Halloween Vibes to DIY for

I am writing this series as a countdown to Halloween. It's my favorite holiday. Halloween has it all! Hayrides. Scary movies. Haunted houses. Trick or treat. Pumpkin spice and everything nice. If I can manage to pull it off, I'll be writing something with a spooky spin for one vocal community each week in October.

First, I decided to explore a few Halloween craft projects that capture the spirit of the season. But, I'm going to be honest here, these projects look like a lot of work. Actually accomplishing any of it is probably just wishful thinking.

I suppose I could get all jacked up on pumpkin spice lattes and paint the town orange, but who has the energy, amirite? Maybe I should just leave it to the DIY pros and domestic divas.

1. Ghosted

I saw someone ‘spookify’ a thrift store painting online and I have been low key obsessed with the idea for a while. Here you take a mass produced reprint of something benign like a farm house, then you add a few ghosts, pumpkins, bats, etc.

Unfortunately, my local thrift store has had nothing but nursery room giraffe paintings and framed inspirational quotes for the past few weeks.

2. Hannibal’s Hor d'oeuvres

The charcuterie tray has been having a moment. Or maybe the moment has passed. I don’t know. I like assorted meats and cheeses.

Some brilliant party host thought, What if we ‘spookified’ this food?” It’s just prosciutto wrapped around a plastic skull, but look at this thing!

3. Arachnophobia

You know what’s scarier than stretching a few fake spiderwebs over your shrubs? A mummified corpse dangling from a web on your front porch. Add a giant spider perched menacingly on the rooftop and you’re gonna freak out all the kiddos (and a few adults).

This project comes from munchkinsplanet.com. It is part of a collection of outdoor Halloween spectacles. This one was my favorite, but the article also shows you how to put together a hauntingly realistic Halloween lawn corpse out of plastic bottles, trash bags, and duct tape.

The spider could use some help, but the cocooned victim sells it for me. I’m sure it’s spookier in the dark. Bonus points if those red eyes are sporting reflective red paint! Smaller spiders could also get the point across if you don’t want to risk your life climbing on the roof.

4. In the (Haunted) House!

I love a good haunted house, but I've never thought of wearing one. Apparently haunted house costumes are a thing. I mean, it’s basically an elaborately decorated cardboard box, but the possibilities are endless. Some of these are downright adorable. A serious contender for any homemade costume contest, although it’s not a very practical design. The kid might need some help holding their candy.

5. For the Birds

Forget bats. This Halloween we’re talking about birds! From Poe’s The Raven to Hitchcock’s The Birds, winged beasts have been associated with death in popular culture for a long time. Heck, they don’t call it a ‘murder’ of crows for nothing!

On the other hand, birds are so smart. Some can even talk, solve puzzles, remember you, and even bring you shiny little presents like buttons and bottle caps.

So do you like birds or do they creep you out? Either way, this raven wreath is perfect for Halloween.

*These ‘ravens’ (the kind you get at a craft store) are made of styrofoam covered with dyed turkey feathers.

🖤 Mysterious - What are they meeting to discuss? Could this have been an email?

🖤 Elegant - No frills, just birds!

🖤 Monochromatic - Black goes with everything.

*Personally, I’d skip the glitter, but follow your own heart!