DIY Halloween Cloche

It’s officially spooky season! We love Halloween over here so I thought I’d make a Dollar Store craft to decorate with. I love the look of old bugs in frames and cloches so when I spotted cloches and giant bugs at the Dollar Store I was excited! I figured I could make an entomology DIY Halloween cloche. This is a super easy project and I’m excited to show you the tutorial!

how to make a DIY Halloween Cloche

Let’s start with the video tutorial so you get an overview on what I did. Then, I’ll dive in with more details below:

If the video doesn’t work here, you can watch it on YouTube here. I’d be over the moon happy if you subscribed to my YouTube channel! Videos are actually released on YouTube first (usually the night before they’re published on the blog). Thank you!

SUPPLIES

2 Cloches from the Dollar Store
Taller Cloche Option 1 or Taller Cloche Option 2 or Cloche Option 3
Reindeer Moss from the Dollar Store or Moss from Amazon
Bugs from the Dollar Store or Giant Bugs from Amazon
Green Foam Pot Inserts from Dollar Store or Foam from Amazon
Bamboo Skewers from Dollar Store or Skewers from Amazon
Gold Spray Paint- Rustoleum Megallic Gold 2x Ultra Cover
White Spray Paint– Rustoleum White Semi-Gloss 2x Ultra Cover
Clear Tacky Glue
Hot Glue Gun

Tip, if your Dollar Tree doesn’t have the cloches in stock, you can order them online. You have to get a minimum of 4, but that comes to $5 with free shipping. The shipment goes to your local store, so you have to pick them up. But the price is so good that it might be worth it.

For this project, I bought 2 cloches, reindeer moss, bugs, green foam, and bamboo skewers from the Dollar Store. I spent $7.50 on this project. I already had the taller cloche on hand as well as the spray paint and glue. If you needed to buy all the supplies, I’d estimate the total would be around $25.

step 1- spray paint

Start by spray painting the bugs and the bottom of the cloche. Spray paint outside on top of cardboard.

For the bugs, I used a white spray paint. I like the graphic punch they give when they’re all white. Any color would look good- I could see black being even more spooky. If you’re using a skewer with any of your bugs, also spray paint the skewer the same color as the bug.

The base of the Dollar Store cloches is a black plastic. It looks cheap in my opinion. Plus, I don’t usually decorate with black so that was out. So I also spray painted those as well- I went with gold spray paint.

Tip, after spray painting the bugs and cloche bases, let them dry overnight. I started working with my grasshopper a few hours after I sprayed it and I got paint all over my hands. Plan ahead by taking 15 minutes to spray paint and then completing the rest of the project the next day.

step 2- create a base

Next, if you like the look of the bugs on a skewer, create a base. For the small cloches I didn’t have space for a skewer and base, but for the tall one I did. To create the base, I took the floral foam and cut it down with a kitchen knife. The foam need to be small enough so that moss can go on the outside and there’s still space for the glass dome to sit on the base.

Once the foam is the correct shape, hot glue it to the base of the cloche.

Next, take tacky glue and cover the foam in it. I also like using a small artist’s paint brush to spread the glue out. Once the glue is evenly distributed over the foam, start sprinkling moss over it. To be honest, this step is tedious and messy, but covering that foam with moss makes it look really high end and fancy.

step 3- add the skewer

And now, take the skewer and cut it to the correct height so it can be stabbed into the foam base and hold up a bug. Then use hot glue on the skewer and bug and then connect the two. Hold them in place until the glue is dry. Put the skewer into the foam base.

step 4- assembly

Finally, assemble the cloches. This is the easy and fun step! For the smaller cloches, I just put the spray painted bugs sitting inside the cloche. For the taller cloche, I put the top over the already assembled bug on skewer attached in the base.

after

Ta da! Here’s how they turned out- aren’t they cute?! And spooky?!

Right now these are my son’s playhouse. He has a lab themed area so they’ll be perfect all year here. But for most people I think these are great for Halloween decor!

I love how graphic the bugs are painted. More like art and less gross. Plus no real bugs were harmed in the making of this project- that I know of any way ;).

I hope you like this DIY Halloween Cloche project! It takes less than 1 hour of active working time to make this. It’s simple, affordable, and looks like way more money than it costs to make! What do you think of this craft? I’d love to hear in the comments. And let me know if you have any questions too!