These hands-on craft ideas, provided by Paper Mart, make fun party favors or activities. Older kids can get creative decorating the glowing Mason jar lanterns and little spooks will have fun helping to create and fill the tissue paper pumpkins. Not hosting a Halloween party? Save the pumpkin goodie bags for next month, they will fit in just as well on your Thanksgiving table.
Tissue Paper Pumpkin Goody Bags
Supplies:
- Orange tissue paper (Paper Mart)
- Floral stem tape (Paper Mart)
- Large dinner plate
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Candy
Instructions:
- Fold sheet of tissue paper in half. Lay dinner plate on tissue and trace around the outside edge with pencil. (You may layer multiple sheets of tissue if you have a lot to make.)
- Cut out the circle, cutting through all thicknesses of the tissue paper.
- Layer two tissue circles. Pour as much candy as will fit in the center of the tissue circle. (The more candy, the fuller the pumpkin.)
- Cut a 12″ piece of floral tape. Gather the tissue up around the candy and pull together all the edges. Once gathered, pinch and twist the top. Wrap the floral tape around the twist, stretching slightly, to make the ‘stem”. Floral tape will stick to itself.
- Fluff and shape your pumpkin.
Glowing Mason Jar Lanterns
Supplies:
- 16 ounce wide-mouth Mason jars
- Purple spray paint (Krylon ColorMaster Paint + Primer, purple)
- Black paint markers, acrylic markers or permanent markers, fine and medium tip
- Tape
- Clip art designs
- Ribbon, twine or raffia
- Tea light candle
Instructions:
- Clean jars thoroughly; any oil will hinder the spray paint.
- Insert clip art design into the jar, find desired position and tape in place. On the outside of the jar, trace the outline of the design directly onto the glass using paint marker, acrylic marker or permanent marker.
- Set the jar on newspaper and spray paint using sweeping motions. (Tip: wear disposable gloves to keep hands clean.) Start the spray off to the side of the jar (to avoid creating a heavy spot of paint) and sweep across. Since you need the jar to stay somewhat translucent, start with one thin layer of paint. Let dry and drop a candle in to see how well the light comes through. (Continue until desired color and consistency is reached. We used just one thin coat.)
- When the jar is dry, retrace and color in the designs as desired. (You can skip the outlining in step 2 if you prefer to draw freehand after spray painting.)
- Allow paint to thoroughly dry, add a bow and a candle to the jar and gaze at your festive mason jar lantern.
