Halloween is quickly approaching and with that sense of urgency, I always feel the need to decorate. However, since it’s halfway through October I usually give up and settle for scaring kids with my Halloween face makeup. To change my ways, I decided to challenge myself to come up with three DIYs with either objects I already owned or super cheap items I could find at a craft store.
Easy DIY No-Carve Pumpkin
I’ll be honest, this DIY took me about fifteen minutes tops. The only items you need are:
- 1 white or cream-colored pumpkin
- 1 sharpie
I started out writing smaller and then getting bigger script towards the middle, then going smaller again as I neared the bottom of the pumpkin. With each ring, start the beginning of your phrase in the middle of the position just above it, to keep the script more interesting to look at. This is easy to do and you can write whatever words you like!
Halloween Candle Holders
These candle votives were another cheap, easy option like the pumpkin above. I liked the idea of using easy to draw shapes and having decor I could also use all year round. For this DIY you will need:
- glass votives (99 cents or cheaper at Michael’s)
- Craftsmart® Paint Pen (this should run you about $3-4 and also comes in packs of different colors) or whatever pens that write on glass surfaces
- An image for reference or stencil that is 2″ x 1.5″ (You can use the stencils I put together* if you’d like to copy the images above)
- Optional: an exacto knife to cut out dark sections of your stencil for precise shapes or you can draw these free-hand like I did
If you’re using a stencil, make sure it’s taped down on either side of your glass. Simply color in the parts you cut out with your knife, leaving three minutes or so for the whole item to dry. This Craftsmart® Paint Pen works very quickly, so be careful about where you put the paint. Once you’re done, grab a tea light candle and enjoy the ambiance.
Halloween Poison Jar
For this last DIY, I still kept it simple. Your materials are:
- an old bottle
- black spray paint
- stick-on labels
- Twine (optional)
- Hot glue gun (optional)
Using an old beer bottle with the labels peeled off, I spray painted my bottle twice with some matte, black spray paint. While I used Krylon ColorMaster in Black Flat, you can also use chalkboard spray paint too. Do two separate sessions of spray paint. Once completely dry, you can add some twine around the top for effect with some hot glue. Slap a cute label on there (or write in chalk if you used chalkboard spray paint), and you’re all set. You can easily do a bunch of these and have them set up around your house for a fun party.
(*Disclaimer: please note that I did not create these images or stencils – I merely found easy-to-draw images online and presented them in a PDF to help with your drawing. In no way am I taking credit for another artists’ work.)
