Inspired by little cloth and tennis ball ghosts that we hung from our tree (by the neck!) every Halloween growing up, I created some vintage chic ghostly topiaries using cheesecloth and Styrofoam. The larger one can be used by a front door, as a table centerpiece, etc. The smaller topiary can be used as a fun place setting, favor, or Halloween vignette accent.
Supplies:
Styrofoam Balls – Three 6″ balls for the large topiary and 2″ balls for the petite topiaries.
Rockler Cheesecloth – 5 yds for the large topiary and 1/4 yd. for the petite.
DecoArt SoSoft fabric paint in “Lamp Black” for eyes and mouth.
Wooden Dowel Rod – 36″ x 3/8″ for large topiary
Skewers for mini topiary
Hot Glue Gun
Vintage mini jello molds, tart tins, or mini clay pots
Spanish Moss
Large Topiary Tutorial:
1. Drape Cheesecloth over each 6″ Styrofoam ball. Layer it until the Styrofoam is hidden and you get the look you want. Give it a hair cut.
2. Push dowel rod through bottom of ball and use scissors to cut a tiny hole in the cheesecloth (where the rod would push through at the top.) For the very top ball, you will not push the dowel all the way through.
3. When the ball is in position on the rod, add a good amount of hot glue to the BASE of the ball where it meets the dowel rod. This will prevent the ball from sliding up and down the rod.
4. Paint your eyes and mouth using the DecoArt SoSoft paint in Lamp Black. I lightly swept around the edge of the eyes to give it a shady? effect. Not sure what you call it but it looked cool!
5. Position your rod in a bucket, clay pot, or another container. I added rocks to mine to give it weight. Cover with Spanish Moss.
Done!
Mini Topiary Tutorial:
1. Drape Cheesecloth over 2″ Styrofoam ball. Layer it until the Styrofoam is hidden and you get the look you want. Give it a hair cut.
2. Push skewer through bottom of ball. You will not push the dowel all the way through.
3. Paint your eyes and mouth using the DecoArt SoSoft paint in Lamp Black.
4. Insert a piece of Styrofoam into the bottom of the jello mold, clay pot, or another container. This will help keep the ghost in place.
5. Insert dowel rod.
5. Cover with Spanish Moss and you’re done!
Tomorrow, I’ll share some pretty lil’ ghosts that I made with vintage laundry!
- Jami
Thank you to the following sponsors!
Cheesecloth, High-temp Glue Gun, and Dowel Rod source.
Styrofoam source:
SoSoft paint source:
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
how stinking cute is that!
Ditto what Cassie said–they are stinkin’ cute!!!
now I know what to do with those vintage jello molds I inherited !!!!! precious !