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Alright, for those of you asking for some spooky elf ideas… I have a good one today! Check out this awesome headless horseman elf on the shelf idea.
Today’s addition to your huge collection of elf ideas is a little darker than our other elf ideas, but perfect for those of you who can’t get enough of the macabre and Halloween! You are probably familar with the legend of the headless horseman, a popular character in various folktales, including The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Since we weren’t about to decapitate our poor elf, we went with a Halloween twist and instead of actually headless, he has a jack o’ lantern for a face/head.
Headless Horseman Elf on the Shelf Idea
Earlier this fall, we were shopping at the craft store (Micheal’s) and found these amazing paper mache jack o’lantern pumpkins. I was trying my best to gauge their size in relation to our elf’s head and I determined that they were pretty close. It turned out, they were a great size, though I did have to put a small cut into the back of the pumpkin so that the elf’s head could slide inside easier.
One funny sidenote: scroll down to the picture where I actually show the inside of these pumpkins. What the heck? LOL! They were literally made from old math worksheets, I’m guessing maybe textbook or workbook pages. Too funny! (And way to recycle!)
Headless Horseman Elf Supplies
To make this scene, you will need the following supplies:
- Elf
- Paper Mache Pumpkins (check the craft store! You could substitute small pumpkin decorations if you can’t find paper mache versions)
- Orange paint
- Paintbrush
- X-acto Knife
- Horse (for a prop)
How to make the scene
1. Use the knife to cut an opening in the bottom of the pumpkin. I did have to make a cut in the back of the pumpkin in order to slide it over the elf’s head.
2. Paint the pumpkin orange and set it aside to dry.
3. Find a horse toy as a prop. Place the pumpkin over the elf’s head and set the elf on top of the horse. Totally spooky and fun!
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