creepy silhouettes

Here is my first project for my little Halloween Craft Week! Put these candles anywhere you want to cast creepy shadows during October. :)

Here's what you need:

1. black cardstock
2. thin wire
3. x-acto knife
4. pencil (only if you're drawing your own shapes)
5. tape
6. candles

I used these super cute and free templates from Paper Crave. You can either pop over there and download them or use whatever else you want!

Just print out the template and tape one on top of your cardstock. (I printed them all full size except for the bat, which I printed at 75% just because I was afraid it might be too big. But do as you please!) I just used my x-acto to cut right through both pieces and then punched out the cardstock shapes when I was done.

*Tip! I used to have an incredibly hard time cutting round shapes with an x-acto but I found that if you use one hand to guide the paper as you cut, it goes a lot smoother. By that, I mean turn the paper as you go, not the blade. It seems to make cleaner cuts that way.*

Next, grab a candle. Cut enough wire so that you can wrap it around the base about two times, with enough left over to hold up your cutout. Tuck the end of the wire around the wire loops so it holds (1). Bend up the leftover wire and tape the loops to the back of the candle so they stay in place (2). Tape your cutout to the end of the leftover wire (3).

Now you need to set up the candles and adjust the wire. Make sure the cutouts are far enough from the flame that they won't catch fire! It helps to light the candles so you can see a good height and distance for the best silhouette.

Then just light them up and you're good to go! Move them closer to and farther from the wall to get bigger or darker shadows.

Ta-da! Creepy!

Check back tomorrow for more festive craftiness! Leave a link in the comments if you're making something too so I can check it out! :)