Ideas for Halloween Specimen Jars for Your Halloween Decor

Here is another easy way to make inexpensive DIY Halloween props. Specimen Jars are a great way to gross out your Halloween party guests. I personally like to set up the “science lab” on the bathroom counter. Some of the photos you see here is from a Mad Scientist Trunk or Treat theme I did for Good Day LA News!

Select your Specimen jar Container

You know my motto, “reuse, repurpose, recycle!”  All you need is recycled jars, mason jars, vases, empty clear cream jars, candy jars, or bowls. Apothecary jars work nicely as well. Use a variety of sizes and shapes. You can even use old lotion bottles.

Select your specimen

Vegetables (the uglier the better)

• Cauliflower or broccoli for brains
• Odd shaped potatoes for kidneys or hearts
• Carrots for baby fingers

Fruits

• Dried Apples for shrunken heads
• Grapes for eyeballs
• Plastic body parts (eyeballs, bones, fake teeth, vampire fangs)

Other Ideas for Specimens

A great place to find inexpensive items is the Dollar Tree or 99 Cent Store.

• Halloween candy
• Sponges
• Ginger roots (they look like deformed fingers)
• Vienna Sausages for fingers
• Hard boiled eggs
• Pickles for green fingers
• Toys (rubber snakes, spiders, bugs, small skeletons, rats, lizards)
• Weeds or Poppy Pods
• Fake bones and skulls

Make your label.

I think this is the most important part. Tell a story to make the label interesting. Distress the label with dirt or coffee grins. Include the following:

• Item Number
• Date
• Name
• Locality
• Description

Fill your vessel.

Fill the jar (or whatever) with water and a drop or two of food coloring and choose your specimen.

I surrounded my jars with a metal cookie tray filled with silver “surgery tools” (or what would pass as surgery tools) from the dollar store.  I bloodied up a pair of latex gloves as well. There you have it… instant Mad Scientist Specimen Lab.

More fun Halloween Ideas