An easy DIY decor that is cheap as they come and add an amazing effect to any Halloween occasion.
- thrift store wooden candle holders
- Dollar Store skulls
- drill
- screws
- Black Chalkboard Spray Paint
- off white/tan acrylic paint
- flameless tapered candles
So this idea behind this project was some sconces I found in an antique store on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. I stopped off just to stretch my legs and antique stores line the Eastern Shore and are perfect for doing that. So I walked in and found these old and very heavy iron and wood sconces. Not to mention they were a little expensive. They were ornate and had a great goth look to them. My brain immediately went to Halloween. Like most things if we are being honest.
I left and headed home and on the way home I thought about how I could create something like it, but for cheaper and something easy to store. When I feel like getting creative, I visit the local Goodwill and look for things to repurpose. The Halloween gods were looking down on me. I came across a bunch of these wooden tapered candle holders. Not much to them and simplistic. I bought the four that were there. Total money spent so far? $8.
Next was to adorn these with something to make them spooky. It just so happens The Dollar Store had Halloween decorations a few weeks later. Their skulls are not much to look at but if you can do something different with them, then it’s worth it. So I bought six. Four for the holders and two extra in case I messed them up.
No to assemble these puppies! I took a razor blade and cut the bottom of the skulls off to give them a more realistic look. I took two screws and screwed the skulls on through the back of the wooden candle holder. I also took some liquid nails and glued the back of the skull to the wooden candle holder for more stability.
Once they have been screwed together and the liquid nails has set, it’s time to dress them up. I used black or charcoal chalkboard spray paint. I like the chalkboard paints because they are matte and not glossy and easier to use when distressing things.
After the black paint dries, I like to take an off white or tan acrylic paint and lightly dry brush them to give them the weathered and distressed look.
Once they have the look I am going for, I add some flameless taper candles to complete the look. Most of these had a hole on the back to hang, but if you don’t want to nail your walls, I suggest 3M strips. They work like a gem. By the end, each of these cost me about $5 each to make. $2 for the holder, $1 for the skull and $3 for supplies I had in stock (paint, screws, and liquid nails). The candles come from Michael’s and depends on what type you get.
Happy Haunting!
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