| How to Decorate a Pumpkin Without Carving It Posted: 31 Oct 2021 01:00 AM PDT Carving pumpkins is one of the most notable Halloween activities and is popular among people of all ages. However, since the carving process can be difficult or dangerous, some may choose to decorate their pumpkin with other materials, like rhinestones or paint. Read on to learn how to give a pumpkin some flair without using carving tools. [Edit]Painting on Pumpkins - Spray paint a pumpkin if you want to change its color. Wipe the pumpkin with a damp cloth, then let it dry. Take the pumpkin outside and hold it by its stem. Apply a light even coat of acrylic spray paint, let the paint dry 15 to 20 minutes, then apply a second coat. Wait 24 hours before displaying the pumpkin.[1][2]
- Read the label on the spray paint to find out how far from the surface you should hold the can. In most cases it is .
- Turn a triangular pumpkin into a candy corn by painting the bottom orange, the middle yellow, and the top white.[3]
- Create a color-blocked pumpkin by masking off half of it with painter's tape. Paint the pumpkin as desired, let it dry, then peel the tape off.[4]
- Use adhesive stencils to create a simple design. Wipe the pumpkin down with a damp cloth first, then let it dry. Apply an adhesive stencil to the pumpkin, then paint the stencil with spray paint. Let the paint dry, then apply a second coat. Let the paint dry completely, then remove the stencil.[5]
- If you don't want to use spray paint, use acrylic craft paint instead.
- You can use regular stencils or reverse stencils. You can even make your own using contact paper or adhesive shelf liner.
- For a more intricate design, pin a paper doily to the pumpkin, then spray paint it. Remove the pins and doily before the paint dries.
- Scrape designs into spray painted pumpkins if you want a unique look. Coat a real pumpkin (not a fake craft pumpkin) with black acrylic spray paint. Let the paint dry, then scrape designs into it using a spoon or fork handle. You can create any sort of design you want. For example:[6]
- Jack-o-Lantern faces
- Geometric patterns
- Flourishes and scrolls
- Spooky messages
- Use glow-in-the-dark over a spray painted pumpkin for a colorful effect. Paint your pumpkin with white, black, purple, or dark blue spray paint first. Let the paint dry, then paint designs onto it using glow-in-the-dark paint.[7]
- If you will be using a black light on your porch, consider using UV or black light paint instead. You can find it in craft stores around Halloween.
- You can use acrylic craft paint or dimensional/puffy paint. Be aware that the latter takes much longer to dry.
- Paint designs directly onto your pumpkin. You can do this on a bare pumpkin, or you can spray paint the pumpkin a different color first. Use a thin, pointed paintbrush and acrylic paint to create your own, unique design. If you are worried about messing up, sketch out your design using a light-colored, washable marker.
- Try generic designs, such as zigzags, polka dots, or stripes.
- Paint popular Halloween characters, such bats, black cats, skeletons, or witches.
- Paint a Jack-o-Lantern face onto your pumpkin. Black or yellow paint will work well for this.
[Edit]Drawing and Writing on Pumpkins - Draw designs with a black permanent marker for a simple look. Sketch out your design with a light-colored washable marker first. If you make a mistake, wipe it off with a damp cloth. Once you are happy with your design, go over it with a black permanent marker; a black paint pen may also work.[8]
- You can create all sorts of designs, such as Jack-o-Lantern faces, geometric patterns, and fancy flourishes.
- Paint your pumpkin before drawing on it if you want something fancier. Coat a pumpkin with 2 coats of black spray paint. Let the paint dry, then draw designs on the pumpkin using a white paint pen. Alternatively, you can paint the pumpkin white, then draw on it using a black permanent marker or a black paint pen.[9]
- Shake the paint pen until you hear it rattle, then tap it lightly on a sheet of paper until the paint comes out of the tip.
- Turn a pumpkin into a chalkboard if you want to change your message. Paint your pumpkin with chalkboard paint according to the instructions on the can. Let the paint dry and cure. Rub chalk over it, then wipe the chalk off with a dry cloth. Write or draw on the pumpkin as desired with chalk.[10]
- It would be best to use a fake craft pumpkin. This way, you can use it throughout the year!
- Write a message with thumbtacks for a unique twist. Spray paint your pumpkin first, if desired, then let the paint dry. Write a simple word, such as "BOO!" using a light-colored washable marker. Stick gold or silver thumbtacks into the pumpkin using the drawn lines as a guide. Place the tacks close enough so that they are touching.[11]
- You can use any type of font you want, including cursive.
- Use 2 to 3 rows of thumbtacks to make the letters thicker.
- Create multiple pumpkins to spell out a single word. Choose 1 of the decorating methods from above, then use it to create a single letter on each pumpkin. Arrange the pumpkins to spell out a word, such as "BOO!".
