Rotten Produce Baskets

$50 - $60 (based on 2016 prices)

Makes four baskets

For 2016’s theme, I littered the haunt with baskets of rotting produce. To save time during the set-up process, I pre-assembled the props. Also, to give the illusion that the baskets were fuller than my supplies permitted, I created fake bottoms. To cut costs, buy all of your baskets and produce at second-hand stores (and re-purpose old bones). Although it may take a while to accumulate the amount of vegetation you require, you’ll save quite a bit of money gradually allotting the supplies as opposed to purchasing everything at once from a craft store.

• One bag of cheap, plastic bones (roughly a dozen pieces)
• One 8 oz. can of oil-based interior wood stain in red chestnut*
• One one-inch foam brush
• Four wicker baskets in varying sizes
• One sheet of cardboard large enough to trace the outline of each basket’s opening
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat black
• Several dozen pieces of fake produce
• Three bags of plastic cockroaches (roughly two dozen bugs per bag)
• Two to three 0.14 oz. bottles of superglue gel

1. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, stain the bones. I began by giving each one a light, even coat with a foam brush. After that, I applied heavy amounts of stain to the ends and patted away the excess with paper towels. You want the color to build up in the cracks and fissures. Although you may use whatever color of stain you desire, I chose red chestnut because it gives the bones a fresh, meaty appearance. Once you have achieved your intended look, allow the bones to completely dry. I let mine sit outside in the sun for three days.

2. Trace the outline of the basket’s opening on a sheet of cardboard and cut it out. To give the illusion that the basket is full, the cardboard will sit near the top and create a base for you to adhere the produce and bones. You will need to gradually trim the disk until it sits as high within the basket as you would like.

3. On a newspaper-line surface in a well-ventilated area, give the cardboard disk a few even coats of black spray paint. I used two; however, you may use more or less based on your preferences. Once the paint has dried, glue the disk into place. If you plan to display the prop outside, you may want to add weight to the bottom of the basket before this process. This will prevent the prop from being top-heavy and tipping over. 

4. Now that the new base has been created, arrange the produce on top of it and glue it down. For added realism, I tilted some on their sides and used a hacksaw to cut others in half, gluing the cut portions to the cardboard. Repeat the same process with the bones, cutting them in half, arranging them in the basket among the produce, and gluing them into place.

5. Glue cockroaches onto the basket and produce. Try not to over think your application (a random pattern produces the best results). For added detail, make holes in the wicker and arrange the bugs to make it appear as though they are crawling out of the openings. NOTE: The particular cockroaches I used were made with a slick plastic which did not adhere to hot glue. As a result, I used superglue gel to affix them to the prop.

 

6. If you want to give the props further depth or mask bare areas left uncovered by bones or produce, glue hay, raffia, or straw to the cardboard base.

7. For additional detail, superglue cockroaches to loose pieces of produce and scatter them throughout the display. You could also construct a basket resting on its side with bug-infested vegetation spilling out.

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