Halloween is one of those holidays you either love or hate.
Unless you're me, in which case you both love and hate it. In a related note, I also both love and hate exercise, John Grisham novels, Spanx and America's Next Top Model.
When it comes to Halloween decorations I'm not big on the cartooney, cutesy stuff. Think more Addams Family, less Munsters. For one thing The Addams Family were infinitely more elegant than the Munsters. Candelabras, smoking cauldrons and marble floored ballrooms. They had better taste than the Carringtons when you think of it.
Creepy really can be beautiful if you're focused. And creepy but beautiful was exactly what I wanted for the Halloween wreath I planned to make this year.
So when I eased my way past the people wearing slippers as actual footwear in the Halloween aisle of my local Dollar Store, I had to keep a sharp eye. Only look at things that had qualities I would have in my house on any given day, let alone Halloween.
What I came away with were some black skulls covered in sparkles, 8 black feather boas and some black cotton gauze.
The Dollar Store didn't sell any styrofoam wreaths big enough for what I wanted to do, so I hijacked a garbage bin behind a furniture store and grabbed 3 sheets of styrofoam to make my own wreath.
And here's how I did it and exactly what I used.
Materials
Table of Contents
A Few Black Sparkly Skulls - $ 1 each
8 Black Feather Boas - $2 each.
Black Gauze - $1
3 Sheets of Styrofoam - Free
If you choose to make your own styrofoam wreath form because of your excessive cheapness (and laziness ... couldn't be bothered to drive to Michael's) you have to glue your sheets of styrofoam together.
This way you end up with a nice, thick wreath. Not an unnice, skinny wreath.
I used 3, 1" pieces of styrofoam to make a HUGE wreath. You don't have to be as excessive as me. I tend towards excessiveness.
After you glue all your pieces together with regular white glue, let it dry overnight.
The next morning, when you wake up bright and cheery, full of vim and vigour, stretching your arms over your head just like they do in breakfast cereal commercials, your styrofoam will be perfectly adhered, ready for shaping into a wreath.
The first thing you'll need to do is regress to grade 6 math class and make one of those circle making things out of a string, a pin and a marker.
Do the same thing in the centre with a smaller circle.
Grab the trusty 1970's electric knife you bought at a church bazaar and get 'er revved up. Maybe stretch your arms over your head again, just for good measure.
Cut the outer styrofoam circle. An electric knife is the easiest way to cut styrofoam. I'm not saying you won't have flying balls of styrofoam everywhere. It just makes it easier. Be forewarned that you will be trying to clean up styrofoam balls that have static clinged themselves to every part of you and your kitchen. For the next week.
Good job. Now your outer circle is cut out perfectly. I'm quite impressed with you.
Now cut the centre circle out.
In just moments I'm going to wrap the black feather boas around the wreath, but to make sure they stay where you want them you should cut some wire into 2 inch pieces ...
... and then bend them over so they're like modified clippy things.
Start wrapping and clipping your boas around the wreath.
When you've applied approximately 17 birds worth, you'll have something that looks like this.
If you need a little more room in the centre of your wreath, just clip away some of the feathers so you have a bigger opening.
Allow the cat to court it's newfound love for a minute or two then shoo the cat away.
I randomly cut small pieces of the black gauze and then pinned them "pleasingly" on the wreath. Just wherever I thought it looked good. It was at this point I had to show some restraint, remembering I wanted a classy and elegant Halloween wreath. My "excessive" gene had to be stomped down for this one.
Every so often hold your wreath up to see what it'll look like hanging.
The sparkly skulls I got from the Dollar store had tooling and ribbons around their necks and came on sticks. However, I didn't like where the sticks were, so I cut them off ...
... and placed them where I wanted them, in the backs of the skulls. I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love these sparkly styrofoam skulls. They make me want to grin and stretch my arms above my head like I'm about to have a delicious bowl of sugar cereal.
This is another place I had to show some restraint. If you want to know the truth, I actually bought 8 skulls expecting to use them all and thought it was entirely possible I'd need to go buy more. But when it came down to it the wreath actually looked better with only a few skulls. Too many of them and they weren't as noticeable.
Hang it on the door, bat your eyelashes at Gomez and call it a night.
Oh yes! And I put mini-lights into it for nighttime viewing.
If you plan on doing this yourself for Halloween keep a couple of things in mind. The wreath will end up costing you $20 - $25 depending on where you get your supplies but you can use it year after year. So all in all it's pretty inexpensive. Even if it costs you $30 ... it isn't disposable so that's a deal and a half really. It'll last you as long as you can keep your cats from humping it to death.
Also, improvise. If you can't get feather boas, use all black gauze. If you can't find sparkly skull heads, use crows or spiders or anything else that gives you a tight squeeze, cool breeze ... leaves you with the shiverees Don't worry if you can't find the exact same materials I have. Just get things you like. As you can see, I happen to think the wreath looks best if it's monochromatic. An all white version of this would also be beautiful and unexpected.
