Top 20 Creepy Spooky Homemade Halloween Props & Decorations

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So I’ve already shared my favourite Halloween treats and snacks from around the web (which you should totally take a look at), but no self-respecting Halloween nut would skip out on covering their house and garden with spooktacular homemade Halloween props and decorations!

So, I made myself another cup of industrial-strength coffee and assaulted my keyboard into the early hours like some sort of teenage hacker. I think I’ve outdone myself with my investigation skills.

Creepy Spooky DIY Halloween Props Decorations

I’ve found you a whole host of different types of decorations. From body parts in jars to floating candles, you’re sure to find something to jazz up your next Halloween party.

The creators of these how to’s have taken ingenuity and creativity to the next level, and you have to check out their blogs. As always I’ll leave a link to these scarily genius DIY Halloween decorations so you can find out how to make them yourselves.

So, let’s get to it, shall we?!

Floating Halloween Candles

By Vanessa @CraftsUnleashed

Floating Halloween Candles

My little ones and I are obsessed with anything and everything Harry Potter. When I came across these floating candles, I put them on my list without hesitation. They really remind me of the floating candles in the Great Hall, and totally worth giving a go.

The icing on the cake for these little gems is that you get to use your glue gun, and I take up any opportunity to whip that bad boy out! I also like any way to recycle everyday things with crafting, and in this case toilet and kitchen paper roles!

Vanessa is a mom of two and total craft queen (when she has time). She posts as part of a team of totally pro crafters on Consumer Craft’s DIY crafting site ‘Crafts Unleashed’. It’s an absolutely amazing site, and you should definitely check out what they’re doing, but also have a gander at Vanessa’s own blog ‘Tried and True’.

Light Up Spider Mason Jar

By Trisha @MomDot

Light Up Spider Mason Jar

I probably don’t need to tell you how popular mason jar crafts are. You don’t have to take my word for it, just spend 5 minutes on Pinterest and you’ll see what I mean. These spooky light up spider mason jars combine this crafting craze with Halloween vibes, and I’m loving it.

They look super cool and again, we’re recycling which is always good. They would look great as additions to your Halloween mantle displays, as well as decorations for a Halloween party buffet. Trisha also has a few other ideas for spooky mason jars on her page, so definitely have a look at them as well.

Trisha posts about crafting, food, lifestyle, and a whole host of other things on her site MomDot. It’s a totally cute site that is absolutely worth a bookmark. She also has some gorgeous free printables, which include coloring sheets for kids, beautiful quotes for framing, handy lifestyle hacks, and loads more! Don’t forget to take a look at her slime recipes; kids love it and some are perfect for Halloween!

Hocus Pocus Magic Spell Books

By Sarha @SpotOfTeaDesigns

Hocus Pocus Magic Spell Books

These DIY magic spell books are absolutely incredible, and don’t look too hard to make! They’re the DIY Halloween prop that will take any display, be it on the mantle or just your coffee table, to the next level! I love how tactile they look, with the raised lettering and the addition of plastic skeletons, bugs and other cool stuff.

The choice of coloring almost makes it look like they were bound with skin, which totally gives me the creeps! It’s also a great way to make use of those big, heavy books that you’re not reading anymore, other than donating them to charity of course. If you really wanna take it further, you could stick a lot of the pages together (so you’re not at it all day) and glue some cool spell book printables to each page.

Tara from Spot of tea Designs shared this super cool Halloween craft on Wholesale Party Supplies, this was one of 8 things she made for a Halloween party, check them all out here.

Wicked Witch Legs

By Micki Hares @GrilloDesigns

Wicked Witch Legs

The Wicked Witch Legs was the first craft I came across when I started my hunt for the best DIY Halloween props, and I absolutely lost it! They look great, don’t they!? Like one of the cakes from my Halloween treats and snacks post, this reminds me of the Wicked Witch of the East who is crushed by Dorothy’s house in The Wizard of Oz.

These would look great in a bush next to your front door, to creep out the neighborhood kids and make their parents laugh. I love how creative it is, and although it might take you a little time to get it right, I think the cool effect it has is really worth it. You could even buy a witches broomstick from a Halloween party supply store, break it in half, attach a ‘learner driver’ sign with some twine and throw it on the ground next to the legs, so it looks like she’s crashed.

This was shared by Micki Hares, over on Grillo Designs. Medina is the genius behind the beautiful décor crafts at Grillo Designs. There are so many tutorials and décor ideas to get your creative juices flowing. She, and the cool people that submit their own creative ideas, will show you how to upcycle your home and everything inside! Definitely worth a look and a bookmark!

