Instructions

• Step 1: Make a template Lay out the shelf paper and draw a line lengthwise down the center, 75 1/2 inches long. Using a T-square, draw another line, perpendicular to the first, 34 inches long. Cross the first line 17 inches from one end.
• Step 2: Draw the outline Draw a 24-inch line at the top of the cross, extending 12 inches on either side from the center of the cross. Then draw a 17-inch line at the bottom of the cross, extending 8 1/2 inches on either side from the center.
• Step 3: Finish the outline Draw lines connecting each end of the line at the top of the cross to the corresponding ends of the 34-inch cross line, and then draw lines to connect the line at the bottom of the cross to the 34-inch cross line to complete the outline of the coffin.
• Step 4: Construct side pieces Using the dimensions and angle specs from the template, measure and cut the 6 side pieces from one of the 4-by-8 plywood panels.
• Step 5: Make a template for the bottom base Draw another template on shelf paper to use for constructing the bottom base. Make the long line of the cross 74 inches. 16 1/4 inches from the top, draw a 32 1/2-inch cross line. Make the line at the top 22 1/2 inches, and make the line at the bottom 15 1/2 inches. Then connect the lines as you did in the first template.
• Step 6: Cut out the bottom panel Copy the dimensions from the template onto the second 4-by-8 plywood panel, and cut it with the saw.
• TIP: You can also tape the template to the panel and cut around the outline.
• Step 7: Assemble the base pieces Dry-fit the side pieces to the base and secure the connecting points with glue or biscuits. When the glue is dry, drill pilot holes and counter sink screws through all the side panels into the bottom panel to provide strength and rigidity to the coffin walls.
• Step 8: Cut out the coffin cover Use the finished coffin base as a template and scribe its outline on the remaining 4-by-8 panel. Cut out the cover panel.
• Step 9: Finish the coffin Fill any holes with wood filler, sand the coffin, and apply stain and polyurethane or paint the coffin. Attach the piano hinge and set the coffin up on your lawn to scare the kids on Halloween.
• FACT: People in the U.S. spend more money on Halloween than on any other holiday except Christmas.

You Will Need

• Shelf paper
• Pencil
• T-square
• Measuring tape
• 3 3/4-in. x 4-ft. x 8-ft. hardwood plywood panels
• Table saw
• Wood glue or biscuits
• Drill
• 1/2 lb. 1 5/8-in. wood screws
• Wood filler
• Stain and polyurethane or paint
• 48-in. piano hinge
• Tape (optional)

Instructions

• : Use makeup or paints that are non-toxic and easily removable. Follow the package instructions and remove the products if any irritation develops. Avoid applying anything other than eye shadow directly to the eyelids.
• Step 1: Paint a superhero mask Create a superhero mask that won’t fly off by sponging a large oval shape around each eye with a connector over the bridge of the nose. Outline the whole mask with a black line using a paintbrush.
• Step 2: Cat face Make a wildcat or cowardly lion by covering the whole face in a blend of yellows, grays, or browns. Paint the nose and mouth on top in black or pink, and whiskers in gray or white.
• TIP: Use short, overlapping strokes with a small brush to give the fur a textured look.
• Step 3: Paint a witch or Frankenstein face Cover the face with a green base to become a witch or Frankenstein’s monster. Overlay it with black eyeliner around the forehead, mouth, and eyes to create wrinkles and scars.
• TIP: Affix a strand of hair from a paintbrush with false-eyelash glue on top of a thick brown dot of eyeliner or paint to make a creepy wart.
• Step 4: Paint a skeleton or mummy Coat the face in a layer of white, and smudge black around the eyes, mouth, and nostrils to make a skeleton face. Draw on teeth with black eyeliner. To mummify the skeleton, add bandage outlines with brown shadows to make them look tattered and dirty.
• Step 5: Be a fairy princess Make your little princess into a pretty fairy by painting artistic whirls in lavender and pink, starting from the corners of the eyes and moving up to the temples and down the outer part of the cheeks. Accent the curvy lines with a thin silver line or whimsical dots, and complete the look with pink eye shadow and lipstick. Now let your little monsters loose to go collect their stash!
• FACT: In ancient Celtic times some people believed that one day a year witches and fairies roamed the streets along with ghosts of the dead. Their tradition of leaving food out to appease them evolved into the modern tradition of trick-or-treating.

