Halloween's around the corner, but it's not too late to create a haunted house of your own!
Just listen to Martha Stewart. She stopped by TODAY Thursday to share tricks for adding that spooky touch to your home using some last-minute DIY decorations.
1) Silhouette curtains
Following the steps below, create curtains that will create the spooky illusion of a silhouette in your window when the lights go out:
- Take a piece of cotton cloth and a black marker.
- Draw an outline of any figure you'd like, whether it's a vampire, zombie or ghost.
- If you are not the best freehand drawer, that's okay, MarthaStewart.com has easy-to-use templates that you can print! Follow the grid to create your figure.
- Next, you fill in the silhouette with dark grey or black paint. Let it dry.
- What I like to do next is take a sheer/thin cloth, such as cheesecloth, and add this as a layer over the silhouette. This makes it more ghostly and gives it a spookier effect.
- To create space for your curtain rod, simply fold over a few inches from the top. Since we are all in a hurry, instead of sewing, you can simply pin it together or use a stapler!
For more information on creating the silhouette curtains, head to MarthaStewart.com
2) Cloth ghosts for your entryway
The entryway sets the tone for your haunted house. Give yours a spooky flare by creating your own ghosts to greet your visitors:
- Crumple a piece of aluminum foil into a ball that tapers on one end (so it can sit in the opening of a wine bottle).
- Next, create arms: Take another sheet of foil, fold it lengthwise and wrap once around base of ball; shape up into arms.
- Rest the foil shape in mouth of bottle.
- Cut pieces of cheesecloth into strips (you can also use medical gauze). You'll need 4-6 pieces per ghost.
- Saturate strips in mixture of 1 part cornstarch, 2 parts water (can also use liquid starch, which you can find in grocery store).
- Drape strips over your mold in various directions to cover completely.
- Once cheesecloth dries, carefully lift the ghost off mold (you can speed up drying time with a small fan).
- Hang with fishing line or place on a table/porch.
For more information on creating your cloth ghosts, head to MarthaStewart.com.
3) Create your own mad scientist lab, complete with slime
A mad scientist's lab is a fun and unique way to create a spooky interior. Below are the steps you need to create all the elements for your laboratory:
Glowing water
- Fill container with 2 cups of hot water.
- With pliers, pull out felt writing tip from a highlighter, and then carefully pry off bottom of highlighter and remove felt ink tube from inside.
- Place both the felt ink tube and the writing tip into the hot water and let it sit for 4 to 6 hours.
- Once the water has cooled and the ink has saturated the solution, use gloved hands to squeeze any remaining ink out of the felt tube. Discard felt ink tube and writing tip.
- Using a blacklight will really make this pop!
- Use glow water by itself or in any other crafts involving water or dye to create projects that glow under a black light.
Head here for more info on creating your own glowing water for your lab.
Specimen jars
Here's some brains, guts and heart to spook your guests!
- Fill jars with water and foods such as cauliflower, ginger, grapes, fennel, radishes.
- Add some color using a food coloring of your choice
Get more info on creating your own specimen jars here.
Bubbling lava lamp
- Fill bottom of container with 1 to 2 inches of water. Add food coloring until desired color is reached.
- Tilt bottle slightly, and carefully pour vegetable oil into container, creating a layer on top of water, filling to about 1 to 2 inches below the opening of the container.
- Break antacid tablets in half and drop into container as desired. They will sink directly through the oil layer and begin bubbling in the water layer, drawing the colored water up through the oil like a lava lamp!
Get more info on creating a bubbling lava lamp here.