Forget pumpkins. This Halloween is all about the ghosts. There, we said it. Ok, that’s a bit harsh as we still love pumpkins but let’s be honest, they are playing second fiddle to ghost motifs this year. This Instagram DIY ghost candle hack is the latest proof of the emerging trend.
If you want to step up your Halloween decorating ideas this season, we recommend trying out this fun DIY project, courtesy of Kelly Khan (@no2threestoryhome) and her Instagram reel. These bendy candles are the ultimate budget-friendly Halloween decorations as all you need are white candles and some paint or a pen really. But the resulting look will be an instant conversation starter anytime you have someone over at your house.
The Instagram DIY ghost candle hack
This year, it seems Halloween is on steroids. And honestly, we’re not mad about it. As with that comes plenty of Halloween ideas for us to try out, beyond the typical pumpkin decorating ideas.
‘It started when one of my mum’s candles went all droopy in the sun and went a funny shape,’ Kelly recalls the inspiration behind her ghost candle hack. ‘My son is 4 and Halloween obsessed so it was great to do something that he could help with.’
Kelly’s creation transformed plain white dinner candles into bendy shapes with painted-on eyes and mouths that resemble flying ghosts.
But if you want to skip out on the bendy element - whether you’re worried about wax mess or simply can’t be bothered (fair!) - then you can achieve a similar look with white pillar candles too, as our Editor, Heather Young, has done.
‘I love decorating my home in the run-up to Halloween, both indoors and outdoors,’ Heather says. ‘I didn't have time to go out and buy anything new, so I decided to give some plain white pillar candles I already had a spooky makeover instead. I drew some ghost faces onto the surface of the candle using a Sharpie (I used Pinterest for some inspo for the designs) and in less than five minutes they were done.'
'Then I popped them on my fireplace for an instant Halloween display idea.'
What you’ll need
- Warm water
- White dinner candles like these at Dunelm - you can do this without the swirly effect on pillar candles like these at Amazon too
- Black acrylic paint like this at Amazon or black marker pen like this Sharpie
- Cotton buds if using paint
How to guide
In her reel, Kelly documents the entire process of making this piece of seasonal home decor. And it couldn’t be easier!
She starts off by soaking the dinner candles in hot tap water for five minutes until they become flexible and easy to shape into those bent silhouettes we fell in love with.
Next, once dry and solid again, Kelly paints the eyes and mouths using black acrylic paint and a cotton bud. You could also do this with a Sharpie.
And voila, there you have your DIY ghost candles.
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