The Devil’s in the Details:
DIY Halloween Skeleton Arch Display
To say that I love Halloween would be an understatement. I truly adore everything about the season, the change in season (pretty much the only thing I miss about the Midwest and the East Coast). I love the costumes, decorations, and the Halloween songs. (Although, there are more Halloween-based songs out there than you might think! Move over Christmas!) And call me basic, I don’t care, I love EVERYTHING pumpkin flavored.
Growing up, my mother was no Martha Stewart, but she was crafty as hell, and a lot of that love of crafting has rubbed off on me. I, too, am no Martha Stewart, but my husband has taken to calling me “Morticia Stewart” during the fall spooky season. Check out this fun and easy DIY project using tomato cages to make some Halloween Decor magic!
DIY Skeleton Arch Display: Step-by-Step
I should start this one off by saying DIY does NOT always mean cheaper! Yes, you can do projects more cost-effectively than you would get them if you were to buy them from the store, and you can customize more than you can get something pre-made. But sometimes, making something customized is going to cost you more.
I came across a version of a skeleton arch that I absolutely loved. They did theirs with full-size skeletons. Most full-size 5’ skeletons can cost anywhere from $50 to $100, which will get pricey quickly. I chose to do my Halloween project with a few 3’ skeletons and a few mini-skeletons and then filled in spaces with skulls and bones that I could find at Dollar Stores. Even doing this project on the cheaper side, all-in-all, it still cost a couple hundred dollars, but I absolutely love the way it turned out! However, this is not one of the cheaper Halloween seasonal projects, but it does look awesome!
Step 1: To start, you will want a lattice that can give you two side pieces and one piece to go across the top. I got a 4’x8’ lattice and cut it into 1’3” stripes to line my porch (this will depend on the area you are trying to cover. You may need more or less lattice, but I was able to manage with one 4’x8’ lattice). Then spray paint all three pieces of lattice black. I adhered my black lattice to my porch with simple zip ties.
Step 2: I then spray-painted all my skeletons, skulls, and bones. In the original post I saw, they did theirs in all gold. I wanted to give a little more dimension, so I chose to go with silver and gold.
Step 3: Once everything had dried, I used power tools to drill holes in the back of my skulls and larger bones so that I didn’t see the wire wrapped around them. But if you use skeletons, I recommend using the wire in joint points, and the wire will be less noticeable.
Step 4: Then, you can begin attaching everything. Using gardening wire, I attached the skeletons, skulls, and bones, starting with the largest items spread out and working on the smaller decor in the leftover empty spaces.
Step 5: To fill in some more bare spaces, I picked up some sparkly mesh ribbon and made different-sized bows, then attached them with the gardening wire.
I hit the arch with two red yardlights posted in plant pots in front of the porch for extra spookiness at night. And there you have it! A fun, intermediate DIY Halloween project that will look spooktacular on your home this Halloween season! Enjoy!
If you’re interested in creating the ghosts seen in the final photo above, click here for this easy DIY Ghost Halloween project!
Follow the author on social media @anwines!
For more fun Halloween decor, check out our Crafts and DIY section!
More from Married to Horror!
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