Detergent Bottle PumpkinsSave the bright orange liquid detergent bottles during the year. Decorate the front of the bottle with either black felt, or black fun foam cut into triangle eyes, and nose, and zigzag mouth.
Michael Jackson CostumeWow, this was hard to do, I can't lie. This is Michael "Drackson" (as my son calls him). We used DVD videos to sketch the make of the jacket. We bought a 60's style costume and used the little black leather jacket pattern.
Halloween: Dog the Bounty Hunter and Wife CostumeDuane Chapman is known as Dog the Bounty Hunter and lives in Hawaii with his wife Beth and family. My husband Todd agreed to wear the only store-bought part of this costume, the long blonde wig.
Princess CostumeI used an old dress for this costume. I tore a piece of the dress to put in her hair and added a necklace and I gave her that toy wand.
Popeye and Olive Oyl CostumesPopeye's arms are two pairs of tights (one inside the other) stuffed in the middle with stuffing and sewn to the sleeve of his shirt. I used some red material to pin around his neck for his collar and his yellow karate belt for his waist.
Buy Halloween Candy After HalloweenI asked my husband last night, what is the best time to buy Halloween candy, and he said the day after Halloween. I had to laugh because that is "All Saints Day."
Label Homemade Treats for HalloweenMost parents will not allow their kids to eat homemade treats since they are not quite sure who made them. Whenever I made my own Halloween treats, I would use my name and address labels and securely stick them to the wrapped treat so the parents would know who made them.
Lollipop Guild Munchkin CostumeThis is a very basic and clean costume that uses 2 button down shirts, a pair of gray cut slacks, white/gray striped leggings, and a pair of boots.
Halloween: Little Scarecrow CostumeThis is "Our Little Scarecrow" Tyler. His costume is homemade by me, his mommy. I took an old pair of overalls, some scrap material and a little creativity. My secret weapon was using an old hula skirt as his straw hair, stuffing, etc.
Halloween Party IdeasOur 11 year old daughter is hosting a Halloween Party this year for about 10 kids. We plan on wearing costumes, trick-or treating and watching movies But what would a Halloween Party be without some Tricks and Treats?
Halloween: Elevated Ghost CostumeHi from Canada! Halloween is bigger than Christmas here in Quebec, Canada, and the costumes are wonderfully unique.
Classic Horror Movie Trivia GameThis is a great Halloween game that can be played by adults or teenagers at your next Halloween Party. Copy and paste the questions with their options into a word document.
Recycled Halloween WindsockMake a Halloween witch or ghost windsock decoration using recycled milk jugs, plastic bags, and stuff you have around the house! Super easy. Weather-proof too!
Halloween: Smarty Pants CostumeBe a "Smarty Pants" for Halloween. Buy Smartie candy rolls and tape the candy all over a pair of pants. Use clear packing tape to ensure the candy doesn't fall off.
Halloween: "Monthly Gift" Couple Costume (Adult)Here's our interpretation of the "Monthly Gift from Mother Nature". I wanted to do something really funny and make a costume that no one else would be demented enough to make.
Use Washable Glue to Attach Gems To HairWhen I was young, I'd put little braids in my hair then glue rhinestones to the braids for sparkles when I'd go out at night. This would be wonderful for a child's fairy or princess costume at Halloween!
Super Grover Costume (Sesame Street)Here is a DIY Super Grover costume. At a local thrift store, I bought a blue sweat shirt and a blue pair of pants, and tried to match the color as close as possible. I also found some colored felt and sewed on the "S" with the lighting bolt as his logo.
Halloween: Spooky Witch CostumeMy granddaughter had a witch costume. We hot glued plastic spiders all over the hat and painted her face a nice shade of green and added "warts."
Movie Theater Floor CostumeCut the glass down the middle and hot glue upside down to shirt sleeve between elbow and wrist. Cover and all and add a straw to each "cup."
Save Pumpkin Seeds for ChickensIf you have chickens (or know someone who does) save the pumpkin seeds for them. Pumpkin seeds are a natural and safe dewormer for chickens!
Rubik's Cube CostumeDazzle people this Halloween as the world's all time favorite puzzle toy, The Rubik's Cube!
Halloween Costume Safety TipsRegardless of if your costume is bought or homemade, please use a "homemade" face. As a volunteer with our local fire dept and a first responder, I find it sad that every year at least one child is injured by their costume.
