So picture this: the kids are finally back in school, the house is quiet, and I’ve reached that dangerous stage of boredom where crafts start happening. My corgi, Emma, looked too relaxed, so I decided we both needed a creative outlet — or, as I call it, “mild chaos with decorative results.”
The goal? Add a little spooky charm to the house. The method? Involve a dog that can’t hold a paintbrush but can leave messy paw prints. That’s basically the same thing, right?
We’re crafting a Halloween garland of cardboard pumpkins — painted orange, with black mouths, and eyes made from dog paw prints. It’s cheap, silly, festive, and slightly unhinged. Basically, a perfect reflection of my current mental state in October.
And honestly, if you don’t have a dog, kid handprints work too. Just make sure they wash their hands — or your walls will look haunted for real.
Materials (a.k.a. stuff I found lying around)
- Two pizza boxes (preferably empty, but no judgment)
- Orange, brown, and black paint
- String or twine
- A dish sponge
- Paintbrushes
- Glue stick and scissors
- One very patient dog with cute paws (hi Emma)
Bonus: snacks. For you and the dog. Trust me, they’re essential supplies.
How To Make The Garland
I started by making a pumpkin template because my freehand drawing skills are somewhere between “drunk toddler” and “prehistoric cave art.” Trace it onto cardboard, cut it out, and voilà — instant pumpkin army. Pizza box cardboard is perfect. It’s sturdy, cuts easy, and still smells faintly of regret and mozzarella. Adds character.
Paint the pumpkins bright orange. Stems? Brown. Outlines? Black. Then take a step back, squint, and realize you just painted circles that look suspiciously like mutant oranges. It’s fine. Everything looks better once you add faces. Oh, and that black outline? Mandatory. Without it, your pumpkins look sad. With it, they scream “Halloween, but make it DIY.” I cut little mouths out of black paper and glued them on, because my painting precision is roughly zero. You can paint yours directly if you trust your hand-eye coordination — I don’t. Go for that cheeky jack-o’-lantern grin, the kind that says “I might be cute, but I’ve seen things.”.
Now, the real fun begins. I loaded black paint onto a dish sponge with a brush — not directly on the paw (learned that the hard way). Use washable, pet-safe paint, because we’re crafting here, not applying for PETA’s blacklist.
Then, I gently pressed Emma’s paw onto the sponge and stamped it on the pumpkin where the eyes go. Left paw, right paw — instant spooky masterpiece. After each print, she got a treat, which means she was ready to “paint” forever. I stopped her before we had 30 pumpkins and a fully decorated table.
Assemble the Madness Once the paint dried (and the dog was de-pawed), I glued the pumpkins onto twine. Instant garland. I hung it on the wall, stepped back, and started laughing because it looked both adorable and deeply ridiculous — the best kind of decor.
The version with “Boo” and paw-print “O’s”? Absolute masterpiece. Banksy could never.
Lessons Learned From This Madness
- Always have towels ready. Paw paint travels faster than toddlers with markers.
- Don’t expect symmetry. Paw prints have strong opinions about placement.
- If you use pizza boxes, wipe off cheese residue first. Learned that mid-project.
- Black outlines hide everything. Like eyeliner for crafts.
- You can replace paw prints with kids’ handprints, cat paws (if you value danger), or even your own fingerprints if you’re lonely and committed.
Final Thoughts
This DIY Halloween garland with dog paw prints might just be my favorite accidental craft ever. It’s cheap, ridiculous, and guaranteed to make people ask, “Wait… are those dog eyes?”
Emma and I created something between a Halloween decoration and a crime scene — and I couldn’t be prouder. It’s messy, funny, and full of personality, just like every good DIY project should be.
And yes, she got extra treats. I got paint in my hair. Fair trade, honestly.