Halloween is just around the corner, and what better way to get into the spooky spirit than by crafting adorable sheet ghosts from egg cartons? This budget-friendly and eco-friendly project is perfect for both kids and adults looking to add some handmade flair to their Halloween décor. Plus, it’s an excellent way to recycle those empty egg cartons! In this step-by-step guide, I’ll show you how to create your own spooky ghost decorations and recommend the best paint brands and brushes to make your craft shine.
P.S. This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Materials You’ll Need:
- Empty egg cartons
- White paint
- Paintbrushes
- Black paint
- Scissors
- Paper (scrapbooking, colored, cardstock, etc)
- Picture Frames (various sizes – use what you got!)
- Spray Glitter and Glow in the dark paint (optional, but fun!)
Step 1: Prep Your Egg Cartons
Start by cutting apart the egg cups from your empty egg carton. Each individual egg cup CAN make two ghosts if you are careful, so cut as many as you’d like to make. I found it easiest to cut the entire egg cup out first, then cut from the base to the top on the flat edged side worked best.
Pro tip: Use quality scissors for cleaner cuts, especially if you’re crafting with kids. The egg cartons aren’t delicate, but they do tend to tear if you aren’t careful. Noah LOVES cutting her own crafts, so we have “my size” scissors in all our craft areas. Simple mom win.
Step 2: Paint Your Egg Carton Cups
Once you’ve cut the egg carton into individual ‘ghosts’, it’s time to paint! Using white puff paint, give each egg cup a generous coat to make it look like a true ghost. We chose to use puff paint, because it is what we had, but I found that it really makes the ghosts more “sheet” looking with the layered textures. The coverage was smooth, and the brilliant finish really makes the ghosts pop against the backgrounds we chose. Though, because we applied generous amounts for the ghost appearance, these did take longer than it stated to dry, which was okay with us because it was worth it.
Step 3: Add Ghost Faces
Once the white puff paint has totally dried, it’s time to give your ghost some personality! Using the black puff paint, draw on eyes and a spooky mouth (if you wish). Keep the faces simple for a more classic look or get creative by adding different expressions. We liked the simple look in our house.
Step 4: Create the Sheet Ghost Background
Now comes the fun part—creating the ghost’s “home”. Grab some scrapbooking paper for something themed, have fun painting your own backgrounds OR combine a little personal art with some scrapbook paper for a unique design. Once you have what you are going for, it is time to glue the background directly to the front of the frame – we found this gave the art a more authentic look. You can put the background in the frame and then attach the ghost on top if you wish as well.
Tip: We opted to both paint & use scrapbook paper for the combined look. I have had extra for a while I am trying to work through, but below I posted a link for a similar theme that you can try! For the best results in our house, we find it most useful to have multiple paint brushes and water cups (for cleaning) around. It keeps the kids entertained, but it also somewhat maintains the integrity of the individual paint colors for a tad while longer and that makes my OCD side happy. These brushes give everyone (you know the parents got in on this fun too) different options and the supplies needed to stay somewhat tidy. They are also easy to store in a small container & keep handy for other fun craft ideas!
Step 5: Assemble and Display
Once your ghosts are dried and ready, it is time to attach them to your background frame! We had 4×4 gallery frames and other various 4×6 frames, so we chose to use these. We also had a certificate frame we repurposed for our family portrait. I linked some similar options below if you don’t have any on hand.
You can also leave them standing or string them up with some fishing line to hang them around the house. These little ghosties make a perfect addition to your Halloween decorations, whether you place them on your mantle, use them as table centerpieces, or hang them by the front door to greet trick-or-treaters.
We, the parents, used hot glue gun to construct all elements of this craft. You can use all types of adhesives (if it is compatible with your materials).
Bonus Tips for the Perfect Craft:
Glow in the Dark: If you want to take your ghosts to the next level, use glow-in-the-dark paint like for an eerie effect when the lights go out! Spray glitter on the background you create, the ghosties OR BOTH!
Why This Craft is Perfect for Halloween
Not only is this DIY project easy and inexpensive, but it’s also a fantastic way to repurpose egg cartons that would otherwise be tossed. You get to turn everyday materials into charming and spooky decorations for Halloween, while keeping things semi eco-friendly.
Plus, you can customize the size and style of your ghosts to fit your décor needs. Whether you prefer a small army of mini-ghosts or larger, more dramatic ones, this craft is as versatile as it is fun.
Final Thoughts
Creating these cute sheet ghosts from egg cartons is a simple, engaging craft perfect for kids and adults alike. However, I will tell you I found it much easier with the way our day was going to assemble the final products kid-less. This was less stress on everyone and the kid’s had more fun building forts anyways.
Plus, with this craft not only will you be recycling materials, but you’ll also be adding some handmade charm to your Halloween setup. Be sure to grab high-quality paints and brushes to make the project smoother and more enjoyable. For all the supplies mentioned, you can find them on Amazon by following the links.
Now, gather your materials, get crafting, and enjoy the spooky season with your new sheet ghost friends!
Specific Product Links:
Vintage Scrapbooking Supplies Scrapbook Paper
Surebonder Cordless Hot Glue Gun
LIVINGO Small School Student Blunt Kids Craft Scissors
MCS Format Picture Frames, Gallery Wall Frames, Black, 4 x 4
Picture Frames Set of 8, Rustic Picture Frames Multi Wood-Color, 4×6
FolkArt Glow-in-the-Dark Acrylic Paint
Krylon K03804A00 Glitter Blast Glitter Spray Paint for Craft Projects
Happy crafting!
