With Labor Day weekend officially underway, folks are still trying to hang on to those last precious bits of summer with cook outs, lazy days at the beach, and last-minute getaways.  But even on this sunny, decidedly summer day, I see signs of the coming fall all around, especially at the supermarket – most notably in the massive displays of Halloween candy already on the shelves.  Move over, s’mores, make way for the candy corn and pumpkin Peeps!  I’m actually ready to bid goodbye to summer, as fall is my favorite season – the amazing foliage, apple picking (and baking!) and of course, Halloween.  My son is getting a little old for trick-or-treating, but we still indulge in the decorating.  We’re going to mix it up this year and try out these alternatives to the traditional jack-o-lantern carving!

Dripping melting crayon wax onto pumpkins turns them into festive Halloween decor (and makes use of all those little crayon stubs):

Does glitter flow through your veins?  It does through mine; I’m going to get my fix with these quick and easy glittered pumpkins:

Colorful tissue paper squares and googly eyes make this embellished pumpkin craft project fun for the whole family!

This decoupage lace pumpkin craft lends a lovely vintage look to your decorating project:

Love all things bling?  Jewel-studded pumpkins and a sparkly spider make a bold statement:

Try wrapping your pumpkins in black tulle and tying some seasonal ribbons on the stem for this sophisticated look:

What are your favorite decorating traditions for Halloween?  Let me know in the comments!