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Key has been eagerly awaiting Halloween since last year, and the excitement is palpable as she dives into decorating her yard for the spooky season. With a skeleton theme taking over one side of the yard and a graveyard scene on the other, this year’s Halloween setup is both fun and inventive. From giant skeletons to creative DIY cauldrons, every detail has been carefully thought out and crafted for maximum effect. Join Key as she walks through her decorations, sharing tips and tricks for creating a standout Halloween display.
Key Takeaways:
- Start planning early: Key pre-ordered new decorations in July to ensure her collection was complete for Halloween.
- Skeletons make a statement: Life-size skeletons from Walmart are affordable, posable, and perfect for outdoor displays.
- DIY adds a personal touch: Key used expanding foam, PVC, and wooden stakes to create custom cauldrons and support structures.
- Zip ties are your friend: For hanging skeletons and stabilizing decorations, zip ties are an essential tool.
- Be weather-prepared: Storms may disrupt your setup, but securing decorations with wooden stakes, bricks, and zip ties will help them endure.
Bringing the Skeleton Theme to Life
Key kicked off her Halloween setup with the exciting addition of a new groundbreaker skeleton from Party City. After a long search and some help from her mom in Illinois, she finally got her hands on this highly sought-after piece. The groundbreaker fits perfectly into the skeleton theme she has envisioned since last Halloween.
Another new addition is a skeleton dog, which Key found at Walmart. It pairs perfectly with her giant 12-foot skeleton, Josh, who has become a neighborhood celebrity over the past three years.
DIY Cauldron: A Creative Twist
One of the standout DIY projects this year is Key’s witch-themed cauldron. Using expanding foam, foam balls, and a cardboard box to fill the base, she created a realistic bubbling potion effect. For those looking to replicate the look, Key recommends adding lights before the foam dries for a more magical touch. Despite the challenges of crafting this piece, the final product is both weather-resistant and visually impressive.
Skeleton Campfire: Simple Yet Fun
A new scene for this year is a skeleton campfire, featuring two skeletons sitting around hay bales, bricks, and sticks, as if they’re sharing stories by the fire. This budget-friendly addition required minimal materials but adds a lot of character to the overall setup.
Tips for Sturdier Outdoor Decorations
Key is no stranger to the challenges of decorating in stormy weather. Her solution? Wooden yard stakes, zip ties, and rebar. These tools help stabilize her decorations, from skeletons to pumpkin arches. She also recommends using PVC and dowels for securing lightweight tombstones—an easy hack that ensures they stay in place, even during hurricanes.
Final Touches: Pumpkins and Mums
While skeletons dominate her yard, Key also brings warmth to her porch with a display of pumpkins and mums. Though the hot climate in North Carolina often makes it difficult for mums to last, she’s learned the importance of watering them from the bottom and deadheading regularly to keep them looking fresh.
Graveyard and Pumpkin Arch
On the other side of her yard, Key has set up a graveyard with foam tombstones secured with PVC and dowels. An illuminated pumpkin arch from Lowe’s adds a striking entrance to the graveyard, glowing brightly at night. Pro tip: Lowe’s offers great clearance deals on Halloween decorations just before the holiday, so it’s worth checking in around October 29th or 30th to snag discounted items.
After weeks of work, battling storms, and balancing life with three kids, Key’s Halloween yard display is finally complete. With a combination of store-bought decorations and DIY projects, the spooky, skeleton-filled yard is ready to welcome trick-or-treaters and thrill her neighbors.