Spooky Pictures

• Turn wall paintings into spooky paintings using construction paper. Cut out black masks, white fangs or red devil horns. Use double-sided tape to attach the cutouts to people in the portrait. Add cutout pumpkins, bats and ghosts placed around the paintings scenery. Make sure the tape is placed only on glass and not directly on the painting itself. Another idea is to print black-and-white photographs of people. Cut the eyes out and insert red Christmas lights through the cutout holes to create an eerie, glowing-eye photograph. To make the photos look older, mix one part black acrylic paint with 10 parts water. Paint the mixture over the photographs to age them.
  
  

Painted Pumpkins

• Instead of carving pumpkins, use paint to create decorations that do not dry out as quickly as cut pumpkins. Paint black cats, spider webs with black widow spiders or a witch's face using acrylic paints. Place the pumpkins on a table as a centerpiece or place them on the front porch. Alternatively, paint dried gourds instead of fresh pumpkins. These last for years, whereas fresh pumpkins are good for one Halloween only.
  
  

Ghosts

• Make ghosts to hang from chandeliers, banisters or tree branches. Use Styrofoam balls in different sizes. Glue a loop of fishing wire to the top of each ball. Cut pieces of white fabric into squares large enough to cover the balls and hang down 2 to 3 inches. Cut a hole in the center of the fabric and feed the fishing wire through it. For added detail to the ghosts, color black eyes on them with a fabric marker and cut jagged edges into the hanging edges of the fabric.
  
  

Luminaries

• Create luminaries for Beggar's Night to add decoration and light up pathways to help trick-or-treaters find your door safely. One way to make luminaries involves paper lunch bags. Fill the bags with sand or kitty litter to keep the bag from tipping over. Then place a plastic glow stick or LED light inside. Using glow sticks or LEDs prevents accidental fires. Either use plain lunch bags or look for Halloween-themed bags at your local grocery store. Another way to make luminaries is to use a plastic milk jug instead of the paper bag. Cut a 3-inch hole in the side of the jug to make it easier to put the light inside. A third option uses glass jars. Cover the outside of the jars with colored fabrics, keeping the fabric away from the mouth of the jar. Place a small tea light candle inside for the light source.