Day 9 - In a bit of a pickle

Hi and welcome to everyone from the 31 Days of Halloween blog hop!  If you want to see more of the awesomeness that this blog hop has to offer, the you can find the blog roll on the left in my sidebar.

Today I have a pickled head!!!  I saw one on Pinterest (and more recently on the blog hop) and have been itching to create one!

I started with a large Ikea jar that I had on hand, then I printed on a "face map" that I found on google.  It's basically a face, flattened so that when placed in the jar, it becomes 3D.  I printed it out, and then laminated the picture.  I have made several dolls in the past, and have quite a stash of hair, so I added some of that with my hot glue gun to the picture.  It moves really nicely in the jar, and gives a realistic look.  Then I put the picture into the jar.  I poured some water into the jar and added a good amount of green food colouring to give a murky look.  I probably could have added more green, as you can't really see it infront of the photo.  Anyway, I kept creating...  I sealed the jar with it's lid, and put some distressed gauze bandage over the lid, then added some black web-like material. I made it quite messy and random and then added a couple of layers of black/white twine.  Then the fun really began!!  I lit 3 candles - two were white and one was red.  I applied the white candle all over the top and got lots of drips down the sides.  The white candle is really old and has soot mixed in with it, so the melted wax was dirty and grey in places.  The red wax was delicious, it's actually cinnamon and spice scented, and melted really easily over the project.  The red was really vibrant and looked like blood.  I finished off the whole project with a big spider.  I realised by mistake that my hot glue gun (that I used to attach it) left a big string line across the bottle - it looked just like a spider web!  So I added some more.  Here are some closeups:
My beautiful big spidey crawling over the pickled head jar, leaving her webs behind
BOO!!!  Isn't she gorgeous? lol

16 comments

Unknown said...

printing a picture and lamination would have never thought of this. Now I am so doing this thank you bye bye

valscraftings said...

In a bit of a pickle...made me laugh...oh but then I was so spooked!

DonnaMundinger said...

EEEK!!!! So fun! Love the face you've chose that the fabulous way you've sealed it all up. the wax, the fibers, the glue strings, that BIG SPIDER! WOW! Love, love, LOVE! xxD

My Side of Oz said...

I must pickle a head!! Don't say that often...ever!HA This is great as a basic project but the melted was brilliant! The hot glue is one of those mistakes/genius moments!! Loving this so much! Well done!

Laura S Reading said...

That is a scary face and an even scarier spider!
thanks for more details on the melted wax.

(AJ) ArtJypsy said...

So realistic it is scary. Love the details.

TangledBlueRose said...

I am seriously loving these face map ghoulish jars! I love all the details you added here. The drippinng candles, genius! Love the glue web, happy oops!

Great great great jar!
Off to google face map....

~kim

Unknown said...

Great project! It really does look like a pickled, disembodied head in there!

Christine Kiehl said...

This is just SIC! Love it! Love the wax, the spider, the idea! This hop has been so much fun because your a part of it! Keep up the great work!

maureenjscott said...

Wow!!! This is awesome! I love the finished result here, sooo cool! love the wax on there too! Mo x

Susan Renshaw said...

This is amazing Sarah! I am sure you had fun creating it! It looks so real! Love the decorations at the top of the bottle too!

DonnaMundinger said...

I was pretty sure I already commented on this fabulousness, but I don't see it and don't remember if you moderate. Better to be safe than sorry. xxD

Julia said...

Spooky! this is one project I have to try.

Leigh S-B - The Sharpie Domino Queen said...

OH MY GHOUL EEEEEEEK, your picked head is wickedly gloriously gruesome and I love it bwahahahahaha!

Steph said...

Wow, that is one fantastically creepy project! Great work.

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