Gothify your home this Halloween with these creepy decorating ideas like our favorite bloody candles! They can be made in under an hour, and are the perfect accessory for your kitchen table, mantle, front steps, coffee table, windowsill, or wherever you like! You can use different colors of candles if you don’t like red, and this project also works with crayons. For a scary touch, add nails to the side of the candle if you want! So, let’s get started!

Supplies:

1) Parchment paper

2) White taper candles

3) White pillar candles

4) Red candle (or crayons)

5) Cut tacks

6) Push pins

7) Nails

8) Tinfoil

Step 1:

Cover your work area with parchment paper. Remove any plastic or stickers from the candles.

Step 2:

Light the red candle and allow it to drip onto the white pillar candle. If you’re using crayons, hold a lighter under the crayon and allow it to melt and drip onto the white candle.

Step 3:

Press the cut tacks, push pins, or nails into your candle. This will make the candle look like it’s pierced and gushing blood! Scary!

Step 4:

For the taper candles, squish a small amount of tinfoil underneath the candle to hold it upright. Drip the red wax onto the candle and allow it to drip down the length of the taper candle.

Step 5:

Arrange your creepy candles in groups around your home to scare your visitors! You can easily create a spooky home by placing them in glass jars or candlesticks. You can find cheap candlesticks at your dollar store or thrift store. Experiment with different color candles and crayons for a unique look!

Photos: Pop Sugar, Emiline House.

These adorable little mummies might look complicated, but they’re far from it! You can use ready-made puff pastry to save time and get these tarts on the table ASAP! These would make the perfect appetizer for your Halloween party, so check out the recipe and easy-to-follow instructions below!

Ingredients:

1) 1 small butternut squash (trimmed, peeled, seeds scooped out, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes)

2) Olive oil

3) Salt

4) 1 (17.3-oz) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed (will make 9 mummy tarts)

5) 1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water

6) 3 oz goat cheese

7) 18 sliced black olives

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 450°F. Spread butternut squash cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Toss the cubes to coat them evenly, and roast for 25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and mash the squash with a fork. Allow it to cool completely.

Step 2:

Turn down the heat to 400F. Allow the baking sheet to cool and line it with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one puff pastry sheet into a 13-inch square. Using a 4-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out 9 circles. Transfer the circles to the baking sheet.

Step 3:

Brush the circles with the egg. Leave a 1/2 inch border and divide the butternut over the pastry circles. Then sprinkle over the butternut with goat cheese and place two olive slices on top for eyes.

Step 4:

Roll out the other pastry sheet and cut it into thin strips. Using the 4-inch cutter, cut out 9 rounds of strips. Brush the strips with the egg. Decorate the tops of the tarts with the strips, egg side down, placing them haphazardly over the filling, and covering the filling entirely. Press the edges down so they stick to the bottom pastry circle. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Step 5:

Bake the mummies for 25 minutes, or until the puff pastry is crisp and golden. Allow them to cool a bit before serving. Enjoy!

Photos and recipe: Kim Laidlaw.

We love easy Halloween DIYs, and this spiderweb cape is no exception! Since making it is a snap, make a few for yourself and kids! Matching costumes are always a hit! If the cape is a bit plain for you, add plastic spiders to it for added creepyness!

Supplies:

1) Fleece fabric – 1 yard for a small child, and 1-1 1/2 yards for an adult

2) Chalk

3) 1 yard of ribbon

4) Scissors

5) Ruler

6) Hot glue gun and glue sticks

7) Lighter

Once you’ve collected everything you need, follow along with these super easy steps!

Isn’t it adorable? We think so! Pair it with a matching black skirt or dress, and a black shirt. Throw on some funky tights, a witch hat, and you’re all set!

Photos and idea: Delia Creates.

We’re loving this creepy-cute hanging branch centerpiece! It’s extremely cheap to make and you can put it together in under an hour! Hang it above your table at your Halloween party, we’re sure it will be a hit!

Supplies:

1) A branch

2) Black felt

3) Black fake fur

4) Cheesecloth

5) Black yarn

6) Black spray paint

7) Clear fishing line

8) Fake spiders

9) Hot glue gun and glue sticks

10) Two hooks

11) Scissors

12) Rubber bands

Step 1:

Spray paint the branch using black spray paint. Use a branch that’s gnarled and twisted for a creepy effect. If you can’t find a large enough branch, you can use two smaller ones instead.

Step 2:

To make the bats, cut 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheets of black felt in half. At the bottom of the pieces, cut out 2 inverted triangles (these will be the legs), and then cut a scalloped edge from the legs to the top corners.

Step 3:

For the bat’s body, cut out a 3″ x 4″ piece of fake fur. Roll it up lengthwise and secure it with a rubber band.

Step 4:

Place the fur in the middle of the felt bat wings and fold the wings on top of each other. Glue the wings together using hot glue.

Step 5:

If you have more than 1 branch, you can tie them together using black yarn.

Step 6:

Glue the tips of the bat legs to the branch, making it look like the bats are hanging upside down.

Step 7:

For the creepy cobweb, stretch the cheesecloth over the branch and allow it to tear in spots. Glue a few fake spiders to the cheesecloth.

