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DIY Cheesecloth Ghost Cake Toppers

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

I will be the first to admit that there are a million different variations of this project floating around out there, but that’s also kind of why I love these little ghosts. We made a version of these every year with my mom when we were kids, sometimes out of cheesecloth and kitchen twine like these, or other times out of tissues and thread. Basically, whatever we had on hand. We’d hang them from doorways or the chandelier in the dining room, or we’d stick them on skewers and pop them into houseplants at random. Today we’re making little homemade ghosts and calling them cake toppers, but you can’t go wrong however you use them in your Halloween festivities!

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

DIY Supplies

  • Cheesecloth
  • Kitchen twine
  • Bamboo skewers
  • Scissors
  • Super glue
  • Cotton balls

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

Begin by laying your cheesecloth flat and cutting out squares approximately 5 inches by 5 inches. For larger ghosts, cut squares that are a bit larger or cut smaller squares to create smaller ghosts. I prefer a double layer of cheesecloth for each ghost, so I make sure my cheesecloth is folded in half while I’m cutting. No worries about clean edges! The rough edges of the cheesecloth when it’s cut is one of the best parts of these little ghosts. Next up, grab 2 – 3 cotton balls and use your fingers to pull them apart a bit and puff them up before placing a mound of cotton at the center of each square to form the ghost’s head.

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

Gather the cheesecloth around the cotton of the ghost’s head to form the ghost shape. Insert a bamboo skewer with a dab of super glue on the end, so that the glue holds the skewer in place once it’s inserted into the cotton ball. Cut a length of kitchen twine about 4 inches long, and wrap it snugly around the base of the ghost’s head a few times to form the neck. Knot it in place tightly, trim the ends and behold! The world’s cutest little cheesecloth ghost, ready to take flight on top of your favorite cake just in time for Halloween.

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

Crafts like this are my favorite! Quick, easy, super inexpensive and kid-friendly to boot if you have little ones who like getting crafty with you. With this one, you don’t even have to bake the cake. Pick up a simple, white cake from your local grocery store or bakery, stick a few ghosts on top and you’re party-ready in no time. Or, you know, skip the cake entirely and just go wild hanging ghosts all over the house. That’s a completely legit option.

DIY Ghost Cake Toppers by @cydconverse

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[Art direction + styling by Cyd Converse | Photos by Alice G. Patterson for The Sweetest Occasion.]

The fine print: Please link with love! As with all of our posts, DIY projects featured on The Sweetest Occasion may not be copied, distributed or reproduced without express written permission. Love and links are always appreciated! If you’d like to share a maximum of 1 – 2 images from this post, please link to this post directly for the DIY tutorial and do not include the instructions in your own post. Thanks so much! xoxo

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Eden Passante

Monday 19th of September 2016

I used cheesecloth to make ghosts one time, and they actually came out great! I'm going to try them as a cake decoration now! Thanks for sharing!

9 Elegant DIY Halloween Decor Projects for the Season | National Association of professional Child Photographers

Tuesday 20th of October 2015

[…] 7. Cheesecloth ghosts cake topper. Quick, easy, and inexpensive. We won’t tell if you grab a store-bought cake to display your homemade ghosts! […]

Easy Ghost Cake Toppers

Monday 19th of October 2015

[…] Learn how at The Sweetest Occasion. […]

Haeley

Thursday 15th of October 2015

Oooh, I love how simple these are and the cheesecloth is perfect. They really look like they are floating above the cake.

Amy W

Wednesday 14th of October 2015

I love these!

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