) to give it a base coat of one dark color and then dry-brush on your accent color to give your prop depth and character. If you need to use spray paint, MOVE YOUR ARM CONSTANTLY. And use light coats. Some props might benefit from the gloppy, drippy look, but many will not. Just go one step at a time, and when you’re happy with the look, stop.

6. Sewing

I wish I could say I saved the best for last. I wish I could say I’m an expert sewer. I wish I could say sewing is fun.

I wish for a lot of things.

But I suck at sewing. I hate it. The fact is, though, that sewing is pretty useful. And the great thing about making Halloween props is that the sewing doesn’t necessarily have to be perfect. You can do it by hand or use a sewing machine. Some props might benefit from a nicely-tailored outfit, but some might benefit just as well from burlap and a chunky twine stitch. Use whatever you need to make it look good. No one’s going to be inspecting them too closely, so don’t freak out too much about it.

I could go on and on, but these are the main skills I think any good prop-maker needs. You don’t have to start off as an expert. Learning is a process, and there’s always a bit of trial and error with this DIY stuff. Just keep your cool, and don’t get discouraged. You’ll do fine.

And if not, you can always buy something.

DIY Horror, Halloween, Props

DIY Halloween: Materials You Need

August 3, 2016 thefrightowl Leave a comment

It’s August, and since Halloween is less than 100 days away, it’s time to start your projects. You might think, “It’s only August. I have PLENTY of time.”

You’re wrong.

Just check out this picture I took today:

Yep. That’s the beginnings of a Halloween store. Halloween Express to be exact. They’re getting ready for the holiday, and so should you.

If you’re new to the DIY Halloween thang, you might be wondering where to start. Well, look no further for I have been sent here to enlighten your minds! Or at least I’m prepared to help get you started. First things first, we’re talking materials.

PVC Pipe

I wrote a whole post about this stuff, so you should check it out here. From monsters to cages to mausoleums, this stuff can be the base for anything. Adult tinker toys, ladies and gentlemen. That’s what they are. Buy some pipe and fittings today at Lowe’s or Home Depot. And don’t forget your pipe cutter!

Papier Mache

Newspaper and the glue mixture of your choice is all you need to make a crazy awesome prop. I used some to make a cool scarecrow head one year (read here), and I also made a witch head for a prop last year, which I’ve yet to discuss on the blog. That’ll come later.

Monster Mud

This stuff is like heavy duty Papier mache used for bigger projects. To make this stuff, all you need are drywall joint compound (found at any hardware store) and any latex paint you have lying around. Color doesn’t matter because this stuff is fully paintable after it dries. Mix it with a drill and paint-stirrer attachment in a large bucket. After that you can dip fabric in the stuff to cover your props or just paint on the mud itself to create an outer shell. There are a ton of tutorials online. Just check out Google or Pinterest for some ideas.

Wire

You can use different gauges of wire to do different things. I like to use a lighter gauge wire to hang props and heavier gauges to make moldable fingers, spiders, etc…

Foam Heads

These can be found at most craft stores, and they can be used for – well – prop heads. I made a severed head out of one, which you can read about here. They can also be used to finish off a full-size prop or even hung with cheesecloth to make a ghost. Oh, that reminds me…

Cheesecloth

Cheesecloth is pretty versatile. You can use it to make ghosts and shrouds, you can drape it over mantels or tables for a creepy effect, or you can pair it with monster mud to create detail or make clothing for your props.

Old Clothes

What? You want your props to be naked? Well, that’s your decision to make, but for those of us who want props suitable for the eyes of tiny trick-or-treaters, clothing is kinda essential. Go to garage sales or just raid your closet for old items you don’t want anymore. The fun part is aging them. Bury your prop clothes, rip them, paint them, run them over with your car – anything to make them look nice and old.

Paint

This one is a no-brainer. You want to make some props, you gotta paint them or it’s just going to look unfinished. I use spray paint for larger projects and latex/craft paint for smaller crafts and detail work.

Scrap Wood

I think everyone who has a house probably has a few pieces lying around. I haven’t really used wood to create a large prop, but I’ve nailed pieces together to make a sturdier base for some.

Foam

I don’t have much experience using foam in my crafts, but I’m going to remedy that this year. You can buy large sheets of foam at home improvement stores, and I’ll be buying some soon to create a life-size coffin. Foam can also be used to make tombstones. I’ve got a foam cooler that I plan on fashioning into one in a few weeks. It’ll be my first foam-based project, so I hope it turns out okay.

Well, that list should give you a good start to your DIY Halloween projects. So gather your materials, folks, and get to crafting. You don’t have much time.

