Happy Halloween!

The whole gang at our local mall tick or treat event

      From our pack of crazy ghouls to yours we are wishing all of you a happy and safe Halloween!  This is our first year living in a neighborhood with trick or treaters, our kids loved answering the door and seeing all the costumes! Only our oldest seemed to grasp the concept of going door to door, the twins didn't care much for that part.

The twins didn't seem to care much for walking by the time we reached the end of the road. 

     Tonight I heard a fantastic idea for future Halloweens.  Painting a pumpkin teal and lighting it up to indicate that you have allergy-friendly alternatives for kids.  I made an effort to buy some cheap toys (pencils, bracelets, etc) in addition to candy this year to include kids who can not eat the candy.  Next year I'll include the pumpkin idea so families know to stop at our house.

The final result of our Halloween decor.  I got so many compliments on the ghost.

     Which means tomorrow I am headed to Walmart, Target and the likes to stock up on the Halloween toys, pencils and bags.  All hopefully on clearance.  Tonight, I snuggle in.  Hopefully the kids come down off the sugar highs, and I get to rest.

   

   

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DIY Glowing Halloween Ghost: Part 1

     Hello everyone!  As you may have guessed from my sneak peek image (and from the title of this post) this week I am showing you how I created a ghost for my Halloween graveyard. If you didn't see the sneak peek and wonder what I am talking about you can follow me on twitter at HawkimamaV. 

     I did not originally intend for this to be a two part post, but this project proved to be more time consuming than I originally anticipated ONLY because mass quantities of packing tape and small children do not mix. Something about the ripping sound of tape and the magical stickiness makes kids think "oh hey I'm gonna put this in my hair, on the wall, on the cat..." anywhere you DON'T want packing tape. I'm telling you now if you have small kids resolve yourself to only working on this project after the Littles go to bed. Consider yourself warned. 

     For this first part I'm going to show you how I made the main part of the ghost, the head and torso. Tomorrow's post will be about adding the details, how I am hanging/securing it outside, and lighting it up.  I will also include some photos of the graveyard scene and our outside decor, so make sure you check back to see the final result. 

What You Will Need:

This is what you will need for today's part of the tutorial:

• Clear Packing Tape - at least two large rolls
• Styrofoam Wig Head - you can find these at Hobby Lobby for $4.
• Saran Wrap
• Scissors
• Pillow, dress form, or someone volunteering to be your "torso" 

Step 1: Wrap the Wig Head in Saran Wrap

Wig Head (bought at Hobby Lobby)

     Try to get it as tight as possible, covering all the surface of the Styrofoam. It does not need to be smooth, and the number of layers does not matter, although to keep the details of the nose, you may want to limit layers to 1 or 2.

Step 2: Apply 1st Layer of Tape Sticky Side UP

I added some tape around the chin/neck first, then started in on the top of the head

     I found the easiest way to work around the curves and details of the face, was to work with smaller/shorter pieces of tape vs longer pieces.  Lay the pieces down slightly overlapping each other creating one cohesive layer of stickiness covering the full head.  On tight curves and angles (nose, chin, neck, etc) feel free to fold the tape over on itself to mimic the shape in the tape. Again do not fear wrinkles and folds in the tape.  You do not want this to be perfectly smooth, the wrinkles will catch and reflect the light adding to the overall glow of the ghost.  It's more important to get a solid layer of tape that covers the entire shape. 

Step 3: Apply 2nd Layer of Tape Sticky Side DOWN

What it will look like after two layers of tape, note the wrinkles and folds

     In other words you are making a packing tape sandwich, with the adhesive sides being the tasty peanut butter middle.  Again for the head, it's best to work in smaller pieces, working slowly over the surface to ensure that there are no sticky parts left exposed. 

     For a time reference, I made the head while watching The Walking Dead, and Talking Dead.  So I spent roughly two hours just on this one part (the torso took far less time).  It was time consuming but I am far more pleased with this part of the project.  Spending the extra time was worth it. 

