Flinstones Props for Trunk or Treat Out of Mostly Recycled Material

We created a Flinstones themed car decoration for a Trunk or Treat event at school, using mostly recycled/found materials.

Supplies

Tools:

Scissors

Hot glue gun

Hot Glue Sticks

Xacto Knife/Box cutter

Cardboard boxes

Colored paper

White paper

Pencil

Black Permanent Marker

Eraser

Bottle Caps/Cups or Toilet paper rolls

Glue/glue sticks

Projector/Large Screen TV (for tracing "board")

Step 1: Cutting the Boxes/Creating the Logs

Step 1: Measure the length of your car. We opted to only do the back end, since our Truck is 221 inches long. It worked! Then, acquire some cardboard boxes. I used Sam's Club boxes from a delivery because the cardboard is relatively thin and easy to cut. Cut all flaps off of the top and bottom. Slit one end to make a long strip of cardboard. To do half of our truck took two boxes to do a whole side, one to do one side.

If using two boxes:

Using hot glue, attach both boxes together in one long continuous strip.

Step 2:

On each end of the strip, draw two ovals at an angle. Connect the inner edges of ovals with a curved V, as pictured to look like the end of a forked stick. Then draw in the outer edges and straighten the lines, connecting both ends in one continuous log with two forked ends.

Then, cut out the entire long shape. I scored it first with an Xacto knife, then I used scissos to trim.

Step 3: Decorating the "Twigs"

First make the pegs for the end that act as the prehistoric nails. You can choose anything that is round and can look peg-like. I used bottlecaps from large juice bottles, cups, or toilet paper rolls. Cut them down to be about 2" tall. Wrap in brown paper. Trace the end of the cup/item that will face upwards and cut a circle out of brown paper to cover the top.

I also opted to glue brown paper along the entire twig. However, you can also use the natural cardboard color, or you can paint them brown. It depends on what you have. To cover in butcher paper I painted the entire piece with elmer's school glue using a wide foam brush and pressed the paper down, then trimmed to fit.

Then using the black marker draw on lines to make it look like natural logs. I used pictures of the Flinstone's actual car for inspiration.

Step 4: The Wheels

I used the back of a large sticky note pack, but you could also use a tri-fold board or even white posterboard. draw a large circle, and it does not need to be perfect! They were rocks, so no need to make a seamless circle with no bumps. I then wrapped them like a gift taping to make it cover the front. You could also glue it, but I found the wrapping and taping method perfect (see photo of back)

It does not have to look perfect! If you use plain white posterboard, it could just be circles cut out. It could also be painted white.

Step 5: Auxiliary Accessories & Awning

We used a white sheet (that may have belonged to one of my sons...but they left it on the extra washing machine for two months so, fair game!) You could also buy a few yards of wide muslin that is relatively cheap, or hit the thrift store. We put the sheet over the back of the car before cutting out v shapes to look like the Flintstones' car.

I did not photograph the Dino progress, but I did the same process as BammBamm. I used a large screen and froze the image on the screen in black and white, and used a color pic for reference. If you google black and white drawings of "insert character name" or coloring pages of the same, it will give you multiple results. Using painter's tape, affix thinner white paper to the screen and trace in pencil. For Dino, I also traced the different colored elements, starting with Purple, since that is the majority color involved. Then I traced his face on brown, collar on blue, etc. and layered them using glue. Outline in black marker and add any details with colroed pencil or marker before gluing.

When you are satisfied with your characters, glue them onto a piece of cardboard. You can use a tri-fold board, or I actually used the backs of the large sticky notes (I am a teacher) that were almost empty. Cut around using the score and cut method, and then create a stand.

To add additional support to Dino's neck and the stands I glued a popsicle stick. You can also use a horizontal piece of cardboard. Both required a bit of playing around to get the characters to stand up.

Step 6: Put It All Together!

We attached everything to our truck (except the awning) with painter's tape! It stuck really well and we didn't need to worry about damaging the paint. It lasted through the band concert and the trunk or treat event! Grab some candy and welcome kids to your trunk or truck with a smile!