Last year I showed you all how to make a "Severed Leg", so now let's make another disembodied appendage to add to your collection! You can even carry it along as a prop with your tasty-looking brain if you want to portray a rather hungry zombie..

This project requires a bit of patience and at least 6 sticks of hot glue, but makes a rather convincing, shriveled-up rotten looking corpse hand - Just what everybody needs, don't you think!

Here's what you'll need to get started:

Your own hand (don't worry - its just for mold-making!)
Plastic tub or other flat hand-fitting container
Clay
Hot Glue
Bones (I used real coyote leg bones - but you can buy artificial replicas if desired)

Step 1: Make Your Mold

I used Crayola Air-Drying clay for this project since it was simply what I had available. Do not let the clay dry, though, because you'll need to re-use it. I put the entire contents of the container into the plastic tub, and added a little water to the clay to soften it a bit, then pressed my hand in enough to leave a deep, clear imprint.

Step 2: Glue Cast

This step could also be accomplished with silicone, latex or any other soft casting material, however hot glue is what I had on hand (no pun intended!) so that's what I used. Keep in mind that hot glue does give a somewhat "shriveled" look to the piece, however since this hand is supposed to look dead anyway, I wasn't too concerned about that!

When using glue, make sure its heated up enough to flow freely from the nozzle, and drizzle it into the mold at an even thickness. It hardens quick so your casting will be able to get pulled from the mold within a matter of seconds after you finish. Then wash off the excess clay from the cast, using soap and water and its ready for the next steps.

Next, make a mold of the opposite side of your hand by smoothing out the clay again and reusing it for the same process of pressing your hand into it to make an imprint. Then repeat the process of casting it, so you will have two matching halves of the same hand. Each side takes about 2 1/2 sticks of hot glue to complete.

Step 3: Glue the Halves Together

Trim the edges of each half smooth, using scissors or a pocket knife blade. Then fit them together and connect both halves using the hot glue. However, keep the lower end of the hand open so there is a hollow "pocket" at the wrist. That is where the bones will go!

Step 4: Now the Fun Stuff!

Insert the bones into the opening at the wrist, and glue them in. Using any excess glue, add "gore" details such as strings of fleshy textures hanging off the bone from each end. After the glue hardens, it's ready to paint and turn into a truly gruesome looking prop!

I used acrylic paints in varying flesh tones and reds to make this arm appear realistically mangled - its at this point where you can get as creative as you want with the colors and design! After painting, I sprayed the entire thing with matte Polyurethane finish, so the paint would not wash off if displayed outdoors.

Step 5: Display and Keep Your Neighbors Away!

A prop like this will definitely have your Trick-or-Treaters taking second glances as they walk up your driveway - it can also be carried as a costume accessory or displayed in all manner of disturbing places around the house to freak out your friends!

So get some glue, a few old bones and some paint and have fun making your own...after all, you'll never know when you might need an extra hand!