Tag Archives: Halloween decor

Dia de los Muertos

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Happy Halloween, everybody! In honor of this very special holiday (my favorite!), I have to share two All-Hallows-Eve-approved items that recently came into my possession.

Glitter and Goat Cheese - Gold skull from Z Gallerie

I’ve been wanting a gold skull FOREVER. I managed to DIY some glitter versions last year, but sometimes, DIY just can’t replace the real thing. And while my new version from Z Gallerie isn’t actually metal – it’s ceramic coated with a metallic finish – it’s a lot closer than spray paint! Plus, it was only $14.95. That’ll hold me over until I can afford this one. Oh, and in case you’re wondering: Of COURSE it’s not just for Halloween! Like my glitter skulls, this thing is definitely staying out all year round.

I’ll also be rocking this outside of October:

Glitter and Goat Cheese - Brass skull necklace - Monserat de Lucca Presents Defy

It’s made by Monserat De Lucca, and I got it at an amazing store called Yates & Kennedy in Provincetown.

Glitter and Goat Cheese - Monserat De Lucca Presents Defy - Brass Three Skull Necklace

It’s made of 100% brass, and I’m frigging obsessed with it. Did I mention I really love skulls?

We’re packing up to move into the new house (!!!), so we won’t be doing anything exciting tonight. How are you guys planning to celebrate Halloween?

     

It’s a Velvet Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

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A couple weeks ago, I won a giveaway from one of my favorite blogs, House of Turquoise. I was mega-excited for two reasons. 1) I had never won a giveaway before, and 2) I really, REALLY wanted the prize: a set of six plush pumpkins from LoveFeast. And today, they arrived!

Brad snapped a photo of me giddily transporting my babies to their new home in the living room.
LoveFeast Turquoise Plush Pumpkins
(Dress: American Apparel – similar; Vest: Marshall’s; Leggings: Romeo & Juliet Couture from HauteLook; Boots: Chinese Laundry; Larger-than-usual bun with help from A Lust for All Seasons; Lack of neck c/o my poor posture)

I wanted them up somewhere where my mischievous pets couldn’t reach them, so they ended up on top of my favorite decorative cabinet and our CD shelf.

LoveFeast Turquoise Plush Pumpkins

LoveFeast Turquoise Plush Pumpkins

Aren’t they beautiful? They’re made with super-luscious velvet and real dried pumpkin stems. Like my glitter skulls, these fall items might have to stay on display all year.

While I was taking these pictures, I realized that I never shared the rest of my Halloween decor, even though it’s been up for at least a month. (Don’t judge. I was excited.)

This glass cylinder of skulls lives on my coffee table.
Mini skull decor
(FYI: I don’t always try to get my pets in my pictures. It just happens. What can I say? They’re attention whores.)

My foyer table is the home of a fuschia glitter spider (hiding in the flowers), a white ceramic skull, and another glass cylinder containing glittery skeleton limbs.
Glitter spider, ceramic skull, glitter skeleton

Brad thinks the cylinder-o’-limbs is gross, but I think it has just the right blend of glam and grotesque. Don’t you?
Glitter skeleton, ceramic skull

The mirror above the table has another glitter spider and a glitter crow perching on it.
Glitter spider, black glitter bird

And in our kitchen, I paired a gourd (a gift from Jeff) and a black glitter pumpkin with my Patrón vase.

Glitter pumpkin

I realize my dahlia is dead, but I figure that’s appropriate, since it’s for Halloween.

How are you all decorating your homes for fall?

     

Skulls That Sparkle

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Guess what, guys! Halloween is now just six weeks away. To most people, that probably means it’s almost time to start decorating. For me, it means I’ve already been working on my costume for weeks. Growing up, Halloween was always my favorite holiday. Now that trick-or-treating isn’t involved, it’s lost some of its appeal, but I still get giddy when October approaches.

A while ago, I came across a post on Cupcakes and Cashmere about Emily’s Halloween decor. Predictably, I fell in love with this black glitter skull from Z Gallerie.


via Cupcakes and Cashmere

I just had to have one, but the store near me didn’t have them yet. My extreme impatience led to ambition, and I decided to attempt making my own.

Apparently, Michael’s likes to give crafty holiday lovers some lead time on the decorations, because they already had plenty of Halloween pieces. I spotted a shelf of paper maché skulls, and I was in business. I also grabbed some black spray paint and gorgeous fine black glitter.

Creating a glitter skull seemed like a fairly simple process in my head. 1) Spray paint the skull. 2) Hit it with a buttload of spray adhesive (my favorite is 3M Super 77). 3) Dump a bunch of glitter on top. 4) Step back and admire.

I already owned a nifty funnel tray to catch and re-use the extra glitter. So quick and easy, right?

Wrong.

It looks all right in that photo, but trust me – in person, it ain’t pretty. The glitter was clumpy and uneven, and I couldn’t touch the damn thing without getting glitter all over my entire life. Even after a coat of Krylon Clear Sealer, the glitter wouldn’t stay put. Luckily, I had a back-up plan.

While I was at Michael’s, I had spotted a product I hadn’t seen before: Krylon Glitter Blast in “Starry Night.”

I had purchased it in hopes of adding some extra sparkle on top of the regular glitter. But when I tried it out on the ground (my expert testing area), I found that it was incredible on its own. I immediately ran right out to buy more in “Golden Glow.” I already had gold spray paint, because … duh.

I hit my next two skulls with Krylon Spray Primer, then coated them with some gorgeous, glossy spray paint.

Before I started spraying the glitter, I wondered to myself if it was actually made of colored paint PLUS glitter, or if it was just glitter with a clear coat. Being the genius that I am, I tested it out on … my hand. While wearing my engagement ring and wedding bands. Yeah, I still haven’t gotten the little black bits off. Not sure I ever will.

FYI: It’s just glitter with a clear coat. Good to know.

Anyway, I made one gold skull and two black skulls – one for me, and one for my fellow-glitter-skull-loving-friend, Jeff. I lined them up for a photo shoot with the jacked up original skull (all the way to the right) because I felt sorry for it.

I have to admit that the gold one is my favorite. I named him Disco Skull.

I intended to put the glitter skulls in my foyer with the rest of my Halloween decor, but I love them too much to be so far away from them. I think they’ll live in my office, where I spend most of my time when I’m at home.

I have to be honest: they’ll probably stay there all year long.