Upcycled & RecycledNo. 3632 · The 2026 edition
Halloween Ghosts Made From Gourds
Transform dried gourds into spooky ghosts with white paint and cheesecloth.
Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at houseofhawthornes.com.
Create Halloween decorations by cleaning and painting dried gourds white, then adding black faces and draping cheesecloth over them to resemble ghosts. This simple craft uses basic materials and allows for creative facial designs.
You'll need
Directions
- If your gourds are not pre-cleaned, they likely have a dirty, moldy crust. If they are clean, proceed directly to step 5.
- To remove the crust, submerge the gourds in water with a small amount of dish soap and a little bleach for two hours. This softens the crust and prevents airborne mold and dirt.
- After soaking, use a kitchen scrub pad to rub off the outer crust. Discard the pad afterward since it will be very dirty.
- Let the gourds air dry completely.
- Spray paint the gourds white. For easier coverage, hang them from tree branches using twine.
- Once the paint is dry, paint faces on the gourds with black craft paint and a small brush. Be creative with the expressions.
- Cut a piece of cheesecloth and drape it over the top of each gourd to finish your ghost.
More photos
Photos hosted by houseofhawthornes.com.
