Easy Halloween Decorations

This is the best time of the year for spine-chilling crafts. Making a spooky candle is easy and fast. This is a craft that is easy to make with the kids and everyone can make one that looks perfect! All you need are the following items:

1. One glass vase
2. Cheesecloth
3. Safety pins
4. Black spray paint
5. One candle
6. Tea bags

First you will need to dye the cheesecloth from white to a yellowish-brown color. Immerse the cheesecloth in a bowl with water and 3-4 large tea bags. Allow it to sit overnight or for several hours. Dry it on a drying rack until completely dry.

Cheesecloth comes in large quantities. Cut three or four small pieces that are a half an inch to an inch longer than the circumference of your glass vase. Make sure that you save the remaining cheesecloth, Next month we will be making a mummy head.

A couple of quick shots of spray paint will make the safety pins the perfect black for Halloween. Remember to open them before you paint them so that they don't get stuck closed by paint. As you use them you'll notice that the paint will begin to chip off of them here and there a little bit. That's perfect for a Halloween project; it makes them look shabby and beaten up. Be sure to spray paint both sides of the safety pins.

You can use one-ply cheesecloth or you can simply unfold your cheesecloth to make it last a lot longer. Buying in bulk is always cheaper. Ripping the cheesecloth makes it look more edgy but you can cut it and work the edges to look worn in.

After you unfold the pieces start by wrapping each piece of cheesecloth around the vase one at a time. Wrap all the way around the vase until you completely encircle the vase. Fold the end under and place a safety pin securely in the cheesecloth to hold it in place. (see photo) It should look like a bandage being wrapped around the vase: loosely and with imperfections.

Create the bandage effect by layering the cheesecloth on top of other pieces of cheesecloth before you safety pin it in place.

Stack and pin several layers of cheesecloth to make the candle look as though it has been a bandaged, worn out piece. The more layers you use the more of a creepy Halloween feel it will have.

Depending on how tall your candle is, you might want to leave some space for the light to show through the glass. It will give it a little bit of a glow.

If you tear the cheesecloth, the edges look older and more worn. You can also add plastic spiders or Halloween web for an even spookier feel.

The dyed cheesecloth can be added to your dinner table to give it a dreadful feel. Use it under your napkins, with place-mats or as a part of a centerpiece to give it an edgy autumn look. It's a simple and cheap product that is easy to work with, it's not expensive to replace and if you make a mistake, it's really no big deal, just grab another piece or try it a different way. The best thing about making this candle is that you really can't do it wrong.