Halloween SongsHere are some Halloween songs from my younger days as a Mom. I Wish I Was an Orange Jack-O-Lantern (To the tune of "Oscar Meyer Wiener" jingle)
Halloween Tunic TopThis Halloween bib was less than a dollar and with a couple of snips, it became the front pocket on my daughter's tunic shirt. I simply cut off the top portions and sewed around the edges.
"Free Kittens" Stroller CostumeCut top and bottom out of box. Slide over stroller and tie or tape in place so seat of stroller is inside box. Tie or tape stuffed cats and kittens inside box so that they are looking over side.
Halloween: Pirate Costume (Jack Sparrow)This costume was made from items around the house and thrift store buys, costing pennies to make. Any black pants will do, an adult black sweater with arms cut off for the vest, a striped piece of fabric for the sash and a belt.
Halloween: Partly Cloudy CostumeTalk about a frugal, quick, inexpensive costume, this is it! Take any plain, solid-colored sweatshirt (preferably dark), glue or use double-stick tape to adhere some white pillow stuffing a little below the neck of the shirt.
Our Trip to the Pumpkin PatchIt's the season of Thanksgiving (Canada) and Halloween. The grandchildren are having a fun time trying to chose the pumpkin to eat at dinner and the one to carve into a jack-o-lantern.
Keeping Halloween SafeDid you know that 4 times as many children ages 4-15 are killed on Halloween evening as compared to other evenings of the year? Falls are another leading cause of injury on Halloween. Follow these safety precautions and keep safe on this SCARY night.
Lego CostumeThis Lego building block costume will wow your neighbors. Also works great as a couples costume!
Spooky Stepladder Ghost DecorationI did this years ago, but it was really fun, and met with a lot of excitement by those who came by for Halloween. I set up a 6 foot stepladder, close to the house and kind of apart from the light, which was on so kids wouldn't trip and fall.
Barbarian Warrior CostumeTo make this costume, we used old curtains, a toilet seat cover, an old wig and leatherette from an old purse.
Halloween Laundry Basket CostumeYou will need a large white bedsheet. Cut out a hole in sheet to fit over your head. Try to center the hole in the middle of length of sheet. You will need a round plastic clothes basket with most of bottom cut out to fit over your head and rest on your shoulders.
Boxasaurus Dinosaur Halloween CostumeFrighten people this Halloween all the way back to the prehistoric era with this Boxasaurus dinosaur costume!
Jack in the Box CostumePop out of a Jack in the Box and surprise people at their doors this Halloween. On all box costumes, you will need to secure the box shut with tape
Halloween TreeCut a branch. Spray paint both an old bleach bottle and the branch with fast drying black spray paint. Place one small set of white Christmas lights on the branches and hang hollow plastic pumpkins found in the dollar store.
Halloween RiddlesHalloween fun for kids of all ages! Several years ago I collected about 25 simple, "easy-to-understand" Halloween riddles (available in joke books, online, etc.). I read 5 of them to my kiddos after dinner each Saturday during October.
Fish Bowl Halloween Treat BowlFish bowl painted and used as Halloween candy bow. These type of fish-bowls can be found at thrift stores for next to nothing. I purchased this one at Goodwill for 75 cents. I hand-painted candy corn onto the glass with basic acrylic craft paint.
Halloween Ghost BrowniesThis is a simple Halloween project you and your kids can do together. They make a super treat for home or a class at school. Simply make brownies, following the directions on the package.
Make Pumpkins from Plastic Milk JugsThis is a fun Halloween craft you can help your kids with. Instead of buying real pumpkins to use for your Halloween, decorations, why not use plastic milk jugs instead.
Fabric PumpkinThis craft is very simple! You'll need cloth, twine, cotton (I used the stuffing from an old pillow), a small stick, some leaves, and hot glue. Cut a fair sized bit of cloth, fold it in half and glue the edges to make a pocket.
Halloween: Upper and Lower GI CostumesThis is a clever and inexpensive Halloween costume, great for adults! When my daughter-in-law was pregnant, that presented a bigger challenge. My creative son came up with a really clever idea for their costumes that year.
Halloween: Bingo CostumeI play a lot of Bingo and this was really fun to dress up in and go play bingo. I saved all my cards that I used for the last few weeks. I put them in between plastic. I then taped them all over me and I went to Bingo as a Bingo card.
Make a Hand With Plaster of ParisA great tip for one rubber glove was done in the sixties. We filled it with plaster of Paris and produced a slick hand, that was used for jewelry display or for Halloween fun.
