Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts

Friday, September 30, 2011

Halloween Ribbon Wreath

Here's a beautiful autumn wreath to make to adorn your door, or hang in your window, or on your wall. Such pretty colors and so delicate looking. This was from Styrofoam Crafts. 

This designer has another beautiful wreath that I will put up at another time.  First, lets get crackin' on making this beauty.  Enjoy!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Halloween Ribbon Wreath

Finished project photo - Halloween Ribbon Wreath
Looking for harvest-season décor you can put up October 1st and keep up through Halloween and Thanksgiving? Look no further - unique sunflower-like effect is gorgeous!
Completion Time - 1 hour
Designer - Kathleen George

STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam

Wreath, Round Face, 12" x 2-1/2" x 1"

Other Materials

Foam-safe black spray paint
Black ultra-fine glitter
Pony beads, one package each: black; orange
Ribbon, 1-1/4" wide: black grosgrain, 1 yd.;
sheer orange, gold, black wire-edged, 5 yds. each
Wire or thin black ribbon, 6" length

Tools Needed

Ruler
Wooden skewer
Scissors
Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks
Thick, white craft glue
Optional: Large cardboard box

Instructions


  • 1. If desired, place foam wreath inside large cardboard box
    outdoors or in well-ventilated area. Spray paint wreath black;
    sprinkle with glitter while wet. Let dry completely.
  • 2. Tie grosgrain ribbon into a bow with tails; set aside. Cut
    approximately twenty 4" lengths from each sheer ribbon color;
    cut more as needed to fill out wreath shape.
  • 3. Apply dot of glue to opening of a black pony bead;
    immediately insert one end of a sheer black ribbon length
    through hole until tight. Let dry; trim excess ribbon above
    bead. Repeat to bead all black and gold ribbons black; bead
    all orange ribbons orange. Let dry.
  • 4. Refer to photo to join beaded ribbon lengths to wreath.
    Beginning just inside wreath opening, dot wreath with glue and
    use wooden skewer to push free end of one ribbon length into
    foam. Continue adding ribbons in concentric circles around
    wreath, cutting and beading more ribbons as needed. Offset
    ribbons slightly from circle to circle.
  • 5. Use fingers to bend ribbon lengths toward outside edge of
    wreath as shown. Twist wire ends, or knot thin ribbon ends,
    together to create hanging loop. Glue ends into center top
    back of wreath.

    Enhanced by Zemanta

    Tuesday, October 26, 2010

    Paper Witches Shoe

     Here is a Halloween Tutorial I found at Skip to my Lou.  Hope you enjoy!


    I think this is quite possibly the cutest party favor box!

    These paper shoes designed by designer Ellen Hutson are simple to make and so cute.  I made witch shoes because I was having a lunch to celebrate three friends birthdays the week of Halloween.

    I think they would be fun with pretty paper for a little girls princess party, a bridesmaid luncheon or girls lunch. I can even see them done in red glitter for a Wizard of Oz party.
    I filled the shoes with chocoIate and set them on the center of the plate. It made the table look really festive.

    To make your own paper shoes download the templates. Trace around the templates onto cardstock for the shoe and onto paper for the lining.  Score all dotted lines with a bone folder.  I used glue stick  to put the shoe together.  Miniature clothes pins worked wonderfully to hold the shoes together while drying. Embellish the shoes to fit your party theme.
    Paper Shoe Template
    Paper Shoe Lining Template
    Enhanced by Zemanta

    Tuesday, October 12, 2010

    Tuesday Tutorial -- Halloween Ghost Garland

    With Halloween so close, I thought I'd showcase a quick and easy craft for decorations for Halloween.

    I've seen these before and I always thought they were cute, so here you go.

