DIY Glowing Witch’s Cauldron – A Bubbling Halloween Yard Centerpiece

Every witch’s gathering needs a bubbling cauldron, and this one might just steal the spotlight. Using a few simple materials (including a pool noodle and some string lights!), we built a glowing fire that looks straight out of a spellbook. The result? A flickering, enchanted centerpiece that brings your Halloween yard to life.

✨ Materials You’ll Need

• 1 large plastic cauldron (Michael’s, Amazon, or party store)

• 1 pool noodle

• Scissors, razor blade, or utility knife

• Red, grey, and black spray paint

• Orange string lights

• Wire

• 2 real logs

• Patio stones (optional, for edging)

• Clear plastic Christmas ornaments (for “bubbles”)

• 1 large rock (for weight inside the cauldron)

• Green string lights with purple tops (for potion glow)

• Hot glue gun + glue sticks

🪄 Step 1: Make the Faux Logs

1. Cut the pool noodle partially open down the center (don’t cut all the way through).

2. Cut it into three uneven pieces for a natural, varied look.

3. Add small slits and splits along the surface for texture.

4. Spray paint each piece red first, then dust with grey and black for a charred, ashy effect.

✨ Pro tip: A little uneven spray gives a more realistic, burnt look.

🔥 Step 2: Add the Fire Glow

1. Insert orange string lights into the slit center of each noodle piece.

2. Bundle all three “logs” together with wire, keeping a few light strands loose underneath.

3. Those extra lights create a fiery glow that flickers beneath your cauldron.

🪵 Step 3: Build the Fire Base

1. Set the faux logs on the ground where you want your cauldron to rest.

2. Arrange two real logs in front in a “V” shape for dimension.

3. Add patio stones around the base for a rustic, firepit-style finish.

🧙 Step 4: Set the Cauldron

1. Place the cauldron directly on top of your glowing log bundle.

2. Drop a large rock inside to weigh it down — it’ll keep the wind from knocking it over.

💡 Step 5: Make It Bubble & Glow

1. Hot glue clear plastic Christmas ornaments to the cauldron’s front rim — they’ll look like glassy potion bubbles.

2. Coil green string lights with purple tops inside the cauldron for that eerie, bubbling brew effect.

3. Plug in both light sets and watch the magic come alive.

🌙 The Final Effect

At night, the cauldron flickers and bubbles above glowing “logs,” with purple and green light swirling like a live potion. Whether it’s front and center in your witch’s coven or glowing solo on the porch, it adds instant Halloween ambiance that looks far more expensive than it is.