Head in a Jar Prank

By Mikeasaurus @Instructables

Head in a Jar Prank

So this head in a Jar prop is describes as a ‘prank’, but I think it would make the most awesome addition to any collection of super creepy homemade Halloween decorations. Out of all the props I feature on this list, this is the one that will have your kids, your grans and your dog running from the room screaming!

You’ll need some sort of photo editing software, but Mike gives you step by step instructions on how to use it to make this. If you’re really stuck, you could always try and search the web for a suitable face pic to use. If you’re the type to put on a haunted house for the neighborhood kids, this is an absolute MUST have.

Mike, who goes by the username mikeasaurus, posts lots of really cool how to’s over at Instructables. Instructables is a great site to find exactly how to make pretty much anything, be it cute gift cards or horrific dismembered head in a jar illusion. It’s also a great place to find inspiration for coming up with your own crazy homemade Halloween decorations.

Bat Decorations

By Dana @MadeEverday

Halloween Bat Decorations

These bat decorations are really easy to make using just paper, but look really cool and effective. I love the freedom you can have with it. You could make just a few to compliment a Halloween display, or make loads to sweep across a room like a swarm of bats!

Dana makes this homemade Halloween decoration by providing you with a nice template so you really can’t go wrong with this. I like how in her pictures she uses the standard size but also a smaller one, for a bit of variety. Why not go crazy and make lots of different sizes? This could give you a cool false perspective effect, making the swarm look much denser and not so flat.

Dana, over at her fabulous website Made Everyday, posts about crafting and her life, and she’s super good at it! She even has her own shop where she sells her absolutely gorgeous clothing and accessories. She definitely has an eye for style, and you can see it running through everything she does, whether it’s cute summer dresses for your little ones or her delicious recipes!

Frankenstein Pedestal

By Tonya @Soireee-EventDesign

Frankenstein Pedestal

The first thing I thought when I saw this cool DIY Halloween prop was that it would be absolutely perfect as a centre piece for a spooky Halloween buffet table! It’s a pretty simple tutorial, and It really doesn’t have to look perfect because, well, Frankenstein is a dead semi zombie thing

I like that she show’s you how to jaz up the pedestal that Franky’s head will sit on. But I think you could adapt this to make a series of pedestals, all with different Halloween creatures and characters. You could have vampires, zombies, witches, werewolves, or anything that takes your fancy. You’d just have to get yourself the right ceramic head. You even use a cake mold and make it out of cake!

Tonya is the owner and creative director over at Soiree Event Designs, and the popularity of her super cool website is totally deserved! There are so many goodies to find over there, and I definitely recommend bookmarking it. She even has her own shop, catering to a whole host of different parties. If you buy one of her books, she’ll also teach you how to be a pro party planner as well!

DIY Giant Scarecrow

By Tanya Memme @HallmarkChannel

Giant Halloween Scarecrow

So I’ve always had a problem with scarecrows. I find them horrifically creepy, and I couldn’t sit through Jeepers Creepers. I nearly lost my voice, it was awful. This giant scarecrow how to is totally the sort of thing I’d hate as a child, but I know a lot of people will think it’s cool so I put myself out and watched the video instructions for this homemade Halloween prop (I no longer have fingernails).

Objectively though, this is actually quite a good decoration! It takes a bit work to get right, and you’ll need your power tools to hand, but it’ll be worth it!

This tutorial was made by Tanya Memme, in partnership with Hallmark. It was actually featured on Hallmark Channel’s popular tv show ‘Home & Family’, which is where the instructional video actually comes from. Definitely worth a look guys!

Jar of a Human Heart

By Shotgun3295 @Instructables

Jar of a Human Heart

Yay, another DIY human body part in a jar! If you can see past my strange, morbid excitement, this how-to is actually really quite cool and won’t cost you a bomb at all.

This Jar of a Human Heart would look great next to your human head prank craft, and you could even make up a batch with a series of human organs! I will never look at the word ‘batch’ and thinks cakes ever again, I’m scarred for life. I like how this homemade Halloween prop makes use of a puck light to illuminate the jar, making it perfect for a haunted house thrill display!

Pop it on your porch or outside your front door to creep out the trick or treaters. This is the second featured homemade Halloween decoration from Instructables on this list, and definitely won’t be the last!