You Will Need

• Face paints
• Sponge
• Paintbrushes
• Black eyeliner
• Eye shadow
• Lipstick
• False eyelash glue (optional)

Transcript

Man: Carving a pumpkin?

Woman: Quick Tips!

Man: Use an ice cream scooper to scrape out the insides easily. Smart!

Transcript

Man: Want your jack-o’-lantern to last?

Woman: Quick tips!

Man: Smear the the inside and curved areas with petroleum jelly. It keeps the pumpkin from drying out. Fresh!

Instructions

• Step 1: Scoop the seeds Cut around the pumpkin’s stem with the kitchen knife and use the large spoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp.
• Step 2: Mark eyehole Use the marker to mark a thin, long rectangle in the center front of the pumpkin for the eye. The rectangle must be large enough to house the red, flashing LED lights. Carve out the eyehole with the craft knife.
• Step 3: Spray paint Cover the entire pumpkin with silver spray paint and allow it to dry. Then use the marker to outline the Cylon helmet design around the eyehole and fill the helmet outline with black paint.
• TIP: If you want to leave the pumpkin unpainted, draw the pattern and use a microplane to file down the areas around it, creating a relief design.
• Step 4: Attach the battery Attach the 9-volt battery to the scanner.
• TIP: “Larson Scanner” kits and schematics are available online for free.
• Step 5: Encase scanner Encase the scanner and battery in a clear plastic baggie and seal the baggie to prevent moisture from seeping in.
• Step 6: Insert in eyehole Place the scanner inside the pumpkin with the LED lights showing through the eye port. Use toothpicks to hold it in place.
• FACT: Enemies to humans, Cylons first appeared in the original Battlestar Galactica series in 1978.

You Will Need

• Pumpkin
• Kitchen knife
• Large spoon
• Marker or felt-tip pen
• Craft knife
• Paintbrush
• “Larson Scanner” with red LED lights
• 9-volt battery
• Plastic baggie
• Toothpicks
• Silver spray paint (optional)
• Black paint (optional)
• Microplane (optional)
• Internet access (optional)

Instructions

• : Never use dry ice without adult supervision. It can cause serious injury if used improperly.
• Step 1: Mix up some punch Make a batch of your favorite punch in a plastic punch bowl; then, place the bowl inside another bowl with a diameter that’s at least 3 inches bigger.
• TIP: Make your punch orange or black to give it some spooky style.
• Step 2: Add the dry ice Use tongs or wear thermal gloves to pick up chunks of dry ice without burning your skin. Place the chunks in the larger bowl, encircling the perimeter of the smaller bowl.
• Step 3: Activate the dry ice Just before your party begins, pour warm water over the dry ice to make the punch bowl look like it’s smoking.
• TIP: Place the bowl in a well-ventilated area that younger children can’t reach to avoid any mishaps.
• Step 4: Add more Add more dry ice and warm water to the larger punch bowl as the party continues to help the effect last.
• Step 5: Serve it Throw back your head and cackle as you ladle out your scary, smoking surprise.
• FACT: A number of scientists believe that Mars’ south pole is prone to dry-ice storms.

You Will Need

• Punch
• Plastic punch bowl
• Slightly larger plastic punch bowl
• Dry ice
• Tongs or thermal gloves
• Warm water
• Ladle
• Food coloring (optional)

Instructions

• Step 1: Paint scrap boards Paint Halloween sayings on the scrap boards such as “Beware,” “Come in for a bite,” or “Enter if you dare.”
• TIP: Use old scrap boards to make it look more authentic.
• Step 2: Apply varnish Apply a coat of varnish once the paint has dried to preserve the wood.
• Step 3: Attach the boards Attach the boards to the stake.
• TIP: Use two screws per board to prevent the boards from turning.
• Step 4: Stick the sign in ground Stick the sign in the ground where everyone can see it. Illuminate the sign with a spotlight if desired. Happy haunting!
• FACT: The next full moon on Halloween night will be in the year 2020.

