#23 Tudor Toss

I have always been into Tudor history. The political, religious battles, the power plays, the scandals! For most people the thing that comes to mind first about the Tudors is all those beheadings! So I thought, of course to make a game of it.


Coincidently this last Thursday marked the 475 year anniversary of Anne Boleyn's execution.
Too Soon?

So probably the first thing I should have done was decide on the heads I would use.  Doing so after the fact may cause a problem, but I got lucky.

 I decided to use these doll heads I found at Goodwill. They go to those make up hair dolls (you know the ones with just a head, neck, and shoulders). I popped off the heads and decided to Un-Barbie them with a little dead looking paint. 

Next I used a 4x4 piece of ply wood. I got a little nicer wood (popular 3/4" thick).

I cut holes (badly) and painted it with some oops paint. 

I choose a light color because I want to see it outside at night.

Then I started painting on my Tudors.

I chose.... of course Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard (Queens are worth more),Mary Queen of Scots, Lady Jane Gray, Thomas More, and Thomas Cromwell. 

They just come to mind most when it comes to tudor time executions.

To make it stand, I used a couple strips of wood cut into four 4 foot pieces 

I screwed one of them to the top of the board. and attached the legs at an angle underneath.

I attached it with a bracket that I bent with a clamp and pliers.

Then I attached the fourth piece on the ground the same way. 

The angle was sharper so I just took angle brackets and unbent them a little.

I decided to just print up the names on paper and Mod Podge them on!

I also antiqued the whole thing a bit with a watered down brown paint and a rag.

I need some more heads! I only found four that day.

 Later I will get a couple more and make them over into the men, probably by just adding beards.

The picture quality is kind of poor , I didn't realize how dark my garage is. 

I will post some brighter ones when I have time.

#20 And The Award Goes To....

 At Halloween I like to have a big party.

So every year I need some new best costume awards.

A little hot glue, some gold spray paint, and dollar skeletons that have been in a tote since last year.....

 have finally found a purpose.



He is holding just a wooden dowel. I will likely add a clay pumpkin topper



In case you are new to my blog you may have noticed I have a Dollar Store addiction. I sometimes buy things there with no idea exactly what I will do with them but I just know there is some potential. 

So yes, I mindlessly spend money on things there all the time. Suze Orman would be yelling at me now.

Anyway here they are the little 12" skellis from Dollar Tree. They are floppy jointed kooky little guys. Something comic about them attracted me and the fact that I could get so many. So I bought them almost two years ago but they have them every year it seems.

Note get em early this is something that will sell out. If you are dollar store shopper you know, buy Halloween in August.... Christmas in October etc.

Found these little plaques in different shapes at Michael's craft store. They ranged from fifty cents to a dollar.

So using my trusty Hot Glue Gun I start at the feet and work up. I broke the limbs and glued them back on in the pose I wanted. That gives them a little more range of movement.

I plan on making these into best costume awards so I posed some appropriately.

See bellow "Funniest" and "Sexiest"

I clipped there little hanging loops of their heads as well.

I played a round with them. I was thinking these would be fun over the kitchen cabinets as well.

Just some skeletons having a good time. Oh you could add accessories like a little apron, and chef hat, a mini wine glass. a little feather boa.... OMG! Cute potential!