How to Decorate Halloween Cauldrons

Embellishments add character to a plain cauldron.

Spooky decorations add to the excitement of Halloween. Use a cauldron as a trick-or-treat candy server, room centerpiece or part of a witch character's Halloween setting. Perch this glowing cauldron on the front porch, a black cloth-covered table or a large block of wood for your Halloween event. Crafting your own decorations extends the Halloween fun as you create a spooky atmosphere for a family gathering, haunted house or a children's party.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic or metal cauldron
• Orange and yellow tape
• Craft knife or sharp scissors
• Paintbrush
• Yellow and orange acrylic paints
• Glitter paint
• Plastic skull and hands
• Adhesive
• Wood pieces
• White and red battery operated lights
• Cellophane
• Spanish moss

Instructions

1. 

   Skull and bones add mood to a scary cauldron.

   Cut several pieces of yellow tape into flamelike shapes with a craft knife or sharp scissors. Adhere the pieces to the sides near the bottom of the plastic or metal cauldron so it looks like the flames are licking its sides. If tape is unavailable, brush the flames onto the cauldron with acrylic paint.

2. Cut orange tape into small, thin parenthesis-shaped pieces to outline the curves of the flickering yellow flames. This will add dimension to them. If painting the flames, stroke thin lines along the sides of the yellow with orange paint.

3. Highlight the hottest flame centers with pale yellow paint. Mix yellow and white to achieve this lighter color. Brush glitter paint over portions of the flames for a child-friendly look.

4. Glue a set of plastic bony hands at the front edge of the cauldron using adhesive that is manufactured for plastic. Position the hands with the fingers reaching up and out of the interior of the container. When decorating for a scary haunted house, glue a nasty looking skull to the front or back of the cauldron rim.

5. Stack a few pieces of firewood or branches where the cauldron will be put on display. Set the decorated cauldron on top of the wood.

6. Place a string of battery operated lights into the cauldron. You also can use battery operated candles also to light the interior.

7. Crumple up a piece of red, orange, yellow or blue cellophane. Position it over the lights. This should produce an eerie glow from within the Halloween cauldron.

8. Drape Spanish moss around the edge of the container.

Tips & Warnings

• Add embellishments to the Halloween cauldron such as a raven, bat or black cat. A string of orange twinkle lights can be wrapped around the firewood to add a fiery glow.

References

• Activity Village: Halloween Bucket Cauldron
• Family Fun: The Witch and Her Cauldron
• Celebrations: Halloween Decorations