DIY Silhouettes

When we did our Super Mario style haunted house for Halloween a couple years ago, I made some silhouettes of Princess Peach and Mario to hang on the walls. I've seen several versions of this idea floating around the internet, so here is my take on them.

We did Mario and Peach to fit the theme of our Halloween decor, but you can obviously do this with any silhouette. If you like these, feel free to use mine as a template to make your own. I will also soon have smaller versions available for purchase on my Etsy shop. :)

To make these, you'll need two sheets of vellum, two sheets of black acid-free paper, two picture frames, and an x-acto knife.

First, prepare your frames however you like. I painted mine silver, but crackle paint is also a nice touch.

Next, take the glass out of the frame and use it to trace the correct size onto the vellum. This step may be unnecessary if you are using a standard 8 1/2 x 11 frame, but it is extremely helpful for round or oval frames.

Once you know what size you have to work with, use a pencil to draw or trace your design onto the vellum. Hint: I had a design ready to go, but it was too small for the frame. So, I scanned it and used the image viewer on my computer to zoom in until it was the size I wanted. I then traced it directly from my computer screen onto the vellum.

Now, cut out your design with an x-acto knife. Try to make smooth cuts; vellum is not very forgiving. After you're done cutting it out, go ahead and erase any pencil marks that might be showing. Again, vellum is not forgiving, so be careful not to crease it. (You might notice a little white line under Mario's nose... I was not very careful with my eraser.)

Once again, take the glass from the frame and use it as a guide to cut both the vellum and the black paper.

You are almost ready to assemble them! Be sure to clean both sides of the glass, now that you've smeared finger prints all over it. Position the vellum cut-outs how you want them, keeping in mind which direction you want them to face. Next, place the black paper in the back.

If you have odd frames like the ones I chose, you may need to tape the paper down before putting the back on. On the original version that I made, I actually secured the vellum using spray-on glue. Word to the wise: vellum does not look good with spray-on glue. It gets strange bubbles and is not as opaque as it should be. Trust me, they stay fine with just the tape. Lastly, secure the back onto the frames, and they are ready to display in your haunted mansion!