How to Make Halloween Decorations: 7 Spooky Ideas for a Frightful Night

1. Ghost Lanterns: Floating Phantoms in the Night

Nothing says Halloween like a ghost, and ghost lanterns are the perfect way to light up your yard or porch with a supernatural glow. Here’s how to create your own floating phantoms:

Materials Needed:

• White balloons
• Cheesecloth
• LED lights or glow sticks
• Clear fishing wire or string
• Black felt (for eyes and mouth)
• Glue

Instructions:

1. Inflate the balloons to your desired size and tie them off.
2. Drape cheesecloth over the balloons, letting it hang loosely to form the ghostly body.
3. Cut out eyes and a spooky mouth from the black felt, and glue them onto the cheesecloth.
4. Place an LED light or glow stick under the cheesecloth for an eerie glow.
5. Use fishing wire to hang the ghosts from tree branches or along your porch. The invisible wire gives the illusion that your ghosts are floating.

Pro Tip: You can also experiment with different colours of cheesecloth or lights to give your ghosts a unique, spectral glow.

2. Creepy Spider Egg Sacs: Arachnophobes Beware

Turn your home into a nest of nightmare-inducing spiders with these creepy egg sac decorations. They’re easy to make and can be hung in dark corners to create a spooky effect.

Materials Needed:

• White tights or stockings
• Cotton batting or polyester stuffing
• Plastic spiders (or create your own using pipe cleaners)
• White string or fishing line

Instructions:

1. Fill the tights with cotton batting to create a lumpy, egg-like shape.
2. Tie off the ends of the tights and arrange the stuffing to give it a natural, uneven look.
3. Attach plastic spiders all over the sac with glue or tape. For added horror, use fake spider webs to stretch around the sac.
4. Hang the egg sacs from the ceiling, light fixtures, or in tree branches with string or fishing wire.

Pro Tip: Add some smaller spiders crawling out of the sac for an extra element of fright.

3. Haunted Mirror: See the Ghostly Reflection

A haunted mirror can give your guests a real scare when they see a ghostly figure staring back at them. This easy DIY project is perfect for creating an eerie focal point.

Materials Needed:

• A large picture frame
• Clear plastic sheet or glass
• White paint
• An image of a ghost or skull (printed or hand-drawn)

Instructions:

1. Take the picture frame and replace the glass with a clear plastic sheet if it's fragile. Clean the sheet thoroughly.
2. Use white paint to trace a faint outline of a ghostly figure or skull onto the glass/plastic sheet.
3. Paint the ghost or skull in translucent layers to give it a faint, haunting appearance.
4. Place the glass/plastic sheet back into the frame and position the mirror in a dimly lit hallway or room. When your guests walk by, they’ll be startled by the reflection of the eerie figure behind them.

Pro Tip: Use soft lighting like candles or fairy lights to enhance the spooky effect.

4. Bloody Handprint Window Clings: A Sinister Scene

Make your windows look like they’ve been touched by the undead with these easy-to-make bloody handprint clings. They’re terrifying but quick to create.

Materials Needed:

• Red food colouring
• Corn syrup
• Wax paper
• A brush or sponge

Instructions:

1. Mix red food colouring with corn syrup to create a thick, blood-like substance.
2. Lay wax paper on a flat surface and use your hands (or a brush) to create handprints and splatters with the blood mixture.
3. Let the blood prints dry on the wax paper for a few hours.
4. Once dry, peel the handprints off the wax paper and stick them to your windows or mirrors. The corn syrup will naturally adhere to the glass.

Pro Tip: Add dripping trails to mimic the effect of blood running down the window.

5. Witch’s Broomstick Entrance: Welcoming Wickedness

A witch’s broomstick is the perfect addition to your front porch, especially if you want to create the impression that a witch has just flown in. You can make your own broomstick using simple, natural materials.

Materials Needed:

• A long tree branch
• Straw or twigs
• Twine
• Black paint (optional)

Instructions:

1. Find a sturdy tree branch that’s about 3-4 feet long. You can leave it as-is for a rustic look or paint it black for added spookiness.
2. Gather twigs or straw and arrange them around the base of the branch to form the broom’s bristles.
3. Secure the twigs or straw with twine, wrapping it tightly to hold them in place.
4. Place the broomstick on your front porch or hang it near the door to give your home a touch of witchy charm.

Pro Tip: You can pair this broomstick with a cauldron and a witch’s hat to complete the spooky setup.

6. DIY Tombstones: Bring the Graveyard to Your Yard

Turn your front yard into a haunted graveyard with DIY tombstones. These can be made from lightweight materials but look like they’ve been unearthed from a real cemetery.

Materials Needed:

• Styrofoam sheets
• Grey spray paint
• Black paint for lettering
• A knife or hot wire cutter
• Wooden stakes (for support)

Instructions:

1. Cut the styrofoam sheets into tombstone shapes using a knife or hot wire cutter. You can create simple rectangular shapes or more elaborate designs with rounded tops.
2. Spray paint the tombstones grey and let them dry completely.
3. Use black paint to add names, dates, or eerie phrases like "RIP" or "Here Lies a Lost Soul."
4. Attach wooden stakes to the back of the tombstones and place them in your yard.

Pro Tip: Dust the tombstones with flour or chalk to give them an aged, weathered look.

7. Spooky Candles: Dripping with Horror

What’s a haunted house without the flickering light of candles? These DIY spooky candles will add a touch of gothic elegance to your décor.

Materials Needed:

• Battery-operated candles
• Hot glue gun
• Red candle wax or red paint

Instructions:

1. Use a hot glue gun to create dripping wax effects on the battery-operated candles. Let the glue harden before moving to the next step.
2. Once the glue is dry, either melt red candle wax over the glue drips or paint them with red paint to resemble blood.
3. Turn on the candles and place them around your home for a spine-chilling glow.

Pro Tip: Arrange them on a mantelpiece or window sill for a truly haunted look

Final Thoughts

Halloween decorations don’t have to be complicated or expensive. With a little creativity and some simple materials, you can turn your home into the creepiest house on the block. These seven DIY ideas are just the start—there’s no limit to how spooky and fun you can make your Halloween. So grab your glue gun, gather your supplies, and start crafting these eerie decorations for a frightful night that your neighbours won’t forget!