Anyone who has been reading this blog for any length of time knows I have an affinity for things that are strange and creepy. Not pretend creepy things like fake spiders. I mean genuinely creepy things like old medical textbooks and cheese that sprays out of a can.
This year's Halloween DIY is a reflection of that side of me. I've been preparing for this one particular Halloween craft for 2 years now. And when it was finally completed I texted a picture of it to my niece.
Unlike myself, my niece is not a fan of all things creepy.
Before we continue on, and I reveal what may be the creepiest Halloween decoration ever made, I would like to share with you the text message exchange between myself and my niece.
Curious as to what would prompt such a reaction?
I have been saving chicken and turkey bones from meals for the past 2 years.
I even enlisted the help of various turkey and chicken eating friends. To clean the bones, I just boiled them and scraped them clean. Then I let them air dry for a week or two. I've been keeping a box of bones in my basement for 2 years now. Any repairman who may have got snoopy down there would have been in for a bit of a shock.
My original idea was to make a wreath out of the bones, but I'm still so happy with my original Halloween wreath, that I wasn't ready to get rid of it.
So I changed direction slightly and turned the bones into a picture frame.
Being a lover of all things creepy, when I was a garage sale addict I scored a box of antique photographs and tin types. I went into my creepy basement to look for my creepy pictures and found the perfect one for this project.
I scanned the picture, enlarged it, and to increase the fright factor, I photoshopped her eyes out.
Then it was just a matter of squishing the Dollar Store wreath into an oval shape and hot gluing the bones onto it in a pleasing, yet creepy manner. Oh! And adding the skull on top.
All of the supplies, aside from the bones, came from the Dollar Store. The wreath, the hot glue, and the skull topper.
The total cost:
$3.
The other thing that adds a sense of authenticity to the wreath are the cobwebs.
Which are in fact, actual cobwebs. From my house. Yes. I'm so proud. I gathered most of them from the dining room walls.
Extra bones got placed in a bowl beneath the frame.
Wondering how that text exchange between my niece and I ended?
Stephanie
Eeeeeew. Gross. Creepy.
Awesome!
dana studer
I would seriously question my sanity if i were putting chicken & turkey bones in a pot, boiling, & scraping them, then keeping them for 2 years. But you, Karen, you had a vision, you went for it, & made it look cool! And i think I LOVE IT!!
Jane
Please, please, please make me one! I'll pay ya good money!!!
Bre Quantrill
I love this and need to go get those turkey bones out of the garbage first thing in the morning!!!! As fate would have it, they're in one bag with nothing else because I made turkey stock after Thanksgiving supper last night AND they're in the porch which is a virtual fridge this time of year! SCORE!!! Brilliant Karen! This is the macabre touch to Halloween that I've been missing!
JBess
I totally love it!!
Have you seen Eugene Von Bruenchenhein's chicken bone thrones? If not I think you're ready ;)
Patricia
I have a spare rib bone garland over my front door so I completely get it! Last year a sweet little princess trick-or-treater got her treat, twirled and said " I love your garland!" Made my Halloween!
Jen
Wow.
Just Wow.
Not sure if that's a good wow or bad wow.
Cathy
I'm a surgical nurse; you'll have to do better than a bunch of dried bones.
We once took a hair all out of a stomach....shaped exactly like the stomach,
The smell woulda knocked a buzzard off a shit wagon at 100 yards.
Just sayin
Karen
LOL! (see that makes me laugh, when my niece reads this comment it'll make her gaggy) ~ karen
Lush
I am going to assume that was "hair ball". Love the buzzard comment!!
Love the black humour of medical staff!!
Lush x
Cathy
Yea, it was a hair ball, and most disgusting as well.
Cathy
Technically a "bezoar"
Ellen Partridge
LOVE!
Mondo | I bake he shoots
I wanna know more about the guy with the hair stomach. share!
Summer
OK-how did you get a picture of my great grandma!
Rhonda Kutche
I hate it so much that I'm saving chicken bones even as we speak...and a cow pelvis, well, that takes it to a whole new level! So excited!
I have purchased chicken feet at halloween...I'm betting you, Karen, can some up with something really interesting.
And lamb testicles at Easter time...
Wow, I think we have most of the holidays covered!
Laura
Lol
Jamie @ Southern Revivals
Great. Now I have a new obsession. I'll see you in 2015 with one of my own!
Tracy
You are a genius. Fabulously creepy, Karen. *starting to save chicken bones*
carey
I love this! But the creepiest part is the real cobwebs. Gah! Here's hoping that lady's ancestors don't come visiting,or any chicken cousins, either. Lol!
Sam Braun
Genius! Really freekin' creepy genius! <3 <3 <3... That's it! I'm giving my cow pelvis a new home on the front porch--right next to the old anatomy prints! Karen, you are a true inspiration!!!
Jody
What???!!
katy oneill
Just so long as these aren't from any chickens "we" know... Fun idea.
Ellen Partridge
Excellent point.
selene
That is one of the coolest picture frames.Is it weird that I would silver leaf it and keep it up year round? You did it again! You have made halloween even cooler. I can't wait to try it! Now where to get some bones....mmmm
Jean in BC
Cool! I'm gonna make one too! might have a problem getting all those chicken and turkey bones by Halloween! I can see the headlines now "Crime Wave of Missing Chickens Puzzles Community"
Tash @ The Dreamhouse Project
Wooooooow....That is. Wow. Definitely the creepiest craft I've ever seen. Ever. Aaaaand now I'm afraid to go to sleep. Thanks Karen!
Allison
I hate it too. But in a good creepy way. Ick.
AnnW in the US
OMG - that is The WORST! I think I want one. But I don't know about the lady's picture. She's really creepy. I like the bones....a lot! Ann
Barb
I am a sick puppy! I LOVE IT!!!