Crepe paper has a look that makes it absolutely perfect for Halloween decorating. Check out this idea from Linda at A Sweet Afternoon, who used crepe paper to make this cute candy corn bunting banner! The project is easy enough that it’s kid-friendly, and at the same time sophisticated enough to hang for a fancy Halloween party or incorporate into your seasonal home decor. [how to make a candy corn bunting banner]

Project estimate:

• Crepe paper streamers, on hand or $1 and up
• Cardstock, on hand
• Glue, on hand
• Tape, on hand
• String, on hand or $1 and up

Total: Free and up!

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A couple of weeks ago I was at the store and came across an endcap of clearance crafts supplies, including some DecoArt Americana Chalky Finish paint for 92 cents a bottle.  SCORE!  The colors I found are called delicate (yellow), inheritance (orange), and everlasting (white), and I knew immediately I wanted to use them to create a muted, subtle version of candy corn colors.

But should I candy-corn-ify?  I’ve always been a fan of the tall prayer candles in jars, so I made a quick trip to the dollar store to grab a few.  They were the perfect subjects for this project!

Project estimate:

• Prayer candles, $1 and up
• Washi or masking tape, on hand or $1 and up
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up

Total: $1 and up

Start by removing any stickers or labels from your candle jars.  Then wipe the jars down with rubbing alcohol to remove any reside, including oi from your fingers, that may be present.  This will help your paint adhere better!

Use washi tape (or masking tape) to tape off two lines around the candle.  The tape lines will be unpainted on the finished candle, so I used the skinniest roll of washi tape I could find in my collection.  If you are making a grouping of candles, you can tape them all off at the same places, or vary the placement of the tape lines like I did for a different effect.

Once your lines are taped off, add paint!  You can apply the paint with a brush (being very careful of the tape edges) or with a stencil sponge.  I applied several thin-ish coats to get a nice, even finish.

Tip:  I actually prefer to use a makeup wedge sponge to apply paint because it is a denser sponge and leaves less of a spongy pattern in the surface of the paint.  And you can get a whole package of them for a buck!

After you are done painting, carefully peel away the tape and your candles are ready to add to your Halloween decor!

The post Tutorial: Candy Corn Inspired Candles appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

It should go without saying that I am addicted to the dollar store, but in particular I have an obsession with the glassware aisle.  And I have a very special place in my heart for various kinds of jars.  The jars with the clasp-y sealing lids are among my favorites, and I really love how Kimberly gave them this candy corn makeover!  You can find the how-to over at Tatertots & Jello.  You could do this with any jars, really – use jars out of the recycling bin too!  [how to make candy corn treat jars]

Project estimate:

• Glass jars, on hand or $1 and up
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  Free and up!

The post Make Candy Corn Treat Jars appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Have you been shopping for Halloween goodies at Dollar Tree yet this year?  Don’t dilly-dally, because once their Halloween merchandise hits the shelves things tend to sell out quickly.  Not sure what you want to buy there?  We’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite spooky crafts, all featuring things you can find in Dollar Tree’s seasonal section.

[Candy Corn]

[Candy Corn Wreath by Sevin Family]

One of the most iconic things associated with Halloween is candy corn.  Whether you love or loathe to eat it, there are plenty of ways you can incorporate it into your crafting rather than ingesting it.  Like, for instance, gluing them down to create a festive wreath to greet trick-or-treaters at your door!

[Plastic Halloween Straws]

[Skeleton Twinkle Lights by Obsessively Stitching]

Our friend Care figured out that the embellishments on these plastic Halloween straws were perfect for adding to a string of Christmas lights.  Presto, a string of Halloween lights instead!  (I love how happy these skeletons look!)

[Plastic Severed Hands]

[Plastic Severed Feet]

[Halloween Costume Contest Trophies by Very Vegan Holiday]

[Glowing Mad Scientist Jars by Mrs. Greene]

Are you stumped with what to do with those plastic severed body parts?  (Get it?  Stumped?)  You could use them to make spooky trophies for a Halloween costume contest, or perhaps use them to fill a display of mad scientist jars that glow when exposed to black light.

