Every year around this time we start to realize that Halloween is rapidly approaching and it’s almost time to start prepping all the creepy and cute decorations and to think of some new ones to add to the collection. As always, we encourage you to try making your own decorations. It’s much easier to stick with a theme this way and to personalize and customize everything to your liking. So let’s see what this year’s DIY crafts are.

First off, let’s see how we can make some Halloween-themed Marquee lights or signs so we can display them on the walls and doors to send a message. The things required for this project include styrofoam sheets, black acrylic paint, battery-operated mini lights, some masking tape and the usual tools such as scissors, a pencil, a ruler and a paintbrush. Check out the Boo sign we found on Craftsncoffee for all the details and info you’ll need along the way.

But that’s not the only message you can send with your Halloween décor. The marquee letters featured on Lollyjane show us just how many more options there are. Feel free to experiment with different colors and designs. If you want to recreate the project featured here, you’ll need cardboard letters, a craft knife, a pencil, tiny light bulbs or string lights and some paint if you want to have fun exploring new colors.

Something similar although not as related to the whole Halloween celebration as the previous project can be found on Blitsy. It’s a marquee sign which can be personalized with your own house numbers or any numbers you prefer. To make this you’ll need marquee numbers, gold paint, black spray paint and batteries. Spray the paper stencils to give them a nice golden look. Then spray paint the numbers black and insert the golden templates. Add the light bulbs and the batteries.

Since we’re reviewing marquee signs and designs, let’s also have a look at one that’s both cute and spooky. The ghost sign featured on Craftsncoffee can be made using a styrofoam sheet, black acrylic craft paint, LED light strands with batteries, a glue gun and some tape, scissors and a paint brush. Draw a ghost on the styrofoam sheet and then carefully cut it out using a waxed serrated knife. Then trace the mouth and eyes and paint them black. Then attach the light string to the back of the ghost so they outline its shape.

There are other ways to find, make and use a ghost marquee sign. The easiest option would be to simply buy one. In case you don’t know where to look for it, check out Oogalights. We found this cute ghost here. It’s battery-operated and you can display it anywhere you want. Set it up on one of the walls, on the front door or put it on a shelf or on the mantel.

We’re big fans of anything with lights so let’s check out a few more projects that use them. A really lovely idea is the one described on Thekimsixfix. This funky garland was made using K-cups. You can improvise and use other similar containers. In addition to the cups you’ll also need scissors, a black sharpie pen and string lights. After you draw cute and spooky faces on each of the cups, punch a little hole in each one so you can insert the lights. Then display your new garland.

We also found this nice garland on oogalights. It’s decorated with little pumpkins and spiders and this makes it perfect for Halloween. You could make something just as beautiful yourself and you’d only need some string lights, small paper lanterns or globes which you can paint orange and plastic spiders. It would be nice if the lights had orange or golden bulbs as well.

When creating or searching for Halloween decorations, think of symbols that could work well in such a context. For example, black cats or ghosts would be perfect. And just because it’s Halloween doesn’t mean they have to look scary. How about some cute cats and ghosts with friendly faces? They’d look lovely on a garland like the ones featured on Mycakies.

On the other hand, if spooky is the effect you’re looking for, perhaps you’d prefer something different like this eyeball garland that we found on Landeeseelandeedo. To make something just as spooky you’re going to need a string of Christmas lights, a bunch of ping pong balls and sharpie pens in various different colors. Start by drawing eyeballs on the ping pong balls. Use different colors and get creative. Then cut an X on the back of each ball and insert a light bulb in. Repeat for all the other lights.

If you find the idea of decorating with body parts interesting, then you should definitely also check out these skeleton hands string lights. You can purchase them from oogalights and they look quite spooky. The light creates a morphing effect and the green lights fade in and out. They are battery-operated so you can hang them anywhere without needing an extension cord.

But maybe you’d prefer the whole skeleton instead of just the hands. In that case, check out these dangling string lights that we found on Worldmarket. The heads of the little skeleton decorations light up and they really pop with those recessed black eye sockets and everything. They’re actually quite funny, with the heads considerably larger than the bodies.

Warn your guests that this year’s Halloween décor is no joke. These Enter If You Dare luminaries are perfect for that. They send the message while also looking exquisite. You can find them on Grandinroad. They come in sets of four and they use mini light strings which you can connect to your standard outlet. They’re perfect for the front lawn or the garden.

You can also send a message using neon signs like this Hocus Pocus one we found on Grandinroad. Let everyone know you’re not messing around and display this in your window. You could also add some themed decorations for a more complete look. Also, you might be able to make something similar yourself at home using some simple supplies. String lights light work as a replacement.

Luminaries and lanterns are pretty great. The soft light and interesting designs make a great combo so let’s see what you could pick for this year’s décor. Maybe you’d like something classical like a pimpkin luminary. Check out this great one we found on Wayfair. It would look lovely on your porch and next to your front door.

For the interior spaces you could opt for something a little bit different. A beautiful idea is to use candles. The ones on Worldmarket have been printed with Halloween-themed images: a skeleton head, a raven and a full skeleton. You can showcase these decorations on the fireplace mantel, on a table or on a shelf. They’ll definitely set the right mood. They use LED lights so they’re completely safe.

How about doing something the old-fashioned way? When was the last time you carved a pumpkin to turn it into a lantern or luminary? Perhaps now is the time. Go find yourself a beautiful pumpkin and start carving. Forget about the spooky faces and go with something simpler instead like stars of different shapes and sizes. The idea comes from Homeologymodernvintage.

There are plenty of other interesting ideas you can use if you want to make a Halloween lantern or luminary. For example, you could make some witch hat decorations for the porch and they could look like the ones on Polkadotchair. It would be a pretty simple project but you’d need a few witch hats or you could make some from scratch using some black fabric.

For the interior, you could turn a simple table lamp into a projector. All you’d need would be a custom lamp shade. Find out how to make one by following the tutorial on Designimprovised. It starts with a simple lamp shade, a Halloween-themed hole punch, pom-pom ribbon, a hot glue gun and a few extra decorations for the wall if you want to also decorate the surroundings.

Another lovely Halloween decoration which doesn’t take up much space is this beautiful cloche featured on Uncommondesignsonline. You’ll need a few things for the project including a cake stand and a glass cloche. You’ll also need a styrofoam disc for the base, a small tree branch and some small LED lights. Decorate the base with moss and pumpkins and feel free to customize the design.