44 Ways to Celebrate the Halloween Season!

We are now 44 days away from All Hallows Eve, and while Halloween has been on my mind since November 1st, 2013, many people are just starting to gear up for the October holiday.
There are several ways I love to prepare for the big night of fright, so I thought I would share some with those who are looking for new arts, crafts, or traditions to add to their repertoire. Sure some of these may seem obvious to the seasoned Halloween lovers, but still, here are a few spooky ideas for the Halloween loving newbies or even the old dogs looking for new tricks!
I have attached links to tutorials whenever possible.

1. Make your own Halloween Countdown- you can use a chalkboard, a dry erase board, a good old fashioned paper chain and tear off a link each day...  Or take a look at my halloween decorative block tutorial which includes a countdown side on the blocks-

http://thehalloweenchick.blogspot.com/2014/08/decorative-halloween-blocks-diy.html?m=1

or get really fancy and make something from this cute list: http://www.curbly.com/users/craftmel/posts/14277-roundup-10-diy-halloween-countdown-crafts

2. PUMPKIN SPICE EVERYTHING- 

nothing says October or Halloween like pumpkin spice. From lighting pumpkin spice candles, to using pumpkin spice creamer in your coffee, pumpkin spice is sure to get you in the mood for some Halloween fun, which brings me to the next item on the list...

3. Host a pumpkin carving party or contest- Grab a bunch of the Pumpkin carving kits at the nearest grocery store, or print off some cool patterns and have a B.Y.O.P. (bring your own pumpkin) gathering. It is a ton of fun to get people together and see how creative (and competitive) they can be with their designs.
Added bonus- a lot of them will leave their pumpkin so you can add it to your yard decor, especially if you give them some pumpkin flavored brewskis.
This is a good idea for later in the month of October so that your pumpkins will last til Halloween, but it's never too early to start planning the event.


4. Not into the real thing when it comes to pumpkin carving? Make a paper mache pumpkin to display indoors or out (weather permitting). Check out these absolutely amazing examples on Stolloween.com:
http://www.stolloween.com/?page_id=67

5. While we are on the subject of pumpkins, why not visit your local pumpkin patch? Pick out a pumpkin and snap some pics of the kiddos (or kids at heart).

6. Dress your pets in Halloween clothes!

7. Dress your kids in Halloween clothes and pajamas!

8. No kids or pets? Dress yourself in Halloween clothes! Accessorizing with Ghostly PJ's or socks covered in witches will certainly put anyone in the mood for Halloween.

9. Get (or give yourself) a Halloween mani/pedi. Check out these adorable ideas for your digits:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/alannaokun/ween-nails#11px91k

10. Make (or buy) a chalkboard and write Halloween quotes, song lyrics, poems or saying on it and display it in your home. Change it up every few days or so.

11. Have a Halloween movie marathon-

Need some suggestions? Well, my personal favorites are Hocus Pocus, Trick R'Treat and of course the original Halloween, but check out this list of 50 truly chilling horror flicks if you aren't sure where to begin:
http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/top-scariest-movies-all-time/Hw3HiLfctnUsYmlI89WPVJ/gallery.html

12.Visit a Haunted House/attraction in your area, or many of them!

13.Visit a graveyard (this one might not be for everyone, but there are some really beautiful cemeteries out there.) Of course, be respectful and considerate. (they're coming to get you, Barbara)

14. Make your own Spooky potion bottles. Be creative or keep it simple with stick on labels from any craft store.  You can check out my potion bottles here:
 http://thehalloweenchick.blogspot.com/2014/08/diy-potion-bottles-for-halloween.html

15. Make your own Halloween candles

with dollar store candles, craft paper or other printed Halloween images and a little modge podge.

16. Make caramel apples!

17. Host a "Secret Jack" (reference to Jack Skellington ;) Halloween gift exchange with friends, family, or co workers. Set a low dollar limit and specify gifts must be Halloween themed. Exchange mid-October so everyone has time to enjoy their treats. (or tricks)

18. Create a playlist of Halloween music, or create a Halloween station on pandora.

19. Fill jars with candy corn and place around the house for a cute display and a tasty treat.

20. Place Halloween printouts or Halloween craft paper in dollar store frames as a simple and inexpensive decoration. Here are some free printables to get your started:
http://thegraphicsfairy.com/50-best-free-vintage-halloween-images/

21. Create a Halloween table scape- use a Halloween table cloth or any table cloth that is black, purple, orange or your preferred hue, place a few skulls, a candelabra or two and add a couple of your potion bottles to your table create a festive tablescape.

