Issues → September/October 2007 → Home & Garden →
Halloween: 5 Crafts for a Boo-tiful House
Five simple ideas to make your home a haunted house
Craft projects by Matthew Mead
Halloween decorations are becoming as prevalent as Christmas lights. If you want to add a spook-tacular look inside your home, here are five simple, crafty ideas that will do the trick.
Put a witch on your stairway, a goblin in your window, and a ghost or spider web on your mantle. These are Yankee's most requested crafts. How scary is that?!
Stairway Witch
Ruler
6 sheets black Canson card stock paper
Tape
White gel pen
Scissors
Double-stick tape
Pumpkins, candles, squash
Measure the kick plate of the riser of each step. Lay the paper out on the floor and tape together on the back; then have the tallest member of your family lie down on the paper and trace around him or her using the white gel pen. Once you have your silhouette, draw exaggerated details on the shape -- a bigger nose, outstretched hands, a ghoulish forehead. Cut out the silhouette and divide into pieces the height of each stair riser. Hold in place with double-stick tape. To add more spooky atmosphere, decorate the stairs with pumpkins, squash, and candles (if using candles, be sure to keep them at a distance from the silhouette and use only on a stairwell with no traffic).
Haunted House
Black Canson paper
Glass cylinder candle holder
Orange or yellow tissue paper
Tape
White gel pen
Artist's knife
4-inch pillar candle
Cut black paper to wrap completely around cylinder; set aside. Cut tissue to fit around cylinder and tape in place along the seam. With the gel pen, draw a house or a series of buildings on the precut black paper (or buy a haunted house stencil at a crafts store). Cut out a silhouette with the artist's knife, wrap around cylinder, and tape in place. Place a candle inside and light it.
Beware the Raven Nevermore
Stencil of bird from crafts store
Pumpkin
Black acrylic paint
Paintbrush
Small sculpting tool
Using the stencil, paint bird on pumpkin surface. Let dry; repeat. Use small sculpting tool to etch details.
Boogeyman in the Window
Ruler
6 sheets black Canson card stock paper
Elmer's clear glue
White gel pen
Artist's knife
Measure each windowpane and cut paper to fit. Place a small amount of glue on each corner of the windowpanes. Place paper in the windows and let dry in place. With the white gel pen, draw the silhouette of a scary figure -- a witch or a warlock will work well. Use the artist's knife to cut out details of the character, then remove and discard remaining paper.
Things That Go Bump in the Night
Several pieces (4x5, 5x7, and 8x10 inches)
of picture glass from glass store
Contact paper
Pencil
Artist's knife
Stencil paintbrush
Etching cream from crafts store
Copper tape from stained-glass store
Cut piece of contact paper the same size as the glass. Peel backing off paper and stick to glass. With a pencil, draw the image of a ghost or a spiderweb on the paper. Cut out the image using an artist's knife (remove the contact paper from the area you want to etch). With the stencil brush, dab generous amounts of etching cream onto the cutout area of the ghost; let dry completely. Wash off with cold water and remove remaining contact paper. Edge glass with copper tape to create a framelike finish. Display on a mantel or shelf.
Reader Comments
Registered users can add comments.
Registration is free, and just takes a moment.
Login or Register.