You Will Need

• Black paint
• 5 scrap wood boards
• Varnish
• 6-ft. wood stake
• 10 screws
• Screwdriver
• Spotlight (optional)

Instructions

• Step 1: Draw Draw an outline of your tombstone with a black marker onto a Styrofoam sheet. Cut out your tombstone.
• Step 2: Draw design Draw your letters and desired design onto the face of the tombstone.
• TIP: Create your own designs or research historical tombstones for ideas.
• Step 3: Carve Carve out your design with a knife or wood-burning tool.
• Step 4: Paint Spray your tombstone with gray paint. Let it dry.
• Step 5: Dip sponge Dip a sea sponge first into the white paint, then the black paint, and then dab the sponge onto a piece of paper towel. Blot the tombstone with the sea sponge. Repeat until the entire tombstone has been blotted. Allow to dry.
• Step 6: Paint Paint the carved areas with black paint and let dry.
• Step 7: Make stand Push half of the dowel into the bottom and center of the tombstone. Push the other half of the dowel into the ground to secure the tombstone. Add some spooky lighting, props like a monster glove coming out of the ground, and other details to give your visitors a creepy and memorable Halloween.
• FACT: Halloween originated from the Celtic holiday honoring the dead and was commonly referred to as All Hallows Eve.

You Will Need

• Black marker
• 20 in. x 40 in. Styrofoam sheet
• Woodburning tool or knife
• Gray craft spray paint
• Sea sponge
• White and black acrylic paint
• Paper towel
• Paintbrush
• 24 in. dowel

Instructions

• Step 1: Prepare bag Cut down the entire length of one of the vertical folds of the paper bag. Then cut out the bottom of the bag and lay it flat, horizontally on a table.
• Step 2: Seal edge Seal one of the short sides of the bag by taping along the length with any color duct tape.
• Step 3: Cover with tape Cover the top third of the bag completely with yellow duct tape. Cover the middle section with orange duct tape and the bottom third with white tape.
• Step 4: Roll Roll the bag into a cone shape, tape side out. Tape the seam inside the bag completely. Then seal the outside seam, matching each section with the same color tape. Trim the excess from the top.
• TIP: The looser the roll, the larger the bag.
• Step 5: Seal bottom Cut small slits into the bottom of the bag, fold them over onto each other, and tape them down to seal the bottom of the bag with white tape on the inside and outside.
• Step 6: Attach a handle Tape two long pieces of tape together, sticky side to sticky side, to create a handle Tape the ends of the handle to the inside of either side of the bag.
• Step 7: Add reflective tape Add a few strips of reflective tape on the handle and on the sides of the bag for safety.
• FACT: According to the National Confectioners Association, chocolate is the most popular Halloween treat, making up more than half of all trick-or-treat bags.

You Will Need

• Paper grocery bag
• Scissors
• Yellow
• orange
• and white duct tape
• Reflective duct tape

Instructions

• Step 1: Stuff the pants Tie off an old pair of pants at the bottom of each leg with twine. Stuff the pants with hay or other stuffing until they’re firm and full.
• Step 2: Make the head and arms Make the head and arms by stuffing a pair of panty hose. Tie off at the waistband; then put both legs into the sleeves of the shirt, so the top of the pantyhose sits above the shirt collar as the scarecrow’s head.
• Step 3: Stuff the shirt Leaving the shirt unbuttoned, tuck it into the pants. Then, safety pin it to the pants from the inside around the waist. Stuff the chest, buttoning the shirt as you go, until the body is full.
• Step 4: Fill and pin gloves Fill the gardening gloves with hay, tie them off, and pin them to the sleeves.
• Step 5: Attach boots Hot glue old boots to the bottom of the pants.
• Step 6: Add finishing touches Put a burlap sack over the head, and tie it in place at the neck. Cut out pieces of scrap fabric eyes, nose, and a mouth, and glue them into place. Then add finishing touches like suspenders, a hat, and loose straw around the head and collar.
• Step 7: Attach a frame Nail the 2-by-4s into a cross, so the shorter piece is about 8 inches from the top of the longer piece. Staple the back of the scarecrow’s collar and pants to the longer piece of the frame. Staple the shirt cuffs and the shoulders to the crosspiece. The boots should be about a foot from the bottom of the longer piece.
• TIP: Prop the scarecrow up near your front door if you don’t want to set up a frame.
• Step 8: Plant the frame Dig a hole about a foot deep. Plant the bottom of the frame in the hole so the boots are touching the ground. Fill the hole in and pat the dirt down. Step back and marvel at a scarecrow worthy of the yellow brick road!
• FACT: Farmers in the Nile River Valley used scarecrows to ward off flocks of birds more than 3,000 years ago.