Step 4: Carefully cut the "Cast" Off the Head

Beginning of the incision, just wiggle the scissors under the tape

     Using a pair of scissors, I created a "T" cut.  The main vertical part extends up the back and the short horizontal slice is along the top of the head.  The tape layers are fairly sturdy, but if you use too much pressure it will rip along the parts you cut.  I found it best to gently fold the tape flaps back and ease the head out using a consistent and constant pressure. 

The vertical and horizontal cuts making the 'T' incision 

Step 5: Pull Off Remaining Saran Wrap and Tape Up

The 'cast' is fairly sturdy, use additional tape to close up the incision

     After the head cast is off the Styrofoam form, pull off any Saran wrap that is easily removed.  If some parts remain stuck to the tape, just leave them and cut off the excess.  "Stitch" the cut on the back of the head with packing tape, use at least two layers to keep it secure. You can reach the inside of the head via the bottom of the neck to cover up any exposed adhesive. 

Step 6: Create Your Torso Shape 

This is a king sized pillow, a standard pillow will work fine as I didn't use the full length

     I didn't feel like using a human model, nor do I have a dress form, so I created a vague torso shape using a pillow.  I simply tied a piece of saran wrap around the middle to create a waist.  In hindsight I do wish I had borrowed a dress form or found a human model as I think it would offer a better definition of shape, but this turned out fine too.

Step 7: Create the Torso Cast with Tape

Wrapping the tape around tightened up the form a bit, causing it to lose some shape. 

    Create the torso cast by following the same steps used for the head. Since there are fewer curves and details to work around, I sped things up by using larger pieces of tape.  The removal process was also the same as the head, I made a cut up the back and pulled the pillow out.  

     To attach the head, I cut a circular opening in the "shoulder" part of the torso. I then inserted the neck into that hole and secured it with pieces of tape.  I did this before stitching up the large cut on the backside of the torso so that I could place some tape on the inside. When in doubt add more tape! Just keep going until you have gone over the entire junction of the two pieces.  Doing so creates a surprisingly stable head. 

Triangle incisions made at the bottom to help flare out the base 

 

    This ghost will have a fuller skirt.  To start the beginning of that form, I made some triangle shaped cuts along the bottom of the torso, flared out the bottom, and added some additional tape to get a wider shape.  This isn't necessary, it's just something I am doing. If you want your ghost to be a man you can stop here or you can create some legs and attach those in the same manner I attached the head. 

Completed torso, it's fairly sturdy and very light

     That is it for this part.  Tomorrow I will continue with the skirt, some additional details and the hanging and lighting of the ghost.  If you have any questions on a particular part of this tutorial, please feel free to ask below in the comments.  I will do my best to answer/explain more of what I did.  Being a visual person myself, I tried to include photos where applicable, but unfortunately this project doesn't lend itself to easily being photographed.  

I will see you tomorrow!  

 

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DIY: Gothic Halloween Wreath Tutorial

     Hi everyone!  And welcome to my favorite time of the year!  Yes, it is October and I can officially put up all my Halloween decorations without making the neighbors wonder if they need to put me on the neighborhood watch list (ha as if I am not there already).

     Today I wanted to share my tutorial for this Gothic Halloween wreath.  I was inspired to create this look by (surprise surprise) my time spent in Pere Lachaise.  Many of the monuments there had wreaths, both temporary (comprised of flowers) and permanent (carved into the stone, or cast in bronze).  I really wanted to keep the monotone look of the wreathes carved into the stone, but seeing as I am not a mason and my front door would not support a granite wreath... grapevine and flowers it was.

     So I settled for this kind of rotten, decrepit looking thing.  If you like what I have done, please feel free to share, or to take this idea and expand on it in your own unique way. The only thing I ask is that you share your creation back with me as I love seeing how people expand on ideas.