DIY Halloween Skull Garland

By Christine & Jan @LittleHouseOnTheCorner

DIY Halloween Skull Garland

This Halloween Skull is what I call a ‘Oh, crap, it’s Halloween tomorrow!’ crafts, and I’m loving it. It’s simple, effective, and absolutely adaptable to fit in with whatever you’re planning for a Halloween display. Who doesn’t like a Garland anyway?!

Christine and Jan have provided a nice little printable as well, so you barely even have to think about it (beyond where you’re going to put it that is). My must super easy DIY Halloween prop for the season!

Christine and Jan are a super cute couple who post about cool upcycling, restoration and even their vacations! They like to talk about restoring their beautiful apartment, as well as what they did with their two previous homes, and I absolutely love to hear about it! I’m so jealous of their Art Nouveau apartment, its features and high ceilings are to die for! You gotta check it out at! Little House on the Corner

Googly Eye Halloween Wreath

By DIYNetwork

Googly Eye Halloween Wreath


So we all know that wreaths aren’t just for Christmas anymore, and we’re all obsessed with them! This googly eye Halloween wreath is just the thing to decorate your front door and creep out any trick or treaters to grace your front step. It’s such a cool take on a pretty classic, and you’ve gotta give it a go.

It’s not really that hard, but painting the eyes might take you a little while. The googlies really pop against the dark color of the feathers, but I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t mix things up and choose whatever color feather you’re into for that personal touch.

DIY Network is a great place to find how-to’s for just about anything. They have lots of videos as well if reading a load of text isn’t something you’re into. I could spend hours on here, and you probably could too!

Giant Spider with Webified Victim

By ffsteever @Instructables

Giant Spider with Webified Victim

Another instructables tutorial for you to try out, because it really is the place to find really cool how-to’s for all sorts of different things. This terrifyingly cool giant spider with webified victim craft is amazing and something you could get out every year once you’ve made it.

It might take you some time to get it finished though, so you’ll probably want to start before October (especially if you’re one of those people who like to get out the decorations for the whole month). Although this would look great on your roof, there’s no reason why you couldn’t display it in your home for your Halloween party or DIY haunted house experience. To speed up the process, take a leaf out of ffsteever’s book and get your kids to help out! Free labor, am I right?

Ghost Glow Balloons

By Katie @BeforeAndAfterTV

Ghost Glow Balloons

YES! A video! No more reading for you, or at least no more than what’s on this page! These Halloween ghost balloons glow in the dark and look fantastic. I can just see them at my Halloween party, and everyone asking me how I made them.

It’s a pretty straight forward how to, and the homemade Halloween prop you’re missing out on this year. You could make just 3 like Katie does, or you could have a boat load of them for a spooktacular looking display. Who ever said less is more anyway?!

Katie is a youtube crafter that will show you how to make lots of cool stuff on BeforeAndAfterTV. Not enough people make use of videos, and so I’m always grateful when someone summons the courage to get in front of the camera. Some things are just to complicated or finicky to get across with pictures and text alone. Get over to her channel and sub, because I did and I certainly don’t regret it!

Halloween Paper Crafts

By Parents.com

Halloween Paper Crafts

Any excuse to cut corners and be lazy without sacrificing the final product, I’ll do it! These really cool Halloween paper crafts let you do just that and they don’t need very much planning at all. I like the bounding spiral ghosts, they’re actually quite cute and perfect for a DIY Halloween party for very little ones.

The moths look quite cool as well, and you could even use the technique with colored card for a beautiful mason jar for all year round!

Don’t you think the bat is super cute as well?! That little guy is adorable, and has to find a place in your home this Halloween.

Parents.com is a really cool lifestyle website that reads a lot like a magazine (probably because it’s a magazine that you can subscribe to also!). They’ve got lots of helpful articles on parenting, as well as lots of crafts and fun things you can do with you kids. It’s worth a look.

Halloween Mason Jar Terrariums

By Kim @TodaysCreativeLife

Halloween Mason Jar Terrariums

Another jar Halloween prop, and I’m loving it. These Halloween Mason Jar Terrariums look really cool and effective, and there’s been a lot of attention to detail put into this craft. These would look great as a festive table piece, as well as a great addition to your spooky mantle.

The use of floral foam is genius and the moss is inspired. I love that she suggests using dirt, leaves, rocks and a whole host of other natural products as a substitute or even an addition. You could probably use cotton to make it look all webbed up as well, just to jazz it up even more!

Kim is a great crafter, and has been on the scene for quite some time now. She started out featuring cool and creative craft blogs, but the natural progression to posting her own crafts on Todays Creative Life was just inevitable and I’m glad she did! Go take a look at what she’s doing at the moment, she just posted a creative idea pallet for the entryway of your home; it’s just gorgeous and super seasonal!

