Are you getting ready for Halloween? It is one of my favorite holidays and I love getting our house set to celebrate!
When it comes to decorating for any occasion, I believe it need not be expensive or stressful. With two toddlers — ages 2 and 4 — our Halloween is on the friendly side. I tried taking it up a notch this year with life-sized skeletons whose eyes glow red and jaws move in sync with scary sound effects… umm, that was a big no go. My kids wouldn’t even allow it in the cart! Instead, I settled for some pint-sized ones and a handful of terrific DIY projects to enhance my existing decor.
So if ghoulish and ghastly aren’t your cup of tea either, check out these spooktacularly easy and inexpensive ways to decorate for Halloween and have some wickedly good fun!
1 // BATS!
Something wickedly cute this way comes! Check out these black paper bats flying in a cloud above the fireplace mantel. I just taped them to the wall with scotch tape, leaving a few wings detached for a 3-dimensional effect.
I first saw the concept on Made Everyday, where they zoomed across the dining room wall.
And then again in Country Living. So spooky cute, right?
Just a few cuts of black card stock (or foam for outdoors) and you have some terrific Halloween ambience. I’ll help you get started with a template and instructions to download and print. Go batty!
2 // FABRIC PUMPKINS
Skeletons, check.
Bats, check.
Now it’s time for pumpkins!
These adorable pumpkins were made from the sleeves of old sweaters. Make a few of your own with this step-by-step tutorial.
Almost any fabric will work; I especially like the crushed panne velvet from Amber Oliver.
They bring the perfect touch of fall to a mantle or centerpiece and can stay up through the Thanksgiving holiday. Pumpkins, check.
3 // POM POM GARLAND
You could spend your day wrapping yarn around a fork, or you could just pick up a couple bags of felt pom poms from the dollar store to make a fun Halloween garland. String the pom poms together on black yarn or baker’s twine using a yarn needle. Easy peasy.
I supplemented the pom pom garland with a few strands of plastic beads. I planned to use only the gold ones, but my kids wanted creative input and so we have an interesting pop of color now.
4 // SHADOWY FLORALS
Strike an eerie effect by spray painting wispy artificial stems or bare branches a flat black. String cobwebs and plastic spiders throughout for an added dose of creepiness.
For a more elegant but still dark effect, make up a bouquet of these black flowers from crepe paper streamers. Find the tutorial at Country Living.
5 // DIY HALLOWEEN WREATH
And last, but not least, welcome trick-or-treaters to your door with this simple black glitter tulle wreath. Click here for the step-by-step tutorial.
For more creative ideas and inspiration for Halloween,
be sure to check out my Pinterest board.
Do you like decorating for Halloween? What’s your favorite part of the holiday?
Thanks for reading and sharing your comments below! — v.