Decorate Your Pumpkin With a MaskI purchased masks for pennies each on clearance and saved them until the next year. I place them on appropriately sized pumpkins and used them to decorate my front yard. I live across the street from an elementary school and they got lots of views!
Give Halloween Pencils Instead of CandyFor Halloween I give out Halloween pencils. You can get them at the Dollar Store, there is usually 10 in a package. They always get too much candy, and it can be used after the holiday.
Pumpkin PatchI made this pumpkin patch for my grandkids. Even if the plants don't make it, I can go buy pumpkins and put them in the patch they think grandma can do anything.
Halloween Cookie PartyChildren love nothing more than to make a mess, even more so when icing and sprinkles are involved. This idea incorporates both a craft and a snack. It's also easy to transport if the party is somewhere other than your home.
Infant Football CostumeWe needed a costume for my sister's baby for their Church's Fall Festival Block Party. She and her husband both enjoy football and already had jerseys, so I made the baby a football costume with about a 1/4 yard of fleece. Easy, fun and inexpensive. cost less than $3.
Little SpooksEasy to make. Pound 2 sticks down through the blue jeans. Stuff jeans with newspapers. Attach a styrofoam ball to the top of the 2 sticks. (I stuffed 2 knitted beanie hats, much cheaper). Cover with a sheet and pin on the felt eyes. I have had so many comments about "my spooks".
Send Halloween Candy to the TroopsToo much candy left from Halloween? My kids came up with an idea to swap their favorites with each other. They keep half and we send the other half to our troops.
Magic Wand from Recycled Coat HangerI made matching wands for the daughter's dance class. Their costumes were bright green with boas. I took the cardboard portion of a wire hanger and hot glued a little fur to the top. They loved it!
Saving Halloween CandySave any non-chocolate Halloween candy left over from your hand-outs or collected from what your children have received and will not eat.
Howl-O-Ween Sweater DressThis is a sweater dress I made for my tiny Yorkie, it is a cute dress, a sweater and a costume all in one.
Portrait Pumpkins!I used a wire hanger, wooden clothespins and some wooden pumpkin shapes to display my artwork from my children. You can add more or less pumpkins. I used three because of my three wonderful children. We painted the pumpkins, hot glued a clothespin to the back and then clipped to the wire hanger.
Donating Leftover Halloween CandyOur orthodontist's office has a creative idea to turn your Halloween candy into cash! For each pound of candy that is brought to their office, Dr. Alvarez will pay $2.00.
Post-Mortem: A Halloween GameThis is so cool. Have guests seated in a circle so that things can be passed from one to the other easily. Have the room as dark as possible, and the person who reads the story can use a flashlight only while he is reading.
Batty About Books!We made a clothespin into a magnet with some paper shapes. This can also be used as a bookmark without the magnet or a clip for chips or papers, etc.
Non Carved Jack-O'-LanternDecorate a pumpkin with construction paper. It's safer then a knife carving pumpkin. Then attach beads, etc., whatever you have, even yarn for the hair.
Pumpkin-Carving PartyPlan a pumpkin-carving party for your friends and family with children. Everyone brings a pumpkin and a food contribution. What a great way to open the holiday season!
Cheesecloth Ghosts In My House!Simple and easy and cheap! Blow up a balloon and dip a square of cheesecloth into fabric stiffener. Drape over balloon. Let dry and then pop the balloon. Add felt eyes or use a dark marker.
Buy Your Halloween Costume Larger For Warm Clothes UnderneathIf you live in a colder climate, buy your child's costume a size or two larger so s/he can wear sweats or a jacket underneath without ruining the effect.
Halloween Costume: Stick Of Butter Lady (Paula Deen)For a fast and inexpensive costume that won't look like those at the store, why don't you go as Paula Deen? Or, as my husband affectionately calls her, 'The stick-of-butter lady' with the cooking show. Every recipe she makes seems to begin with a stick of butter, lol... so guys all seem to adore her recipes.
Black Flamingos For HalloweenWhen my pink flamingos faded I decided to spray paint them black for Halloween decoration. Sorry the picture is a little blurry.
Creepy Halloween BugsEvery year I buy those little sponge creatures that grow when you put them in water from Walgreens like spiders, creepy bugs and things like that. About 2 weeks before Halloween, I fill those big pretzel containers with water and food coloring and then line them all along the sidewalk.
