Houseplants are an unexpected and fun location to add Halloween decor. Plant picks are relatively simple to make for any occasion or theme, but these doll part picks seem extra creepy to me and therefore, perfect for the Halloween season. Materials to Make Halloween Houseplant Picks Sculpting clay that you bake (i.e. Fimo or Sculpey). […]
Houseplants are an unexpected and fun location to add Halloween decor. Plant picks are relatively simple to make for any occasion or theme, but these doll part picks seem extra creepy to me and therefore, perfect for the Halloween season.
Materials to Make Halloween Houseplant Picks
Sculpting clay that you bake (i.e. Fimo or Sculpey). I chose a granite colored variety so that my doll parts would look like stone, but you could choose any color. One small block of the clay will make several doll heads and doll parts.
Floral wire or ornament wire (Christmas items are already on display at most craft stores, so I bought ornament wire– it was less expensive).
A mold for doll parts– this is also found at craft stores. The one I bought was from Michael’s (it normally costs about $8 but I used one of their coupons and got it for much less).
Parchment paper
An oven
A flat baking pan
Wire cutters (optional)
Directions to Make Halloween Houseplant Picks
Break off a small piece of the clay and warm it up in your hands. Knead the clay as necessary to make it supple and moldable.
Press the clay into one of the mold sections, i.e. into the face mold.
Press the clay firmly into the mold and remove any excess clay from the outer parts of the mold.
Repeat as needed, filling up any and all of the molds.
To release the clay from the mold, gently expand the mold and/or tug lightly on the clay to release it. Lucky for you, these faces and doll parts are meant to look creepy, so if the clay comes out misshapen, that might work in your favor. However, if you remove the clay from a mold and it looks unrecognizable, start over.
Place the doll parts on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
If you have extra clay, make a few doll heads that you can lay around, and in, your plants. These ones will not need added wire.
Optional– if you want the doll’s eyes to appear open, insert a pencil tip into the eye just enough to create an opening or pupil.
If using floral wire, cut the wire into 2-3″ pieces. The ornament wire will be precut.
Insert a piece of wire into each doll part. Be careful not to push the wire out of the clay, Push slowly and make sure the wire stays in the center of the clay.
Bake the picks for 45 minutes at 265 degrees.
Allow the picks to cool.
Insert the picks into your houseplants.
Bonnie Thomas
Bonnie Thomas shares her ideas and instructions for simple Yankee crafts. Bonnie Thomas works full time as a child and family therapist in Southern Maine and is also an established artist and author. She has published two books via Jessica Kingsley Publishing, titled Creative Coping Skills for Children: Emotional Support Through Arts and Crafts Activities and Creative Expression Activities for Teens: Exploring Identity Through Art, Craft and Journaling. Don't miss her latest book, How to Get Kids Offline, Outdoors, and Connecting With Nature.