halloween

Ghost Parade DIY

by Chiara Alberetti Milott

What I’ve learned is that kid’s parties are always better with a project, game or activity planned. What I’ve also learned is that kids love anything on a stick – which I discovered this summer when I tied a balloon to a stick in the park for my boys. They were entertained for quite a long time, while I watched in surprise at how much fun they were having.

I was inspired to make a set of ghosts that we could then bring to a ‘Ghost Party’ in our local park. The ghosts were actually so easy to make, the only thing I had to buy was a bottle of starch from the grocery store, and some wooden dowels from the hardware store – everything else you probably already have around your house.

Click through for full instructions.

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Chalkboard Haunted House DIY

by Jenny Batt

I like simple Halloween decorations, nothing too fancy or scary. Not too much glitter or glitz and no blood. I have wanted a plain haunted house for along time and check my options every year. When I found these plain paper mache houses, I knew I had my winner. Add a little spray paint and voila. The perfect Halloween house.

You will need:

paper mache house
chalkboard spray paint
yellow tissue paper
tape
scissors
chalk

Gather your supplies. Take your house outside and spray paint the insides of the house and roof. This should be a nice thin and even coat of paint. Let dry. Repeat and let dry. Flip over the roof and spray paint the outside of it with two thin coats like before. Also paint the outside of the house, too.  If it is too cold outside to spray paint, we were pushing it at our house, you can buy regular chalkboard paint to brush on.

Once dry, take the house back inside. Cut 3 sheets of tissue paper to fit the inside of the windowed walls of the house. Tape it inside the house, making sure the tissue lays flat against the windows.  Repeat for all three windowed walls. That’s it.

A spooky house that isn’t too spooky. A brush of black glitter would be fun on the roof.  Add haunted words or a ghost or two with chalk. Add an LED votive to the inside of these and they glow at night, very spooky, and have a Haunted Halloween!

Snail Costume

This is one of the last in our Homemade Halloween Series. The main thing you need for this costume is a brown kraft paper to make the shell. The little trick or treater wears it like a backpack. It is a pretty simple process, just try not to leave a trail of slime on the jaunt around the neighborhood for candy. Find the full instructions right here.

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Spider Pinata DIY

I love pinatas and  hadn’t made one in a while so it was really fun to make this big spider pinata. I love how the crepe paper makes it look so creepy and hairy. We added the googley eyes to make him look a little more friendly. You have to make this guy a few days ahead of your event because the paper mache process needs a few days to dry. See full instructions and photos right here.

Click through for full instructions + photos.

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Clown Costume

I was talking with my friend Fergi about costumes and she came up with this brilliant clown costume idea. The clown’s collar is made out of paper daisies you can get at a party supply store. This whole costume could be made super last minute since all the supplies are easy to find.

Materials Needed: Paper Daisies, Party Hat, Clown Nose, Pajamas, Felt, Tacky glue, Scissors

Step 1: Cut off the end of the paper daisy, also remove the top of the white cardboard piece. Make a band out of felt for the neck piece (make it the size of the neck), add ribbon to the ends. Add glue and spread out the daisy the length of the piece of felt, let it sit until dry. Repeat for wristbands.
Step 2: Take the leftover piece of Daisy and remove the piece of cardboard. Cut fringe and roll up, tape and fluff to create a little pom pom.
Step 3: For the hat, cut off the lower portion of a party hat. Reattach the elastic on the new smaller piece.

Credits and our Talented Contributors:
All photography by Paul Ferney for Oh Happy Day
Art Directed by Jordan Ferney
Produced by Ashley Rose Kirschling
Crafting and Calligraphy by Julie Manwaring at Flourish & Whim
Styling by Caitlin Barker
“Homemade Halloween” Type by Angela Hardison