It was such a beautiful day... thought Red as she skipped along the forest trail that led to gramma's cottage. Grandma hadn't been well lately. Red is such a sweet child thinking to take her gramma a bit of lunch and go for a visit. You know how lonely grandmas get.
The forest seemed so alive, she thought... except that the birds aren't engaged in their usual cacophony. She continued merrily on her way and was nearing gramma's little cottage. The woodsman had obviously been in this area she thought. The carcasses of dead and dissected trees were scattered about. Red felt somewhat sorry for the trees, but consoled herself in the knowledge that at least plants can't feel. The woodsman must have gone to lunch--he was nowhere to be seen.
Arriving at grandma's house, Red felt a certain sense of foreboding that she couldn't quite put her finger on, but the feeling intensified as she approached the door. Lightly tapping, the door creeeeeeeked open ever so slightly. "Grandma" she called, her voice echoing in the woods around her. Pushing forward through the door, she felt the hair rise on the back of her neck. What is that smell, she thought. As she crept toward Grandma's room, she saw the horror of her grandmother's disemboweled body strewn about the room. Terror gripped Red. Dropping her basket she turned to run. But it was too late... the wolf was upon her, fangs dripping with his hungry saliva mixed with gramma's blood. She screamed for the woodsman to come and help her... the woodsman she knew was strong and brave. Desperate, she called again and again,... but the woodsman never came. It seems the woodsman found a terror of his own, for you see, the trees in these woods do feel.
Costs and quantities are approximate, since only a portion of items purchased were used, and some items were already on hand.
Chicken wire, had on hand
approx 7 yards burlap, $20
abt 60 lbs Fix-It-All Plaster, $30
Various colors latex paint, $20
Brushes from $1 store, $2
Cheese Cloth, $6
Aluminum foil, about 18 x 36 inches, used to reflect light inside tree
Pumpkin lites, about $4 but already had
Axe and severed head, already had these
Total cost was approx $80 in purchased items.
I was trying to come up with an idea for the contest, and decided that just about everyone has been creeped out by a scary tree. This was a fairly typical wire and mud creation, except that I wanted it free standing (no frame inside, just wire) and I made it in two pieces so that it could be more easily transported. The base and the top both can separately sit upright or lay on their backsides
It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun. I am quite happy with how it turned out, especially the two piece idea. Each half is light enough to move around, but if I had built it as one piece it would have been too difficult (it's over 6' tall).
Here's a pic of my 16 yo son to show the size of the thing.
Ahwahneeliz's Entry
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