Creepy Crafts, DIY Horror, Halloween, Props

Project Scarecrow: How to Create Something Great with Papier Mache

May 25, 2016 thefrightowl Leave a comment

It’s time for another DIY tutorial! Since I shared my love of PVC pipe last time, this week I thought I’d talk about another one of my favorite project materials: Papier Mache.

When my love of Halloween prop DIY began, I ate up everything I could online. There are so many awesome Halloween blogs out there with so many great projects that I felt a little overwhelmed but so excited about the possibilities. Although I looked at every Halloween blog I could find, my three favorites for inspiration were (and are) Stolloween, Pumpkinrot, and Spookyblue.

I fell in love with all the cool, creepy props the artists had made, especially the scarecrows. I liked the scarecrows so much in fact that I decided I would try to make one, too.

One of the first steps when doing a papier mache project is to create a base. This could be a number of things, whatever you can use to create the shape you want. I wanted to make a large pumpkin head, so I used a large plastic grocery bag filled with newspaper. To get the pumpkin ridges, I used masking tape to create the right shape, and for the stem, I used a rolled up piece of a magazine secured with masking tape.

After the base has been made, it’s time to make the glue. There are so many recipes for this stuff online. Choose whichever one works best for you. For mine, I mixed flour and water at a ratio of 1 to 4, and then added some white Elmer’s glue and some liquid starch because I read that it would help the mixture adhere to the paper more easily and create a stronger hold.

Next, it’s time to get messy.

Take strips of shredded newspaper and dip them in the glue mixture. After they’re completely covered, start laying them over your base, making sure to create a thin layer over the entire thing and allowing it to dry a bit before adding a new layer. It’s best to do multiple layers for a stronger prop. I think I used about seven layers for my scarecrow head, but you could do more or less depending on what you’re going to be doing with the prop.

Next up is the detail work. After my scarecrow head dried, I removed the newspaper and bag from a hole in the bottom. You can use your own judgment to decide whether or not you need to do this step. If you’re not going to cut into your prop, you can probably skip it. Since my scarecrow wouldn’t be scary without a creepy face, I drew an outline on the form and then carefully cut out the mouth, nose, and eyes with a craft knife.

For the finishing touches, I used spray paint and dry brushing to give my scarecrow head some color and creepiness. Pieces of dried cane from my husband’s grandmother were used to make the scarecrow body, fastened together in a T-shape with tape and twine. Lastly, I draped some creepy cloth over the arms to flesh it out a bit.

Voila! Scarecrow.

Sure. It might not be the fantastic creations of Spookyblue and Pumpkinrot, but although it might not measure up to those guys, I was pretty damn pleased with the final product. Plus, it was my first attempt, and practice makes perfect. I even got compliments from the trick-or-treaters that came to the house. I call that a success.

I’m already looking forward to making some new creepy things this year. There aren’t many days left until Halloween, so I better start planning now. What about you? Are you planning on any cool props this year? I’d love to hear about your creations in the comments!

Creepy Crafts, DIY Horror, Halloween, Props

How to Create Awesome Halloween Props with PVC Pipe

May 11, 2016 thefrightowl 1 Comment

PVC pipe. If you haven’t played around with this stuff, you’re missing out on some fun. It is so versatile. Just type PVC Pipe in Pinterest and feast your eyes on all the cool things you can do. You can find everything from garden watering systems to a homemade ball pit for kids to organizational projects for the home. And of course, you can use them for Halloween props!

I never knew how much I loved PVC pipe projects until I saw a picture of a zombie prop frame and decided to try my hand at it. I got my project list, headed to Lowe’s, and ended up with this just a little while later:

You’ll have to forgive the low-light pic, but just look at this cool thing. It was my first prop project, but it definitely wasn’t the last. Check out these fun monsters I also made with a PVC pipe base, some masks, clothes, and foam heads:

If you want to try some projects out for yourself (and I know you do), just go to your local Lowe’s or Home Depot and check out their selection. The pipe itself comes in multiple sizes, and there are fittings of different angles to make your wildest dreams come true!

Okay. Maybe not your wildest dreams, but you’ll be able to do some pretty cool stuff with it. They’re like adult tinker toys. Seriously. It’s so fun.

Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started:

Draw it out.

The only art skill you need for this is basic stick-figure drawing. Drawing your prop first and counting the angles and connection points helps greatly with knowing how many fittings of each type you need.

For example, this is my sketch for the large standing prop:

An artist I am not. But you really don’t have to be. Draw the basic shape of your prop. For this one, I just wanted him to be standing straight with a slight bend to his arms, so it was very simple. For props that need strange angles, just draw them to the best of your ability. These are the guides I used for my monster props in the pics above.

See? More complicated but not impossible.

Use yourself as a guide to determine how long you need each section to be and write that down. Add all lengths together, and that will tell you how much PVC pipe to purchase.

