DIY: Halloween Decorations
It’s beginning to look a lot like Halloween. Riding through my neighborhood the other day, I started to see various Halloween decorations appearing on houses: a few ghosts hanging from nooses here, some spider webs and bats there. It’s kinda funny, no matter how old I get, seeing Halloween decorations appear always fills me with child-like glee. More people should decorate. After all, there are plenty of things you can assemble into creepy concoctions without having to go to one of those pop-up Halloween stores with all the plastic crap. Myself, I’m totally over plastic crap. Here are six horrible spooooky DIY decorations:
Mad Scientist Jars.
Grab some old glass jars, spray paint the lids black and add wax metallic finishes to get that aged look. Or hell, scuff ’em up and throw ’em in dirt to get that more authentic, Texas Chainsaw Massacre-style affect. Next, fill a measuring cup with water and work out some garish color using whatever food coloring you’ve got. Green is usually best. Add scary bug toys, rats, baby dolls, etc. etc. and your chartreuse water, screw on the lid. If you want, write out a gross/hilarious/creepy label. For a dry option, go for creepy terrariums.
Spider Lanterns:
Everyone has at least one or two of those cheap paper lanterns hanging around the house. And if you don’t, it’s only gonna take like $5 to outfit you with one. Halloween it up by adding plastic spiders, bats, rats. Cut them out of paper, embellish with red puff paint, fake blood, red ribbon etc. 
Monster Jar Lanterns. Again, glass jars, but plastic will do in a pinch- acrylic paint, colored tissue paper, mod podge and strings of white lights/tealights. Using the mod podge, carefully apply the tissue paper to your; this works best if you cut the tissue paper into strips first. Smooth carefully, overlap a tiny bit and cover the whole things up. Cut out face shapes from black paper or use paint and one of these templates. Once dry, add tea lights (glass jars) or a string of white lights (plastic jars). 
Creepy Plates
These seem a little Martha Stewart for Halloween but are still properly broke-ass. Take some old plates, enamel paint, brushes and printer label paper. Print out spooky shapes on the printer label paper like bats, cats, skulls, etc. and apply the label to the plate. Paint over it, some will take two coats, then scrap off the label with a pair of scissors. Note: You might need an exacto blade for the detail work. 
Velum Image Candles
Plain candles are really easy to decorate using velum: either by wrapping the velum around the candle, secure using scotch tape, and then using a stamp to decorate or by printing an image directly onto white velum. 
Cheesecloth Cup Ghosts
Easiest ghosts ever: cut an 8 inch square of cheese cloth, dunk it in the fabric stiffener then drape it over a balloon in a cup. Cover with another cup and let it dry. Add face as needed.
Bonus: Halloween templates for all kinds o craftiness.
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