Celebrating the Day of the Dead or Halloween? We have a frugal-friendly Dollar Tree Craft. Learn the steps of How to Make a Sugar Skull with affordable supplies.
How to Make a Sugar Skull
We incorporated the traditional Latin-American Day of the Day into some of our Homemade Halloween Decor. This Halloween craft uses the basic of supplies and you might get away with creating this craft for only $1 if you have some of these supplies on hand!
What is Day of the Day?
The Day of the Dead “Día de los Muertos” is a three day festival commemorating friends and family who have passed away. It is often a misunderstood holiday as some attribute it to the American holiday called Halloween. This Latin American Holiday began with the Aztec Harvest at the end of summer. This multi-day festival is a time to honor loved ones who had gone before and not to recognize ghosts, goblins, witches or other scary mythological creatures.
The day of the dead celebration takes place October 31 to November 2. Children who have died are represented by skulls and are celebrated on November 1. Larger sugar skulls represent adults, whose celebration takes place on November 2. These dates coincide with the Western Christian holiday All Saints Eve and All Souls’ Day. The Mexican holiday also overlaps with the better known holiday, Halloween on October 31.
What is a Sugar Skull?
A calavera (English translation for skull is a representation of a human head. The term is most often used for edible or decorative skulls made from either sugar or clay. In celebrate of Día de los Muertos, calaveras were crafted. Sugar skulls represent a departed soul, often with the souls name written on the forehead. This too can be replaced with hearts, perhaps a number of hearts to represent the number of souls being honored. Sugar skulls are often adorned with colorful folk artwork. These adornments include hearts, flowers, paisley patterns, and dots.
Halloween Dollar Tree Craft Supplies
For this Halloween craft, we used a plastic skull from The Dollar Tree. It was only $1 (wink!) I also used chalkboard paint I had on hand and chalkboard markers. Hairspray will help keep the chalkboard markers in place once your craft is complete.
Sugar Skull Craft Supplies:
- 1 Plastic Skull (I got mine from the Dollar Store)
- Black Chalkboard Paint
- Chalkboard Fluorescent Markers
- Optional: Aerosol Hairspray
Sugar Skull Craft Tools:
- Paintbrush
- Wax Paper (to protect your table)
Another option is to use chalkboard makers but to go over that with glow in the dark puffy paint. That will really pop with a black light and a makes fun glow in the dark party decor.
When picking up your Dollar Tree supplies, don’t forget our other Halloween Dollar Store Craft- How to Make a Halloween Wreath Under $10.
How to Make a Sugar Skull
Learning how to make a sugar skull is not that much of a challenge. I used the internet to get inspired including Pinterest and Etsy. Etsy has some cute sugar skull patterns. When creating your pattern, think hearts, circles (dots), flowers and paisley patterns. Always start with your larger patterns.
To get started:
First, paint the plastic skull with the black chalkboard paint. Use the wax paper underneath the skull to protect your table.
Allow paint to dry fully. I would suggest at least a day.
Once dry, begin drawing your designs on the skull with the chalkboard marker of your choice.
To make a faux sugar skull like mine, begin with the eyes. I drew flowers in the sockets.
Next, I moved to the forehead where I drew a flower using hearts.
I outlined the nose with an upside down heart shape. I added birds kissing on the chin.
Finish with larger designs before adding your details. Added details include swirls and dots.
Allow chalkboard marker to dry completely before touching it.
Lastly, if desired, seal the chalkboard marker in place by spraying evenly with hairspray about 6-inches from the skull surface.
Optional: Another idea is to use chalkboard makers but to go over that with glow in the dark puffy paint. That will really pop with a black light.
Our Pinterest community and I would love to see how this worked out for you. Share your final Sugar Skull Halloween Craft. Leave a comment and/or add a photo here on Pinterest!
Decorating for Halloween? Check out these Spellbinding Halloween Lighting Ideas. Pin to Pinterest.
Love the Dollar Tree? Take a look at these Dollar Store Crafts. Pin to Pinterest.
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Also access our Free Elf on the Shelf Printables! We are here to help you with your North Pole friend! Make sure to visit our Elf Store to cover you on printables for the entire season!
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