Quick and Easy Decor: How to Transform Lanterns for Halloween!

Every year the holidays come quicker and quicker.  I find myself thinking about pumpkins and halloween decorations when the month is already half over!  So this year I wanted to add spooky touches around my house with things I already had, like these lanterns, in a way that didn’t require me to completely redecorate. Here are my quick and easy ideas!

skulls and spiders

Idea:

This is a lantern I received this year for my birthday. It still had the silver and green ribbon tied to it from the gift wrap. My entrance table had a variety of unexpected halloween colors so I decided to leave the green!

spooky lantern idea

Materials used:

  • Plastic dollar store skeleton attached with twine
  • Jeweled spider broach (for sparkle)
  • Poison scrapbook paper cut out and paper punched
  • Gift wrap ribbons

skull close-up

Idea:

Make this nautical black iron lantern with crackle glass spooky enough for a witch’s lair.

cat lantern

Materials used:

  • Black and silver necklace draped over glass
  • Curiosities scrap book tag
  • Plastic black cat tape measure I had in a drawer
  • Sun face charm from an old broken necklace
  • Black ribbon from my ribbon box

spooky decor ideas

Idea:

Ok, so technically this isn’t a lantern but I bought this antique Vegabond thermos from Water Street Vintage and it has been hanging out on my console with an old toolbox and this toy jeep.

spooky decor

Materials used:

  • Another dollar store plastic skeleton
  • Twine
  • Butterfly cut from scrapbook paper
  • An oak leaf from outside

twilight zone jeep

And a kitschy key-chain I had stashed in a jewelry box.  It plays the Twilight Zone theme song when you push the bottons of the old-school tv set.

And there you have my quick decorating DIY!  If you’re like me, then you recognized things like- ribbon box, found in a drawer, broken necklace, stashed in a jewelry box…Why have I kept all these oddities for all this time?  For moments like these!  It feels good to have made this festive decor with things I had laying around!

How about you?  Have any decorating secrets or repuposed stuff from junk drawers successfully?