A Tissue Papered Halloween!

Halloween is almost here! If you’re a last-minute decorator (like myself) life will be much easier this year with these simple tissue paper solutions that are crafty and easy! From garland to place cards to sprucing up standard paper lanterns… tissue paper + scissors = quick & clever.

Martha Stewart features these decorating DIYs to try with your little ones or to make yourself before a big event. I’m really loving the bat-winged pumpkin place cards and the {Booo!} paper lanterns!

Follow the jump for the How-To!

{Tissue Paper Bat-Winged Pumpkins}

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Set the stage, and the table, for Halloween with these strange creatures — half bat, half pumpkin.

*7″ wooden skewers
*Black tissue or crepe paper
*Scissors
*Glue stick
*Awl or screwdriver as an alternate (hey, why not?)
*Small tags
*Mini pumpkins

Bend a 7-inch wooden skewer one-third from its blunt end. Fold a square of black crepe paper into a triangle over two-thirds of bent skewer, and secure with a glue stick. Fold top point of triangle down, and glue. Cut scalloped edge. With an awl, punch holes in opposite sides of a mini pumpkin, and insert wings. Write names on small tags; scorch edges for extra spookiness.
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{Tissue Paper Bat Garland}

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Cutting the strings of shapes won’t drive you batty, since the paper comes accordion-folded in its package. With black tissue paper you can craft bats, cats, rats, or witches; orange makes great pumpkins; and white is perfect for skulls and ghosts.

*Black folded tissue paper
*Scissors

Trace or draw desired design across full width of a package of folded tissue paper; we used a cookie cutter as our guide. Cut along the outline, leaving a bit of uncut fold at both sides so figures connect to one another. You’ll end up with several strings of five or six shapes each; tape together for a garland.
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{Tissue Papered Paper Lanterns}

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Such a clever way to use paper lanterns! Hang over a dessert bar or string with Christmas lights for a festive Halloween porch party.

*Orange, white or black tissue paper
*Scissors
*Fishing line
*Green felt (pumpkin leaves)
*Brown pipe cleaners (pumpkin curly stems)
*Glue stick

Cut letters (such as Boo!), jack-o-lantern faces and slivered moons out of tissue paper and attach to various lanterns with a glue stick. To make pumpkins, cut leaves out of green felt and use pipe cleaners twisted around your finger to create curly stems.