Funky Junk Drawer Pumpkins

By Leanne @DivaOfDIY

Funky Junk Drawer Pumpkins

These junk drawer pumpkins are really charming, just the thing to have a stylish and creative Halloween. These little guys have such personality, with each being unique, interesting and creative. I don’t know what it is about them, but they look like something out of the Bagpuss store. They’re definitely shabby chic, which I always have a place in my heart for.

Also, they’re a great way to work pumpkins into a homemade Halloween decoration without having to go through the mess of scraping a real one out. If the gooey gross innards of a real pumpkin just aren’t for you, then this is definitely the next best thing! Leanne has a video to show you exactly how to make them as well.

Leanne is the Diva over at Diva of DIY, and she’s super talented. She’s a female contractor (girl power!) and mom to 3 teenagers, although I don’t know how because she looks waaaay too young to have older kids. She’ll give you great tips on how to renovate your home for a fraction of the cost of professional renovators. Go take a look!

Rustic Halloween Sign

By Susan @OhMyCreative

Rustic Halloween Sign

I’ve seen signs like these in home décor stores at this time of year, but they always seem so expensive for what they are. So, Susan shows you how to whip one up yourself, and personalize it how you want it.

The Rustic Halloween Sign looks absolutely gorgeous on her porch, and It will look just as good on yours as well. The use of the black chain really looks good, and I can see this going great with any Halloween porch display. A few pumpkins, some of the other bits on this round up and hey-presto, you’ve got yourself a gorgeous rustic display!

Susan is a real craft queen. Her blog, ‘Oh My Creative’ is full of incredible DIYs, recipes, printables and delicious recipes. All her how to’s are super fun, creative and well, just fabulous. She’s posted about her family before, and the post about her son is just heart-warming, inspiring and reminds me that joy is everywhere. This lady deserves all the attention she gets, and I definitely recommend bookmarking her blog.

Create a Bathroom Murder Scene

By TheProcrastibaker @Instructables

Create a Bathroom Murder Scene

You may have tried to do this before, but if not it’s a super easy and cool way to jazz up your bathroom for Halloween! If you one of those people who put on a haunted house or host Halloween parties, this is an absolute must. It won’t take you long at all, and it’s a cool detail that can take your party to the next level.

With this Halloween Murder Scene with spooky, bloody towels, shower curtain and mirror, people will think that you live next to Norman Bates or something!

This is our last Instructables craft on this list, but definitely go have a look at some of the other homemade Halloween props they’re rocking over there!

Bloody Handprint Window Clings

By Kylyssa Shay @FeltMagnet

Bloody Handprint Window Clings

These bloody handprint window clings look like the real thing without any of the mess (and injury, of course). Using little more than glue and food coloring, this really won’t cost your very much to whip you. You could cover all your windows with them to creep out the neighbors, because why the heck not?

I think this would be a great addition to the previous DIY, the bathroom murder scene. It says use on windows, but why not stick on the mirror? It’ll look great!

Kylyssa has loads of cool articles over on Felt Magnet. This is a place to share and create amazing crafts, as well as to inspire your next creation. They and their users post about a whole host of different artistic mediums, including textiles, photography and painting. Their step by step tutorials will get your painting like Picasso or crafting like Martha Stewart in no time!

Halloween Severed Head

By Shaunte @CraftsUnleashed

Halloween Severed Head

This one is both cool, and weirdly beautiful. I can understand if you think I’m a complete weirdo, especially as his is the THIRD disembodied head craft I’ve featured on this list, but what can I say I like it freaky!

This Halloween severed head is cool and creepy, but also strangely beautiful at the same time. It’s as if you cut a ghosts head off, if that’s even possible. It would look great as a centerpiece, or if you made a few of them of varying sizes they could be a display all by themselves! I’ll definitely be making this one for my Halloween party this year.

This is another craft from Crafts Unleashed, but this time by the very talented Shaunte. She’s a stay at home mom, expert scrapbooker and super creative crafter.

So that’s it, my absolute favorite DIY Halloween props and decorations from around the web. I love how creative and unique each one is, and making them yourselves will save you so much money than if you tried to buy store-bought alternatives. Go ahead and have a look at the creators blogs and websites, they’re all so talented and worth your time! So, what’s your best homemade Halloween prop? Share your favorites in the comments section below!

And remember to check out the homemade Halloween treats and snack I posted yesterday, Yummy

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