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How To Make Metallic Glam Halloween Decor

This DIY silver leaf skull is easy to make and is the perfect glam Halloween decor for an elegant Halloween party.

How to make metallic glam Halloween decor
How to make metallic glam Halloween decor

It’s that time of year again…time to put out the Halloween decorations!

Grandinroad Silver skeleton
Silver skeleton by grandinroad.com

Every year I seem to see something in the store that I really want for my party but don’t want to spend that kind of money on a Halloween prop.  This year I’ve been obsessed with the silver “glam Halloween” decorations at Grandinroad, like this silver skeleton.

I decided to see if I could duplicate the look on a smaller scale…like a couple of skulls.  Then if it works out, maybe I’ll try doing something bigger.

Read on to see how to make metallic glam Halloween decor.

Failed First Attempt – Silver Spray Paint

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Spray paint looks flat
Spray paint looks flat

The first thing I decided to try was silver spray paint.  I wasn’t too hopeful but I figured it was worth a shot…if it actually turned out, it would be the easiest way to turn my Halloween decor silver!

Unfortunately, the spray paint on its own is very flat looking, and doesn’t really have the sparkle I was looking for.

How About Some Silver Leaf?

The silver leaf has a shinier finish
The silver leaf has a shinier finish

Using silver leaf definitely ups the glam factor!

The new bar has a lot more personality
The new bar has a lot more personality

Ever since I did the faux gold leaf finish on my bar, I have been itching to apply that faux metallic leaf to something else. It was so much easier than I thought it would be and I love the finish.

So this was my chance…I happened to have some faux silver leaf, so I thought I would try it out.  And since this is for a Halloween decoration, I figured I didn’t have to be too picky about it, so one or two layers would do.

Metallic pumpkins via HGTV.com
Metallic pumpkins via HGTV.com

And then I saw that HGTV did the same thing with faux pumpkins…so I figured I must be on the right track!

What You Need

Materials

Plastic skull or other Halloween decor (I got mine at Home Depot)





Supplies



Apply The Leaf To The Bottom Half

Brush adhesive size on to the skull
Brush adhesive size on to the skull

1. Make sure that the skull (or whatever object you are decorating) is clean.

2. Apply a very thin layer of the adhesive size to the bottom half of the skull using a small brush..  Don’t do the part that the skull sits on.

3. Wait for a few minutes for the size to become sticky.

Use the paper that separates the sheets to pat the leaf on to the surface
Use the paper that separates the sheets to pat the leaf on to the surface

4. Use the paper sheet that separates each leaf to place the leaf on the sticky part of the skull.

Don't worry about the bits sticking out at this point
Don’t worry about the bits sticking out at this point

5. Then pat the leaf onto the adhesive.  I did this using the paper sheet to prevent my fingers from sticking to the leaf and removing it.

Keep going around until the bottom half is done
Keep going around until the bottom half is done

6. Keep adding sheets of the leaf until the entire bottom half of the skull is covered.

Use a soft piece of fabric like cheese cloth to smooth out the finish
Use a soft piece of fabric like cheese cloth to smooth out the finish

7. Gently buff the leaf with the soft cloth to remove any bits that are sticking out.

Then Finish The Top Half

Use a small dry brush to remove any little bits
Use a small dry brush to remove any little bits

1. Use the artist brush to get into the grooves and remove excess leaf.

Add the leaf to the top of the skull
Add the leaf to the top of the skull

2. Then repeat steps 3 to 8 from the previous page for the top half of the skull.  Overlap the leaf that is already there to prevent an obvious line.

Don't worry if your thumb accidentally rubs some of the leaf off
Don’t worry if your thumb accidentally rubs some of the leaf off

Don’t worry if you accidentally rub some of it off (I did this with my thumb).

To fix an open spot, just add another piece of leaf and stick it down
To fix an open spot, just add another piece of leaf and stick it down

Just fill the spot with another piece of leave and you will not be able to tell where the patch is.

I didn’t worry too much if there were a few spots that weren’t completely covered (I figure it is a skull)…but if want to make sure that everything is covered, apply a little more adhesive and add another coat of silver leaf.

3. When you are happy with the result, spray the entire thing with the sealer.

The Finished Metallic Skull

The finished skull
The finished skull

Then you are ready to let your metallic Halloween decor shine!

The DIY silver skull fits right in on the bar cart
The DIY silver skull fits right in on the bar cart

I put this one on my bar cart for some Halloween spirit.

The finished skull shines in the light
The finished skull shines in the light

It’s hard to tell this skull hasn’t always been silver.

The finished metallic skull
The finished metallic skull


Have comments or questions on how to make metallic glam Halloween decor?  Tell us in the section below.

This post was originally published on October 6, 2016 but was updated with new content on August 4, 2019.


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