Next week Aidan and I will be spending some time getting ready for Halloween! I’ve rounded up some cute  {and GREEN!} Halloween crafts to cook up with your children. Have fun!

Halloween House

From Little Lovely

You’ll need:

- Empty cardboard milk cartons
- Newspaper, origami paper or pages from a novel
- Cardstock or watercolor paper
- Pens and paint of your choice {I used marker pens and watercolor paint}
- Glue stick
- Craft glue
- Candy

Directions:

- Thoroughly rinse and dry milk cartons.
- Completely cover cartons in paper. {I used pages from a novel.}
- Draw windows and doors onto cardstock and paint. Cut them out and attach to the front of the milk cartons.
- Fill cartons with candy.
- Use craft glue to seal containers closed.
- Give as Halloween gifts or set up a haunted neighborhood in your house.

Milk Jug Pumpkin

From Kiwi Magazine

You’ll need:

- Gallon milk jug
- Orange paint
- Craft glue
- Black permanent marker or construction paper
- Paint brush

Directions:

- Mix orange paint and glue together {about 1/4 cup glue to one cup of paint}. This helps the paint stick to the container without any peeling.
- Paint the entire milk jug orange and let dry. Apply another coat of paint after first coat dries for a darker coat.
- After paint has fully dried you can decorate the milk jug with a pumpkin face using either a black permanent marker or cutting out pumpkin face pieces from black construction paper and gluing them on the jug.
- As an added effect, you can place a large flashlight behind the jug to shine through. Or place a smaller flashlight that stays lit inside the jug.

Tin Can Halloween Luminaries

From All Free Crafts

You’ll need:

- Clean tin cans
- Votive candles or tea light candles
- Pencil, crayon or permanent marker
- Paper and scissors (optional, depending on method used)
- Coat hanger or sturdy wire for hanging (also optional)
- Towel and firm work surface
- Hammer
- Large nail
- Freezer
- Water
- Spray paint

Directions:

- Clean and dry the tin cans, fill with water, and freeze overnight. The ice provides support for the can as you drive in the nail holes.
- It is possible to punch a design directly into the tin can. You can mark where you plan to punch the holes with a marker, because the lines will be covered by spray paint later.
- If you are using a paper pattern, cut paper to fit around the can, then draw your design on the paper.
- Remember that simple shapes are most effective for punched designs.
- Lay a thick towel on your work surface to absorb the melting ice and to prevent the can from rolling as you work.
- Place a tin can on the towel. If using a paper pattern, wrap the can in the paper and tape the pattern in place. If drawing the pattern directly on the can, use a fine marker {in the the same color that you have chosen for the spray paint} to draw the outline.
- Use the hammer and a large nail to punch the holes. If you’re making a hanging luminary, remember to punch two holes at the top, on either side of your design, to take the hanger.
- Immerse the can in hot water to melt the remaining ice.
- Make sure the can is perfectly dry before applying spray paint to the sides and bottom of the can.
- If you want to hang the luminary, cut a length of sturdy wire, or use a length of wire from a coat hanger, and bend it into an arched hanger shape. Bend up the ends and insert them into the two holes that you placed at the top of the can.
- Place a votive candle or tea candle inside the can.

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