Landmark Presents: Foraged Halloween Nature-Inspired Crafts
Try our Foraged Halloween Nature-Inspired Crafts!
From pinecone bats to ghoulish coasters made from fallen branches, these nature-inspired crafts bring the outdoors in during this spooky season.
Spooky Spider Webs
These stick spider webs are spectacularly spooky hanging from your trees or lights. All you need is some thread and a few sticks foraged from your backyard.
Supplies
- Three similar-sized sticks for each web
- Thread, twine, or yarn (We like yarn for large webs and embroidery thread for more intricate, small webs.)
Assembly
1. Arrange the three sticks so they all intersect at the center and resemble the spokes of a bicycle wheel.
2. Hold the sticks in place with one hand and wrap the thread around the center with your other hand. Knot the thread after each wrap, and be sure to wrap the thread diagonally through the gaps between the sticks.
3. Next, grab a long piece of thread for the spiral. Tie the thread to the center of the spokes.
4. Wrap the thread around each stick to weave a web, starting with a tight weave near the center and then widening the design as you move outward. You can make the weave as intricate or as simple as you like!
Friendly Ghost Leaves
These friendly ghost leaves are perfect for a spooky garland or scattered across the table.
Supplies
- Leaves of various shapes and sizes
- White acrylic paint and paintbrush
- Black Sharpie or paint
Assembly
1. After you’ve gathered your leaves, check to ensure they’re dry. If they're curling on the edges, you can press them under a book for a few minutes.
2. Next, paint the leaves with white acrylic paint. They may need two coats depending on the paint quality and your preference.
3. Once the leaves are completely dry, draw or paint your friendly (or frightful!) ghost faces.
Ghoulish Wooden Coasters
Gather the branches the wind blows down and turn them into your new favorite coasters! These spooky coasters are the perfect canvas for your creativity.
Supplies
- Wood branches approximately 3” in diameter
- Benchtop band saw, or hand saw
- Acrylic paint and brushes or acrylic paint pens
Assembly
1. To cut the coasters, mark the branches at ¾” intervals. Next, carefully cut each coaster using a band saw or hand saw.
2. Using acrylic paints and brushes or some acrylic paint pens, paint your coasters with the spookiest or coziest scenes you can imagine!
Enchanted Pinecone Bats
These enchanted pinecone bats look great hidden in corners throughout the house. They’re also a fun addition to a spooky garland!
Supplies
- Pinecones of various sizes
- Thin cardboard (We like upcycled mailers or cereal boxes.)
- White scrap paper
- Pencil and scissors
- Black marker
- Craft glue
- Black thread
Assembly
1. Sketch bat wings on the scrap paper. (For help sketching the wings, search for illustrated bat photos or video tutorials.) Once you’re happy with the look of the wings, cut them out and trace them on the cardboard. Then, cut the cardboard.
2. Attach the pinecone to the center of the cardboard bat wings with tacky glue (or hot glue for larger pinecones.)
3. Cut bat ears from the remaining cardboard and glue them onto your bat.
4. Make a small smile from the black thread and glue it to your bat.
5. Use the white scrap paper to make some fangs and glue those to the mouth.
6. Lastly, give your bat some eyes with the black marker.
BONUS: Chilling Painted Acorns
These painted acorns look great scattered throughout the house, tied to seasonal gifts, or even hanging from your keys with some thread. All you need is acorns, paint, and your endless creativity!
Supplies
- Acorns
- Acrylic paint and brushes or acrylic paint pens
Assembly
1. Make sure your acorns are dry and can be easily painted. If you want them to dry out a bit more, put them on a baking sheet in the oven at 150° for ten minutes or so.
2. Paint your acorns with the grain to avoid any streaks and let your creativity be the limit! We love paint pens for drawing small details and dipping the acorns in bowls of paint for a glossy, colorful assortment.
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