Step 8:

Secure your hooks to the ceiling. You can use hooks that have a removable adhesive backing if you don’t want to damage your ceiling. Place the hooks above where the branch will hang and tie a piece of fishing line to the hooks.

Step 9:

Tie the other end of the fishing line to the branch.

Step 10:

Adjust the height of the branch if needed and cut off any excess fishing line. All finished!

Photos and idea: EHow.

Halloween is one of our favorite holidays! Turning our home into a realm of spooky and creepy is always fun! Sometimes other things can get in the way of the Halloween spirit, and there isn’t enough time to get all the decor ready. Have no fear, these decorations are quick and easy, so let’s get started!

1. Creepy Snake Wreath

Get out a plain vine wreath and spray paint it black. The plastic snakes you can find at any dollar store, and spray paint them too if you can’t find any in black. Glue them on using hot glue and you’re done! Tutorial over at Martha Stewart.

2. Mod Podge Pumpkin

Mod Podge creepy print-outs onto a pumpkin! Vintage encyclopaedia images work great, and you can find tonnes over at The Graphics Fairy.

3. Crepe Paper Curtains

No spooky home would be complete without creepy, torn curtains! Pick up crepe paper streamers at the dollar store for this easy project! Tutorial here.

4. Tin Can Luminaries

Save your tin cans for this project! After you’ve washed the can, simply poke holes using a nail and hammer to spell out a creepy message. Then, give it a coat or two of black spray paint and place a candle inside. Make a few to line your porch steps! Tutorial here.

5. Batty Wall

Cut bats out of construction paper and tape them to your wall, door, mantle, or any other place that needs a dose of creepy!

6. Gross Spider Web Egg Sack

Slightly on the disgusting side, these spider web egg sacks are made using nylon stockings! Stuff them with cotton and glue on cheap fake spiders from the dollar store. Hang them on your porch to scare your visitors!

7. Witch Brooms

These brooms are made using smaller sticks wrapped around one end of a larger stick using twine. Make a couple of them to adorn your front porch!

8. DIY Haunted House From a Yard Sale Dollhouse

This project takes a bit of time, but it’s still budget-friendly! Raid your local thrift store, or check out yard sales for dollhouses. Then, simply paint them and decorate them any way you wish. These cute mini haunted houses would look great on a mantle surrounded by creepy cobwebs and candles. Take a look at more photos here.

9. Hang Witch Hats

Grab a bunch of witch hats from your local dollar store and hang them from the ceiling with fishing line. Add your homemade witch broom close by to complete the look!

10. Trash Bag Spider Webs

Now we’ve come to the cheapest of the cheap! These trash bag spider webs can be made in minutes, and they cost next to nothing. Easy tutorial found here.

Looking for more Halloween and Fall articles? We’ve got you covered!

Make These Faux Mercury Glass Pumpkins Using Dollar Store Finds!

7 Ways to Decorate Your Home This Fall

Halloween Treats: Candy Corn Cookie Bark

Photos: Martha Stewart, Country Living Magazine, Jolly Mom, Dana Made It, Tammy Perry, Over the Big Moon, Hip Hip Halloween, Brooklyn Limestone, HGTV.

White chocolate, chocolate cookies, and candy corn are in this cookie bark. Can it get any better? We think not! This recipe requires no baking, so making it is a snap! Keep reading for the delicious recipe!

Halloween Treats: Candy Corn Cookie Bark

Super easy cookie bark that’s the perfect treat for this Halloween season!

Ingredients

• Chocolate wafer cookies
• Candy Corn
• Orange candy melts
• White chocolate almond bark

Instructions

1. Arrange the crushed cookies and candy corn into a layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
2. Heat the almond bark/candy melts in the microwave at 30 second intervals until melted. Pour on top of the cookie/candy mixture. Use a spoon to swirl and smooth out.
3. Place in the refrigerator until hardened. Remove and chop into pieces.

Photos and recipe: Sweet Bella Roos.

We’ve all drooled over those expensive mercury glass pumpkins from Pottery Barn, but we always turned them down because of the price. This year, make your own mercury glass pumpkins for a fraction of the price by simply going to your dollar store!

What You Will Need:

1) Plastic pumpkins from the dollar store

2) Krylon Metallic Spray Paint

3) Burt umber/dark brown acrylic paint

4) Matte white spray paint

5) Sponge/scraping tool

6) Spray bottle filled with water

7) Foam craft brushes

Step 1:

Spray paint the pumpkins with the matte white spray paint.

Step 2:

Spritz the pumpkins with water.

Step 3:

Spray 1 coat of metallic paint.

Step 4:

Immediately after spray painting, take a foam craft brush and your burnt umber paint, and dab the paint on random areas.

Step 5:

Using the metallic spray paint, spray short bursts of paint on the pumpkin.

Step 6:

Using a napkin, wipe down random areas to let the burnt umber paint shine through. For a rougher look, scrape off the paint using a sanding brush.

That’s it! Now you can display your pumpkins on your mantel, kitchen table, staircase, or wherever you like! Arrange candles around the pumpkins so the light can bounce off!

Photos and idea: Monica Wants It.