[Edit]Gluing Items to Pumpkins - Hot glue rickrack and grosgrain ribbon along the ribs for a simple look. Hot glue each piece along the vertical ribs (indented lines) of your pumpkin. Start from the top of the pumpkin and finish at the bottom; trim off any excess rickrack or ribbon.[12]
- Get some rickrack and grosgrain ribbon in several different colors and patterns for a more colorful look.
- Stack thin trims on top of wider ones to make the pumpkin more detailed.
- Hot glue rhinestones if you want to make a fancy pumpkin. Choose a fake craft pumpkin from the craft store, then spray paint it a different color, if desired. Let the paint dry, then hot glue rhinestones to it. You can also hot glue strands of sequin trim to create designs such as words, spirals, and polka dots.[13]
- You can try using a real pumpkin, but you will need to wipe it down with a damp cloth first to remove any surface dirt.
- Glue lace around the middle of the pumpkin for a rustic-chic look. Find white or black lace trim that is between wide. Cut a strip long enough to wrap around the middle of your pumpkin. Secure the lace to the pumpkin using hot glue or fabric glue.[14]
- Try black lace on top of a white pumpkin for a spooky look.
- Spray paint the pumpkin first to make the lace pop!
- Decoupage paper onto a pumpkin if you like to scrapbook. Purchase patterned paper with large designs on it, such as flowers or birds. Cut the designs out. Stick the paper to the pumpkin with decoupage glue until the entire surface is covered. Coat the pumpkin with a final layer of decoupage glue.[15][16]
- Glue tissue paper fall leaves onto a pumpkin for a festive look. Trace fall leaves onto red, orange, and yellow tissue paper. Cut the leaves out, then glue them to the pumpkin using decoupage or tacky glue. Coat the leaves with another layer of glue to seal them in, then let everything dry.[17]
- Create realistic veins by brushing the leaves inward from the outside edges with a coarse-bristle brush. Do this while they are still wet.
- Trace leaves onto silver "fancy foil wrap" for a fancier look. You can find this product in the baking aisle of a craft store.[18]
- If leaves are too complex a shape, you can just cut different-colored tissue paper into small rectangles or squares and attach them to your pumpkin with Mod Podge.[19]
- Drill holes into a pumpkin, then add flowers to make a centerpiece. Cut your desired flowers down to . Drill holes into a real or fake craft pumpkin, then insert the cut flowers into the holes. Use a combination of large, medium, and small flowers; they can be real or fake.[20]
- Use dark, neutral, or fall colors, such as red, orange, yellow, brown, teal, or plum.
- Choose fall flowers, such as dahlias, mums, sunflowers, and yellow daisies. Avoid spring flowers, such as tulips and daffodils.
- You can create any sort of pattern you want, but put the flowers close enough together so that they touch.
- Apply gold leaf to a fake pumpkin for a fancy, gilded design. Spread clear craft glue over the surface of a fake craft pumpkin. Use tweezers to pick up pieces of gold leaf, and a soft-bristled paintbrush to smooth them down. Let the glue dry, then smooth the surface further with a soft cloth.
- You can buy gold leafing kits in the craft store. They come in silver, gold, and copper.
- You can use a real pumpkin, but it will eventually rot. Gold leaf is expensive, so it is better to use it on a fake craft pumpkin, which will last forever.
[Edit]Making Cute Pumpkin Creatures - Create a cat using black paint and construction paper. Paint your pumpkin black using black acrylic paint. Let the pumpkin dry, then cut 2 triangles out of black construction paper. Fold the bottom of each triangle by to make a tab, then glue it to the top of the pumpkin to make the ears. Give the cat more details, such as:
- Cut a pink triangle out of construction paper, and glue it to the middle of the pumpkin for the nose.
- Cut 2 almond shapes out of yellow or green construction paper, then draw a black vertical line down the middle of each 1 for the pupils. Glue these above the nose.
- Paint some whiskers and a mouth using white or gray acrylic craft paint and a thin, pointed paintbrush.
- Turn a black pumpkin into a bat for a spooky twist. Paint a pumpkin black with acrylic craft paint, then let it dry. Cut 2 large bat wings and 2 large triangular ears out of black construction paper. Fold the end of each wing by to make a tab, then glue the tab to the sides of the pumpkin. Fold the bottom of each ear by , and glue them to the top of the pumpkin. Give the bat details, such as:
- Cut 2 round eyes out of red, white, or yellow construction paper and glue it to the middle of the pumpkin.
- Use white acrylic craft paint and a thin, pointed paintbrush to add a simple mouth and white, pointed fangs.
- Create a witch pumpkin by painting it green and giving it a witch hat. Paint your pumpkin green, then let it dry. put a black witch hat on top of the pumpkin. Glue some straw or raffia under the hat to make the hair. Add some other details, such as:
- Paint 2 large white circles for the eyes, then add a smaller black dot in the middle of each one for the pupils.
- Paint a mouth using black acrylic craft paint and a thin, pointed paintbrush.
