How do you make a Halloween milk jug ghost?
Oooo…Halloween is coming, and these Recycled Milk Jug Ghost Luminaries need to greet the trick-or-treaters on your porch. They only take a few minutes to make so gather up some jugs and make yourself a whole fright of ghosts!
I love repurposing things that typically get thrown away, like plastic milk jugs. Dig your gallon or half gallon milk jugs out of the trash or recycling (they can be recycled after you repurpose and use them for a DIY milk jug ghost).
Milk jug ghost Halloween craft
Those stubborn and sticky labels as well as the date stamp can be removed with Goo Gone.
Note- In the video I use Goof Off…then I read the label and it really isn’t very safe to use, it’s a pretty harsh and smelly chemical. But boy, does it work well!!
Milk jug ghost faces
When the milk jug is clean and dry, draw a face on the flat side with a black Permanent Marker. It is fun to think of what faces you want to draw. If you would like some more ideas (I show happy, angry and scared) you may Google cartoon facial features and get a lot of clever ideas. I just did that and now I want to go make some more ghosts!!
To make a ghost luminary that sits on the ground
Something I didn’t think of right away is that the jugs need to be weighted down if you don’t want them to tumble down the street to the neighbor’s house! Pour some sand or gravel into the bottom of the jug for weight. In Kansas this is a necessity!
Fairy light magic in your easy Halloween craft
Unwind a set of Fairy Lights, hold onto the on and off switch portion and drop the light strand down into the jug. Wrap the switch portion around the handle a couple times. Be sure to try turning your Fairy Lights on to make sure they work! Then replace the lid onto the top of the milk jug.
Tip: Use some Packaging Tape to secure the switch to the handle if you would like.
Tea light or glow stick milk jug ghosts
If you would like to make milk jug ghosts with tea lights or milk jug ghosts with Glow Sticks, just cut a hole in the back of the milk jug where you can slip in a tea light (or Flameless Tea Lights) or Glow Sticks while it is sitting on the porch. This opening also allows you to light the tea light when it gets dark!
A Flameless Tea Lights would also be fun as you could get various colors and each ghost made out of milk jugs could be a different color!
To make a ghost luminary that hangs from a hook
Cut the bottom of the milk jug off with a Fiskars HD Craft Knife or with a pair of Scissors. An adult may need to help little grands with this step.
Staple on fabric strips
Cut some white fabric into 2-inch-wide strips.
Note: I wish I had cut my fabric strips longer. I already had these fabric strips and didn’t want to waste them. I may tie more strips onto the bottom of these strips, so they flutter in the wind more.
Use a Stapler to staple these strips all the way around the bottom edge of the open milk jug.
Hang up your ghost made of milk jugs!!!
Cut two holes in the top of the jug, one on either side of the lid.
Draw a 2 foot String through the two holes and tie the ends together in a knot. Use this to hang your ghost.
Easy Halloween milk jug luminaries tutorial
Was that easy or was that easy? You will have a fright of ghosts made in no time.
These will look so spooky cool sitting on your porch, lining your sidewalk or hanging up in a tree in your front yard. Oooooooo….
Let me know how yours turn out. I’m curious what faces you will draw on your Recycled Milk Jug Ghost Luminaries!!
Looking for some great Halloween costume ideas?
Check these out on Welcome To Nanas.
- Easy IY Animal Masks from Craft Foam
- DIY Buckskin Halloween Costume
- Woodland Deer Halloween Costume
- Woodland Owl Halloween Costume
- Sew a Simple Kids Cape for Halloween
(PS- next week is a post on painting face tattoos on kids cheeks, so fun and easy!)
Supplies for Recycled Milk Jug Ghost Luminaries
- Milk jug- one gallon or ½ gallon plastic jug
- Goo Gone- safe label & sticker remover
- Permanent Marker (black)
- Fairy Lights (OR tea lights/Flameless Tea Lights/Glow Sticks)
- Fiskars HD Craft Knife
- ½ yard white fabric
- Stapler
- String
Enjoy!
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Recycled Milk Jug Ghost Luminaries
Equipment
- Scissors
Items Required
- Milk jug Plastic, clean and dry
- Goo Gone Safe label & sticker remover
- Permanent magic marker
- Fairy lights 1 string per luminary
- Utility knife
- ½ yard White fabric
- Stapler
- String
Instructions
- Take the label & date stamp off the milk jug with Goo Gone
- Draw a face on one side of the jug with magic marker
- Insert a string of fairy lights into the milk jug, keeping the control out and wrap it around the handle. Tape in place. Replace the lid.
- For a hanging ghost luminary: Cut off the bottom of the jug.
- Cut the fabric into 2 inch wide strips.
- Staple the strips along the bottom of the open milk jug.
- Cut two small holes on either side of the lid and draw a string through the holes. Tie the ends of the string together into a knot for hanging the luminary.
- Wrap the fairy lights up into a loose knot so they stay inside the milk jug when the luminary is hung.
- Enjoy!!!
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