BH&G Halloween Tricks & Treats

MATERIALS • 1 medium pumpkin• 1 large pumpkin• Knife• Rolling pin• Air-dry clay• Crafts knife• Straight pins• Acrylic paint: black, gray, various colors of your choice• Paintbrushes• Black round bead• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks• Mini pumpkins• Printable Floral patterns (BHG.com/PumpkinCottage)• Mini bats, mini skeleton (optional) INSTRUCTIONS Thoroughly wash, dry, and hollow out the medium and large pumpkins (cut from the bottom of the medium pumpkin and the top of the large one). Cut out windows and a door; save the door piece. Roll out air-dry clay and cut into window frames, eyelid dormers, shutters, door, and doorframe. Add details, such as shutter slats and eyelid dormer design, with a crafts knife. Use a straight pin to poke a hole in the corners of each clay piece. Lay both pumpkins…

Trick or treat! It’s the best time of year, when we think about all things spooky and fill our pages with the latest and greatest in inspired Halloween ideas. This issue of Halloween Tricks & Treats brings to mind the phrase, “It takes a village.” I’m always amazed at the parts and pieces that come together behind the scenes to make our stories happen. As we mulled over ideas for a children’s party (“Bug Out!,” page 28), we turned to past contributor Holly Blain, whose gorgeous Michigan backyard set the scene for an insect-inspired bash. We sent a photographer and stylist to shoot the party and relied on multiple sources for themed food, buggy decor, and fluttery-fun activities. Holly’s daughter and friends even modeled and enjoyed our efforts. Around the…

Sam Ushiro INSTAGRAM: @AWW.SAM Q How do you blend your love of retro style into Halloween decor? A I never shy away from any colors—no matter the season. I like to find inspiration through vintage Halloween photos and by searching for vintage decor. I’m a big fan of personalizing holidays—if a pastel pink pumpkin would make your Halloween perfect, go for it! Q What’s your go-to crafting technique for a unique costume? A Papier-mâché is the base for a lot of my pieces—it’s easy to make and holds its shape. I’ve found spray paint is best for large costumes since it applies quickly and comes in a ton of colors. (Montana Gold is my favorite brand.) Q What costume is on your must-make list in the future? A Since having my…

Inspired by a newfound love of the historical drama Outlander, Chelsea and Joe Gray decided their all-white, farmhouse-style home in Massachusetts needed an update. “We were watching this incredible show about the power of love and family in the 1700s while living in our 1700s home and asked, ‘Why can’t our house look like this?’ ” Chelsea says. “It didn’t take long to realize we could achieve what we wanted—a collection of dark, bold, and fun historic colors and elements reminiscent of the show and classic New England homes.” The couple went to work on the remodel they lovingly refer to as Houselander. Room by room, they meticulously matched wall colors to their favorite sets while preserving—and in some cases exposing—the home’s original bones. They’ve documented their design journey on…

INSTRUCTIONS BEGIN ON PAGE 26. “A PINK THEME GIVES A PLAYFUL VIBE AND IS A GREAT OPTION IF YOU’RE NOT INTO DARK COLORS OR A SPOOKY HALLOWEEN LOOK!”–PRODUCER leslie poyzer INSTRUCTIONS BEWITCHING WREATH PAGES 22-23 MATERIALS • 3 craft foam wreaths (1–15-inch, 2–12-inch)• Roll of self-adhesive mirror glass mosaic tiles: silver, purple• Scissors• ½- to 1-inch-diameter bamboo pole• Garden pruners or handsaw• Sandpaper• Orange acrylic paint• 2–6-inch-wide rolls of tulle: pink, orange• Needle and thread• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks• Clear fishing line or ribbon INSTRUCTIONS Measure around the wreath edge, then cut strips of mirror glass tiles just long enough to wrap once around the wreath. Peel adhesive backing off one strip of glass tiles and wrap strip around the wreath edge; press firmly to secure. Remove backing from…

With a wooded backyard and having a kid who loves to explore, it was only natural for interior designer Holly Blain to take her work outside. “I love creating in our home, but I was excited to expand my designs into the backyard,” she says. Her first idea: Create a little escape or hidden garden in the tree-filled area of her rural property in Brooklyn, Michigan. Holly and her husband, Jamie, started by building a pergola with a large swing constructed from a salvaged bed frame. Over the years, they’ve cleared trees to make space for additional outdoor rooms and structures: a shed, a greenhouse built from salvaged farmhouse windows, a storefront facade, and a raised garden. Holly decorates the spaces each season, sharing her creations on Instagram (@rusticwildarrow), but…