- Roll up bits of green construction paper, then glue it to the face to make warts.
- Turn a white pumpkin into a ghost or skeleton. Buy a white pumpkin, or paint an orange pumpkin using white acrylic craft paint. Paint 2 large black circles for the eyes. If you want to make a ghost, paint a third black circle below the eyes for the mouth. If you are making a skeleton, paint a small, black triangle instead, then add a toothy grin below that.
- If you are having trouble painting a skeleton's mouth, start with a long, horizontal line, then paint short vertical lines going through it, like this: |-|-|-|-|
- Wrap a painted pumpkin with gauze to create a mummy. Paint a pumpkin using acrylic craft paint. Let the paint dry, then wrap the pumpkin using crisscrossing strips of gauze. Hot glue large googly eyes to the pumpkin to complete the mummy's face.[21]
- Leave some spaces between the gauze so that you can see the paint. Hot glue the ends of the gauze down so that it doesn't fall off.
- Use a ghoulish color for your paint, such as black, blue, green, gray, or teal.
- Glue candy corn to a small pumpkin to make a hedgehog. Hot glue candy corn all over your, but leave a large circle in the middle of 1 side blank for the face. Paint 2 black eyes, a brown triangular nose, and 2 rosy cheeks to finish your hedgehog.[22]
- Use brown, orange, and white candy corn for a more realistic hedgehog.
- Glue the candy corn pieces close enough so that the sides are touching. The smaller your pumpkin is, the less candy you'll have to use.
[Edit]Pumpkin Stencils - Use fake craft pumpkins if you want your project to last.
- Wipe real pumpkins down with a damp cloth before decorating them. Keep in mind that paint will still chip easily if you are not careful.
- Decorate your pumpkin with stickers or self-adhesive rhinestones for a quick and easy project.
[Edit]Warnings - Use low-temp hot glue guns instead of high-temp ones. They are less likely to cause painful burns and blisters.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Painting on Pumpkins - Pumpkin, real or fake
- Spray paint or acrylic craft paint
- Paintbrushes, if using acrylic craft paint
- Stencils, paint pens, etc. (optional)
[Edit]Drawing and Writing on Pumpkins - Pumpkin, real or fake
- Spray paint or acrylic craft paint
- Paintbrushes, if using acrylic craft paint
- Washable markers
- Paint pens or permanent markers
[Edit]Gluing Items to Pumpkins - Pumpkin, real or fake
- Hot glue or tacky glue
- Embellishments (rickrack, rhinestones, etc.)
[Edit]Decorating Pumpkins in Other Ways - Pumpkin, real or fake
- Acrylic craft paint
- Paintbrushes
- Hot glue or tacky glue
- Embellishments (candy, construction paper, etc.)
[Edit]References |
| How to Carve a Pumpkin Posted: 30 Oct 2021 05:00 PM PDT Pumpkin carving is a fun Halloween tradition that's popular among both children and adults. To carve your own pumpkin, you'll first need to purchase or pick one from a local farmer's market or pumpkin patch. Make a clean workspace to do the carving in, and trace or draft your design on the side of the pumpkin before you begin cutting. Remember also that you'll need to scoop out all of the seeds from the pumpkin's interior. Make sure to keep knives away from young children, and supervise older children who want to cut their own pumpkin. [Edit]Pumpkin Carving Templates [Edit]Choosing a Pumpkin - Buy a pumpkin shortly before Halloween. Although Halloween excitement can build early in October (especially for children), do not buy your pumpkin too early. Most pumpkins will be rotten beyond recovery after a week and a half to two weeks. With this in mind, buy your pumpkin about a week or less before Halloween.
- Select a pumpkin from a pumpkin patch or supermarket. Many venues will sell carving pumpkins as Halloween approaches. Visit your local supermarket or pumpkin patch for a good offering. If you live near a farmer's market, vendors there may also sell pumpkins.[1] Find a location with a healthy selection of pumpkins and a range of sizes.
- If you're pumpkin hunting with young children, a pumpkin patch may be the most fun for them. You can find a local pumpkin patch by searching online or keeping an eye open for advertisements around the area where you live.
- Select a healthy pumpkin. When you're choosing a pumpkin, try to pick one that's free of nicks, bruises, and cuts. Look for a sturdy stem that doesn't feel too bendable, and for a mostly consistent color all the way around.[2] Knock or thump on the skin like you would a melon; if you hear a hollow sound, the pumpkin is ripe.
- Look for a pumpkin with a flat base. This will make it easier to display the carved pumpkin on Halloween night.
- It's not important if the pumpkin you like is clean or dirty. Remember you can always wash the pumpkin with an old cloth when you get home.
- Pick the size you need. If you're planning on an elaborate pumpkin carving, note that a larger gourd will provide more surface space, but also takes more work to carve. Selecting a round, medium-sized pumpkin is a popular option.
