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Disney·Pixar’s Coco-Inspired Sugar Skull Pendant

So you’re thinking, “What’s this Coco she’s talking about?” And I get it. You didn’t pay attention to the announcements from D23 EXPO, so you’re totally unaware of this movie. Or it could be because it’s over two years before it’s released. I understand. But I like to stay ahead of the curve. And it’s never too early to start movie crafting. Sugar Skull PendantDisney·Pixar’s Coco is the 2017 film from director Lee Unkrich and producer Darla K. Anderson. (They brought us Toy Story 3.) It’s inspired by the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead.  Coco_(2017_film)_logoThe first promotional image from Coco features an adorable sugar skull. And I just happened to have some skull beads handy around the house… And it is almost Halloween. Which means it’s almost Día de los Muertos… You see where this is going, right?

Skull BeadsTo make this pendant you’ll need:

  • Skull Beads
  • Paint Pens
  • Rhinestones
  • Jewelry Glue
  • Spray Paint
  • Toothpicks
  • A Head Pin
  • Needle Nose Pliers

Rhinestone GlueBefore getting started, I gave my beads a few coats of flat white spray paint. The darker colors will need at least three coats.

I tried to copy the artwork from the Coco image as closely as I could, within the limits of my artistic skills and what you are able to do with a paint pen. Always paint one color at a time and allow it to fully dry before you start on the next color. A white paint pen in handy for touching up any goofs. Make sure your prime and blot your paint pens on a scrap of paper before starting to decorate. If needed, dip a toothpick in paint to get into smaller areas like painting the smile.

After the skull is fully painted, attach rhinestones for the eyes and nose. I used rhinestones found in the scrapbooking section of the craft store. Use a toothpick to apply the jewelry glue to the rhinestones to avoid over-gluing.

BeadingOnce the rhinestones are attached, it’s time to turn the bead into a pendant. The hole of the skull bead I used was too large to  hold a head pin on it’s own, so I used a small bead to keep it from slipping through. Then I used needle nose pliers to create a loop at the top of the skull. Coco Sugar Skull
All that’s left to do is to add a chain. Pendant
Your DIY Coco-inspired sugar skull is now ready to wear. You’ll have to wait a little longer to see the movie. Coco is currently scheduled for a November 2017 release.

A collection of fun and easy Disney Halloween projects you can try at home! Includes Star Wars and Marvel, too!

As The Bunny Hops®