The Swag
Step1
Make 10 to 15 dried apple slices. String apples together or tie with a piece of raffia. (See "How to Dry Apples.")
Step2
Make 10 to 15 cinnamon leaves. String together or tie with a piece of raffia. (See "How to Make Cinnamon Ornaments.")
Step3
Cut 40 10-by-10-inch squares of scrap material in Halloween or fall colors.
Step4
String them on twine with a large crafting needle: Fold the fabric squares into fourths, and poke the needle through the middle of each one.
Step5
Make five small raffia bows. Use natural or different colors.
Step6
Make three small cheesecloth ghosts (see "How to Make a Cheesecloth Ghost"). Hot glue them to twine. You can use baby food jars as the mold for the smaller ghost shape.
Step7
Make 5 to 13 paper pumpkins. String or hot glue them to twine.
Step8
Make 5 to 11 paper bats. String or hot glue them to twine.
Step9
Cut a 72-inch piece of twine, and string the dried apples, cinnamon leaves and scrap material squares.
Step10
Tie the cheesecloth ghosts, paper pumpkins and paper bats with raffia bows on the twine.
Step11
Tie on extra raffia bows for filler.
Step12
Mix and match pieces. For a fuller-looking swag, use more squares of material and raffia bows.
Step13
Tie a large raffia bow on each end to hang, or use a pair of old napkin rings tied to each end and hooked over a curtain rod.
Paper Pumpkins and Bats
Step1
Cut open a brown paper bag.
Step3
Draw pumpkin and bat shapes onto the paper bag. You'll need two of each shape for one pumpkin or bat.
Step4
Cut out the shapes.
Step5
Sponge paint the pumpkins and bats or decorate with glitter. Add small wiggly eyes to the front.
Step6
Squeeze a small, thin line of hot glue around the outside edge of the back pattern, leaving a 1/4-inch opening at the bottom of the cutout.
Step7
Place the front onto the back, pressing into the glue.
Step8
Fill the pumpkin or bat with small pieces of plastic bag or newspaper to give it a puffy look.
Step9
Glue the opening shut when full.