5 Halloween Decorations for Outside
Halloween is just around the corner, so it's time to get prepared for your holiday decorations! No matter what your skill level, these spooky do-it-yourself projects are sure to get you in the spirit this Halloween.
Zombie Head
Put them on stakes, hang them from trees or combine with stuffed dummy fragments and place near "grave plots" to look as though they are crawling out of the ground. However you use them, be sure to add this easy to make decoration to your yard this Halloween.
Materials Required:
- Styrofoam Wig Head
- Twine
- Basic White Glue
- Liquid Nails, or other strong adhesive
- Fake Teeth
- paper mache
- paint
Instructions:
Shape your zombie face (the Styrofoam head) using scissors or a razor blade, creating the specific features you want. Be sure to shape the mouth to the size of the fake teeth. Attach the teeth to the foam head using the strong adhesive. Next, create the veins using the twine, attaching the strands with the basic glue. Combine three parts water to one part of the basic glue. Dip the paper maché and shape on the head to create skin. Finally, use the paint, any color you like, and paint the head completely. Be sure you dry completely after applying "skin," and after painting. Now you can add any additional features you like, such as hair, eyes, blood, etc.
Grave Stones
Gravestones are an easy craft using basic materials, but offer great variety and creativity. Depending on your craft-capability and commitment, you can create any gravestone theme you can think of. The variety of available materials makes this a craft for all budgets! Use grey paper bags with tealights, cardboard or foam core, even wood and cement board to create a cemetery in your yard.
Materials Required:
- Cardboard or Black foam core (or board of your choice)
- Razor blade
- Glue
- Paint/Markers
Instructions:
The first step is to decide what style of gravestone you would like. Choose from elaborately decorative to basic and rounded. Add decorative embellishments with extra scraps of cardboard/foam core and attach with glue. Paint funny names or epitaphs and stake into the ground using wooden stakes or dowels. If you are a little less crafty and need something basic, try using grey paper bags (found at craft stores such as Michael's) and tealights. Shape the top of the paper bag to the desired gravestones style, add flour, sand or dirt to anchor the bags then add a LED tealight. Use a sharpie to add names and epitaphs!
Stuffed Dummy
For the easy scare, go for the stuffed dummy. This super-easy decoration will scare the trick-or-treaters before they even reach the door!
Materials Required:
- Old Clothes: including shirt, pants, shoes – additional accessories optional!
- Newspaper (or stuffing)
- stakes, fishing line optional (for yard placement variations)
Instructions:
Simply stuff old clothes with newspaper until the figure looks like a body and your dummy is ready for the haunt! Make use of unused holiday props, masks, and accessories to make your dummy more realistic. Place your completed dummy in the yard – standing, sitting, crawling from the ground, sit him on the porch or perch him on a low-hanging tree branch.
Shadow Figures
Photo Credit Thinkstock
Don't forget about the windows for your outdoor decoration. Use black poster board cut-outs to create spooky figures that will haunt the neighborhood all night! This craft project is a great way to get the friends and family involved in the Halloween spirits.
Materials Required:
- Black Poster Board
- Scissors
- Wax Paper
- Tape
Instructions:
Cut out shapes of friends and family, hands, objects, or Halloween-worthy creatures. Let your imagination go wild! Attach the figure to sheets of wax paper and tape in the window. The wax paper helps to soften the background light and adds privacy. Once the lights go on, the figures will come alive and haunt the night away. Add them to the lawn using stakes, or hang from trees for creepy lawn décor.
Chicken Wire Ghosts
These are by far the creepiest decoration for any outdoor space. In the right light, or at the right distance, these figures look like true apparitions! Placement is key, so utilize your space for the ultimate spook factor.Materials Required:
- Chicken Wire (or equivalent)
- Zipties
- Scissor/Wire cutters
Instructions:
This project is definitely for the ambitious or more advanced crafters, as chicken wire can be a tricky material to work with. It is best to employ assistance, especially for shaping the figure. Use kids, friends, or relatives to create your figure. Once the desired shape is achieved, secure using the zipties. Attach separate pieces, if applicable. You can spray paint the figure with white or even glow-in-the-dark paint for added effect. Finally, tie a bit of twine to a stake and attach to several sides of the bottom of your figure to anchor into the ground.
Michelle Perez is a freelance writer staying on the pulse of all that's new and exciting. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.
