Hello Everyone!

We are quickly approaching Halloween and best thing about this time of the year are the awesome decorations and costumes. For me its’t probably the candy

I’m here to show you how you can use concrete and plaster to great some of the most amazingly SPOOKTACULAR decor on the block! While concrete and plaster are typically seen as basic building materials, its probably one of the most malleable materials I can think of. Concrete and plaster can be shaped into what ever form you can dream of. By using plastic and styrofoam as molds check out what you can accomplish with plaster, concrete and a little imagination. These are great fun filled family do-it-yourself projects.

Materials

Plaster of Paris

Water

Quikrete Quick-Setting Cement

Small bucket

Small container (for mixing plaster)

Paint mixing sticks

Trowel

Silicone and plastic jello and candy molds

Foam insulation board (use as a mold)

Cardboard stencils

Eye screws

Super glue

Latex gloves

Dust Mask

Concrete color (optional for decoration)

Paints (optional for decoration)

Plaster.

Mix the plaster in a 1:1 ratio. 1 part plaster, 1 part water. Place in a plastic or silicone mold of your choosing. In this case we found a super duper plastic jello mold in the shape of a skull.

Allow time for it to set. The larger the mold the longer the set time. Once fully set take out of the mold.

After 24 hours you can paint it to your liking. You can even spray paint it.

Get creative. The limitations are only in your imagination. Keep in mind plaster is for interior use only.

Concrete.

Concrete is my current fave material. At first glance many would see it as hard, messy and seemingly impossible to work with. But with the right mold you can do crazy things with concrete. While it is admittedly extremely heavy, its durable and can be used every where from outdoors to indoors on your countertops. Concrete is perfect for exterior Halloween decorations. But concrete decorations can be both interior or exterior.

Concrete molds can be made of plastic, silicone, foam insulation boards. You can even use metal sheathing or melamine boards.

When mixing concrete you want to refer to mixing instructions listed on the container. Typically its a 5:1 mix to water. For these projects I like to make my mix more a long the consistency of pancake batter. It makes the process of applying to the mold easier.

I bought these Halloween molds from Hobby Lobby. The deeper the mold the better. These are perfect for making tiny Halloween ornaments you can stick on a bushes or trees leading to the house. This is also a great project to complete with kids. Once the concrete is fully cured, usually 24 hours, you can paint and drill into it. Using a masonry or concrete drill bit, drill a hole to accept a small eye screw. Hold in place with super glue.

Using rigid foam insulation and a stencil you can make this charger/platter for holding treats for trick-or-treaters. Its perfect for a Halloween party table setting.

You can even add color to the concrete and rub it over a dollop tree skull giving it a spooky gory element. This terracotta color looks like decaying flesh on the skull.

Ok and my favorite piece decorative piece yet has to be my skull floral arrangement…..Yep I have a thing for skulls this Halloween. Hahaha!

But I got the idea while walking around M icheal’s. I saw this. Check out that price. Ridiculous. LOL. So here’s what I did.

I got a plastic skull and flowers from the Dollar Tree and cut off the top of the skull. I filled it most of the way with concrete and using a taped up mason jar wedged it into the concrete and allowed 24 hours for it to set.

Once it was set, using a utility knife I cut the plastic skull leaving this perfectly shaped concrete flower pot. I spray painted it with a bronze color and inserted floral foam in the base to hold the flowers.

Look at the details that came from the plastic skull.

Now Go make play with concrete and plaster. Make the most SpookTacular Halloween decorations on your block.

Till Next Time. ~T.

Don’t forget to join me this week Wednesday at 7pm Est on Hometalk’s Facebook Page for another LIVE DIY. You don’t want to miss it.