Halloween Village

After seeing several different Halloween villages for sale, I was inspired to make my own.  I wanted something that was genuinely scary, not childlike or cartoonish.

 

So I bought some papier-mache house forms from the craft store and spent a few evenings creating a village which, if I may say so, is about as scary as a paper village could ever be.  So much so, in fact, that I actually put it out of view of the children.

 

This one is built around antique photographs and letters, doilies, and lace.

The buildings are loosely themed, but mainly I just had fun gathering up the creepiest images and items I could find and combining them together.

This one is probably my favorite, the crypt.

The project also used up a lot of odds and ends I had left over from previous Halloween parties and crafts.   

 

Red sealing wax from last year's invitations

 

 

The "museum"

 

The "church" 

 

Assorted tombstones

 

Eventually I'll probably add some twisted wire trees and maybe some fallen leaves or other ground cover - and I can always add more houses, too, if inspiration strikes against next year.

With decorative gargoyle