To easily determine the type and number of fittings you need, use a different color pen and circle where pieces of pipe connect. The basic types of fittings available are 90-degree elbow, 45-degree elbow, 3-way elbow, tee, and cross. There are other types in stores, but these are the basic ones you will most likely use. After you’re finished, count all the circles for each connection. Now, you know how many of each type of fitting to buy.

BUY A PVC PIPE CUTTER.

There’s a reason this one is in all caps. A PVC pipe cutter makes these projects go so much more smoothly and cleanly than using anything else. I tried using a hacksaw the first time followed by an extra small rotary saw blade. It sucked. PVC dust went everywhere, and that’s just not healthy. You can buy one of these cutters at Lowe’s or Home Depot for cheap, and it makes all the difference. Other tutorials recommend the hacksaw, but I’m super partial to the pipe cutter method.

Make it sturdy.

PVC pipe fits pretty snuggly by itself in the fittings, but over time, the pipe can loosen, which can cause your prop to fall or possibly break apart. If you want to make your props permanent, use PVC glue found at any hardware store. Or you can use them on select fittings to keep your props a little more stable but still able to be deconstructed easily.

I don’t use the glue much because I like to be able to take my props apart completely. When you have as much Halloween stuff as I do, space is a big deal. So I use screws. Small wood screws inserted into joints can make all the difference, but you’ll still be able to break down your prop for storage.

Be creative with other materials.

Use your imagination to make your props bigger and better by combining these projects with other prop-making materials.

Create a full base for a large-scale prop by wrapping chicken wire around a PVC pipe base and adding papier mache.
Add thickness and depth to your props by using chicken wire or cardboard under clothes/costumes.
Foam pool noodles can be used to flesh out arms and legs.
Use spray paint directly on the pipe to make cages or “steel” pipes in your Halloween display. There are just so many options.
Combine different sizes of PVC pipe with wire and cardboard to make other body parts. For instance, with some thick-gauged wire, cardboard cut in the shape of my palm, and masking tape, I made these creepy, skeletal hands and arms.

So get out there and try some fun projects of your own. There’s no wrong way to do it. Unless you don’t use a PVC pipe cutter. That’s just dumb.

Let me know your successes with PVC pipe in the comments! And be sure to check out my other DIY tutorials, including:

How to Corpse a Skeleton

How to Make a Flying Reaper

How to Create a DIY Giant Spiderweb

5 Ways to Use a Dollar Tree Skull

Creepy Crafts, DIY Horror, Props

How to Make a SEvered Head: An Easy-to-Follow Guide

April 13, 2016 thefrightowl Leave a comment

I love severed heads. Not real ones, of course. I love the fake kind, and I experience quite the thrill when I finally get to check out the selection at Spirit Halloween and Halloween Express each year. I usually buy one myself, and then my mother-in-law gets me one for Christmas. It’s a tradition that I’m pretty fond of and one that makes my MIL one of the best in history. Does your mother-in-law get you severed heads for Christmas? I didn’t think so.

Anyway, I love getting a “commercial” creepy head, but there’s a certain charm in the homemade stuff. A few years ago, we moved from an apartment to our house, and with the added space came a new-found love of making props. So even though I already had a pretty decent head collection at that time, I thought I’d try my hand at making one myself.

This is how I made my very first DIY severed head Halloween prop.

Materials

Foam Head (any size you prefer)
Craft Knife and/or Metal Carving Tools
Prop Teeth
Hot Glue Sticks & Glue Gun
Assorted Paints (blood-colored + any other colors you need to create your vision)
Plastic Eyes (optional)
Twine/Thick String (optional for hanging heads)
Ice Pick/Long Screw Driver/Thick-Gauge Wire (optional for hanging heads)

Step 1

I started by purchasing a foam head from Hobby Lobby that using one of their 40% off coupons. (Aside from being a horror fan, I’m also a big proponent of getting the best deal, so I try to buy as many of my supplies on sale or clearance as possible.)

Hobby Lobby has a few varieties of heads to choose from – female, male, and faceless – so you can choose whichever fits your project best. Although the faceless ones are creepy on their own, I wanted mine to be pretty big, so I went with a male head.

Step 2

As you can see from the pic above, my next step was to draw out the features I wanted for my severed head. I wanted it to be gross, and keeping both eyes just wasn’t an option.

Step 3

I used a craft knife and some metal sculpting tools to pick and carve out where I drew my guidelines: one of the eyes, part of the scalp, and the base of the head to make it look actually severed. I recommend roughing up the base of the head for any head you create. We want realism wherever possible, people, and a clean-cut head just won’t – well – cut it. (I’m sorry. I hate myself).

