How to Make a Halloween Coffin

Got an old box lying around the house? Then youve got a Halloween coffin you can set outside or indoors. Its easy to make a simple coffin when you start with a box thats long, wide and deep. Make mini versions and place a doll in it, make a larger version and stand it up outside - there are lots of different ways to use a cardboard box coffin as a Halloween decoration.

The box you use will need a lid that detaches from the box. The separate lid, of course, will be the lid of the coffin. To begin making it its helpful to paint the box and lid black. Theres no need to paint the inside of the box or the inside of the box lid. You wont need to paint the bottom of the box but you do need to paint the top of the lid.

Use old pillow, balled up sheets, many plastic bags or other stuffing-type objects you might have. Align the pillows - or whatever - in the bottom of the box. Take the time to smooth out whatever type of stuffing youre using to make it look like one solid piece. The stuffing should fill up about half the box. Choose the material you want to use as the casket lining. Although a piece of velvet or satin work well you can use a sheet instead. The piece of material you use must be long enough and wide enough to cover the stuffing and come up and over the sides and ends of the casket. Position the material over the stuffing. Tuck the fabric all the way around the stuffing, down both long sides and down both short sides. Tuck it tightly to make it look like a bed. Use wide, black tape to secure the material to the box. So, bring the material up to the top edge of the box, then fold it down a couple of inches on the outside of the box. Use the tape to go all the way around the top edge, securing the fabric as you go along. You can gather excess fabric in the corners as you tape across them. Make one large fold at each corner and youll have a neat appearance to the inside of the casket. Basically, youll do the same thing for the lid. The lid doesnt absolutely have to have the stuffing; this is optional. Position the fabric and use the black tape to secure the material to the box lid. Set the casket on the floor or even on a table. Prop the lid against the wall or use tape to secure it to the side of the casket. Outdoors, place the lid where it appears to be nearly all the way open, then use tape to secure it to the side of the box. Now, lets talk about a scary monster to put inside that coffin!