Eerie & Otherworldly

No Halloween display would be complete without a skeleton or two. Each one has its own personality.

Unexpectedly Playful

Culturally Festive

Bone-Chilling & Terrifying

Every year manufacturers introduce new items to thrill, amuse or frighten avid Halloween fans. With a few easy steps, you can personalize store-bought skeletons to express whatever style or attitude you desire for your Halloween décor. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Fierce Makeover:

Deep Sea Fish Skeleton

This skeleton is based upon a real life deep-sea fish called an Anglerfish. To attract prey, a bioluminescent fishing lure is cast in front of its head and in no time, those strong jaws snap shut as vicious teeth make short work of consuming the meal. Check out the illuminated photo below.

Illuminated Deep Sea Fish Skeleton

As a Halloween decoration, it certainly is more unique than the usual offerings. When lit, the lure is bold yellow and the stomach has an eerie purple glow. While he does have a menacing appearance, I think we can do better! I really like the purple glow but when the lights are turned off, the bones are a neutral color without any contrast. In other words, he needs an upgrade!

Fish Skeleton Paints

Supplies:
Deep Sea Fish Skeleton (8” high x 17” long x 5” wide)
Acrylic Paints – linen, metallic periwinkle blue, & black (not shown)
Paintbrushes

Fish Tail – Before

Fish Tail – After

Paint the tail and tips of the spine with metallic periwinkle blue. Notice how the bones stand out against the metallic blue. The reflective quality of metallic paint contrasts well with matte finish bones.

Fish Head & Fins – Before

Fish Head & Fins – After

Paint the eyes black. Paint the webbing of the fins and crevices around the eyes with periwinkle blue. The fleshy, darker contrast makes the eyes look meaner in a zombie-like fashion. Linen paint can be used to touch up unwanted marks on the head.

Finished Fish

The individual bones in the tail and fins really show up now, resembling creepy skeletal hands for seizing prey or curious trick-or-treaters. See fish 2025 updated version below.

Illuminated Finished Fish

Portraits – Before & After

The first photo is the original fish and the second is the finished makeover. The purple glow now extends across the entire body. With a ferocious expression and intimidating attitude, this Anglerfish is ready to strike, perfect for a Halloween scare.

Fish Update 2025

Sometimes I like to live with a finished craft for a while to ensure I’m satisfied. I decided this fish needed a meaner look, which required additional painting. I think I accomplished my mission. What do you think?

Fantasy Fashion Makeover:

Spider Skeleton

Spiders often have a very creepy aura and you could certainly go in that direction. This lucky lady prefers a haute couture makeover and we know just how to bring it!

Spider Skeleton Paints

Supplies:
Spider Skeleton (6” high x 8” long x 13” wide)
Acrylic Paints – metallic blue sapphire, metallic copper, & pure black
Paintbrushes

Spider Head & Feet

Darken the eyes with black paint, and paint the facial details and feet with metallic copper. Feel free to experiment with the colors.

Spider Joints & Spine

Turquoise and brown are a very fashionable color combination, making metallic blue the perfect complement to the copper. This bejeweled spider is ready to make her debut on the fashion runway! lol!

Finished Spider Pulling Wagon

Why not show off her new look by participating in a Halloween parade with a few friends?

Fairy Tale Makeover:

Frog Skeleton – Before

This little guy has a heartwarming smile. I believe we can add a little more charm.

Frog Skeleton Paints

Supplies:
Frog Skeleton (3-1/2” high x 5” long x 4-1/2” wide)
Acrylic Paints – metallic peridot green & pure black
Paintbrushes

Frog Skeleton – After

Sporting his new color, he’s bound to win hearts and maybe even garner a few kisses for luck. Who knows – maybe he will turn into a prince?

I hope you enjoy these fanciful skeletons and apply these ideas to your Halloween décor..

Thanks for Reading! Happy Halloween & Happy Crafting!

Mushrooms have been trending this year in everything from apparel to home décor. Nature is filled with magical wonders and what better time to tap into that magic than Halloween? This fun project is fun and easy for everyone.

Original Mushroom Decoration

I purchased this cute figurine at Wegmans. The shape of the mushroom cap lends itself perfectly to becoming a witch’s hat.

Supplies

For this project you will need acrylic paints, brushes, a black sharpie marker, and a toothpick for tiny touch-ups. You will also need a stuffed animal eye. (You’ll see why below.)

Paint Jack-O-Lantern Faces

Painted faces give these pumpkins personality. I didn’t like the low placement of the faces, so I repainted them to start over.

Repaint Pumpkins

The new orange paint creates a new blank canvas.

Paint Yellow Jack-O-Lantern Face Details

Yellow paint creates the inner glow typically found in Jack-O-Lanterns.

Outline Face Details in Black

Using a black Sharpie marker, outline the face details for a carved appearance.

Add a Purple Eye

The addition of a purple eye is both cute and creepy.

Create Eye Socket with Packing Peanut

Instead of a human eyeball, I decided to give this magical creature a tube-shaped eye socket using flattened packing peanuts.

Side View of Eye Socket

The packing peanut texture coordinates well with the mushroom stem.

Side View of Eye Socket

Finished Bewitching Mushroom

The eye socket was painted beige to blend with the stem.

Side View of Finished Mushroom

Side View of Finished Mushroom

I hope you enjoyed seeing this bewitching mushroom. It makes a great addition to your Halloween décor and creates an element of the unexpected. As you know, I love Halloween and would love to hear about any of your Halloween-themed projects.

Thanks for Reading! Happy Halloween & Happy Crafting!