This unusual idea for a house address marker (click the image for larger) was part of a BHG “Halloween Outdoor Makeover” slideshow. As if it should be limited to Halloween.

It’s a super-simple project, and the result is really striking. The plates are decoupaged with house numbers and skeleton clip art, then hung outside on a metal plate rack.

You could buy matching plates, or look for interesting mismatched ones in thrift stores. Use vintage-y drawings of human skeletons, or maybe a selection of animal skeletons instead.

Resize them if necessary, then print them and the appropriate house numbers–there are a zillion fonts to choose from, but it’s a good idea to select something easily readable from a distance–and carefully trim away excess paper. (If you use an inkjet printer, test to make sure that the ink won’t run when decoupage medium is applied; if it does, you may need to go to a copy shop and re-print them using ink that isn’t water-soluble.)

Arrange the pieces on the plates until you like the way they look, then decoupage in place.

Instructions for decoupaging a dinner plate are here (and plenty of other places online), but the procedure pretty much amounts to: Make sure the plates are clean and dry. Brush on some decoupage medium such as Mod Podge. Press the printouts down carefully, and smooth out any wrinkles or bubbles by pressing gently with your finger. Let dry, then apply a couple of coats of decoupage medium over the top and let dry again.

It’d be a good idea to display these on a covered porch or someplace else where they’re somewhat protected from harsh weather. Much more interesting than plain old house numbers, and you can make visitors vaguely nervous to boot.