This Halloween Cloche is Love at First Fright
Learn how to DIY this Unique Indoor Halloween Decoration
Store-bought decorations may offer convenience, but there's something truly bewitching about crafting your own hauntingly beautiful decor. In this article, we'll go on a creative journey and guide you step by step in making a spooky Halloween cloche, featuring a tiny fittonia plant, a mysterious skeleton, and a hauntingly gnarled dead tree. Fab-BOO-lous!
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 and use these materials and instructions as inspiration for creating your own plant-inspired Halloween decor. Use up any dried or preserved floral supplies or small novelty Halloween decorations you may already have on hand!
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. Using a fine-tipped sharpie marker, color in the eyes, nose and teeth of the skeleton.
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.
Watch the video and learn how to DIY this spooky indoor Halloween decoration!
How do I take care of the fittonia (nerve plant) inside my cloche?
The striking leaves of a Fittonia plant. Image credit: Faran Raufi
Fittonia, also called nerve plant, is a popular houseplant prized for its striking foliage. Fittonias are native to the tropical rainforests of South America, and are known for their distinctive leaves, which feature intricate veining patterns and contrasting colors. Fittonia loves high humidity, and the enclosed environment of a cloche helps to maintain a moist atmosphere.
The fittonia plant thrives in bright, indirect light. It prefers not to be exposed to direct sunlight, which can scorch its delicate leaves. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Allow the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings, and use room-temperature water to avoid shocking the plant.
Once every 7-10 days, take the lid off the cloche and check the moisture level of the soil around the fittonia with your finger or a moisture meter, taking care not to disturb the rest of the arrangement. To water, use a succulent watering bottle or a baby’s oral medicine syringe and carefully aim a tiny bit of water towards the roots of the fittonia. When you are finished watering, carefully replace the cloche lid.
Remember, the tiny plastic container housing the fittonia does not have drainage holes so you will need to experiment and calibrate just how much water is enough. Aim for soil that is lightly moist, not soggy. A thirsty fittonia appears droopy and wilted; an overwatered fittonia turns yellow, droopy, and begins to rot. Do not mist this arrangement. Misting may cause mold to grow on the dried and preserved materials.
This type of arrangement is intended as a seasonal decoration - something to be enjoyed during the weeks leading up to Halloween. When Halloween is over, transplant the fittonia into a small pot with drainage holes. Put the cloche away until next year, and when autumn comes around again, you can repot with another tiny piece of fittonia, and freshen up the moss and preserved materials.
Keep in mind, this cloche will be visible all the way around, so every angle should look interesting!
Cat lovers rejoice! Cats can’t destroy this indoor houseplant Halloween decoration.