Happy Halloween Trick Bowl

 

 This is one of my favorite times of year...the anticipation of Halloween, the crisp - ok, downright cold - fall air, the childebeasts out for fall break. In order not to upset anyone, and to be politically correct, the school district here always holds fall break the last week of October. Each year we (usually) have several days leading up to Halloween to get costumes and decorations together. This year has been no exception!

I made a Creepy Halloween Bowl to scare all the little ghosts and goblins that come looking for tricks and treats. It's really easy, didn't take any time at all, and can be made for practically nothing. Make one, then give all the witches and zombies in your neighborhood a ghoulish surprise!

TIME: 30 minutes (after gathering supplies)

COST: Under $5.00

 

SUPPLIES:

** Most of these supplies are optional. I listed the items I used (and links to examples) - but experiment...be creative! And as always, if you get stuck or need help, click the "Contact" button. I'm glad to help! **

~ Large plastic bowl (around 11") from Halloween section of grocery store (I got mine at King Soopers, $2.99 - before they all went on sale)

~ Dremel too with 1/8" multipurpose cutter, or high speed cutter, etc, and saw bits - or drill with similar bits

~ Glue dots (this is the kind I had on hand - using large, flat Glue Dots would probably work better)

~ Brads with a square/larger, flat head (here's an example - or these candy corn brads would be cute)

~ Yellow latex dish washing glove - 1  (These are just an example - don't you dare pay this much!)

~ Scissors

~ Large rhinestone gems (I used oval and diamond shapes)

~ Glue (something like E-6000 or 2 part epoxy works well - something that will adhere plastics) Do NOT use glue like the Elmer's Craft Glue pictured - it doesn't work!! (I learned this)

~ Black Memories stamp pad (StazOn would work well also)

~ Halloween stamps (small images work best) OR black permanent marker to draw Halloween images (I got mine at Michael's in their dollar bins...you get 2 small stamps for $1, available year-round)

~ Awl (optional)

~ Lighter (optional) Use a long handled lighter - like one for candles, bar-b-ques, or fireplaces, please. Do NOT use a small regular lighter.

Using your Dremel or drill and the saw blade bit (or a sharp knife - carefully!), cut a hole in the bottom of the bowl. Make hole just big enough to slide your hand through. You can sand the edges a little if necessary.

 

Put your hand inside rubber glove and slide rubber glove through hole. Decide how far you want your hand to stick up in the bowl. Add 3" and cut glove. You can eyeball this measurement - doesn't need to be perfect.*Pay attention to which hand you'll use to hand out the candy so you use the correct glove!*

 

Cut slits into the sides of the glove long enough to stretch the bottom of the glove around the hole. Use Glue Dots to secure the glove around the hole. Using multipurpose or high speed 1/8" bit and Dremel or drill, drill holes through the glove and plastic bowl at even intervals. You need this part to be really secure - so you should use about 20 +/- brads. You may find it easier to drill 2 holes directly across from each other, insert the brads, then do 2 more...working in a 12 to 6 o'clock, 3 to 9 o'clock, etc pattern.

I had a hard time using the Dremel for this - the glove kept wanting to wind up in the bit. (It was most likely operator error, not Dremel error.) I found that heating my awl - to very hot - and poking it through the glove and bowl - was much easier. This method requires heating the awl for several seconds, many times - which is why you need a long handled lighter and not a typical cigarette lighter.

 

  Open/flatten brad tongs inside bowl. It's important to use brads with a head bigger than the hole so the brads don't slip through. I think the brads I used are about 1/2" square. I just used some I had laying around, but it's important they are flat so they aren't seen. Halloween themed brads would be cute, but definitely not necessary.

After inserting the brads, the glove should be secure. If not, add more brads.

 

Using black ink and Halloween stamps, stamp the outside of the bowl randomly with small Halloween images.

If you don't have Halloween stamps or a black ink pad, use a permanent marker to draw some Halloween doodles.

Adhere the rhinestone gems around the lip of the bowl. Once the adhesive dries you're ready to go out and give a little trick with your treats! I promise the kids will be talking about your house for a long, looong time.

I thought this was an easy, quick project...but poor Noodles had to take a cat nap when we were finished. I say "we" because I was finished with the bowl...and he was finished trying to chew on the glove, eat the rhinestones, knock the rubber stamps off the bed, walk through the stamp pad...

No wonder Noodles was tired. He was a lot busier than I was!