Making a Jack O’ Lantern from a large orange pumpkin is the usual Halloween craft project but perhaps you live in a country that doesn’t have pumpkins on 31 October. Here’s your solution and although it is an ideal Halloween project and great idea as an arts and crafts for kids to join in, it is best to have an adult to help and to supervise.

What you will need is a large round balloon, newspaper and paper-mache (papier-mache) paste made by mixing one part flour and five parts water and boiling the mixture for about three minutes with a little salt to avoid mould. You will also need paint in orange and green colors and a little brown for accent. For the pumpkin stem cut about an inch from the end of a toilet roll core.

Blow up the balloon and tie with a long piece of string. Cut the newspaper into two inch strips and dip into the paste. Cover the balloon with the strips of paper, building a good few layers to help keep the ‘pumpkin’ strong. Bumps and lumps will make it more authentic. Remember to make a flat part for the lantern to be able to stand. Hang your craft to dry remembering to place something under it to catch any drips of paste. Once dried gently pierce the lantern with a needle to deflate the balloon. The toilet roll core can be attached to the lantern with paste and more paper to make a stem.

With a sharp knife cut the eyes and mouth in your lantern. The kids will have fun painting it to look like a big orange pumpkin Jack O’ Lantern. Paint the stem in green. Your paper-mache Jack O’ Lantern is ready for its light. As it is paper you should not use candles but a small torch will do nicely.

Have fun with this arts and crafts for kids Halloween project and happy ‘booing’.

Halloween will soon be upon us and here’s your chance to keep everyone happy with some craft ideas for kids. If you are like me you often leave things to the last minute so why not let the kids take the pressure away and decide on their Halloween costumes now. And they can start the making process. You’ll be surprised at their imagination.

The latest movies tend to influence the costume design that the kids like to wear, such as a pirate – “Pirate of the Caribbean”. In the last couple of years I’ve had a few Spiderman visitors at the door. Ever popular though are the classic witches and ghosts.

You don’t need to go to a lot of expense to make Halloween costumes as old clothing and sheets will come in handy. Marker pens are a handy tool for drawing such things as the spider’s web on an old red tee shirt. Add a pair of blue track pants to make this year’s Spiderman.

For your pirate costume sort out some old clothing and Mom’s costume jewelry - long gold chunky chains are best. Perhaps you don’t have an old jacket or coat but you may find one in the local op-shop. Some gum boots (Wellington boots) for foot wear and a handkerchief or scarf for head gear. Make an eye patch by cutting an eye shape from a piece of cardboard – use an old cereal box. Cut the shape to cover the eye but don’t make it too small. To make a bulge in the eye patch cut a slit halfway through the shape and pull one cut edge under the other edge until you have the shape you want. Staple the pieces in place and then color the cardboard patch with black paint or a felt tip marker. Use a hole-punch to make a hole in each side to thread some elastic through to keep in place.

The classic ghost is one of the easiest to make as you only need an old sheet, scissors, marker and string. Cut holes in the sheet where the eyes will be and cut jagged edges on the bottom part of the sheet. You can use the marker to color around the holes where the eyes are. A loosely tied piece of string at the neck will shape the head. The kids may like to add some motifs.

Having a Halloween party? Try this recipe...

Hairball Salad with Saliva Dressing

1 lg Ripe avocado

2 c Alfalfa sprouts

5 lg To 6 carrots, washed peeled and grated

Italian dressing

--TOOLS--

Paring knife, Spoon, Mixing bowl, Fork, Carrot peeler, Grater, 4 Salad bowls

With an adults help, cut avocado in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the pit. Scoop avocado out of the shell and put in the bowl. Add sprouts to the avocado meat. Mash with a fork. It is ok to leave some lumps. Set the mixture aside. Divide the grated carrots among the four salad bowls. Using your clean fingers and a spoon, make walnut size hairballs from the avocado mixture and arrange them on top of the grated carrots. Pour Italian "saliva" dressing over hairballs and serve.

Serves 4 cat fanciers. Sicko serving suggestion: Squeeze ribbons of chocolate icing "hairball" medicine out of a paper cone onto the backs of your guests hands to be licked off for dessert.

And how about....

Sewer Soda

1 qt Chocolate chocolate chip ice Cream

3/4 c Chocolate syrup

1 l Club soda

--TOOLS--

lg Spoon, 4 Tall glasses, Straws, Iced tea spoons

Let ice cream sit at room temperature until it is easy to scoop.

Spoon ice cream into glasses until it is aboiut halfway full. Pour or squeeze about 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup into each glass. Slowly fill almost to the top with club soda and stir well with a spoon. Serve with a straw and tall spoon for excavating those luscious brown lumps. Serves 4 sewage slurpers.

Sicko serving suggestion: To make this slop especially disgusting, plop an unwrapped tootsie roll into each glass.