Sugar Skull Decor DIY for Dia de Muertos

This sugar skull decor DIY is easy to make when you use vinyl instead of paint! This is a sponsored post.

I was first introduced to sugar skulls, or calaveras, in high school Spanish class. The detailed little skulls were so beautifully made, and they sugar glittered beautifully. They were enchanting, not scary. Thanks to movies like Coco, more people are aware of the significance of this special Mexican holiday. This project was inspired by my memories of the glittering little sugar skulls I first saw long ago.

I was thrilled when I found these wood cut sugar skulls at Dollar Tree last month. I grabbed one of each design so I could embellish them using StyleTechCraft glossy vinyl. Here’s how I decorated them:

Sugar Skull Decor DIY Supplies

• Wood Sugar Skull Cut Outs (Dollar Tree or Etsy)
• White Paint
• StyleTechCraft Vinyl
• Silhouette Cutting Machine
• Martha Stewart Coarse Glitter

I started out by spray painting the sugar skulls with a white primer. Then I cut various sized circles, semi circles, and scrolls from different colors of vinyl.

I used transfer tape to place the scroll vinyl pieces on the sugar skulls.

I used the scallop shapes to create a border around the edge of the skulls. Then I started adding the circles to create designs.

After the front of the sugar skull was decorated, I flipped it over to cover the open sections.

I put these two side by side so you can see what the front and back look like. The sugar skull looks so colorful now with all the vinyl added!

Since the vinyl is on the back of the piece, the sticky side is facing the front. It’s perfect for holding glitter! I sprinkled it on the vinyl glue, and shook off the excess.

Now the open areas sparkle like sugar, creating this sugar skull decor DIY! This would make a great addition to a wreath or to hang on a wall. Have fun crafting and creating!