Better_Homes_amp_amp_Gardens_USA_Halloween_Trick_amp_amp_Treats_2023

163
TOUR
EERILY
INSPIRING
THRILLING
HOMES IDEAS!
PUMPKINS, DRINKS,
COSTUMES, SNACKS
& MORE
SET THE SCENE

WITH EASY CUTOUTS
Wickedly
Easy
INSTRUCTIONS,
RECIPES &
DOWNLOADS
THROW A PARTY THAT'S SPOOKY & SWEET 2023

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Table of
18
4 MAKE OUR HAUNTED MANSION
This easy-to-make cover star
comes with its own specter, a full
moon, and a chill-inducing forest.
8 VINTAGE SPIRIT
Haunt your home with playful
decor that evokes the retro
charm of yesteryear.
12 FRIGHTFULLY FANCY
Three influencers take the
party to the table, elevating the
settings to wickedly cool heights.
18 A SPOOKY-SWEET SOCIAL
It’s all-out fun in a pastel palette
when Stephanie Hanna throws a
party for her daughters.
26 ALL IN FAVOR, SAY EYES!

Dig into your stash of basic crafts
supplies to deck out pumpkins as
monsters and mischief-makers.
36 ENCHANTED FOREST
Transform your front yard
into a magical woodland with
mushrooms sprouting and an
oversize owl hovering.
26 36 44
HALLOWEEN TRICKS & TREATS 2023 1

52 62
44 FAMILY AFFAIR
Kids and kids at heart can all
get into the fun with themed
costumes that fit everyone’s style.
52 A MAGICAL MAKEOVER
Kara and Tanner Williams
conjured up an oasis that casts a
seasonal spell.
70
70 62 REBORN DECOR
Upcycled materials mutate into
scary-good decor that gains new
life with paint and dye.
70 SPELLBINDING SPREADS
Color us intrigued. Whole trays
of black, white, green, and
orange treats captivate guests.
82 WINSOME TRIO
A little mantel hocus-pocus shifts
the room’s focus. Go retro-chic,
moon-eyed, or nature-inspired.
90 BATTY FOR FRIGHT NIGHT

Bats, birds, and creepy-crawlies
boost the charisma of Jenna
LeBlanc’s charming haunts.
departments
departments
5 FROM THE EDITOR
96 FINAL THOUGHT
Turn to page 4
to see how to make
this spirited pumpkin
using printable patterns.
PHOTOGRAPHER jason donnelly
PRODUCER elaine koonce
2 HALLOWEEN TRICKS & TREATS 2023

Halloween
TRICKS & TREATS PREMIUM PUBLISHING
Vice President & General Manager
JEREMY BILOON
Vice President, Group Editorial Director
STEPHEN ORR
Director, Editorial Operations & Finance
Editor NICOLE DEAN Contributing Copy Editor CARRIE TRUESDELL GREG KAYKO
Designer KRISTIN CLEVELAND Proofreader MADELAINE JEROUSEK-SMITH
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FOOD ART KATHERINE BARNET
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Editor MADALYN BENDGEN Associate Art Director KRISTIN CLEVELAND MIA RINALDI
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Food Stylists HOLLY DREESMAN, ANNIE PROBST Assistant Managing Editor JENNIFER SPEER RAMUNDT CIRCULATION
Better Homes & Gardens® Copy Chief ANGELA K. RENKOSKI Consumer Marketing Managers
HOME, GARDEN & QUILTING Senior Copy Editors ERIKA BJORKLUND, MADELAINE JEROUSEK- LYNN BOLINGER, ED LICHINSKY
Executive Editor KATY KIICK CONDON SMITH, MARTHA COLOFF LONG
Senior Editors NICOLE DEAN, KRISSA ROSSBUND Assistant Editorial Business Manager GABRIELLE RENSLOW ADVERTISING & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Editor DORIS BRUNNETTE Editorial Assistants ASHLEY JACOBS, SANDRA JOHNSON, American Patchwork & Quilting
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NICOLE HENDRICK
nicole.hendrick@dotdashmdp.com
Food & Holiday
Senior Vice President & Group Publisher
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Account Director
CONTRIBUTING FIELD EDITORS MICHELLE BUTLER-MINGEY
Atlanta Lisa Mowry Baltimore Eileen Deymier Birmingham, AL Cathy Still McGowin Charleston, SC/Savannah Sandra L. Mohlmann michelle.butler-mingey@dotdashmdp.com
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FOR EDITORIAL QUESTIONS, EMAIL CRAFTS@MEREDITH.COM DIRECT MEDIA
OR WRITE US AT HALLOWEEN TRICKS & TREATS, Executive Director TYLER HUB
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ALYSIA BORSA
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PRINTED IN THE USA
Get the patterns at
BHG.com/HauntedMansion.
make our
Haunted
Mansion
A hovering ghost, menacing trees, and a glowing moon surround a house
that’s both charming and chilling. Cutouts make the whole scene a snap.
MATERIALS INSTRUCTIONS
• Orange foam pumpkin Use a washable marker to draw a large oval on front of foam
• Washable marker pumpkin; cut out. Protect front and edges of cutout with paper
• Spray paint: gray, black, white towels. Spray-paint inside gray; let dry.
• Printable Haunted House, Tree, Ghost, Print patterns and cut out. Trace Haunted House once and
Hills, and Moon patterns Tree twice onto black cardstock. Trace Ghost and Hills onto white
(go to BHG.com/HauntedMansion) cardstock. Trace Moon onto yellow cardstock. Cut out shapes.
• Cardstock: black, white, yellow Tape toothpicks to back of each cardstock shape except Moon
• Clear tape with one end extending from bottom of shapes. Tape a short length
• Toothpicks of wire to Moon. Set foam block inside pumpkin, trimming to fit.
• Thin wire Referring to photo, above, arrange shapes by pressing toothpicks
• Foam block into foam block and wire into inside top of pumpkin. Place stones
• Black stones or marbles around shapes to hide foam. Place tea light behind house shape.
• Battery-operated tea light Painted Pumpkins: Wash and dry pumpkins and gourds. Spray-
• Small pumpkins or gourds paint small pumpkins or gourds black or white, if desired. Referring
• Acrylic paint: black, white, silver, gold to photo for inspiration, use acrylic paint to decorate with polka-
• Artists paintbrushes dots and teardrops. Paint stems silver or gold, if desired; let dry.

From the Editor
As the days get shorter, a crispness fills the air. You probably
start thinking about all things spooky and frightful. It’s finally
time to plan Halloween decor!
But in my world, Halloween planning happens all year long.
I live, eat, and breathe the holidays. OK, that may be extreme,
but as editor of a portfolio of holiday magazines, Halloween and
Christmas are on my mind 24/7. Check out these spooky-sweet
In fact, coming up with fresh and unique cover ideas keeps cake-pop characters
me up at night. Amazing creators help us develop a cover and (and charmers for every season)
at myangelpops.etsy.com.
stories that will surprise and delight you. This year, two talented
sweets-makers sent us cute cake pops and lovely little macaron
pumpkins to feature as we played with so many ideas for the
cover image. How many striking cover options did we walk
away with? You don’t even want to know.
In the end, this year’s cover pumpkin was such a stunner that
it needed to stand on its own. But I couldn’t leave out these
amazing goodies from such creative makers.
Between the covers, this year’s issue includes the sweetest
Halloween party by the amazing Stephanie Hanna (page 18).
Plus, gorgeous real-life home tours (pages 52 and 90), the most
dramatic food story ever (page 70), and easy and inexpensive
projects will get your creative mind rolling.
So kick back with something pumpkin-y and get inspired by
the amazing ideas our team, makers, photographers, and stylists
work on all year to bring you the best issue yet.
NICOLE D E A N , EDITOR
Get lost in macaron

and pastry heaven
on Instagram
@doc_macaron.

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A
Vintage
Eerily charming, spooky, and fun, vintage-

inspired Halloween decor summons the
icons of Halloweens past. These products
haunt your home with playfulness.
PHOTOGRAPHER jason donnelly PRODUCER ashlyn ware
C
B

O ctober 31, circa AD 20. The last ray of
summer sun sinks below the horizon, but
before darkness covers the land, a bonfire roars to
life and begins its threatening dance. It’s Samhain,
the eve of harvest and the day the Celts believed
spirits of the recently deceased haunted Earth.
Gathered around bonfires while garbed in devilish
masks and ghostly costumes, the Celts warded off
evil spirits with clever trickery.
Samhain traditions arrived in North America
with Irish and Scottish immigrants fleeing
religious persecution. Religious translations
birthed the modern name “Halloween.” While
under a different guise, the Celts’ traditions and
symbols persisted: jack-o’-lanterns, ghost stories,
and the yearly harvest … of candy!
Halloween parties decorated with paper cutouts
of sharp-toothed jack-o’-lanterns, hissing black
cats, and hook-nose witches from The Beistle Co.
were the trend of the 1920s–1930s. Party guests
arrived as Pierrot clowns, witches, and farmers
and were greeted with amusing pranks like
self-opening doors.
By the 1950s, children joined the mischief at
costume parades and trick-or-treat nights, which
became a modern tradition.
Cute costumes replaced gory ones as pop
culture influences, like cowboys, Mickey Mouse,
and superheroes, became the rage. Halloween
decorations similarly evolved. Disposable paper
decorations are now long-lasting plastic with
contemporary style. And whole homes have
become amazing displays of lights, characters, and
mysterious illusions.
While Samhain traditions persist more than
2,000 years later, they’ve been infused with joyful
notes of pop culture, style, and good-hearted fun.
D
A SKELETON DANCE B PUMPKIN SERVICE C CHARACTER BALLS D CAT’S MEOW

Digitally enhanced cutouts revive Haunt your guests while flaunting These charming party favors each Its bewitching green eyes and
this vintage-inspired garland while your style with these wickedly cute hide a friendship bracelet, two sly smile give this cat bucket
keeping its old festive character. jack-o’-lantern plates in dishwasher- temporary tattoos, a joke, and a undeniable vintage character.
Vintage Style Halloween Dancing safe melamine. Johanna Parker black tissue-paper party hat. Vintage Vintage Style Happy Cat Bucket,
Skeleton Garland, starting at $24; Halloween Pumpkins Plates, $42 for Halloween Surprise Balls, $28; $18; vintagehalloween.com
frannyfindstreasures.etsy.com set of 4; vintagehalloween.com merimeri.com

A
A SIGN OF THE TIMES B MEDALLION MEDLEY C IN THE BAG D CHART TOPPERS

Wood signs are the The bold colors of the Stash essentials for Balance your sweets
perfect touch for any season unfurl in vivid any outing inside these with a bit of quirky fright
shelf, tiered tray, or dining zigzags on hand-folded zippered cases. Johanna from these terror-rific
table. Vintage Style Wood designs. Halloween Parker Sweet Jack cupcake toppers. Vintage
Halloween Signs, starting Party Paper Rosettes, Pouch and Cat & Moon Halloween Cupcake Kit,
at $10; sweetkarmadesigns set of 8, starting at $24; Round Case, $13 and $20; $14; bonjourfete.com
.etsy.com pompomsart.etsy.com vintagehalloween.com
D
E
E ACCORDION PLAYERS F BLACK CAT NAPS G HANG TIME

These amusing Halloween These nostalgic napkins Add a little mischief here
icons and their infectious feature The Beistle Co.’s and there with cheerful
smiles add lighthearted original 1928 Black Scratch ornaments you can hang
fun to any party. Vintage Cat design. Talk about from any hook. Johanna
Halloween Hanging vintage! Vintage Halloween Parker Jolly Halloween
Decorations, $30; Napkins, $7 for pack of 16; Ornaments, $20;
getgatherings.com amazon.com vintagehalloween.com

frightfully
Adding flirt and flair has never been so tempting with

these playful palettes. Spooktacular elements take
your party table to the next level.
WRITER ella schulte

When tasked with creating a terrifyingly
tantalizing tablescape, Laura Chubineh leaned
on bloody reds and moody purples to do just
the trick. Based on the enchanting “Garden of
Magic,” sung by the Sanderson sisters in the 1993
film Hocus Pocus, this display screams unearthly
elegance. Hints of fresh and festive foliage
topped with florals and berries evoke
the undertones of a garden.
ENIGMATIC BLACK
To create a gradual color shift, add pale and pastel
finishings to the place settings, and follow up with a
center spread that sports more color. Faux skeleton
hands, right, and spiders contribute texture, while a
cascading napkin paired with splashes of gold, opposite,
elevates the lived-in look. A dark linen or neutral fabric
can help create cohesion with the candlesticks while
alluding to the bleakness of a dark forest. To allow for an
explosion of color at the display’s center, below, white
chargers and plates introduce a neutral balance.
I WANTED TO MAKE IT
AS CREEPY AS POSSIBLE
BUT ALSO CHIC.”
–INTERIORS AND TABLESCAPE STYLIST laura chubineh
Laura Chubineh
INSTAGRAM: @thespilledsugar

Michael Wurm Jr. proves that the classics
can stay classy with vintage pieces that
are too cute to spook. Freshness and
functionality look good on this collected
and layered texture-focused table. The
orange-and-black color-packed palette
exudes timelessness with a twist. While live
flames contribute a sense of movement and
eeriness, paper medallions enrapture. The
pleated and patterned pieces hang from the
light fixture, adding pops of color.
ECLECTIC AND ELECTRIC

Mix and match faux and real pumpkins, above,
to create an extra layer of intrigue. A festive
centerpiece, right, can be bold but not loud. Choose
a variety of complementary elements to make the
central piece stand out. Making use of a room’s
existing furnishings and colors, opposite, top left, can
help create cohesion amid complexity. Matte black
flatware nestles with paper and plaid decor to give
canvas treat bags, opposite, bottom left, top billing
at each place setting. Candy can be a design element
when arranged in stacked color-coordinated paper
cups, opposite, far right.

Michael Wurm Jr.
INSTAGRAM: @inspiredbycharm
I ALWAYS LIKE TO MAKE

SOMETHING IF I CAN
OR INCORPORATE
A DIY ELEMENT.”
–BLOGGER AND CREATOR michael wurm jr.

Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 film
The Birds, Stephanie Short Campbell designed
an edgy arrangement featuring a whimsical
blend of neutrals and nature. An apple cider
sangria doubles as a drink and a pop of orange.
Matte jet-black flatware, candles, and books
evoke subtle suspense. Corn husks frame the
table and rustle in any cool autumn breeze.
Browns and golds—and pumpkins galore—
advance elegance in an otherwise eerie setting.
NEUTRALS TAKE ON NATURE

For a neutral table with the briskness of fall, left, bring
the outdoors in with foliage that excites using browns,
golds, and oranges. A muted palette establishes the
foundation, then pops of color offer balance and
versatility. Candles, opposite, set the scene for a
meticulously and mysteriously well-lit centerpiece. Matte
black dinnerware accented with wispy grass heads,
below, adds visual weight and spooky presence offsetting
the natural textures of the place mats and centerpiece.
More boos, please. This cider cocktail, bottom, is sure to
captivate, contributing flavor, color, and class.
I FIND
STRANGE
THINGS
BEAUTIFUL.
THESE BURRS
AND THISTLES,
I THOUGHT
THEY W OULD
BE PERFECT Stephanie Short
FOR THE Campbell
CENTERPIECE.” Instagram: @onassisandclaire
–STYLIST stephanie short campbell

Sp ook y- SWEET
A
Stephanie Hanna goes all out for her daughters and

their friends to enjoy a frightfully fun (but not scary)
afternoon celebrating the season.
PHOTOGRAPHER adam albright • WRITER lacey howard

PARTY POSSE
Homeowner Stephanie Hanna
and her husband, Rusty, built a
festive fall welcome. He created a
12-foot-tall arch out of PVC pipe;
she covered it with spray-painted
and carved pastel foam pumpkins,
opposite. Stephanie’s daughters,
McKenzie and Maven, invite their
friends for festivities that suit all
ages. The boo crew, this photo,
includes (clockwise from top left)
Kylie (12), Stephanie, McKenzie (11),
Kameron (6), Maven (7), Celene
(5), and Bernedoodle Piper (4).
tephanie Hanna starts prepping for the holidays
midsummer, but she’s focused on her favorite:
Halloween. “I love envisioning and sketching out
what I want to do and then seeing it come to life,” she says.
“With Halloween, it is what you make it.”
Stephanie makes it a celebration of creativity and
whimsy with a pretty-in-pink color scheme. “My palette
isn’t typical for Halloween, and that is deliberate,” she says.
“I want it to be feminine and sophisticated and flow with
my existing decor.” The trick, she says, is to add black. “Any
palette with touches of black becomes a little bit spooky.”
The weekend before trick-or-treating, Stephanie hosts a
party for daughters McKenzie and Maven and their friends.
“For the party decor, I support a lot of small shops—moms
doing side hustles and making beautiful things,” the blogger
(Instagram: @stephaniehannablog) says.
But decor is the last thing on kids’ minds. They do
care about snacks and not being bored. “At a kids’ party, I
always have movement—to burn off the sugar high—and
something they can craft,” she says. “And I send them on
their way with a favor. It doesn’t have to be complicated.”
SETTING THE SCENE

The party backdrop, opposite, includes a balloon arch,
a panel covered in square sequins, and a coffin-shape
bookcase, thanks to Party Me Pretty. “We always
do something fun for Halloween,” Stephanie says of
collaborating with her friend Valerie. Silver streamers
and star-shape balloons add shimmer. “And disco balls!
They are a signature for my decor,” Stephanie says.
“They give a magical feeling when you least expect it.”
ENCHANTED ESCAPADE
An IKEA table displays a sparkling-yet-spooky
tablescape, above. A faux jack-o’-lantern painted the
perfect pink holds a floral centerpiece by local Boho
Garden Crowns & Events. Cheesecloth in the same
blush hue gives spiderweb vibes. A garland of skulls
and tiny disco balls top the table runner.
POTION POSITION
Stephanie personalizes each place setting, left,
with an expertly decorated cookie and a playful ribbon
wand. A woven place mat, pink laminate plate, and
conversation-bubble paper plate anchor the setting.
Bubblegum-pink cotton candy fills skull-shape clear
plastic cups Stephanie scored at the dollar store.

SWEET SPOT
Stephanie ordered a cake,
this photo, with icing ghosts and
stars. She added the topper and
put the party-ready confection
on a pedestal. Stephanie’s sweet
char-boo-terie secret weapon:
adorably decorated cookies by
Royally Iced Sweets, opposite.
“I start with a marble board
and place all the cookies in a
layout I like,” she says. “I fill in
the gaps with textural things
like caramel nibs, coconut, tiny
hard marshmallows, and white
chocolate chips. And macarons!
I get those from HomeGoods. They
are always tasty and available in
seasonal colors.”
AMUSEMENT FOR ALL AGES
“Because my girls are almost five years apart in age,”
Stephanie says of Maven and McKenzie, above, “I’m an
expert at entertaining kids of all ages!” She lets both
girls invite friends for the parties, and she doesn’t
plan separate activities for the age groups. Rather, she
comes up with things everyone can do together.
“The older ones love to help the littles,” she says.
“If an activity is a little more complicated—like
bracelet-making—the big girls step in and help.”
SUGAR & SLITHERIN’

Kameron’s cookie place card, above right, features a
slithering snake. While artfully decorated cookies make
for Insta-worthy party decor, kids appreciate the sweet
taste more than the visual. If you fear your icing skills
fall short, make cookie decorating one of the party
activities and let the children create their own fantastic
artistic confections.
NEIGHBORLY NIBBLES
Stephanie offsets the sweet offerings with salty ones
like popcorn served in food boxes designed as haunted
houses, right. Bat-shape boxes with oversize googly
eyes are jelly bean-filled take-home party favors.

SHOP TALK
“I get a lot of inspiration from
small shops, and I like to lift
them up,” blogger and influencer
Stephanie Hanna says. For
this party she called on an
assortment of makers and
shops for decor.
Ghost and witch hat stirrers
(in cups): Against the Grain,
Instagram: @againstthegrainhc;
againstthegrainhc.com
Arrangement in artificial
jack-o’-lantern: Boho Garden
Crowns & Events,
Instagram: @bohogardencrowns;
bohogardencrowns.com
Boo sign, chat-bubble plates,

haunted houses with popcorn,
googly-eye favor bags, ghost
candleholders, Sleeps ’til
Halloween sign: Bonjour Fête,
Instagram: @bonjourfete;
bonjourfete.com
Ghost wand with ribbons:

Kiss You Kate,
Instagram: @kiss.you.kate
Bat garland, skull garland:

Pearl & Jane,
Instagram: @pearlandjane;
pearlandjane.etsy.com
Balloon arch, arched wall,

sequin wall, coffin bookcase:
Party Me Pretty,
Instagram: @party_me_pretty;
partymeprettyrental.com
Cookies: Royally Iced Sweets,

Instagram: @royallyiced;
royallyicedsweets.etsy.com
CANDY COUNTDOWN
Why should Christmas get all
the joyful anticipation? “It’s
really fun to do a countdown to
Halloween with kids,” Stephanie
says. It doesn’t have to be an
official calendar like her Sleeps
’til Halloween version. “Even
something as simple as a
chalkboard or paper sign gets them
excited,” she says. HALLOWEEN TRICKS & TREATS 2023 25
F a v o r
All in
Jeepers creepers, where’d they
get those peepers? From your
crafts stash, of course! Goofy
eyes, paint, and familiar accents
make these silly monsters and
eerie characters so easy to create.
PHOTOGRAPHER marty baldwin
PRODUCER elaine koonce
WRITER bev rivers
Instructions
begin on page 34.
MAKE HALLOWEEN-happy
SHOES FROM MINIATURE
PUMPKINS OR GOURDS
SIMILAR IN HEIGHT, SIZE,
AND SHAPE.
SILLY STACK-UPS EAR-TO-EAR GRIN

All ready to party on the porch, these zany characters, opposite, set the Learning pumpkin lingo helps when sharing the secrets to creating
stage for fright-night fun and festivities. Remember the four Ps of their this giddy character, above. While the charmer might take a ribbing
design: paint, paper, pom-poms, and pipe cleaners. Pick out pumpkins about the flashy smile, understand that “ribs” is the correct term for
that stack easily, varying the size for the head, body, and base. Draw the indented ridges running top to bottom on the outer surface. They
details with a washable marker, then go over the lines with black paint. provide the shape (deep or shallow) and offer artistic license.

BEAD-DAZZLED
Every witch needs her cauldron. This matched set,
opposite, shows off its sparkle with bead-encrusted
elements. Take over the family workshop to gouge out
the pot and mouth outlines with a rotary tool. Brush on
a layer of decoupage medium and add the beads. Use an
etching tool for the steam tendrils and add bubbles with
an electric drill.
WORD PERFECT
Eek speaks to the season! Let the word glisten in the
porch light when you spell it out in multicolor beads
and sequins. The white-pumpkin triptych, above, can
be easily adjusted: for a longer word, more pumpkins!
Foam versions let you wrap the pumpkins in tissue and
store the letters for years to come.
THUMBS-DOWN IMPRESSIVE
Finger-paint pumpkins, ghosts, and spiders on real
pumpkins, then accent with adhesive-back gem eyes. For
uniform prints, dip your thumb in a puddle of paint and
blot the excess on a paper towel. Set your thumb down
on the pumpkin to make a perfect oval shape. Repeat
for every impression. Quickly complete the seasonal
icons with painted details and gems.

“I LIKE TO HOLD PUMPKINS OVER A SHALLOW BOX OR
LID WHILE APPLYING BEADS SO THE EXCESS FALLS IN
AND CAN BE REUSED. ONCE I SHAKE BEADS INSIDE
THE DESIGN LINES AND IT DRIES, I ADD MORE
BEADS TO VOID AREAS.”
—DESIGNER elaine koonce

Start Basic,
Go Wild
Designer Elaine Koonce
preps her pumpkins and
the fun begins!
J GO FOR CHARACTER
While shopping the
patch, look for the
one that has a mind of
its own. Odd shapes
and blotchy colors (or
warts) inspire one-of-a-
kind creations.
J START CLEAN
Paint won’t stick to
grime. Even a faux
pumpkin needs a bath.
Open real pumpkins
from the top or bottom
to scrape out pulp. Let
the design dictate.
J PICK A PALETTE
Combine crafts
materials in orange,
black, and white for the
beginnings of a well-
decorated pumpkin.
Throw in blue, green,
and purple to open up
creative possibilities.
J ADD QUIRKY ACCENTS
Buttons, bows, and
beads all add character
(so do rubber snakes
and rats, if you’re not
too squeamish).
J INVEST IN TOOLS
Small hand tools will
be your friends in all
your artistic endeavors.
Etch with a rotary tool,
make holes with a drill,
and get a small saw for
quick cuts.

BIG BABY BLUES
All eyes are on you when you cut out
one or both of these piercing beauties.
It’s clear to see why these eyeballs are
haunting when you make the openings
and irises oversize with no other
facial features in sight. Hollow out the
pumpkin for the double-vision design,
being careful to leave the outlines
of the irises in place. For the big-eye
look, paint the iris on a smaller white
pumpkin to tuck inside the orange
one. Add the lashes with paint or black
crafts wire. Be careful not to poke
lashes too close to or through the cut
edge around the eye.
GET A GHOULISH GAZE

BY OUTLINING THE iris
WITH BLACK AND FILLING
IN WITH STROKES
OF BOTH BLUE AND GREEN.

Ranking Among the
CREEPIEST Ever,
This design is
SO EASY TO CREATE!
SIMPLY DRILL HOLES
RANDOMLY AND
WEAVE RUBBER
SNAKES IN AND OUT.
FOR AN IMPERFECT STITCH LINE
AROUND THE CROWN,
MAKE A RAGGED CUT
SO LIGHT SHOWS THROUGH.
SLIMY FAKE SNAKES

This porch decoration, opposite,
will make your blood run cold.
With so many species of serpent
available in realistic rubber, you’re
sure to find the most wicked to
slither in and out. Cut a hole in the
bottom of a pumpkin and clean
it out. Randomly drill holes large
enough for the purchased snakes
to push though. Refer to the photo
for ideas and don’t pull too tight.
Let heads and tails coil outside.
FRANK-O’-LANTERN
Primitive stitches, a long, rough
stem, and the glow of undead
eyes give this monster the look we
know and love. Choose a pumpkin
that is still partly green, and ask
the pumpkin farm to leave plenty
of dried growth at the top. After
all, Frankenstein’s original monster
was put together with mismatched
parts and minimal precision.
CALL THE
EXTERMINATOR!
If you suffer from musophobia,
you’ll find these rats and mice even
scarier than the snakes. Halloween
staples, rubber rodents are easy
to find during the season. Clean
out a pumpkin and carve a smiling
face using our pattern. Or cut
off the top from a cleaned-out
pumpkin and position a mouse to
hold it ajar. Drill a few large holes
and position critters so they’re
cavorting out of the openings.

Instructions
WHEN CLEANING OUT PUMPKINS, CUT THE OPENING ON WHAT WILL BE THE BOTTOM
OF THE FINISHED DISPLAY. ALWAYS WASH AND DRY PUMPKINS THOROUGHLY.
SILLY STACK-UPS Ear-to-Ear Grin
PAGE 26 PAGE 27
MATERIALS MATERIALS
• Real gourds and pumpkins • Real gourds and pumpkins
• Washable marker • Spray paint: green and black
• Permanent marker: black • Permanent marker: black (we used a Sharpie chisel tip)
• Acrylic paint: black, orange, white • Black-and-white ribbon
• Artists paintbrushes • Hot-glue gun and glue sticks
• Big googly eyes • Painters tape
• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks • Acrylic paint: white and black
• Spray paint: black • Artists paintbrushes
• Table tennis balls • Drill and drill bits
• Drill and drill bits • Dowel
• Chenille pipe cleaners: orange • Table tennis balls
• Dowel • Chenille pipe cleaners: black
• Seasonal ribbon • Large buttons
• Cotton swab
• Painters tape INSTRUCTIONS
• Printable Bat Wing pattern (go to BHG.com/SayEyes) For the feet, use two similar-size gourds. Cut along natural ribs so
• Black foam sheet slightly more than half of gourd is left. Clean out gourd centers.
• Crafts wire Spray-paint gourds green; let dry. Use a black marker to draw
• Black tulle random-width vertical lines on the feet. Tie two small bows using
• Black pom-poms black-and-white ribbon; hot-glue to gourd tops.
Cut stem from body pumpkin. Spray-paint pumpkin black; let
INSTRUCTIONS dry. Place base gourds snugly against body; secure with hot glue.
Checkered: For the feet, use three similar-size gourds. Paint every For the head, tape off stem. Spray-paint pumpkin green; let dry.
other vertical rib black; let dry. Referring to photo, page 27, sketch a mouth. Paint teeth white. Use a
Cut the stem from the body pumpkin. With washable marker, chisel-tip black marker to outline mouth and teeth.
draw lines along the natural vertical ribs, then draw horizontal lines Drill a hole in top of body and bottom of head; insert a short
to make squares. Trace the lines using a permanent black marker. length of dowel; secure with hot glue. Drill a small hole in the back
Wipe off washable marker lines. Apply black acrylic paint to every of each table tennis ball. Paint black pupils on opposite side. Insert a
other square for the desired checkerboard tummy. Outside the black pipe cleaner in each hole; hot-glue. Twist pipe cleaners around
checkerboard, paint the pumpkin black; let dry. a finger to make coils; poke loose end of each coiled pipe cleaner into
For the head, pick a pumpkin that stacks on the body. Hot-glue head near stem. Use a length of gathered ribbon to make a collar;
googly eyes to head. Draw smile and eyebrows using black marker. hot-glue between head and body. Hot-glue buttons to belly.
For a darker mouth and brows, go over lines with black paint.
Spray-paint two table tennis balls black; let dry. Drill a small hole Bead-dazzled & Word Perfect
in each ball. Insert an orange pipe cleaner in each hole; secure with PAGES 28–29
a dab of hot glue. Coil loose end of pipe cleaners around a finger; MATERIALS
poke each coiled pipe cleaner into the top of the head. • White foam pumpkins
Arrange three feet in a triangle. Cut three short lengths of dowel • Printable Cauldron, Witch, and Eek patterns (go to
and push one end into each foot and the other end into the bottom BHG.com/SayEyes)
of body; secure with hot glue. Use dowels to secure body on feet and • Washable marker
head on body. Tie a ribbon bow tie between head and body. • Dremel rotary tool (optional)
Bat Wings: Arrange three similar-size gourds in a triangle for • Etching tool
feet. Use a cotton swab dipped in black paint to dot gourds; let dry. • Drill and drill bits
Cut three short lengths of dowel and push one end into each foot • Decoupage medium (we used Mod Podge brand)
and other end into bottom of body pumpkin; secure with hot glue. • Foam brush
For the head, tape off stem and spray-paint the pumpkin black. • Assorted seed beads, bugle beads, and sequins in desired colors
Use orange acrylic paint to make the mouth; paint white fangs. Hot- • Acrylic paint: black
glue googly eyes above mouth. Secure head to body with dowels. • Artists paintbrushes
Print Bat Wing pattern, enlarge as needed, and cut out. Trace and • Adhesive crafts vinyl
cut out two wings from black foam sheet. Hot-glue a length of crafts
wire to the back of each wing, leaving about 1¹ ₂ inches extending INSTRUCTIONS
from a lower corner; poke wires into the sides of head. Arrange Print Cauldron and Witch patterns, enlarge as needed, and cut out.
black tulle in gathers; hot-glue in place for a collar. Add pom-poms Cauldron: Trace Cauldron with steam pattern onto a pumpkin
to body as buttons. Tie and hot-glue small bows to feet. using washable marker. Cut around outline; do not cut through.
Wipe off lines with a damp cloth. Use a rotary or etching tool to

