I fell for those really cute lit ghosts that Pottery Barn sells, and wanted some for our front porch this Halloween. I added the three I wanted to my cart and then abandoned it when I saw how much it was going to cost. So cute but so expensive for something I could make. So that’s exactly what I did, and truthfully, I like them more than the originals! These are so doable you would be silly to buy them instead of making them yourself. Here’s how to DIY the Lit Halloween Ghosts you saw in my Halloween Porch post.
Standard Ghost Supplies
- Tomato cage, 54″ – I used two 54″ (one cut down a little shorter for the medium size ghost)
- Tomato cage, 33″ – For the short/dog size ghost
- Outdoor battery operated string lights – I used two sets for the tall ghost, and one set each for the medium ghost and short/dog ghost)
- Styrofoam ball – 9.6″ for the tall, 7.6″ for the medium, 5.6″ for the short or dog
- White sheet or tablecloth – I used old queen sheets, but a king would have been better for the tallest ghost
- Cheesecloth – I only used one of these for my three ghosts
- Black craft foam
- Scissors
- Hot glue and glue gun
How to Make the Standard Ghost
Notes
Tall Ghost – The queen sized sheet I used ended up being too short. To remedy that I cut a section off another sheet and sewed the two pieces together. If I was using a king size sheet for the taller one I probably would have been fine.
Medium Ghost – I chose to cut down the 54″ tomato cage a few inches so I could have a medium height ghost.
Additional Supplies for the Ghost Dog
- Aluminum foil
- Plastic grocery bags
- White tape
- Metal Hanger
- Sewing machine with thread, or see notes for no-sew option
How to Make the Ghost Dog
Notes
I created the ears by sewing an ear shaped pocket out of extra sheet fabric I cut off the bottom and cheesecloth. When turned right side out I slid the wire ear form I made from cutting the corners off a metal hanger inside. I then pressed the metal tips into the styrofoam head through little snips in the fabric. I used hot glue along the top to keep them from sliding out.
HOWEVER, I have two no-sew options that would be easier. 1) Cut out an ear shape from the black craft foam you already have or white craft foam and hot glue those into place. Or 2) Use a white knee high stocking as the pocket for your wire ear form.
Cost
The inspiration ghosts were going to cost me $353, but I spent $80 making my own. Remember when I used to have white flat sheets as drapes in our living room, kitchen, and dining room? I used those for the sheets.
A cost savings tip for the styrofoam balls which can be pricey. I was able to get a better deal purchasing them online and doing curbside pickup verses purchasing them myself in the store. It’s so silly, but the online only discount is way better than the in-store discount.
Fun Light Tip
The lights I used have multiple light modes. There’s one that fades on and off that I think is fun to use since these are ghosts. Here’s how they look in the fade mode.
What do you think? Are you going to make some?
Inspo Ghosts + Sources
