DIY Halloween Cloche: Unique Halloween Decor for Your Home
Follow our step-by-step guide to create DIY Halloween decor that’s both creepy and cute!
Store-bought decorations might be convenient, but when it comes to setting the scene for a truly unforgettable Halloween, nothing compares to the charm and creativity of DIY Halloween decor.
There's something extra magical - and just a little spooky - about crafting your own pieces, especially when they’re one-of-a-kind and full of personality.
In this article, we’ll take you on a step-by-step creative journey to make a spooky Halloween cloche that doubles as unique Halloween decor you won’t find anywhere else.
This DIY project combines eerie elegance with a touch of natural beauty, featuring a tiny fittonia plant, a mysterious miniature skeleton, and a twisted, gnarled dead tree that looks like it crept straight out of a haunted forest.
It’s a project that’s creepy, clever, and completely customizable. Whether you're styling a haunted mantel, setting a moody centerpiece, or just love crafting something delightfully dark, this tutorial will help you build a DIY Halloween decor piece that’s fab-BOO-lous and frightfully fun!
In this article, you’ll find everything you need to get started: a complete materials list, step-by-step directions for assembling your Halloween cloche, and simple care tips to keep your Fittonia plant looking frightfully fresh.
Whether you're a seasoned crafter or a Halloween DIY beginner, we've got you covered from start to spooky finish.
Materials Needed:
1 decorative cloche with a glass cover, such as Ikea’s Härliga glass dome, 10.75 inches tall x 5.5 inches wide
1 Fittonia plant (nerve plant), 2-inch pot size. If Fittonia is not available, any 2” tropical, humidity-loving plant will work
A small amount of potting soil (less than 1/4 cup)
1 tiny plastic container for repotting a piece of the Fittonia plant, with NO drainage holes (the red lid from a can of Reddi-wip works well)
1 chunky piece of driftwood, resembling a dead tree
1 small plastic skeleton, 6 inches tall
1 small piece of thin black gauze-like fabric, approximately 2-3 inches square in size
1 fine-tipped sharpie marker
Floral wire
1 small plastic pumpkin, approximately 1 inch tall and wide
Preserved and dried craft mushrooms, lichens, mini-pinecones, oak leaves
Dried sheet moss
Preserved reindeer moss, natural color
Spider webbing
1 small black plastic spider, approximately 1 inch or less in length
Glue gun
Don’t be afraid to unleash your creative spirit - use these materials and step-by-step instructions as a jumping-off point for crafting your own plant-inspired DIY Halloween decor. Whether you're working with dried flowers, preserved moss, or tiny novelty skeletons, this is the perfect project to repurpose what you already have and create truly unique Halloween decor with a personal twist!
Tips:
Before beginning, make sure the tiny plastic container and piece of driftwood fit comfortably inside the cloche when the lid is on.
Choose a tiny plastic container with no holes - you don’t want water to drain out of the bottom and ruin the dried parts of your arrangement.
Make sure the base of your cloche bonds easily with hot glue. A wood or metal base works well; glass can be problematic.
Get the Components Ready:
Clean the glass lid in hot, soapy water and dry with a towel. If needed, use a glass cleaner to remove any streaks. Set the lid aside for now.
Repot a small piece of fittonia into the tiny plastic container. Gently tease apart the fittonia roots to separate a small piece (about 1/3 of the plant). Repot the small piece into the tiny plastic container, using fresh potting soil if needed.
Make a spooky looking hooded skeleton. Separate the skull and spine from the plastic skeleton figurine and wrap it in the piece of black fabric, fashioning a hood around the skeleton’s skull. Secure the fabric to the skeleton’s spine with a small piece of floral wire. If needed, color in the eyes, nose and teeth of the skeleton using a fine-tipped sharpie marker.
Practice first. It’s always a good idea to have a plan before you start gluing. Roughly position your components on the base of the cloche, playing around with the arrangement until you like the way it looks. Also, make sure everything fits neatly under the lid of the cloche.
Assemble the Cloche:
Using a glue gun, glue the driftwood and tiny plastic fittonia container to the base of the cloche. Create drama by angling the pieces and leaving a space to frame the hooded skeleton.
Tuck the hooded skeleton behind the driftwood and fittonia. Affix with a tiny bead of hot glue, if needed.
Glue the small pumpkin to the base of the cloche, next to the driftwood.
Hide the tiny plastic container by gluing pieces of preserved mushrooms, lichens, leaves, and pinecones to the cloche base.
Tuck preserved sheet moss in and around the cloche base; tuck reindeer moss around the roots of the fittonia.
Drape spider webbing between the tree and the pumpkin.
Fasten a spider onto the spider web, either by tucking into the strands of webbing or using a tiny bead of hot glue.
Water the fittonia plant (more on that below).
Clear away any dirt or moss particles that have become dislodged, by gently blowing on them.
Carefully place the cover on the cloche, taking care not to crush anything. Wipe down the outside of the cover again, if needed.
Fittonia Plant Care Tips for Your Unique Halloween Decor
The Fittonia, also known as the nerve plant, is a stunning little houseplant prized for its bold, veined foliage in shades of green and white.
Native to the tropical rainforests of South America, Fittonia thrives in high humidity, which makes it the perfect living accent for your DIY Halloween decor cloche.
The enclosed glass environment helps trap moisture, creating a mini jungle vibe that's both spooky and stylish.
To keep your Fittonia plant happy and healthy inside the cloche, place it somewhere with bright, indirect light - and never in harsh sun, which can scorch its delicate leaves.
This plant prefers consistently moist soil (not soggy!), so let the top inch dry out slightly before watering. Every 7-10 days, lift the cloche lid and check the soil with your finger or a moisture meter.
For precise watering, use a succulent bottle or even a baby medicine syringe to gently drip water right at the base of the plant without disturbing the spooky scene.
Keep in mind: the tiny plastic container housing the fittonia does not have drainage holes so you will need to experiment a little to get the moisture just right.
Too little water and your Fittonia will droop dramatically; too much, and the leaves will yellow and rot.
And one last tip - don’t mist the arrangement. While Fittonia loves humidity, misting can cause mold on the dried and preserved elements of your unique Halloween decor, and no one wants a haunted cloche for the wrong reasons!
This unique Halloween decor gets a lively boost from a real nerve plant. Image credit @akchamczuk via Canva.com.
What to Do With Your Unique Halloween Decor Cloche Once the Spooky Season Ends 🎃
This type of arrangement is designed to be seasonal DIY Halloween decor - a festive piece to enjoy during the weeks leading up to Halloween.
Once the spooky season wraps up, it’s time to give your Fittonia a more permanent home. Carefully remove the plant from the cloche and transplant it into a small pot with drainage holes, using fresh potting soil to help it thrive.
Fittonia makes a great year-round houseplant, and with the right care, it will continue to add beauty long after the Halloween fun has passed.
As for the cloche itself, gently pack it away with your other seasonal decorations. Come next fall, you can bring it out and give it a fresh twist - add a new miniature Fittonia, refresh the moss, and swap in preserved materials or Halloween miniatures that reflect your evolving style.
With just a little care and creativity, this charming piece of DIY Halloween decor can become a beloved part of your annual decorating tradition.
Cat lovers rejoice! Cats can’t destroy this unique Halloween decor. 😾