Last week, I climbed into my attic to find my Halloween decoration box. When I opened it, a gut wrenching smell was released. A sippy cup filled with prune juice had somehow managed to be sealed in the box for almost a year, marinating in over 100 degree heat - my ghosties were ruined as were some other decorations. The box has been airing out in the garage.
So I need to make some more ghosties to hang from the trees. Mine are super easy, all you need is:
stryofoam balls, cheese cloth or white cotton fabric, floral wire, fishing line, and glow in the dark paint. I have actually made these ghosts, two different ways. First easy way, wrap a 6 inch or larger styrofoam ball with either cheese cloth or cotton white fabric, tie the fabric at the base of the ball with floral wire 18 gauge works well, add a loop in the wire to string the fishing line. You'll want to have at least 1.5 yards of fishing line, depending on how long you want the ghost to hang and how far you are from the limb of the tree. Paint eyes and mouth of ghost onto wrapped ball. I'm going to add some bells to the hem of the ghosties, so they can ring in the breeze.
The other way to make the ghost is using a wire clothes hanger under cotton fabric to give the illusion of arms, creating fullness to the ghost. Straighten the rounded top part of hanger and stick it into the base of the ball (like a neck), make sure you have enough fabric to cover the hanger. I used two yards of cotton fabric for my larger ghost.
I was amazed how expensive styrofoam balls have become. I have thought about using my children's balls to use as the heads, then wrapping the wire around the base of the ball and stringing fishing line through the wire. The 6 inch styrofoam ball cost me $5.99 at Joann's Fabric and Craft Store and $4.99 at Hobby Lobby respectively.
If you choose to use styrofoam balls, another option to hang the ghosts is to drive a nail into the top of the head, add fishing line to the nail and suspend the ghost from a branch or house.
Super easy, fun Halloween project! Even I can do it...
