Spooky But Sweet Ghosts

Hi, I'm Helen and this is my very first blog post!

I am an avid lover of Halloween (all year round!) so you can expect some (mainly) spooky/gothic creations from me every month.

My first tutorial is going to be a simple one and can be done easily within a day, including dry time.

Tools/Supplies:

Cheesecloth
Cardboard tubes of differing length - from paper towel, toilet paper, or wrapping paper
Round objects for the head mould - foam balls, ping pong balls, or Christmas baubles
Sticky tape, or preferably masking tape
Plastic/cling wrap
Wire, pipe cleaners, or freezer bag ties
Helmar Craft and Hobby PVA Glue
Bowl, scissors, Sharpie/permanent marker
Optional: LED tea lights, battery operated string lights

Process:

Start by sticking on the head and arms (if using) onto your tube. Then drape over some cling wrap - so that the cheesecloth is easy to remove once dry and you can re-use your armatures. I ended up changing my heads to slightly larger ones before I added the cling wrap.

Mix up equal parts of water and the Helmar Craft and Hobby PVA glue in a bowl. Cut out a circle (doesn't have to be perfect) from the cheesecloth to cover the armature. Soak the cheesecloth round in the PVA mixture and lightly squeeze out the excess liquid.

Make sure your work area is protected from the glue. Stretch open the wet cloth and drape over the armature. Then just keep adjusting the folds till you are happy with the shape.

Let dry overnight. Remove the armature. Use a Sharpie to draw on the eyes, or you can glue on black paper or felt eyes if you prefer. I love that they look like they are floating!