And on *that* very Martha Stewart note ... happy wreathing.
Love Morticia.
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sandy bombardief
Love, Love, Love the wreath
Karen
Thanks Sandy! That wreath/post is 4 years old now and I still love it too! ~ karen
Terri Z
I just made this tonight and LOVE it!! I found black boas at The $5 Spot for just $3 each!! Michaels had them for $8. each. I'm sure Hobby Lobby has them as well. I only used 2 and think it was plenty. Cant wait to hang it tomorrow!
Karen
That's great! I made mine 4 years ago and I STILL hang it and love it. And people still comment on it. How many boas you need depends on how thick and lush they are. The ones currently at my dollar store seem to consist of a piece of string with 4 feathers barely hanging off of it, lol. Have fun hanging your wreath and thanks for letting me know you did it! ~ karen
JennyB
Mine didn't come out quite as dark and cool but I think it still came out cool, thanks for the idea!
HVD
Love this project!
Marlene
You are a hoot!! Love your instructions. And the fact that you can decorate without getting two or three full time jobs is great! Thank you.
Karen
You're welcome Marlene! ~ karen!
Gail Strebel
Where on Earth did you find boas for $2!? I have scoured the planet and the cheapest ones I can find are at Walmart for $7. Boooooooo! :(
Karen
Hi Gail. Dollarama in Canada! Best dollar store in the world. ~ karen!
Betty
This is really most excellent. It looks like a Victorian opera prop. You really have a gift and an eye.
You should consider set design!
Betty
Karen
Thanks Betty! ~ karen
Cindy Casique
I totally love this wreath! I am in the midst of moving, so I will be making it soon to show on my door next year. I can't wait to check the dollar stores. Thanks again for sharing.
Nancy Eileen
Love it!
Amanda
Love it! How did you come to the conclusion of the styrofoam being free? Where did you it free?
Thanks!
Karen
Hi Amanda - Most furniture stores, etc. get things with styrofoam packing. Just go in and ask for it or go out back to where their garbage bin is! ~ karen
Liss
Love! Enjoyed reading your tutorial blog on making the wreath! Planning an adult happy hours this year and going to adorn my door with this master piece!
Pam
The Dollar Tree has black glittery skulls right now,, I just saw them this morning and now I need to go back for some =) I truely love this idea. Thank you, Pam
Karen
Thanks Pam. Yup, the skulls make it! :) ~ karen
debbie
I love it. I am inspired for Xmas too but can't use skulls for that...
I love the screen door. Like clothesline, they are finally becoming acceptable again! Great site
Karen
Thanks Debbie! (and the screen door converts to all glass for the winter ... I love it) ~ karen!
Beth @ Aunt B's Kitchen
This is so clever! I've linked your post on my blog today, in "A Not-So-Spendy Halloween," so that others can enjoy your creativity too. Thanks for sharing this good idea.
Sandra
This post was featured on COASAHMom for Pinnerific Thursday! http://www.coasahmom.com/2012/10/pinnerific-thursday.html
Kristin
Love your wreath, and used it to make one of our own! Instead of skulls, we used glow-in-the-dark bats, shiny spiders and purple twinkle lights, and hung a big fuzzy orange spider from the bottom of the wreath...Thanks so much for the inspiration!
Kat
Me again I made another Halloween Wreath this time from a dollar stores bag of bones and stuff!!! But the real reason I am back is just to let you know I do enjoy this "site" (see I even spelled it right this time) anyway I have never read a blogger persons blog before, kinda thought it would be quite boring reading someones everyday stuff! But I must admit it is entertaining and inspirational. Today I thought I would start at the beginning and go through it all to date but sorry to say that did not happen! I was all over the pages couldn't stay on track at all but had a great time and thanks for the ride!
SILVIA
I adore them. I had to improvise a lot. I used roses and put the skulls in the middle. It looks great, but I still love yours very much. I got the inspiration from yours! Great job!
Deb
Karen, I think I have a girl crush on you! Not only do I love your wreath, but the way you think and write make you my soul mate! Lol. My husband need never know. Wink, wink.
Seriously though, I can't wait to give a version of this wreath a try. Thanks for the inspiration.
Karen
Deb - Well ... I've wanted to tell you for a long time. I love you too. Husbands be damned. ~ karen
Kat
I made my wreath and I done you proud it looks perfect. Note to self... don't wear a white wool sweater when playing with dollar store black boas, at least I had the sense to work on it outside where all the fluffy stuff is blowin' in the wind. I only bled once when I stabbed myself with the plastic stick poking the skull into the foam. Hah! who needs fake blood when I got the real stuff!!! Thanks again for the great ideas my next project is going to be those adorable toothy pumpkin carvings you did!