Halloween Costume: JailbirdI used an old pair of white sweats (top and bottom) and spray painted black stripes on the sweats by taping off lines. I then took red fabric paint and wrote "Blonde County Jail" on the back and then numbers on the left chest. I wore a pair of handcuffs to complete the costume.
Halloween Tootsie Roll Pop GhostsFor a fun Halloween treat, you will need Tootsie Roll Pops, squares of white fabric, rubber bands and a black Sharpie pen.
"Rent" a Halloween Costume from eBay!Last year our daughter fell in love with the Supergirl costume from the Lillian Vernon catalog, priced at about $30. Instead, we found the same costume, worn once, on eBay for under $10. This year we expect to sell it for that price and get our money back.
Halloween BatsA fun and cheap idea for a Halloween Party is to cut out bat shapes out of black construction paper. Put silver or gold glitter around the edges and for eyes. After they are dry, attach with fishing line at different lengths from the ceiling. If you have a ceiling fan, they will move in the wind and appear real.
Use Your Pet as a Halloween PropThis year we got a puppy so he'll be going trick or treating with our 12 year old daughter. Good opportunity for puppy to meet all the neighbors. Our daughter is going dressed up as a football player and the puppy will be her football!
Halloween Punch With Ice "Hand"For Halloween, my grandson wanted to have a party. So I went to Walmart and got one gallon of red fruit drink and one gallon of green out of the cooler section. I poured the red in plastic gloves and froze them.
Coat Jack-O'-Lantern Cuts with VaselineTo prolong the life of your jack-o'-lantern after making the cuts, coat the cuts with petroleum jelly.
Flying Ghosts Halloween DecorationMake some "Flying Ghosts" to hang from tree branches or porch. Gather a few "Leggs Eggs" or large plastic Easter eggs. Sandwich some filament or string between the two halves at the top. At the bottom, add three narrow strips about a foot long cut from a white plastic bag and glue shut. Paint the egg white and hang to dry.
Halloween Gravestone EpitaphsI came up with a series of silly epitaphs for tombstone shaped Halloween cards, but I thought other crafters might come up with other ways to use them.
Celebrating The Harvest SeasonAt our church we do not celebrate Halloween, we celebrate Harvest Season. At the party we use the theme of God's creations. The kids as well as the adults have the option to dress up as any of God's creations of the first 6 days of creation.
Celebrate Halloween All Month LongWe love Halloween and start celebrating October 1. We do at least one different Halloween activity every day leading up to October 31, and most don't require spending money. We start with unpacking our decorations on the 1st.
Give Trick or Treaters a Candy ContainerGive Trick or Treaters a candy container if they come with plastic bags to your door. My husband noticed some kids who came to the door were only carrying a grocery plastic food bag to get their candy.
Easy Pumpkin Table DecorationsCute pumpkin table decoration made using a toilet paper roll and fabric or tissue paper.
Painted Halloween GourdsJack O' Lantern: Cut out leaves from puff paper, you can use color you like best. Wash the gourd good, let dry. Whitewash and let dry, then paint. When dry, spray with sealer.
Saving Money on Halloween CostumesAs fast as children grow, they outgrow their clothes fast, usually meaning less money in your wallet. Before this Halloween, either shop for gently used Halloween costumes either at yard sales, or your local thrift stores before buying a costume at a retail store. It is much cheaper than renting one or buying one.
Frugal Halloween Costumes for Children and AdultsHalloween is fast approaching! Here are some easy and inexpensive Halloween costumes for adults and children alike, using sweat suits and stuff you have laying around the house.
Look For Secondhand Halloween CostumesI love to shop at thrift stores and yard sales. A few summers ago I found blowup costumes that were adorable. They were still in the box and I payed a buck and a half for each. I tossed em in the closet and four months later for Halloween I remembered I had them.
Refurbish Old Plastic Pumpkins With PaintRecycle your old faded plastic pumpkins with a new coat of paint and a little glitter. Acrylic paint works best for indoor and outdoor use.
Yard SpidersWe had just cleaned out grapevines in the backyard, so I thought, I should make something. Spiders came to mind for Halloween. I cut the lengths I wanted, nailed them to a piece of 2x4 and stuffed a black trashbag and nailed it on top. Glitter for the eyes. Large spiders in the yard, spoooky.
Halloween Rhinestone ShirtBuy a cheap black t-shirt. (I paid $2.50 for mine at Michael's) and then get a rhinestone Halloween themed iron on and iron it on your shirt. So simple, and NO sewing involved. As the month gets colder you can layer it with a white or orange turtleneck. Great for kids too!
