5 Halloween Decorations You Can DIY
One of the best parts of Halloween is the decorations! But let’s face it, Halloween decorations can be pricy, and if you’re on a budget, Halloween decoration might not be on the top of your essentials list.
On top of the price of Halloween decorations, a lot of the time, the decorations in stores are pretty generic, and it’s hard to find some that fit our personality and style.
So if you want to not only save money on Halloween decorations but also want to personalize them, here are 5 DIYs that won’t take you forever! Make a night of it and get some friends together to try out these 5 DIY Halloween decoration ideas!
1. Ominous Apothecary Jars
Supplies needed:
- Jars or containers
- Sticker paper
- Printer
- Paint (optional)
- Ribbon or decorative accessories (optional)
Ever since watching The Nightmare Before Christmas, Sally’s apothecary jars have been a Halloween decoration we’ve all wanted to copy. Now, you can! Making apothecary jars inspired by Sally’s is super easy, and you only need a few supplies!
For this DIY, you can use mason jars, empty wine bottles, or old Advil bottles… get creative! Then, depending on the vibe you’re going for, paint the containers, or skip the paint if you like the clear look or want to fill them up.
Next, you will either need to buy apothecary labels, or you can print some out for free from numerous websites! The perks of printing out labels are you can choose which ones you like, and you will have more options to choose from. You can also color them the way you want to. The best place to find free labels is to search “apothecary jar labels” on Pinterest or Google images.
If you’re looking to buy pre-made labels, some great places to get them is Michael’s Craft Store, Hobby Lobby, Amazon, or Etsy.
If you want to print them out, the easiest way to do it is print them on sticker paper. If you want to save some money though, you can just print them on standard paper or construction paper and glue them onto the bottle.
All you have to do now is decorate! Fill the jars with decorations or wrap a ribbon around the jar and you’re done!
2. Saint and Sinner Candles
Supplies needed:
- Blank prayer candles
- Sticker paper
- Modge Podge
- Printer
Prayer or devotion candles are very popular around the holidays, and you can make your own! Instead of the traditional saints that these prayer candles usually have, personalize them to give it your own spooky flair!
For this DIY, all you really need are tall glass candles (often called prayer candles), sticker paper, and Modge Podge. You can buy these kinds of candles in bulk on Amazon for very cheap, and you will find that once you make one, you’ll want to make more!
Next, pick the design you want. You can do your favorite horror movie or Halloween movie or your favorite scary movie villain! If you’re going to put a spin on the traditional prayer candles and you’re tech-savvy, you can easily overlay your favorite horror villain on top of a typical saint!
Before you print out your design, measure around your candle, and scale your image to size. Again, the easiest way to do this is to this is sticker paper, but you can use regular paper and a glue stick as well.
Once your image is on, you can Modge Podge over your image (especially the edges) to seal it. You can skip this step, but you run the chance of the image coming off over time or due to the heat of the flame softening the glue you used.
3. Spooky Spellbooks
Supplies needed:
- Old book
- Foam shapes or stickers/cardboard/thin plastic or wooden objects
- Single-ply paper towel, toilet paper, or tissue paper
- Hot glue gun
- Modge Podge or Elmer’s Glue
- Paint (spray and acrylic)
Creating a Sanderson Sister approved spellbook is a lot easier than it seems, it just requires a few more steps! While this DIY is a little more time consuming, it will last you at least several years, and it will quickly become one of your favorite Halloween decorations!
For this DIY, you’ll need to start off with an old, hard-covered book that you’re okay painting and distressing. You can use a textbook, or you can even go to a local thrift store and pick up a cheap book.
Next, glue on foam shapes, cardboard cutouts, and/or thin plastic or wooden objects to the cover. You can find these items at a local craft store, Amazon, or eBay. You can also cut out your own images or use a hot glue gun to draw simple lines or letters.
Once all of your objects have adhered to the book, paint a thin layer of liquid glue over the cover, spine, and back of the book. Next, lay a one-ply sheet of paper towel, toilet paper, or tissue paper over your design. It’s important to only use one-ply so you can still see your design clearly! Then paint on another thin layer of glue on top of the paper very gently so not to rip it! This will add a whithered texture and really makes a difference with the final product.
Once the glue has dried, spray paint your book with whatever color you’d like. Once that has dried, use a paintbrush to paint the raised parts of your design. Using metallic acrylic paint will really make your design pop!
Allow this to dry overnight, and you’re done!
4. Wicked Wreaths
Supplies needed:
- Wire/foam wreath form
- Decorations (e.g., faux flowers, feathers, cotton spiderweb, skulls, etc.)
- Hot glue gun
- Floral wire (optional)
Wreaths aren’t only for the winter holidays! Wreaths are a great way to decorate this Halloween, and you can do so many different things with your wreath!
For this DIY, decide what kind of wreath you’re going for. Search Pinterest or Google images for inspiration. Some decorations that look great on all Halloween wreaths are roses, feathers, cotton spiderweb, and smaller decorations such as skulls or crows.
Next, you’ll need to secure your objects to the wire wreath form. Using a wire wreath form is ideal for faux flowers while a foam form is excellent for items such as tulle and materials. If you are using flowers of any kind, it is a good idea to use floral wire to secure them, but this isn’t necessary.
Once you have your base down (i.e., flowers, tulle, etc.), now it’s time to add the second layer! Using a hot glue gun, secure your other decorations and you’re done! This DIY can be as straightforward or as intricate as you’d like and can make for a great girl’s night in!
5. Looming Luminaries
Supplies needed:
- Mason jar
- Tea candles
- Tissue paper (optional)
- Stickers (optional)
- Modge podge (optional)
- Glitter (optional)
This final Halloween decoration DIY is by far the easiest, and you have so much freedom with it! This is an excellent DIY for both indoors and outdoors, and you can use battery-powered candles to make it dorm safe!
For this DIY, you’ll need to decide on a design. This is very similar to carving a pumpkin in terms of design and lighting in that you are essentially “carving” a design and everything else will light up. If you’re struggling to think of a design, get some inspiration from pumpkin carving images!
Now, draw your design. Once you have an outline set up, you can use glass-safe paint to make your design more opaque. If drawing isn’t your strong suit, no worries! You can use Halloween stickers and leave it like that, or you can paint over the stickers and carefully remove them to create that “pumpkin carved” look.
If you choose to use stickers, it is a good idea to seal them with Modge Podge so they won’t soften when the candle heats up the glue!
Get creative with your luminaries! Use different decorations, hang them, use paper bags… there’s no wrong way to do this, and the end result is adorable!
