Halloween "Wreath"

This is what I might call a "deconstructed wreath" since it's not round like a traditional wreath, but serves the same purpose as a door decoration. It's fun and easy to make and can be changed out for other seasons if you like. Just make the rake base a more neutral color to accommodate each season.

Acrylic paint - Black, White, Orange

Spray paint - White, Black

Rake Head

Clear, Empty Christmas Ornaments (6-10)

Lightweight / thin white fabric like Toole, Cheesecloth or Muslin

Black Electical Tape

Black Plastic Folder

Orange LED Micro Dot Lights (10.8 ft total length)/ OR/ Skeleton Head Lights

Strung Skeletons (6)

Optional: Glitter paint, Gitter Fabric

Make sure to take the handle completely out of the "head" of the metal rake. Then, spray paint the rake. I happened to use white, but you can do which color you like. When I was at Wal-Mart I found that they had white or black spray paint for $0.96 - I kinda couldn't believe spray paint came that cheap! But it was right up my alley. (After using this "cheapo" paint, I realized there is a reason for it - it was rather watery at first, but was able to pull through in the end with some patience and extra coats.)

Making sure you have a well ventilated area:

1. Spray paint one side of the rake.

2. Let it dry a few minutes.

3. Flip over, and paint the other side.

4. Let dry again.

5. Looking at different angles, make sure to paint missed areas from the other two paintings.

6. Let fully dry one last time.

I happened to have these clear plastic ornaments from another project. Which ever you end up getting, make sure to get ones with the silver bit on top so you can hang it on the rake when finished. As long as there is a rounded top, the bottom can be whatever shape you want, to a certain extent. Some you will make into ghosts, others bats, and still others pumpkins.

You might seperate out the ornaments into shapes you think will be suitable for each item your making. Consider that the ghosts will be painted white, but will also be covered with a thin fabric, so the bottom is a little less important. But the bats will have a rounded bottom, some ornaments are globe like round, others are flattened globes. Either will do for the bats or ghosts, yet will have a slightly different look.

Paint each ornament seperately, white, black or orange, depending on how many of each Ghost, Bat, or Pumpkin you have chosen to make for your wreath (2-3 a piece).

When painting the ornaments:

1. Paint the inside NOT the outside, since this will be hanging on a front door, or someplace outside.

2. You can add about a tablespoon of water to the paint to help it move in the globe better.

3. After taking off the silver tip, start to pour paint into the opening and start moving the paint around the globe of the ornament.

4. Once the ornament is fully coated on the inside, put it up sidedown in a cup or glass so that the excess paint drains out.

5. You may need to blot some of the exess paint out on some paper towels.

6. Let the paint air dry before putting the cap back on.

7. Paint each ornament using this same process.

The bats were a funny add on I thought of. There might be other ways to make the wings, like with poster board but I was going for an outdoor safe version (and since it's rainy season in Oregon, plastic works!)

So after getting the black painted Christmas ornament:

1. Cut the plastic folder into thirds vertically (both front and back covers) through to the binding.

2. Then fold each "wing" in half lengthwise.

3. Give shape to the wing by cutting "wing" while folded in half, to give it shape like a wing.

4. While folded, cut the fold and two other cuts on the short, flat side of the wing, about 1/4 inch long. (These will help fit the wing to the ornament.)

5. Since I ended up using a flattened instead of globe shape ornament, I took the folded plastic wing and placed it on either side of the ornament, at the hole (where the metal clip goes.).

6. Finally, tape either side of the wing with black electricians tape. Follow the same process for the other wing.

7. Repeat for the other bats you have made.

The ghosts can be made with a variety of materials that are thin and white. I ended up choosing a fabric that had some gold on it for a little extra.

For this ornament, I was using a globe ornament with a pattern that I painted on the inside like the bat and the pumpkin ornaments. Then:

1. I took 6 inch widths of material and tore them from the rest of the original piece. I wanted to make the edges a little more "ghostly", and irregular. I ended up using three, 6 inch strips per ghost.

2. Laying each strip one on top of the other, fold in half width wise (the short way), and make a small cut in the center of the material. Then take each strip and and place them on the ornament, and place the metal piece back over the hole.

3. The last step is to make 1/4 inch cuts into the material, one inch apart at each end of the material. Then, tear the material at each cut, to various heights to give a frayed look to the ghost.

Of the three ornaments, this is the one that "shape matters". The smooth round ornament would be the best for this one. I ended up using "Harvest Orange" instead of "Pumpkin Orange" and I think it worked out well.

But to finish off the pumpkin ornament:

1. Cut two equally sized triangles for th eyes. (About the height of the election tape, by about 1/2 an inch.)

2. Then cut a smaller triangle within the base of each of the larger triangle for "eyes".

3. To create a mouth, cut about a 3 inch length of tape, and round off the bottom outter edges of the piece you cut. Tape each piece on the ornament.

4. Finally, cut alternating squares or triangles on the top and bottom of the piece to create "teeth" in a "smile". And place "mouth" below the "eyes".

Now is the fun part! Once everything is painted, taped, etc, the last piece of the puzzle is to take some light string or twine to hang the bats and pumpkins on the rake. You can use different lengths to create some variety if you like.

To start things off:

1. Get the rake and hang it on the nail where you wil be displaying this "wreath".

2. Start placing the ghosts on, then the bats and pumpkins equi-distant across the rake.

3. Then I added some Dollar Store Skeletons for a little extra something.

4. After that, I placed a skeleton spider at the top of the rake, with some web-esque ribben woven between the legs.

4. In the end, I put some orange LED lights hung strategically across the rake.

5. And then give it a light! Enjoy!

I wasn't sure at first which materials I wanted to use, so I looked into several. You can make the ghosts with several different types, like taffeta or muslin. But you can also use glitter along the way to "glam" things up. I debated on the LED lights and the skeleton lightsI pictured above, either would work, but since I put the "full body" skeletons, I figured the "head" lights might be overkill.

I hope you enjoy making this!!