This one is to die for...

Photo from:
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/elegant-eerie-halloween-tablescape-the-215th-tablescape-thursday/

22. Adopt a skeleton, give them a name,  and dress them up. Pose them around the house for fun. (or scares)
 You may have seen our family member, Grandma Mabel, and her kitty cat, Snowball. The kids get a kick out of finding her sitting in various places in the house with and without her wig. Costco has the best price on posable skeletons at $37 or so with Target close behind at $40.

23. Bake Halloween themed goods- who doesn't love cupcakes, especially those which are frosted to look like human brains? I dare you to find someone who doesn't!
Cupcakes, cake pops, cakes and cookies in a Halloween theme are always a hit! (stay tuned for some tutorials on these)

24. Save your jars and make Halloween lanterns- here is a craft of mine from last year that I reposted on one of my other blogs
http://www.3littlegoats.com/already-thinking-about-halloween-crafts/

25.  Follow Halloween and Fall instagram accounts- this is a great place to find out where the good Halloween decor is, as well as to get ideas for crafts and costumes. You can start by following me, thehalloweenchick of course :)

26. Play a game of hide n seek with a Halloween decorative item.
You know that slightly annoying but super addictive elf on the shelf? We like to play a Halloween version of this game with one of our little pumpkin head decorations. My daughter looks forward to seeing where he will be and what he will be doing...

27. Pinterest- Pin pin pin! This one is obvious but start pinning like crazy so that if you are like me, you will get to two or three of the ninety awesome crafts and decorations you swear you will make this year!

28. Have a Halloween photo shoot- break out your old costumes or better yet, head to Goodwill or the costume shop and try on all of your favorites with a friend. Bring your camera and have a blast.

29. End the day with a Halloween themed bedtime story with the kiddos (or yourself).
For the parents-  make sure it's nothing too scary or you may end up with a little goblin in your bed.

30. Binge on horror & spooky TV shows including the classics- Of course there is The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, and Hemlock Grove. But don't forget the oldies like The Munsters, or Tales from the Crypt and Creepshow.

31. Start using the Halloween kitchen ware. Hand towels, glasses, dishes, and any other Halloween themed decor you may have is a green light for daily use now. So break out the jack o lantern plates and Witchy dish towels. Don't have any? I suggest Ross, TJ Maxx/Home Goods for inexpensive and super cool Halloween wares.

32. Change your profile pic on social media to something creepy new or old. Last years Halloween costume, that Zombify app pic you made for fun, or bust out the green face paint and take a whole new photo to get not only yourself, but friends and family in the Halloween spirit.

33. Halloween prank your loved ones- sneak up behind them in a scary mask, hide that decapitated head behind the shower curtain, place your skeleton under their covers... Halloween pranks are fun! Just be ready for screams and the occasional throwing of objects.

34. Visit all of the Halloween stores and browse, shop, or take photos and attempt to replicate things you see that cost way more than you want to spend.

35. Deck out your vehicle with Halloween funzies... whether you want to commit to bumper stickers or just hang a fun Halloween sign in the window, driving around with some Halloween decoratives is sure to entertain those around you and get others in the mood for October. Target has cool Halloween signs in their dollar bins and Spirit Halloween has nifty Car magnets.
I personally am driving around with a large Jack Skellington sitting up in my back seat right now!

36. Create a Haunted Mirror to hang in your home for fun.
http://thehalloweenchick.blogspot.com/2014/09/haunted-mirror-tutorial.html

37. Go to Disneyland!
Ok so this one is not in the cards for everyone, even I have yet to make the trek to the happiest place on Earth at the spookiest time of the year, but it is on the to do list. And if it's a possibility for you then make it happen! (and bring me with you, please?)
I hear it is amazing.

38. Use lighting to set the Halloween mood around your home- Lights aren't just for Christmas. Orange, purple, and black decorative lights placed around window frames or near your Halloween decor can really help set the tone. It can look spooky or really classy depending on what you're going for.

39. Check out local "haunted" houses, hotels, or areas in your town. Almost every town has a place that is known to be haunted. Be a tourist in your own town and go on a ghost hunt!

