Create a beautiful Halloween stained glass effect without using real stained glass! In this easy DIY tutorial, I’ll show you how to transform an ordinary picture frame into a colorful Halloween decoration using black adhesive vinyl, alcohol markers, and kitchen aluminum foil.
And the best part? You can download my FREE Halloween Ghost SVG from WiccatDesigns.com and make this exact project yourself!
A Fun Twist on the Faux Stained Glass Trend
Have you seen the faux stained glass projects where people trace coloring pages onto picture frame glass, color the design, and place aluminum foil behind it?
I love the effect, but I wanted to try something a little different!
Instead of tracing all those outlines by hand, I decided to use my Cricut to cut the design from black adhesive vinyl.
The vinyl creates clean, consistent outlines that resemble the leading found in traditional stained glass.
For this project, I designed an adorable Halloween ghost wearing a witch hat, surrounded by pumpkins, stars, and a crescent moon.
I also added stained glass sections throughout the background, so the entire picture becomes one colorful glass-inspired design.
The finished result is a beautiful, shimmering Halloween decoration that looks much more complicated than it actually is!
Materials You’ll Need
You don’t need expensive supplies or special glass-painting equipment for this project.
Here’s what I used:
- A picture frame with glass
- Black adhesive vinyl
- Cricut cutting machine
- Cutting mat
- Weeding tool
- Transfer tape
- Alcohol markers
- Aluminum foil (ordinary kitchen foil)
- A soft cloth for cleaning the glass
- My FREE Halloween Ghost SVG design
Machine alternatives: You can also make this project using a Brother ScanNCut or Silhouette cutting machine with compatible cutting files.
Step 1: Download and Prepare the Free Halloween SVG
First, download my free Halloween Ghost SVG design from WiccatDesigns.com.
The design features a cheerful Halloween ghost wearing a witch hat and holding a little jack-o’-lantern candy bucket.
A larger smiling pumpkin sits beside the ghost, while the background contains decorative stained glass sections, stars, and a crescent moon.
Open the design in your cutting software and resize it to fit the glass inside your picture frame.
Make sure to measure the actual glass rather than the outside of the frame.
I’m using black adhesive vinyl because it creates the dark outlines that make the design resemble traditional stained glass.
Step 2: Cut and Weed the Black Vinyl
Once the design is ready, send it to your cutting machine.
After cutting, remove the unwanted vinyl using a weeding tool.
Because the design contains lots of individual stained glass sections, there are quite a few small pieces to remove.
Take your time, especially around the witch hat, stars, pumpkin faces, and decorative background.
Keep all the black outlines in place.
These outlines will separate the colors when we start coloring the glass.
My tip: Make sure your blade is sharp and use the appropriate cutting settings for your vinyl. Clean cuts make detailed weeding much easier!
Step 3: Apply the Vinyl to the Glass
Carefully remove the glass from your picture frame.
Clean it thoroughly and make sure it’s completely dry.
Next, apply transfer tape over your weeded vinyl design.
Rub across the surface to help the vinyl adhere to the transfer tape.
Carefully lift the design from its backing paper and position it onto the glass.
Starting in the middle, gently press the vinyl down and work toward the edges.
This helps prevent air bubbles.
Slowly remove the transfer tape, making sure all the vinyl remains attached to the glass.
Now your stained glass outlines are ready!
And the best part?
You didn’t have to trace a single line by hand!
Step 4: Color the Glass with Alcohol Markers
Now comes the fun part: adding color!
For this project, I used alcohol markers directly on the glass.
I chose a combination of bright Halloween colors:
- Purple and pink for the witch hat
- Orange and gold for the pumpkins and crescent moon
- Blue and turquoise for the background
- Pink and purple accents for the decorative sections
The black vinyl outlines make it easier to see where each color belongs.
Color one section at a time, using smooth strokes.
Alcohol markers dry quickly on glass, so try not to repeatedly color over areas that have already started drying.
Doing so can sometimes lift the previous layer of ink.
You might notice that the colors look slightly transparent or streaky.
Don’t worry!
Once the aluminum foil is added, those colors will look completely different.
Allow the ink to dry thoroughly before moving on.
Important: Alcohol-marker ink may rub off glass and can be removed with alcohol. Handle the colored surface carefully. This technique is best suited to indoor decorative projects rather than items that require frequent cleaning or handling.
Step 5: Create the Stained Glass Effect with Aluminum Foil
This is where the magic happens!
Take a piece of ordinary aluminum foil that’s large enough to cover the back of your glass.
Gently crumple the foil to create small wrinkles.
Then carefully open it and flatten it again.
Don’t make it completely smooth!
Those tiny wrinkles are exactly what creates the beautiful reflective effect.
Place the textured aluminum foil behind the colored glass, with the shiny side facing the design.
And look at the transformation!
The colors appear brighter, and the textured foil reflects the light in different directions.
The individual sections now resemble shimmering pieces of stained glass.
I especially love how the orange pumpkins and purple witch hat sparkle against the blue and turquoise background.
It’s amazing what a little kitchen foil can do!
Step 6: Frame Your Finished Halloween Decoration
Once the coloring is dry and the aluminum foil is in position, carefully place everything back into the picture frame.
Secure the glass and foil using the frame’s backing or retaining clips.
Make sure the foil stays in place without disturbing the colored design.
And that’s it!
Your faux stained glass Halloween decoration is finished!
Place it on a shelf, mantel, or Halloween display where the light can catch the reflective foil.
The result is a beautiful seasonal decoration made with surprisingly simple materials.
Why I Love Using My Cricut for Faux Stained Glass
The traditional faux stained glass technique usually involves tracing a design onto glass with a marker or paint.
While that method works, I love using my Cricut for a few reasons.
Clean outlines: The cutting machine creates consistent black lines without hand tracing.
Detailed patterns: You can use more decorative designs without having to draw every section yourself.
Repeatable projects: Once you’ve prepared the cutting file, you can make the same design again in different colors.
Creative possibilities: The technique also works with seasonal designs for Christmas, autumn, spring, and more.
And because I create cutting files for different machines, you don’t necessarily need a Cricut to try this method.
Download Your FREE Halloween Ghost SVG
Want to make this exact Halloween decoration?
I’ve made my Halloween Ghost faux stained glass design available as a FREE digital download on my website.
The design is perfect for trying this technique, whether you’re an experienced crafter or experimenting with faux stained glass for the first time.
Get your FREE Halloween Ghost design at WiccatDesigns.com.
Be sure to check out my other Halloween and seasonal cutting files while you’re there!
Watch the Full Video Tutorial
Want to see how I created my Halloween ghost step by step?
Watch my YouTube tutorial to see the cutting, weeding, vinyl application, coloring, and aluminum foil transformation.
Watch the full tutorial on WiccatDesigns YouTube.
Final Thoughts
I’m so happy with how this Halloween ghost turned out!
The combination of black vinyl, alcohol markers, and crinkled aluminum foil creates a beautiful stained glass effect without needing real stained glass supplies.
It’s a fun and affordable way to make unique seasonal decorations using your cutting machine.
And now I’m already thinking about creating a Christmas version!
Have you tried faux stained glass before? Would you use a Cricut to cut the outlines, or do you prefer tracing by hand?
Let me know in the comments!
Happy crafting!
WiccatDesigns – Crafting like a pro has never been easier.