6 fun Halloween DIYs to try this weekend

There are two full weekends until Halloween October 31 — still plenty of time to try some fun DIYs for home decor or to entertain the kids.

Here are a few fun projects to try this weekend. 

1. Floating witch hat lights

From the bloggers over at Polka Dot Chair, these fun floating witch hats are easy and inexpensive and great for outdoors or indoors.

You'll need clear fishing line, a long needle, LED light sticks, glow sticks or battery-powered tea lights, safety pins and outdoor Command hooks for lights.

Apply the hooks to the ceiling. Cut a piece of fishing line about a metre long and string it onto the needle. Feed the needle through the point of the hat. Remove the needle, tie a safety pin to the end of the fishing line inside the hat and clip on the light sticks (duct tape is always an option too). Make a loop in the other end of the fishing line and hang it on the Command hook. Repeat as many times as you wish. 

See the step-by-step tutorial here.

2. Bat silhouette lampshade

From bloggers John and Sherry Petersik at Young House Love, here's a very easy and inexpensive yet satisfying DIY.  

Google "bat shapes" and copy a few either using your printer or freehand. You can do them on white paper, cut them out then trace onto black construction paper or card stock, or use a white pencil to draw them directly onto the black paper.

Then simply tape them inside your lamp shades — "It's a super polished look for not much effort," the couple says. See the tutorial here.

3. Bloody handprint clings

Warning — these can be messy, especially if you involve kids, so smock up and make sure your nearby surfaces (floors, counters) are washable. 

From Kylyssa Shay at the blog Felt Magnet, these easy-to-make clings stick on windows, mirrors, or any other glass or plastic surface and they're cheap, too. 

All you need is a big bottle of white glue, plastic wrap, waxed paper, red and blue food colouring, a cutting board, clipboard or piece of foam core, and Scotch Tape. 

You'll want to follow the easy tutorial here, but it's basically just mixing red food colouring into white glue, painting it onto your hand, and pressing it onto plastic wrap. When they dry, peel and stick them on the front door (put them on the shower door Halloween morning to terrify your partner!).

4. Dancing lawn ghosts

Stick some large styrofoam balls on lawn stakes, and secure white sheets or fabric to the balls with hot glue and a few push pins. You could layer a sheer white fabric over top for an even more ghostly look. 

Place the ghosts in a circle or around a tree and tie the corners together if you like. We found this idea on wimp.com, where they made the ghosts using white trash bags. 

5. Jalapeno mummies

Like your DIYs edible? These jalapeno popper mummies from the website Fast Forward Fun are so cute! 

All you need is 10 to 12 fresh jalapenos, 26 grams (8 ounces) of cream cheese, a cup of shredded pepper jack cheese, an egg or two (whisked), candy eyes or little pieces of black olives, and a package of Pillsbury crescent rolls, cut into thin strips.

Slice the jalapenos in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Mash the cream and pepper jack cheese together and stuff the jalapeno halves with the mixture. Wrap the pastry around the jalapeno halves, leaving a bare area about a third of the way down for the eyes. Put the little fellas on a baking sheet and brush them with the eggs. Bake at 400 F or 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes then press the candy eyes or pieces of black olives in place. 

See the tutorial in photos here or watch the how-to video.

6. Creepy crow wreath

From blogger Chloe Crabtree at the blog Celebrate and Decorate, this creepy crow wreath is less-cutesy, but still not terrifying, door decor. 

You'll need several black crows from a craft or dollar store, a wreath form of some kind, and a bow. 

You could glue the crows on a regular foam or straw wreath form, or use Crabtree's silver cardboard idea. Complete tutorial here.

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