Demogorgon Bloom: Carnivorous Flower Costume Made From Recycled Materials

For this year’s Halloween, I wanted to create a Stranger Things-inspired costume specifically, the terrifying Demogorgon, but reimagined as a carnivorous flower. The idea was to make something creepy and handmade using only recycled and low-cost materials.

The result? A blooming monster headpiece with teeth, drool, and claws, perfect for a DIY “Epic Costume” category.

1. Recycled cardboard boxes
2. Transparent tape
3. Aluminum foil
4. Marker
5. Hot glue or silicone
6. Reused white paper (printer leftovers)
7. Black and red tempera paint
8. Toilet paper or paper towels
9. Homemade papier-mâché paste (1 part glue, ½ part water)
10. Large brush
11. Medium brush
12. Scissors
13. Serrated knife

I started by studying images of the Demogorgon, focusing on how its mouth opens like a flower. That helped me understand the structure and design each petal shape.

I drew six petals on cardboard and one long strip that would act as a headband (measured to fit my head), this process was

I paste each petal one by one to the cardboard headband (already shaped into a circle) with transparent tape.

The petals didn’t hold up at first, so I made a cross-shaped support from leftover cardboard and glued it inside for extra stability. Once all petals were attached, I reinforced every joint with transparent tape.

Each petal was gently curved by hand to avoid a flat look.

To enhance the organic shape, I rolled strips of aluminum foil into thin “worms” and paste them with transparent tape along the edges of each petal. This created raised borders that added texture and depth. Everything was then reinforced with tape for durability.

I made the special glue (1 part white glue + ½ part water) and started covering the entire structure with toilet paper and the glue mix.

I let it dry overnight.

Once the papier-mâché was dry, I painted everything with a red base coat using a large brush. Then I mixed a drop of black paint into the remaining red to create darker tones and depth.

Before the paint dried, I applied black around the edges and blended it for a gradient, realistic effect creating the illusion of a fleshy, carnivorous mouth.

I recycled white printer paper to create tiny tubes, cut them into short cylinders, and twisted one end to make sharp points, perfect for Demogorgon teeth!

Then I glue them with hot silicone , 15 teeths at each petal and only 6 for the smallest one.

Using the same paper, I made cones instead of tubes, one for each finger. Then I glued them together to form scary claws.

This is where the costume came to life!

Using hot glue, I added “drool” strings connecting tooth to tooth for a creepy wet effect.

Once the glue cooled, we tried on the headpieces and realized they were heavy! We had to tilt our heads forward for the petals to show properly, so we added an extra strap under the chin for better balance.

The rest of the costume was simple: all-black clothing to make the monstrous flowers stand out.

We had a blast making this costume, and people absolutely loved it! It looked spooky, original, and surprisingly realistic for being 100% handmade.

Lessons Learned

1. Weight matters! If it’s on your head, keep it light.
2. Reinforce structure before painting.
3. Hot glue drool adds a perfect finishing touch.
4. Making creepy stuff with friends is always more fun 😄