- If you have kids and simply plan on drawing faces on your pumpkins with a permanent marker, try picking up several small to medium samples for them to put different designs on.
[Edit]Tracing a Design - Choose a design before you start carving. Before you start cutting, figure out what kind of design or face you want on your pumpkin: you can carve a typical "spooky" face with a toothed grin, a haunted house, or the silhouette of a cat or a bat.[3]
- Many jack-o'-lantern templates are available online; try searching for more ideas.[4] Alternatively, drop into your local library and borrow a book of carving ideas. A variety of images can be very inspirational for developing your own.
- Choose a method for carving your pumpkin. While it's conventional to hollow your pumpkin and then carve through the outer gourd into the hollow center, other methods of carving will allow your pumpkin to last longer, and involve less work with knives. A few popular carving options include:
- Carve a traditional jack-o'-lantern. Plan to cut out eyes, a mouth, and perhaps a nose. This design is easiest for beginners.
- Carve a silhouette. Pick a shape—for instance, a ghost—and carve out the "negative space" around the ghost's shape, then carve out features like eyes or a mouth. You'll end up with a circle of light around the dark shape, with lighted details.
- Carve down to the pulp. For a daytime jack-o'-lantern that you don't intend to light, use an x-acto knife to scratch away the pumpkin skin and reveal the pulp. Don't carve all the way into the gourd.
- Trace your design on the pumpkin. For traditional, silhouette and pulp carving, use a permanent marker or dry-erase marker to outline your design on the pumpkin.[5] (Dry-erase markings can be wiped off if you mess up.) If you'd rather not draw your jack-o'-lantern design free-hand, you can find a pattern online and trace it onto your pumpkin.
- You can also use tacks to secure your image to the pumpkin. Then, poke around the edges of the template to create a guideline for where to carve.[6]
- If you're decorating pumpkins with children, letting them draw the designs can be a fun way to include them, yet avoid having them handle sharp carving tools.
[Edit]Carving the Pumpkin - Set up a spacious work area. Pumpkin carving can quickly become messy, and it's best to keep that mess off the floor or kitchen table. Lay down some newspaper or a brown sack from your grocery store on a flat surface.[7] Lay out your tools, as well as a bowl for discarded pumpkin innards.
- Doing this protects the floor or table surface and makes for an easy clean-up when done. Once you're finished carving, you can bundle up the newspapers and throw the whole mess away. You can recycle the newspapers.
- Select a sharp knife. For effective pumpkin carving, use a serrated bread knife, a jab saw (used to cut drywall), or a purpose-made serrated knife taken from a pumpkin-carving set. If you do not have a serrated knife, or if you prefer to use a straight-edged blade, opt for a paring knife or a fillet knife.[8]
- Cut a lid. Measure a circle with about a 2-inch (5-cm) radius from the stem. You'll cut around this circle to make the lid. Do not make the cut completely vertical; instead, angle the point of the knife in towards the center of the circle. The lid will then sit in a bowl-shaped indentation that prevents it from falling into the center of the pumpkin.[9]
- The lid doesn't have to be cut in a circle. Try shaping the lid as a square, star or other shapes. Just make sure you keep the knife angled toward the center of the pumpkin as you carve the lid and opening.
- Remove the filling from the pumpkin. Use a large spoon, an ice-cream scoop, or your hands to pull all of the strands and seeds from the inside of your pumpkin. Place the seeds, pulp, and other scrapings into the large kitchen bowl that you set out earlier. Scrape the pumpkin as clean as you can, so that more light shines through your jack-o'-lantern.[10]
- This step can be skipped if you're simply carving down to the pulp of the pumpkin, with no intention of hollowing it out.
- Carve your design. Use a gentle back and forth motion to cut into the pumpkin, and take your time. Make sure to cut precisely along the design that you've traced on the pumpkin's surface. Draw the knife back and forth, while maintaining a steady downward pressure. Keep following your pattern until you've carved out the entire design.[11]
- If a cut section of your design doesn't remove easily the first time, run the blade around it again and then push on that section from the inside. You may also find that a toothpick stabbed into the section will help you to pull it out.
- Use caution when wielding a knife. Cut away from yourself; never pull the knife up towards yourself through the pumpkin.
[Edit]Lighting and Displaying Your Carved Pumpkin - Light your pumpkin with a candle or tea light. Traditionally, jack-o'-lanterns are lit with candlesticks or tea lights. [12] If you choose to illuminate your carved pumpkin with candles, do not leave them lit overnight or if you're away from the house.
- Ventilate as needed. If you do choose to use a real candle, make sure your carving will provide the flame with enough oxygen to keep burning. If you've cut several large holes in your pumpkin, you should be fine. If not, consider cutting a small vent in the lid, or remove the lid entirely.
- Light your pumpkin with a LED light. If you'd prefer not to illuminate your jack-o'-lantern with a lit candle, you can substitute an artificial light source for the same effect. Flashlights and flickering LEDs are popular modern options.[13]
- LED and other artificial lights are safer (less likely to start a fire) and can burn all night, unlike tea lights.
