Bugs in Jars Halloween Place Setting

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Halloween is creeping up on me, you guys! Pun very much intended. I have yet to start sewing the kids halloween costumes (Emmitt wants to be a crab, so I can’t even cheat and go buy that!). I have bought the material, but that’s all. And Shane and I? We were going to dress up… I really love costumes, but heck- if I can’t even get my two year olds into costumes, there’s no way I’m getting this preggy lady into a costume in time. But what I have gotten done? Halloween decorations of course! Probably because these took all of 10 minutes and involved NO sewing… and the costumes are a bit more intimidating.

I shared these fun little place settings over on Eighteen25 a couple weeks back and *almost* forgot to share them with you before Halloween arrived! But they’re so simple to put together, you’ll have more than enough time to run to the dollar store and grab what you need. Pinky swear. These spooky bugs in jars would make the perfect place markers for a dinner party, or even just to dress up your dinner table before heading out trick or treating. The whole table came together in a snap and I love how simple it really is. You could throw this spooky floral centrepiece in the middle to dress it up even more and give guests some spooky treat boxes to take home as their ‘treat’ and you have a finished party in no time. And games… you’ll need games.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own:

• mini apothecary jars (available in the crafting section of most dollar stores)
• Tiny Plastic Bugs (again, available in the Halloween section of dollar stores- I chose spiders and ants)
• Standard printer paper & coffee to weather it
• Brush pen for lettering (my favourite is the Tombow Dual Brush Pen)
• If you’d like to match the rest of the table… black satin napkins, a drop cloth as table cloth and sheer spooky ‘curtains’ from the dollar store halloween section

The instructions are oh, so simple (just the way I like ’em!). Before you start assembling, wipe coffee all over your sheet of white paper and set aside to dry. Place your bugs in the jars- mix it up with spiders and ants and how many you put in each jar.

When your paper is dry, cut it into strips for banners and letter your guests names. Use your fingers to roll the paper to give it some wave before placing them on each plate with a jar o’ bugs!

That’s it, that’s all. Even though it’s SO simple, I love the spooky vibe it gives. Your friends will never know you pulled it together at the dollar store with only minutes. Unless they’re my friends, because they know I cheat like that.