October 23, 2010

Halloween "Newsprint" Framed

This is the last Halloween project I plan on doing this year.....I think I've had enough.
Most of my decor is super scary.....which is the one reason why my nephew is afraid to be inside my house.
So I thought I'd make something that is...not so scary.
Check it out....


I really wanted to do something with newsprint or pages from a book but.....they're just not as colorful as I'd like them to be. To be perfectly honest...I don't have any books that I want to destroy and I definitely don't read newspapers...that's what the internet is for right?

So I made my own "newsprint" in Microsoft Word and chose some bright, colorful, patterned paper.


The "newsprint" is actually Halloween related poems.


I cut out some basic Halloween shapes, inked the edges a little bit and attached them to the patterned paper.


Finally, I swapped out some pictures that were in this black frame and added the new stuff.


So there you have it.....cheap, simple and cute!!





October 17, 2010

Chair Decor

I've been working so hard on my Halloween decor that I neglected my Fall decor. 
Since we're hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house, I decided to get started before it's too late.

My grandmother gave me a ton of old fabric not so long ago. So I dug through the mounds of fabric and I found this long piece of brownish golden fabric. 




I started unraveling it and I decided it would be perfect to tie around the dining room chairs. So I cut 6 pieces all the same size (I didn't measure them) to fit around the back of the chair. 

I knew I had to add something extra to the center of the tie. I decided to use two pieces of raffia. 
I matched both ends of the raffia together to measure the same length.



Then I connected the bottom ends to the top ends.



I cut the opposite end that formed a loop. Repeat this step until you've reached the size that works for you.



Take a piece of the cut raffia and use it to tie the other pieces together forming a bundle.

Now, embellish the bundle!


I wanted the option to use these in places other than on the fabric so I added a bobby pin to the back with hot glue. I didn't want the bobby pin to show so I added a piece of fabric with Fabri-tac.







Attach your piece of fabric to wherever you choose and pin on the embellishment.

You could use anything as an embellishment...acorns, pine cones, miniature scarecrows, etc. You could also use ribbon instead of fabric for the chairs.
This is just the beginning.....I have so many more ideas so stay tuned!

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October 8, 2010

The Chop Shop

There are so many creepy things you can make with red paint!
Now's a good time to bring out those Christmas lights you have stashed away and put them to good use.

Materials:
A String of Lights
Wax Paper
Red Paint
Plastic Cups
Craft Knife

First off, with your craft knife cut a "plus" sign in the bottom of the cup.
Secondly and most importantly.....prepare your work area for the bloody massacre....I learned this the hard way.
If working inside, line wax paper in your sink and spread the plastic cups out. Splatter the red paint everywhere.
Note: I only suggest doing this inside if it's raining out....trust me!!!




Now, let those babies dry......


.......and pray that no one decides to pop in for a little visit when you're in the shower....for fear that they will suspect that your body parts have been crammed into the garbage disposal and chopped up into tiny pieces.


After they've had time to dry...simply pop the lights into the "plus" sign you made earlier.




Finally, decorate with your bloody decor!





A Bloody Mess

I had a "Bloody" good time with this....

All you need for this project is wax paper, red paint, tape, scissors and a paint brush...

Lay wax paper out, preferably out on the lawn.

Splatter the red paint with your paint brush all over the wax paper and let it dry.

Cut the paper to fit your windows and tape them into place.
This photo was taken from inside the house.
If you have problems with solicitors....this just might deter them!

You may also want to add a few bloody handprints...

Check out my other bloody creation here

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October 4, 2010

Hanging Spiders


I completed this project in about 30 minutes.
I didn't plan on posting the spiders as my first project but it was quick and easy. 
I created a template in Excel for the pleated paper rosettes, then I sketched the web design with a sharpie.



I assembled the rosettes and added the spiders that I had left over from another project with hot glue.


I've had this award frame for a while now and I finally got to use it. I attached one end of the white thread to the back of the rosette with hot glue and the other end to the inside of the frame with hot glue.

Now I just need to figure out where I should display it....

 
For the spider web template, go here.



I've gotten several questions on how to actually assemble the spiderwebs. You can search online for tutorials on making paper rosettes. There are numerous videos on YouTube on how to do it. Here are the steps I followed:


1. Cut out the template.
2. Sketch your web design. (I just made like a parenthesis sign on each segment. You can make this any way you want)
3. Score the lines. I used the end of a paperclip and the indentations on my paper cutter. (Let me know if this doesn't make sense)
4. Fold on the scored lines. (It will start to look like an accordion)
5. Connect one end to the other and adhere it somehow. (I used regular tacky glue)
6. Then form it into the "rosette".
7. Add glue to the center front and center back.
8. Put something with a little weight on the rosette to hold it together while it dries.



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