Merry meet all,
The fall season is here! The leaves are already turning on the trees. My favourite time of year is here. The Wheel of the year soon turns to Mabon, the autumn equinox.
I have been busy crafting a very special secret project. I crafted it with love and patience. It’s hard to believe that it was crafted from cardboard and popsicle sticks. However, I have persevered and crafted a true masterpiece. I have worked on it for a while and it was very hard work – but worth it! The best part of all it is not for myself but for someone else.
The Witch House in its early construction stage.
I glued popsicle sticks together to form the front, sides and back of the house. I did the same for the roof. Then I got a good idea. I glued cardboard to the front, sides and back of the house over the cardboard but not on the roof. I painted the front, sides and back of the house black and I painted the roof grey. I created two sides of cardboard for the house and glued them onto the two sides of the house. It’s was so tedious because the cardboard from the raisins box is red. I had to cover every single piece of the cardboard with white printing paper. Then I glued on Halloween printed card stock to the cardboard and painted every single piece, large or small, black or grey. I made a staircase for the front of the house. The house needed to have a solid and secure foundation just like a real house. It’s important to get that stage down first before anything else.
I made a board for the house to sit on from the cardboard raisin box. First I painted it brown. I had to glue on Halloween card stock and then paint it black all over. Everything I had to paint took time to dry. After a while, I realized that using the heat of a hair dryer made the paint dry faster. I am still trying to figure out how to add a chimney to the roof. The board now serves as the garden. I did add a chimney to the back of the house.
I borrowed my Mom’s good bigger glue gun and glue sticks. I do believe I have used up most of the glue sticks.
I had to trim down the foam block. I did it using a bread knife and a big exact knife. I needed to make the house and staircase meet evenly. Oh my gods the work that this took. I covered the foam block you see in the picture in Halloween card stock paper. Then I painted that all black. Then I painted on a sealant. I adhered black spider figurines to the foam block. That nicely covered any flaws.
I went to Michaels arts and crafts store to buy miniatures for the Witch House. I painted small white foam balls black and glued them onto the Witch House. I bought a cool skull Led lights set and adhered it to the Witch House. Now it was coming together. I crafted several ‘shingles’ pieces – and covered them in white typing paper and painted each piece grey and adhered them to the roof of the house. Now, with the black balls and the LED lights set, it was really looking like a house. I arranged a miniature fence around the perimeter of the house and garden.
I added moss, leaves, an owl figurine, acorns, a pinecone, a headstone, a large spider, and real herbs to the garden. The herbs are goldenrod, dried grass buds and broad leaved dock. I added a miniature cauldron to the garden. The cream coloured pumpkins lend an old world charm to the garden. I arranged an archway over the garden at the entrance. I glued leaves to the archway. I made the archway with the miniature fence.
The two ‘sides’ of the house were not easy to make. They each have an arched roof. I measured and had to construct a box and secure it to the sides of the house and painted them black. The sides pulled from the house. I concealed that with popsicle sticks. Then I used another piece of cardboard which I painted grey and coaxed it into an arched design. I glued that on and painted it black underneath. I glued a real black feather I found outside to the front side of the house.
I used tiny letter stickers and adhered them to the front door. Oh my gods the door. It was glued on to the front of the house in such a way that the door won’t close. I think of it as a moat now. I hurt my hands cutting the top of the door because I wanted the door to be curved or arched.
I formed the door from popsicle sticks. I glued a piece of cardboard to the popsicle sticks then trimmed them. I painted it blue and grey then I went with black and grey paint. The door looks battered or maybe weathered is the word. I carved out a space in the door. I wish it would close all the way. Ah well.
It looks like an old world door. The letters on the front of the door/ moat read: “Flying School”. I glued on a small wooden witch hat above those words. I sprinkled glitter on to the witch hat. I glued on the letters “Witch House/ Salem/ 1692” above the entrance to the house. I covered the letters with sealant. I touched up the rough spots with black or grey paint. I added black paint in splotches on the grey paint. I wanted the Witch House to look aged, as if it had been there a long time.
