One of my fellow Halloweenies had sent me this picture they found on Pinterest, and wanted to know how to replicate it.Well, I haven't been able to find it, to give the creator proper credit.... so if you see it, or know who it is, please let me know, so I can be sure to include a link to their project.
But as for recreating this fantastic prop, I'm not exactly sure how they did it, but here's what I would suggest.....
To do a successful project like this.... it's all in the planning. You have a photo for a reference, so that actually helps quite a bit.
Start with the pedestal. It looks wooden, but any material will do. Just make sure the base will be big enough to hold a large, round glass bowl, UPSIDE DOWN. (With the opening resting on the base of the pedestal) It also looks like the bowl fits right inside the rim of the table to make it look more custom made.
If you're having a problem finding a base and a bowl that fits, you could always add a black, silver or gold, fabric cord trim (that you could find at any fabric store) and hot glue it around the opening of the bowl, to complete the project.
Now to make Madame Leota..... What I would do is find a good picture (go to the www) and find good close up picture of Madame Leota's face.... and enlarge it on a copier. Cut it out, leaving about and inch or two, the whole way around.
Once it's a size that will be able to fit in the bowl, then using watercolor paint, lightly shade in the face, with green. Let dry.
To make the face stand up, I suggest using a piece of foam core board, cut in the same size as the picture. Make a base by creating slit in another piece of foam core, and slip the bottom of the photo/foam core into the slit, and add some hot glue for extra strength. Make sure that the photo can stand up on it's own.Now, once that's done..... it's time to add the black (or gray) tulle. If you're not familiar with tulle, it's a lightweight mesh fabric that comes on a spool, that you can get at any fabric store.
I would scrunch up some of the tulle and hot glue it to the edges of the standing piece. Once that looks the way you want it to, then carefully place the piece in the bowl.... but be sure to keep the opening of the bowl at the bottom, as you place it over the standing piece.
Stand back and take a look at it. Now you'll want to make a mental note of how high you want to pile the scrunched up tulle. Then take the remaining tulle (or another spool), and with the head still inside the bowl, add more of the tulle, until it looks as if the head is "floating" inside the bowl. Be sure to use this photo as a reference, so you know how it should look.
As I mentioned before, if you're using a bowl that's a lot smaller than the circumference of the pedestal, this is when you may want to hot glue the fabric cord around the base (at the bottom) of the bowl. This just gives it a more "finished" look.
I think I may try this project when I'm in the workshop, this week. If you try it, please send me a picture of your finished product, and I'll post it!
Now forgive me for assuming that you all know who Madame Leota is.... but for those of you that may not.... be sure to click here!
