DIY Lighted Porch Ghost

I was trying to organize my craft room and I came across a paper I either picked up at Joann’s or Hobby Lobby last year showing how to make these adorable ghost, do you ever pick up those craft idea papers they have hanging in the isles, well I do all the time you never know when you are going to need an inspiration anyway I came across the directions for this ghost and I don’t really decorate for Halloween but I had to give them a try and I just love them, I am going to put them on my porch with my fall décor.I love them so much I am going to make a larger one to got in the middle of the two smaller ones.

Here is a list of what you will need:

Small Tomato Cage
10 Yards of Cheesecloth
1 Ball (Soccer Size)
Wire cutters
Scissors
Black Felt
Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Stiffy
Basin
Rubber Gloves
Reynolds Non Stick Foil
1 Set of Battery Operated Fairy Lights (50 count)
Tea Stain Mixture (Listed to the Right)

Tea Stain Mixture

2 quarts water, 8 tea bags

Bring the water to a boil then remove from heat, next add 8 tea bags and let set for at least 2 hours. After 2 hours remove the tea bags then you are ready to tea stain.

Prepare The Tomato Cage

The first thing you will need to do is cut off the three bottom spokes of the tomato cage use your wire cutters for this step. Next wrap your ball in the Reynolds non stick foil, I used two pieces to make sure the whole ball was covered, make sure the side that says non stick side is on the outside of the ball, I used a soccer size ball ignore the larger ball in the above photo I started with that ball but it was to big. Place the ball on top of the tomato cage, which is really the bottom where you just cut off the three spokes.

Preparing The Cheesecloth

I tea stained my cheesecloth because I didn’t want it a pure white but that is up to you what color you would like your ghost to be. If you would like to tea stain your cheesecloth use the tea stain mixture above then put out in the sun to dry. Once your cheesecloth has dried I recommend doing this outside, take one end of the cheesecloth lay it on the ground by the bottom of the tomato cage, making sure you leave extra cheesecloth on the ground, then bring the cheesecloth up over the ball and down the other side, cut the cheesecloth making sure to leave extra cheesecloth laying on the ground you want the cheesecloth to be longer then the tomato cage, do this five more times alternating directions. Once you have your 6 pieces of cheesecloth cut pour a 16 ounce bottle of stiffy into a basin then dip one piece of the cheesecloth at a time into the stiffy making sure it is all covered then ring out the cheesecloth and lay over your tomato cage, repeat this step with the remaining 5 pieces rotating the direction with each piece. Once you have all your pieces on you need to let him dry out in the sun for at least an hour or so until he is totally dry and hard.

Making The Face

Once your cheesecloth has dried it is time to remove him form the tomato cage, stick your up inside and slowly remove the tomato cage them remove the ball. Once you have removed the tomato cage and ball cut out two eyes and one mouth from black felt, I just cut them out free handed. Using your hot glue gun add hot glue to the eyes and mouth and glue to your ghost.

Adding The Lights

Once I had the ghost all made I knew I wanted to add lights inside him, I used a set of 50 indoor/outdoor battery operated fairy lights with a timer. First I tried to just put them up inside the ghost but they would not stay where I wanted them so I decided to wrap them around the tomato cage and reinsert the tomato cage into the ghost and it worked out great, I did not reinsert the ball just the tomato cage.