Step 4

To give him a more realistic-looking mouth, I also carved out some of the area around the side of the mouth and jaw and used some fake zombie teeth that I bought at Spirit Halloween. The teeth were rubber and very easy to cut. They were also ridged on the back to make them easy to wear, so I sliced off the back to make them lay flat as possible to fit the head. I then used a hot glue gun to secure them in place. You can see in the pic below that my guy was already looking pretty handsome at this stage.

Optional Step (not pictured)

If you want to add eyes to your severed head instead of painting them on, there are many options for plastic fake eyes to find in your local Halloween stores. I recommend finding the hollow plastic versions that are easier to cut for this project.

Cut the eye in half with a craft knife and hold to your foam head in the position you want it. Trace the outline of the eye, and use your craft knife to cut straight into your foam in the approximate depth of your eye. Test the depth of your cuts with the eye before adhering to the head. When you’re satisfied, add glue to the inside of the eye, an then stick the eye edges down into your cut foam.

Tip: You could also use yarn, twine, wire, or something similar to stick to your head and eye if you want to go for that “just-popped-out-eye” look.

Step 5

After the glue dried, it was time to make it PRETTY!!! Pretty to me, at least. I already had a lot of paint on hand so I mixed some random colors together to get a sickly, partially-decomposed skin color. Like I said – pretty. I also mixed some red, black, and brown to get a realistic bloody color. I slapped my paint mixtures on until I got the look I wanted and – VOILA! – severed head!

You have a lot of options at this stage. It really depends on the look you’re going for. Be creative!

Isn’t he beautiful?

My zombie head has served me quite well these past few Halloweens. Another benefit from these foam heads is that they already have a hole in the base, perfect for sticking them on pvc pipe or dowel rods to make a full-body prop, a head-on-a-stake, or something else equally cool. I turned my severed head into full-body prop the first year. (See the tutorial here.) You can see by the sweet flannel shirt in the pic above that he was quite stylish.

If you want a great creepy project, I recommend you try making yourself a severed head of your own. It’s a cheap and easy way to up the scare factor in your home for Halloween. Plus you get the sense of accomplishment you feel when you make something with your own hands.

If Halloween isn’t your thing, it could be especially therapeutic if you make one to look like an enemy. No judgment. We’ve all been there.

You do you, man.

Books, Creepy Crafts, Halloween, List, Movie Reviews, Props, Scary Stories, Television

It Begins

April 8, 2016 thefrightowl Leave a comment

I am a horror fan. If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you are, too.

I started this blog because I love to write, and as the saying goes, write what you know. I love scary movies, scary books, creepy history, horror survival video games, urban legends, cryptozoology, haunted houses, creepy crafts, and – most importantly (to me anyway) – Halloween. I also collect anything with a skull on it and keep a skeleton in my backseat. No, it’s not a statement on the importance of wearing seatbelts. It just makes me smile. And it gives me someone to talk to when I’m driving alone.

So, basically, I live and breathe horror. It’s what I love. It’s what I know.

I plan on posting at least twice a week to start. But who knows? Mr. Muse could attack at any moment. My topics will include:

Movie Reviews: Um, yeah. It’s a horror blog. What did you expect?

Halloween: So I’m a little obsessed with Halloween. I plan for it all year long. I’ll review local haunted houses, Halloween merchandise, special events, and any other Halloween-related topics that might pop up.

Lists: I’m pretty OCD (self-diagnosed), so lists are one of my favorite things. What kinds of lists, you may ask? One day I might rank my favorite zombie movies and then post a list of my favorite creepy video game villains the next.

DIY Creepy Crafts: I love being creative, and because my love of all things horror-related is pretty severe, I do a lot of creepy little crafts. One of my biggest projects is a haunted dollhouse (that used to have its own blog – very short-lived). I’ll post updates and pictures of the dollhouse as well as Halloween projects I’m working on.

Other Topics: I’ll also discuss creepy history, scary websites, video games, books, cryptozoology, urban legends, etc… I get distracted easily, so I don’t want to limit myself to one subject.

I’m excited to get started. I hope you enjoy my blog!

The Fright Owl

Category Archives: Props

Reaper Madness: How to Make an Easy Floating Ghost

Corpsing A Skeleton: An Easy Guide

How to Make a Giant Spiderweb

DIY Halloween: Skills You Need

DIY Halloween: Materials You Need

Project Scarecrow: How to Create Something Great with Papier Mache

How to Create Awesome Halloween Props with PVC Pipe

Draw it out.

BUY A PVC PIPE CUTTER.

Make it sturdy.

Be creative with other materials.

How to Make a SEvered Head: An Easy-to-Follow Guide

For those who prefer a little fright in their day