[Plastic Skeleton Garland]

[Calaca Bride by Made By Nicole]

[Spooky Skeleton Vase by Sew Woodsy]

What can you do with a string of little plastic skeletons?  Lots of things!  Separate the garland into individual skeletons for projects like making a calaca bride doll for the Day of the Dead, or leave them together in a grouping to make a spooky vase to add to your mantle.

The post Shopping at Dollar Tree: Halloween Edition appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Ah, candy corn.  Some people love it, others loathe it.  Whether or not you enjoy eating the candy, there is one thing I think we can all agree on: it looks pretty darn cool!  If you want to work a little bit of candy corn into your holiday decor, Instructables user logannebell came up with the idea of making starburst-like decorative balls featuring the waxy, sugary treats.  Put a few of them in a large glass vessel for a playful take on the sophisticated decor ball look, or add string or ribbon to turn them into ornaments.  [how to make a decorative candy corn ball]

Project estimate:

• Foam ball, on hand or $1
• Candy corn, on hand or $1
• Hot glue, on hand

Total:  Free and up

The post Make a Decorative Candy Corn Ball appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Last year after making my “How Candy Corn Was Made” cake [see it here], I had some extra cake batter and frosting leftover. I decided to make a cute little pumpkin patch cake using a tiny bread loaf pan my mother-in-law had as part of a play set when she was little!

Project estimate:

• Leftover cake batter, on hand
• Leftover frosting, on hand
• Pretzels, on hand or $1
• Pumpkin candies and candy corn, on hand or $2

Total:  Free and up

Steps:

1. Bake a pumpkin cake in a loaf pan (if you have a small one, this works best for this cute little patch!)
2. Frost cake with green icing
3. Using a small round tip, create “grass” on top of the cake with green icing
4. Break small pretzel sticks in half, and put them around the outside of the cake to create the fence
5. Place store bought or home-made (mine are home-made) pumpkin candies on top of the grass (NOTE: I melted colored white chocolate in another of the play set pans over hot water. It was a complete experiment, but I think it turned out pretty well! I used frosting for the stems)
6. Surround your patch with candy corn
7. Take a picture, show others, then eat!

The post Make a Pumpkin Patch Cake appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Last Halloween I saw Wilton’s “How Candy Corn is Born Cake” and fell in love. Then I realized I didn’t have the checkerboard cake pan set it required. So, I got crafty and decided that a pumpkin cake would have to do, and that I could still decorate the outside to look the same.

Project estimate:

• Pumpkin Cake Mix, $2.00
• Cream Cheese Frosting (home-made), around $5 for supplies
• Food Coloring, on hand

Total cost: $7 or less

I also saved myself a few hours. Instead of using stars all over, I just spread my colored cream cheese frosting into three circles. The effect when you cut the cake is still there, and I had diverted two problems at once! Plus, mine was very tasty, and all those extra candies would have just gotten in the way of my family devouring it!

The post Make a Candy Corn Cake appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I love wreaths, but not all wreaths are created equal.  Take, for instance, the old wreath that Erin from In Between Laundry had laying around.  It had an interesting shape that gave it potential, but other than that, it looked like something my grandmother might own.  In a true testament to the power of spray paint, she gave it a candy corn makeover for the holidays, even painting over the tacky faux floral.  Genius!  Next time you’re at the thrift shop, you’ll see that wall of horrid old wreaths in a whole new light!  [spray painted candy corn wreath before and after]

Project estimate:

• Ugly wreath, on hand or $1 and up
• Spray paint, on hand or $3 and up

Total:  Free and up

The post Spray Paint a Candy Corn Wreath appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Amanda from Crafts by Amanda put together this tutorial for cute faux stained glass candy corn using construction paper and tissue paper.  Kids will love making this candy corn sun catcher to hang in the window!  The sun shines through the mosaic of tissue paper that they created.  A fun fall craft, even for the little ones.  [how to make faux stained glass candy corn]

Project estimate:

• Heavy weight self-stick laminating film (i.e. Con-Tact paper), on hand or $1 and up
• Black construction paper, on hand or $1
• Tissue paper, on hand or $1
• Glue stick, on hand

Total:  Free and up

The post Make Faux Stained Glass Candy Corn appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I love making costumes with felt! This candy corn costume was so quick and easy to make, and it looks so cute. I was so excited to share it with you, that I just snapped a photo of my two year-old wearing it over his jammies. He’s a huge fan of candy corn, and wanted to dress as one for his Halloween costume from the beginning. Candy corn is an adorable costume: it’s instantly recognizable and of course, it’s easy! It’s also comfortable and easy to move around in, and you can remove it in a jiffy if necessary (perfect for a school or work costume!)

