Halloween Apothecary - Part One

Okay.... here it is.... a project I've been working on for weeks now! Because there is a LOT to show you, I will break it up into numerous posts.

It all started quite simply - it didn't end that way though.

After completing my Mini Apothecary book, I knew I wanted to make a larger version for permanent display in my Studio - because after Christmas, Halloween is my favorite holiday. I watched Laura Carson's video tutorials at Artfully Musing numerous times and was inspired to do my own take, but not a direct copy of, her wonderful creations.

I decided to use mini bottles again to keep it from getting too large, so I got out all the antique teenie tiny bottles I had and used 40% off Michael's coupons to buy a few packages of Tim Holtz' bottle sets. I also found two sizes of mini glass bottles with corks at the Dollar Store, so I brought home a few packages of six each.

I also discovered some wooden shelves there that I thought would be the perfect size to display my potions; they were divided into nine square sections so I bought three to make a display that would fit in a corner, thinking I would hinge them together. I removed some of the dividers to create sections for larger bottles to stand.

When I got them home though, I realized the shelves were not deep enough, so back I went and bought another three. I pulled the back off one set and glued them two deep to create my base unit. I then added four wooden stands; two for the center section and one under each side panel to add varying heights for interest. I also applied wooden scrolls from the Dollar Store to the tops and sides, as well as brads and wooden skewers for more detail. Then everything was painted flat black.

I picked up some mini Halloween lights at Michael's and punched holes into each section so they would poke through. Then I cut background papers from Graphic 45's Steampunk Spells paper, glued them to the back of each section, and inserted the lights from behind. I made two sections different from all the others; in one I placed four matchboxes for a set of drawers with pulls, and in another, I would add a "leaded glass" door to the front (er, to be truthful, it's simply a transparency with a brad for a handle attached with two brass hinges).

Then I started with the potions... it took weeks to research, fill, decorate and label about 40 bottles...

But I won't keep you waiting for a pic of the finished project. Here it is:

I'll explain how I did each section with close-ups of most of the potions with their contents (oh yes, each one is different!) and a few hand-made accessories I created from whatever I could find in my stash (and on hubby's workbench - shhhhh!) and even a couple that are hand-sculpted.

Oh and for those Harry Potter fans like me, you will find more than a few references in here too!

Part Two can be found HERE.


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