Halloween Fun for 2012

It’s easy to get so caught up in the academic, research side of this field, we forget to make time for fun projects, too.

Here are a few clever ideas for Halloween (or Samhain) decorations for home, parties, and events, for ghost enthusiasts:

Halloween Photo Shoot – Combining photos (with Photoshop, Paint.net, or other graphics software) for a ghostly effect.  There’s nothing very technical (or even new) in this, but it may give you some fresh ideas.  In fact, I think you might have some better ideas (and results) than hers.  (How about a wintry ghost-themed photo for this year’s Christmas cards?)

While you’re at Instructables’ Halloween photos section, check out Scary Woods Photo Edit, and more.  Some of these ideas could be great for website headers, your seasonal Facebook or Twitter (etc.) icon, and so on.

People often ask me how to help their kids be less afraid of ghosts.  Well, one way is to make ghosts more fun.  (I usually recommend “Casper” and non-scary “Canterville Ghost” videos.)  Here’s an easy project for Halloween decorations:  5-Minute Ghost in a Mirror.  The glue should peel off, after Halloween.  (If your child says he or she is seeing a real ghost, this is one way to find out what that ghost looks like… have the child make it a portrait rather than the classic ghost-in-a-sheet image.)

If you’re looking for thrifty ideas to decorate your home for Halloween, start with the Magical Apothecary Living Room, and scroll through related ideas.

I love the jars, including the one with candy corn in it.  Create your own with empty glass bottles from your kitchen.  You can make labels that look old or creepy with free fonts and any word processing program (like LibreOffice or OpenOffice, both free), plus your home printer.

My favorite free font site for this kind of work: DaFont.com.

You’ll find some good, elegant and creepy clipart you can use among the freebies at Designious.com. (Their free Vector Pack 1 includes a slightly silly skeleton skull, and some of their other free sample packs include Halloween-related artwork.)

And, if you like this kind of theme for year-round decorating, check sites like Gothic Martha Stewart for DIY projects.

And, on a less frivolous topic:  If you didn’t read (or forgot about) my earlier article, be sure to review Ghost Hunting – Halloween 2012 for astronomical and astrological tips for ghost hunting in October 2012.