Spook-tacular DIY: Bring Mr. Skeleton to Life at Halloween!

I saw this skeleton throwing up toxic waste and knew I needed it, but in true Stephanie fashion, I needed to change it up a bit.

Instead of throwing up, I was going to make my skeleton sit in toxic waste and drink it! I knew this project needed to include spray foam, but was not sure how I was going to execute it yet.

This is a project I could do as I healed from surgery but is a bigger project that makes my heart happy. Let’s get started!

Supplies:

32-gallon garbage can
Skeleton
Zip ties
Clear tubing
Spray foam
Spray paint
5-gallon bucket
Pump
Vinyl Letters
Large cup – I used the cup I got from the hospital
Small piece of PVC pipe
Black Lights
Clear Christmas bulbs
Lights
Thin Painters’ Tape

Step 1: Attach hose to Mr. Skeleton.

Take your clear tubing and feed it through Mr. Skeletons body, from the pelvis, through the chest cavity, and out his mouth. Leave plenty of slack on both ends, we can trim it later. I used zip ties to secure the tubing to his spine.

Step 2: Attach the pump.

Follow the instructions on your pump to install it. I used this pump.

Step 3: Place Mr. Skeleton in the Can and Secure Him.

Put the 5-gallon bucket on the bottom of the garbage can, right side up. Mr. Skelly will sit on the edge of the bucket. Using zip ties, secure him to the side of the garbage can.

Step 4: Make the cup and dry fit it.

Drill out a hole on the bottom of the cup large enough for the clear tubing to fit through. Feed the clear tubing through the PVC pipe, then through the cup. Don’t secure anything yet but play with it to decide how you want it to look.

Step 5: Add the Words to the Garbage Can

I got these letters and just added them to the can to say “Toxic Waste” and “Danger”.

Step 6: Make the toxic waste.

For this I used the lid of the garbage can. Turned it upside down and cut out a section of the lid where Mr. Skelly sits, so it fits around him. I then sprayed one layer of foam over the lid, placed a layer of lights, then another layer of foam and lights, and one more layer of foam. At this point I started layering foam and the Christmas bulbs to look like bubbles. Keep repeating these steps until you have a nice heaping pile.

I also wanted to put foam on the sides of the garbage can, so it looked like it was flowing over. The first layer struggled to stick, but the second and third stuck much better. I combined the foam on the side with the foam on the lid, so it flows together nicely. We will cut it to separate the lid from the can later.

I then sprayed some foam in a box in random shapes and sizes, so I could glue them on the sides to exaggerate the dripping.

Step 7: Paint!

Time to paint the toxic waste. I used neon yellow and neon green spray paint. Spraying it in sections to give it a tie dye/ textured look. Use painters’ tape to tape around the bottom of the foam. I then used a piece of cardboard to protect the rest of the can. Don’t forget to also paint the random drippings.

Using the same-colored paint, I painted the bottom ½- ¾ of the cup to look like it was full.

Time to paint the straw. I started by painting the entire straw white. Once that was dry, I used thin painters’ tape and taped off vertical stripes. I then painted the exposed parts red. It looked just like a straw and was so dang cute!

Step 8: Cut the lid off.

Using a knife, I simply cut between the lid and the can. If you just cut one clean line, the lid and sides will match up and will hardly be noticeable, but will give you access to the pump, bucket, and water.

Step 9: Add water, and make it yellow, and connect the pump.

Add water to the bucket. I took apart yellow highlighters and put the ink in the water to make it yellow. It worked PERFECTLY! Make sure the pump is installed.

Step 10: Put it all together and plug it in!

Glue all the random pieces on the sides to finish the dripping. I also got these stickers and randomly placed them all over the can.

To secure the cup in place, I used a zip tie at the base of the cup, around the clear tubing. Make sure the straw is in his mouth. Put Mr. Skelly’s hand on the cup, so it looks like he is holding it.

Plug it all in and stand back and be amazed that the awesome friend you made!!!

Here is the finished look, and I love it! I was so excited it all worked and looked as good as it does. What should I make next with spray foam??

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