- Display the pumpkin in a safe area. If you're using a candle in your pumpkin, place it in an area away from flammable items. For instance, don't place it near a hay bale or scarecrow; those items could light on fire if your pumpkin gets jostled or knocked over. Additionally, take care that a trick-or-treaters' dangling costume won't get caught by the candle's flame.
- If you're using a candle to light your pumpkin and placing it on anything wooden, place a dinner plate down first, to catch wax and avoid setting wooden porches, tables, or stairs on fire.
- Don't limit yourself to simply carving one side of the pumpkin. Wrap around designs, such as cat's footprints or flying bats, as they make great additions.
- If your pumpkin starts to shrivel, fill a deep sink and soak the entire carved pumpkin for a couple of hours; it will rehydrate and swell slightly, reviving enough for another couple of days of display.
- For a truly memorable jack-o-lantern, you could try your best to grow your own giant pumpkin.
- If you are a Halloween crazed adult and have the skills and the time you can use power tools to speed things up as it's considerably easier to cut through a thick pumpkin with a jigsaw rather than a flimsy saw you would get in a pumpkin carving kit. You can also use sculpting tools people would use to work with clay and a vegetable peeler you can peel off the thick skin and then use the finer tools to shape the pumpkin very effectively.
- Leaving your pumpkin outside in the cool air will extend its life.
- Pumpkin carving kits with knives and designs can easily be found in most stores.
[Edit]Warnings - Keep small children away from candles and knives. If children have picked out a special pumpkin and want to carve it themselves, make sure to supervise closely so they don't get hurt.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - A pumpkin
- A sharp (preferably serrated) knife
- Newspaper or brown bags
- A spoon or scoop
- A permanent or dry-erase marker
- Candles or LED lights
- An x-acto knife for pulp carving or small details (optional)
- A lighter or matches (optional)
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make Halloween Decorations Posted: 30 Oct 2021 09:00 AM PDT Homemade Halloween decorations are a world away from the mass-produced flimsy plastic and paper dollar store offerings. Making your own decorations ensures a unique look, plus you can reuse items around your house that might otherwise go to waste. By making your own decorations with family and/or friends each year, you can look forward to an enjoyable Halloween tradition. [Edit]Decorating with Pumpkins - Make a Jack O'Lantern. No Halloween would be complete without the iconic Jack O'Lantern in its various forms. The classic Jack O'Lantern is made by carving a pumpkin and placing a candle inside it, but here are some other ideas:
- Carve a disco ball pumpkin. This is a carved pumpkin with a twist and it throws light out from all over its many holes. It's a load of fun to make and people won't be able to resist making comments about it.
- You can make Jack O'Lanterns out of various fruits and veggies, including oranges, pomegranates, and peppers.
- Decorate a pumpkin. If you don't want to go through the mess and stress of carving a pumpkin, there are many ways to decorate a pumpkin without carving it:
- Paint or spray paint a pumpkin a single color. You might leave it one color (silver and gold are popular), or draw designs on the pumpkin with a sharpie after it's been painted.
- Use a stencil to help you draw or paint a face or other designs on your pumpkin.[1]
- Use stickers or other surface embellishments to decorate a pumpkin. If you want to use something more natural, consider covering a pumpkin in lovely autumn leaves.
- Dress your pumpkin up like a person. Use your pumpkin as the head of a mummy or zombie in your yard, put a wig on it, or add other embellishments that make it look more human (or monstrous, as the case may be).
- Peel your pumpkin. Draw a design on your pumpkin and then use a knife to only cut deep enough to pierce the skin. You want to expose the pumpkin's flesh without cutting the flesh. Draw an outline with your knife and then dig the knife beneath the pumpkin's skin as you pull the skin back.
- Grow a pumpkin patch.[2] This one is a long-term project and will only work if you have access to a yard, but it's sure rewarding. Choose a large spot that will give the pumpkins ample space to grow and that will be easily seen by trick-or-treaters.
- Make sure the spot will get lots of sun, and that the soil can get ample drainage, especially after heavy rain.
- You'll need to find out when to plant pumpkins in your region. Pumpkin seeds generally need to be planted in late spring or early summer if you want to harvest them in the fall.
- There are different types of pumpkins to choose from: pie pumpkins for eating, decorative pumpkins for carving, and mini pumpkins.
- Make a fake pumpkin patch. If you aren't into growing pumpkins, just buy a bunch of pumpkins and arrange them in a way that mimics a pumpkin patch. Don't forget to add vines and greenery to make it look more authentic.
- You can even make a neat yard design with pumpkins, for example, having them line your path. In this case you could connect them with vines so that they look kind of like a pumpkin fence.