I made this costume out of felt yardage (the kind you get on the bolt at the fabric store, as opposed to the small sheets of craft felt). Felt is inexpensive, easy to work with, and you don’t have to finish it by hemming. Perfect for a one-time-use costume. These instructions are for a sewn costume, but check the bottom of the post for no-sew instructions.

Project Materials:

• 1/4 yard each of white, orange, and yellow felt, $3.59 per yard
• Ribbon, on hand
• Sewing machine & thread OR Hot glue gun & glue

Total: $2.69

This costume was very simple to construct and took me less than an hour to sew. You can also construct it with a hot glue gun if you don’t like sewing. It’s basically a very simple shift dress or smock made out of felt.

I made this for my son who wears a 3T. This amount of fabric will be fine for up to a 6x. For a larger costume, get wider cuts of fabric. You might want to get a wider swath of orange, since most candy corn has a large orange section.

To Make:

1. Sew 1/4 yard strips of felt together, making sure seams are on the same side. I got the color order wrong, so if you want to be 100% authentic candy corn, sew white to orange, and orange to yellow!

Alternately, hot glue the felt strips together.

2. Cut two pieces of the striped fabric, about 24″ wide. Fold in half, and cut a diagonal. The bottom should be the full width, and the top should be about 8″ wide when folded in half (16″ wide total). Use a tape measure to keep your line straight, or eyeball it. Repeat for 2nd piece of striped fabric. You will probably have some striped fabric leftover, too.

When you unfold the fabric, it will be a trapezoid that looks like this. I cut about 4″ off the top of my trapezoid because I wanted it to be shorter on my son. Adjust the length as desired.

3. Put the trapezoids right sides together. Sew shoulder seams as shown here, leaving 6″ unsewn in the middle. This will be the neck.

Alternately, hot glue together.

4. Sew up the sides, leaving about 6-8″ at the top unsewn. This will be the sleeve.

Alternately, hot glue sides together and remember to leave sleeve holes.

5. Fold over bottom, and sew a hem. You can skip this part, but I like it because of the stiffness it gives the hem, so the corn is nice and round.

Alternately, hot glue the hem.

6. If you want, you can fold the sleeves over and hem them too, but you don’t have to.

Alternately, hot glue the hem.

7. Cut a scoop in the front for the neck. Cut a straight line down the back about 6″ to make the hole big enough for little noggins to get through.

8. Cut two pieces of ribbon, about 12″ long. Singe the ends with a flame to keep them from unraveling. Fold over top hem of back of costume. Sandwich ribbons in the end and sew or hot glue to secure.

To make a hat: Cut a rectangle of white, and wrap around head in a cone shape. Hot glue or sew seam. I didn’t like the white peaked hat look, so I folded the peak inside about 3″ to make a blunt peak.

What to wear underneath: Black, white, yellow, or orange shirt and pants, skirt, tights, or leggings.

Other Candy Corn costumes and treat bags:

• Ruffled Candy Corn Tee at Positively Splendid
• Candy Corn costume, hat, and treat bag at Chica and Jo
• Candy corn treat bags at The Purl Bee
• Oversized hands-free candy corn treat bag at A Lemon Squeezy Home by No Big Dill (who also had a candy corn week!)
• Another very cute girl’s candy corn costume at No Big Dill
• Everything candy corn (so many fun ideas) at One Pretty Thing

Other quick and easy halloween costume ideas:

• Pizza costume
• Last minute no-sew costumes
• Greatest Costume Hits
• Homemade Costume Week

The post Make a Candy Corn Costume for $2.69 appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.