Samhain: A bubbling cauldron full of fun crafts

Samhain, of all the sabbats, is the one I most associate with craft-making. I suppose that’s because I remember making my own Hallowe’en costumes and candy bags with my mother every year as I was growing up.

One year we covered a paper shopping bag with fallen leaves of gold, red, and brown to collect candy. Another year we rolled up sheets of yellow construction paper into a medieval princess hat, with my mom’s chiffon scarves cascading out the hole formed at the top. And I’ll never forget the UNICEF box we had to take with us for Hallowe’en penny collecting. It came flat and we kids had to fold and tuck it at home — a great way to practice an essential paper crafting skill!

Now I colour sugar skulls and make Samhain candles for my dumb supper table — and it’s just as fun.

Here are several craft projects for you to try. I invite you to use them to make some memories of your own. As always, these are just ideas, add your own personal touches where you see fit.

Samhain-tide Decorated Candle

Project by Susan Starr

You need:

1. A canning jar with a flip-top and wire seal, large enough to hold a tea light or votive candle
2. Wide Samhain-themed printed ribbon
3. Complimentary trim or tulle or chiffon ribbon
4. Piece of wire long enough to form a handle
5. Tea light or votive candle
6. Hot glue gun

How to make it:

1. Remove the top of the canning jar so that the metal clamps on either side are exposed.
2. Encircle the jar in a length of ribbon so that the two edges meet, and glue the edges using the hot glue gun. If your jar is taller than the ribbon you will have to do this for as many times as it takes to cover the glass. Make sure all loose ends are glued together onto the glass.
3. Cut a length of trim long enough to encircle the lip of the jar and to tie a ribbon. Tie it around the jar lip in a ribbon.
4. Take the wire and fasten one end on each of the metal clamps so it forms a handle. You may want to double or triple the wire so it is thicker.
5. Place the candle inside the jar. It may be a tight fit so trim the candle until it falls to the bottom of the jar.
6. Variation: If you don’t want a handle, use a regular mason jar and eliminate steps 1 and 4.

Toilet Paper Roll Bats

Project inspiread by Practicallyfunctional.com

A cute and easy craft that is also easily made “fancy” with fine textiles, marabou trim, glitter, and fishing line to get them up and looking pretty.

You need:

1. Empty toilet paper roll (or paper towel roll, or wrapping paper tube)
2. Black paint
3. Paintbrush
4. Black construction paper
5. Googly eyes
6. Glue
7. Scissors

How to make it:

1. Paint the toilet paper roll black. Paint the entire outside, and then stand it on its end and let it dry for a few minutes.
2. While the paint dries, cut out bat wings from the black paper.
3. Once the paint is dry, make the bat’s body. Completely flatten the tube. Then stand the tube up and fold down the top on one side. Crease the fold. Then fold the other side down and crease the fold. Repeat these two folds on the other end of the tube.
4. Glue the paper wings to the back of the body.
5. Add two googly eyes to the front.

Pinecone Spiders

Project inspired by Firefliesandmudpies.com

Fun the little ones to make, but also very satisfying for anyone who loves a good pine cone craft. (And really, who doesn’t love a good pinecone craft?)

You need:

1. Round pinecones
2. Googley eyes
3. Brown pipe cleaners
4. Scissors
5. Low temperature hot glue gun and glue

How to make it:

1. Wrap 4 full-length pipe cleaners around the pinecone to make a total of eight legs. Shape the pipe cleaners into spider legs, adjusting the length with scissors if necessary.
2. Next, attach the googly eyes with hot glue to the top of the pinecone, where the top of the legs meet.

Sugar Skull Necklace

Project by Ilovetocreateblog

This is an easy jewellery project with a really impressive end-result.

You need:

1. Sugar Skull iron-on patches
2. Chain
3. O-rings
4. Pliers
5. Optional: Tassels, beads, charms, or other decorations

How to make it:

1. Use your pliers to open an O-ring and push it through the top of the patch. Create a starter hole using a safety pin first if desired.
2. Attach each O-ring to the chain, starting at the center and working outward, larger skulls going toward the center.
3. Attach optional elements in between the patches, like on a charm bracelet.

Basic Book of Shadows or Leather Journal

Samhain, being the witch‘s New Year, is the perfect time to start a Book of Shadows.

You need:

1. Sturdy fabric of choice (leather is highly recommend, but also denim, canvas, or vinyl would work)
2. Matching cord or string for binding
3. Paper to fill book with
4. Tools for hole punching

Here’s a video tutorial by YouTube user IvyWynd shows in detail how to make a simple leather journal you can use to hold your spells and incantations.

You can decorate it with beads, glitter, feathers, and the like using leather glue found in your local craft store or online.

Image credits: chriss, Susan Starr, Peter Miller, LongitudeLatitude, Peter Corbett, and Cordelia