deeply etch out the shape. Etch out steam tendrils above cauldron. shapes. Outline irises with black paint. While paint is wet, blend in
Drill holes in assorted sizes for bubbles. blue and a small amount of green, brushing toward center. Again,
Working a little at a time, coat the outline edges with decoupage before paint dries, add a tiny bit of white. Add a black pupil and white
medium. Cover the cut edges with beads as desired. highlight. Outline eye and make lashes using black marker.
Mix beads and sequins. Place pumpkin over a shallow box. Apply Big Eye: On an orange pumpkin twice the size of the white, make
a thick layer of decoupage medium to a 1- to 2-inch section; pour cutout in back large enough to insert white pumpkin. Print Big
bead mixture over coated section. Let set; tip pumpkin so loose Eye pattern, enlarge as needed, and cut out. Lay pattern on orange
beads fall off. Repeat to fill cauldron shape with beads; let dry. pumpkin front. Use a washable marker to draw the outline on
Adhere more beads as needed; let dry. Paint stem black; let dry. orange pumpkin; cut out. Outline eye with black paint.
Witch: Trace Witch’s smile pattern onto a pumpkin using Place white pumpkin with the bottom facing toward eye opening
washable marker. Using the instructions for the Cauldron, etch inside orange pumpkin. Referring to photo, page 31, sketch iris using
the smile and fill with beads. Trace the Witch’s eye patterns onto washable marker. Remove white pumpkin. With black paint, outline
adhesive vinyl; cut out and adhere to pumpkin. Or trace eyes onto edge of iris. While paint is wet, blend in green and a small amount
pumpkin and paint black. Paint pumpkin stem black; let dry. of blue, working from edge to center. Add a bit of white, brushing
Eek: Print Eek patterns, enlarge as needed, and cut out. Trace from center out. Add a black pupil and red veins on eyeball; let dry.
lettering onto pumpkins using washable marker. Using the For eyelashes, cut crafts wire into various 1-inch to 1½-inch lengths.
instructions for the Cauldron, etch the letters and fill with beads. Use pliers to slightly bend each lash for a natural curve. Poke wires
into orange pumpkin just above the black outline. Paint on bottom
THUMBS-DOWN IMPRESSIVE lashes and place white pumpkin inside orange pumpkin.
PAGE 28
MATERIALS Frank-O’-Lantern
• Foam or real pumpkins PAGE 33
• Painters tape MATERIALS
• Spray paint: fl at white • Pumpkin
• Acrylic paint: metallic gold, metallic white pearl, black • Printable Frank-o’-Lantern pattern (go to BHG.com/SayEyes)
• Artists paintbrushes • Washable marker
• Fine-tip permanent markers: brown, green, black • Drill and small drill bits
• Adhesive gems: black, crystal, gold • Black cord
• Large-eye yarn needle
INSTRUCTIONS • Acrylic paint: black
Tape off stems and spray-paint pumpkins flat white; let dry. • Artists paintbrushes
To make thumbprints, pour a small puddle of desired paint color
on a paper plate. Smooth paint into a thin layer. Press thumb in INSTRUCTIONS
paint and gently press off the excess on scrap paper. Press thumb on Thoroughly wash and dry pumpkin. Clean out; let dry. Print Frank-
pumpkin. For uniform prints, repeat for each impression. o’-Lantern pattern, enlarge as needed, and cut out interior to make
Jack-o’-Lanterns: Use metallic gold paint to make thumbprints; a stencil. Trace stencil outlines on pumpkin using washable marker.
let dry. Using fine-tip markers, draw brown stems and green vines. Carve out eyes and mouth.
Add black adhesive gems for eyes. Use black marker to draw mouths. Make a ragged cut around pumpkin top, about two-thirds of the
Ghost Faces: Paint every other rib black; let dry. Use metallic way around. With a drill and a small bit, make random holes along
white pearl paint to make thumbprints on black sections. Use black both sides of the cut line. Stitch the line together using black cord
paint to make thumbprints on white sections. Let dry. Add crystal and a large-eye yarn needle. Paint pupils black.
adhesive gems for eyes. Paint mouths with black or white.
Spiders: Use black paint to make thumbprints; let dry. Use a Call the Exterminator!
black marker to draw spider legs. Add gold adhesive gems for eyes. PAGE 33
MATERIALS
Big Baby BLUES • Pumpkins
PAGES 30–31 • Printable Smiling Face pattern (go to BHG.com/SayEyes)
MATERIALS • Washable marker
• Orange pumpkins • Etching tool
• Smaller white pumpkin with a fl at bottom • Rubber rat and mice
• Printable Double Vision and Big Eye patterns • Straight pins
(go to BHG.com/SayEyes) • Drill and drill bits
• Washable marker
• Acrylic paint: black, red, blue, green, white INSTRUCTIONS
• Artists paintbrushes Print Smiling Face pattern, enlarge as needed, and cut out interiors
• Permanent marker: black to make a stencil.
• 16-gauge black crafts wire White Rat: Use washable marker to trace stencil onto pumpkin.
Cut out features; etch eyebrows. If desired, cut rat in half to sit in
INSTRUCTIONS opening. Position rat and mice; use straight pins to hold in place.
Double Vision: Clean out an orange pumpkin. Print Double Vision Mice: Drill or carve holes large enough for mice. Position one
pattern, enlarge as needed, and cut out. Trace the outlines on mouse coming out of top. Use straight pins to hold in place.
pumpkin with washable marker. Cut out eyes; do not cut away iris

Instructions
begin on page 42.
enchanted
FOREST PHOTOGRAPHER marty baldwin
PRODUCER jeni wright • WRITER bev rivers
Witches park their brooms,
and the porch becomes
a mystical woodland.
Mushrooms sprout among
the shrubs and an oversize
owl watches the festivities.
A CLEAN SWEEP
Straw brooms, fresh pumpkins, moss,
and all things natural, this photo, fill
containers and dress the porch to
resemble a magical forest floor. The
owl takes a bit of time, but he is a
worthy master over this setting.
TOTALLY TOADSTOOLS
Simple to make, spellbinding to see,
toadstools, opposite, spring out
of moss-covered plywood bases.
Weathered driftwood branches
make ideal stems for miniature white
pumpkin caps.
BROOM FOR ALL
Fill planters and containers with
arrangements of dried and live
materials. Crafts stores offer a huge
variety—many dyed in vibrant fall
colors like the orange stalks, this photo.
Fresh decorative cabbages mimic huge
roses when nestled among grasses,
greenery, and vines. Tuck in a few
brooms for ambience and height—
they’re just another form of grasses.
Forage for dried grasses and

other interesting natural materials
in woodland areas around your home.
Then supplement with purchased
fall plants from garden centers.
“DRAPE AND
GLUE MOSS
TO THE
BROOM TO
MAKE IT
LOOK LIKE
THE OWL
JUST LIFTED
THE BROOM
FROM A
SPOOKY
MARSH.”
—DESIGNER jeni wright
WINGING IT WOODLAND WREATH

It might be a wild ride for this incoming Think outside the box for a whimsical
owl, above, if he’s going to land by woodland welcome, right, before guests
nightfall. While we don't want to ruffle come through the door. Start with a
his feathers, his makeup is as simple as moss-covered wreath form and anchor
assembling a section of a Hula-Hoop toy pieces of character-filled driftwood, large
and a milk jug to form a bulky body and and small, to the surface. Attach vivid
uplifted wing. Coconut-fiber fabric, usually green dried seedpods upside down to act
called coir, covers the milk-jug body. Vinyl as mushroom caps. Small primitive broom
and synthetic fabrics serve as oversize heads, assorted dried materials, and
feathers. Attached to the gable with wire, feather butterflies finish the design with
the owl takes a broom to new heights. eclectic forest flair.

REAL BASKET CASE
Four child-size brooms secured in a plywood base offer up a basket of
fresh apples or Halloween candies, above. Fastened in place, the broom
handles elevate this server to little-goblin height, where they can safely
help themselves to the goodies.
NO VACANCIES
In every little empty spot, look for opportunities to showcase easy fall
vignettes with pumpkins, battery-operated candles, and plants, right.
Add character with driftwood: heavily weathered and eroded wood that
has been submerged in a lake or sea for years, then washes up on the
shore. Driftwood can be elegant or eerie—depending on its shape—
and is always spellbinding.

MAKE YOUR HOME MEMORABLE FOR THE SEASON.
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT WITH UNEXPECTED DISPLAYS.
DRAW UPON IMAGINATIVE IDEAS FROM DESIGNERS AND
TWEAK THEM TO BE YOUR OWN.
TRICKS FOR TIME-OUT

Every good witch needs a break now
and then. A black hat perched on the
porch swing and pointy-toe buckle
shoes under it suggest that the resident
witch might not be far away.
A few well-chosen treats on a tray
might say she won’t be away long—
wherever she’s lurking.
Instructions
WOODLAND WREATH
PAGE 39
MATERIALS
• Small driftwood branches
• Moss-covered wreath form
• Wire
• 2 small twig brooms
• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks
• Green dried pods (toadstool caps)
• Assorted moss, excelsior fiber, and
dried natural materials
• Feather butterfl ies
INSTRUCTIONS
Choose branches that please you with their
shape and color. Lay branches on the wreath
form. Consider an asymmetrical design.
A long branch placed along one side and
extending beyond the form can create visual
impact. Once the arrangement pleases you,
wire branches to the wreath form.
TOTALLY TOADSTOOLS Arrange two small twig brooms on the REAL BASKET CASE
PAGES 36–37 wreath form; wire and glue in place. Glue PAGE 40
MATERIALS green pods upside down on branch ends MATERIALS
• Driftwood or other branches (stems) to create mushrooms. Fill gaps and cover • 18×18×¾-inch plywood board
• Chop saw or miter saw wire by gluing moss, excelsior fiber, and • Drill and drill bits
• ¾-inch plywood (bases) other natural materials to the wreath. Wire • 4 child-size natural brooms
• Drill and drill bits butterflies in place. • Exterior wood glue
• Exterior wood glue • Medium-size basket
• Screwdriver and screws • Tape
• Assorted moss, excelsior fiber, and • Exterior spray paint: black
dried natural materials • Clear zip ties
• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks • Assorted moss, excelsior fiber, and
• Small white pumpkins dried natural materials
• Finishing nails (optional) • Cloth napkin
INSTRUCTIONS INSTRUCTIONS
Make clean cuts on branch ends, varying Using a spade bit, drill four holes the size
the branch lengths. Cut plywood to desired of the broom handles about 4 inches apart
sizes for bases. Vary the size of bases around the center of the board. Angle the
according to your space and the number of holes slightly outward. Squeeze wood glue in
toadstools on each base. Set cut branches on each hole. Position a broom handle in each.
a plywood base in a pleasing arrangement; To keep brooms in position while the glue
use a pencil to mark placement. Drill pilot dries, temporarily set the basket in place and
holes in plywood in the middle of each wrap tape from broom to broom to hold. Let
marked spot. Drill a pilot hole in bottom glue dry.
end of each branch. Lift out basket. The broom base should
Glue the bottom of each branch to a base; hold its shape. Spray-paint bottom
screw branch to base from the underside. two-thirds of basket black, letting paint
Let dry. application get lighter as you spray upward;
Glue moss, excelsior fiber, and other let dry.
natural materials to the base to make it look Set painted basket in broom base. Level
like the forest floor. basket, then feed a zip tie through the straw
Cut pumpkins in half horizontally and of a broom and loop it through the side of
clean out. Remove stems and use both the basket; pull zip tie taut. Repeat with
halves for toadstool caps. Set the caps on remaining brooms.
the branch tops. To further secure the caps, Cover plywood base with moss, excelsior
drive a finishing nail into the top of each fiber, and other natural materials. Line the
branch and push the pumpkin half onto basket with a napkin and fill with treats
nail, if desired. as desired.

