# Halloween Carfts



## Schrody (Oct 22, 2016)

So, it's that time of the year again -  fun time! 

Okay, so Halloween's not so popular here, but it's getting there  Meanwhile, I'll have a bunch of guests - why not decorate the house?!

Sure, you can buy most of these things, but if you're on a budget, or simply love crafts, check in this thread for some new ideas! 

First thing I did was a paper mache raven. I found a template, cut it, glued to a light cardboard, cut it again (or you can simply glue it directly to the cardboard and avoid double cutting), and then the real fun started. First, I used aluminum foil - I folded long pieces until I got them really thick and strong (twisting also helps), then wrapped it around the cutout, making a sort of a "skeleton". It also boosted its volume, so it's a good start (use scotch tape to strengthen it so it can't move).

Step two was to make a paste of water, flour (white) and salt (to prevent mold). It has to be thick, but less thick than, say, pancake batter. You can find good recipes *here*. You tear newspapers into strips, and dip them, removing the excess paste. You do this numerous times, depending on how "big" you want it to look like. Once done, leave it to dry. Time of drying will depend on several factors, but it should be dry if left overnight. When dry, paint it black, and that's it! My raven's not done yet - it's in the process of drying.




Doesn't look like much, but it will, once painted.

Next thing I did were little ghosts; my inspiration was *this* page, although they came out totally different.

I didn't have any fabric stiffener (you can made your own if you google) or Styrofoam balls, so I got creative: I shaped a bunch of newspapaers ionto a round shape, then taped it all over. Whether you use Styrofoam or not (you can use ping-pong balls too), you should place it on the bottle's neck for easier use. I used paper mache paste, and once again, dipped strips of newspapers, making layer after layer, until it gained on some volume. Cut the cheesecloth into a square (or just use bandage rolls), and glue a few of pieces onto your ghost, just enough to cover the newspapers. When it dries, you can glue some googly eyes, or, like me, draw faces. I used tempera paint (fun fact:we call it tempera too!), and a really thin brush.

 

When the time is right, I'll hang them on the ceiling.

The last, but not least (there's a ton of things to do), were the bats, also the easiest. I used this pic as a template,

 cut it (glued to the cardboard), punched a hole, added googly eyes, and that's it! Easy, simple, effective!



Stay tuned for more!


*I meant "crafts"*


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## escorial (Oct 22, 2016)

cool


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## H.Brown (Oct 22, 2016)

Thank you, these are some great ideas  I work in a childrens playarea and this week we are doing Halloween crafts with the kids.


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## Carly Berg (Oct 22, 2016)

That's wonderful, Schrody!

I find it so strange that Halloween is getting popular in other parts of the world as it dies out in the U.S. I don't even buy candy anymore because usually nobody comes and then I just eat it all myself.


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## Deleted member 56686 (Oct 23, 2016)

Halloween has gotten so commercialized these days in the US and it doesn't help that they're already advertising Christmas, the biggest commercial season of all.

By the way, that top picture does not look at all like a raven 

This is a raven...







Just teasing


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## Schrody (Oct 23, 2016)

Carly Berg said:


> That's wonderful, Schrody!
> 
> I find it so strange that Halloween is getting popular in other parts of the world as it dies out in the U.S. I don't even buy candy anymore because usually nobody comes and then I just eat it all myself.



Oh no, that's so sad  We have our own version, but it's in February (the principle's the same). We're (our country) pretty much obsessed with the Western world (especially US) - whether it's bad or good, we will make it a part of our culture. I like Halloween 



mrmustard615 said:


> Halloween has gotten so commercialized these days in the US and it doesn't help that they're already advertising Christmas, the biggest commercial season of all.
> 
> By the way, that top picture does not look at all like a raven
> 
> ...



Ha! As much as we absorb your culture, I doubt "football" will ever gain popularity here. We're satisfied with the "soccer", thank you :lol: Tell me about it, they're gonna start decorating soon! I hate it.


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## Schrody (Oct 23, 2016)

H.Brown said:


> Thank you, these are some great ideas  I work in a childrens playarea and this week we are doing Halloween crafts with the kids.



You might be interested in this things, they seem pretty simple (okay, the first one's not really Halloween, but it might come in handy!)

*Birds*, *Pumpkin treat balls*


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## Schrody (Oct 23, 2016)

In case I forget - Happy Halloween!


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## Deleted member 56686 (Oct 23, 2016)

Happy Easter to you too :albino:


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## Schrody (Oct 23, 2016)

Silly Mustard, in case I got too busy with decorating!


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## Schrody (Oct 23, 2016)

You want this Halloween to be special?

