Nothing completes a room like well-applied decorations. Some of our recent posts have focused on bringing you ideas for hosting a fantastic party aboard your houseboat for Halloween. Like a fine chocolate sampler, this is a little taste of the best of the best, easy and really good-looking decoration ideas collected by Lilly’s blog, www.listotic.com. And best yet, you can do these yourself at a low-to-nothing price. Save your money for the food, we say.
Glowing Eyes
This has got to be the easiest project of all! All you need are toilet paper rolls, glow sticks, and tape to create the creepiest or funniest glowing eyes this side of the (Insert Your Home Town Name) Haunted House. Hide them in strategic places around the outside or inside of your houseboat, targeting dark, shadowy areas for maximum glowing effect.
To make these Glowing Eyes, simply assemble a pile of toilet paper or paper towel rolls and sketch different eye shapes on the outside. Cut out the shapes and crack the glow sticks to life. Poke a glow stick into each tube and tape the ends shut with duct tape. Then tape the tube into place in the midst of whatever shadows you want this illusion to reign.
Silhouetted Lamp Shades
Here’s a little Martha Stewart trick that uses materials you probably already have at home, maybe even on your houseboat. Better yet, it only takes a few minutes to complete and it adds a nice touch to the festive ambiance of any salon!
Sketch out various bat shapes (or other Halloween-themed shapes) on pieces of paper and cut them out—these will be your stencils. Use your new stencils to trace bat shapes onto black construction paper or cardstock and cut those out. Then just use two loops of scotch tape to stick each wing inside the lamp shade of your choice. If you want to go the extra mile, change out the light bulb for an orange bulb as an added Halloween effect.
For such a great look, they sure are easy to make! Spruce up any of the light shades on your houseboat and you’ll instantly invite in a rather spooky feel.
Illuminated Ghost Garland
This is a classy way to add that spectral touch while day reigns or while night rules. Hang these little guys in doorways, along walls, or inside any arches onboard.
Surprisingly easy to make for how high-end they look, all you’ll need are a strand of white lantern lights, two yards of white cotton fabric, white string, scissors, and a black sharpie.
Cut ten 14” squares from the white fabric, fold them into a triangle, and snip off the pointed tip to make a hole in the middle. Gently take off the lantern from each light and poke the light through one square’s hole. Then pop the lantern back on the light and wrap the fabric over the lantern. Using a bit of string, tie the fabric in place around the sphere and use a sharpie to draw eyes and a mouth. Then repeat down the line to make each ghost.
Halloween Door Mat
A special way to greet any party guest is with a customized party doormat to welcome them to your houseboat! Here’s an easy Halloween makeover for any old doormats lying around. All you need are an X-acto knife, adhesive stencils, paint, and a brush.
The hardest part for this one is picking a design (assuming you can cut in straight lines, which is more than I’ll claim Kindergarten mastery of). You can go simple or extravagant on this one. The picture shown used a simple but effective “BOO” pattern.
Once you pick your pattern, use the fine edge of the X-acto knife to cut the pattern out of the stencil film and stick the shapes to your doormat. Make sure to press them down hard so the paint doesn’t spread through any gaps. As a hint, painting with inward sweeps helps to ensure that you get a clipped line.
Once you’re done painting, just let your creation dry and you’re finished!
Huge Black Spider
Hopefully there are no arachnophobics at your houseboat party for this bad boy.
Stick him in a corner or on the wall or ceiling amidst a film of webbing and you’ve got the pièce de résistance to any Halloween party! Gather a milk jug, black tape, and pipe insulation and you’ve got the makings of the king of all spiders.
To begin, just wrap the milk jug in black tape until it’s covered. Cut wedges out of the pipe insulation in order to fold leg joints and tape them in place. Then tape the legs to the back of the milk jug and your spider is complete!
For added effect, you can use a large and small Styrofoam ball for the body and head (painted black, of course) or color designs on the spider’s back and legs with ghoulish green paint. If you want a hairy spider, glue black feathers over the body from a black boa.
If there weren’t arachnophobics at the start of your party, everyone might leave as one after catching sight of this huge black spider!
To read more creative and funny Halloween DIY ideas, click here!