How to Mount Antlers

 If you saw my last post, it was all about the antlers I bought in South Dakota this summer. I showed what I did with a single antler. You can take a peek HERE. Today, I am excited to show you what I did with a full mount!

First step: Wash your antlers. I just put mine in a soapy sink full of water, and rinsed and dried them.

Decide what you want to do with your skull. If you want to cover the skull, you will need to cut it down.

Use a Sawzall with a fine tooth blade. I am not going to lie. This was a little sick, and I felt a weird amount of guilt, cutting the skull of something that used to be living.

If your husband is a hunter, you can have him do this.

You need to cut off both sides.

Cut the bottom so it lies flat.

Next, drill two to three holes with a drill bit that will work with whatever screws you decide to use.

Position the skull on the wood mount you plan to use. I got mine from Hobby Lobby for $2.33.

Drill the screws into the wooden board.

You will need a filler , and a styrofoam ball is perfect for this. You can cut off whatever you need to cut off, and then you cover the whole thing with Crayola Air Dry Clay. I got mine at Hobby Lobby. It was $5.99 for a whole tub, and it went a long way.

Cover the whole thing. It will be a little lumpy.

After you have covered the whole thing with clay, get a container of water. Dip your finger in the water, and start to smooth out the clay. The whole thing will be shiny. 

After you have done this, let it dry for about two days. You may see some small cracks where the clay shrunk during drying. You will just need to get small amounts of clay, and lots of water, and fill the cracks. This step will only take a few hours to dry.

After it is dry, you can paint it however you like. I sprayed mine with primer, and then gold paint.

I hung mine in my guest room.

I love them! I love the way they add that little bit of unexpected masculinity to an otherwise feminine space. I might even hang some jewelry on them!

Thanks for stopping by. Come back to see the full guest room reveal! Most of it is thrifted!

Happy and Creative Day!

Risa

Painted Antler Decor

Today, I am sharing with you my newest DIY decor piece, that I am SO excited about!!! It is an antler that I picked up on vacation this summer, and glammed out. It is now sitting proudly on display on my coffee table in my formal living room.

The kids have been begging to visit Mount Rushmore for a few years now. We decided this was the year to do it! We stayed in a cabin in a little town called Custer, SD. 

Every day, as we were going on our outings, we drove down Main Street, past this truck who's entire bed was full of antlers! I didn't think much of it, until the last couple days, when it dawned on me that maybe the antlers were for sale!

After all, the store where the truck was parked is called Claw - Antler & Hide Co.

I decided to drop in, and

HIT THE ANTLER JACKPOT! 

Is there such a thing? I think so... I have been pinning painted antlers on pinterest for a long time. You can visit my antler board HERE.

I bought a bag full of antlers, and brought them back to our cabin. Mr. B was like... "Why do we need those, Babe?" I was like... "Have you seen all the painted antlers on Pinterest?" He obviously hasn't! 

I put a picture of my find on Instagram, and my insta-friends were dying! I got lots of comments from friends asking me to bring them back antlers! So I did. I went back, and got a second box of antlers to bring home.

These antlers are kind of old, and were rather clean. I just put them in a bath of soapy water to get the dust off, and let them dry.

Then, it was time to paint. If you are spraying antlers, a grocery bag and painters tape will be your best friend. Slide the bag over the part you don't want to paint. Tape the top with painters tape. Spray on a layer of primer and let it dry.

Then, spray the color you want to paint and let dry. Next, slide another bag over the antler tips, and then tape crisp lines around the bag and antler tips.

Spray the color you want for the tips.

Wait for it to dry, remove the tape and bags, and you are all set!

You will have a great conversation piece for any room in your house. I originally made this for my master bedroom, but loved it in my formal living room! 

I love the juxdeposition of the high sheen and metallic paint, with the exposed natural antler.

Okay now... go raid your husband's antler stash! You might want to ask him before you paint his antlers though. I know how proud men can be of their beloved antlers. If your husband doesn't have an antler stash, you can visit www.clawantlerhide.com. They ship, and the cost is actual and low, because the antlers are not heavy. If you live in the Utah, contact me. I still have some antlers left.

Come back soon, to see what I did with my full set antler mount! It is glamorous and fabulous! You won't want to miss it!

Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa