46 Best DIY Halloween Decorations and Props

Last updated on September 22, 2023

Ready to make your DIY Halloween decorations and props? You can do it in one of two ways – make your decorations scary or cute. Which do you choose?

Fall is finally here. That means it’s time to prepare for Halloween with fun and spooktacular decor that you can create at home. Whether you are creating projects on your own or with your kids, these ideas are fun and unique for any age. Creating DIY Halloween home decor props is a great way to bond with the family during weekends or fall breaks.

Witches, ghosts, and spiders – oh my! These projects range from elegant to scary to cute and cuddly, so you’re sure to find several to fit your style. They also use materials you have on hand or can find easily with little to no cost. Start on these great DIY decorations today and have your home ready for Halloween and the fall season in no time.

Scary DIY Halloween Decorations and Props

DIY Halloween Severed Head Prop

How to make a  Halloween head prop
Tutorial: blog.consumercrafts.com

Everyone wants their DIY Halloween props to look like they’re expensive and well-made. But making something like that can be time-consuming and complicated. And there’s nothing wrong with doing extra work for your Halloween preparations. However, this is one of the projects that look elaborate, but it’s straightforward to make.

The main supplies in this project are a styrofoam display head, cheesecloth, and cloth stiffener. Check out the picture of the result. It’s so creepy! And you’ll have a lot of fun making it.

DIY Halloween Hanging Ghosts

Here come more ghosts! You can fill up your homes with all kinds of them. That’s the Halloween spirit! This project is all about making hanging ghosts from cheesecloth. In the right lighting, they can be pretty scary.

For this project, you’ll need styrofoam balls and cheesecloth as well as some craft materials. Check out the instructions in this tutorial. You’ll have lots of fun doing this project.

Creepy DIY Halloween Votives

If you want to go for the scary Halloween props, these votives are as frightening as they get. They look like they come from a creepy, scary movie. In the dark lighted by the candles, they can scare even the bravest souls. So if that’s your goal, you have to make these candle holders for your Halloween lights.

You’ll need mason jars and some old creepy pictures (you can find plenty of these online), as well as some craft materials. The instructions are given in the tutorial so you can follow them easily.

DIY Wriggling Snake Halloween Wreath

This project is fun yet scary. Who doesn’t get chills from the sight of snakes? And know you can give those chills to your Halloween guests by hanging this wreath on your front door. It’s a straightforward project too.

All it takes is a black spray paint and vinyl snakes. You can wriggle those snakes together to make a perfect Halloween wreath. There’s a lot of leeway for creativity in this project too. You can add other spooky elements to the wreath to make it unique and even scarier. Have fun!

DIY Halloween Skull Wreath

This project is terrifying! There’s always that thing that makes skulls so spooky. And if you make a wreath of them, it will set the perfect Halloween mood for everyone entering your home. It’s a fun little project too.

You’ll need styrofoam skulls, tie wire, ribbon, and glue. It’s a shortlist of supplies which makes it a quick project. You’ll have plenty of time left for your other projects after you finish it.

Spooky DIY Halloween Crystal Ball Candlesticks

If you need your Halloween candle to be spooky, here’s a project idea that you’ll like. Let’s make some crystal ball candlesticks! These are pretty scary if you ask me. They’re good enough to spook adults let alone kids. And they’re pretty easy to make.

The idea is to add eerie symbols printed on a transparent film (you can get it on Amazon) into Christmas bulbs. Then fill them with smoke for a spooky effect. It’s a lot of fun!

DIY Halloween Barbie Zombies

Creativity flows when it comes to Halloween crafts. Everyone wants to scare and surprise. These little barbie zombie props won’t be as scary, but they are cool. You can make a bunch of these and sprinkle them around your front yard or porch together with an imposing Halloween inflatable for some zombie accents.

You’ll need some cheap Barbie dolls for this project, spray paint, and craft paint. Then experiment to get the look you want. Go for the mini scare!

Floating Witch Hat Luminaries

A quick trip to the dollar store will get you all the supplies you need to fill your porch with these spooky floating witch hats. Fishing lines, simple witch hats, and battery-powered tea lights complete this project which looks excellent during the day, and creepy at night.

Halloween Bat Mobile

This simple mobile can be made with supplies you probably already have around the house. Several bats made from black construction paper or card stock are hung with sewing thread from a tree branch. This is a quick and easy project for kids, too!

Magnetic Spiders

Spiders and Halloween go hand in hand. These spooky spider magnets can be used all over the home, inside and out, to add a bit of creepiness this Halloween season. A few dollars for a bag of spider rings and some magnet sheets to make enough magnet spiders to scare all of the trick-or-treaters.

Simple Wicked DIY Painted Candles

Add a touch of classic elegance to your Halloween decor with these painted candles. Glass prayer candles are stenciled with spiders and doily lace images to create silhouette images that look great whether the candles are lit or not. Use these inside or outside for just a touch of spookiness.

How to Make Hand Candles

These hand candles look more and more creepy as they melt. Disposable gloves, candle wax and wicks, and wire are all the supplies needed for this easy project. Once the candles are done, add red-colored wax to each fingertip to add a bit of gore, as the hands will appear to bleed while melting.

Mini Mummies

Unique mini mummies are cute and easy to make. With a flexible garden wire wrapped with strips of muslin cloth, these mummies will come together quickly. As stand-alone decorations or added to other scenes, you can place them anywhere in fun poses to add whimsy to your Halloween decor.

Upcycled Halloween Wreath

Check out the tutorial on how to make an upcycled  spider web wreath for Halloween home decoration
Tutorial: twitchetts.com

Put those old t-shirts to use with this fun Halloween wreath. Easily convert old shirts into “yarn” to use with sticks to make a creepy spider web design. Add or make your spider, attach a ribbon for hanging, and you’re done!

Light Up Skull

Expensive-looking skull lights can be made at home easily and with a fraction of the cost. Using new or old candlestick holders, tea lights, and plastic skulls, a little glitter paint will make these decorations look store-bought. When lit, the light shines through the skull shade, creating a creepy look perfect for the season.

Eerie Black Candles

Turn trash into treasure with these creative and straightforward black candles. Empty toilet paper rolls and battery-powered tea lights are combined as the base for these candles. With some hot glue for melted wax and paint, the candles are complete and ready to use alone or in Halloween centerpieces.

Paper Clay Jack-O-Lanterns

Printer paper and cardboard form the base of these fantastic reusable and weatherproof Jack-O-Lanterns. Wood glue and drywall mix combine with paper materials to create the outer shell of these lanterns, giving them a clay appearance. The mold-able material allows you to get creative and form fun faces for these pumpkins.

Cute DIY Halloween Decorations and Props

Wooden Boo Sign

Check out the tutorial on how to make a DIY wooden boo sign for Halloween home decoration
Tutorial: www.huntersofhappiness.com

This BOO decoration is made from simple wooden letters found at any craft store. Paint the letters, tie them together with a cute ribbon, and you have a quick, adorable decoration for under ten dollars. Hang it anywhere in the house, or from a wreath hanger on the front door.

Spirit Jugs

Check out the tutorial on how to make DIY spooky spirit jugs for Halloween home decoration
Tutorial: eighteen25.com

Who doesn’t have several empty milk jugs each week? Recycle the jugs into this great DIY project to create fun lighting for your sidewalk or around the house. These ghost luminaries are made from empty, cleaned plastic gallon jugs and clear string lighting.

DIY Witches Brooms

Fall provides the perfect environment to gather the supplies for this simple project. With some fallen tree branches, cut weeds or hay, and some twine, you can quickly put together several of these witch brooms. Set them on your porch to make guests think a scary witch meeting is going on inside!

Pumpkin Wind Lights

Paper-mâché techniques make these mini pumpkin lanterns fun and easy to create. Kids can help create and decorate the little pumpkins for a great family project. Once tried and decorated, add a tea light for cute little decorations all around your home.

Halloween Egg Carton Bats and Leaf Ghosts

Another great project is to recycle trash and use items around the home. With some craft paint and ribbon, kids and adults alike will have fun transforming egg cartons and leaves into these fun bat and ghost decorations. Add some ribbon and hang the spooky creations anywhere.

Make Your Own Skull String Art

DIY string art is a beautiful new trend that transforms simple supplies into stunning art pieces. With a black wooden background, white string creates a great contrast to make the prop stand out even more. Personalize this project with different color strings, or use glow-in-the-dark elements!

