DIY Halloween Banner for Your Mantel

Creating decorations for your home is easier now with the Fiskars DIY precision tools including options for thick-material punches. These punches allow your inspiration to run wild with all the things you can punch such as cork, balsa wood, foam, photos, chipboard and canvas. You are no longer limited to just using your punches on cardstock. But, if you still want to punch cardstock, these are the punches you want because they can cut through multiple sheets all at once.

Banners are an easy way to add simple and seasonal decorations to your home. Plus, they can be hung anywhere—over a window, over a bookcase, over your fireplace mantel or on the wall. Here are two easy banner ideas to get your home in the Halloween spirit.

Step-by-Step Large Halloween Banner

Step 1
Cut out banner pennants.
To get started, cut out 4”x6” rectangles from black cardstock. You will need as many rectangles as possible to cover the length of the area you wish to hang your banner.

From both corners of one of the shorter ends each rectangle, cut at a 45 degree angle towards the center of the rectangle, creating a triangular shape. When complete, you should have a pennant-shaped piece.

A pair of Fiskars Original Orange-handled Scissors will work perfectly for this project, as their sharp blades cut all the way to the tip making clean points. Use a ¼ inch hole punch to create holes in the top corner of each pennant.

Step 2
Cut out cork circles.
Using a Fiskars thick-material punch, cut multiple circles from cork sheets. You will be surprised at how easy these punch through thick materials.

Step 3
Paint edges of cork circles.
Add color and dimension to the circles with a little paint around the edges.

Step 4
Spell out “spooky.”
First, adhere the cork circles onto the pennant shapes and then add the letter stickers to the circles to spell "SPOOKY." Customize additional circles with extra spooky stickers or other accents.

Step 5
Thread pennants onto yarn.
Pull accenting yarn through the pennant holes to complete the banner.

Two-step Small Halloween Banner

Bring more Halloween colors into your home with this smaller, coordinating banner. With just cardstock, ribbon, a tag maker and a craft stapler, you can create this easy decoration in minutes.

Step 1
Create multicolored pennants.
Using a Fiskars banner-tag maker, punch out pre-sized banner pennants in various colors. Not only does Fiskars tag maker punch the shape, but it can also punch a perfectly centered tag hole and set an eyelet. This double-duty punch is a trendy, time-saving tool for your craft room.

Step 2
Staple pennants to ribbon.
Assemble the shapes into a quick banner by stapling them onto ribbon with a Fiskars craft stapler

That’s it! Hang from your mantle or banister to show your holiday spirit!