How To Make Ghosts Of All Kinds

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Most of us Halloween lovers can't get enough of ghosts and graveyards. Let's talk about how to make these haunting figures of all kinds - 




Chicken Wire Ghosts


Chicken wire ghosts are a fantastic and newer decoration that is becoming more and more popular. It has an amazing look and can be kept up all year if one wanted to keep a few ghosts in the garden. 

It's not easy to make a chicken wire ghost, but the effect is so worth it. You will need gloves and wire cutters. Use a 1-inch cell chicken wire (buy a roll) and cut 24" of length from it. You want to use a mannequin head (you can get cheap stryofoam heads on places like Amazon). Form it around the head (below). Set the head aside while you make the body.

Instructions for body are here. 




Pepper's Ghost


A Pepper's ghost is an optical illusion used in magic tricks and haunted house attractions that is pretty wicked awesome, but it takes some knowledge and practice to get it just right. It would make a wonderful front window display for Trick-or-Treaters to see unfolding.




Projected Ghosts
Cheesecloth Ghost


HGTV gave some good instructions. 


Using a paint roller extension pole and two yardsticks, you make the frame for its body. Nail them together. Stick the pole into the ground, pointed end up. Use a 6-inch styrofoam ball (craft store) for the head, placing it on the post. Attach styrofoam balls to the ends of the arms for hands, drive the yardstick into the ball. Start draping sheets of cheesecloth over the head and arms until you have it the way you want it. Now, take fabric stiffener and put in a spray bottle and begin to spray and soak the ghost. Cut a wide open mouth and two large eyes from black felt and attach once the cheesecloth is dry. Remove the hand balls from the yardsticks and take a needle and clear fishing wire and run it through the part of the fabric where the hand is to run the string up to be tied to the tree to keep it floating. Do the same for the top of the head to secure it by string to the tree. Now, you may remove the sticks underneath and ball, so that the spirit floats and glides with its new shape.




Ghost Foods


White chocolate dipped strawberries with frosting faces


Cupcakes with fondant frosting circles pressed down over top.


White chocolate dipped candied applies with frosting faces


Bananas on sticks rolled in coconut, chocolate chip eyes and chocolate raisin mouths.



Milk Jug Ghosts


(You could also use a glow stick inside for some color or just ball up a string of white Xmas lights inside)

... and then there is the old-fashioned way to make a ghost.... OUIJA 






Ghost Mirrors

Here are instructions on how I make ghost mirrors (in videos below)







Saran Wrap and Packing Tape
These hanging haunts are made by placing saran wrap on a person, letting it billow like a skirt, then going over it all with clear packing tape. Cut it off and tape it closed. Hang from fishing line from the trees. These look amazing, but when it comes to wrapping someone's head, I highly suggest you make them some nostril space, bridging the saran over the nose bridge and under the nose, but allowing the nostrils to be open to the air. I'd put the person on a step stool ideally to get the billowing skirt look with ragged edges. 

- MORE TIPS ON GHOSTS -

Martha Stewart's cheesecloth ghosts instructions
Floating head hologram instructions
Ghost illusion using a TV and DVD player in a window
Using a projector for scares


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