Happy Halloween Decorating & Crafts
Halloween has always been one of my favorite times of the year; the air is crisp, the trees are vibrant with color and the quirky and unusual options for home decor can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Here are some fun Halloween crafts for you and your kids that make great decorations to help everyone get in the mood for Friday's festivities.
Pumpkin Carving – Traditional, but always a favorite! I discovered this pumpkin-carving template on HGTV.com that is perfect for your young pumpkin carvers (or for some of us who need a little extra help in the art department). Have your little one pick out a design, then print it out and use the template as your guide while carving. You will become a professional pumpkin carver within minutes!
Pumpkin Decorating – If you prefer to skip the sharp objects necessary for pumpkin carving, pumpkin decorating is just as fun. Use paint, glitter, markers or crayons along with any accessories found around the house to turn your plain pumpkin into a scary witch, a spooky ghost, a creepy spider or any creature your child can imagine.
A Bone Graveyard - Buy a bag of assorted bones or a skeleton at your local Halloween store. Have your kids arrange the bones, or skeletons in different positions on your front lawn. A skeleton relaxing in the sun next to his tombstone can be a funny, spine-tingling way to welcome guests and trick-or-treaters.
Candy Corn Candles – It wouldn’t be Halloween without candy corn, so instead of consuming a tummy turning amount this year, use the candy as decoration. You will need tall candles of your choice (I found pillar candy corn scented candles work best), placed inside different size clear glass hurricanes. Once the candle is secure, fill each hurricane, about half way, with candy corn. Make sure the candle is tall enough that the flame will not burn the candy when lit. The candy corn fills your home with a tasty sweet aroma!
Note: To use as Thanksgiving decor, replace the candy corn with corn seeds! The clear glass hurricanes filled with white pillar candles and seeds look beautiful on a mantel, or even as a Thanksgiving centerpiece!
Floating Ghosts – Having a ghost hanging around during Halloween is a must! With a few styrofoam balls, some cheesecloth and a black marker, creating flying ghosts to welcome guests and trick-or-treaters is fast and easy. Draw two eyes on each styrofoam ball, place the cheesecloth over each ball and shred the bottoms to create an eerie look, then attach a piece of fish wire to the top of each ball. Use the wire to hang friendly ghosts in or outside of your house. The transparency of the fish wire gives the illusion that the ghosts are floating.
Most of the Halloween stores carry a vast array of indoor & outdoor decorations - my favorites are the DIY options made with my kids!
What are some of your favorite Halloween decorations and crafts? Let us know in the comment section below!
Joan Lunden truly exemplifies today’s modern working woman. An award-winning journalist, bestselling author, motivational speaker, successful entrepreneur, one of America’s most recognized and trusted television personalities, this mom of seven continues to do it all. As host of Good Morning America for nearly two decades, Lunden brought insight to top issues for millions of Americans each day. The longest running host ever on early morning television, Lunden reported from 26 countries, covered 4 presidents and 5 Olympics and kept Americans up to date on how to care for their homes, their families and themselves.