Wire Hanger Bats

You would never believe these spooky bats were made from simple supplies around the house. Use black tights or stockings stretched over old wire hangers to create the bat wings and body. Attach a couple of googly eyes and hang the bats anywhere to delight and scare your guests.

Halloween Decor Witch Luminaries

With on-hand supplies, these cute luminaries can be made quickly and easily for last-minute Halloween decor. Using Halloween-themed stickers or create your own and adhere to glass vases, then wrap with white butcher paper. After adding a tea light, the spooky images appear.

4×4 Post Jack-o-Lanterns Ghosts

Pick up some scrap 4×4 post pieces from the home improvement store, or save them from your latest project to make these whimsy Jack-O-Lanterns and ghosts. These pieces are very inexpensive to create, easy enough for kids to help, and durable for years of use each Halloween.

Easy Outdoor Light-up Halloween Ghosts

A trip to a thrift store or fabric shop will provide accessories for these cute ghost lights. Reuse this summer’s tomato cages, wrap with string lighting, and cover with lace fabric and old hats to create friendly ghosts. They will light the way to your door as your outdoor Halloween decor.

DIY Concrete Tombstones

Check out the tutorial on how to make  concrete tombstones for  home decoration
Tutorial: diyfunideas.com

Make your Halloween yard decor complete with these easy tombstones. With some quick-drying cement and a baking dish, you can “carve” a spooky epitaph into these custom tombstones. Add some splashes of red paint and pair with skeleton decor to have your yard looking like a scary graveyard.

DIY Sock Pumpkins

Who says Halloween decor is only orange and black? Recycle old socks into adorable little pumpkins to decorate your home this fall. Socks, thread, stuffing, and a stick are all you need to pull these easy project pieces together in no time. Keep them in your decor for the entire fall season.

Easy Scented Jack-O-Lantern Tea Lights

This project makes use of everyday kitchen products to create adorable pumpkin lanterns that look and smell great. Take the peel off of a whole orange, cut out a hole in the top, and carve a face to make these easy pieces. Add some herbs and tea light, and you have easy decorations that are also biodegradable when done.

Mummy Treat Cans

Raid your recycle bins for the supplies for this Halloween project. Use metal cans or glass jars, wrap with strips of old fabric, glue on some eyes and this project is complete! Add a tea light to make a luminary, or fill with treats for visitors.

Purple Mason Jar Luminaries

Check out the tutorial how to make  purple  mason jar luminaries
Tutorial: www.youtube.com

You can paint these mason jar luminaries any color you like but purple, in this case, is so unexpected and it looks sophisticated. Check out this video tutorial on how to make these lovely lanterns for your Halloween home decor using spray paint and a permanent marker.

Mummy Wreath

It’s not scary, it’s adorable – and there’s more the reason to make it for your Halloween home decoration this year. This mummy wreath is as easy to make as it looks, so go ahead and do it. To make it even easier, check out the tutorial.

DIY Painted Candy Corn Bottles

There’s no Halloween without candy corn. And have you ever noticed how attractive the bright orange colors are? They’re perfect for decor. So why not make some decorative candy corn bottles? All you need is to get some spray paint and of course the bottles to paint.

You’ll need orange, yellow and white spray paint for this project. Everything else is as easy as spray painting. So have fun and make some cute Halloween decorations for your home.

DIY Halloween Cupcake Wrapper Wreath

Halloween wreaths can be boring if they’re not done creatively. After all, this time of the year is all about creativity and imagination. So you better make your wreaths interesting. And here’s one way to do that.

Let’s make a Halloween wreath from cupcake wrappers. All you have to do is gather some cool-looking cupcake wrappers and follow the instructions to turn them into a wreath. The look of it will depend on the wrappers you pick. Have fun!

Colorful DIY Halloween Skull Luminaries

You will most likely make luminaries for your Halloween decorations. Putting up some luminaries outside or inside of your house adds so much cuteness to the celebration. So here’s one way to make some colorful luminaries from mason jars.

What you’ll have to do is pick a few colors of paint and paint the mason jars. Then cut out a template of a skull and use it as a stencil to spray paint the decorations on the jars. Add some candles, and you have your Halloween skull luminaries.

