Cursed and Poisoned Apples

$25 - $30 (based on 2018 prices)

Makes two bowls

The farm theme for 2016’s haunt left me with numerous apples and I have spent the last few years finding ways to repurpose them. For the witch den, part of my office’s annual decorating competition, I decided to use the entire allotment to bring into fruition two ideas for poisoned apples which have been swimming around in my creative conscious for years. The first one involved the notorious fruit fabricated into a candy apple. The second involved glass display bowls fashioned to look like cauldrons.

• Eleven artificial apples
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in fire orange
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat black*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in hot cocoa*
• Two one-gallon fish bowls
• One 8 oz. can of oil-based interior wood stain in Jacobean*
• One 33 oz. bag of Spanish moss
• One 4 oz. bottle of all-purpose tacky glue*
• At least four tablespoons of black tea (e.g. Darjeeling, Earl Gary, English Breakfast, etc.)
• One piece of 8” x 11.5” copy paper with labels printed on it
• One pan large enough to soak the copy paper
• Two rubber snakes
  

1. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area give the apples two even coats of orange spray paint. The number of coats is based on your desired coverage for the props, so you may use more or less depending on your preferences.

2. To give the apples a rotten appearance, water down black acrylic paint and brush it over their surfaces (you can also use a spray bottle for the application). Allow the mixture to sit for a minute and then wipe it clean. Repeat this process with additional coats if you want a more muted tone. You may want to experiment with the consistency prior to doing this: the more water you add, the fainter/lighter the wash; the less water you add, the deeper/darker the wash. To enhance the decay, pat hot cocoa paint in random spots to create bruises. Additionally, paint the stems with a dark brown.

3. Thoroughly wash and dry the bowls. 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). After cleaning the bowls, roughen their surfaces with coarse sandpaper to help the stain adhere.

4. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, paint the bowls with the stain. I discovered that applying a thin coat and patting it with paper towels produces a hazed appearance. Likewise, brushing the rims and base with a swift downward motion creates the illusion of grime buildup.

5. Once the stain has dried, coat the bottoms of the bowls with a generous amount of glue and affix clusters of Spanish moss. You want enough to remain highly visible after adding the apples, but not so much that it dominates the prop. It may help to work in stages: insert the moss, place a few apples on top of it, and add or subtract moss as needed.

6. After you attached the appropriate quantity of moss, position the apples in the bowls. For aesthetic purposes, randomly arrange them. If you plan for a permanent display or one that will be exposed to the wind and other elements, consider gluing the apples in place to prevent them from moving.

7. Boil enough water to completely submerge the copy paper and pour it into the pan. Add the tea. The longer you allow the tea to brew, the darker the stain will become. Likewise, greater amounts of tea will produce a richer stain. I found that a combination of English and Irish Breakfast brewed for over ten minutes produces a nice, deep brown. Submerge the paper into the tea mixture and soak it until it reaches the color you desire. I soaked mine for eight hours and scattered the loose-leaf tea over the top of the paper to add spots. Remove the paper from the water and allow it to dry.

8. After the paper has dried, cut out the labels, leaving a small border around their edges. To roughen their appearance, use sandpaper to fray their sides and create holes. You can also crumple the paper to produce creases. Once you have achieved your desired level of distress, glue the labels to the sides of the bowls. You can use olive or vegetable oil to add further stains. I discovered that applying a small amount of oil to your index finger and patting it on the paper works well.

9. Coil the rubber snakes around the bowls and glue them in place. For a sturdier hold, use superglue. You want them to appear as though they are wrapped menacingly around the curves of the prop, so it might work best to move in gradual increments, gluing the head down first and slowly working with the body in stages.

10. For further detail, embellish the bowls with aged bones, clusters of feathers, a poisonous drip along the rims (follow the directions outlined in the instructions for the poisoned candy apples), or voodoo beads.

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