Giant Spider Web What you’ll need: Yarn, tape, scissors, toy spider How to make it: Pick an indoor or outdoor spot for the web. Then start to build it by taping ends of the yarn to the wall, first in an X shape, and then building it out with crisscross lines. Last, place a big vertical strand from the ceiling down to the bottom of your web, laying it on top of the other strings so it pops out. To make the web rings, cut a very long strand of yarn for each section, fold it in half and start the ring with a simple hitch knot. Loop the yard around each arm. Don’t worry about being too precise. When you get back to beginning, tie the end with a knot, cut off the excess, and start over on the next ring. Continue to make as many rings as you like. Deck with handmade or store-bought spiders to finish.

Spooky Mirror What you’ll need: An old-looking mirror, a razor blade, glossy black spray paint, and an antique portrait from on an old book, newspaper, scissors, tape How to make it: Take the mirror apart, removing the glass from the frame, and cut an austere portrait from an old book to fit the shape of the glass. Scrape off some of the coating on the back of the mirror just enough for the image to show through when you tape it to the back. Spray the frame with black paint and reassemble.

Halloween Wreath What you’ll need: Skulls from the craft store, black feather boas, black gauze, marker, string, Styrofoam, scissors, wire, electric knife, and lights (optional) How to make it: Cut the Styrofoam board into a donut shape (you can make a perfect circle by pinning a marker to a string in the center, and following it around to draw the shape). Wrap the boa around the wreath, clipping it into place with small lengths of cut wire, bent into clips. Pin pieces of the black gauze around the wreath. Fasten the skulls where you like them, add lights if you so desire

Masked Portraits: When prepping for the holiday, don’t forget to costume everyone — even folks in paintings and photos. Black construction paper, scissors, and low-tack artists’ tape were all it took to ready this blushing bride for a masquerade ball. (Other easy embellishments: red devil horns and white fangs.) Just resist the urge to disguise priceless artwork that’s not protected by glass.

Masked Portraits: When prepping for the holiday, don’t forget to costume everyone — even folks in paintings and photos. Black construction paper, scissors, and low-tack artists’ tape were all it took to ready this blushing bride for a masquerade ball. (Other easy embellishments: red devil horns and white fangs.) Just … Read the rest