If it wasn’t obvious already I’ll gladly take the time to point out the slight hiccup in the posting schedule. Outside of the usual antics of the season and the “cough” fun of work there’s also the advent of two new lifeforms added to the household. Yes, for the second Halloween season in a row there are new kitties round here. So far they’re not too much of a handful though there’s the obvious challenge of acclimating the beasts we already have to the new situation. Adding to that is the slight drama of whether we’re keeping both of the newbies. That matter seems to be settled as of today with the female seemingly being a permanent resident.
Even without new pets there’s still been an ample amount of activity lately with plenty of outings and little adventures. Just the other day involved a journey down country roads in search of a mighty pumpkin sale. Before long there needs to be a costco run for the truckload of batteries required of every holiday. While that’s all fine and good it’s not really the universal spirit of Halloween. Oftentimes the best memories are made doing the little stuff like nighttime walks through the dead leaves or just turning off all the lights for a favorite old scary movie. Cheap activities around the home that give us a minute to reflect and breath in the season are key. To that end I figured tonight would be a good time to talk a little arts and crafts in a range of prices for anyone in need of a little quiet spooky project.
By far the least expensive of these projects can be found at whatever dollar store chain you happen to live by. At damn near any of em you can find both seasonal wooden crafts and paints to spiff em up. For us we picked up some signs and masks from Dollar tree and coated em in a variety of cheapo craft paint. While the financial edge can’t be denied there’s a certain level of annoyance to be found working with this stuff as any sort of woodcraft sucks up acrylic paint like mad. This makes for weird uneven patches and colors sliding over barriers, just generally being a pain. A big tip is to spend some time highlighting edges and boarders with markers. My sister went over all of these and it made a world of difference for the final product. Patience is key here making this particular project a pain for someone like me. For others out there it could be a fun family activity that won’t crush the bank balance.
The mid-tier price belongs to artificial pumpkins. I’ve covered these in the past as they have one of the biggest impacts on seasonal enjoyment. For twelve bucks I got a blue pumpkin at Target, used a couple patterns from my backlog of carving books, split the pumpkin in half, and now we have two more wall lanterns that can be used year after year. Obviously the expense can go up depending on your brand of craft pumpkin, whether you have appropriate tools, and whether you have patterns or want to freestyle your creation. With just a couple nights, some hand pain, and careful dedication you can get some fantastic results.
For the third and most expensive craft option we turn to the subject that inspired this post to begin with. Working at a game store I’d find myself spending a quiet moment staring at the spinner rack of unpainted rpg miniatures. Don’t make the mistake of thinking about eleven clerics and the like, no time for that nonsense. My focus was on the big monsters. Creatures like froghemoths or dire trolls. The thought emerged that these guys would be great sprinkled among the Halloween village or mood table. Never guessed at the trap I’d stepped into as this notion shifted from a quaint idea to new obsession.
As with anything else price can be an issue. For the most impressive miniatures you’re talking prices ranging from 8-30 bucks. That’s before paints, brushes, etc. There are a few ways to make it a more affordable pursuit however. First off when it comes to paints you largely want the nice model grade stuff like Citadel and Army Painter. Those cheap craft paints you may have lying around won’t cut it for any major features. That being said they work just fine for small details, dry-brushing, stuff like that. My most complicated work so far will still incorporate something inexpensive for added touches. On brushes you’ve got even more leeway. I’ve seen people buy single brushes that cost more than the whole set I got online. The only really special one you need is a puffy makeup brush for dry-brushing, and those can be nabbed at a dollar store. There’s definite time investment here since you can learn all about different techniques, tools, and paints. If you get hooked every model can serve as another chance to grew your skillets. One night it’s metallic paint on a mechanized monster, the next it’s contrast paints on a shambling mound. While it can be handy to search to the net for guides, videos on this subject can be downright insufferable though with so many folks yammering on while refusing to edit their content down to a reasonable length. Just consider part of the investment as time spent finding one guide you can put up with. No matter your level of dedication these critters make a fine way to add some personal flair to any Halloween display.
With that we’re somewhat back on track. I hope tonight’s post gave you all some ideas on ways to spend an evening indulging in the season while still feeling constructive. There’s still so much to cover this month and I hope you’re all out there having fun with what feels like a return to almost proper Halloween. If there was ever a time to indulge this is it. So turn on some unsolved mysteries, paint a vampire, and maybe play a spooky game. With any luck I’ll be back this weekend with the mood displays.
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