How about window silhouettes?

This is my favorite



but you can use others if you look at *this* tutorial.

If you want to scare someone, I suggest a head in the jar - *clickie*. Mine will be in the fridge, so when the thirsty guests reach it in order to find a cold beer - surprise! :lol:

Of course, our beverages can't look te same on this magical night, so how about some labels? I'll use this ones:

     

For a more effective reaction, buy IV bags (we bought ours from eBay), and fill them with red liquid (you can use food coloring). Place them in a bowl filled with ice.


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## Schrody (Oct 23, 2016)




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## H.Brown (Oct 23, 2016)

Schrody said:


> You might be interested in this things, they seem pretty simple (okay, the first one's not really Halloween, but it might come in handy!)
> 
> *Birds*, *Pumpkin treat balls*



They are amazing will have to give them ago  Thank you.


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## Schrody (Oct 24, 2016)

Today I made... well, made is not the best word... decorated fits better. Anywho, I decorated some tablecloth. We usually don't use it, but I wanted something special for this Halloween. I used paper tablecloth, glue and napkins. I wanted to put some lace decorations, but I'm on a budget, so, no can do. Sure, you can buy already finished tablecloth, but it's no fun. I will have a centerpiece on the table, including some black candles, cheese cloth, a raven and a black necklace.


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## Jenwales (Oct 24, 2016)

Loving your decorations


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## Schrody (Oct 25, 2016)

Today's activity was to find a solution about the lights; our house will be in semi darkness, but we still need to see people, especially during dinner. I found this cute, little DIY - it's very simple and effective.

Cut the pattern which you can find on *this *page, or you can use mine. I painted it black in Paint, and added eyes, in order to know where to poke the holes. 



Anyway, cut it, glue it a light cardboard, poke holes, put lights (I used Christmas lights), fix with tape, and that's it!

Here's how it looks like:



...turn off the lights...



...and the magic appears...

Another cute little project is *this*, and these are the pics I chose for my DIY (I'll cut only windows and glue it to a jar with a tealight inside).


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## Ariel (Oct 25, 2016)

Those look very cute and very fun.


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## Schrody (Oct 25, 2016)

amsawtell said:


> Those look very cute and very fun.



They are. I see your avatar is ready


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## Schrody (Oct 26, 2016)

What time it is?

That's right: it's time for Schrody's Halloween Magic! 

Today's prompt might be a bit morbid for some - so, if you're of a weak heart or stomach, skip this post.

It's a body bag! :mrgreen:

It's not a real one, I promise :lol:

It can be dirt cheap, or even free (like mine did - okay, I _did_ buy the tape). All you need is some old clothes that's not good for donating, bunch of newspapers, plastic bags, tape, black garbage bags... 

Shape a head out of old clothes, put in a plastic bag and work with the tape around it. There's a bunch of tutorials, and here's some of them

*How to make a Dead Body for under $1  **

Cheap and Easy Halloween Prop - body in a bag*

My body didn't come out perfect, but it will be good enough to make a first impression, plus, it will be in the semi darkness, so... :lol:


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## Schrody (Nov 2, 2016)

As promised, some pics:

  

I wasn't able to take pics of everything since our guests showed a tad earlier than expected, but what can you do? We had a "police" "do not cross" tape over the doors, and we smeared some barbecue sauce on the floor in the hall in order to look like our body bag's head was bleeding. Fun stuff 

 

Our first lanterns (not so great)



Refreshment was served: blueberry flavored blood topped with ice and some fingers (we also had spider eggs but they disappeared in a second)



This cheery prints welcomed our guests in the bathroom...

 

And finally, my table centerpiece. I was in a hurry, so it wasn't so luxurious, but I think it still set the mood (we ate in semi darkness), and my raven got some legs!


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## Moonlight (Jan 13, 2017)

Yes!  My first day here and I've already found another Halloween and paper mâché enthusiast!  Love your decorations!


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## Schrody (Jan 13, 2017)

Moonlight said:


> Yes!  My first day here and I've already found another Halloween and paper mâché enthusiast!  Love your decorations!



Thanks  I'm hooked on paper mache, and if we had guests for Christmas, I would do a ton of things... maybe next time... ^^


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## ljuespinueva (Apr 26, 2017)

You can find more creative Halloween party ideas here! Pretty spooky stuff. I know I'm sharing this early but it's always great to have ideas in advance.


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## candicame (Jul 18, 2019)

I love the ghosts!  We used to make those tissue ghosts and hang them in the trees!


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## Arcturus (Dec 19, 2019)

I love Halloween. Though usually I do vintage deco.


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