What You Will Need:

• Grapevine wreath - any size, this is a 22" available at Hobby Lobby (remember your coupons and shop when floral is on sale)
• Flower/Leaf stems - any kind, I chose 2 leaf stems and 2 Hydrangea looking ones.  Also available at Hobby Lobby or any craft store
• "Scary Fabric" - this is literally what it was called, I got it in the Halloween section of Walmart.
•  "Trick or Treat" sign - I think I picked this up at Homegoods for like $4, but you can find this or similar signs everywhere.
• Plastic skeletons - picked these up at Target last year on clearance after Halloween.  I know they have something similar again this year. 
• Flat black spray paint - you could use a gloss or a satin to achieve a different look, for this I chose the flat. 
• Black zip ties (not shown)

Step 1: Spray Paint the Wreath and Flowers Black

    My motto when dealing with spray paint: don't be stingy and take your time. 10 super light coats will look better than 1 thick coat that drips or streaks. I probably could have gotten away with using just one can of spray paint, as I barely tapped into the second can.  However, I wanted to make sure I got everything coated evenly on the grapevine wreath so I went over it a few extra times. 

     For the flowers I used quick succession pulses of the spray paint, instead of one continuous spray. It kept the petals from sticking together too much.  Also while I was painting, I liked how a really light layer of paint would still allow the original colors through, it kind of gave the flowers a more rotted look, so I kept the paint light.  

Step 2: Drape the "Scary Fabric" Over the Wreath

     I only ended up using a fraction of the fabric that actually came in the package, so have a knife or a pair of scissors handy to cut off the extra.  There was no rhyme or reason to how I cut the fabric, or even how I draped it.  I just tried out a few different placements and stopped when I thought it looked cool.  Remember to keep the remaining fabric!  I'll probably re-purpose mine for our mantel decor.

Step 3: Attach the Sign

     My sign had these handy little wall hangers.  If your sign doesn't have them,  they are super cheap and easy to apply.  Or you can use hot glue to attach the sign.  I'd personally go the wall hanger route, as it was super easy to thread the zip ties through the hangers, and then just tie them onto the wreath.  

Step 4: Add the Flowers

     Just as I did with the fall wreath tutorial (you can find that post here), just shove the stem part of the leaves and flowers right into the grapevine. There should be enough braided material in the wreath to grab hold of the stems and keep them in place.  If you find yours is falling out, you can use a dot of hot glue to secure it.  

Step 5: Secure the Skeletons with Zip Ties

     I wanted to keep the skeletons pretty loose and pose-able, so I used a single zip tie around the spine.  If you wanted to keep the skeletons posed in a particular manner, you could easily use more zip ties to keep their arms and legs in one spot. It's entirely up to you. 

Step 6: Hang Your Wreath 

     I am assuming you already know how to do this, but it seemed like a good way to end the tutorial.  In case you are interested, I have a dual sided wreath hook that hangs over the top of our door.  I love these types of hooks as I can easily remove the hook when necessary.  Also it makes a convenient location to "store" whatever permanent sign or wreath you usually have displayed on the interior side of the door.  I currently have the fall wreath I created hanging inside, as I will put that one back out once Halloween has passed.

     Thank you all for visiting!  I'd truly love to see what you all come up with for your own homes!  Please feel free to share your comments and include links to pictures or blogs showcasing your designs!  See you next week!  

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DIY Wooden Pumpkin Sign

     Hi all!  We are in the midst of our CRAZY month of September.  My husband is currently in France on business. I'm home alone with the kids, keeping them alive, mostly happy (although the twins were really mad about the early bedtime I enacted last night), and trying to pack for my own trip to the city of lights.  Well not so much packing as whining about the limited selection of makeup I'm forced to bring, intermingled with panic attacks of flying solo across a massive body of water.

     So I needed something to keep my overactive mind occupied.  Time for a craft project!  And this little fall pumpkin sign has been perfect.  The steps are quick with quite a bit of downtime in between, so find a place to set it up where it can just stay put for a few days and tackle whenever you have a few minutes to yourself (nap times, right after bedtime, etc).

