The 10 Best DIY Halloween Party Invitation Ideas

Boo-tiful Invitations

This stark black-and-white stationery is easy to recreate and allows for customization. Layer a few sheets of scrapbook paper under the "BOO" greeting, then inscribe a pre-written poem and the party details on the back. If you want to add something special to each invitation, incorporate a few stickers or themed tokens—the full moon, a murder of crows, or the silhouette of a haunted mansion—that'll make your guest squeal with joy.

Pumpkin Invitations

On the outside, pumpkin invites bear a greeting; pull up on the pumpkin top to reveal the party details. To make these invitations, color photocopy our clip-art onto matte heavyweight paper. Using a bone folder, score the center of the pumpkin shape along the dotted line; fold in half. Cut out pumpkin. Use a craft knife to cut along the sides of the insert (a straight edge will help make perfectly straight cuts).

Score along the dotted line and fold in half. Secure the halves together using an adhesive dispenser or glue stick. Cut out the top edge. Place the insert on the open pumpkin, aligning top. Trace the insert with a pencil. Apply adhesive around the outline, about ¼ inch from pencil mark; close the pumpkin. Write your invitation details on the pumpkin insert.

• Get the Pumpkin-Top Template
• Get the Pumpkin-Bottom Template

Skeleton Invitations

Frightening fêtes call for equally spirited invitations. This Halloween, lure party-goers to your haunted house with a bone-rattling skeleton. The creatures have movable body parts, attached with miniature brads, which make them compact to send and spooktacular to receive.

First, color-photocopy templates at 125% (or download images and print) onto white heavyweight matte paper. Cut out parts with scissors. (For thicker invitations, affix copies to black card stock with spray adhesive, then cut out parts.) At the joints, make holes using a microhole punch. Secure limbs on top of the body with white miniature brads. Write details using a white-gel-ink pen. Fold in parts; enclose card in a #10 envelope.

Owl Invitations

These avian hunters, equipped with clenching talons and a piercing stare, foretell a ferociously fun evening. With their wings outstretched, the birds exceed the envelopes' bounds and are ready for flight. Color-photocopy the owl template at 125% (or download images and print) onto white heavyweight matte paper. Cut out the parts with scissors. (For thicker invitations, affix copies to black card stock with spray adhesive, then cut out parts.) At the joints, make holes using a microhole punch. Secure wings behind the body with black miniature brads. Write in the details using a pen. Fold in the parts and enclose the card in an A6 envelope.

Spider Invitations

Our clip-art invitation, overrun by spiders, may bring out the arachnophobe in anyone—but hopefully won't frighten your guests away from the fun! The note folds into its own envelope and gets a clip-art address label. Add a sprinkling of punched paper spiders for an extra scary effect.

Message-in-a-Bottle Invitations

Lure guests from their homes with messages in apothecary-style bottles. The paper owes its decrepit look not to years in a crypt but to being dyed with tea. If desired, take this extra step to make these invitations look authentically old: Brew strong black tea; let cool. Pour it into a plastic bin. Soak uncoated 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper in the tea for 1 to 2 hours. Remove it, and let dry completely on paper towels. Then, print the invitation template directly onto the dyed paper. Send the bottles in mailing tubes with a few pieces of raffia for cushioning.

Creepy-Crawly Invitations

The Victorians were able to fill their cabinets with an ever-widening array of objects. Decorate your place with an eclectic mix of store-bought oddities akin to a cabinet of curiosity's exhibitions, and your guests will expect an unusual event when they receive an invitation crawling with bugs. Print our clip-art designs onto heavyweight paper, and fill in the details for your party.

Halloween Luminary Invitations

This invitation kills two bats with one stone, so to speak: The outside of the invitation is actually a bag meant for treats. Nothing will get your guests more excited for a party like the promise of candy. Slip the party details into the bag, then stick the whole thing in a glassine envelope. Simply download and print our template, and you can focus all your creative energy on decorating the bags.

Severed Finger Invitation

For a horrific surprise, send them a plaster cast of your own index finger nestled on a bed of preserved reindeer moss. To make one, mix mold rubber according to package instructions, and pour the mixture into a paper cup. Insert your finger and remove it when the mold rubber dries (about 2 minutes). Pour quick-dry casting plaster into the mold, and allow to set overnight.

Carefully remove the dried-plaster finger. (This may require cutting the mold; otherwise, each mold will usually allow one or two more fingers to be cast before a new mold is required.) To make your invitations truly cadaverous, mix India ink and water (1/2 teaspoon ink to 1 cup water), and dab the mixture onto the fingers using a natural sponge. Photocopy the invitation, cut out, and glue to the inside lid of a small cardboard box. Place reindeer moss in the base of the box; using silk embroidery ribbon, tie a "ribbon reminder" around the finger, and place your prank inside the box.

Spiderweb Invitation

Who doesn't love a craft punch project? You'll surely lure in and catch every guest on your list with these adorable spider web cards. Print the details out on vellum paper, then stick it on a nice piece of scrapbook paper. It's a good idea to punch the webs before you mount the paper in case you make a mistake.