Ghost Host

During the afternoon Halloween party planning chat today, we discussed the Ghost Host decoration. I want to do this in our front yard this year. We are planning a virtual project for several to make one at the same time and post our progress on the boards!

FamilyFun.com has the original directions, plus lots of other cool stuff. Click here for more haunted fun!

Ghost Host

craft materials:

*6 dowels

*small white garbage bags

*newspaper

*masking tape

*old white sheets

*string

*black permanent marker

Time needed: under 1 hour

1. First, find a good location for your gathering of ghosts. They look especially good when circling a central pole, such as a tree or lamppost. (I plan to use the sycamore tree in our front yard...)

2. Next, cut your dowels to the height you'd like your ghosts to be. We've seen them in every size, from toddler height (quite cute) to larger than life (quiet spooky). Remember, the larger the ghosts, the more sheets you need to use.

3. To make a ghost head, stuff a white garbage bag or paper bag with crumpled newspaper or leaves to the size you like. Push one of the dowels into the bag, then wrap masking tape around the neck to secure it. Repeat for the rest of the ghosts.

4. Drape a sheet (or half a sheet, if you're making small ghosts) over each head and tie a piece of string around each neck. You may need to experiment with cutting your sheets to the right size. (In the picture they used a queen sized sheet for each ghost and rounded the bottom edges to the desired length).

5. Use permanent black markers to draw a face on each ghost.

6. Gather your ghosts around the tree or pole...with a foot or two around each one...and push the dowels into the earth so that the sheets touch the ground. Angle the ghosts so that they are leaning slightly backward, then knot the corners of the sheets together as if the ghosts were holding hands.

That's it. Very cute, very easy...now to haunt..er..hunt down some queen sized sheets!

Happy Haunting!

Cathy