I know…I know….it’s summer…so who is thinking about Halloween? I am! It certainly doesn’t hurt to start planning your new and exciting Halloween projects…especially if you are crafting a fun and unique DIY Upcycled Yard Skeleton. Follow along on how to make your own skeleton using materials you might have normally thrown away!
As you probably already know, I am in a Sustainable Craft Challenge Group. Julie, from Sum of Their Stories, gives us a theme each month to create an eco-friendly craft. We are given a date to have it done by and all of our posts go live at the same time. It’s so much fun to see what everyone comes up with. The girls in this month’s challenge are:
Julie from Sum of Their Stories Upcycled Strawberry Vase
Gail from Purple Hues & Me Plastic Soda Bottle Floral Candleholder
Terri from Our Good Life Recycled Altoid Tin for the Perfect Father’s Day Gift
Mel from Decor Craft Design DIY Raised Pot for Summer Decor
Christine from Christine’s Crafts Create a Cute Basket from an Aerosol Lid
Allyson from Southern Sunflowers DIY Shell MIrror for Coastal Design
Jo from A Rose Tinted World How to Make A Crumb Quilt – Make a Scrappy Quilt Block
Be sure to check out all of the links above that created wonderful items from this month’s theme: Trash to Treasure!
DIY UPCYCLED YARD SKELETON ~
I have tried, unsuccessfully, to keep my small potting bench in one piece for a few years now. I am not good at bringing things in during the cold winter months so I end up with a few casualties when each spring rolls around. The good thing about this is that it leaves fun material behind to repurpose! This is how my DIY Upcycled Yard Skeleton came to life!
Items Needed ~
Scrap wood pieces of various sizes
Nails
Hammer
Wood Glue
Spray Paint or craft paint of choice
Craft Paint for face
Paint brushes
Directions ~
The potting bench needed to come apart (well at least what was left of it!) I got to work pounding on the remains of it to get all of the wood slats apart. *Here’s a bonus….I have friends who pay to go into a room and tear stuff up to get their frustrations out….it’s called a “A Rage Room.” I will admit that this sounds a bit fun, but if you are a crafter, you can do it in your own surroundings without paying for it! 😉
There are many outdoor items that can be used for this fun Halloween craft…potting shelf, chair, old flower boxes, etc. After deconstructing your old item, rearrange the individual pieces to see how you would like it to look. Lay them out and rearrange until you get the shape that you desire.
I focused on the wheel of the potting bench…this was the whole inspiration for the skeleton. I was expecting a funky look…this is my vibe. However, you can definitely go with the look that fits you best. That is the fun part of this….getting creative! After setting his “bones” into place, I did decide that I need a little bit more room for a good skeleton head. I have some old unfinished wood disks from an earlier project. Using wood glue, I affixed it to the wheel to make a more definite head shape.
Now it is time to put the rest of the body together. I measured out what size nails I needed and started hammering each body part into place. I used extra wood glue on some of the slats that were a little on the thin side to help hold them in place. You need to be careful about the size of nails you use when using thin wood to ensure it doesn’t splinter and thus not hold the nail.
Ready to Paint ~
Using white spray paint, I began covering the body. The wood from the potting bench soaked up the paint, so I had to spray several coats. I decided that I didn’t want to cover it entirely in paint as I wanted a more rustic look. Painting it a thick white would be cute as well….once again, it all depends on the look you are wanting to achieve. My original intention was to paint it completely white and then sand the edges. However, I liked how the paint soaked in and already gave it a rustic look.
Craft paint was used to create his face. I chose to go with a more cartoonish look with glow in the dark eyes as I have my little grands that enjoy all the Halloween decor. I would suggest do a search on different skeleton faces to decide what type of face you want to give your little guy (or gal!)
Give Him a Name ~
I had to fight myself not to name him Skelly. This is the name I have used in past posts for Halloween fun that I like to do with my grandchildren. Skelly visits at different times throughout the month of October bringing fun Skelly Skeleton themed things. The kids absolutely love Skelly and I absolutely love creating all the fun ideas! Check out some of my posts regarding Skelly here…
The Original Flat Skelly Skeleton Post!
Anyhoo, I decided I would give this rustic guy his own name….so please meet Mr. Bones! A thick piece of rope and a sign were added for extra flair!
Items You May Need to Make DIY Upcycled Yard Skeleton ~
I happened to have everything I needed on hand, however, below are some items that may need to be purchased if you are not a craft hoarder like myself!
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As always, I hope you enjoy the fun crafts that are shared in this blog. Please let me know if you create something yourself…I would LOVE to see it!
Happy Crafting ~
Mimi
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He is fabulous and so doable! I will have to look around all our bits of wood and see what I can come up with before Halloween!
Thank you Christine! He really did come together so easily….can’t wait to put him out for Halloween this year!
You certainly had your thinking cap on when making this adorable “Mr. Bones” skeleton, Shelly! I love him and I love this project! And what a great idea to use your potting bench as a substitute for a “rage room” which I think is hilarious!
Thanks Gail! LOL….when demolishing the potting bench I did see how a rage room could be beneficial! 🤣 Mr. Bones was a lot of fun to put together!
He is so cute! We need to make one for my house now 🥰
Thank you Kar! Yes….we will make one for your beautiful home!
I LOVE Halloween- so much so it’s my wedding anniversary! Love this idea- always looking for decorations that I can make myself 😀
I am so jealous that your wedding anniversary is on Halloween……we LOVE Halloween in my family so much! I hope you will make one of these too and share a pic!
Hi Mimi! I’m Amma. I love the skeleton and love that you’re using items within reach! DIY activities are so important, and it’s way fun to do. Not to mention brain stimulating!
Awww…I love the name Amma! I agree that DIY activities are great….and brain stimulating….and rewarding! I’m glad you enjoyed my Halloween DIY yard skeleton!
What a creative and eco-friendly Halloween project! I love the idea of repurposing old materials to make something fun and spooky—Mr. Bones is sure to be a hit!
Thank you! It was such a fun Halloween project to put together. I, too, love repurposing items…and I absolutely love Halloween! Can’t wait to put Mr. Bones out for the next Halloween season!
My goodness, Mr. Bones is to die for! (pun intended) He looks so quirky and cute. I just had to pin him to my Halloween craft board. Southern Sunflowers
Lol…love your play on words! ❤️ I, too, just love his quirkiness. I hope you will make one too for the Halloween season and send me a pic! Happy crafting!
Super Cute!! Kids would love it for Halloween. I love Mr. Bones’ eyes!
Thank you Mel! I think the kids will love this Halloween yard decor too….I hope they enjoy his glowing eyes!
What a wonderful way to use those bits of old potting bench, this is the ultimate waste not want not! You are super organised and ready for halloween too – bonus! Mr Bones is fabulous.
This is such a brilliant project, and no, it is NEVER too early to plan your Halloween decor!
Ok, I adore this. I want my own Mr. Bones to share with my grandson! I already have my wheels turning. Thanks for the inspiration!