Homemade Bowling Ball CostumeI just wanted to share my Halloween costume picture. I went to Walmart and got two standard size hula hoops and a box of 39 gallon lawn and leaf bags. A hula hoop fits right inside the lawn bag and then I taped all the edges to the back with black electrical tape.
Chopping Up Halloween Candy for BakingIf you haven't stocked up on leftover Halloween chocolates yet - you still may be lucky and have time! Sometimes they are reduced by as much as 75%!
Halloween Goodie BoxesMade from paper, ribbon, and stickers. Purchase plain wood boxes at Michael's or other craft store for $1.00 and decorate in any theme. Great for teacher gifts.
Spray Paint Watermelons For HalloweenWhile working in our field, I noticed all these wild watermelons in various sizes growing in our field. With Halloween around the corner, I decided to use spray paint and decorate them to look like pumpkins.
Halloween Milk Jug Treat CarrierTake a white milk jug. With a craft knife, cut a small hole 2 inches across about 1 3/4 inches high (align the cut on the opposite side of the jug handle). This is for your trick or treater's collected treats.
Check With Multicultural Families About HalloweenI work in a multicultural school with many beliefs and holidays. I find a Fall Festival is the best thing to do if you have a lot of different faiths.
Halloween Costume: Ghostly GuiseSheer curtains over white or grey sweats make an ethereal and safe (see through) ghost costume. They're very inexpensive and much lighter than a sheet and no makeup is needed, although one could use a little clown white.
Trick or Treat Gifts Instead of CandyWe get a lot of trick or treaters in my subdivision. I'd like to give them something other than candy, which they get plenty of elsewhere. I want it to be something they'll like. Does anyone have an idea or something they've done before that pleased the little ones?
Carved Foam PumpkinsThese are our current crop of pumpkins. Each year, my husband adds eight to the collection.
Halloween Costume: GhoulteacherFor Halloween one year, I bought the ugliest dress I could find at the thrift store. It was a black sheath dress with yellow, white and gold shear collar and it was sleeveless. I wore black pantyhose and glued spiders and ants on the hose and dress.
Trade Costumes With FriendsIf you have friends with children the same size or about the same as yours, trade Halloween costumes. This way, each costume will be "new" to each child.
Halloween AlternativesWhat if you don't celebrate Halloween, but your kids want to dress up? Or maybe you'd rather to do a bit more on the educational side rather than simply buy a costume. Here are some ideas from my school and friends.
Mr. Pumpkin Ate The CakeMake any kind of cake that you like. Remove a slice and put a little plastic jack-o-lantern on top of the cake. Smear some icing on the pumpkin's mouth and tell the kids Mr. Pumpkin ate the cake.
Trick Or Treat For Something Good With UnicefWith Halloween just around the corner, many kids are already thinking about costumes, parties, and of course, candy! As a parent, I worry about the materialism attached to holidays, both big and small and the effect it has on our children as they grow up.
Ice Cream Halloween BucketWith the dog days of Summer up on us now, a cold dish of ice cream is one of the first things some people think of to cool off with. If you have children, you might already purchase the plastic 1 gallon pail containers of ice cream.
Beautiful Pumpkin WelcomeI thought you might like to see the pumpkin I painted for myself this year. I just used acrylic paint and decorated the top with a bow and berries. She sat on our front porch to welcome our guests.
Buy Halloween Candy At The Last MinuteI usually wait until the day before or the day of Halloween to buy my Trick or Treat candy. My husband and I try to watch our diet since we are both a bit "fluffy".
Keeping Kids Warm in Their CostumesIf your kids go outside on Halloween it's important that they stay warm in their costumes. Just put them in matching colorful sweatshirt and sweatpants; then pair that with a good mask or hat!
Pumpkin Carving CollectionEach year my husband adds a couple of carvings to his collection. We light the pumpkins each evening during the month of October. I really wish all of you could bring your children and grandchildren by to see them.
Creepy Dry Ice FlaskThis bubbling Flask decoration is made with food coloring and a little dry ice for fog and the bubbles.
Easy, Pretty Girl's Costume from Old DressWhen I was a little girl my mother made a simple but pretty costume with the taffeta skirt of one of her old dresses.
Halloween Costume IdeasI called several places about renting a Halloween costume and was dumbfounded at the amount of money you can spend to rent a costume. And you don't even get to keep it! So, I put my thinking cap on and did some research.
