DIY Halloween Ghost Decorations (Easy Ideas to Try)

Happy Weekend and welcome to the Saturday Spotlight!  Well, Halloween is right around the corner!  If you don’t have the time (or energy) to go all out with your Halloween decorations, I have some super easy ideas for you!  Today, I’m sharing some DIY Halloween ghost decorations for you to try!

*For your convenience, please note that this post may contain affiliate links.  If you make a purchase after clicking my links below, I will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

DIY Halloween Ghost Decorations:

Hang a simple ghost garland…

If you have a place in your home with a black background, hanging a string of ghost garland is an easy way to brighten it up for Halloween.  These hanging ghosts would look great on a black front door as well.  If you have a chalkboard, drape a ghost garland across that for instant Halloween cheer!

To make similar ghosts, cut out various ghost shapes from white cardstock.  Simply color the eyes and nose with a Sharpie.  Then just punch some holes through the top and hang them on a string or thin ribbon.  Yes, you could practically make them for free!  Of course, I took the lazy way out and bought mine on Amazon.  If you’re interested in going that route, they are inexpensive and come in a set of two.

Create ghost candles…

For another super easy ghost DIY project, simply add some ghost faces to your candles.  Seriously, this is so incredibly easy that I can barely call it a DIY Halloween ghost craft!

To make these ghost face candles, I simply cut out oval shapes from some black stickers I had laying around…and I stuck them on the candles.  Or, you could just glue on some black construction paper.  If you don’t mind permanently changing your candles, you could also use a Sharpie to draw on the ghost faces. 

When displaying the candles, I think they look best in groups like the vignette above.  Recently, I swapped out some of my fall pieces for these Halloween ghost candles.  To see the previous vignette, read – Fall Tray Ideas with Leaves (Inspired by Vermont).

*As you can see, I used a real candle and two battery operated ones.  For safety purposes, it’s probably a better idea to use battery operated candles so you don’t have to worry about the wax melting into the stickers.  If the stickers get loose over time on the battery candles, apply a dab of glue to hold them in place.

Create a Pottery Barn inspired DIY ghost decoration…

This Halloween season, “Gus the Ghost” was a popular decoration sold at Pottery Barn.  Not only was it popular (and is sold out now) but it was expensive.  In recent weeks, I’ve seen other stores selling knock-offs but I figured it was just easier to make my own.

To make my version, I just draped a piece of sherpa fabric over a round faux boxwood plant in a planter.  Yes, that sounds weird but I searched through my house for items with that size and shape…and that’s what I came up with!  If you’d like to try it, look for something round to use as the head of the ghost…a styrofoam ball or even a faux pumpkin. 

Then, I stuck on two oval stickers for the ghost eyes.  Sure, you could also cut out black felt and stick that on with double sided tape.  To mimic the Pottery Barn version, I arranged the fabric in the same way and added a little velvet pumpkin.

Even though I love the way my little ghost looks on the seagrass chair, I’ll probably move it so it can’t get knocked over.  If I put it up on a shelf, no one will pick it up and see that it’s not really a ghost pillow decoration!  So, it can be our little secret!

Get your front yard ready for Halloween night…

Recently, we visited the town of Lambertville, New Jersey which is famous for their outdoor Halloween decorations.  In one of the yards, I spotted these glowing ghosts.  From what it appears, the homeowners draped some old white sheets over ghost shaped structures and drew on some spooky faces.  I’ve seen people make these ghost shapes with a tomato cage upside down and other bendable metal bases.  

If you’re interested doing something similar, I’ll link to some projects in my internet finds at the end of this blog post.

Make a last minute Halloween ghost…

Whether you’re greeting trick or treaters or hosting a Halloween party, you can do a lot with an old white sheet.  Last year in Newport, Rhode Island, I spotted this cute DIY ghost costume on a store display.

Sure, you could try to dress up your dog in a ghost costume, but I think it would be much easier to dress up a stuffed dog!  So, if your kids have a bunch of stuffed animals, why not repurpose them into Halloween ghosts.  They’ll enjoy getting in on the fun and your guests and trick or treaters will think it so cute!

Shopping for Supplies – DIY Halloween Ghost Decorations:

Get creative and make your own ghost decor…

To make your own Pottery Barn inspired sherpa ghost, this sherpa fabric will get you started.

If you want to create ghost candles, these flameless candles are made of plastic so the stickers should adhere easier…and you can also use them outside.  Plus, they come with a remote in a set of 6!

If you don’t have an old sheet, consider using cheesecloth for your ghosts.  This cheesecloth looks large enough for a variety of ghost decorations!

Plus, you could drape a piece of cheesecloth over a table when creating a spooky tablescape. 

And for even more DIY Halloween ghost decorating ideas, here are some finds from around the internet:

• As I mentioned above, here is a tutorial to make glowing Halloween ghosts!
• If you like the ghost garland idea, try this DIY book page garland!
• For an adorable DIY ghost door mat, try this easy tutorial!
• To make Halloween cheesecloth ghosts, follow these steps!
• This Halloween, make ghost napkins inspired by this DIY and lovely tablescape!
• Another huge trend is painting a ghost on a thrift store painting like this tutorial!

Hopefully, some of these Halloween ghost decorating ideas will inspire you.  October 31st is almost here!