Throw Your Own Carton-Inspired Halloween Festivities
Halloween festivities are the perfect occasion to repurpose your cartons. Not only are cartons recycled to create new items like paper products and building materials, but they can also make for great DIY projects. Check out some of our favorite carton-turned-Halloween-decorations below. We’ve even included some spooky treats!
Haunted Carton House
(Photo: Maggy Woodley)
We love this easy-to-make haunted house. All you need are cartons, scissors, a stapler, acrylic paint and plastic foil or tissue paper. First, cut down your carton to the size you want your house to be. Then draw the shape of your windows and doors on with marker and cut them out. After you’ve stapled the houses together, paint! Once the paint is dry, use plastic foil or tissue paper to create the windows and doors, drawing on the window frames afterward. Feel free to decorate the house however you’d like — we suggest drawing on some cobwebs and pumpkins. Our personal favorite accent is adding googly eyes like the ones pictured above!
Milk Carton Jack-O’-Lantern
(Photo: Holly Homer)
Who says you need a pumpkin to make a jack-o’-lantern? Save that gourd for making pie in November! We suggest making milk carton jack-o’-lanterns as a creative way to reuse your cartons. Simply cut large windows into two sides of your carton and trace the outline of your tea light into the bottom of the carton. Once you’ve cut out the circle so your tea light fits comfortably, paint the outside of the carton with orange paint. If your carton has a spout and cap, feel free to paint the cap green and add some green pipe cleaner to make a stem. Once your carton has dried, cut some orange construction paper to fit over the windows. To make the jack-o’-lantern face, cut the orange construction paper in the shape of eyes and a mouth, and place black tissue paper over the holes. Next, glue the orange construction paper onto the cut windows. Flip on the tea light and voila!
Black Cat Dippers with Pumpkin Pie Dip
(Photo: Taste of Home)
Nothing gets you in the Halloween spirit like black cats and pumpkins! Try this tasty recipe that’s sure to be a hit. Ingredients include cream cheese, pumpkin, confectioners’ sugar, pumpkin pie spice, honey, pie pastry, liquid egg and milk from cartons, food coloring, sugar and ground cinnamon.
Ingredients:
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated pie pastry
- ¼ C liquid egg (they come in a carton, in the refrigerated section of the grocery store)
- 1 tablespoon milk
- Black paste food coloring
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.
- Add the pumpkin, confectioners’ sugar, pie spice and honey; beat until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
- Roll out each pie pastry directly on an ungreased baking sheet to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-in. cat-shaped cookie cutter, leaving at least 1 in. between cutouts. Remove excess dough and reroll scraps if desired. Mix the egg, milk and food coloring; brush over cutouts. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over cutouts.
- Bake at 400° for 6-7 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Serve with pumpkin dip.Yield: 2-1/2 dozen black cats (3 cups dip).
- Recycle your cartons!
Monster Guts Punch
(Photo: Giggles Galore)
Monster guts punch might sound gross, but it sure tastes delicious! This sweet and bubbly drink is perfect for parties and is simple to make. The one pictured here is made with 7-Up in addition to raspberry sherbet and fruit punch from cartons. Feel free to switch up the ingredients with your favorite flavors add some garnishes — like gummy worms and eyeballs.
Ingredients:
- ½ gallon raspberry sherbet, slightly softened
- 2-liter bottle of 7UP or Sprite
- 64 oz. Fruit Punch
- Candy of your choice
Directions:
- In a large punch bowl combine the sherbet and fruit punch. Before serving add the 7UP and gently stir to mix all ingredients
- For individual portions put a small scoop of raspberry sherbet in the bottom of each glass. Fill half of the glass with fruit punch and top the mixture off with the 7UP.
- Feel free to adjust the mixture depending on your taste preference to make the perfect bubbly punch.
After you’re done decorating and setting up, don’t forget to toss the left-over cartons into the recycling bin! What are some of your carton inspired Halloween creations and goodies? Share your ideas with us on Facebook or Twitter and remember to #RecycleYourCartons!