WINGING IT
PAGE 39
• Empty gallon milk jug (body) Cut the opening and lid off the milk jug. With the handle at the back, cut a hole on each
• Toy hoop (we used Hula-Hoop brand) of the two sides about 2 inches from the top of the jug large enough for the hoop to fit
• Garden loppers through. Cut two parallel holes on the bottom of the jug for rope legs (see Owl Construction
• Duct tape Diagram, below).
• 1-inch-diameter natural rope Using garden loppers, cut the hoop to open it. Decide the length of the owl’s wings based
• Coir fabric on where it will hang, and cut out a section of the hoop to make an arc. (Designer Jeni
• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks Wright cut off about 1½ feet.)
• Cream exterior vinyl fabric Feed the hoop through the top holes in the jug; tape it in place. Cut a long length of rope.
• Brown synthetic felt fabric Feed the rope in one bottom hole and out of the other hole so ends hang loose from the jug.
• Cheesecloth: black and cream Cut a length of coir fabric (also known as coconut fiber) long enough to wrap around the
• Feathers owl body and 6 inches taller than the body. Glue coir around the body so it is centered top to
• Small piece of cork fabric (beak) bottom and meets in the back. Cut slits to fit around the wings. Cut excess coir on top and
• Small twig broom heads (brows) bottom into pointed scallops; fold points in and glue in place.
• Natural broom Lay owl body on cream vinyl. Draw large pointed scallops along hoop for wing feathers.
• Twine Cut out and glue to the hoop form. In the same way, cut additional “feathers” from brown
• Drill and drill bits felt; glue behind the cream feathers, placing brown points between cream points. Cut, pull,
• Thin wire and shred pieces of cheesecloth. Drape and glue to wings. Embellish with real feathers.
Roll cork fabric into a cone shape for a beak; glue. Cut across the top of the cone so it sits
correctly on the face; glue to owl head. Arrange small broom heads at a slight angle on each
side of the head to make brows; glue in place. Glue feathers over the broom bases and base
of the beak.
Lay the owl on a work surface. Position a full-size broom below it, parallel to the wings.
Wrap rope ends around the broom to create feet. If needed, trim extra rope to make legs
desired length. Attach feet to broom using hot glue. Wrap and glue twine around the rope
and broom handle to further secure.
Wrap wire around a section of the broom head and up to the owl’s wing to support the
heavier broom head and keep it level.
Drill a small hole through the hoop at the tip of each wing. Feed wire through the holes.
Use the wire to attach the owl to the house. (Designer Jeni Wright attached the wire to a
landscape pin and slipped the pin under the roof shingles to secure.)
OWL CONSTRUCTION DIAGRAM

For this night of dress-up,
thrift stores and paint are
your friends. Be whatever
you dream to be: astronaut,
shark, flower, clown.
PHOTOGRAPHER AND PRODUCER sara walk
WRITER bev rivers
ALL SYSTEMS GO!

For a heavenly costume,
start with a long black dress.
Designer Sara Walk found this
star-print version online, or
make your own by adding an
overskirt in a similar fabric.
While the smallest kids often
get impatient with face masks
and head covers, this huge
star is fun to show off and
lightweight. Wear it over black
pajamas or sweats to stay
warm and comfy. Sara started
the astronaut costume with a
silver dance-wear leotard and
a kids space helmet bought
online. Or spray any like
clothing items with silver paint.
ou t o f t h i s
world
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to launch your entire crew into space
with these clever costumes. Explore local thrift shops for basics and boost
their potential using star punches and silver spray paint.
• EVA foam Child Star: Cut a star from EVA foam, making it large
• Spray paint: silver enough to fit child. Spray-paint star silver; let dry. Apply a
• Crafts glue thin coat of white crafts glue to star and sprinkle with glitter;
• Silver glitter let dry. Shake off excess glitter. Punch assorted stars from
• Assorted star punches silver glitter paper; hot-glue to large star. Cut two lengths
• Silver glitter paper of black elastic long enough to make fitted straps. Hot-
• Hot-glue gun and glue loose ends of elastic to back of large star. Dress child
glue sticks in pajamas or sweats. Loop straps over child’s shoulders.
• Black elastic (straps) Shooting Star: Start with a long black dress. Cut and
• Child’s black pajamas stitch an overskirt from star-print mesh, if desired. Punch
or sweats two sizes of stars from silver glitter paper. Starting with
• Long black dress or closely grouped stars at the waist and lightly scattering
top and skirt stars as you work down to the hem, arrange stars on skirt
• Sheer star-print mesh or overskirt. Attach stars using hot glue.
or tulle (optional) Cut curved shoulder pads from EVA foam. Trace
• Silver foil fringe and cut matching shapes from silver glitter paper; glue
curtain to foam pads. Divide silver foil fringe curtain into two
• Thick silver wire pieces. Fold each piece in half vertically. Glue a fringe
• Headband piece to underside of each shoulder pad. Cut fringe to
• Old shoes or rain desired length. Glue embellished shoulder pads to dress.
boots For the headpiece, bend thick silver wire into two
• Child’s astronaut three-quarter circles, one larger than the other. Bend wire
helmet (we used ends; hot-glue wire ends to headband. Punch out stars
Spooktacular from silver glitter paper; glue to headband wires.
Creations brand Astronaut: Spray-paint old shoes or boots silver; let
from amazon.com) dry. On purchased child’s space helmet, tape off face
• Painters tape window and any areas that you do not want painted.
• Two 2-liter bottles Spray-paint helmet silver; let dry.
• Silver elastic (straps) For the jet pack, spray-paint two 2-liter bottles silver;
• Black crafts foam let dry. Glue bottles together. Using silver foil fringe
• Wide silver elastic trimmed from Shooting Star costume, glue fringe inside
(belt) bottle openings. Cut two lengths of silver elastic long
• Adhesive hook-and- enough to make fitted shoulder straps. Hot-glue loose
loop tape (we used ends of elastic to glued bottles for jet pack straps.
Velcro brand) For the belt, cut a wide strip of black crafts foam to
• Child’s silver leotard fit around child’s waist. Cut wide silver elastic to same
jumpsuit length; glue to strip. Attach adhesive hook-and-loop tape
to ends of belt as a fastener.
For the badge, cut a small rectangle of black crafts
foam; punch out and glue on tiny silver stars. Glue badge
to front of jumpsuit.
Dress child in jumpsuit, painted shoes, and helmet.
Fasten belt in back. Loop jet pack over shoulders.

lo v e i n f u l l
b lo o m
Designer Sara Walk shared her online and thrift-store shopping list for the
basics in these costume creations, but scour your own closet for wearables
that work. She’s planted the seeds. Let the ideas grow to fit your own family.
• Off-the-shoulder Mother Nature: Start with an off-the-shoulder dress from
green dress a thrift shop.
• Printable Leaf and Print Leaf pattern in various sizes as desired. Trace
Petal patterns patterns onto cardstock or watercolor paper; cut out
(go to BHG.com/ leaves. Using watercolors, paint leaves in desired shades;
FamilyAffair) let dry. Paint veins and outlines on leaves using white
• White cardstock or acrylic paint; let dry. NOTE: If you find heavy paper in
watercolor paper the right shades for leaves, go for it instead of painting!
• Watercolor paints Referring to photo, opposite, hot-glue leaves to dress.
• Artists paintbrushes Freehand-cut small flower petals from yellow canvas
• Acrylic paint: white duck fabric. Roll and glue a scrap as a flower center.
• Hot-glue gun and Overlap and glue petals around center to make flowers.
glue sticks Glue a cluster of three flowers to shoulder of leaf dress.
• Yellow canvas duck For the crown piece, make five or six yellow canvas
fabric duck flowers as directed. Print and cut a Leaf pattern in a
• Wide adult headband small size. Trace, cut, and paint small leaves. Arrange and
• Thrift-store or glue leaves and flowers to wide headband.
old shoes Cut and paint additional small leaves; glue to old
• Thin wire shoes to embellish.
• Green ribbon Flower: Print Petal pattern, adjusting to fit child,
• Wide child’s headband in large and slightly smaller sizes. From yellow canvas
• Child’s green dress duck fabric, cut eight large petals and eight slightly
and socks smaller petals.
• Child’s thrift-store or Fold up bottom of each large petal to create a
old shoes channel; glue. About 11/2 inches from petal edges, glue
thin wire around the perimeter of each large petal. Glue a
slightly smaller petal to each large petal, making sure wire
is covered completely.
Thread green ribbon through channel in all petals,
leaving enough ribbon at each end to tie under child’s
chin. Gather petals along the bottom to shape and fit
around child’s head. Using embedded wire, mold petals
until satisfied with look. Glue petals to wide headband.
Cover exposed areas of headband with yellow duck fabric.
Cut and paint additional small leaves; glue to child’s
dress and shoes.

NATURAL BEAUTY
With the coming of autumn, Mother
Nature is making miracles happen
in the landscape. Leaves are starting
to turn, and fall flowers are in full
bloom in glorious colors. For Mother
Nature’s costume, cut heavy-paper
leaves and use watercolors to paint
them. Add details with white acrylic
paint. Cover a thrift-store dress by
randomly overlapping and gluing
leaves to the fabric. Nurturing
even the smallest blossoms is what
Mother Nature does best. For a
petal-perfect child’s headdress that’s
lightweight and comfortable, cut
petals from yellow duck fabric and
wire the edges to shape petals and
attach to a headband.
OCEAN DREAMS
An old folk story gets a
brand-new twist. Start with a
purchased mermaid suit. For scales,
fold and flatten paper bake cups,
paint with watercolors, and glue to
the bodice. The little shark may not
bite, but we’re betting he opens
those jaws to as many Halloween
sweets as he can scavenge. Search
online for a shark head with a large
front opening. Dye white pajamas
teal and paint the head in shades
of aqua. The diver in this clever
deep-sea gear doesn’t have to
explore the ocean beds for treasure.
To discover a wealth of sweets,
knock on neighborhood doors in a
spray-painted helmet, rainsuit, boots,
and gloves that, when put together,
look quite sea-worthy.
n d e r s e a ma g
u ic m a ke r s
We all enjoy the mystique of the ocean and all that dwells deep down
in the darkness. Transform household items and thrift-store finds into
watery gems. Time to dress up and go make waves!
• Basic mermaid suit Mermaid: Spray-paint purchased mermaid suit desired
• Spray paint: teal, color of teal.
turquoise, aqua For bodice, fan out small paper bake cups. Using
• Paper bake cups watercolors, paint cups in varying shades from light to
• Watercolor paints in deep teal; let dry. Cut fanned cups in half; hot-glue to
shades of teal bodice, overlapping as shown, opposite.
• Artists paintbrushes Spray-paint moss, seashells, and starfish turquoise or
• Hot-glue gun and aqua; let dry. Glue an assortment of moss, seashells, and
glue sticks starfish to top of bodice in a pleasing design.
• Moss For crown, attach zip ties to a thin plastic headband
• Seashells and starfish in an even pattern, making sure all point outward in a fan
• Zip ties shape. Cut every other tie slightly shorter. Spray-paint
• Thin plastic headband band and zip ties teal. Glue painted moss and seashells
• Plastic seaweed to crown. Spray-paint plastic seaweed garland; attach to
garland ends of headband.
• Child’s white pajamas Shark: Dye white pajamas teal. Paint purchased
• Teal fabric dye shark head using teal acrylic paint. Cut a freehand shark-
• Latex shark head fin shape from EVA foam in a size suited to child. Cut
(we used Creepy two lengths of wide elastic long enough to make fitted
Party brand from shoulder straps. Hot-glue loose ends of elastic to shark
amazon.com) fin for shoulder straps. Spray-paint fin and straps teal.
• Acrylic paint: teal Dress child in dyed teal pajamas and painted shark head.
• EVA foam Loop straps over shoulders to hold fin.
• Wide elastic (straps) Diver: Spray-paint purchased one-piece rainsuit
• Child’s one-piece and rain boots teal. Print diver’s helmet templates and
rainsuit assemble. (We printed our templates at 85 percent to
• Child’s rain boots fit a child.) Paint diver’s helmet using teal acrylic paint.
• Paper diver helmet Glue a painted starfish to top of helmet.
template (we Dress child in painted rainsuit, rain boots, helmet, and
used one from dishwashing gloves.
crealandia.com)
• Small aqua-color
dishwashing
gloves

CLOWNING AROUND
Join the fright-night circus
parading around your
neighborhood and make
everyone smile. Embellish
thrift-store clothes and shoes
with ribbon, tulle, pom-poms,
and stars. Bold-pattern pants
put you in the center ring.
A short white dress with a
giant collar gets a million
laughs. Baggy is always better
when it comes to clown
attire—especially for kids.
Because there’s no fitting, it’s
easy to stitch up a onesie that
gathers at a child’s neck and
ankles. Or buy a ready-made
version. Perform a trick or two
with red paint, pom-poms, and
hot glue if your garments need
a bit of alteration.
t he b i g t o p p r
e s e nt s
Oversize shoes, ill-fitting clothes, bright colors, and crazy patterns. With red
noses and cheeks, clowns fill any day with laughter and fun. Get into the act by
shopping secondhand stores for cast-off clothes that make you giggle.
• Red velvet ribbon NOTE: Search for clown-costume basics at a local thrift
• Red suspenders store or online. An online search for “men’s black-and-
• Hot-glue gun and white pants” will give you options in stripes, checks,
glue sticks and prints. The same idea will work for dresses or even
• Black bowler hat onesies. Any patterns you like will work.
• Oversize canvas shoes Striped-Pants Clown: Glue red velvet ribbon onto red
• Black-and-white pants suspenders. Glue the same ribbon around the crown of a
• White T-shirt black bowler hat for a hatband.
• White socks For shoes, search for oversize red canvas shoes at
• Red face paint a thrift store. Or tape off the soles of any color canvas
• White shift dress shoes, remove laces, and spray-paint red; let dry.
• Red yarn pom-poms: Don black-and-white pants, a white T-shirt, and white
3 large, 3 medium socks. Put on embellished red suspenders and the bowler
• 2 shoe clips hat. Use face paint to add a red nose.
• Black shoes White-Dress Clown: Hem white shift dress to above
• 2 yards of red glitter the knee, if needed. Hot-glue three large red pom-poms
or star tulle to dress for buttons. Glue one medium red pom-pom to
• Fishing line each shoe clip; clip to black shoes.
• Red ribbon (ties) To make the neck ruff, fold 2 yards red tulle in half
• Polka-dot tights lengthwise. Because the fabric comes off the bolt already
• Child's onesie or folded in half, you should have four layers. Fold again
black-and-white to make eight layers of tulle. Cut along fold lines on one
fabric edge, keeping opposite edge flat, together, and aligned;
• Child’s light jacket finger-pressing the folds may help. Thread a needle with
• Red fabric dye fishing line; sew a running stitch along folded edge. Pull
(optional) fishing line to gather tulle until it fits around neck; knot
• Red braid trim to secure. Glue ribbon over stitches, leaving long ends.
• Iron-on gold-sparkle Put on embellished dress, polka-dot tights, and black
decal paper shoes with pom-poms. Tie ruff around neck using ribbon
• Paper party hat ties. Use face paint to add red cheeks.
• Acrylic paint: red Kid Clown: If you don’t sew, purchase a loose black-
• Foam paintbrush and-white onesie. If you sew, use black-and-white fabric
to make an unfitted one with gathers at neck and ankles.
Refer to the photo, opposite, for inspiration.
Shorten body of a thrift-store red jacket to about the
child’s waist length; shorten sleeves to fit. Or dye a white
jacket red. Hot-glue red braid trim around edges and
wrists. Cut stars from iron-on gold-sparkle decal paper;
iron to jacket front.
Paint a paper party hat red using acrylic paint. Cut
additional gold-sparkle stars; glue to hat. Glue a medium
red pom-pom to point of hat.
Dress child in onesie, red jacket, and red hat.

