EEk! 15 Most Shocking Halloween Decor Ideas
It’s time to get inspired for Halloween. My friend loves to decorate her entry way with creepy, scary stuff. This year I thought it would be fun to offer some inspiration! I couldn’t believe some of the things I found; I will not be using these gross supplies, but she will.
Prepare to be chilled (and maybe even horrified) as I share the unsettling and spine-tingling craft supplies. From questionable fluids to body parts, these projects push the boundaries of creativity. Do you love decorating for Halloween? Tag me on Instagram @sewcanshe so I can see what creepy supplies you prefer.
Recycled X-Rays as Stained Glass
The stained glass art in the above photo is visually appealing, stunning even. The colors and patterns are beautifully created for this gothic-style chapel. Wim Delvoye is the artist, and he has taken a new approach to the works of stained glass. What you will see when you look closer is that every single window in his Gothic Chapel Series, lovely as it appears, is created using old x-rays of body parts and teeth; craft supplies of doom!
Dead Mosquitoes and Blood as Portraits
Do you see it? Ugh. This piece of art came to be as a way of increasing awareness of the need for mosquito repellant to protect your blood. I would say it’s inspiring! To generate even more interest (as if dead bugs and blood weren’t enough of a draw) the art itself is itty bitty. To view it, patrons at the art show would have to look at the Blood Portraits from Glorix canvas through a magnifying glass. Do you like these craft supplies? Come closer, my pretty!
Head in a Jar
The instructions are concise if you want to make your own, ew! You don’t actually have to use a head for this, but it sure looks like it so I had to include it. I’m sure I will find one in the doorway when I visit my friend next week. I wonder whose face she will use…
Human Hair as a Wreath of Flowers
I toured an old house several years ago and saw some human hair art hanging in one of the rooms. I remember being fascinated at the delicate, intricate designs that adorned it’s owner’s photograph. Mourning wreaths, broaches, bracelets, and rings are all (surprisingly not uncommon) ways to memorialize someone you loved. It’s actually and beautiful way to remember someone, but … really? What can you use make with human hair as your craft supplies?
Insects as Fingernail Art
This is something I never would have imagined, but the amount of variety that people want in their finger nails is astounding. As craft supplies, bugs are both creepy and cool; one of those things you are horrified about, but can’t stop looking at.
From wasps and mosquitoes, to spiders and even prosciutto (what?!) the nail art is actually a thing. Currently happening, loved by at least enough people to keep deadlynails in business. So what’s the word? Ehghew!
Dead Flies as Comical Art
The art pictured above is a sample from ‘The Life of Fly’ by Magnus Muhr. It’s gross, but actually brilliant and hilarious. Can you imagine a few of these framed in your entry way? This whole idea started with the artist, Magnus Muhr, being bored! He went for a walk, found a dead fly, and went home to create a piece of art.
Perhaps we could learn from Magnus; next time your kids give you grief about having nothing to do instead of handing them a device, send them for a walk to collect their own craft supplies. You never know what they might come up with.
Found Objects as Creepy Sculptures
Speaking of going on a walk, found items can have an interesting effect on any work of art. The artist here, Callum Donovan Grujicich, uses found materials to make fantastic (and creepy) doll-like sculptures. At only 12 years old or so, it’s impressive that his imaginative and creative work is very interesting and thought provoking.
Stains as Textile Art
I have some old tablecloths from my grandmother that I love because she embroidered them, but I don’t use them anymore because they are stained. Ruth Singer apparently has some too, but she went a step further and found beauty in the questionable markings and used them as craft supplies. She created a work called ‘Beauty of Stains’ by highlighting stains on textiles.
The more you look at them, the thought of preserving stains and used textiles is eerily beautiful; at least the way that Ruth Singer did it.
BFF Broach
Do you remember those Be Fri – st ends hearts that you could swap with a BFF? How about swapping strands of hair? Hair wasn’t only used for morning; there are also examples of family or friend exchanges that are then turned into family trees or jewelry. Anybody want to be hair pals? Hahaha!
Make your own hair decor and put it on display. This link is educational, and includes a few books you can read on the subject.
Dead Insects as Makeup Art
Maggots are probably my least favorite, and the most disgusting insect I can think of. They are sticky looking, born of a dirty (and obnoxious) creature, and if you are actually watching them then they are spawning from a horrifyingly dirty item.
So here you go, use them as craft supplies and place some around your eyes to look beautiful. WHAT!?! I would tell you to take a hike for sure. And yet, the photo above, while definitely creepy, is truly beautiful at the same time. This is most certainly wild, and I’m still getting chills with vbutterflyjasmine49.
Taxidermy and Bones as Sculpture
Enrique Gomez De Molina takes pieces of dead animals and combines them into new and fantastical sculptures. I’ve always viewed most taxidermy as unappealing. It isn’t dirty per se, but it’s still dead animals. In all my life I never considered altering the dead animals to create new ones.
Tigers don’t have feathers when they’re alive, and rhinos aren’t the iridescent blue/green color of beetle wings, but dead is another story I guess. And because the new creatures are fantasies, they don’t seem as icky to me. Still, just, wow.
If Furniture had Organs as Art
Imagine if your furniture was a warm blooded species with organs inside…or don’t! Every time I look at Visual Temperature – Sofa by Cao Hui I am so grossed out, but I am morbidly curious at the same time. The fleshy appearance is disturbing, and the gory insides of blood and organ tissue is done with such detail that I’m nearly convinced of it’s reality.
It’s not even a thought I would normally consider when I sit on a piece of furniture, and each of us take something different away from our own interpretations. Some people may consider the implications of using animal skin to actually make furniture; while not as immediately dark one could make that connection easily.
Vintage Dolls as Haunted Items
Haunted dolls are more and more available if you’re looking for them. You can always make your own to enhance the creepy vibes in any setting. Use bits and pieces of dolls in your own sculptures, or use bits and pieces of other stuff to an old doll. Both methods are equally chilling and require unusual arrangements and uses of all kinds of craft supplies.
Check out a few Haunted Doll sites to inspire your twisted creation.
Applique Skull on a Pillow
While some of these craft supplies might be just a little ambitious for some of us, this antique-style skull pillow is an attainable goal. Get ready for some creepy parties and sew a few for fun.
Darling or Questionable Fabric as a Quilt
This is one that will comfort you throughout the creepy crawly season. If you need a good snuggle after all the bone-chilling crafts, sew a darling (or terrifying) rag quilt with this free sewing pattern.
You could add stains, human hair, and blood if the mood strikes you, but however you make it tag me on Instagram @sewcanshe to show me what you come up with.
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Disclosure: some of my posts contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of those links I may receive a small commission, so thank you for supporting SewCanShe when you shop! All of the opinions are my own and I only suggest products that I actually use. 🙂