    For this craft, all you need is a pencil, recycled paper of which one side is white, and a pair of scissors and Scotts tape.
    8foldghostgarland
    The craft instructions are pretty straight forward:
    1. Fold the paper length-wise
    2. Cut into two long strips along the fold.
    3. Fold each strips in four equal parts.
    4. Make 4 to 8 pages worth of folded strips.
    5. On the front of one of the folded packages, draw a ghost. 
    Garland Making Tip: Make sure that the ‘hands’ of the ghosts are right at the edge of your paper section, so that when unfolded, it will look like the ghosts hold hands.
    Can’t draw? Print my free Halloween ghost template, cut it out and overlay it onto the paper. You may have to scale it to fit your exact paper. The good news is that ghost drawings are pretty ‘forgiving’ and free form. You can’t really make a mistake with them.
    6. Cut all the packages following the template or your own drawing.
    7. Use the Scotts tape to attach the ghost garland sections to each other.
    8. With a black marker, paint on the two spooky eyes on each ghost.
    Your garland is ready to be hung.
    ghostgarland
    Tip: To make it hang properly and not ‘fall over’, you might want to give the ghost hands in the center of the garland a little folding squeeze.
    BOOO!! Well, actually, these ghosts are rather friendly and cheery. As there are good spirits and bad spirits in the world,  I guess we only want the good ones to join our Halloween Party. So, these little white spooks are invited!

    This garland is of course also a perfect decoration for ‘Dia de los Muertos’, or the Day of the Death, which this year will be celebrated October 26-November 2, 2009, but most people celebrate it November 1.

    More Halloween Garlands

    If you want to create a whole bunch of garlands, here are some other ideas for you:
    1. Use black crepe or tissue paper to create cats, bats or witches, and use orange paper for pumpkins.  Use the instructions as above. The sections will be much larger, so you may not even have to tape any together.  
    2. No skulls will be found in my home (it’s bad Feng Shui) however the recycled white office paper would be good also for skull garlands. Or crepe paper.
    4. For bats, cats and pumpkins you can probably find Cookie Cutters
    to help you create your shapes, or you can simply draw them.

    pumpkingarland
    5. Consider keeping the design or the garland simple. 
    If you are not throwing a party, but simply want just a touch of Happy Halloween shimmer in your home, consider using the above techniques for a small garland, such as this.  This one is made with just 1/2 a sheet of white paper, folded 4x. 
    I left it white, however, you could use glitter glue and/or a few markers to add a splash of color. (With this self-created ‘coloring page’, you actually have created a fun Halloween craft project for your kids.)
    For more color, use recycled ocher yellow or orange paper and add green curls of rag pipe cleaners, for a little bit more dash. Finish it off with drawing in the black detail lines.

    6. That’s all I can recommend, besides have fun. Enjoying the Holidays, is all about the process, the time in between, so have fun crafting. HAPPY HALLOWEEN.
    Enhanced by Zemanta

    Wednesday, November 4, 2009

    One look at these silly characters explains why Laurie Hardin insists her job doesn't feel like work

    Here is an article about one of the artists that I follow closely.  I love her work and find her ability to be so creatively productive envious.  She has a definite look to her work and I find her dolls to be both pleasing to look at as well as cheerful and fun.

    Please read this article about Laurie Hardin, she is being featured in her local paper, but I think she deserves more exposure than just local exposure.  I am sure you will agree with me that her work is delightful!
    You can visit the original work here>>
    _____________________________________________________________________________________
    Photo by: Sarah Mulder, Kearney Hub
    Laurie Hardin paints details on a Halloween figurine. Hardin first saw the idea of Halloween figurines while watching HGTV.