40. Make a spooky shower curtain for your bathroom: Use a cheap white shower curtain and decorate it with bloody handprints, or if you are artistically inclined, use a sharpie to draw a silhoutte or bats etc on the outside of the curtain. Might want to do this one near Halloween if you use the shower regularly and the curtain could get wet and cause any paint, blood, marker etc to run.

41. Roast pumpkin seeds. A timeless classic.

42. Buy or make your own ouija board and connect with the spirits... I know, this one is not for everyone, but it might be fun for some. And if you don't want to summon the spirits, you could just use the board as decor. Here are some really cool homemade ouija boards.
http://www.museumoftalkingboards.com/kips.html

43. Make your own Halloween tombstones! Terra at scary lady videos takes the guess work out of making AMAZING Halloween tombstones for your yard haunt. Check out her basic tutorial here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyfmBL5JuH0&list=UUMrxX-vdE0ABTHOAkwFV-4g

She is truly talented and seems like a super nice lady,and check out this beautiful tombstone she created and eventually donated to a church group. Just brilliant!

44. Last but not least, enjoy the Halloween season with friends, family, and neighbors. Halloween is one holiday where the community truly celebrates together (if you are lucky enough to live in an area that still answers the door for trick or treaters). Support and promote Halloween by being the crazy person on the block that starts decorating before October 1st, even if no one else does.
Leave the lights on for trick or treaters and give out the good candy ... You might be surprised when your neighbors want to follow suit, and the kiddies will thank you.

Happy Haunting all.

We Love Halloween

Haunted Mirror Tutorial

Quick little play by play on my Haunted mirror.

There are many ways to make these, I have seen some people use looking glass spray to create a mirror. I opted for the easiest and cheapest way though- here were my supplies

Mirror From Dollar Store- $1

Easy Off oven cleaner- had it in the house

Wash cloth & paper towels - had them

Vampire Decal from dollar store- $1 (any printed spooky pic will do, and I plan to change this out once I find something I like more)

So I took the back & frame off of my dollar store mirror carefully.

Sprayed the back side of the mirror with a generous amount of oven cleaner in the area that I wanted my image to show through.

I let it sit overnight and allowed it to do all the work pulling away the mirror paint.

Next day I used a rag and some paper towels and wiped away the area where the oven cleaner had started to lift the mirror. I did it slowly so that a little of the mirror and some fogginess would remain.

Once it looked how I wanted it, I positioned my vampire decal then cute him to fit, taped it on the back, replaced the back of the mirror and frame and voila!

Easy, cheap, scary mirror.

So I don't know how much sense it makes to see a Vampire in the mirror considering they do not have a reflection, lol, but he looks good for now until I find something better- feel free to send suggestions or links to spooky images!

TTFN!
Happy Haunting!

Decorative Halloween Blocks DIY

This week's craft is one that I have wanted to do for a while. I've had some blocks sitting around that I picked up at Goodwill a few months back and I knew I would be using them to create some kind of Halloween themed home decoration.
Here is my supply list:

Wooden blocks- mine were a lucky $2 find at Goodwill but you an find them at craft stores or even make your own from scrap wood which I actually really love. When the size varies it gives them a cool look.

Modge Podge


Foam brush to apply modge podge

Paint brushes for paint (can use the foam brushes too if you want)

Small wooden letters, mine spelled "Boo"- any cute Halloween themed word would look great. I like "Wicked", "Spooky", "Haunted", or of course "Halloween" if you have enough blocks.

Liquid Nails craft glue for the letters.

Halloween craft paper, I got a small book of it at Michaels & used their 40% off coupon to save some loot

Chalk paint in Graphite

Acrylic paint in Pumpkin

Because my blocks were older and had a design on them already, I decided to use the dark chalk paint to cover most sides. I didn't want to have to sand off the original paint and chalk paint gives really good coverage without any need for a primer. I also wanted to use the chalk paint so that I could use different sides of the blocks as a chalk board.

I painted the remaining couple of sides in the Pumpkin orange. It took several coats because I was covering the old baby blue color that was originally there.
Here are the blocks when I started:

I painted them over the course of a couple of days, just because I wanted to let them dry and I only have an hour or two at most where I am free to sit down and do my crafts :)

Once all of the paint was dry and looked the way I wanted, I traced the shape of the block onto a piece of craft paper and cut it out, then made sure it fit right. I trimmed it up where it needed to be fixed then used that piece as my guide and traced the rest of the squares.
I cut out several more prints than I needed so that I could play with the patterns and see which ones I liked best before I settled on the five I would use.


