Artsy Crafty Library: Spooktacular crafts

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. A gentle rain combined with a warm beverage and spooky movie or book is cozy perfection. Browsing Halloween themed decorations is also a joyous time for me, but it can be a time of despair for my wallet. This year I decided to try a few craft projects to add some spooky charm to my home without breaking the bank.

Creating reusable Halloween decorations

Decorating a long-lasting pumpkin

I embarked on my crafting journey with a simple and fun project to custom paint a foam pumpkin. I love carving and decorating pumpkins, but their short lifespan always makes me a little sad. This year I decided to use a Styrofoam pumpkin (found in most craft stores). Now I can continue to enjoy my artwork for years to come. I decorated my pumpkin using acrylic paints and sharpies, but they are also sturdy enough to carve designs on. Plus, there’s no cleaning them out, so no need to worry about your hands being icky!

More ghosts

Simple yarn ghosts

A colleague helped me find my next project of making ghosts with yarn and felt. This project is also very simple, and you can transform it into a lovely garland. All I needed was white yarn, scissors and some black felt for the eyes (the Youtube tutorial here suggested black ribbon, but I was fresh out of that), and a small notebook (7 inches). Also optional is a paper ball (I used a white pom pom) to form the head of your ghost.

To complete this project, you wrap the yarn around your notebook (you can also use your hand, the ghost will just be a bit smaller) up to 100 times. Then remove the yarn and tie a few knots to secure the ghost’s head (this is where the paper ball can be used). Once that’s finished, cut the bottom of the loop to create the tassels (you may need to trim some uneven edges), and glue the eye felt cuttings. It really is that simple!

Yarn pumpkins

These yarn pumpkin garlands are also very simple and fun to make at any age.  Similar to the ghosts, they only require a few colors of yarn and a notebook or your hand.  I used orange for the pumpkins and brown to string the garland.  To create the pumpkin stems, try cutting about a half inch of pipe cleaner (green if you have it) and threading it in between a few pieces of yarn on the top of the pumpkin. Your end result will be an adorable festive piece you can enjoy in your home every fall.   

More ideas

Creativebug online tutorial

As autumn approaches, let's embrace the season with fun decorations we've made ourselves. There are countless other DIY craft ideas out there. You can find inspiration from many books here at the library. Creativebug (free with your library card!) has lots of video tutorials on Halloween and seasonal projects from professional artists. You'll also find treats and costume ideas on Creativebug including last-minute costumes.

Try your hand at bringing some of the festive spirit to your home with these spooky crafts. You might be surprised how fun and relaxing crafting can be!