Christmas? New Year’s? For some people (and we all probably know at least one) neither of these holidays can compare to Halloween. Crazy costumes and parties, candy, pumpkin pie, for a lot of people ‘fall has it all!’ So if you or your kids have some Halloween spirit, show it with these great do-it-yourself ideas for Halloween decor.
Carve A Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkin
It’s obvious, but we have to say it; head out to a pumpkin patch, make a day of it, and bring home a couple of pumpkins. If you can carry ‘em, get one that’s quite heavy. This is because heavy = thick walls and good for carving.
Later that night or that weekend, carve ‘em up! Cut a hole in the top, use the stalk of the gourd as a handle, and take out all the seeds. Of course, if you know how to bake pumpkin pie, now’s the time. As a kid, we always roasted the seeds in the oven with some salt, not unlike peanuts or sunflower seeds. But since this is the ‘decor’ section…we’ll get back to it; make sure you don’t carve too early so your pumpkin looks good on All Hallow’s Eve.
Most craft stores have Jack-O-Lantern kits, but you can also just trace any sort of design from paper onto the gourd. Then replace the writing or ink lines with cuts. It’s traditional to light it inside with a candle, but these days LED’s are both brighter and much less of a fire hazard. Light it up and enjoy Halloween!
Read more at the BBC Guide.
Wine Bottle Candlesticks
Light up your outdoor Jack-O-Lantern with LED lights, and bring the real light to the dinner table! Wine Bottle Candlesticks are especially good for Halloween. First spray the bottles flat black or flat white, then after an hour of dry-time they’re ready for the table. If you’re feeling even more crafty, you can also paint and decorate the bottles in Halloween ways.
For more, check out Country Living magazine online!
Halloween Centerpiece
Don’t just carve ‘em, paint ‘em. White and black are the best, but you can go with any color you like. You can then fill it with flowers for a very on-theme vase idea. Boom! Instant centerpiece. Remember, you can even go with dried flowers here; it’s Halloween! Tip: if you want to make a Halloween-style flower arrangement, but don’t feel like a painting…you can buy a white pumpkin in a lot of larger grocery stores and markets. Carve it out, then put a glass inside to keep your flowers fed and give the whole thing structure.
Little Halloween Village
Who says mini-villages are just for Christmas? Not us. These are easy to do; grab a few birdhouses from a craft store or ‘Home And Garden’ section of a home-improvement warehouse, and craft them up. Tip: Use non-toxic paints and invite kids to join along! Black, white, and yellow are easy-to-find colors, and you can always add mini gourds and Halloween decor to spice ‘em up. If you like it, make a new one every year as a keepsake!
Skull Magic
Okay, this one’s not 100 percent DIY, as you’ll have to find some skulls from somewhere. Most craft stores like Michaels or JO-ANN have them in October or check discount shops like Dollar Tree. They can be styrofoam or plastic; the idea here is just to get your hands on some so we can paint and decorate them. (This is another kid-friendly crafting idea btw!) It could even be an idea for a crafting party…Spray all the skulls black or white as a base color, then layout paints and decorations like feathers and glitter for a group crafting session.
Check the whole thing out over at A Beautiful Mess.
Thanks for reading, and have a great Halloween!
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