Create your own Drack-O-Lantern with a few simple items that won't rot and can be used all year round! (8 simple steps!)

Supplies

1 medium glass bowl

1 string of lights (any color) and batteries (type may vary depending on chosen lights)

1 small nest

1 package of small wooden balls (I chose 1.5 inch)

Rocks (any size)

Black paint pen

Precision tip Q-tips

Printed stencil

Step 1: Print the Stencil

Download the stencil image and print. Cut to size (keep as a rectangle!).

Step 2: Outlining the Dragon

Use a push-pin to poke holes along the edges of the stencil. Position the stencil on the bowl and tape to secure. Next, use a black paint pen to go over the holes in the stencil (this will leave behind a "connect-the-dots" style outline). Then, connect the dots to create your outline!

Step 3: Filling in the Outline

Use black paint pen to fill in the lines. Remember, though the paint pen will dry quickly, it will smear/ rub off fairly easy!)

Tip: Start from left to right, up to down. (This will prevent the paint from smearing)

Step 4: Adding the Swirls!

This is where you'll need the precision tip Q-tips.

Dampen the tip of the Q-tip and draw swirls wherever you'd like in the paint! (This will require several, so don't be shy!) I chose to swirl the face and spikes, but you can add any sort of detail where you want the light to shine through!

After creating the rough shapes of your details, bring the paint pen back out and clean up the lines!

Step 5: Egg Time!

For this step, take a few wooden balls and paint them any color. (I used 3 balls, but you can use as many as you'd like to fill your nest!)

Step 6: Decorating the Eggs!

To keep it simple I did polka-dots of different colors on my eggs, but feel free to take your own creative liberties with this step!

Step 7: Adding Lights and Rocks

Put batteries in the battery pack for your lights.

Place battery pack on the bottom of the bowl. It helps to leave the string of lights outside of the bowl so they don't get covered up when we add the rocks.

Stack your chosen rocks to cover the battery pack and to create a small platform for your nest.

Wrap your lights around the rocks so that they're visible.