DIY Halloween Spider Mason Jars

If you like the idea of mason jar crafts for your Halloween props, then this is another project for you. These spider mason jars are as spooky as they are cute. And the great part is that they are so easy to make that you can make a whole bunch of them.

You’ll need small 8 oz mason jars, black spray paint with a gloss finish, and some pipe cleaners. The complete list is provided in the tutorial. Just follow the instructions, and you’ll have so much fun making these props.

DIY Halloween Mummy Mason Jars

Here comes another mason jar craft for Halloween. This time let’s make some mummy jars. They’re adorable, and while they won’t scare anyone, the mummies will add a lot of charm to your Halloween decor.

You’ll need gold and black spray paint and some rubber bands to paint them correctly. You can make several of these props in no time!

DIY Halloween Glow in the Dark Pumpkins

Pumpkins are part of Halloween culture no matter how corny they may have become. You always need some pumpkins in your decor for the occasion. But you can make it interesting. And here’s a project idea that will show you how.

All you need is glow-in-the-dark paint and some pumpkins. Then, just paint the pumpkins in patterns and styles you like. If you need ideas of how to do that, this tutorial will give you several. Have fun!

DIY Halloween Pumpkin Candle Holders

Candles create the excellent atmosphere of Halloween. So you have to make a few candle holders for the occasion. Here’s an idea for pumpkin candle holders. It’s cute, and you’ll be able to add some pumpkin love in style.

You’ll need styrofoam pumpkins and a drill, as well as craft materials (the complete list is provided in the tutorial). The process is natural – just follow the instructions. You’ll have a lot of fun making and using these little pumpkin candle holders.

DIY Halloween Ghost Pinatas

How to make  Halloween balloon ghosts
Tutorial: makeandtell.com

You need some floating ghosts in your Halloween decor. And that’s where this project comes to aid. You can make these adorable ghost pinatas that will be a hit (no pun intended) in your home. They are easy to make too.

You’ll need just some paper lanterns as the base for the ghosts. Other craft materials are listed in this tutorial, but there’s nothing fancy. It’s a simple project, and you can involve your kids too. There’s nothing like a fun family project together!

DIY Halloween Emoji Ghost Balloons

How to make  emoji ghost balloons
Tutorial: awwsam.com

Here’s another way to add some floating ghosts to your Halloween decor. And it’s a creative one. Let’s make some emoji ghost balloons as a tribute to your favorite emoji. They’re adorable and fun, even though they aren’t spooky a bit.

The main ingredients to make these fun goofs are balloons and tissue paper. So it’s a straightforward project to do. You’ll have a lot of fun doing it with your kids.

DIY Halloween Cross-Stitch Pumpkins

How to make  Halloween stitched pumpkins
Tutorial: designsponge.com

We love pumpkin projects whey they are creative and unique. And this project is both. It takes simple pumpkins to create unique art. Cross-stitching is the last thing you’d think of doing with a pumpkin! That’s what is so great about this project.

You will need a drill and embroidery thread for this project. You can use printouts to create the patterns you want. The options are endless. So go ahead and show your creativity with this project. You don’t even have to have experience in cross-stitching too!

DIY Halloween Tin Can Luminaries

How to make  Halloween tin can luminaries
Tutorial: jollymom.com

This is a crafty project for some stylish homemade Halloween decor. It’s not about being spooky, scary, or cute. It’s all about creating a festive mood in a rustic style. The project is easy too.

All you have to do is to punch some holes in tin cans and paint them. Quite straightforward, isn’t it? The luminaries made this way are great to light up the festive lights.

Cute DIY Halloween Felt Ghosts

This trio of ghosts is too sweet to be scary. And if you like cuteness in your Halloween decor, then you need as many props like this as you can make. They have this adorable rustic accent too, which is great if you practice that style in your home.

You’ll need white felt and burlap for this project. The process of making the ghosts is simple, and it’s detailed in the tutorial. Check it out and have some fun!

DIY Halloween Vampire Pumpkins

There are a lot of themes you can use in your Halloween decor. Some are spooky; some are cute. This project will give you a vampire-themed idea. You’ll make fanged pumpkins that are as cute as they are scary.

All you need for this project are plastic toy vampire teeth and small pumpkins. Smaller pumpkins work better as they make the teeth look more prominent. This is a carving project that will give you lots of fun.

Recap

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