(Not So) Cheap Fall Decor

Magazines taunt me with the cute and “easy” crafts we can use to make our cozier every holiday season. But, does anyone actually do those? I did. The verdict: It cost me a lot. It cost me a lot more than I expected. Here’s the projects and the breakdown.

These projects were found in this month’s All You Magazine, on stands now.

Ghost Lights

Difficulty level: Very easy

Cost: $5

Materials according to the magazine:

• Glue
• 24 small googly eyes
• 12 mini paper cups
• Awl
• String of white holiday lights

What you really need:

• White cups--$1 at the
• Glue—Elmers, glue gun, something you probably have
• Googly eyes--$1 at the Canton Dollar Tree
• Lights: $4 at

What you do:

Glue the eyes on. Poke holes in the tops. Stick the cups on the lights.

OK, so this one really is that easy. I promised not to clutter these columns with cutesy language or unnecessary adjectives. I didn’t know what an awl was, so I didn’t use one. The purpose here is to eliminate unneeded costs and time.

Pumpkin People

Difficulty level: easy

Cost: About $30

What they say you need for “one pumpkin family”

• Black construction paper
• Scissors
• Craft glue
• 6 pumpkins
• Assortment of ribbons, buttons and yarn
• 2 twist ties
• small belt buckle (try finding that in Cherokee County.)
• 1 small bunch of natural raffia
• 2 pieces of green felt
• lightweight cardboard
• stapler
• chalk
• button-front shirt with collar
• pins

What you really need:

• Pumpkins—I used Styrofoam ones that cost more. I spent about $10 buying foam pumpkins at Walmart and the Dollar Tree
• Sharpie
• Glue gun
• White paint--$1.70 at Michael’s in Canton
• Ribbon—Another $10 because most of the fall ribbon is sold by the spool.
• Buttons—I used rhinestones because I couldn’t find buttons I liked, $1 at Michael’s

What you do:

I think this would be a good craft for the kids to help with. You can ultimately decorate them the way you want to, something you’d probably do anyways. I didn’t find a button-front shirt to use, so I didn’t make the man pumpkin.

This turned out to be a little more expensive. I spent about $25 just to make two pumpkin people. If you decide to try this one out, use real pumpkins to save money.