NATURE LIVES HERE
Kara Williams and husband
Tanner set a seasonal budget
for all things natural. The fall
bounty creates a happy space
for family and friends. Taking
advantage of surrounding
farms, the couple load up on
pumpkins, mums, cornstalks,
and hay bales for fall
decorating. Strings of Edison
bulbs brighten the outdoor
spaces year-round, but the
orange lights come out of
storage in October.

A magical
Makeover
A small house on a double lot with only an
old shed and a huge cedar tree morphed into
an indoor and outdoor oasis through passion,
perseverance, and a lot of sweat equity.
PHOTOGRAPHER john granen • STYLIST janna lufkin • WRITER bev rivers

andemic lockdown wasn’t the first-choice motivator for taking
stock and completing unfinished projects, but it did spur
renovation and nesting. Kara and Tanner Williams took the
chance to revamp their living spaces, transforming their home and
yard into a bucolic retreat. Fall and Halloween decor—ideal for
both friendly gatherings and home-alone time—convert all the
cozy spaces into seasonal hot spots.
Kara, Tanner, and Great Dane Zeus moved into their Seattle
home in 2018. Kara (Instagram @littlehouseonchestnut) describes
the 1,700-square-foot structure as “somewhere between a
farmhouse and a cottage,” providing period charm on a double lot
that seemed to beg for new outdoor entertaining spaces.
The transformation began with a blank slate. Aside from the
house itself, the land offered little more than a few mature trees, a
small shed, and plenty of room for imagination.
The imagination materialized into a firepit and a raised
flowerbed, as well as fencing, landscaping, and natural stone patios
to define seating and dining areas. Leveled stone surrounds the WHAT’S THE POINT?
venerable five-trunk cedar tree and provides a solid base for the Witch hats, of course! Tables with benches and chairs,
opposite, make great gathering spots from spring through
handmade serving table. Decked out in seasonal attire, the table is
fall. Kara and Tanner eat meals outside anytime weather
always ready for food, drink, and conversation. Even the old shed allows. This time of year, black witch hats create a runner
enjoyed a facelift—making it another focal point for gathering. and miniature pumpkins dress the place settings.
Kara favors a black-and-white scheme every day of the year.
RULER AND PROTECTOR
Neutrals round out her interior palette and make decorating for Aptly named Zeus, the 8-year-old Great Dane, top,
any season fast and fun. Her vintage finds add character, and questions all Kara’s decorating activity as the seasons
their imperfections tell guests they’re meant to be used. Painted change. He’d prefer to hang out on the comfy couch by
the firepit. He’s just fine with the result, as he’s aware that
cupboards with glass panels allow Kara to store collections like
neighbors and kids in search of treats will visit soon.
her white pitchers and lighted ghosts off-season while still making
them part of the everyday decor. PATHWAY TO FUN
A crisp white fence and walkway lined with pumpkins,
For Halloween, most accessories stay where they already are;
above, announce it’s time to celebrate. The couple
bats, bones, crows, and witch hats are easy additions. Outfitted revamped the home’s interior at the same time they
with delightful seasonal accents, indoor and outdoor spots worked on the exterior. Kara says the remodeled main
welcome candlelight gatherings—and quiet family time. floor is wide open, light, and wonderful for entertaining.

THE BAR IS OPEN
Fresh apple cider tops
this table, handmade by
Tanner to serve guests
under the original cedar
tree. The tree’s five trunks
create a shady shelter to
enjoy a drink and delicious
treats. The couple laid
flagstone around the tree
to keep the table level and
the gathering area dry.
Trunk slices for display and
seating came from their
parents’ rural homes.
IT’S A SETUP
Kara reuses many place-setting
pieces, above left, every year. Jute
mats and orange twinkle lights
reappear with everyday dishes,
glasses, and napkins. Miniature
pumpkins add to the festive feel.
Kara says she’s blessed to have so
many pumpkin farms around. Her
decorating budget stays local, and
the materials choices are endless.
SKULL-FULLY
DECORATED
Sweets are always a draw to the
cider bar, above middle. Miniature
pumpkin pies with candy-corn
toppers and cupcakes with little
ghosts tempt guests. A few well-
chosen bones and colorful mums
mix in with the confections.
SIPPING CIDER
Even the straws are festive,
above. Striped in traditional
Halloween colors and offered in
a white crock, they top an eerie
skull fabric. Don’t have enough
pedestals? Stack dishes in various
sizes and shapes to get the look.
OLD SHED, NEW LIFE

With new paint and a few updates,
the original shed, left, plays a big
part in every party. The fireplace
surround salvaged from a home in
Arkansas stays outside year-round.
Paired with a vintage window,
it’s the perfect backdrop for a
decorated dining table—if no one
minds the huge spider!

SPOOKTACULAR MUSIC
While the 1920s black-stained piano might
be a fabulous prop in this well-haunted
house, it plays a part in the couple’s
everyday life. Tanner often plays favorite
jazz pieces on the piano—sans cobwebs
and skulls. An antique clip nailed to
a window holds a new print
made to look old.
HATS OFF
Hats suspended with fishing line are just
waiting for witches to swoop in. Ravens seem
to be on the lookout for that happening.
Over the years, Kara has collected spooky
pillows to mix with her everyday black-and-
white decor. The black hutch showcases her
ghost collection, books, and fairy lights.

GHOSTS AND
JACK-O’-LANTERNS
WITH BLACK
FEATURES ADD
SEASONAL FUN
AMONG THE SLEEK
SILHOUETTES
OF COLLECTED
DISHWARE.
PITCHER PERFECT
When Kara found the vintage
cupboard, above left, in an
antiques store, it was in need of
freshening. After a coat of white
paint, it dresses her dining room
and gives her an ideal spot for
ironstone pitchers, white dishes,
ghosts, and crows.
FALL REFLECTIONS
Decorating around a mirror gives
you two views: the vignette,
above, and everything reflected.
Murray, a vintage felt spider from
England (perched by the cloche),
comes out every year to help set
the scene. Also repeat performers,
the handcrafted wax skull candles
are a favorite online find.
BATTY AND BEAUTIFUL

Kara and Tanner took out some
cupboards and opted for open
shelving, left, in the kitchen. Paper
bats taped to the tile seem to
come in through the window.
Pumpkins and crows perch among
old scales and serveware. The
charcuterie board on the island
offers odd delicacies.
HOME FOR HAUNTING

With webbing material pulled
over the wooden beads and
spiders tucked in and around, the
dining room chandelier, opposite,
becomes a frightening work of art.
Candles in amber bottles, black
chargers, ragged gauze, and bowls
of skulls complete the tablescape.

Reborn
BOO-st your
fear factor by
resurrecting
old things. These
scary-good
upgrades rely on
upcycled finds.
PHOTOGRAPHER brie passano
PRODUCER kim hutchinson
WRITER heidi palkovic
COFFE
FILTER E
& WO S
O
BEADSDEN
NOCTURNAL
CHARMERS
Go batty with this colorful colony
of flight-fully fun decorations,
using just a few coffee filters, dye,
and wooden beads. Once the
dyed filters are dry and trimmed
to shape, insert them through
the hole of a dyed bead and fan
out the wings. No bat is complete
without fangs, pointy ears,
and glowing red eyes. Glittery
Instructions
begin on page 67.
cardstock and red gems make it
easy to bring your bat to life.

COFFEES
FILTER R
& PAPE
BAGS
WEB HOSTING
Raid your paper-bag stash and
conjure up your folding and cutting
skills to spin spiderwebs that even
the most skilled arachnids will envy.
Once the spiderwebs are cut out
and painted, attach them to a string
of beads to make a garland. Give
purchased plastic spiders or crafted
versions a home among the webs.
Take the fear factor down a notch
with a wreath that’s festive but not
so scary. Two kinds of flowers—one
made from coffee filters and the
other from crepe paper—adorn
this beaded ring.
BREW-TIFUL GOURDS
Let this idea percolate! Bring this
colorful patch of pumpkins to
life with coffee filters and vibrant
orange and green dye. Fold, glue,
and cut a stack of filters, and then
fan out the layers. Dyed filters also
can become papier-mâché gems
when cut into strips and adhered
with decoupage medium.
EE
COFFERS
FILT T TON
& COORD
C
For the deepest and

most penetrating color,
always use hot water
when mixing up dye.

GO WITH THE GLOW
You’ll never look at that pile of
cardboard for recycling the same
way again! These three-dimensional
Gothic candlesticks are made
from cardboard scraps using our
patterns. The pieces slide together
and are topped with an empty
paper towel tube turned candlestick
and a battery-operated tea light for
a flameless, yet glowing, effect.
PAPER
ROLLS
CARDB &
OARD
EERIE REAL ESTATE
Never fear! This haunted abode
will be ready for swift possession
in no time. Repurpose a cardboard
box and use our template to cut
and assemble this empire of gloom
and doom. Lighted from within,
the ghosts haunting the grounds
are made with cheesecloth and
decoupage medium.
CARDB
SHIPPOARD
IN
BOX G
Instructions
N Spooky Serpent
WOODE & LEFT
BEADS G MATERIALS
• Liquid dye: black (we used Rit brand)
PIPIN • Round and hexagonal wooden beads
CORD Use a strip of black • Wooden spoon
cheesecloth or textured ribbon • 6 yards ⁶ ₃₂-inch-diameter cotton

piping cord
as a hanging loop. Or hang • Dye fi xative (we used Rit brand)
the snake from an invisible • Spray matte sealant
hook behind its head. • Wire cutters
• 12-inch metal hoop
• Miter saw or hacksaw
• Black electrical tape
• 2—¹ ₈-inch faux gemstones: red
• ¹ ₄-inch satin ribbon: red
• Double-stick tape
• ¹ ₂-inch-wide woven ribbon: black
INSTRUCTIONS
Dye wooden beads and wooden spoon. (See
“Basic Dye Techniques,” page 69.)
Submerge cotton piping cord in plain
water. Remove; wring out excess water.
Reheat dye mixture. Submerge piping cord
in hot dye mixture for 20 to 30 minutes,
stirring occasionally until desired color
is achieved. Following manufacturer’s
instructions, apply dye fi xative to cord.
Spray matte sealant onto wooden beads
and spoon; let dry.
Use wire cutters to cut through metal
hoop. Bend one end of hoop wire into a
loop. Use a miter saw or a small hacksaw
to trim the wooden spoon handle to 3 to
4 inches long. Position the loop inside bowl
of spoon. Wrap electrical tape around spoon
handle and wire.
Cut dyed piping cord into six 1-yard
lengths and lay in a bundle. Wrap electrical
tape around one end of bundle and then
around hoop wire just behind the area
where the spoon is attached.
Separate cord bundle into three sections
of two cords each. Braid cords around hoop
until a little more than half the hoop is
covered. Trim cord ends and secure braid to
wire using black electrical tape.
Working from largest to smallest beads,
slide beads onto bare wire, leaving 1 inch of
wire uncovered at end; bend end into a loop.
SPOOKY SERPENT Hook loop behind spoon; hot-glue in place.
Beckon (or warn!) guests with this slithering predator on your door or wall. Dyed Hot-glue red gemstones to wooden spoon
and braided cotton piping mimics the look of a coiled snake and is punctuated for snake eyes. Cut two 5-inch lengths of
with geometric dyed beads around a metal ring. Our favorite part? A wooden red ribbon. Use double-stick tape to adhere
spoon cleverly transforms into the snake’s head. ribbons together. Cut an inverted V into
end. Hot-glue ribbon to wooden spoon for
the snake’s tongue. Cover taped areas of
wreath with black ribbon; hot-glue in place.

Instructions
Nocturnal Charmers Web Hosting To assemble garland, hot-glue a small bead
PAGE 62 PAGE 63 to each paper web. Cut a long length of black
MATERIALS MATERIALS cord; tie one end into a loop. Thread beads
• Liquid dye: black or purple (we used • Liquid dye: black (we used Rit brand) onto garland, evenly adding spiderwebs. Tie
Rit brand) • Assorted wooden beads end into a loop. Hot-glue plastic spiders to
• Small basket-style coffee fi lters • Paper grocery bags lengths of black cord. Tie to garland.
• ⁷ ₈-inch-diameter wooden beads • Printable Spiderweb and Petal patterns Flower Wreath: Dye 40 coffee filters
• Printable Bat Wings pattern (go to (go to BHG.com/RebornDecor) and the bead wreath. (See “Basic Dye
BHG.com/RebornDecor) • Acrylic paint: black, silver, purple Techniques.”) If dyeing the bead wreath one
• 2—¹ ₈-inch faux gemstones: red • Foam paintbrush section at a time, repeat dye process for all
• Tacky crafts glue • Hot-glue gun and glue sticks areas of wreath. In lower third of wreath,
• Cardstock: black glitter and silver • Black cord hot-glue beads together.
• Glue dots • Plastic spiders To make a coffee-filter flower, gather five
• Tree branches • Basket-style coffee fi lters dyed coffee filters. Fold each filter in half
• 18-inch wooden bead wreath and then in half again. Stack filters, aligning
INSTRUCTIONS • Florists stem wire curved edges. Cut a wavy line along curved
Dye coffee filters. (See “Basic Dye • Florists tape: brown edge; unfold. Poke a hole through center
Techniques,” opposite.) • Cardstock: black of stack. Insert 1 inch of stem wire into
Reheat dye mixture in the microwave. • Crepe paper: black, gold, orange hole; dab hot glue onto wire and cinch filter
Dye wooden beads. (See “Basic Dye • Ribbon: gold around wire. Wrap florists tape around base
Techniques.”) of flower. Repeat to make four flowers.
Print Bat Wings pattern; cut out. INSTRUCTIONS To make a crepe paper flower, cut a
Trace onto dyed coffee filters; cut out. Dye wooden beads. (See “Basic Dye 1¹ ₂-inch circle from black cardstock. Print
Roll one end of a wing so it fits through Techniques,” opposite.) Petal patterns. Trace and cut out five large
a bead hole. Thread into bead and out Spiderwebs: Cut apart a paper bag and and five small petals from black crepe paper.
the opposite side. Reshape wings. lay flat. For each spiderweb, cut an 8¹ ₂-inch Stretch and mold each petal into shape.
Glue faux gemstones to bead for eyes. square from flattened bag. Cut smaller or Working from the large petals outside
From black glitter paper, cut two tiny larger squares for smaller or larger webs. to small petals inside, hot-glue petals to
triangles for bat ears. Fold bases of ears Fold the square in half from corner to cardstock circle, starting with large petals.
to create tabs; glue ears to bead. Cut corner, forming a triangle. With the fold at Cut two 2×18-inch strips of gold or orange
fangs from silver cardstock; glue to bead. the bottom, fold bottom right corner up to crepe paper along the paper grain. Layer
Use glue dots to attach bats to branches. center point; repeat with bottom left corner strips, fold in half, and fold in half again. Cut
to make a diamond shape. Flip the diamond fringe along one long side, leaving ¹ ₄ inch
over. Fold right corner to left corner to uncut; unfold. Roll fringed crepe paper, using
make a triangle. hot glue to secure. Glue fringed roll to center
Print and cut out Spiderweb pattern. of flower. Repeat to make five flowers.
Align pattern on folded triangle; trace lines Arrange flowers on glued section of wreath
to make web strands and points. Cut out using stem wire or hot glue. Hot-glue spiders
sections; unfold. to black cord. Tie to top of wreath. Tie
Paint spiderweb desired color; let dry. ribbon in a bow and wire to wreath.
BRew-tiful Gourds INSTRUCTIONS

