Spooky Halloween Decor DIY – Exquisitely Unremarkable


I’ve been on a crafty upcycling kick lately.

For some reason fall always gets me in the decorating mood.

I’m not sure if it’s that let’s get cozy vibe the cooler temps bring or the fact that the holidays are inching closer.

Spooky Halloween Decor DIY – Exquisitely Unremarkable

Either way, lately, my creative spirit has taken hold.

And I find myself digging into my thrift store stash to play.

Exhibit A.

This candle trivet was $3.99 at Savers.

Ceramic Candle Tray White Scroll

It’s a shop I rarely frequent, I prefer the tiny, charity shops, but this year I decided to stop in and I scored.

Bigtime.

It’s where I found the wooden dollhouse washstand I just made over…and, honestly, like that washstand, when I grabbed the trivet, I had no idea what I was going to do with it.

I didn’t even know what it was until I turned it over to reveal a large sticker with directions for burning a candle on it.Who knew?

However, it had such a pretty border and a nice open square space in the middle, that I couldn’t resist. It was a blank palette.

Inspiration didn’t hit until weeks later, when I was at Dollar Tree and saw these Halloween skull napkins.

Dollar Tree Halloween Skull Napkin

I knew immediately that they were the right size and even though I am not a fan of Halloween…or anything spooky…I couldn’t resist.

Decoupaging Napkins For Halloween

I used this trivet as my base, but any old floor tile, wooden sign or plate would work well for this craft.

As far as my DIY goes, it was literally the quickest process ever. The color was already perfect, so there wasn’t any need to paint the base.

Although, I did wipe the entire thing down with a little vinegar and water and removed the sticky price tag with my peanut butter trick.

Cleaning a Thrifted Item with Vinegar

Then simply cut out one panel of the napkin with my scissors, being careful to stay on the folded lines, since they were straight and sharp.

Cutting A Napkin For Decoupage

Next, I separated the layers, so I had only the top layer with the pattern to glue down.

Some napkins, like the ones I used when I made my spoon ornaments, have a sneaky third layer which is often tough to remove, this napkin was only 2-ply, which made the process so much simpler.

Separating Napkin Layers For Halloween Decoupage

Thank you Dollar Tree. 

At this point, I grabbed my decoupage medium. Now, I used Dixie Belle Satin Sealer, as usual.

It’s my favorite and I love the fact that it’s a furniture grade sealer with no scent.

Of course, you can use whatever you have on hand, Mod Podge or a homemade version, for example.

I just brushed on a thin coat, covering the open square on the trivet, paying special attention to the edges and corners.

Adding Decoupage Gel With A Brush To A Ceramic trivet

Then very, very carefully, I laid the napkin down, lining the edges up and centering it. 

The only tricky part here was making sure it was properly placed on the first shot. If I had to move it too much that thin, wet napkin would’ve torn.

Adding Napkin to center of trivet for Halloween decoupage craft

I used a gloved hand to carefully smooth down all the bumps and wrinkles. I didn’t go crazy this time, because honestly, a few imperfections seemed to fit this design.

A bit of gritty realism for my handmade decoration.

How To Decoupage Without Wrinkles using a glove to smooth napkin

I then coated the top of the napkin with more decoupage sealer and set it aside to dry.

Sealing A Napkin With Decoupage using a brush

In the past I have used an iron to set the decoupage on tile, instead of a top coat. I actually like that process better, but my large iron didn’t fit in the space. I clearly need to get myself this craft iron before Christmas crafting begins…but I digress.

For now, I’m focused on fall.

And Halloween with my new ceramic skull sign.

Halloween Spider Web and Skull Sign DIY on mantel

The one on my fireplace mantel with its elegant frame.

That takes the edge off that creepy design.

Spooky Halloween Thrifted Plaque DIY on a mantel with candles

Making it the perfect grown up Halloween decoration for this girl.

👻

Are you a spooky Halloween decorator?

Before you go, check out all the fall fabulousness from my friends! Today, I’m part of a fall hop with a new group of very talented creators.

Amazing Creators in fact.

The Amazing Creators Everything Fall Blog Hop

I hope you’ll take the time to pop by and visit them all.

You may know some of them and others may be new to you, but I guarantee you’ll be impressed! Plus it’s always nice to make new friends.

Happy Fall Hopping, Friends!

Kim Signature

Related articles

Long Weekends & Long Brunches

  Don't we all love Sundays, and even better, a long weekend!  For us, Saturdays can get a...

Keep Resale Value in Mind When Choosing Flooring

When it comes to home renovations, you want your changes to reflect your style, yet also be mindful...

Creamy Velveeta Cheeseburger Soup Recipe

Tender ground beef, chunky potatoes, veggies, and spices in a rich and creamy Velveeta base make this the...

36 Olive Tree Landscaping Ideas for Mediterranean Charm

Last updated on October 2, 2024Transform your garden into a Mediterranean oasis with captivating landscape ideas featuring stately...