Skull Lollipop

$5 - $10 (based on 2017 prices)

Makes one lollipop

Zombies and clowns are the two themes, in my opinion, which have been overdone in yard haunts and professional attractions. Because of this, I was a little leery when my office selected a demented circus theme for 2017. To tackle the challenge, I decided to focus on the twisted carnival idea and draw inspiration from turn-of-the-century travelling shows. I wanted something that looked vintage and did not relying too heavily on clowns.

• One three-inch wooden skull cutout
• One 3/16” wooden dowel
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat black*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat red*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat yellow*
• One 0.44 oz. bottle of clear nail polish
• One foot of brown yarn
• One 12” x 12” sheet of clear cellophane
• One distressed playing card (learn how to make it here)
  

1. Glue the wooden dowel to the back of the cutout. For a sturdier hold, use superglue. Depending on how long you want the stick, you could adhere it the full length of the skull or only half or a quarter of the way.

2. Using various hues of paint, create a swirl pattern on the cutout. If you feel comfortable free handing the design, use a pencil or pen to lightly sketch the shapes. If not, create a pattern with paper and trace it onto the wood. Since the prop was in a location where people could pick it up and examine it, I painted both sides; however, if only one side will be seen by visitors, you can save time by only painting that portion.

3. To give the cutout a glossy appearance that resembles hard candy, apply a couple coats of clear nail polish. Here too, you can do this to both sides or just the one visible in the haunt.

4. Center the skull on the sheet of cellophane and wrap it around the prop, tying the end with the yarn and flaring the edges. Although I elected to utilize clear wrapping, you could use colored versions to cater the prop to your specific theme. Likewise, you can modify the string to fit your needs, replacing it with colored florist wire or metallic ribbon.

5. Use red paint and a distressed playing card to create a label for the lollipop. You want the wording to be haphazard. To achieve this, exaggerate curves, create sharp points, and elongate certain aspects. You could also write letters backwards and deliberately misspell words. Keep in mind, though, that the label needs to be readable, so try not to overdo your artistic flairs.

6. Punch a hole in a corner of the card and use a strand of the yarn to attach it to the prop. If you plan to make several of these for a candy display, you could have each card serve as one letter in a creepy or whimsical message.

7. You can enhance the prop’s creepiness by smearing its surface with blood, splattering it with phosphorescent goo, or gluing clusters of bugs to the cellophane.

*You will not use the entire bottle’s content for this project.