- Make pumpkin tabletop decorations. There are quite a few ways that the pumpkin can grace your Halloween party or dinner table:
- Make a still life arrangement using miniature pumpkins of various shapes and sizes. Pile them up beautifully, with a few fall leaves here and there.
- Decorate a pumpkin with netting and ribbon, and then place it in the middle of your table as a centerpiece.
- Make paper pumpkin cut-outs. Use construction paper or different types of card stock to make pumpkin-shaped cut-outs for decorating your home.[3]
- You can make big cut-outs to fix to your walls, or smaller ones for bunting, banners, and mobiles.
- To make pumpkin bunting or garland, glue a row of paper cut-outs to yarn or a long strip of paper, and hang them up around your home. If you're worried about the cut-outs falling off the yarn, poke holes in the top of them and run the yarn through instead of glueing them.[4]
- Make pumpkin favors. These cardboard decorations can be placed along benches, on shelves or they can be strung along like bunting for a ceiling decoration:
- Cut out a 3-inch circle from a piece of orange cardboard (one for each favor/guest). This will form the base of your pumpkin.
- Cut out a 9-inch circle from orange crepe paper or tissue paper. This will form your pumpkin. You need one for each base that you cut.
- Place the cardboard circle into the center of the crepe paper circle. If you want to, you can fasten it in the center so that it doesn't move around while you finish making the favor.
- Gather the edges of the crepe paper/tissue and pull them up so that it looks like a bag.
- Stuff the "bag" tightly with cotton balls, shaping it as you go so that the bag is in the shape of a pumpkin. Tie a knot at the top of it.
- Twist the paper at the top so that it looks like a stem. Add some glue to the "stem" so that it won't unravel, then cover the stem with green paper.
- Use a black felt pen or stickers to add a face to your pumpkin, and you're done!
- Make a pumpkin collage. A pumpkin collage can be an interesting piece of artwork for decorating a wall. Start with a cardboard cut-out of a pumpkin, and then fill it in with items of your choosing.
- You might fill the collage with autumn leaves, photos of previous Halloweens, or images from your favorite scary movies.
- Make a pumpkin wreath. A simple wreath can be made using a wire wreath form and miniature pumpkins as follows:[5]
- Place the miniature pumpkins in a circle to see how many you'll use to make a wreath. You may need around 14 to 20 pumpkins, depending on their size.
- Drill a horizontal hole through each miniature pumpkin. Keep the holes as close to the bottom of the pumpkins as you can, as this will keep them hidden from view when the wreath is hanging.
- String 20-gauge wire through the first pumpkin's holes. Place this pumpkin against the wire wreath form and twist the wire inside the pumpkin holes around the wire wreath form to keep in place.
- Repeat for each pumpkin until all are attached to the wreath form.
- Tuck dry moss into the gaps between the pumpkins. Keep this in place with more wiring.
- Tie a large bow at the top of the wreath, leaving long tie lengths hanging below the wreath. Cut the ends diagonally to prevent fraying.
- Hang a wire hook at the top of the wreath and hang the wreath in position on your front door.
- Make mini-pumpkin candle holders. Pick out some mini-pumpkins at your local grocer or pumpkin patch. Cut off the tops and scoop out enough flesh to make room for a votive candle or tea light.
- Push the candle or tea light into the emptied mini-pumpkin and you're done.
- Place the candle holder wherever you'd normally use a candle, using common sense to keep it away from flammable items.
- Make pumpkin-shaped candles. Purchase wax, wicks, and pumpkin moulds from your local craft shop. Place the wick in the mould, melt the wax down, and pour it into the mould too.
- Once the wax cools, remove it from the mould and you've got a pumpkin candle.
- You can add colors and/or scents to the wax to the candles as well.
[Edit]Decorating with Witches - Make a witch hat decoration. You can do this using paper, felt, or if you're comfortable sewing, you can use fabric. You'll need a quarter-circle for the top and a circle with a hole in the middle for the brim.
- If you're short on time, you can buy plain black ready-made witch hats from the dollar store or anywhere else that sells Halloween costumes, and then decorate those.
- Once you have your hat, decorate it with artificial gems, glitter, stickers, felt pieces, ribbon, sequins, or whatever else tickles your fancy.
- You can even make a witch-hat collage by pasting various items onto a paper witch hat or a piece of cardboard that has been cut into the shape of a witch's hat.
- You can use the decorated hat as a centerpiece on your table or on other surfaces around your house.
- You can also hang the hat from the ceiling — just make sure it's low enough that people can see your decorations, but out of the way so that no one will accidentally bonk into it and knock it down.
- Get creative with your witch hats. Use decorated witch hats or paper cut-outs of witch hats in varying sizes around your house. You can use small witch hats for bunting or garland, for instance, alternating the hats with cut-outs of black cats, brooms, and candy corn.
- You could even make a witch hat in a candy corn theme by sewing or pasting together fabric that has orange at the base, yellow in the middle, and white at the tip.