PAGE 64 Coffee-Filter Pumpkin: Dye 40 coffee filters. (See “Basic Dye Techniques,” opposite.)
MATERIALS Print and cut out Pumpkin pattern. Trace four pumpkins onto stacked filters. Cut out
• Printable Pumpkin pattern (go to through all layers.
BHG.com/RebornDecor) Hot-glue pumpkins together only along glue line in center of pumpkin; clip together and
• Liquid dye: desired colors (we used let dry. Fan out filters and arrange to make a pumpkin; glue first and last segments together.
Rit brand) Cut a 2-inch length of cotton cord. Insert a piece of florists wire inside cord. Paint cord
• Basket-style coffee fi lters green; let dry. Glue to top of pumpkin for stem.
• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks Papier-Mâché Pumpkin: Dye 80 to 100 coffee filters. (See “Basic Dye Techniques.”)
• Clips Inflate balloon; use masking tape to pinch opening closed. Wrap bakers twine around
• Cotton cord balloon, creating pumpkin segments. Carefully remove tape from balloon stem without
• Florists wire deflating balloon. Blow more air into balloon, pushing sides of balloon out through the gaps
• Acrylic paint: green in string. Knot balloon stem.
• Artists paintbrush Cut dyed filters into 1-inch strips. Cover work surface with waxed paper. Brush
• Latex balloon decoupage medium onto strips and apply to balloon. Completely cover balloon; let dry
• Bakers twine overnight. Add three or four more layers of strips; let dry after each layer.
• Decoupage medium (we used Mod Podge Cut a 2-inch length of cotton cord. Insert a piece of florists wire inside cord. Paint cord
brand) green; let dry. Glue to top of pumpkin for stem. Pierce a small hole in balloon near stem.
• Foam brush Remove balloon from pumpkin. Enlarge hole in bottom of pumpkin to fit battery-operated
• Battery-operated tea light tea light. Place tea light inside pumpkin.
Go with the Glow Basic Dye
Techniques
PAGE 65
MATERIALS
• Printable Candlestick patterns (go to
BHG.com/RebornDecor) Follow these steps to dye coffee
• Scraps of corrugated cardboard filters, wooden beads, and other
• Acrylic paint: black and cream elements. While maintaining the
• Foam paintbrush same proportions, adjust the
• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks amounts of dye and hot water as
• Empty paper towel tube needed for each project.
• Battery-operated tea light
MATERIALS
INSTRUCTIONS • Disposable gloves
Print Candlestick patterns. Trace onto • Liquid dye: desired colors (we
cardboard; cut out. Paint shapes black; let used Rit brand)
dry. Apply second coat if needed; let dry. • Plastic or glass container large
For each size, slide together A and B to enough to submerge items
form the candlestick. • Kraft paper
Cut a 1¹ ₄×8-inch strip of cardboard. Score together to fit snugly around tea light. Do • Items to dye: basket-style coffee
strip crosswise every 1 inch; bend strip not glue to tea light; remove tea light. fi lters, wooden beads, bead
into a ring and secure ends using hot glue. Apply hot glue around top of tube, wreath, wooden spoon, cotton
Paint ring black; let dry. Hot-glue ring into letting glue drip down outside; let dry. piping cord
notches in top of candlestick. Apply dabs of glue inside opposite end as
Cut the paper towel tube to desired a counterweight. Paint candle black; let INSTRUCTIONS
length for candle. Slice down the length of dry. Paint over black with cream; let dry. Protect work surface with newspaper
the tube. Wrap end of tube around battery- Insert candle into cardboard ring at top of or a plastic tablecloth.
operated tea light; glue long edges of tube candlestick. Insert tea light into top of candle. To Dye Coffee Filters: While
wearing disposable gloves, add 1 to
2 tablespoons liquid dye to 1 cup hot
Eerie Real Estate water in a glass or plastic container;
PAGE 66 stir. Dip a paper towel into mixture
MATERIALS to test the dye. Adjust dye by adding
• Printable Haunted House cutting and • Black line art tape more water for a lighter shade or more
folding diagrams and patterns • Battery-operated tea lights dye for a darker shade.
(go to BHG.com/RebornDecor) • ¹ ₄ yard cheesecloth Place coffee filters into dye bath.
• 6×9¹ ₂×18-inch cardboard box • Plastic crafts egg When desired color is achieved,
• Additional cardboard • Plastic wrap remove filters from dye bath and blot
• Acrylic paint: gray and black • Egg cup with paper towels to remove excess
• Foam paintbrush • Decoupage medium (we used Mod dye; let dry completely.
• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks Podge brand) To set dye, place dry dyed coffee
• Vellum • Foam paintbrush filters inside a piece of folded kraft
paper. Press for 30 to 60 seconds with
INSTRUCTIONS a hot iron.
Download cutting and folding diagrams. Remove tape and/or labels from cardboard box. To Dye Wooden Beads: While
Pull box apart at corner seam, open, and lay flat (Diagrams 1 and 2). wearing disposable gloves, mix
Enlarge, print, and trace Haunted House patterns onto flattened box (Diagram 3). Using 2 quarts hot water and 4 ounces black
a crafts knife, cut along solid lines and score on dashed lines. Trace windows and doors dye in a large plastic container. Dip a
onto house; cut out. Trace trim and roof patterns onto additional cardboard; cut out. paper towel into mixture to test the
Paint house pieces gray (Diagram 4); let dry. Paint trim and roof pieces black; let dry. dye. Adjust dye by adding more water
Fold each house piece as indicated on Diagram 5. Hot-glue house pieces together along for a lighter shade or more dye for a
front center and back center seams, using a strip of additional cardboard behind seams for darker shade.
reinforcement. Cut out pieces of vellum slightly larger than window openings; tape to backs Submerge wooden beads in dye
of windows. Add horizontal and vertical details to windows using black line art tape. Hot- bath for 20 to 30 minutes, rotating
glue window and door trim pieces to house. beads occasionally. Remove beads
Fold and hot-glue a roof piece to each side peak. To assemble the large roof, hot-glue sides from dye bath. Place on layered paper
together, then add top. Place large roof on top of house. Place battery-operated tea lights towels; let dry completely.
inside house. Tip: Hot water works best. If the
Ghosts: Cut a 6- to 7-inch-diameter circle from cheesecloth. Wrap plastic egg with plastic dye bath cools before you finish,
wrap; set on egg cup. Coat cheesecloth with decoupage medium. Place over egg. Shape reheat dye mixture in the microwave
bottom edge of cheesecloth to create a ghost shape; let dry. until hot but not boiling.
Remove cheesecloth from egg. Draw eyeholes onto ghost; cut out. Place ghost over
battery-operated tea light.
Lay out treat trays with colors of the season—black for midnight haunts,
white for spooks, orange for jack-o’-lanterns, and green for ghouls.
PHOTOGRAPHER kelsey hansen • PRODUCER stephanie hunter • FOOD STYLIST kelsey moylan • WRITER ellen boeke
Drink It In
STOUT & STORMY NIGHT
s h a dow l a nd
IN THE DIM
Sweet bites live in the
darkness on this black-
theme cookie tray,
this photo. Purchased
brownies and cookies,
homemade chocolate
cutouts, and melted
chocolate accents revel in
darkness. It’s easy to find
black-tinted candies and
embellishments. But you
can make your own too.
Use a toothpick to add
black gel food coloring
(it’s very concentrated) to
RECIPES
on pagebegin
78.
purchased frosting.

w hi t e wa s hed

Canned milks and
cream of coconut
are the trick
to this deliciously
easy and creamy
nog. Make a
pitcher to serve
the spooks.
FRIENDLY
GHOSTS
These sweet specters will
generate delight instead
of fright. Making them is
splendidly simple. Much
of this dessert tray,
opposite, is fix-ups of
light-tone cookies such as
madeleines, meringues,
and rolled wafers. It takes
no time to scare up a
batch of marshmallow
treats and boxed white
cupcakes to complete
the ensemble.
Drink It In
BOO-LICIOUS COCONUT NOG
p ump k in h u e s
COLORS OF
THE HARVEST
Shades of orange are
seen in gardens and
farmers markets this time
of year—in pumpkins,
squash, and the last of
summer’s bell peppers.
Edibles with bright or
rusty tones give this
savory tray, opposite,
variety and texture.
Achieve the look in
effortless ways with round
and orange-hue serving
pieces, both ceramic
and edible.
Drink It In
JACK-O’-CITRUS GRANITA
Look for a small
round loaf of
bread—the kind
used for bread
bowls—and hollow
it out to hold
a creamy dip.

gh a s t ly g reen s

this fresh drink
is not for the
faint of heart.
shave a cucumber
lengthwise with
a vegetable peeler
and wind strips
inside glasses.
SWAMP THINGS
This savory tray, opposite,
gets a verdant glow
with roughly chopped
fresh herbs, green
veggie dippers, and
other ghoulish treats.
Roll chicken salad into
blanched greens, adding
olive eyes to protrude
from mummy wrappings.
Fingerling potatoes live
up to their name with a
film of pesto and garish
sliced-almond fingernails.
Gelatin-coated grape
eyeballs add a tart and
tangy element.
Drink It In
GREEN MONSTER SMASH
s h a dow l a nd
purchased 3. Bake until edges are firm, 7 to 10 minutes.
fix-ups
1/3 cup blackberry preserves
Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. 15 fresh blackberries, halved
Spread Vanilla Icing on cookies and sprinkle Melted chocolate
Witch Hat with black sugar. Let stand until icing is set.
Brownies
Makes 36 cookies. 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl
vanilla icing In a bowl whisk together stir together flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
6 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup corn syrup, 2. In a large bowl beat butter with a mixer
Purchase prepared brownies or
1/4 cup milk, and 2 tsp. vanilla. If needed, on medium to high 30 seconds. Add brown
bake a boxed mix. Cut brownies into
add milk to reach spreading consistency. sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides
triangles. Adorn each with a wide
Tint with black gel food coloring. of bowl occasionally. Beat in milk, egg yolk,
strip of black-tinted canned frosting and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour
near the bottom. Pipe on thin mixture. Tint dough with black food coloring
gray-tinted frosting buckles. POPPY SEED PUFFS (if using). If necessary, cover and chill dough
Vampire Bats hands on 25 minutes

bake 15 minutes at 325°F
until easy to handle, about 1 hour.
3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place
These simple bats just use two balls 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie
thin chocolate cookies per treat. 1 cup butter, softened sheets. Indent balls with your thumb or the
Leave one whole and halve another. 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar back of a round 1/2-tsp. measuring spoon.
1 Tbsp. orange zest Spoon about 1/2 tsp. blackberry preserves
Attach halved cookie to the back with
1 Tbsp. orange juice into each indentation.
dabs of frosting for wings. Secure
22/3 cups all-purpose flour 4. Bake until bottoms are set, about
round black candies with additional 2 egg whites 10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets 1 minute.
frosting for eyes. 1/3 to 1/2 cup poppy seeds Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. Add a
blackberry half to center of each cookie.
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line cookie sheets Pipe melted chocolate on cookies to make
with parchment paper. spider legs. Makes 30 cookies.
2. In a large bowl beat butter with a mixer
BLACK CAT CUTOUTS on medium to high 30 seconds. Add
hands on 40 minutes powdered sugar. Beat until combined, STOUT & STORMY NIGHT
chill 1 hour scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in hands on 15 minutes
bake 7 minutes per batch at 375°F orange zest and orange juice until chill 1 hour
combined. Beat in flour.
2/3 cup butter, softened 3. In a bowl whisk egg whites. Place poppy 1 cup (8 oz.) dark rum
3/4 cup granulated sugar seeds in another bowl. Shape dough into 1 recipe Ginger Simple Syrup
1 tsp. baking powder 11/4-inch balls. Dip balls into egg whites, then 3/4 cup (6 oz.) fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. salt roll in poppy seeds. Place balls 2 inches 4 12-oz. bottles or cans milk stout or
1 egg apart on prepared cookie sheets. cream stout, chilled
1 Tbsp. milk 4. Bake until bottoms are set, about Black licorice sticks (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla 15 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets 5 minutes.
11/3 cups all-purpose flour Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. Makes 1. In a pitcher combine rum, Ginger Simple
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 48 cookies. Syrup, and lime juice. Add stout. If you like,
1 recipe Vanilla Icing garnish each glass with a black licorice
Black decorating sugar stick. Makes 8 servings.
BLACKBERRY ginger simple syrup In a small saucepan
1. In a large bowl beat butter with a mixer SPIDER-PRINTS combine 3/4 cup each chopped fresh ginger,
on medium to high 30 seconds. Add hands on 25 minutes sugar, and water. Bring to boiling, stirring to
granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. bake 10 minutes per batch at 350°F dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Cover
Beat until combined, scraping bowl as and chill at least 1 hour or overnight. Strain
needed. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until 1 cup all-purpose flour through a fine-mesh sieve; discard ginger.
combined. Beat in flour and cocoa powder. 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Makes 1 cup.
Divide dough in half. Cover and chill until 1/8 tsp. kosher salt single serving In a tall chilled glass
dough is easy to handle, about 1 hour. 1/2 cup butter, softened combine 2 Tbsp. (1 oz.) dark rum, 2 Tbsp.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. On a lightly 2/3 cup packed brown sugar (1 oz.) Ginger Simple Syrup, and 11/2 Tbsp.
floured surface roll half the dough at a time 2 Tbsp. milk ( 3/4 oz.) fresh lime juice. Top with chilled
to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Using a floured 3-inch 1 egg yolk stout. If you like, serve with a black
cat-shape cookie cutter, cut out dough. 1 tsp. vanilla licorice stick.
Place cutouts 1 inch apart on an ungreased 1/4 tsp. black gel food coloring (optional)
cookie sheet.

