My uber-creative friend Martie made these adorable and affordable pumpkin people decorations. Visit her blog to learn how to make pumpkin people.
Martie is the party and entertaining expert on MSN, but she’s no Martha Stewart. Her ideas are meant to be affordable and easy for normal people to do. For a recent party, Martie used hollowed out gourds she found at a farm stand as vases and candle-holders. She spent less than $40…but the decorations looked luxe and expensive.
Another affordable idea: line your driveway or the path to your front step with luminaries. You can make your own using paper bags, sand/stones and tea lights or buy some cute luminaries with jack-o-lantern cutouts. I found some online at 4FunParties for $12.15. Shop the Halloween section at 4FunParties.com for scene setters to decorate the house, Halloween toys, paper goods, and much more.
I saw these nifty Spider Web Stands at LillianVernon. At $21.98, these are relatively affordable, and you’ll use them year after year to display your pumpkins or to hold your trick-or-treating candy. (Save on all your spookylicious favorites for Halloween with FREE Shipping on orders of $65+ using media code 728860100 thru October 31)
If you need some creative pumpkin carving ideas, check out HGTV’s free templates or this do-it-yourself explanation of how to make a “shaved swirl-a-whirl” pumpkin using a rotary pumpkin-carving tool. And don’t forget to toast your pumpkin seeds for a yummy treat. (You’ll find the recipe here.)
Add a personal touch to your Halloween decor with this Family of Characters Doormat from PersonalCreations ($19.95). Pick a different spooky character for each member of the family (including your cat or dog) and add your name or a witty saying of 25 characters or less.
If you’re not that confident about your carving skills, paint your pumpkin instead. Your pumpkin will last longer, and -if you used non-toxic paint-you can still use the pumpkin flesh later for pie or soup, which eliminates the typical waste of a carved pumpkin. For a fun decorating idea, buy lots of the mini pumpkins. Have the kids paint them different colors, decorate them with wacky designs, or cover them with glitter. Put them all in a big bowl to use them as a centerpiece or line them up on your fireplace mantel for a one-of-a-kind display.
