Once upon a time, there was little I found more engrossing than covering my hand in white glue, patiently waiting for it to dry, and peeling it all off again. Imagine my delight, then, when I stumbled across a viral hack that turns fallen leaves into Halloween ghosts using this exact method! Well, almost.
Usually, leaving the leaves is top of our autumn cleanup tips, because all of those fallen leaves? Not only do they provide vital shelter for overwintering butterflies, moths, frogs, pollinators, and other beneficial insects, but they also can be used as leaf mulch or leaf mold compost.
Still, while it’s important to a) create leaf piles around your garden, and b) use the rest as a handy soil conditioner, you can and should absolutely snaffle a handful for a spot of DIY Halloween crafting. Trust me.
What You Will Need
This fun upcycling project doesn’t require much in the way of equipment; a handful of dry leaves, some white glue (this Washable School Glue from the Amazon Basics range is perfect), and a black marker should see you through.
You’ll also need a pot for your glue (I used an old yogurt tub) and a paint brush. And, if you fancy getting really fancy, you can mix a drop or two of food coloring or glitter in with your glue… but more on that later.
How To Make Your Leaf Ghosts
If, like me, you’ve spotted this viral hack that turns fallen leaves into Halloween ghosts all over your Instagram feed, you likely already know what needs to be done. If you haven’t, though, never fear; it’s so easy that even a child – or someone with a slight DIY deficiency, like myself – can do it.
Basically, you take your leaves, making sure they’re as dry and clean as possible (it might be worth rubbing them over with a tissue before you get started). Then, you cover them all over in PVA glue, before setting them aside to dry completely.
Once this is done, you’ll want to use your black marker to draw a ghost face at the centre of your leaf, before getting to the fun bit: the peeling!
Peel, Peel, Peel!
Now, I’ll level with you; the peeling aspect of this job is fiddly, especially if you choose a leaf with lots of detail. If you ever find yourself mindlessly picking at split ends or the like, though, it’s basically a dreamy way to spend an hour or so (depending on how many leaves you’re working with).
Once your ghost is free from its leafy prison, all that’s left to do is press it onto your window, and voila!
Yes, it really does stick there all by itself; it's basically a homemade window sticker (or clinger, if you prefer).
Get Creative
Of course, you don’t have to stick to the basic version of the viral hack that turns fallen leaves into Halloween ghosts. You could, if you like, mix some food coloring into your pva glue to create vibrant fall leaf displays – or you could add some glitter to the mix, skip the spooky face, and turn them into festive snowflakes for a Christmas holiday display.
Whatever you do, just try to have fun with it, and don’t worry about perfection; the charm of these homemade decorations is that they look homemade. Also, that they cost almost nothing at all to make and lean into the ‘recycle don’t shop’ mentality that so many of us are trying to adopt in the wake all those scary climate change headlines.
Have fun, then, and happy Halloween!