    KEARNEY - When Laurie Hardin was brainstorming names for her studio, she didn't have to look very far for inspiration - it was lying right on her studio table.
    Hardin's two youngest cats always find a place to carefully walk, lay, play and even get a drink of water on her studio table. Hardin refers to them as her "studio boys," while her husband, Kelly, referred to them as "monkey boys" when they were little because their tails were, and still are, extremely long.
    "When I was going to come up with a name and they kept being on my studio table, it just stuck," Hardin said.
    Among the paintbushes, paint and figurines on the studio table is a container, once used to clean paintbrushes, with fresh water for the cats to drink. The cats' food, water and toy bowls are tucked safely underneath her table. They even have a special chair to jump onto when trying to get on Hardin's work area.
    Hardin's Monkey-Cats Studio features hand-painted and hand-sculpted figurines inspired mostly by Hardin's favorite holiday, Halloween.
    "Some people do really dark things, but mine are a bit more whimsical," she said.
    Hardin said she saw the idea to make sculpted Halloween figures while watching HGTV one afternoon.
    "What I started doing is making my own Halloween figures," she said, noting her initial goal was to make a shelf full of figures for herself.
    Hardin admits the first figures she made were disastrous.
    After she found a clay she liked that looked like old-style papier-mache, she started showing the figures to her friends.
    And then she taught some classes on how to make them.
    Then she sold some figurines at a craft show two years ago.
    Now, she is in her fourth year of making figurines and recently took 62 pieces to a Halloween show in California called Halloween and Vine. She came home with only seven pieces.
    "Halloween and Vine was huge for me," she said. Hardin even had to turn down orders for figurines because she is already about a dozen orders deep.
    Before making figurines full time, Hardin, who has bachelor's and master's degrees in art, worked full time. She told her husband she wanted to paint landscapes full time for one summer.
    During that summer, she received a couple commissioned pieces, and when she was done, she told her husband she would find work. But instead, she started selling her pieces at craft shows.
    She said about a year ago, she realized she could make a living off her artwork.
    "It's just been a wonderful thing. I've been so happy doing it," she said.
    Hardin said she gets her ideas for figurines through drawings in her sketchbooks.
    "I don't ever have a problem with ideas," she said. "Every time I run out of ideas, I just flip through these."
    After picking out a figurine to create from her sketchbooks, she mixes clay, which she orders in 25-pound boxes, and works it by pinching or rolling it out. She covers a styrofoam figure with the clay, adds wooden dowels for legs and lets it air dry for about a week. Hardin said it usually takes her about eight hours to sculpt the figure.
    After the clay is firm, she primes and paints the object, sometimes putting on eight to 10 coats of paint.
    "My surfaces are never one coat of paint," she said. "I like what it does to the surface."
    Hardin likes the fine details on her figures, all the way down to sharp points on the stars.
    "I will go through paintbrushes like crazy," she laughed. Poking out of a large container on her studio table are new high-detail brushes. Any time those paintbrushes are on sale, she said, she picks up a bunch.
    Hardin said she has about four return Kearney customers for the figurines, with more customers in Omaha and Lincoln.
    However, almost everything she makes goes out of state. She ships many figurines to California or the East Coast.
    "I didn't know when I first started that there were serious, serious, one-of-a-kind collectors," she said, noting a lady in Pennsylvania has more than 20 figurines.
    In addition to craft shows, Hardin also sells the figurines through an online market place called SpookyTime Jingles and through eBay auctions.
    Hardin also creates figurines for other holidays, but most have a Halloween twist.
    "Even my snowmen kind of look Halloween-ish. I don't do that on purpose," she laughed.
    Hardin said she will make about 130-140 figures this year and sells about six pieces per month.
    "I just feel blessed to be able to do this. It doesn't feel like work," she said. "This is what I need to be doing."
    e-mail to:
    sarah.mulder@kearneyhub.com
    Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

    Tuesday, October 27, 2009

    Is anyone ready for Christmas?

    Halloween on ChristmasImage by Tvlip via Flickr
    Halloween will soon be a memory and Thanksgiving will be here before you know it.  With that in mind, has anyone else been thinking about getting ready for Christmas.  I know that the retailers are all trying to do their best to remind us of the imminent arrival of the HOLIDAYS--Halloween candy and costumes hanging side-by-side with Santas and Turkeys.  I sometimes don't remember what is the next holiday anymore.

    I have just started buying my gifts and already I am having trouble.  Don't you know people that have everything and you have to buy them a present?  That describes my children who simply go and buy whatever they want right when they want it!  Whatever happened to delayed gratification, or working for something you want?

    That particular mind-set makes gift giving a nightmare.  Usually, by the time Christmas rolls around I have simply given up and I just give money.  That seems so wrong, but what else do you do?

    Is anyone else having these issues or am I all alone here?
    Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

    Why Are Orcas Attacking Boats?

    Recently I have been reading articles and news about Orcas attacking boats and causing quite a bit of anxiety.  Since these whales hunt in p...