Masked Portraits
Halloween is just a few days away, but there’s still time to haunt your house. These ideas are so easy to do, it’ll scare you. When prepping for the holiday, don’t forget to costume everyone — even folks in paintings and photos. Black construction paper, scissors, and low-tack artists’ tape ($3.53; dickblick.com) were all it took to ready this blushing bride for a masquerade ball. (Other easy embellishments: red devil horns and white fangs.) Just resist the urge to disguise priceless artwork that’s not protected by glass.

Ghouls’ Night Out
To call forth this gathering, use glue dots to stick construction-paper eyes and mouths onto white tissue-paper bells ($3.08 for two 9″H, $4.20 for one 18″H; partycheap.com), then drape them with cheesecloth.

Jack O’-lanterns in a Jiffy
Turn orange tissue-paper balls ($3.20 each; partycheap.com) into proper Halloween pumpkins. Simply cut facial features and stems from construction paper and apply to the balls with glue dots ($3.99 for a pack of 200; discountschoolsupply.com).

Elegantly Eerie Accessories
Plates: Skull-adorned dishes add a subtle spine tingle to any meal. ($14.99 for four; target.com for stores. White salad plate, $18; foldedpigs.etsy.com)Cake Stand: Iacoli & McAllister repurposes vintage candlesticks into pretty pedestals.

Witch Cupcakes
Believe it or not, these silhouettes were created with rubber stamps ($25 for two, Rubber Stamps; 212-675- 1180). Using a cookie cutter or a glass, cut fondant into circles and leave out overnight to stiffen. Paint a clean rubber stamp with black food coloring and press image onto the circles. If needed, fill in bare spots with a small paintbrush dipped in food coloring. Just before serving, place the circles on top of cupcakes with buttercream frosting.