Photo: Taste of Home
You don’t need a lot of money or a lot of time to get in the festive Halloween spirit this year. We’ve gathered up our favorite Halloween decor ideas that you can finish in 30 minutes or less. Take your house from run-of-the-mill to “Run for your lives!” with these creepy creations.
1. Supersized Spiders
Dress up your front porch or your Halloween mantel with monstrous DIY spiders. You’ll need plastic foam balls, black spray paint and black pipe cleaners. Spray paint the plastic foam balls black to create the spider bodies. You can attach a smaller ball for the head, or just use one ball to make it even easier. Once the balls are dry, add eight pipe cleaners to each ball to create the legs. More spooky spiders coming right up.
2. Balloon Ghosts
Make friendly ghosts using white balloons and white fabric. Inflate the balloons to your preferred size, then drape a couple of yards of white gauze or fabric over the balloons. Cut a slit in the fabric and pull the balloon knot through. Hang the fabric covered balloons from the ceiling with string, knot side up. Cut out a couple of black felt circles and attach them to the ghosts to create eyes. When you’re finished, celebrate with this “boo”-rrific recipe.
3. Skull Flower Vase
Even flower arrangements should be scary during Halloween! Make a skull vase with a plastic foam skull and a glass vase that is slightly smaller than the skull. Trace the bottom of the vase on the top of the skull. Using an X-Acto knife, cut out the circle you traced and hollow out the plastic foam so that the glass vase will fit snuggly inside the skull. Then fill with water and flowers for a creepy centerpiece!
4. Snake Wreath
Create a slithery, writhery wreath by attaching rubber snakes to a grapevine wreath. Start by spray painting the grapevine wreath black. After it dries, attach black rubber snakes to the wreath with craft wire. Use different sizes and shapes, and both flat and coiled positions. Then hang the venomous creation on your front door. Prefer your sinister creation to be more savory? Try this Slithering Snake Roll recipe.
5. Candy Corn Centerpiece
For elegant yet playful table decor, fill several glass hurricane candleholders halfway with candy corns. Place a white candle in the middle of each hurricane, and arrange them on the center of the table. Just be sure to have some edible candy on hand so your guests wont be tempted to eat your centerpiece!
6. Blood-Splatter Vases
Transform plain white vases to murderous vessels with red paint. Take a small paint brush or old toothbrush dipped in red paint and splatter the white vases by flicking the bristles with your fingers. When they’re dry, add a bunch of black branches to the vases to complete the look. Spooky!
7. Hanging Witch Hats
Buy a few inexpensive witch hats in different sizes and suspend them from the ceiling with fishing line. The floating hats above your table will have your guests cackling with glee! Add more spellbound fun with these edible treats.
8. Pumpkin Porch Light
Cut off the back of a simple plastic pumpkin pail from the dollar store. With the back gone, you can fit the pumpkin onto your porch light to create a friendly welcome for your trick-or-treaters! In the mood for more pumpkin? Say no more.
9. Monster Door
Turn your front door into a ferocious monster by attaching eyeballs, a fangy smile and crazy hair. Use paper plates and black craft paper for the eyeballs, paper or cardboard for the teeth, and layers of crepe streamers for the hair. If scaring isn’t your thing, create a goofy monster. Or go all out with red eyes and big sharp teeth. Speaking of monsters-we’ve got a couple of delicious creatures that’ll be perfect for your after-party.
10. Mummy Pillow
Make your sofa extra spooky with a mummy pillow. Take a plain white pillow and attach round black eyes made out of black felt. Then layer on strips of gauze to create the mummy look, attaching them with fabric glue as you go. Partially cover the eyes with the gauze so they’re just peeking through. When it comes to mummies, we can’t help but mention this Mummy-Wrapped Brie.
11. Vampire Napkin Holders
Time to serve some yummy Halloween cuisine! Bring a smile to the faces of your dinner guests with these toothy napkin holders. All you’ll need are cloth napkins (preferably red) and white plastic vampire teeth. Simply roll up the napkin and place it in between the top and bottom teeth.
Looking for more DIY ideas for the spooky holiday? Here are our favorite crafts that make spooky totally sweet.