I adhered black spider and bat figurines to the house. They now crawl all over it. I glued tiny bone figurines to the garden and stairs and fence. I painted them grey. I glued a wooden butterfly to the lower right side of the house. I glued in three witches gathered around a cauldron figurine inside the house. They can’t move but they can still spell cast! I noticed that each witch had a different symbol on her black witch hat. I crafted a broomstick figurine made from lemon balm twigs and glued it to the lower front of the house next to the stairs.
I cut these small round yellow and orange balls on ‘twigs’ from a weird tree figurine. I glued them to the moss, put one in the cauldron and ended up using the tree figurine thing for a tree. I glued it to the left side of the garden. It serves as a tree. It leans way out though and I can’t get it to stand up straight.
I glued a piece of real tree branch wood to the front entrance of the garden. It lays flat and looks like it really belongs there. I glued on a skeleton torso in ornate frame to the front roof of the house. I painted it grey and I painted the eyes of the skeleton black to give it more definition. I made an arched window on the right side of the roof. I have to finish the window. I painted it black and grey. I painted a wooden piece – the letters read Boo! to the floor of the Witch House and painted it grey. I also added silver sprinkles to that and the staircase. I glued on two black widow spider figurines to the house. They add a wicked menacing feel to the Witch House. I added a bit of moss to the staircase. I know the moss will stay in place because there is so much covering the moss in the garden. I adhered toadstool stickers to the staircase and the fence archway.
Now it’s coming together and making me wish I was small enough to live in the Witch House. I would never leave it if I could. I anointed the Witch House with special oils – Samhain and Bewitching. I have a mandrake essential oil to use as well. I burned sage and let the smoke waft over the house.
I fear that the Witch House is not that stable. I still have to add a large piece under the Witch House to make it adhere to the black foam block. It tips and is uneven. Once I do that and use rubber cement glue, it will stick and stay in place. It just needs to be evened out.
Update: I have covered the large piece of craft foam with black fabric and it now rests under the Witch dollhouse. I think the Witch dollhouse is just the coolest thing I have ever crafted! It really is and I almost wish I could keep it. The rubber cement glue didn’t work.
I didn’t want to go for something campy. I wanted to capture the true spirit of Samhain. When the LED lights are on, the whole house is instantly alive and magickal! It appears so bewitching! The Witch House has been a true labor of love. I don’t regret it, and I want one for myself. I have nowhere to store it though. I am going to be happy to gift this beautiful, decadent and wicked witchy Witch House!
I still have to paint the Witch House and garden in a sealant. Once I am done doing everything else. I have painted the entire Witch house in a sealant. The Witch house is now done. I added another black block to go under the house to keep the house stable. I am so proud of my achievement. I hope my friend loves her gift!
I found a huge box to mail her gift in. My cat Penny naturally and instantly believes the box to be hers. I needed a box that was a certain size to be able to mail the gift. I can’t wait for Nora Peevy to see it.!!!! Talk about a treat (trick or treat).
I assembled a collection of school supplies for my niece and nephew – Halloween pencils, pens and pencils, a homemade pencil case, notebooks, scribblers, a ruler and pencil sharpener, etc. I hope they love it. I mailed it to them and I know they will love having new school supplies! So they get those straight A grades!
I bought beautiful deep blue knit fabric, grey lining material, blue chiffon and blue lace. I want to craft a witch gown. I am tired of this other Witch gown I have. I am retiring and donating it. The dress has served its purpose. I plan to make my own pattern though. I ordered a pattern from Judy’s Little Shop. I thought I lost the original Arwen pattern only to be reacquainted with it later. But the first pattern is pretty tattered. I want to save the bodice though. I can use it for the new gown. It’s black and silver but I will find a way to make it work. I also ordered some beautiful silver floral lace from Etsy. I want to use that for the trim on the collar and sleeves. The best part of using the bodice for this dress is the eyelets are already done for me. I hate setting in eyelets for the lace up bodice.
I love to craft and that is certainly evident here! I can’t wait to start making the gown. I guess I should get started by cutting out the pattern pieces!
In other news, I passed the second test to become part of the Nova Scotia Guard. I successfully completed the Volunteering in Emergencies exam. I even received a certificate. The edits are done on my novella. Now we move on to formatting. Getting closer to publication!
The finished Witch Doll House
Blessings, Spiderwitch
The lace trims –
