Goblins, ghosts, and ghouls — oh my! It’s officially October, which means the green light is on for Halloween decorating. If you’re looking for an affordable and low-key way to let little trick-or-treaters know you’ve got candy, a gaggle of ghosts is a safe bet. This outdoor Halloween decor isn’t pricey or complicated. Plus, once night falls, these ghosts can light up for extra creepiness.
I’ve put together a short video if you want to watch how easy it is to make this outdoor Halloween decor. Make sure you keep reading for all the ghoulish details!
Materials
- Liquid starch
- Flour
- Balloons
- Paper
- Twine or string
- Cheesecloth
- Paper cups and tape
- White acrylic paint (not shown)
- Glow sticks or hanging LED lights
Step
In order for the hanging ghosts to have structure, they each need a solid head. These ghost craniums are created from paper mâché.
To create the paper mâché mixture, combine two parts liquid starch with one part all-purpose flour, and mix thoroughly, breaking up any lumps of flour.
Step
To give the ghost heads their shape, apply the paper mâché to a balloon. Inflate a balloon, then prop it up so you have room to work around it (two paper cups taped together works well!). Cut strips or paper or newsprint, and dip them in the paper mâché mixture. Lay the paper across the balloon. This process is messy, so make sure you’re working on a surface that’s easy to clean!
Allow your paper mâché to dry thoroughly between layers. If you’re using a heavier paper, 1-2 layers will be sturdy enough. If you’re using a thinner paper, like newsprint, aim for 2-3 layers.
Leave your paper mâché heads to dry overnight.
Step
Once completely dry, pop each balloon inside the paper mâché heads. Use scissors to cut two openings for eyes, which will allow light inside the head to eerily shine through.
Paint the heads with white paint, and allow then to dry thoroughly.
Step
Once dry, cut a small opening at the top of each ghost head. Drape cheesecloth over the head, then pull the weave of the cheesecloth apart to match the small opening at the top of the head. Feed string through the opening, then tie a glow stick or LED light inside the head to the other end of the string. Now all that’s left to do is hang your outdoor Halloween decor. Haunt on!
Oh, and…good news! Once this season is over, you can definitely reuse these for many Octobers to come. Once you’ve taken them down, remove the cheesecloth from the head to separate the pieces. Give the cheese cloth a handwash in soapy water, then rinse thoroughly. Allow them to dry, then place all the cheesecloth in a gallon zip top bag, removing the air to compress. Store the bag inside one of the heads, and you’ll be ready to go for next year!
When the sun goes down, light up the glow sticks or LED lights, and watch your ghosts glow… because good outdoor Halloween decor has to be a little bit creepy, too.
