Halloween Decor: easy, inexpensive haunts to make for the house and yard (plus some wow-projects.)

Posted: September 26, 2013 | Author: Renae Rude - The Paranormalist | Filed under: Halloween | Tags: graveyard, Halloween, halloween countdown, halloween crafts, halloween decor, halloween decorating, haunted house, Renae Rude, The Paranormalist | 6 Comments

UPDATED FOR THE 2014 SEASON

For many of us, October 1st is the official start of the Halloween season. (At least the part of the season that happens outside the broom closet.) Before I post the next countdown article, that magical date will have arrived. This, then, is the week for pulling out all the dusty boxes of decorations, shopping the seasonal aisle of discount stores, locating the nearest specialty shop, and making a new project or two to flesh out the theme of this year’s display.

NOTE: All photographs and images below are used for the sole purpose of referring readers to the original website that offers the pictured content, At posting, all links are current and active. If a link fails to direct properly, it is due to a change by the site-holder which is out of my control.

RANDOM PROJECTS, FROM RANDOM SITES

These just caught my eye as I prowled. They range from insanely cheap and easy to more elaborate but still doable. Click project name for instructions.

• Coach Light Project
• A Bloody Mess (Wax paper & paint! So simple. So clever.)
• How to Make Human-Sized Ghosts from DIY Network

NEW RANDOM PROJECTS FOR 2014

• Tentacled Sewer Monster
• Plastic Shopping Bag Skeleton
• Vintage-Style Halloween Lanterns

• Lighted Cauldron, Bubbled Over (with expanding foam insulation)
• Black Magic Cat (phasing through window)
• Nature Walk Tree Sculpture (gorilla art)

This year, I found some great videos. I’ve shared a variety below — from “wow, that’s a crazy and potentially dangerous project” to “yeah, I could do that.” I’ll let you categorize them for your self.

Yard Ghosts from Tomato Cages

Frankenstein’s Lab Light Bulbs

Bloody Sheet with Masks (cool adaptable technique)

Body Bags (This is a 20 min. video, folks.)

Boarded-Up Windows (easy and cheap)

I might add more links to this section as I continue to wander. Anyone know of a good link? Leave a comment below 🙂

THRIFTY CRAFTY GIRL

The following link takes you a page showing 31 consecutive days crafty posts, by Priscilla, from Halloween 2012. (In reverse order.)

Go read her journey through the season – she’s charming and it doesn’t take long. Oh, and there’s some great classic projects.

31 Days of Halloween at Thrifty Crafty Girl

For some reason, The Boy will not agree to be my model for

the awesome mummy project Priscilla has up on Oct 25th.

FRUGAL FRIGHTS AND DELIGHTS

At Frugal Frights and Delights, Debbie shares her experiences related to constructing a fantastic front-yard haunt, peopled by some of my favorite characters. She uses material that we can all easily lay hands on and gives down-to-earth instructions.

Here’s what caught my eye:

The Ring Girl Samara Tutorial

The Well from the Movie The Ring, version 1 (heavy) AND new version 2 (light)

Recently, Debbie has expanded her amazing collection of characters from The Nightmare Before Christmas with new The Mayor:

 

In 2013, she created Sally in FOUR detailed posts.

• Making Sally (Nightmare Before Christmas) Part 1
• Making Sally (Nightmare Before Christmas) Part 2 – The Head
• Making Sally (Nightmare Before Christmas) Part 3 – The Dress
• Making Sally (Nightmare Before Christmas) part 4 – Finishing

I admit, that’s pretty elaborate stuff. Here’s something quick & easy from Debbie’s place:

See No Evil Jack O Lantern stack

DAVE LOWE DESIGN

This site is a treasure trove of brilliant how-tos by a professional prop master. Despite his credentials, he uses everyday objects and imagination, rather than expensive specialty items and power tools, to craft most of the projects he shares. (I find his blog to be generally entertaining too.)

Here’s what caught my eye:

Bloody, Dripping, Head Sack How-To

And here are some more of my favorite projects – but this is only a sampling.

Make a Moving Monster Eye – this is so cool that I called The Boy from the other room to come see. You’ve gotta read the article to really get it.

Morphing Ghost Picture with LCD Photo Frame – I have a fantastic old photograph of my grandmother as a young girl, flanked by her two brothers who are showing off their guns. (Perhaps you’ve seen a potion of the picture in my randomly displayed header images.) I also have a husband who is a Photoshop wiz.

I’ll post a little video of our results when we’ve finished.

• Bat Cage Prop
• Fed-Ex Box Gravestone “How To”
• Hermetic Spectre Observation Receptacle

HALLOWEENFORUM.COM

I’ll admit it – forums confuse and overwhelm me. Which is a shame, because I think Halloween Forum is a gold mine of serious cool. For you – despite my trepidation – I girded myself and explored a bit. I’ve returned from the forum wilds with these projects. They are well beyond my available time, energy and skill, but – OMG – they are fun to look at.

• Monster Mud Reaper
• Electrical Transformer

It seems Terra, from the forum, has a collection of video tutorials on this dedicated YouTube channel:

Scary Lady Videos

new This is the easiest, most appealing project I found among Terra’s treasures:

Black Light Ghillie Suit – Halloween Scare

*****

NOTE: If you’re going to have a Halloween party, you should set the date now.

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN QUICK LINKS:

2014’s Countdown-to-Halloween Ideas & Checklist

Join The Paranormalist’s 1st Annual Halloween Photo Scavenger Hunt from here

Print your 6-week planning calendar from here

 

FOR MORE HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN ARTICLES VISIT THE MAIN INDEX

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