How To Create A Chic Spooky Skeleton Wreath

2020-09-302022-09-03

You won't want to miss out on this week's “There’s No Place Like Home” Autumn Blog Hop.  This week is wreath & door decor. Several bloggers including our host Rachelle of My Hubbard Home, Paula at Virginia Sweet Pea, and Michelle at Thistle Key Lane are sharing their wreath and door decor. This group of ladies will be getting together a few more times in the coming weeks to share wreaths, crafts, and tablescapes. Links for all the posts are at the bottom of this post.

Are you ready for a little Fall Halloween decor that is not so cheesy and juvenile? Looking to decorate with a little more grown-up style this year? This chic spooky skeleton wreath is perfectly elegant and spooky, too!

We’ve been seeing more of these gold and silver skeletons and skulls in Halloween decor in stores and online. Although some are just painted gold or silver, others are set off with sparkly bling. As I began this project, a blinged-out skeleton was my vision.

For Halloween, I love using a black frame as a cheap base. I picked this one up on sale years ago for five bucks and created this skeleton wreath for the front door.

Then, I disassembled the wreath and created a paper mache pumpkin wreath.

Steps For Making a Chic Spooky Skeleton Wreath

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So, my first step is to disassemble the pumpkin wreath. If you don’t have one to disassemble, you can either purchase one or paint an old frame with gloss black paint.

For this project, you will need:

An Ornate black shiny picture frame
A skeleton
*Silver Paint (Krylon Color Blast in Silver Metallic)
Black Acrylic Craft Paint
Orange food dye
Gloss Mod Podge
Florist wire
Rhinestones, pearls, beads, jewels
Wired ribbon
E-6000 Glue or Super Glue
Hot glue gun and glue
Silk and Glitter Stems

*I love this Krylon spray paint!  It can be used on wood, metal, wicker, plastic, paper mache, glass, plaster, ceramic, fabric, and paper.  It dries very quickly, too.

The Layout of the Chic Spooky Skeleton Wreath

You have seen lots of skeleton decorations and the skeleton is hanging limp, hands flat, feet hanging down, and no personality. I like to give the skeleton a little more posture and personality. As I begin this project, it occurs to me that turning the frame sideways in a landscape position, the skeleton can be in a more interesting position. His right hand can easily be secured to the top of the frame.

The frame I’m using is 21.5 x 25.5 – inches and the opening measures 15.5 x 19.25 – inches. Just remember that you want the skeleton to be proportionate to the frame.

My 36-inch skeleton is several years old.

If you don’t already have one, I found this ► 36 – inch Crazy Bonez Posable Skeleton Decoration on Amazon. It is posable and might be even easier to use for this project.

Spray Paint the Skeleton

Take the skeleton outside and place him in a cardboard box, on a sheet of cardboard, plastic, or something to protect your grass. Spray a few light coats of the silver or gold paint over the skeleton making sure you cover the entire skeleton, back, and front.

Like I said above, this Krylon Color Blast in Silver Metallic dries very quickly in comparison to other paints. On the label, it says it dries in less than 10 minutes. I sprayed a light coat, went into the house for a couple of minutes, came back, and he was dry. Then, sprayed another light coat, repositioned him, and repeated until he was completely covered.

Oh! Don’t you love him already?

Use Acrylic Craft Paint to Add Detail

With a small round paintbrush, apply black paint to the details on the skeleton’s face, teeth, hands, feet, and body. Quickly, remove the excess, leaving black paint only in the crevices. Paint black into the eye sockets.

If your skeleton will be subject to the elements, you will want to spray an outdoor sealer over the painted areas.

Add Bling to the Chic Spooky Skeleton Wreath

If you plan to display the skeleton outside, you will want to use a glue that won’t be affected by the elements to attach the bling. I am using super glue, but E-6000 will work well, too.

Put a dab of glue on the skeleton where you want to adhere the jewels or bling. Place each jewel or bead in the dab of glue to decorate your skeleton. Bling him up as much or as little as you like. After adding the rhinestones that I bought, I decided it needed a little more. So, I raided my jewelry making supplies and added some small silver beads and some other small crystal beads.

Cocktail for the Chic Skeleton Wreath

What says chic more than a fancy cocktail? My first intention was to add a wine glass to the skeleton. I went to the dollar store to pick up a disposable plastic wine glass. Along with silver flowers, pearl beads, and single-use superglue, I found these champagne flutes, and the idea for a festive Halloween cocktail is born. (Ultimately, I didn’t use the silver flowers.)

Items from the dollar store — Items from the Dollar Store

The next thing is to figure out how to make it look like a drink is inside… Then, I remembered making the transparent stained glass Oui yogurt jar I made a while back. changing the food dye to orange will create a festive Halloween looking cocktail.

For The Cocktail, You Will Need

For this project, you will need a glass jar, disposable champagne glass, gel food coloring, Mod Podge gloss finish, paper towels, a disposable plate or lid, and a popsicle stick, a disposable chopstick, or something you can use to stir the Mod Podge.

The Mod Podge with a matte finish dries semi-transparent and may look cloudy. You want the gloss, which gives a transparent stained-glass look.

