Plastered mummy-style vases

Hands-on time: Less than two hours.
Total time: Add drying time of 6 to 10 hours.
Skill: Easy.
Cost estimate: Less than $9.00 for the materials.

Materials & Tools

• Empty and clean bottles in assorted sizes, shapes and styles (I recycled wine bottles)
• Newspapers
• 1 package of Plaster cotton strip, the 1-lb bag (available at Loomis Art Store)
• Scissors
• Bowl (I used a large stainless steel bowl) and water
• Paintbrush, 3 cm wide
• Matte varnish
• Autumn tree branches with leaves or without

Curvaceous mummy-style plaster vases add instant atmosphere to haunt seasonal décor themes. Recycled wine bottles in assorted sizes and shapes are disguised with plastered cotton strips giving them odd organic shapes with a rough textured finish. Autumn branches with colourful leaves are added, making these plastered vase arrangements terror-fic to garnish a mantel, a hearth, a front-hall console, or even a bay window. You don't need to drive yourself batty over this project because these bewitching vases are so frightfully easy to make. Due to their minimalist styling statement, these vases can be adapted to suit any décor all year round, even for the holidays by adding simple sprigs of red berries.

Cover your work area with newspapers. Make sure that the bottles are clean - wash them with soapy water and towel dry. It is not necessary to remove the labels; they will get covered up with plaster strips.

To prepare the plaster strips, take the plastered cotton roll, unroll it and cut it in half. Plan to use about half a pound of cotton plastered strip per bottle. You will need to cut plastered strips in different widths and lengths. Simply tear or rip the plastered cotton with your hands or cut them with scissors. Approximately 20 to 25 strips are needed per bottle depending on the size of the bottle that is being covered.

Fill the bowl with water and place it on your work area. Dip each strip of plaster one at a time, into the water for a few seconds. Over the bowl, squeeze out any excess water with your hands.

To apply the plaster strips, work on one area of the bottle at a time, starting from the bottom up. Apply the damp plaster strips around the bottle, pressing them to the surface with your hands. Overlap and pat the cotton strips down into place, continue until the bottle is completely covered, like a mummy wrap. For curvaceous interest, modify the shapes of the bottles by adding extra layers of plaster strips to specific areas. Finish by applying smaller strips around the neck and the opening of the bottle. Note that there is no need to do the underside of the bottle. Let the bottles air dry for 6 to 10 hours (it's best to leave them to dry overnight). Drying time can vary according to the thickness of the plaster strips.

The completed plastered vases don't need to be painted because they look great in their natural textured and rough state. That said, they can also make quite a décor impact in assorted seasonal colours such as in jet black or pumpkin orange - even silver. To paint the vases simply apply one coat of acrylic paint using a soft bristle brush and let dry. Make the plastered vases look older or spookier by applying dabs of antiquing black gel with a cloth; dab it on and wipe it off. Since plaster is porous at least one coat of matte varnish is recommended.

Add a splash of colour and contrast with a few fall branches amid hues of golden auburn to crimson red and sunburst oranges. For extra spookiness for Halloween night or parties, simply replace the fall leaf branches with black barren branches and cobwebs. Adorn your arrangement with decorative gourds, mini pumpkins, twigs and scattered colourful fall leaves.

Variations

• To set an authentic eerie Halloween scene, you can utilize the same concept as above to transform other plain items such as, candle holders, vases that you no longer like or use, cake stands, candy bowls, wine decanters, and buckets.
• For an outdoor décor alternative, make a grouping of plastered bottles or items in assorted sizes and place them on the front porch or steps. Make extra mummy wrap plaster bottles and use them as candle holders with black candles.
• Plastic juice containers and milk jugs have unusual shapes, they can also be use to make really creepy vases with wider neck openings. Cut the top off with an X-acto knife and proceed with the same steps as above.
• Halloween is a great time to recycle all sorts of items into scary decorations - recycle tin cans in assorted sizes to make orange and black luminaries to illuminate a pathway.