Creative Commons License photo credit: SMcGarnigle
How to Make Recycled Decorations
Reusing an old bed sheet for a ghost costume is classic, but there are other ways to reduce, reuse and recycle using stuff found around your house. You’ve got stuff at home already that you may not have thought about, so read on to save money with recycled decorations using these easy ideas.
Do you really need a pumpkin to make a jack-o’-lantern? It’s easy to draw a face on an old orange laundry detergent container, but if you use paint, spray paint or otherwise, to gussy up old containers and boxes, opt for low or zero-VOC paint. VOC stands for “volatile organic compound.” This means there’s chemical liquids that evaporate at room temperature. VOCs in paint have been cited by the EPA as negatively affecting the air inside our homes and in the environment.
Mason jars look really cool as jack-o’-lanterns. Just use some tape for the eyes, nose and mouth first. Then paint the jar and remove the tape. Add a candle for an illuminating effect.
Black plastic garbage bags can quickly become spooky decorations. Just use a stencil or draw the outline to get a silhouette of a black cat, spider or bat. Bags are shiny and slick and it looks pretty neat taped up in windows or on your front door. You can take old egg cartons and also make pumpkins or a cute bat or a spider.
If you don’t feel like making a spider, you can purchase one made out of entirely recycled materials from artist Mark Brown. Its legs are made from recycled fork handles, the abdomen made from a reclaimed record and its face made from a recycled jar lid. It’s not only cool-looking, but this spider clock pictured on the right will also help you keep track of time.
Even drawing a silly or scary face on an empty milk jug is quick, easy and does the trick. Fun fact: Recycling one ton of plastic milk jugs saves enough energy to light a home for one year.
Follow this tutorial for a scary skull made from a milk jug:
Easy Halloween Ideas
A quick paint job with non-toxic spray paint can turn old cereal boxes or polystyrene (Styrofoam) blocks into tombstones for a mock graveyard. Or use mini cereal boxes to make your own Día de los Muertos altar shown in the picture above.
Creative Commons License photo credit: Bods
Place some drip candles into old wine bottles to set the mood for a Halloween party.
Don’t forget that you can make your own recycled candles for your pumpkins and decorations.
Leave out tuna and attract the neighborhood black cats!
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[...] from things that might otherwise wind up in the landfull. This kind of decor is called upcycled or recycled. These decorations reduce waste and plastic use. Plus, reusing something takes less energy than [...]