Homemade Halloween

Every year I make one more bit of fun for our Halloween decorations. This one I've been pondering for a few years. How to make a life size skeleton for next to nothing, that will hold up in the rainy Pacific Northwest.

The materials used were 20 or 30 plastic shopping bags, 2 wire coat hangers and lots and lots of clear tape and a bit of thread. Full instructions are available on Instructables. Check it out!

I think we'll call him Eboneezer.  He may be a long lost beau of Ophelia, who has been hanging around for a few years now.

She was made of an old test dress I made before I made my real wedding dress hung on a hanger and a styrofoam head form with magazine eyes and lips glued on. The hair is made of yarn and we hoist her in the air on a pole, so she floats. 

Some nights she looks almost angelic, some nights positively spooky.

We have cut out tombstone shapes and and painted them for a good effect. Made a homemade cross and added dead flowers in a vase.

Pumpkin shaped treat bags from the dollar store are stuffed with plastic bags and hung from the fir trees like confused Christmas ornaments.

I weave a web of yarn or string to make a huge spider web.

Some years we have hung a spider made from a black garbage bag, then a white one made of sheets. This year we hung a spider made from plastic wrap and clear plastic tape.

Pieces of old sheets are cut into squares and made into simple ghosts. The painted faces and the sheer number of them are what makes a good effect.

Last year we found this old wooden trunk thrown out so it was turned into the pirates treasure chest, I used all kinds of shiny treasures I had around the house as well as some chocolate gold coins and aluminum foil and gold foil wrapping paper.

The pirate was made of old clothes, a mask, cutlass, wig and eyepatch from the dollar store. The hook arm was made from a tuna can and foil covered wood cutout. 

Our pumpkin scarecrow follows the same construction, a framework of sticks and old christmas tree stand, old clothes, old boots and gloves. The tricky part was creating a sturdy enough support to hold the carved pumpkin head.  It's really effective at night all lit up.

Here's another easy idea for those with the right window configuration. Cut out black paper or plastic to block out your windows.  Remove an eye shape so that your house watches all that goes on.  Works great with our house.

Let's not forget the old standbys of childhood, playing with Playdough.

and making Rice Krispie Treats.

I have more halloween pictures and ideas on these posts.
Random Halloween Ideas.
Homemade Halloween Skull Costume for your parked car.

Hope you've gotten some good ideas. Have a Happy Halloween!