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FREE PRINTABLE: Sugar Skull Paper Banner

This sugar skull paper banner is the perfect Day of the Dead craft!

You are going to love these free printables I created in honor of Dia de los Muertos! This one is the Sugar Skull Paper Banner and what makes it such a fun craft is you can download the free printable and follow along with my directions to make it however long or short you want. 

Be creative with your Day of the Dead crafts

It’s fun to shop for muertos decorations at the store, they are everywhere now! But remember – in Mexico, the spirit of Day of the Dead is about expressing and sharing our creativity. If you can find time to make some of your decorations and think about the purpose of your ofrenda and celebration, it will be all the more meaningful.

I’ve made these projects very easy and you can level them up any way you’d like!

The meaning of sugar skulls goes beyond them looking cute. The sugar represents the sweetness of life. Crafted from pure sugar, lemon juice, and water, which is hardened inside of a mold, sugar skulls are used in Mexican culture. These represent the energy and personality of each individual life. Names of loved ones are often written on the foreheads of sugar skulls in honor of those who have passed. You can read more about sugar skulls here!

Free printable: Sugar Skull Paper Banner #craftychica #printable #muertos

Supplies for your Sugar Skull Paper Banner

Glossy photo paper

Free Printable – Sugar Skull Paper Banner (for personal use only, please do not use these designs commercially or for profit)

Scissors

Twine or ribbon

Hot glue

Glue stick

Tulle

Gems

 

Free printable: Sugar Skull Paper Banner #craftychica #printable #muertos

Directions for the Sugar Skull Paper Banner

Insert the glossy photo paper in your printer. I really like using this kind of paper for this project because the colors come out so brilliant and shiny. And it’s heavyweight which gives a nice body to the banner. There is no curling of the paper, it’s nice and stiff and really shows off the design!

These work nice for other Day of the Dead crafts too!

Open the printable file and size it to a sheet of printer paper, 8-1/2×11. Set your printer to best quality and print out the sheet of designs. If you want a longer banner, or want your skulls double sides, print several sheets.

Free printable: Sugar Skull Paper Banner #craftychica #printable #muertos

Once they are all cut out, arrange them face down in the order you want. Hot glue the ribbon twine – or even rickrack, like I used, along the backs of them. If you want your banner double-sided use a glue stick to affix another set of sugar skulls to each piece. 

Free printable: Sugar Skull Paper Banner #craftychica #printable #muertos

You can leave your banner like this to be hung, or you can add more embellishments! I used pieces of tulle tied between each sugar skull and then I glued a gem on the knot portion. You could also add strands of embroidery thread hanging down, or coat the eyes or lips with glitter glue, beads, buttons, whatever you’d like!

Or if you want, you can add double the amount of skulls so they are all very close to one another.

Another idea! Make smaller prints of these and mix and match with the sizes!

Free printable: Sugar Skull Paper Banner #craftychica #printable #muertos

Here are some other ideas for your Sugar Skull Paper Banner:

  • Add written words or names to hang between each sugar skull.
  • Glue feathers or paper flowers on the heads to make a crown or hat.
  • Embellish further using brightly-colored pens or markers.
  • Glue the skulls on the ribbon to hang vertical, rather than horizontal.
  • Hang this banner in tandem with papel picado banners!
  • Print onto clear transparency film to give them a translucent effect. 
  • If you don’t want to use scissors, you can use an electronic cutting machine.
  • Draw and paint your own designs to go with these!
  • Use the sugar skulls alone as embellishments for other craft projects.
  • Don’t even make a banner – get creative and use these for other kinds of projects! If you do, please let me know, I’d love to see!

If you want to know more about the history of sugar skulls and other Day of the Dead crafts, check out my other post, as well as other ideas with sugar skulls:

Three Facts About Sugar Skulls

How to make a sugar skull floral centerpiece

Sugar Skull Tutorial + Icing

Thanks for check out my free printable and Sugar Skull Paper Banner article!

The Meaning of Marigolds for Dia de Los Muertos + Free Printable

History of La Catrina + Free Muertos Printable

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