Homemade Halloween Crafts

From LoveToKnow Crafts

As you're getting ready for another year of trick or treating, consider completing a few homemade Halloween crafts to put you in a festive mood.

Creative Party Invitations

Handmade cards etched with Halloween themed designs are fun to make and a great project for kids to help with.

Supplies:

Greeting cards and envelopes
Crayons
Masking tape
Thick piece of cardboard
Black tempera paint
Paintbrush
Toothpick or nail
Stencils (optional)

Instructions:

Print the information for your party on the inside of your card.
Cover the front of each card completely with bright orange, purple, white, gold, or silver crayon. You can use all one color for a more uniform look or make a grid design to create a multi-colored etching.
Use masking tape to tape the card onto a thick piece of cardboard or another sturdy work surface.
Coat the card completely with a thick layer of black tempera paint.
When the paint is dry, etch a pumpkin, ghost, spider, or other Halloween design on the front using a toothpick or the tip of a nail.

In addition to using this technique to make party invitations, keep in mind that this is also a fun way to design artwork that can simply be framed as a cute holiday decoration or to make clever embellishments to use when scrapbooking your Halloween memories.

An Eye Catching Centerpiece

To make a memorable centerpiece that's fun to nibble on, hit your local thrift store for an assortment of interestingly shaped glass containers. Fill the containers with assorted black candies, such as black jelly beans and black licorice. Make labels on your computer using Halloween-themed clip art that say "Twisted Treats" or "Devilish Delights." When you're finished, place all the jars on a shiny silver tray and invite guests to sample the goodies!

Fun Party Favors

Adorned with rhinestones, feathers, and other embellishments, masquerade masks are a simple yet classy addition to your Halloween décor. If you make enough masks, you can even allow guests to take one home as a souvenir of the evening. You can find complete instructions for making your own mask by review the LoveToKnow Costumes article Make Your Own Masquerade Mask.

Silhouettes

Silhouettes have a classic appeal that makes them the perfect Halloween decoration. Use these homemade Halloween crafts to:

Pair pumpkin silhouettes next to portraits of all your family members
Stick a black cat silhouette in your front entryway
Decorate your windows with ghosts
Add a row of mice creeping up your staircase

Design Dazzle explains how to make silhouettes of family members using the old-fashioned process you might remember from your childhood. If you're a bit more tech savvy, however, you can create a wider variety of silhouette effects using the digital technique outlined on the PC World Web site.

Glittered Skulls and Bones

Dollar stores often have plastic or ceramic skull and bone decorations for Halloween. While these decorations are certainly budget friendly, they're often just not very attractive. Add some interest to your Halloween décor by coating them in a layer of fine glitter.

Supplies: