The scariest month of the year has arrived, and witches, jack-o-lanterns, and giant black cats are popping up on every front lawn and porch just in time for Halloween.

You could be like everyone else and carve a pumpkin or two (we have some great pumpkin recipes if you do), or you could do something a bit different and make your own decorations.

Kids will love making these spooky — and slightly silly — Halloween decorations. Prepare to give the neighbourhood a fright!

 

A Ghost Made from Starched Fabric

What you need:
Gauze or cheesecloth
Spray starch (available in the laundry aisle)
A balloon
An empty glass bottle
Metal wire
Two dark, lightweight beads
Thread
Needle

How to make it:

1. Create the underlying shape of the ghost by placing the balloon on top of the bottle and by bending the metal wire to shape its arms.

2. Cover the entire underlying shape with gauze or cheesecloth. If needed, wet the fabric to make it more flexible.

3. Thoroughly spray all sides with the spray starch. Let it dry near a heat source until the next day.

4. Carefully remove the ghost from its frame and sew on the beads where the eyes should go (you can also sew on buttons or glue on some black dots).

 

A Mummy Contortionist

What you need:
Electrical wire or other thin metal wire
Cutting pliers
Thin white fabric
Scissors

How to make it:

1. Create a small figure out of electrical wire (or metal wire).

2. Tear the white fabric into bands. To tear, start by making a small cut with your scissors and then pulling with both hands; the fabric will easily tear.

3. Cover the figure with bands of fabric, tying the fabric at the ends.

4. Bend your figure and place it in various positions.

 

A Severed Finger Box

What you need:
8-½ x 11-inch card or a small gift box
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil
Sticky tack or plasticine
Glue or double-sided sticky tape
Cotton batting
Ketchup or red food colouring

How to make it:

1. If you haven’t got a small gift box on hand, construct your own using card (see instructions below). Take a piece of 8-½ x 11-inch card, fold it in half lengthways and then widthways, open it out and cut out two of the rectangles marked. Set the other two aside.

2. Take a ruler and mark some points 2⅛inch in from the longest sides of one of the rectangles. Then, fold in the sides to meet these points and press down the folds.

3. Open it out and mark 2⅛ inch in from the top and bottom of the card and again fold and crease to these points before making cuts as shown in the diagram above.

4. You can now make a hole in the base of the box by folding the card in half and cutting a small snip in the middle. When you fold this open the slit will be twice as long and give you enough space to start cutting out a small circle in the centre.

5. Add glue or double-sided sticky tape to the flaps to stick the box together.

6. Use the second quarter of your card to make the lid. Do this by following the same instructions as before, but measure in 2 inches from all sides so the lid is slightly larger, and don’t cut a hole in this one.

7. Place some cotton batting in the base of your box, push your index finger through the hole, bend it over and dollop some ketchup or red food colouring near your knuckle so it looks like it has been bleeding.

8. Place the top on your box and offer your “gift” to someone “special.”

 

 

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