Directions

Pour some of the Mod Podge about a half-inch deep into the jar. (I use a glass yogurt jar.) Add a drop or two of the orange food coloring, gently stir with the popsicle stick, add more coloring, and stir thoroughly until you achieve the depth of color you want. I used several drops of orange food coloring, and then added a couple of drops of red food coloring to make it a little more intense. (Be careful not to stir too vigorously creating air bubbles!)

This mixture will look opaque but will dry transparent. After you have everything mixed well, slowly pour the mixture into the champagne glass. Roll the plastic glass in your hands until the mixture completely covers and coats the inside of the glass and stem.

Pour the excess back into the glass jar. Wipe any drips off the outside mouth of the glass, turn the jar upside down, and allow the excess to drain for about a half-hour. I actually poured the excess back into the yogurt jar and coated the inside of it for another project.

Place the glass upside-down on a few folded paper towels and firmly press down on the jar while you turn it, cleaning off the excess around the rim. Turn the glass right side up, wipe off any remaining glue on the outside of the glass rim, and allow the Mod Podge to dry overnight. Don’t skip this step!

Cautions

Not that this happened to me, but the black glitter might cling to the tinted Mod Podge. Then, you will have to use a paintbrush to try to remove the little pieces of glitter.

Also, if it looks a little cloudy in the stem but the top part looks clear, don’t check the stem with your fingertip. Let it dry! It will dry clear! Trust me.

Apply the Black Glitter

The next day, set the rim of the glass on a sheet of tin foil. Pull the wrap up around the glass. Remove the glass and pour a bead of Mod Podge around the perimeter. Set the glass rim in the glue, making sure a pretty uniform bead of glue layers the rim. Then, sprinkle black glitter over the glue. Shake off the excess and allow the glue to dry.

With the addition of black glitter around the rim, it is perfectly chic!

Attach the Skeleton to the Wreath

Note that gauze is not used in this display. Gauze does not say glamour or elegance, does it? No, for this wreath we want some glitz and glamour. But the first thing we have to do is attach this bedazzled skeleton to the wreath.

I already have eye screws from the previous versions using this frame. Some of those will be utilized again. You can add eye screws where needed. Just keep them on the backside out of view.

The first thing you need to do is set the skeleton into the frame. Using the cord attached to the skeleton’s head, wrap it over the top of the frame. Loop a section of florist wire in the loop. Secure the cord and the florist wire to an eye screw.

Using a drill fitted with a 1/16 – inch bit, drill a hole into the foot of the skeleton. Thread a piece of florist wire through the drilled hole and attach it to the eye hook securely.

Secure the Right Foot to The Frame

Next, spray the silver paint on a length of florist wire. Allow it to dry and then, use it to secure the arm to the bent knee. It doesn’t show it in the picture, but you will want to cut the wire and bend the ends out of view. Another point to make, be sure you clip all wire ends and bend back into the frame, so the wires don’t scratch the front door.

You can see in one of the pictures above that I added a bow tie from the orange spider ribbon to the skeleton’s neck. It just seemed he needed some of the orange color there. I love it!

Add Some Bows and Stems

A note here, at this point, I hung the frame with the skeleton on a door using a wreath hanger. It is easier to see and work on it when it is up and hanging.

In the bunch of things, I bought for this project is one long black stem with a black rose and white berries. It seems too long to work as-is. So, I clipped it in half and angled the remaining pieces to fit in the upper left corner of the frame. Next, I wrapped it with a wire wrap. (You know, one of those wires the kid’s toys are secured so tightly to the ding-dang box you have to take a chainsaw to it to get it loose? Yes, I tend to keep those for projects like this.)

The florist wire is green, and these just seemed a better alternative. I could have spray-painted more of the wire silver, too.

Then, I took it to the frame with the skeleton, adjusted it, and applied hot glue over the wire wrap, securing the stems in place. Next, add a piece of florist wire and wrap around the frame to secure it in place.

The Bow for the Chic Spooky Skelton Wreath

The first part of the bow is created by making 6 loops, 3 on each side. Then, wire those together. Make a second bow by making 6 loops, 3 on each side, set this on top of the first bow. Using a liberal length of florist wire, wrap the two bows together. Twist to secure.

Then, attach the double bow to the frame in the upper left corner. Attach orange glittered stems to the black stems under and beside the double bow. Cut one of the orange-glittered stems in half and hot glue to the lower right corner of the frame.

Attaching the Cocktail to the Skeleton Hand

The cocktail glass stem will easily fit between the first and second fingers. Position the glass stem, add hot glue to the fingers where the bowl of the glass touches them.

Add the Foolish Mortals Sign to the Chic Spooky Skeleton Wreath

You can download the sign image ◄here. When printed, the sign measures about 4 x 5.25 – inches. Print the sign on regular copy paper and glue to a black foam board with Mod Podge. Cut around the sign with an X-Acto knife or mat knife.

Use a black Magic Marker to cover the white foam core on the four sides that are cut. Then, apply a couple of layers of Mod Podge for exterior use if you are displaying the wreath outdoors. (Need step by step how-to for a similar sign? detailed instructions ◄click here.)

Welcome Foolish Mortals!

This picture does not do the wreath justice! I absolutely love this elegantly chic spooky skeleton wreath!