How to Make a Cheese Cloth Ghost

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By AlishaV
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Ghost

Want a cute Halloween or Dia De Los Muertos decoration? Cheesecloth ghosts are cute little creatures that are so cheap and easy to make you can put them everywhere. Hang them all around a room, from the trees outside, or make them freestanding and set them on shelves and counters. They are so easy that your little goblins can even help.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Pieces of Cheesecloth
Laundry Starch
Bowl
Large, empty can from juice
Balloons
Fishing Line
Aluminum Foil(opt)
Newspaper
Scissors
Foam Brush
Black Permanent Marker

Step 1

Halloween Decorations

Set the newspaper out so that it will protect your work surface. Lay out your materials on top of it. Blow up a few balloons and set them aside.
Step 2

Decide about how big you want your ghost to be. Cut the cheesecloth so that it is a little more than twice that size.
Step 3

Decide if you want your ghost to be stiff and freestanding or loose so it will float in the breeze, or even a combination of the two. The part you want to be stiff need to be coated with starch.
Step 4

Boo!

Blow up a balloon so that it is the size that you want the ghost's head to be. Tie a length of fishing line to it if you want to hang the ghost later.
Step 5

Trick or Treat

Set the balloon on top of the empty juice can. This will be your form. If it's not tall enough for your ghost build a little pedestal for it using whatever you have laying around. If you want outstretched arms you can make little forms for them on either side using the aluminum foil. Eventually, you'll start seeing new forms in everything. I frequently use coat hangers but that's a little harder so they aren't great to use for your very first ghost.
Step 6

Place the cheesecloth on top of the form, cutting a small hole in the top and feeding through the fishing line if used.
Step 7

Pour some starch in the bowl and using the foam brush coat the parts of the ghost that you want to be stiff. If you want the ghost to be freestanding coat the entire ghost. If the ghost will be hanging you might want to leave the bottom edges un-coated so that they blow around in the wind and look "ghostly". Let dry.
Step 8

Take another piece of cheesecloth about the same size as the original and set it on top of the now dry first layer. Rotate it a little so it isn't at the exact same angle as the previous one and then coat it too with starch. Let dry.
Step 9

After that layer is dry decide if you want to layer on another one. If wanted, add another layer and let dry. If not, move on to the next step.
Step 10

If you want your ghost to glow in the dark, you'll need to coat it with glow-in-the-dark paint. This comes in fabric paint, spray paint, and brush on stuff. Use whatever you want and can easily find. Most paint departments have it in spray form by their other spray paints. I like the spray version since it is easy to just spray a couple of coats over the ghost. Apply the paint and let dry thoroughly.
Step 11

Using the permanent marker, draw on a ghostly face. Will your ghost be screaming or smiling?
Step 12

Boo!

Finally, your ghost is done. Lift it off the form. If hanging the ghost make sure to leave the balloon inside. It will add body to your ghost :-). Hang your ghost using the fishing line. If setting him on a shelf or table simple separate the ghost from the balloon and set him down. You may need to pop the balloon to get it out.