Something Wicked this Way Comes with this Witch's Trunk by Betsy Skagen

Brooms, hats, potions, and spells--ever wonder where witches keep all the necessities for hair-raising fun on Halloween? Well one witch stores her goods in this miniature steamer trunk.

Featuring a spooky spider latch and faux leather exterior, this trunk includes many tiny accessories.

You can make this witch's trunk in time for your Halloween decorating. It would also be the perfect gift for any dollhouse owner. 

Begin by assembling the steamer trunk from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts. Pay attention to where you place the sides so that the holes match where you will want your compartment to be (cough-cough, I speak from experience).

Add black ink to the raised areas of a piece of faux leather paper.

Cut the paper to fit the exterior of the trunk.

Next cut four small strips of black Tyvek. Adhere these to both the interior and exterior of the trunk to create two hinges.

Then cut four strips that fit the top and bottom of the trunk. Evenly place miniature brads. Adhere these to the trunk

Cut long narrow strips of the faux leather to go around the top and bottom edges of the trunk.

 Use a wire snips to cut the links of a spider pendant. Add embossing ink and rust embossing powder to the spider and activate the powder with a heat gun. Be careful! The metal gets very hot! Add brown and black alcohol inks to add further dimension. Then use a strong adhesive to attach to the trunk.

Your next step is to adhere a Halloween themed decorative paper to the interior. don't forget the compartment door.

Add a knob to the compartment door, then spray the interior and exterior with a coat of matte polyurethane.

Now comes the fun part--embellishing your trunk. Use your imagination to add bones, eyeballs, potions, books and whatever else you desire. You can purchase bones and eyeballs or make them yourself with paper clay. After they are dry, add gesso and paint. 

You can also use paper clay to create a witch's hat and a snake.

Cut book jackets from the Halloween Labels & Mini Books printable and add to miniature books that you have aged with brown ink.

Cut labels from the same sheet and add them to miniature bottles. This involves some teeny tiny fussy cutting.

Use the same process that you used on the spider latch, add embossing powder and alcohol ink to age the top of your jars. Then add your ingredients to your bottles. Use Glossy Accents mixed with glitter and alcohol ink, tiny beads or items you have made from paper clay.

Cut witch spells and a skeleton diagram from the Spells & Skeletals printable. Roughen and ink the edges with brown ink. Adhere the skeleton to the back wall of the trunk.

Cut witch stockings from a piece of green fabric and add stripes with a black marker. Spray the stockings with a light coat of matte polyurethane to prevent the fabric from fading.

Tie dried moss together, add tiny red beads and glue them to the bottom side of a shelf to create hanging "herbs".

I hope you have fun making your own witch's trunk. I would love to see how you bring your own creativity to the project!  -Betsy

Great Stuff

4" Steamer Trunk
Paper Calliope Spells & Skeletals
Paper Calliope Halloween Labels & Mini Books
Faux leather paper
Halloween themed paper
Miniature brads
Spider embellishment
Miniature Glass bottles
Paper clay
Glossy Accents
Alcohol ink
Glitter
Green fabric
Black marker
Black Tyvek
Gesso
Acrylic paint
Matte polyurethane
Strong adhesive