The main conversation in our house lately has been about princesses, catwoman, ninjas and creepy guys with machetes. In other words, the impossible decision of what costume to choose for Halloween! For Babygirl, the struggle is getting her to make a final decision before everything sells out. Our son wants to be something gory and bloody, so that battle is trying to find a compromise between scary and demonic.
But one thing we all agree on, is setting a fun stage for when the trick-or-treaters come knocking!
We prefer a touch of spooky over cutesy, but not enough to scare the little ones. I used this template to cut the bats out of stiff felt (found at Hobby Lobby). Even though the porch is covered, I didn’t want to risk using cardstock. The stiff felt holds its shape, too, so the bats have a real three-dimensional look. I stuck them to the door and brick with duck tape, and so far, not a single one has flown fallen off.
A few black crows and skeleton heads from the Dollar Store add to the haunted house effect.
The bats are even fun from inside the house.
Look out, this porch is batty.
Is there a costume war going on in your house? Do you have any suggestions to satisfy a tween boy’s desire to be scary, without looking evil?
You can check out past Halloween porches here and here. And more Halloween and Fall projects here.
You and I must have similar taste! I will, however, have to try the felt next year. The cardstock bats fell off my front door, so I moved them inside! I much prefer "spooky" to cutesy when it comes to Halloween…
http://lifelovelarson.blogspot.com/2012/10/a-few-more-budget-friendly-halloween.html
Love it, such a big impact!
That looks so cool! If I were to do that I would have to use white bats because we have a black door lol.
whitneycroy.blogspot.com
Mummy = scary but nor evil per se….
LOVE your porch! I never decorate outside b/c for some reason we don't get any trick or treaters. But I love all of this so much I may have to do it for me 🙂
Stealing this idea! Cheap and easy, that way if one – or many – of the bats 'fly away' (aka blow ayay/get runied) I won't feel bad!
-Sarah
Love it!!
How about a zombie? Bloody and gory but not too terribly demented! (Plus it's a cheap costume…cut up some old clothes and roll them in dirt, add makeup and blood and you're done!)
How cool is it that it looks equally as awesome when you open the door?!? LOVE it!!!
Such a unique and cute idea! I love the bats!
My son was a ninja for several years, then wrapped himself in toilet paper as a mummy- he thought that was great. Your porch looks adorable! Makes me miss my kids.. We don't even get any trick or treaters here, so going lite this year!
xo Nancy
Powellbrowerhome.com
No advice for the tween, sorry! But the porch is great, I have bats too-over our fireplace and they're so fun! I love your crows (ravens? either I guess.. 🙂 too!
Those bats are insane cool! How is it that you can be so awesome every. single. day?!
xo!
Jen
Oh wow — I love this! The bats look so cool, what a great idea. And I love how you can see them from the inside, too!
Cute! I love the bats. Can't wait until HDawg is old enough to trick or treat so we can dress up our front porch like this. Presh!
Love this! Especially the last picture! Too cute! 😉
I was on a walk with my husband tonight and we saw a red door…it made me think of this post and I told hime all about your cute idea! I hardly ever tell him about blog ideas, so, you made an impression with this one 🙂