- Make paper witch decorations. There are lots of ways to turn the silhouette of a witch into decorations, including witch garlands, streamers, collages, cards, signs, and cut-outs.
- Witch silhouettes are especially effective decorations when placed against a window or white surface.
- With the witch come some other traditional symbols that can be added into your artwork, including the black cat, the moon, and the broomstick.
- Make witch legs. Stuff a pair of stripy stockings with whatever you've got handy — batting or polyester filling will work nicely. If you'll be putting the legs outside, avoid filling them with paper products or anything else that is easily damaged by water.
- Draw and cut out witchy-looking boots on a fabric of your choosing (black is recommended). Draw each boot on 2 pieces of fabric (or 1 piece folded in half), and make it extra large as it will shrink when sewn and stuffed.
- Cut, sew, and stuff the boots, and attach them to the ends of the stockings.
- Put some wire in the legs to make them bendy, then stick them in a prop cauldron to make it look like the witch fell in her own brew. You can also have the legs coming out from under a flower pot or anywhere else for that matter.
- If you're a film buff you could make it look like your house fell on a witch (like in The Wizard of Oz) by stuffing a pair of black and white striped stockings and putting sparkly red shoes on them, then fastening them to the ground near the foundation of your house.
- Make dangling witch legs. Follow the instructions for making witches legs — stuffing tights and sewing witchy boots on to the ends of them. Once that's done, make the witch a skirt:
- Cut 20-inch-long strips of black tulle or another crunchy fabric that will mimic a fluffy crinoline.
- Cut the handle off a cheap umbrella (be careful that you don't hurt yourself doing this), then tuck and tie the legs and crinoline up into the spokes of the umbrella.
- The crinoline should hide all of the metal in the umbrella so that it just looks like a large skirt with a witch's legs sticking out. Fasten it to your ceiling (you can cut a hole int the top of the umbrella and pull the stockings through to use as a hanging device) and Voila!
- Make lollipop witch brooms. You'll need lollipops (big round or oval ones work best), a brown felt pen, tissue paper (the fancy stuff you wrap presents with, not kleenex), scissors, twine, and name tags (optional).
- Use the brown felt pen to color in the lollipop sticks brown. You can also use black or dark brown if you think this would look better.
- Cut a bunch of squares in your tissue paper, all of the same size. Four inches by four inches is recommended.
- Gently put the lollipop stick through the middle of the tissue square and then pull the tissue down until it rests on top of the lollipop.
- Pull the tissue around the lollipop candy, and then scrunch the rest of the tissue up before tying it with twine to hold it in place. You may need to trim the edges of the tissue so that the broom can stand upright.
- These can double as place settings at the dinner table as well as party favors. If you want to use them as place settings, tie a name tag around the section of the broom that's tied with twine.
[Edit]Decorating with Ghosts - Make fabric ghosts. White fabric scraps of all sorts can be easily transformed into ghosts. You don't even need to sew them: you can just cut out squares of fabric and drape or tie them into your desired shapes.
- One popular method is to scrunch up newspaper into your desired ghosty shape, drape a piece of felt or fabric overtop of it, tie the fabric with twine to form the ghost's "head", and then draw a ghosty face on it.
- Use white fabric scraps to make ghost cut-outs to turn into pictures or bunting. You can also sew little white scraps of fabric into finger puppets, or stick them on to empty toilet rolls to make ghosts.
- Make paper cut-out ghosts. Use card stock, construction paper, or simple white printer paper and transform it into ghosts of all sorts, including ghost pictures or cut-outs, ghost collages, and ghost bunting or garlands.
- You can also cut out a large ghost shape from cardboard and use it as the base for a collage.
- Make use of your bedsheets. Drape white or off-white bedsheets over objects around your house to give the impression of ghosts.
- You can also make your room look like a room in an old haunted mansion by covering nearly all of your furniture in sheets and then putting spiderwebs in the corners.
- You might even add a skull and/or a crystal ball to a table, and play some creepy Halloween sounds in the room.
- Make a ghost out of cheesecloth and fabric stiffener.[6] This is just one of the many ways in which you can transform household objects into ghost decorations.
 - Start by creating a frame for your ghost's shape. Stack two cups vertically end to end (with the rims facing out), and place a small balloon on top. Lay down some newspaper or a plastic bag beneath this to catch any liquid that follows from the cloth as it dries.
- Cut 8 inches of cheesecloth. If the ends are ragged, all the better, as this will make your ghost look more creepy and old. Off-white and beige cheesecloths are good choices.
- Soak the cheesecloth in fabric stiffener. Use a bowl for this. Make sure the cheesecloth is well coated before you take it out.
- Remove the cheesecloth from the bowl of fabric stiffener and immediately place it over the balloon-cup frame. It should take roughly 10 minutes to dry.
- Once the cloth is dry, pop the balloon by poking a pin through the cheesecloth. This will leave you with a hardened ghost shape.
