Not so Friendly Ghosts - Halloween Prop - How To

Moonlight fills the darkest corner of the towns oldest cemetary shining light upon the creeping fog. A light breeze stirs mist around the ankles of the lost sending deep chills up their spines. An eerie presence floats up from the fog...

Giving a good scare is about creating a feeling of terror, even before anything happens. Anticipation keeps the senses keen, try not to be predictable and get scarin'!!

How to Create a Ghost

To make the ghost pictured above you will need these supplies; a white queen size sheet, plastic skull, 2 coat hangers, 2/500ml yogurt containers, scissors, metal snips, duct tape, dark string, purple paper twist. Young children shouldn't handle the scissors or snips.

Instructions - Take your sheet, fold it in half and cut a small hole in the top, middle part of the fold (you will be slipping the curved part of the hanger tip through it later). Poke a small hole in both the base and top of the skull. Tape both coat hangers together. Fold a 6' piece of string in thirds and place a knot at both ends.

- Grab one of your containers and imagine it as the shoulder of the ghost. Manuever it over one end of the hanger and secure with tape. You may want to snip the plastic which will make for a better fit. Repeat the same process on the other 'shoulder'. Now take your hanger with shoulder pads and push the curved end thru the hole in the sheet.

- Poke the curved part of the hanger up thru the inside of your folded sheet. The hook part should be poking out the top and the form of a ghost ought to be taking shape.

- Take the knotted string and feed it thru the top hole and then out thru the bottom hole in the skull. At this point, string should be hanging out both ends of the skull. Loop the base end of the string, the skulls neck, over the curved loop of the hangers and secure very, very well. 

- Feed the hanger into the base of the skull (tuck away the mechanics).

At this point you should have the makings of a fine looking, potentially scary ghost. Now it's time to put on the finishing touches. Hang your ghost up by the string so it is hanging freely then take your scissors and begin to shred all the edges. You can style your ghost by cutting off more or less fabric. A scrap piece of fabric has been secured around the ghosts waist for definition. Piece by piece fill the top hole of the skull with the paper twist, until it is packed tight. Then take that creepy looking ghost outside, drag it around the dirt and voila!