How AlinaBradford Did It - How to Decorate Outdoors for Halloween

First, cut around the top of a pumpkin so that the stem and a ring of pumpkin come off. This piece should look a lot like a lid for a cookie jar.

Next, scoop out the seeds and stringy meat with a metal spoon. You can save the seeds to roast. This is a pretty yummy snack that tastes a lot like sunflower seeds.

Once the inside is clean you are ready to carve the face. Take a sharp, thin paring knife and lightly score the design you want to cut on the pumpkin for a guide. Then, push the knife into the pumpkin until it comes out inside hollow part the pumpkin. Run the knife around your guide until the pieces are cut out.

Put a votive candle or tea light in the center and your jack-o-lantern is done.

Another decoration I like to make is a treat bag wreath. Buy about 20 black cellophane treat bags, some black and orange ribbon and some hard candies to make this one. Tie the treat bags together until you have a strip of bags that is two feet long. Tie the two ends together so that the bags make a ring. Tie ribbons to the ring and glue the candies to it with medium heat glue gun. Hot glue may melt the cellophane and candy wrappers. You can hang this wreath on the door or use it as a center piece on a table by setting a pot of mums in the center.

Ever see that fake webbing that people use to decorate bushes and such? You can make your own by pulling apart quilt batting that you can buy in the sewing department of your craft store.

We really love making scarecrows, too. Anyone can make these. Simply borrow some old clothing from daddy or grandpa's closet and pin or sew the shirt to the pants to create one long sack of fabric. Stuff the clothing with hay, old newspapers or rags. Tie the wrists and ankles of the clothing with twine so the stuffing won't come out. Set the stuffed clothing onto a chair. You may want to tie the scarecrow to the chair for stability.

For the head, poke a long stick into the bottom of a jack-o-lantern and nestle the other end of the stick inside the chest of the scarecrow so that the jack-o-lantern rests on the shoulders.

Finish the scarecrow off by adding a hat to the head and by slipping the ankles into a pair of boots.

Making your decorations can be fun and a great way to spend time with the kids. My girls love creating decorations.