Paper Mache Calaveras

This year I decided to decorate my house for Halloween with calaveras (Spanish for skeletons) so I bought these really cool paper mache skeletons @Michaelsstores they were only around $1.00. I have to say this was a very easy and fun project. I recommend it for kids with parent supervision in the case of the hot glue gun. If you do choose to take on this project please share with me your results and any feedback, I would love to see how your skeleton turned out. Some of the skeletons I spent more time on than others by adding allot of details but, its entirely up to you how artistic you are willing to get. I got a little crazy with mine because that's just me! I will be demonstrating how to design a simple version of a spider web across the forehead and creating that upside down heart around the nose. Lets get started!

Here is what you will need & all available at Michael's.
*paper mache skull
*puffy paint
*Acrylic paint
*paint brushes
optional:
hot glue gun and glue sticks to glue any details if necessary
synthetic flowers, rhinestones jewels for the eyes, tull to make a vail

As soon as you finish yours I'm sure everyone will get many compliments and everyone will be asking  you to make them one, at least that's how it went for me.
 I wanted to create a unique personality for each by adding different elements and details, giving them each their own personalities in a sense.

First make sure the entire surface is painted and be mind full of spots, black tends to not cover as easy so you may have to go over it with a second coat of paint.

 Now that the two colors have dried I can start adding the fun details and dimension with the puffy paint. To make a spider draw 7 lines in different angles starting from the center to keep them uniformed. spider webs aren't perfect so some lines may be longer or shorter than others.

Now connect the lines to each other by making like the letter "n" until all the web is completed. Now lets move on to the nose. The nose has a upside down heart so all your going to do is trace around the nose with the puffy paint with the color of your choice. . Your going to start to outline the nose from the top at a peak as if you would draw a triangle and then at the bottom make a "w" so it looks like a heart upside down in the end. Were done, and the rest is up to you if you want to stop there or continue by adding some pizazz. 

Here is a peak of the ones I did hope you had fun!! I love it that with puffy paint you can add just the right amount of dimension. These have glow in the dark in the eyes and teeth so at night they look even cooler!! You can add anything to them all you need is some hot glue a little imagination and time.

Funny story, so my cousin Briana came over and thought it was really weird that i had so many skeletons in the living room at one time, she made this funny comment and said "those are so weirdddddd!" she is a teenager so her facial expression said it all, and it was quite funny. I thought she didn't like them and didn't want to be rude so she didn't know what else to say however, she ended up wanting one so she quickly back pedaled her comment and said "No I meant it like weird but in a cool way". I made her A bright turquoise one with allot of glitter and eyelashes to match her girly and colorful personality.

  I gave her a bow by cutting piece of the tull, I just layered all the pieces of tull and glued the synthetic flower in the center and added some glue to the paper mache skull as well. It dries fast just hold to keep it in position for a couple minutes and be mindful of not burning yourself because those glue guns can leave welts on your fingers.

 The purple skull to the far right pictured above is my favorite because of the spider webs i drew on each side of the head with a heart around the web. A pop of glitter at the lashes makes this calavera look like she's ready to hit the town for a night out with her other friends! there not actual lashes its a feather i found during the Christmas display at Michael's they had allot of bright & fun colors.
I trimmed down the feather and cut it to look like lashes and just added hot glue to keep them in place and finished it off by gluing them directly to the skeleton. Then add jewel rhinestones for the eyes by placing hot glue directly to the face of the jewel and squeeze your hand through the opening of the skeleton where the jaw bone is to glue the eyes in. By gluing the jewels through the inside it will look more realistic. Add plenty of glue to reinforce the jewel to stick and hold for a few minutes then cover the excess glue with glitter by going over the glue till its all covered.