Next step was to apply to the modge podge in a thin layer on the block. I then quickly put just a tiny streak on the edges and corners of the craft paper before applying it to the block. I smoothed it out quickly so there were no bubbles or wrinkles.
(Obviously you do this with each block.)
For mine I chose to only use craft paper on one side, then leave the other sides revealing the paint and the word I chose. Some people like to use craft paper on every side and it looks super cool if you get some nice images that mesh well.

My last step was to glue on the letters, I used a pencil to mark the blocks in the places where I wanted my letters to sit. Once I made sure they looked even, I glued them on using liquid nails- any craft glue would work, we just had this around because we are also in the process of building a doll house.

Here is the finished product!

And with the chalk board in use as a Halloween countdown

Hope you enjoyed this post. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have in the comments section. I am still getting the hang of typing out these tutorials and may have missed a small step here or there.

Happy Home Haunting!

It's never too soon for Halloween

I was out shopping this week for more Halloween wonderfulness when I heard someone huffing and puffing about it being "too soon" for Halloween displays.  I was then inspired to create this little meme.

EVERY DAY IS HALLOWEEN... don't they know that?

♥

 

DIY Potion Bottles for Halloween

Making potion bottles for Halloween as part of my indoor decor has been on my to do list for a while. Unfortunately I never quite got around to it the last couple of years so this year I decided to start planning early since Fall can be a very busy time in our household.

There are dozens of different styles of potion bottles on Pinterest and in stores like Michaels to use as a reference when you start creating your own version. I wanted to create a whimsical feel with my bottles, and based some of them off of fairy tales and books.

Here are the supplies I used-

Different size and shaped bottles with corks collected from craft stores and Goodwill.
Extra fine glitter in black, purple, and red.
Modge Podge for applying labels.
Label template found HERE
Pledge Floor Finish (for the glitter bottles)
Acrylic paints in silver, black, and purple
Black Tulle for decorating & use inside some of the bottles.
Plastic skulls from dollar store
Spiders from dollar store
Halloween craft paper from Hobby Lobby (used for some of the labels, such as the Trick or Treat & Poison bottles)


Creating the bottles is pretty simple and does not need much explanation. I used paint inside some to create the appearance. Just squeeze it in & move it around to coat as thinly or thickly as you want it. I also used vinegar/water spray inside some to create a a foggy look like in the "witches potion" bottle. (the paint doesn't stick to the vinegar areas fully)

The glitter bottles were created by taking Pledge floor finish, squirting some into the glass bottle, swirling it evenly throughout, draining out the excess then using some sort of funnel (or in my case, folded card stock) then pouring a generous amount of glitter into the bottle and quickly swirling it around to create an even layer inside.
I love the way this looks, the glitter bottles are my favorite and I am not a glitter loving kind of girl.

For the corks, I painted some to match the bottles, others I left as they were. I glued the plastic skull on. The glittery spider was a piece of a floral arrangement and it had a stem which is stuck into the cork.

Tulle was cut and used to tie around the neck of some of the bottles. I also used to tulle as the potion in the Madame Leota elixir and Poison bottle- I just fed it into the bottle until it looked the way I liked it then cut it off leaving some sticking out of the top before corking the bottle again.

The labels on the Witches Potion, Trick or Treat, and Poison bottles were cut from a piece of Halloween craft paper.
I used the above template to create my personalized labels. This part was really fun. I actually created a dozen more that I plan to use on my next set of bottles.
I have references to Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, The Disney Haunted Mansion and Game of Thrones on this set.
I will probably create more intricate labels next time which include ingredients and perhaps some snarky warnings. These I just printed and modge podged on. I aged some by using a paint brush and applying some cold coffee from earlier in the day. I also used a lighter to burn some of the edges of the paper to give a more aged look.

Because this is a pretty easy craft, these instructions aren't step by step, and I just typed everything out from memory so feel free to post any questions you have in the comments and I will reply.

Here are my finished diy potion bottles. Hope you enjoy them! Happy Haunting!

Madame Leota's Elixir

More crafts are coming, stay tuned!