Arts and Crafts for Halloween

Jack-o-Lantern Punch Bowl Centerpiece
1 punch bowl size pumpkin
Black magic marker or acrylic paint
Knife
Spoon
Newspaper

This jack-o-lantern is a punch bowl and centerpiece.

Thoroughly clean inside of pumpkin. Make sure you remove all the fibrous strings. Paint a jack-o-lantern face on pumpkin using acrylic paints or permanent marking pens. Refrigerate pumpkin until ready to serve the drink.

Pour cider or other Halloween punch into cold pumpkin. The refrigerated pumpkin cools the punch.


Ghost Tree Ornaments
1 white plastic trash bag per ghost
1 round balloon per ghost
1 rubber band per ghost
Black paint or permanent marker
String or thin rope

Blow up a balloon until it is as big as you would like the head of your ghost. (Don't make it too big because it may pop.)

Put the balloon in a plastic bag and situate it so that a corner of the bottom of the bag is at the top of the balloon.

Tie the bag just below the bottom of the balloon.

Draw a face onto the balloon with paint or marker. The bag should be tied tightly enough so that the surface is shaped evenly with the balloon.

Make a hole in the top of the bag (make sure you don't get the balloon) just large enough to insert the rope or string. Tie the string tightly and hang from a tree branch.


Mashed Potato Ghosts
Favorite recipe from Idaho Potato Commission

5 cups mashed Idaho potatoes
Wax paper
1/2 cup small black olives

Cut ghost shapes out of wax paper to use as templates.

Place templates on serving dish or cookie sheet. Use rubber spatula to mold 1/2 to 1 cup potatoes into each ghost shape.

Slice olives to create circular shapes to be used for eyes and mouth.

NOTE: To warm Mashed Potato Ghosts, microwave on HIGH for 2 to 4 minutes on microwavable plate. If using oven, place potatoes on cookie sheet and re-heat at 350 degrees F, loosely covered with foil, for 7 to 8 minutes or until heated through.


Chocolate Brains
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chow mein noodles
1/2 cup mini marshmallows

Grease sides of medium mixing bowl. Combine noodles and marshmallows in greased bowl.

Microwave chocolate chips in glass measuring cup or bowl. Stir every 30 seconds or so until chips are melted.

Pour chocolate over noodles and marshmallows and mix until coated.

Put a little oil on hands and shape into 6 balls. Place on wax paper and cool in refrigerator until chocolate is hardened.


Jack o' Lantern Votive Candle Holders
Small baby food jars
Liquid starch
Orange tissue paper
Black tissue paper
Votive candles

Wash and scrub the outside of the jars well, making sure all the adhesive is off.

Cut the orange tissue paper into varying shapes with no dimension greater than 3/4 inch.

Cut eyes, nose and mouth out of black tissue paper. Set aside.

Pour a small amount of starch onto a Styrofoam plate. Dip each piece of orange tissue paper into starch and place on the outside of the jar, overlapping. Cover the jar well. Let the orange tissue paper dry.

Dip the black tissue cut-outs into the starch and place in the appropriate place to make a Jack O' Lantern face. Place a small votive candle in the jar.