- Now you can decorate your ghost in any way you want. When you're happy with it, pull some fishing line, thread, or twine through the top of the ghost and hang it up.
- Make a ghost out of a styrofoam head, a wire hanger, and some fabric.[7] You can give the ghost broader shoulders by adding additional wire and extra fabric to the hanger.
- Bend the hook of the hanger so that it's straight, then gently push the styrofoam head down onto it. Now it'll look like a head sitting on top of shoulders.
- Drape white fabric over the head and hanger, and then adjust the fabric until you're happy with how it looks, cutting it to make it look more ragged, or bulking it up in places to make it look more like a person's figure.
- If you want you can add long wire arms to the hanger and then put stuff white latex gloves at the ends of the "arms" to make it look more like a person.
- Once you're happy with how it looks, hang it up by tying fishing line around its neck and fastening it to your ceiling or anywhere else you like.
- You can find styrofoam heads at most Halloween supply shops, but also some beauty supply and craft shops.
[Edit]Decorating with Spiders - Make spider-shaped paper cut-outs. Draw spider shapes on construction paper or card stock and cut them out, then fix them to your walls or to string to make bunting or garland. You can also use the spider shape as the basis for a collage.
- Paper spiders can be stuck all over the wall, among fake webs, and in bushes. Be careful about putting the paper spiders outside, as they might get wrecked if it rains.
- Use cardboard for larger spiders that can be hung from ceilings or greater heights to dangle in people's faces. You might cut up garbage bags and glue them onto these so that they're shiny black spiders.
- Make a spider from repurposed items. As an example, you could make a spider from an egg carton and pipe cleaners:[8]
- Cut out an egg carton piece to form the spider's body. Paint in the color you want the spider to be — black, neon, purple with red spots, etc. You might even use a glow-in-the-dark or black-light paint.
- Pierce four holes down one side and another four down the other side of the egg carton piece, then slip pipe cleaners into the holes each side to form eight legs.
- Reshape the legs so that the spider can stand properly and perhaps have two legs splayed in front.
- Glue on a bunch of pre-made googly eyes or paint them on to make the spider's face. You can also add fangs.
- If you want the spider to be larger, you can use two egg carton pieces for the body, and then glue on a ping pong ball or something similar to form the spider's head.
- Make a spider web. If you want a web or two for all the spiders you're making, you have many options:
- A string web is made by weaving a web using string and a wire frame, and then gluing the cutting out the round part of the web. You then hang the web from the ceiling using another piece of string. (Paper or light plastic spiders go well on this web.)
- A pipe cleaner web is made from twisting together 4 pipe cleaners and then working outward until you've reached the desired web size. (Pipe cleaner spiders go well with this web.)
- A doily web is ideally made of crocheted doilies that have been sprayed black. Use string to attach the doilies to a transparent or loosely woven sheet, keeping space between them so that they look like different webs.
- A cheesecloth web will look like an old abandoned cobweb. You cut it into the shapes you want, and then gently pull on it so that the strings come apart and look more web-like. Then you hang it from your ceiling/on your walls/in your windows.
[Edit]Making Other Decorations - Make a Halloween wreath. Add Halloween-themed items to a plain wreath to dress it up. You can purchase a pre-made wreath base, or you can make a wreath from scratch with Evergreen tree branches, twigs, or burlap.
- To make the wreath look extra Halloweeny, spray paint it black, orange, purple, silver, grey — or any other color you'd like.
- Use a hot glue gun (or have your parents help you) to glue black tulle, orange feathers, fake eyeballs, fake spiders, or other Halloween-y items into the wreath.
- Make glowing ping pong ball decorations. For this you only need felt pens, ping pong balls, electric tea lights, and something sharp to poke holes into the ping pong balls with (scissors or a screwdriver will work).
- Just draw on the ping pong balls and then pop them on top of an electric tea light and turn it on to see them glow and flicker. Creepy eyeballs and faces are good choices for this craft!
- Another option is to attach pipecleaners to the sides of a ping pong ball and make it look like a spider — a glowing spider, that is!
- Make paper bats. Bats, like spiders, are another popular creature featured in Halloween decorations. Use construction paper or card stock to make bat-shaped cut-outs that you can hang around your house.
- You might even use a large bat-shaped cut-out as the base of a Halloween-themed collage.
- Themes for great decorations include bats, black cats, coffins, masks, candy corn, snakes, mummies, eyeballs and toenails, cobwebs, rats, owls, vampires, witches and broomsticks, ghosts, zombies — the list is almost endless!
- You can also make a cool Halloween banner!
[Edit]Warnings - Never leave a burning candle unattended.
- If children make the decorations, supervise anything they're not capable of doing for their age range, such as cutting, piercing holes, sewing, etc.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Paper
- Fabric
- Recycled goodies
- Markers, pens, paint, etc.
- Pumpkins
- Scissors, glue, and related crafting gear
- Items as mentioned for each craft type
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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