Paper-mâché pumpkins

These original creations can decorate both the exterior and interior of your home. However, be careful that they don’t fly away at the first gust of wind!

In a saucepan, mix one part flour with five parts water. Heat over low heat while stirring until you obtain a thick, viscous paste. While your homemade glue is cooling, inflate a balloon to your desired size. For a more realistic effect, you can wrap it with string to give it a more angular shape.

Using a brush, coat the balloon with glue, then cover it with at least three layers of newspaper, including the knot, which will act as the stem. If you want to light up your pumpkin instead, simply cut off the balloon knot and remove it once the sphere is fully dry.

Then paint your pumpkin in the color of your choice. Several coats may be needed depending on the type of paint used. Finally, draw the eyes, nose, and mouth with a marker, or cut them out with a knife to insert an LED candle!

Spooky lanterns

Not sure what to do with your many glass jars? Turn them into lanterns!

To do so, cover them with tissue paper, crepe paper, or construction paper using glue or tape. For a pumpkin, use orange paper on which you can draw or stick eyes, a nose, and a mouth. Do the same with white paper to create ghost or mummy lanterns.

All that’s left is to place an LED or flame candle inside, and you’re done!

Recyclable monsters

Instead of throwing your paper rolls into recycling, give them a second life by creating a whole bunch of scary little monsters to place around the house. A perfect craft to do with young children!

First, paint the rolls—for example, gray or black for a bat, orange for a pumpkin, white for a ghost, or any other color your kids can imagine. Once dry, decorate them with eyes, a nose, and a mouth depending on the chosen character. You can draw these features with paint or markers, or glue pre-cut paper shapes. You can even reuse old pill blister packs to make googly eyes, and add strips of paper for a mummy effect. Older children can further decorate their creations with wings, hats, teeth, or hair made from construction paper.

Haunted maple leaves

What if you took a family walk to collect beautiful maple leaves and turn them into lovely ghost decorations for the house?

Once back indoors, cover each leaf with white paint using a brush or sponge (to prevent flaking), then let them dry. Using a black marker, draw the eyes and mouth of your ghosts. Finally, slightly trim the top of the leaf to round it out and remove the stem—and you’re done!

Floating ghosts

Let’s be honest—there’s no such thing as too many ghosts in Halloween décor, especially when they seem to float mysteriously in the air.

Grab as many white or transparent balloons as you want ghosts, and inflate them in different sizes. Then tie fishing line or black thread to each knot so you can hang your haunted balloons, for example from a tree.

Next, cover them with a sheer fabric or white cloth that you’ve pierced in the center to pass the string through. Finally, using a thick marker, simply draw a spooky face on each one—and you’re done!

Dripping wax bottles

Don’t throw away your wine bottles when you can turn them into delightfully eerie decorative objects!

First, set yourself up in a draft-free area, at a height safe for children, and don’t forget to protect your work surface to avoid damage. Then place a candle in each bottle neck and let the wax drip down until it is fully consumed. Feel free to use candles of different colors, and remove the labels beforehand for an even more mysterious effect!

Brain in formaldehyde

Here’s a table centerpiece that is sure to give your guests chills… and can even be eaten afterward!

To create this horror-movie-inspired experiment, you’ll first need a cauliflower. Draw red lines on it using food coloring and a cotton swab. Chill it in the refrigerator for a few hours, then place it in a large glass jar and cover it with water. Add a few drops of soy sauce to slightly darken the liquid and make this “brain in formaldehyde” even more disturbing.

Above all, be creative and let your imagination run wild.

We wish you a happy Halloween! 🎃