Make Your Own: Haunted House

Haunted House by Fran W.

What would Halloween be without a creepy old haunted house?

To make one you will need:

A clean 1/2 gallon carton (milk, juice, tea, etc.), construction paper, scissors, Halloween stickers, glue, markers, paint and paint brush
Optional: Craft knife, yellow tissue paper, glow stick or battery powered candle, old magazines, clipart

Directions:

Cover the house

Cut four pieces of construction paper the width and length of your carton and glue each panel on well. Leave the paper the way it is, or make it look like brick, stone or some another pattern with a markers.

Cover the roof

Cut two panels of paper that will cover each side the way you want or create a roof of your choice by making shingles, jagged layers, or something else and glue it in place. If your carton has a twist top cap, cover it up with paper, paint it the same color as the roof, or figure out a creative way to use the space.

Final touches

Add windows and doors to your house and decorate with stickers, cut out construction paper silhouettes, pictures cut from magazines, and/or add clip art pictures - try to be as creative as possible.

Here are some suggestions:

Make your windows and doors different shapes, angles and sizes.

Windows: add cobwebs to the corners, window panes, cracks, board them up, add shutters, make curtains, make double windows, round windows, etc. 

Doors: Make double doors, a front and back door, make a secret door

Who or what lives in and around your house?

Add them in!

Animals: Cats, bats, rats, spiders, owls, etc.

People: Vampires, ghosts, ghouls, skeleton, etc.

Objects: Candles, lights, eyes, pumpkins, skulls, trees, vines, etc.

Luminated house
by Fran W.

Luminted house: Lit-up
by Fran W.

Variation for a haunted house that glows:

Cut a 1/4" off the bottom of the carton before you begin, when your house has been completely covered with construction paper and patterns have been added, cut out windows and doors and cover the holes from the inside with yellow tissue paper and glue. Then decorate your house any way you want. When the glue dries, put a glowstick or a battery operated candle in the bottom and shut the lights off!

If you would like more information about Halloween, please join my Fran's World Yahoo! Group. It is free to join and open to everyone.
Already a member? Please use this link: 'Halloween'