I can handle pumpkins, cats and bats, and give me ALL the candy, but there are certain characters I prefer to avoid around this time of year. I can do skulls – minus the fresh-out-of-the-graveyard look, and skulls chewing bubble gum takes the creepy-factor down another whole notch! In fact, it’s almost the antithesis of creepy. I can’t imagine being terrified of anyone blowing innocent, pink bubbles!

If you’re going for a playful vibe at your Halloween gathering this year, these sassy “bubble gum skull” cupcake toppers will be the perfect addition! They would be fun with traditional black and orange accents, or if your party is for a bunch of little girls in princess costumes, just go pink! The skulls alone are Halloween-ish, so you can pretty much have fun with the color palette. Unexpected color schemes are the best!

• Plastic skulls with movable jaws (these are from Michael’s)
• Paper straws
• Pink water balloons
• Balloon pump
• Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint 
• Paint palette
• Sponge brush
• Clear tape
• Scissors
• Wax paper

Step 1
Paint the skulls white, and allow to dry completely.

Step 2
Use your balloon pump to blow up your pink water balloon, and tie the end in a knot. You may need to allow some air out to get the balloon to a perfectly round shape, and to the right size for the skull. Next, use your light pink paint and a sponge brush to paint the entire balloon above the knot. This will get rid of the darker spot that often appears at the top of the balloon, and also makes it the perfect “bubble gum” pink! Allow to dry on a sheet of wax paper, and touch up if necessary.

Step 3
Insert the knotted end of the balloon into the skull’s mouth, and tape the lip of the balloon to the inside of the lower jaw bone. Close the jaw over the lip of the balloon.

Step 4
Insert a paper straw into the hole in the bottom of the skull. Ours happened to fit perfectly! If your skull doesn’t have a hole already, you may need to use a drill to create one. Cut the paper straw down to about 5 ½ inches, and stick it in your cupcake.

Your sassy skulls are ready to go. Happy Halloween!!