PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — As October inches closer to Halloween, a craft activity inspired by “sugar skulls” can provide a fun way for families to decorate their homes for the holiday.
On Friday, Oct. 18, Wintergreen Arts Center manager Kara Addington showed a group of young artists how to adorn plastic skulls with items that will make even the creepiest Halloween decorations more festive and creative.
Addington said her latest project for Wintergreen’s Pizza ’n Art for Teens and Tweens was inspired by the sugar skulls that are created for the Day of the Dead holiday in Mexico. Though typical sugar skulls are made from granulated white sugar mixtures and molded into skulls, Addington’s version involves a less time-consuming option: plastic skulls that folks can typically buy for $1 at retail stores.
“You can find pretty much everything you need at the store,” Addington said.
Decorating plastic skulls can be a fun, unique craft activity for children and their families around Halloween.
(Staff photo/Melissa Lizotte)
Before decorating, Addington recommended priming the surface of the skulls with white spray paint to create a smoother surface for drawing with sharpies or painting. Crafters can then decorate the skulls using arts and craft pieces such as sequins, feathers, pom-poms and flowers. Artists can also use construction paper to create top hats.
Around 30 young artists attended the latest Pizza ’n Art night at Wintergreen, including Abby Haley and Kendell Fiak, both 11. The friends said they had fun learning about a different type of Halloween project.
“I really like decorating. It’s fun to do with friends,” Haley said.
Both Haley and Fiak decorated their skulls with flowers, but added their own creative touches, including Haley’s choice of drawing “braces” on her skull’s teeth.
“I like coming here because I’m allowed to decorate real crazy,” Fiak said.
Addington recommended that families try “sugar skulls” as a unique twist on traditional Halloween decorating.
“It makes for a fun project that can appeal to kids of any age,” Addington said.
