If Halloween is your Super Bowl, then this DIY is your pre-game warmup. 👻 As the self-appointed Halloween queen, I couldn’t resist giving my new Kate Spade bag a frightfully festive makeover—with hand-strung charms, chunky beads, bold ribbons, and even a ghost or two.

In today’s post, I’m walking you through how to create DIY Halloween bag charms that are bold, playful, and 100% YOU. Whether you’re spooky season-obsessed like me or just want a statement piece for October, this charm tutorial is going to be your new favorite thing.

Grab your ribbon rolls and beads, because we’re about to Halloween-ify the heck out of a handbag. 🛍️✨

✂️ Supplies You’ll Need (Everything I Used!)

Let’s start with the magical materials. Here’s everything I used to create this festive masterpiece:

🎃 Beads & Charms:
• Letter Beads (“HALLOWEEN QUEEN”) – Hobby Lobby
• Pumpkin Beads – Michaels
• Harlequin Ghost Beads – Made by me with beads from Amazon
• Candy Corn-Inspired Beads – DIY with beads from Hobby Lobby
• Big Black Chunky Beads with Spacers – Hobby Lobby (DIY’d with spacers)
• Gold Chains – Michaels
• Ghost & Cat Ornaments – Michaels (used as dangling accent charms)

🧵 Ribbons & Extras:
• Halloween Ribbon Bundle – Michaels (polka dots, orange satin, ghost print, and more)
• Gold Jump Rings + Lobster Clasps – Amazon or any craft store
• Jewelry wire or stretch cord – For stringing your beads- I actually used fishing line for strong hold
• Needle-nose pliers – To attach chains & charms
• Hot glue gun (optional) – For extra hold on ribbon knots

👜 Bag:
• Kate Spade Tote (linked here) – It’s the perfect blank canvas for charm decorating!

🧡 Why I Made This

As someone who lives for seasonal flair, I’m always looking for ways to add personality to everyday items. Halloween shouldn’t be limited to your porch or your kitchen—it should live on your accessories too.

I wanted something that looked designer-inspired, custom, and just over-the-top fun. I’ve always loved charm jewelry and bag flair, so combining that with spooky season? Instant YES.

Plus, this is such an easy way to update any bag without permanent changes. These charms are removable, adjustable, and fully customizable—and that makes them perfect for every season.

👻 Step-by-Step: How to Make Halloween Bag Charms

Here’s how to make your own Halloween bag flair in just a few steps. You can go as simple or as extra as you want.

🎨 Step 1: Plan Your Charm Layout

Lay out your beads, chains, and ribbons and start imagining how you want it to hang. I layered three tiers of charms to give mine a chunky, full look. The goal is dimension and color variety, so don’t be afraid to mix beads, ribbons, and chains.

📝 Pro Tip: Think in layers. Do a thin beaded chain on top, a ribbon middle, and a chunky bead chain or bold charms at the bottom.

🧵 Step 2: String Your Beads

Use stretch cord or jewelry wire to string each section:
• For the top layer, I used white letter beads to spell out HALLOWEEN QUEEN, added small black and orange beads, and threw in a couple of ghosties for good measure.
• The middle section features the DIY harlequin ghosts and candy corn beads I made using Amazon and Hobby Lobby finds.
• The bottom layer has the big guns—chunky pumpkin beads, large black beads with spacers, and some metallics for shine.

Tie off your cord tightly and test the weight by holding it up. If it’s too heavy, double up your cord or add spacers to distribute it evenly.

🔗 Step 3: Add Chains

I bought gold chains from Michaels and layered them behind the bead strands to add shine and balance. Use jump rings and lobster clasps to make them attachable/detachable.

💡 Pro Tip: You can also hot glue beads or small charms directly to chain links if you want them to be fixed.

🎀 Step 4: Tie On Ribbon

To soften all the hard metal and beads, I tied several ribbons in Halloween colors on the bag strap. I used:
• Black lace
• Orange satin
• White ribbon with tiny ghosts
• Polka dot ribbon
• Striped ribbon

All of them were from a bundle at Michaels, and I just tied them directly to the handle and charm ends in bows and knots. It adds a super playful look.

🐈 Step 5: Add Statement Charms

The big ghost and cat hanging from the sides? Believe it or not, they were ornaments from Michaels! Don’t limit yourself to traditional jewelry or charms—holiday ornaments are fair game, especially if they’re lightweight and cute.

I attached them with jump rings and ribbon to each side of the bag, like little mascots.

👜 Step 6: Clip & Arrange on Your Bag

Use lobster clasps or metal clips to attach each charm strand to the top of your tote handles. I looped mine across the front of my Kate Spade tote in three draped layers—giving a chunky statement effect.

You can rearrange the strands, layer them, or switch them out whenever you want. The beauty of this DIY is it’s totally modular.

🖤 Customization Ideas

Want to try this idea but not a Halloween fan? (Wait… do those people exist? 👀)

Try these themes instead:
• 💕 Valentine’s Day: Heart beads, lips, glitter ribbon
• 🎄 Christmas: Mini ornaments, jingle bells, candy cane beads
• 🌸 Spring: Floral beads, pastel ribbon, butterflies
• 🏝️ Summer: Fruit charms, neon beads, tropical ribbon

This charm DIY works on any tote bag, diaper bag, backpack, or even crossbody if you use smaller charms.

🧛‍♀️ Why You’ll Love This DIY
• ✅ Super affordable (most supplies under $5 each)
• ✅ You can reuse the charms every year
• ✅ It makes your everyday bag feel custom and seasonal
• ✅ Conversation starter everywhere you go
• ✅ No sewing or heavy tools needed!

📦 Shop the Look

Here’s a quick breakdown of where to find what I used:
• Kate Spade Tote Bag
• Bead Sets – Hobby Lobby & Amazon
• Ribbon Bundle – Michaels
• Pumpkin & Ghost Ornaments – Michaels
• Gold Chains + Jump Rings – Michaels
• Stretch Cord / Jewelry Wire – Amazon

📸 Final Look: Halloween Queen Status Activated

Whether you’re running errands, headed to a pumpkin patch, or just want your outfit to scream “October is HERE,” this DIY bag charm is everything. Just look at that spooky glam:

💬 Let’s Be Spooky Together!

I hope this inspires you to go full Halloween mode with your accessories this year. If you make your own charm bag or add flair to your purse, I’d LOVE to see it!

📸 Tag me on Instagram @AshtonSedita
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✨ FTC Disclaimer:

This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through these links—thank you for supporting my DIY obsession and helping me bring more festive projects your way.

XOXO,

Ashton