DIY Maleficent Horns

Simple DIY Maleficent horns!

What you will need in this step:

• 2 Flexi ties - 12 inches
• Newspaper
• Masking Tape

1. Bend flexi ties to shape like horns.

2. Wrap each flexi tie with newspaper, making sure to add more paper to the bottom than the top. Keep going around and around the flexi ties until you reach the pointed top. Tape with pieces of masking tape along the way.

3. Once you have completely wrapped in newspaper, bend the wrapped in newspaper twist tie to shape into horns-like shapes. Add more newspaper to shape as needed.

4. Once you have the shape of a horn that you are comfortable with, wrap the entire thing with masking tape---note that there is no perfect way to do this, just wrap until all of your newspaper is covered.

What you will need for this step:

• All purpose cotton twist twine/rope
• All purpose braid rope - 3/16 inch
• Carpenter's wood glue
• Paint brush (not shown)
• Empty box large enough to cover both horns (not shown)
• Black semi-gloss spray paint
• Large scrap paper (not shown)

1. Now that you've built your horns using flexi tie wrapped in newspaper, you will wrap your horns in cotton twist twine AND braid rope.

2. Carefully wrap your horns using cotton twist tie twine. Starting at the tip of the horn, slowly and carefully wrap the twist tie in a perfect circular motion all the way down to the bottom. Leaving about 6 inches, cut the tie at the bottom and tape the hanging inches to the very bottom just to hold it in place.

3. Repeat step #2 for the other horn.

4. Now you will wrap the bottoms of the horns with the thicker braid rope. Similar to how you wrapped the twist tie in a circular motion, just go around the bottom of the horn (about 1/3 down). You need to try and make your wrap tight as you are going round an round. It should not be a loose fit. Cut about 2 inches at the end. This part is tricky, but you will need to try and shove the remaining 2 inches under the wrap that you just did (to hide it and hold the wrap in place).

5. Once you have completed your twine and braid rope wrap, find a place to hang up your horns for painting with glue (to hang your horns, bend the flexi tie protruding from the wide bottom side, to a hook shape and attach rope tie).

6. Use wood glue and an artists brush to paint your horns---let dry overnight.

7. Once your horns have dried, they will appear to have a "yellowish flesh colored tone".

8. To paint the horns black, lay down some large scrap paper outside somewhere (I used those large packing sheets that you get from IKEA when you check out). You will want to do this step outside to avoid getting any spray paint on your floors, counters or in the air. You might want to do this on a non-breezy day!

9. Wearing disposable gloves, hold your can of black semi-gloss spray paint about 18 inches away, gently glide back and forth over the horns. Place box over them and let dry for about 20 minutes (so that no debris can fly onto your newly painted beautiful horns!).

10. Turn your horns over to the unpainted side and let sit for another 20 minutes under the box.

11. Remove and hang back in the same hanging spot to dry further---overnight.

12. Voila---you now have a pair of beautiful crafted horns!

What you will need for this step.

• Dollar store medieval helmet to use as a skull cap (or anything similar that is not made of fabric and that can easily be cut with a box cutter or scissors).
• Box cutter
• Black duct tape

1. While looking in a mirror, place the round helmet on your head.

2. Using a permanent marker, draw the pointed "V" along the front edge of the helmet (this is around where the helmet sits on your forehead). Cut the helmet to the "V" shape with scissors.

3. Then position one horn to where you would like it to be. Using a permanent black marker, trace the circular bottom of the horn directly onto the helmet (you will have to try and bend up the flexi tie while you do this to get the horn to lay somewhat flat against the helmet so that you can accurately trace your circle).

4. Repeat #3 above with the second horn.

5. Once both horns have been traced, carefully cut them out of the helmet using your box cutter.

6. Unless you have cut really gigantic circles (far bigger than what you had actually traced), your horns SHOULD NOT be able to fit completely through your two cut-outs. This is good.

7. Attach horns one at a time by placing your first horn over the cut-out and then on the underside of the helmet, pulling the flexi tie out and bending along the helmet on the inside. Tape the flexi tie with black duct tape underneathe. This will obviously not be a secure hold, but enough to keep your horn in place.

8. Do the same with the other horn.

9. Now that you've positioned your horns, cut a 12 inch piece of the black duct tape in half (down the length of it) and tape around the rim of the bottom of the horns and then directly onto the helmet. Do this about 3X's on each horn taping more onto the helmet. You are trying to use the duct tape to secure the horns to the helmet. Do this as many times as you need until it feels sturdy.

10. Now cover the rest of the exposed helmet with a few cut pieces of the black duct tape. Carefully wrap each piece of tape in whatever direction so long as you apply them smoothly.

11. Voila---you've made a skull cap and Maleficent horns that could rival the ones in the movies!

Go trick or treating!