w hi t e wa s hed
purchased MARSHMALLOW BOO-LICIOUS

fix-ups TREAT SPIRITS
HANDS ON 25 minutes
COCONUT NOG
HANDS ON 10 minutes
Madeleine phantoms STAND 1 hour CHILL 4 hours
To make sweet ghosts, purchased Softened butter 1 14-oz. can cream of coconut
madeleine cookies get a simple ¹∕4 cup butter 1 14-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
dusting of powdered sugar and two 1 10-oz. pkg. tiny marshmallows 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
dots of canned frosting to attach 1 13-oz. jar marshmallow creme 1 12-oz. can low-fat evaporated milk
candy eyes. 2 tsp. clear vanilla ³∕4 cup (6 oz.) dark rum
Cookie-Stick specters
¹∕4 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. vanilla
7 cups crisp rice cereal 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Canned white frosting 2 Tbsp. sugar
Dip rolled wafer cookies two-thirds Coarse sugar Whipped cream (optional)
of the way into melted white White jimmies
chocolate, then sprinkle with 1. In a large blender combine cream of
granulated sugar; let set. Add two 1. Line a 15×10-inch baking pan with foil, coconut, coconut milk, sweetened
dots of melted chocolate for eyes extending foil over edges of pan. Lightly condensed milk, evaporated milk, rum,
and let them stare. grease foil with softened butter. vanilla, and cinnamon. Cover and blend
Meringue spooks
2. In a 6- to 8-qt. heavy Dutch oven melt until well-combined and frothy. Transfer to a
the ¹∕4 cup butter over low. Stir in pitcher. Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours.
marshmallows. Cook and stir until 2. Place sugar in a shallow dish. Moisten
Crunchy, light-as-air meringues make
marshmallows are melted and smooth. Stir the edges of 6-oz. glasses with water or
perfect ghostly figures. Dip the
in marshmallow creme, vanilla, and salt until additional rum. Dip glass rims in sugar. Set
bottoms in melted white chocolate. combined. Remove from heat. Add cereal aside until dry.
Attach mini chocolate chips with to marshmallow mixture, stirring gently 3. Whisk coconut nog before serving.
melted chocolate for eyes. to coat. Carefully fill prepared glasses with nog. Top
Pull-Apart 3. Transfer cereal mixture to prepared with whipped cream (if using). Makes
Cupcake Ghost
baking pan. Using a buttered spatula or 10 servings.
buttered waxed paper, press mixture firmly NOTE For a nonalcoholic option, just omit
and evenly into pan. Let stand until set, the rum.
Pick up a dozen unfrosted mini
about 1 hour.
cupcakes or bake a batch using a 4. Use edges of foil to lift uncut bars out of
boxed mix. Arrange them on a plate pan. Using a buttered 3- to 4-inch
or platter in the shape of a ghost. ghost-shape cookie cutter, cut out bars.
Spread canned white frosting over 5. Spread a thin coating of frosting on top
the tops of the cupcakes, joining them of cutouts. Top with coarse sugar and
into a single figure. Use melted dark jimmies. Makes 24 to 30 bars.
chocolate to create ovals for eyes.

p ump k in hu e s
purchased
fix-ups
red), mounding it slightly. If you like, add a pumpkin, butter, sage, paprika, garlic
cornichon ”stem” and fresh parsley “vine.” powder, salt, and pepper. Beat with
Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours. Makes about a mixer on medium to high until fl uff y,
Hummus Pumpkin 3 cups. scraping bowl as needed. Cover and chill

4 to 24 hours.
Create a mini pumpkin by slicing the 2. Place cheese mixture in the center of
top off an orange bell pepper. CREAMY BUTTERNUT a large piece of plastic wrap. Pull the plastic
Remove the seeds and membranes, SQUASH DIP wrap up around cheese mixture and shape
then fill with purchased roasted HANDS ON 30 minutes into a ball. Remove plastic wrap and roll
red pepper hummus. ROAST 35 minutes at 400°F cheese ball in remaining ³∕4 cup cheddar
Dippers
cheese. If you like, sprinkle with additional
1 2¹∕4-lb. butternut squash paprika and fresh sage. Makes 24 servings.
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped TO SHAPE INTO A PUMPKIN After rolling the
Make your nibbler board visually 2 Tbsp. olive oil cheese ball in the remaining cheddar
stunning with dippers and crackers ¹∕2 tsp. kosher salt cheese, wrap the ball in another piece of
that keep the orange theme going, 1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed plastic wrap. Place a few rubber bands
such as carrots, orange bell pepper and drained lengthwise around the cheese ball to form
strips, and cheese crackers. 4 oz. goat cheese (chèvre) ridges like a pumpkin. Chill until firm,
¹∕2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove rubber bands
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice and unwrap. Add a sugar snap pea and
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves, sage leaves to the top of pumpkin for a
plus sprigs for garnish stem and leaves.
Small round bread loaf
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Halve and peel JACK-O’-CITRUS GRANITA

squash and remove seeds. Cut squash into HANDS ON 15 minutes
1-inch cubes. Toss cubes with garlic, oil, and COOL 30 minutes
salt. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet. FREEZE 6 hours
Roast until tender, about 35 minutes. STAND 5 minutes
2. Transfer squash to a food processor. Add
beans, goat cheese, Parmesan, lemon juice, 1¹∕2 cups orange juice
and chopped thyme. Process 30 seconds. ¹∕4 cup sugar
Scrape sides of bowl; blend until very ¹∕4 cup fresh lemon or lime juice
smooth, 30 seconds more. Let dip cool. 1 medium orange, peeled, sectioned,
3. Slice off top of loaf. Pull out bread in and finely chopped
center, leaving a ¹∕2-inch shell. (Reserve 1 small lemon or lime, peeled, sectioned,
removed bread for another use.) Spoon dip and finely chopped
into hollow loaf. Garnish with fresh thyme Orange slices (optional)
CHEDDARY PIMIENTO sprigs. Makes 3 cups. Green licorice strings (optional)
CHEESE
HANDS ON 15 minutes 1. For syrup, in a small saucepan combine
CHILL 4 hours PUMPKIN-CHEDDAR orange juice and sugar. Cook and stir over
CHEESE BALL WITH SAGE medium until sugar dissolves. Remove from
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese HANDS ON 15 minutes heat. Stir in lemon juice; set syrup aside to
(12 oz.) CHILL 4 hours cool 30 minutes.
²∕3 cup mayonnaise 2. Stir orange and lemon pieces into syrup.
1 4-oz. jar diced pimientos, drained 2 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened Pour mixture into an 8-inch square baking
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 cups fi nely shredded sharp cheddar dish. Freeze, uncovered, 2 hours, stirring
1 tsp. yellow mustard cheese (8 oz.) and scraping frozen mixture off bottom and
¹∕4 tsp. garlic powder ¹∕2 of a 15-oz. can pumpkin (³∕4 cup) sides of dish every 30 minutes. Cover and
Cornichon (optional) ¹∕4 cup butter, softened freeze, without stirring, until firm, 4 hours.
Fresh parsley sprig (optional) 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage 3. To serve, let granita stand at room
¹∕2 tsp. smoked paprika temperature 5 to 10 minutes. Use the tines of
1. In a medium bowl stir together cheese, ¹∕4 tsp. garlic powder a fork to scrape across the surface of the
mayonnaise, pimientos, Worcestershire ¹∕4 tsp. kosher salt granita. Spoon into chilled glasses. If you
sauce, mustard, and garlic powder, mashing ¹∕4 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper like, garnish each glass with an orange slice
with the back of a spoon as you mix and a green licorice string. Makes
(mixture will be chunky). Spoon mixture into 1. In a medium bowl combine cream 4 servings.
a small serving dish (preferably orange or cheese, 1¹∕4 cups of the cheddar cheese, the

G h a s t ly g ree n s
purchased HERBAL BUTTERMILK DIP GREEN MONSTER SMASH

fix-ups START TO FINISH 10 minutes START TO FINISH 10 minutes
Fingerling fingers ¹∕2 cup plain Greek yogurt 6 cucumber slices
and Pesto ¹∕4 cup buttermilk 8 seedless green grapes

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives ¹∕4 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
These creepy fingers are quick to
2 tsp. chopped fresh dill Cucumber strips (optional)
make. Boil whole fingerling potatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced Ginger beer or ginger ale, chilled
in salted water until tender; drain.
1 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
Toss with purchased pesto. Use a ¹∕2 tsp. onion powder 1. In a food processor or high-power
sharp knife to cut slits in the ends of ¹∕4 tsp. black pepper blender combine cucumber slices, grapes,
potatoes and insert sliced almonds as ¹∕8 tsp. kosher salt mint leaves, and lime juice. Process until
fingernails. Olive oil nearly smooth. If you like, wrap cucumber
Chicken Salad 1. In a small bowl whisk together yogurt and

strips around the inside of tall glasses. Pour
Mummies
cucumber mixture into glasses and top with
buttermilk. Stir in chives, parsley, dill, garlic, ginger beer; stir gently. Makes 2 servings.
tarragon, onion powder, pepper, and salt.
Spoon chicken salad from the deli Spoon into a serving dish and top with a
onto collard greens or green cabbage drizzle of olive oil and additional chopped
leaves. Roll up leaves, folding in herbs. Serve with green vegetable dippers.
sides to enclose like a burrito. Cut
additional leaves into strips to wrap
around the outside of the roll for the SOUR CANDIED GRAPE
full mummy effect. Add caper-stuffed EYEBALLS
green olives for eyes. HANDS ON 30 minutes
CHILL 2 hours
To make leaves easy to roll, cut the
stems off collard greens. Spread 1 3-oz. pkg. lime-flavor gelatin
60 large green grapes
leaves on a work surface, shiny
2 to 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
sides down. Use a vegetable peeler
Canned white frosting
to shave thick veins until even with
Candy eyes
leaves. Place two leaves at a time on a
paper towel; microwave 30 seconds. 1. Line a tray with waxed paper. Pour
Repeat with remaining leaves. gelatin powder into a shallow dish. Insert a
toothpick into the stem end of one grape
To prep cabbage, fill a very large and dip it into lemon juice. Let excess juice
pot halfway with water. Bring to drip off, then roll grape in gelatin powder
boiling; reduce heat until water is until evenly coated. Place on prepared tray
simmering. Insert a large serving and carefully remove toothpick. Repeat with
fork into the cabbage core and dunk remaining grapes. Use dots of frosting to
whole cabbage in boiling water 1 to attach candy eyes as desired. Chill grapes
2 minutes or until outer leaves soften. at least 2 hours before serving. Makes
10 servings.
Remove cabbage from pot, cool
NOTE Coated grapes also may be frozen
slightly, and pull or trim softened
for 2 hours before serving. For longer
outer leaves away. Repeat dunking
storage, transfer frozen grapes to an
and peeling leaves away from core. airtight container. Cover and freeze up to
(Thicker inner leaves will take 2 to 1 month.
3 minutes to soften.) Trim thick veins
as with collard greens.

Winsome Trio
1 Mantel 3 Themes
Hocus-pocus, it’s time to
focus—on your mantel.
Choose your look and shift
this focal-point feature into
a magical attraction.
PHOTOGRAPHER brie williams • PRODUCER suzonne stirling
WRITER jody garlock
Instructions
begin on page 88.
Wooden bead garlands draped

below the mantel attach
to self-adhesive hooks,
one of Suzonne Stirling’s
easy-on, easy-off
decorating essentials.
If the witching hour
is the only time you can squeeze in Halloween
decorating, take a cue from Suzonne Stirling.
The New Orleans stylist and lifelong crafter
simplifies by zeroing in on her fireplace
mantel—and not sweating the rest. “The
mantel is a natural focal point in a room, and
it’s less overwhelming than decorating your
entire house,” Suzonne says. “Even small-scale
decorating creates maximum impact.”
She’s also a fan of reusing existing items in
different ways to create fresh looks. “Sometimes
the smallest tweak can create a completely
different vibe,” she says. Here, she works magic
on one mantel to create three distinct looks.
R e t r o
Going
MAGICAL THINKING
The vintage-inspired display, opposite, is full of tricks
and treats, starting with candies that adorn the wreath.
Decorative tapes make quick pattern play on some
pumpkins, while others masquerade as a skeleton,
black cat, and jack-o’-lantern. And those old-school
candlesticks? They, and the candles in them, are DIY
knockoffs made with cardboard tubes—and are versatile
enough to transition to a Christmas or winter display.
“Crafting is an investment of time, so it’s always a good
idea to make things that you can imagine using again,”
Suzonne says.
SWEET TREAT
The candy-laden wreath, above right, is an ode to
little ghouls filling buckets with treats. Weave a black
tinsel garland—it adds sparkle—around the branches
of a black spruce wreath, then attach a bow. Wire on
ornaments and lollipops, individually or in clusters. Use
quick-setting gel adhesive to finish the wreath with
foil-wrapped candies.
CHARACTER STUDY
With a little conjuring, pumpkins morph into cute
costumed characters, right. Pair metal yard picks that
have Halloween-theme faces—a black cat, jack-o’-lantern,
and skeleton are classics—with foam pumpkins. Spray-
paint the pumpkins, if desired. Use an awl to make a hole
near the stem, and push the yard pick through so the face
rests on the pumpkin. Tape or glue on a bow, fluffy collar,
tail, or other costume accessories from a party store.

o o n
Over the M
MOONLIGHT SERENADE
A feathery crescent moon and shades of lavender cast a
glamorous spell on a display that shows the softer side
of Halloween, opposite. The artsy moon is the headliner,
while the mantel decorations play a supporting role.
Vertical elements, such as branches (or mini trees) and
candlesticks with tapers, strategically draw the eye up to
the moon. Faux ravens appear in each layer—above the
mantel, on the mantel, and on the floor—for continuity
and to bring in a wee bit of Halloween doom.
MOON LANDING
A raven, above left, seemingly traveled far for a soft
landing on this feathery crescent moon. A shimmering
star garland dangles from the tip. The mesmerizing wall
hanging gets its shape from foam-core board and its fluff
from champagne-color feather boas.
PURPLE REIGN
Step aside, basic orange pumpkins. Shades of lavender
and varied textures—matte, shimmery, velvety—dial up
the interest in this glam grouping, left. The pearlescent
shine on the large pumpkin comes from a spray-on
glaze. Velvet pumpkins that add a rich look are an easy
DIY project (or available as kits or already finished at
yourheartscontent.etsy.com). To amp up the Halloween
fun of the “boo-tiful” display, embellish some pumpkins
with self-adhesive or stenciled letters to spell out a word.
Sketch stars and constellations

on a black-painted foam pumpkin.
Brush the stars and lines
with decoupage medium, and
then shake on gold or silver glitter.