You Will Need

• A pair of pants
• Twine
• Hay or other stuffing
• A pair of pantyhose
• An old button-down shirt
• Safety pins
• A pair of gardening gloves
• Hot glue
• A pair of old boots
• A burlap sack
• Scissors
• Scrap fabric and finishing touches
• A hammer
• Nails
• A 6-foot 2-by-4
• A 4-foot 2-by-4
• A staple gun
• A shovel

Instructions

• : Pregnant women, people with heart conditions, and those who are photosensitive to flashing lights, like some epileptics, should not visit haunted houses.
• Step 1: Build on a theme Base your design on a theme. Classics like “insane asylum” or “serial killer-plagued campground” will give you lots of material to play with.
• TIP: The more thorough and specific your details, the scarier your haunted house will be.
• Step 2: Pick a scary location Consider holding your event at or near a scary location, like an old graveyard.
• TIP: Make sure it’s a safe — and legal — location. Things will be less scary if the cops shut you down halfway through the night.
• Step 3: Work in live-action stunts Liven up your haunted house with live-action stunts. Enlist a few costumed friends, and have them grab onto guests, create eerie effects, and make stationary tableaus come to life.
• Step 4: Incorporate different textures Incorporate different unidentifiable textures. Create sudden mists using spray bottles and force guests to walk through black thread or clingy cotton webbing, which is available at craft or convenience stores around Halloween.
• Step 5: Tailor your sound effects Instead of the same old cackling witches and clanking chains, tailor sound effects to your theme. Give each room a different soundtrack, and work in a few unexpected noise triggers.
• TIP: Use silence to your advantage. A lack of sound can help to build suspense.
• Step 6: Create a mist Use a fog machine, which you can rent or buy at a stage or lighting store, to create a ghoulish creeping mist.
• Step 7: Set up strobe lights Use strobe lights to disorient your guests. Set the lights to make the action seem to take place in an eerie slow motion.
• Step 8: Use blindfolds Consider blindfolding your guests and having them feel their way through parts of the house. Alternately, keep things dark, and make your guests find their way with flashlights.
• Step 9: Provide one way out Let guests know at the start that there’s only one way out — the exit at the end of the tour. This single-exit strategy will help to ratchet up the excitement and tension, and keep your guests eagerly pushing forward through your house of horrors.
• FACT: In 2005, a four-story haunted house named Erebus in Pontiac, Michigan, was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest walk-through haunted attraction.

You Will Need

• A theme
• materials
• and sound effects
• Volunteers
• A scary location (optional)
• Blindfolds or flashlights (optional)

Instructions

• Step 1: Make different lengths Make intestines of different lengths. When you arrange them, they’ll look more realistic.
• Step 2: Lubricate and color it Once it’s cooked, drain the spaghetti, transfer it to a big bowl, and pour cooking oil all over it to make it more slippery. Then, add red food coloring until you get the color you want. Let the spaghetti cool down enough to handle with your bare hands.
• Step 3: Fill the casing Using the knife, cut a few feet from the end of the casing. Knot one end of your casing strip and stick the PVC pipe about 1 inch into the open end. Then, slide the spaghetti into the casing through the pipe. Once the casing is plump, tie off the other end.
• FACT: The small intestine is about 22 feet long, compared with about 5 feet for the large intestine, which is so named because of its width.
• TIP: If you’re having trouble getting the spaghetti all the way to the end of the casing, hold the opening under a faucet—the running water will help push it down. When you’re done, just let the water spill out.
• Step 4: Cook some spaghetti Cook up as much spaghetti as you need to fill your sausage casing—start with a full pot.
• Step 5: Buy hog casing Buy sausage casing, the hog variety, in size 38 to 42 millimeters, which will give you intestines that are 1 ½ to 1 ¾ inches in diameter when stuffed. A 20-pound package will provide about 40 feet of casing.
• TIP: Protect your hands and your kitchen from food color stains by putting down plastic garbage bags and either wearing rubber gloves or coating your hands with petroleum jelly.
• Step 6: Scare someone Scare the hell out of someone with your wonderful, awful fake intestines.
• Step 7: Soak the casing Take the sausage casing out of its plastic wrapping, put it in a bucket of water, and soak for 24 hours. This will make it easier to handle.

