With the economy and lots of professional haunted attractions either closing or going on hiatus, it’s far too easy to be leery about spending money on a home haunt. Especially when you see some of the amazing home haunts out there. But you don’t have to let a low budget keep you from having a …
Category: Arts and Crafts
Get Artful!
Oct 05 2013
Free Printable Halloween Window Silhouettes
Despite having covered printable Halloween decorations on this site in the past, I somehow missed covering one of the easiest and most effective decorations of that type: window silhouettes. You’d better believe I’m making up for that today! Let’s start things off with some selections from the site that gave me the idea in the …
Oct 04 2013
Still More Tricks and Treats
Do you have a welcome mat? By following these instructions, you can turn yours into an “Un-Welcome Mat” for Halloween. Those who want to decorate with stuff that’s more gruesome than cutesy should check out this incredibly easy to make Bloody Dripping Head Sack. Speaking of gruesome, here’s a free printable Halloween mask that is …
Aug 06 2013
Freaky Tiki Surf-ari: Crafts and Cocktails
Back in 2011, the Curiosity Group’s monthly papercraft calendar for May was a Tiki idol. If you can’t find it, you can always try politely emailing them to see if they’ll send it to you. Maui Tiki Tours has a great tutorial on how to build your own Tiki Halloween costume. Tiki idols always look …
Feb 09 2013
Make Your Own Jiangshi
Gravedigger’s Local 16 is no stranger to spooky papercraft, so it only makes sense that we celebrate Chinese New Year with a papercraft Chinese hopping vampire! The one pictured above was designed by GRAVE (which was made using Shin Tanaka’s limited edition “Gritty” template). If you want to build your own papercraft jiangshi (which translates …
Oct 16 2012
Even More Tricks and Treats
Looking for some Halloween projects to keep you (or any little ones in your care) busy? Look no further than this vintage article, which has plenty of spooky crafts (including the above-pictured Halloween creature). Do you want something more advanced? Then try building a coffin from a single sheet of plywood, dirty rat or a …
Oct 07 2012
Make A Mask
Masks and Halloween go together like peanut butter and chocolate. You can theoretically make do with a costume that uses make-up or otherwise doesn’t cover your face, but we all know deep down that masks are more fun. To help spread the Halloween cheer, I’ve compiled the following list of resources for free printable masks: …
Oct 02 2012
More Printable Prop Labels
While assembling last year’s collection of free spooky printable labels for various poisons and potions, it seems that I missed a few links. Okay, scratch that. I missed a LOT of other free printable labels suitable for Halloween. To correct this mistake, I have assembled the following collection of links (and the above image): Frankie’s …
Oct 25 2011
Slime Time
When you think of homemade slime, chances are you think of the classic recipe involving cornstarch and water. However, there are numerous other ways to make your own slime: Martin Bridge Blazing Ahead! by Jessica Scott Kerrin and Joseph Kelly has a recipe that uses Gummi Bears as the principal ingredient! Susan Ohanian’s From Pumpkin …
Oct 15 2011
Free Halloween Coloring Sheets
Whether you’re a parent, babysitter or teacher in need of some seasonal distractions for the little ones, you’ve come to the right place. Coloring sheets are a quick and easy way to keep children occupied so you can get some much needed peace and quiet. All you have to do is visit the following links …
Oct 10 2011
Printable Prop Labels
One of the simplest (and least expensive) homemade haunt props is the spooky bottle or jar. A little glue, a label and something to put inside are all you need to turn an ordinary jar or bottle into a creepy prop. Spooky labels let you add a creepy feel to your Halloween party’s selection of …
Oct 05 2011
Halloween Greetings
We’ve all heard the jokes about the perceived uselessness of Halloween cards, but the truth is they have their uses. Judging from the Google Books preview for Diane C. Arkins’ Halloween Merrymaking, they seem to have developed from the market for Halloween party invitations. Nowadays, they also seem to act as the October version of …
Aug 24 2011
Freaky Tiki Surf-ari: More Arts & Crafts
Seeing as how last year’s article about making your own Tiki stuff turned out so well, I thought I would revisit the subject this year. If the wooden Tiki idol how-to from last year was not to your satisfaction, then perhaps you should try this article about making a cement Tiki garden idol. What better …
Oct 14 2010
Tricks and Treats
A Halloween How-To: Costumes, Parties, Decorations, and Destinations by Lesley Pratt Bannatyne has tons of easy tricks to pull during your next Halloween party or haunted house, with my favorites being the dropping spider and half man gags. Here’s something to do when you’re bored while on Twitter: Tweet the phrase “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and …
Oct 11 2010
Head-Shrinking Made E-Z
Although associated with African jungles and voodoo in American popular culture, shrunken heads are actually a product of select South American and Melanesian tribes. Most reference material on the matter focuses on the Jivaro, a collective term for the Shuar, Achuar, Huambisa and Aguaruna groups. The purpose of the shrunken heads is simple: When an …
Aug 28 2010
Freaky Tiki Surf-ari: Arts & Crafts
With all of the music reviews that are being done for the Freaky Tiki Surf-ari, odds are that some of you have developed a hankering for some Tiki stuff of your very own. The appeal of Tiki bar decor is very understandable, whether you want it regular or spooky. With that in mind, I have …