Creative tricks make Halloween a real treat

"When witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers, 'tis near Halloween." -- Author unknown.

I hate to admit it, but Halloween has never been one of the holidays that I get overly excited about. Wearing costumes almost always generates feelings of awkwardness and silliness, and I find the whole black and orange color scheme to be less than inspiring.

Usually, other than a few pumpkins scattered about, Halloween decorations have been scarce at my house. But, my friends, that has all turned around over the last few years. I now have a young daughter to share the holiday with and that has forced me to tap into the more imaginative side of Halloween.

I never would have thought this holiday could be so much fun! So, you're struggling with how to really embrace all that Halloween has to offer, here are a few creative projects to help you capture the spirit of it, too.

Cookie cutter pumpkin carving

Pumpkin carving doesn't get any easier than when you gather up an assortment of metal Halloween-shaped cookie cutters.

Before cutting an opening and cleaning out your pumpkin, determine which designs you want where. Use a lightweight hammer to pound the selected cookie cutters into the side of your pumpkin. Pound the cutter until it's almost all the way in, and then remove (you may need a pair of pliers to help grab the cookie cutters and remove).

Continue working your way around the pumpkin until you have all of your shapes pounded in.

Cut an opening in your pumpkin. Clean out the seeds and then, using a small, serrated carving blade, finish cutting out your design and punch the shape out.

My daughter likes to save the cutouts because she then has fun trying to figure out where they fit back in. It's like a pumpkin puzzle!

Branch out with a treat-filled spooky tree

If you have one of those lovely artificial trees tucked away in the garage or basement collecting dust on its leaves, bring it out, strip it down, and turn it into a spooky Halloween decoration (you can also find them inexpensively at second-hand shops or dollar discount stores).

You'll first want to bundle up some of the branches and tape them together using black electrical tape. You don't need to tape all of the branches; you can leave a few to stand on their own. Continue taping until your tree has that sparse, dying look to it.

You're now ready to remove some of the leaves. They should peel right off your branches. Remove leaves until you're satisfied with its bareness.

Spray paint the entire tree with a glossy black spray paint. Add some Halloween lights, and various ornaments like skeletons, bats, spiders, etc. On Beggars Night, swap out the ornaments with an assortment of treats like lollipop ghosts or little treat bags. Your trick or treaters can help themselves, if they dare!

Michele Beschen is creator of the "B Original" series for the DIY Network. Contact her at www.couragetocreate.com or visit www.diynetwork.com.