You Will Need

• Clear sausage casing
• A bucket
• Spaghetti and a pot to cook it in
• Cooking oil
• Red food coloring
• A sharp knife
• A 6-inch long
• 6-inch diameter PVC pipe
• Rubber gloves or petroleum jelly (optional)
• Large garbage bags (optional)

Instructions

• Step 1: Choose pumpkin Choose a pumpkin that’s large and smooth with a stem of at least 2″. If you plan to put a candle inside, choose a gourd that’s at least 9″ tall.
• TIP: Pumpkins with smaller stems rot quickly.
• Step 2: Draw circle or hexagon Draw a circle or hexagon on the top of the pumpkin an inch or two below the stem. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect, but make sure it’s a little bigger than your fist.
• Step 3: Carve through pattern Carve through the pattern with a sharp knife—which requires less force, and is therefore safer. Angle your cut so the top of your circle is wider than the bottom, which will ensure that the top fits snugly in place.
• Step 4: Remove top & clean out Remove the top and clean out the pumpkin’s seeds and stringy membranes with the scooper. Continue scraping the inside until the walls are about half an inch thick—otherwise it will be hard to carve.
• TIP: For a delicious—and healthy—treat, wash and sprinkle the seeds with salt, and then toast them in the oven on a baking sheet.
• Step 5: Draw face Draw the eyes, nose, and mouth—or any other pattern you want, like perhaps Van Gogh’s famous painting “The Starry Night.”
• TIP: If you’re not good at drawing, find a carving template online or at a store. Fasten it to the pumpkin and use a thumbtack to poke holes along the lines.
• Step 6: Cut through pattern Use your knife to cut through the pattern you’ve just drawn. Remember that cuts that connect to each other will remove the entire piece in between, so cut around anything you want to stay intact, like teeth or a wart on the nose.
• Step 7: Make cuts & scrapes Make disconnected cuts and scrapes to allow the light from inside the pumpkin to shine through without removing whole pieces, a good technique for drawing outlines or scenes, or for creating more definition in a face—like glowing pupils.
• TIP: To keep the edges from browning before the big night, dab on a little petroleum jelly to lock in moisture.
• Step 8: Place candle Place a small candle and light it when you’re ready to show off your work. If there’s a large opening level with the candle, like a mouth, light the flame through it so you don’t burn your hand.
• TIP: If your flame is weak or keeps going out, it’s not getting enough oxygen—cut a small opening in the top of the pumpkin, hidden from sight behind the stem.
• Step 9: Use glow stick or battery-powered light If you’re not keen on having a real flame, use a glow stick or battery-powered light.
• FACT: Because pumpkins weren’t common in Europe, early jack-o’-lanterns were made out of turnips!

You Will Need

• A pumpkin
• A sharp knife
• A crayon or marker
• A large spoon or ice cream scooper
• And a small candle
• glow stick
• or battery-operated light
• Salt
• Baking sheet
• A carving template
• A thumbtack
• And petroleum jelly

Instructions

• Step 1: Heat applesauce Heat the applesauce in a frying pain over low to medium heat.
• Step 2: Stir in gelatin Stir in one packet of unflavored gelatin.
• Step 3: Add cocoa powder Add a pinch or two of cocoa powder.
• Step 4: Mix & remove from heat Mix thoroughly and remove from heat.
• Step 5: Sprinkle oatmeal Sprinkle oatmeal over a few sections of the mixture.
• TIP: If you like your vomit stinky and chunky, stir in 1 tbsp. of chunk light tuna and/or 1 tbsp. of creamed corn.
• Step 6: Throw in carrot bits Throw in the carrot bits.
• Step 7: Drop to get splatter When you’re ready, drop the mixture from head level to get a realistic splatter.
• FACT: Honey is sometimes called “bee vomit” because it’s made from nectar that worker bees regurgitate.

You Will Need

• A frying pan
• 0.25 c applesauce
• A package of unflavored gelatin
• A pinch or two of powdered cocoa
• A package of instant oatmeal with apple chunks
• 1.0 carrot bits
• 1.0 chunk light tuna
• 1.0 creamed corn