Making your own Halloween decorations is a whole lot more fun than buying them at the store, and there are many projects that might be easier that you'd expect. No matter how artistically inclined you are, you’ll love these simple ideas for decorating your home for Halloween.

Candy Corn Centerpiece [diyncrafts.com]
Turn an old wine or beer bottle into a candy corn-inspired centerpiece that’s perfect for Halloween parties. Simply spray paint shades of yellow, orange, and white onto unused glass bottles and arrange them however you please. As a bonus, you can even set out bowls of real candy corn for guests to snack on.

Tissue Paper Jack O’Lanterns [countryliving.com]
Instead of carving a messy pumpkin with sharp knives, create an equally festive jack-o’-lantern out of some simple tissue paper balls from the craft store. Cover them with construction paper facial features to make an entire army of adorable faux pumpkin faces.

Recycled Paper Bats [treehugger.com]
Do a bit of good for the environment by using recycled construction paper to create these sweet and scary hanging bats. Since they use an easy origami pattern, you can even construct these realistic bats without any cutting or gluing.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Andrew Malone

Mills Pond is a tranquil oasis tucked into the middle of Austin’s Lakes at Wells Branch subdivision, and locals say it's a great spot to gather with friends and family. The pond offers a pier for anglers who want to try their hand at catching the local fish, as well as a floating boat dock for use by any non-motorized boats.

Winding trails around the pond's perimeter offer scenic views and the chance to glimpse local ducks, geese, and cranes, as well as the opportunity for a bit of exercise (joggers and bikers are both welcome). Sunny, grassy fields nearby are ideal for spreading out a blanket and sharing a picnic, reading a book, or just enjoying the fresh air.

Whether you decide to enjoy the view from a park bench on the bank, or climb into a canoe to explore the pond itself, you can expect a quiet, peaceful visit to Mills Pond.

Mills Pond
15108 Wells Port Drive
Austin, TX 78728
(512) 251-9814
www.wellsbranchmud.com/parks/mills-pond.html
www.yelp.com/biz/mills-pond-austin

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/tillwe

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