Trick-or-treaters will enjoy your outdoor Halloween decor when you use simple silhouette's to lure them in. Any window, garage or flat surface on your house can be fair game to use as your canvas. Use double sided tape, temporary spray adhesive, or reusable adhesive putty (found at office supply stores) to secure your creations, yet allow for easy removal after the holiday is over.

Here's one neat idea for those of you that have a garage that faces the street - decorate the front of it with cutout black craft foam in the shape of a fence. Add a black cat sitting on the fence along with some bats flying around. You could add some low, ambience lighting to highlight your decorations.

For those who wish to decorate their windows, use black poster board to cut out the shape of a bare tree with a wise owl peering out from one of its branches. In fact if you have a large window, why not create a whole Halloween graveyard scene?

There are many shapes that can be cut into silhouettes to use as outdoor Halloween decorations. Some additional suggestions are:

• a witch flying in front of a moon
• a jack-o-lantern face
• tombstones
• a skeleton
• a spider web and spider
• ghostly trees
• some ravens
• black cauldron
• witch broom and hat
• Frankenstein and his monster friends
• ghosts and ghouls
• the grim reaper

Using cut out silhouettes for Halloween decorations is a simple and cost effective way to spook up your home without it being overly scary for youngsters. So why not try your hand at something different this year? You may be surprised at all the compliments you receive on your creative Halloween decor.