NATURAL INSTINCTS
For a mantel display that plays into the popularity of farmhouse style, load up on white and earthy
accents. Fittingly, a white barn owl crafted from foam pumpkins anchors the display. “The nice thing
about having a star in your mantel display is that it becomes the starting point,” Suzonne says. “I also
like to ease my focal point to one side or the other instead of dead center. But experiment and do what
works best.” To ensure the owl stands out, she nested the bird amid fall floral sprays and pumpkin picks.
A vintage web propped against the wall acts as a backdrop. A dramatic grapevine garland arches above it.
Recruit extra hands to help arrange

The unwieldy grapevine
into a pleasing arch.
Small Nails, putty, and wire
keep it in place.

s e F r e s h
a r m h o u
F
“PUT YOUR FOCAL-
POINT ITEM IN FIRST
AND BUILD AROUND
THAT. I RARELY KNOW
EXACTLY HOW A
DESIGN WILL LOOK IN
THE END UNTIL I’VE
STARTED WITH THAT
ANCHOR PIECE.”
—STYLIST suzonne stirling
SPINNING YARNS
Pumpkin crafting doesn’t get much easier than these
yarn-wrapped pretties, above right, that create a classic
plaid design or—depending on your perspective—mimic
spiderwebs. Loosely insert a mini brad into the top of a
foam pumpkin. (If needed, use a needle tool to pierce a
hole for the brad.) Wrap a piece of yarn around the brad,
pull yarn down, and tape to the bottom of the pumpkin.
Press brad firmly into the pumpkin to secure yarn at top.
Repeat for other vertical lines. For horizontal lines, wrap
pieces of yarn around the pumpkin; use brads to secure
about every other intersection where the horizontal and
vertical yarns meet.
WHAT A HOOT
White foam pumpkins form the body and feet of this
wise old guy, right. The pumpkin fun doesn’t end there.
Mini fabric pumpkins for eyes and a dried pumpkin stem
for the beak finish the face, while white pumpkin seeds
cleverly mimic feathers.
Instructions
Moonlight Serenade
PAGE 85
MATERIALS
• Crescent Moon pattern (right) MOONLIGHT SERENADE
Crescent Moon
• Foam-core board Enlarge 300%
• 2 champagne or beige boas (we used
80-gram Chandelle boas)
• Quick-setting gel adhesive (we used
Beacon 3-in-1 brand)
• Self-adhesive strips
INSTRUCTIONS
Enlarge and print Crescent Moon pattern to 34 inches tall. (For a larger moon,
additional boas are needed.) Trace enlarged moon pattern onto foam-core board. Use a
crafts knife and cutting mat to cut out the crescent moon.
Working in small sections, apply a few lines of gel adhesive from the top tip of the
Magical Thinking moon shape along the outer edge. Adhere the end of a boa to the moon shape. Continue
PAGES 82–83 securing the boa to the outer edge down to the bottom tip of the moon. Trim excess.
MATERIALS Attach the second boa in the same way, starting at the top inner edge of the moon
• Crepe paper in color that complements shape and working along the inner edge to the bottom. Bend boa upward and glue along
the decorative paper the middle of the moon shape. Use scraps from the first boa to fill gaps. Let glue dry.
• Empty paper towel tube Fluff feathers. Attach self-adhesive strips to the back of the foam-core board for hanging.
• Quick-setting gel adhesive (we used
Beacon 3-in-1 brand)
• Decorative paper
• Vellum: orange or yellow Purple Reign: Pearlescent and Glitter Pumpkins
• Cardboard tube that is slightly wider PAGES 84–85
than the paper towel tube MATERIALS
• Heavyweight snack-size paper plate or • Foam pumpkins • Pearlescent spray fi nish (we used Plaid
shallow bowl • Painters tape FolkArt Pearlcote pearl glaze)
• Cardstock: black • Spray paint or acrylic paint: lavender • Self-adhesive letters or stencils
• Acrylic paint: black or desired color (for glitter (optional)
• 1- or 1½-inch foam paintbrush pumpkins, we used Krylon Decor • Flat or foam paintbrush
• Decoupage medium (we used Mod Podge Selects Satin Paint in lavender • Decoupage medium (we used
brand) and Montana Gold acrylic paint Mod Podge brand)
• Fine glitter: black in viola) • Fine glitter: clear or desired color
INSTRUCTIONS INSTRUCTIONS
Cut a square of crepe paper to cover one Tape off pumpkin stems. Spray or paint pumpkins in desired colors; let dry.
end of the paper towel tube; glue in place Pearlescent pumpkin: Lightly spray pumpkin with pearl glaze; let dry. Repeat coats as
for the top of the candle. Wrap tube with desired to intensify shine. Remove tape; let dry. Spell out words, such as boo or eek, using
decorative paper, cutting to fit and leaving self-adhesive letters or stencils, if desired.
about 2 inches of the tube uncovered at the Glitter pumpkin: Working in a small area at a time, use a flat or foam paintbrush to
bottom; glue along the seam. Cut a flame apply decoupage medium to a painted pumpkin. Apply in desired areas to form patterns,
shape from vellum. Bend bottom of flame, such as stars, or cover entire surface. Refer to photos, pages 84–85, for ideas. Sprinkle
and glue tab to candle top. Set candle aside. glitter on wet decoupage medium. Shake off excess glitter; let dry.
For the candlestick, cut the slightly wider
cardboard tube to 2¾ inches tall. Glue the
tube to the center of the paper plate or
bowl. For the handle, cut a thin strip from
black cardstock; glue to the tube, placing
the top of the strip inside the tube and the
bottom of the strip on the outside; let dry.
Paint the candlestick with two coats
of black; let dry after each coat. Brush
decoupage medium on the candlestick,
avoiding the inside of the socket. Sprinkle
with glitter; let dry. Shake off excess glitter.
Insert paper-covered candle into the
candlestick.

Purple Reign: What a Hoot
Velvet Pumpkins PAGES 86–87
PAGES 84–85 MATERIALS
MATERIALS • Large white foam pumpkin (body)
• Papier-mâché pumpkin • 3 small foam pumpkins (feet and ears)
• Velvet fabric • Quick-setting gel adhesive (we used Beacon 3-in-1 brand)
• Quick-setting gel adhesive (we used • 2 small fabric pumpkins (eyes)
Beacon Fabri-Tac or 3-in-1 brands) • Peppercorns
• Natural pumpkin stem (optional) • Natural pumpkin stem (beak)
• White pumpkin seeds (feathers)
INSTRUCTIONS
Remove stem from papier-mâché pumpkin INSTRUCTIONS
if replacing with a natural stem. Remove stems from all pumpkins. Use gel adhesive to attach two small foam
Cut out a rough circle of velvet to fit pumpkins (feet) to the bottom of the large pumpkin (body); make sure it is stable
around the pumpkin. Center pumpkin on and stands on its own. Let dry.
fabric circle. Bring fabric edges up around Apply gel adhesive in a circle to the middle of a fabric pumpkin. Adhere
pumpkin, gathering and trimming fabric as peppercorns to create a pupil. Repeat with second fabric pumpkin. Let dry.
needed; glue fabric in place at the top. Glue Use gel adhesive to attach the fabric pumpkin eyes to the upper front of the
natural pumpkin stem to top of pumpkin, if pumpkin body. Glue a pumpkin stem beak between and slightly below the eyes,
desired; hold in place until adhesive sets. holding all pieces in place until glue is set. Glue pumpkin seeds to the lower body to
create the look of feathers.
Using a serrated knife, cut the remaining small foam pumpkin into wedges.
Carve out some of the interior to create a crescent moon shape. Use gel adhesive to
attach two wedges for ears.
Natural Instincts
PAGE 86
MATERIALS
• Fresh-cut grapevines, such as
muscadine, in varied widths
• Small nails
• Putty (optional)
• Florists paddle wire
• Faux greenery with leaves (our leaves
have a neutral, bleached look)
INSTRUCTIONS
Unroll the grapevines. If they have dried
out, submerge them in water overnight so
they become pliable and easier to work with.
With a helper, drape a thick grapevine
above and to the side of the fireplace
mantel, creating an arch or shape that
accentuates the focal point of your mantel
display. Use small nails as needed to hold
the grapevine in place; the end can also be
supported with a small amount of putty
along the side of the chimney.
Add grapevines in varied lengths and
widths. For additional support, wire pieces
together where they intersect. Use garden
pruners or shears to trim excess grapevines
as you work.
Pull faux leaves off the purchased
branches. Hot-glue leaves to the grapevines
as desired, including to cover any wires.

Batty for
This homeowner charms with festive passion.

The eerily stylish result is like decor witchcraft.
PHOTOGRAPHER adam albright
WRITER ashlyn ware
BAT’S NEST
A faux Cimicifuga (afloral.com), or snakeroot plant, weaves through candlesticks topped with tapers and drapes over the mantel, above.
White pumpkins and seasonal textiles add festivity while harmonizing with the clean, classic aesthetic. The exterior, opposite, gets a
stylish haunting with a bat motif. Decked out in one of the Halloween costumes she adores, Esmé, homeowner Jenna LeBlanc’s 3-year-
old daughter, flies down the sidewalk.

MYSTICAL SETTING
Dried branches spread across the dining room’s open space. “The
large scale definitely makes an impact,” Jenna says. “I wanted
to visually fill the space.” Years-old flea market glassware adds
mystery (surely these bottles held potions at some time!). Stalking
crows and Susie the cat become omens of creepiness to come.
onstruction paper transformed into spooky bats,
ghosts, and pumpkins as young Jenna LeBlanc
and her siblings gathered around the dining table
to ring in the Halloween season.
“It wasn’t anything fancy, but that instilled a
love for Halloween and the whole celebration,”
Jenna says. “I knew I wanted to continue those
traditions once I got my own house.”
When her daughter, Esmé, was born,
Jenna reignited her childhood passion by
decorating the exterior of her Florida home.
Bats, spiderwebs, and ghosts mix with the
home’s traditional style to create what Jenna
calls a “spooky chic” aesthetic. “We try to do
something fun with it and try to play up the
architectural details,” Jenna says.
The first year Jenna decorated her house,
followers of her Instagram (@jennasuedesign)
and blog (jennasuedesign.com) swooned over the
bat motif. Jenna has repeated the design with a
few tweaks and additions every year since. “I try
to do something a little bit different every year,”
she says. “But it was hard to top that year!”
Jenna’s chicly haunted interior is inspired
by the home’s design style. “It’s classic mixed
with casual, vintage meets modern day, and
GOTHIC TABLESCAPE
Black spiderweb lace, moss, and antlers add a Gothic
touch to the table’s centerpiece display, top right. The
home’s Florida location makes it easy to grab moss
hanging from trees in the backyard.
A FESTIVE CREW
The LeBlanc family, above right, makes decorating a
family affair. Husband Lucas helps put up bats, and Esmé
(3) helps decorate pumpkins. “She enjoys being around
and watching everything come together,” Jenna says.
FRIGHT IN FLIGHT
The focal-point turret begs for Halloween decor. Across
the home’s front, right, bats with wings spread give an
eerily realistic show of a colony in flight. A sprawling net
of webbing pins the landscaping, and enormous fuzzy
spiders sit atop bushes that look like captured prey.

contrasting tones and textures with a neutral
palette,” Jenna says.
Her refined taste in furniture, like the black
buffet and the dark wooden dining table, make
the “perfect blank canvas for holiday displays,”
Jenna says.
Her favorite accents are rediscovered by
digging through her stash of flea market and
thrifted finds. “Vintage decor gives off that
classic spooky Halloween feel and feels more
sophisticated than only using store-bought
items,” she says.
By sharing their family celebrations, Jenna
hopes Esmé will continue to find joy in the
anticipation, planning, and decorating.
“I also secretly hope she’ll want to keep our
themed family costumes going for many years!”
Jenna says. One of Jenna’s favorite family
costumes was weather themed. Jenna was a
lightning bolt, her husband, Lucas, was a rain
cloud, and Esmé was sunshine.
Halloween traditions are a sparkling memory
from Jenna’s childhood, and now her own family
is in on the magic.
BONY DISPLAY
Morbid bones, like the skeletal hand displayed in a glass
cloche and vertebrae strewn about, adorn the black
buffet, top left. A collection of vintage books full of
Halloween folklore and a Victorian candlestick blend
style and fright.
WHITE AS A GHOST
With help from Esmé, Jenna painted pumpkins a ghostly
color and added trembling faces, above left. Jenna
paints the pumpkins rather than carving them so they
last longer in the Florida heat.
DIY APPARITIONS
Jenna made ghosts, left, using plastic foam balls, heavy-
duty wire, and white gauze fabric. To make your own,
paint black eyes on a large foam ball, then drape the ball
with white gauze fabric, leaving plenty of fabric to blow
in the wind. To create arms, attach wire to the foam ball
under the fabric and bend into shape.
TRACE OF TRADITIONAL
The home’s traditional style is prominent no matter the
season or holiday decorations. The gold-framed mirror
and sleek black buffet, opposite, are beautiful on their
own and add understated style for Halloween decor.

PHOTOGRAPHER john granen

Come little children.
—sarah sanderson in Hocus Pocus (1993)

The time has come to play
here in my garden of magic.
Halloween Tricks & Treats® (ISSN 1546-4997), 2023. Halloween Tricks & Treats is published annually in August by Meredith Operations Corp., 1716 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309-3023. Better Homes & Gardens is a registered
trademark in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Better Homes & Gardens marca registrada en México. © Meredith Operations Corp. 2023. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
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163

SET THE SCENE

THROW A PARTY THAT'S SPOOKY & SWEET 2023

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26 ALL IN FAVOR, SAY EYES!

HALLOWEEN TRICKS & TREATS 2023 1

90 BATTY FOR FRIGHT NIGHT

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Get lost in macaron

HALLOWEEN TRICKS & TREATS 2023 5

LASALLE COUNTY, IL CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO

QUINCY, IL FULTON/CALLAWAY COUNTY, MO

Eerily charming, spooky, and fun, vintage-

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A SKELETON DANCE B PUMPKIN SERVICE C CHARACTER BALLS D CAT’S MEOW

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A SIGN OF THE TIMES B MEDALLION MEDLEY C IN THE BAG D CHART TOPPERS

E ACCORDION PLAYERS F BLACK CAT NAPS G HANG TIME

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Adding flirt and flair has never been so tempting with

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ECLECTIC AND ELECTRIC

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I ALWAYS LIKE TO MAKE

HALLOWEEN TRICKS & TREATS 2023 15

NEUTRALS TAKE ON NATURE

–STYLIST stephanie short campbell

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Stephanie Hanna goes all out for her daughters and

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SETTING THE SCENE

HALLOWEEN TRICKS & TREATS 2023 21

SUGAR & SLITHERIN’

24 HALLOWEEN TRICKS & TREATS 2023

Boo sign, chat-bubble plates,

Ghost wand with ribbons:

Bat garland, skull garland:

Balloon arch, arched wall,

Cookies: Royally Iced Sweets,

SILLY STACK-UPS EAR-TO-EAR GRIN

HALLOWEEN TRICKS & TREATS 2023 27

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GET A GHOULISH GAZE

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SLIMY FAKE SNAKES

HALLOWEEN TRICKS & TREATS 2023 33

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HALLOWEEN TRICKS & TREATS 2023 35

Forage for dried grasses and

WINGING IT WOODLAND WREATH

HALLOWEEN TRICKS & TREATS 2023 39

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TRICKS FOR TIME-OUT

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OWL CONSTRUCTION DIAGRAM

HALLOWEEN TRICKS & TREATS 2023 43

ALL SYSTEMS GO!