Cauldron Gifts Baskets

$5 - $10 (based on 2017 prices)

Makes two baskets 

 

In 2017, a local dance studio asked me to create two gift baskets to auction off at their annual charity event. The theme was sorcery, so I created cauldron containers to house an assortment of witch-themed props. Although I used these for a charity event, they can easily be modified to fit a variety of purposes, like party favors for a Halloween gathering or gift bags for a macabre birthday party.

• Two eight-inch-diameter plastic cauldrons
• One package of alphabetical stickers in glittery silver
• One sheet of gray creepy cloth
• One sheet of white creepy cloth
• Two to three yards of brown twine
• Six artificial feathers in various colors
• Two skull-and-crossbones decals
• One 4 oz. bottle of clear, all-purpose tacky glue*

1. Thoroughly wash and dry the cauldrons. If there is any sticker residue, use rubbing alcohol to remove it (soak a paper towel in the solution, let it sit over the area for a few minutes, and wipe away the remaining glue).

2. Use the alphabetical stickers to write witch-themed words, like positions and spells, on the sides of the cauldrons. You can limit these to just one word per container or cover them in a variety of mystical terms. If the adhesive fails to attach the lettering, especially along the cauldrons’ curves, consider using superglue. Also, purchase a set of stickers with more than one of each letter (this gives you a backup in case stickers tear).

3. Spread the creepy cloth across a flat surface and cut each sheet in half. Then, line the bottoms of the cauldrons with the fabric, starting with the gray and proceeding with the white to add contrast. Drape the edges over the sides of the cauldrons and fray their ends for additional creepiness. Whether or not you glue the cloth to the cauldrons’ bottoms is entirely up to you and your final plans for the baskets.

4. Wrap twine around the handles in a haphazard design. Do not aim for perfection (the more chaotic the pattern, the spookier the final product will be). If you like, you can string wooden beads onto the twine before twisting it around the handles. To help the string remain adhered, glue portions at various spots, namely around the curves.

5. Fashion a talisman by binding three of the artificial feathers together with the skull-and-crossbones decal. Following this, attach it to the area where the cauldron and handle meet. You can decide how intricate to make the talisman. Since the contents of the basket were my primary focus, I kept these rather simplistic; however, you can fabricate an elaborate version with chicken bones and voodoo beads.

6. Use the remaining twine to attach a business card, nametag, or other identifying element to the cauldrons, attaching it to the side opposite the talisman to create balance.

7. Fill the baskets with your chosen goodies. For this version, I included a set of potion bottles, some witch bottles, a “double double” banner, and a haunted bust. If you like, you can also embellish the containers further by gluing swarms of spiders along the side, aging the cauldrons with a dusting of black and brown spray paint, or drizzling green paint down the sides to make it appear as though potion has boiled over.

*You will not use the entire bottle’s content for this project.