What You Will Need:

• Scrap wood - various widths and heights (one piece per letter) - I used craft wood as our scrap pile is gone now that we've recently moved. 
• Wood letters  
• Wooden Leaves - I found these in the Autumn section of Hobby Lobby. 
• 1 Dowel rod cut down into 4 pieces for "stems" 
• Fine grit sandpaper
• Wood Glue
• Acrylic Paint 
• Americana Decor Creme Wax - Deep Brown (optional)
• Sawtooth picture hangers (not shown)

Step 1: Cut and Sand as Needed

     The two "l" pieces of wood I selected were originally the same length.  To add some variety I trimmed one of them down.  I also cut a dowel rod into 4 pieces for the stems.  I quickly ran a piece of sandpaper over all the edges to make sure they were smooth.  I also attempted to sand the wood letters as best as I could since the edges were pretty ragged. 

Step 2: Glue the Pumpkins Together

     Run a small line of wood glue along both edges of the "a" pumpkin and the left edge of the last "l" pumpkin.  I used a finger to thin and smooth the glue into a wider strip.  Layer the "a" pumpkin on top of  the "F" and the first "l" pumpkins.  Layer the left side of the final "l" pumpkin over the right edge of the first "l" pumpkin.  I tucked a paper towel under the right edge of the last pumpkin to keep it level while it dried.  Set the pumpkins aside and let them dry overnight. 

Step 3: Paint the Leaves and Letters

     While the glue on the pumpkins was drying, I painted the leaves and letters with acrylic paint. I didn't prime anything, and two coats of a standard craft acrylic paint was enough for full coverage. Set aside and let dry overnight. 

Step 4: Paint the Pumpkins

     Once the glue has fully dried, paint the pumpkins.  I used a 2" foam brush and two coats of a craft acrylic paint - the name of which was actually pumpkin!  I did not prime the wood, and the paint coats are a bit thin to let some of the wood grain texture show through.  Set aside to dry. 

Step 5 (optional): "Age" the Pumpkins

     The pumpkin orange paint I selected was a little bright for my taste, so I decided to darken it up by "aging" the sign using creme wax.  I used a old washcloth to liberally apply the creme wax over the entire painted surface, making sure I got wax in all the nooks and crannies of the pumpkins.  Then I used a clean portion of the washcloth to wipe off all the excess wax, wiping in strokes that went with the grain of the wood.  Wax that was deposited in the crevices of the wood will remain behind providing the darker, aged (dirty) look.  I continued to add wax until I was happy with the look, then set aside to dry. 

Here's a close-up view of how the wax settles in the wood grain to give a more aged look. 

Step 6: Glue the Letters, Leaves, & Stems 

     Again I used my finger to smooth the glue out over the backside of the leaves and letters.  Wipe away any excess with a paper towel.  The wood glue will not dry clear, but it can be painted. It's easiest to just wipe away than it is to paint it later though. Set aside to dry overnight. 

Step 7: Attatch the Sawtooth Picture Hangers

     Sorry I do not have a picture of this step as I still need to get some. But I can show you that they look like this:

They are easily found at any craft store or home improvement store (I usually find them sold for less at the home improvement locations).  I plan on attaching two, one to the back of the "F" pumpkin and another to the back of the first "l" pumpkin.  Use a ruler or a level to make sure that they are level with each other. 

Step 8: Hang Up & Do a Dance!

Seriously.  Another fun project for the house complete!  You are a domestic goddess (god) and should be treated as such :)

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DIY: Festive Fall Wreath With Monogram

      In my opinion there is nothing more welcoming than a nice wreath on the front door.  This is true for all seasons, but in the fall there's something about the colors that just makes it more cozy and friendly.   Pre-made wreaths however can be pricey, especially if you want a full one with lots of fall foliage. Fortunately wreaths are easy to make - I promise even the most crafty-challenged person can take this on.  And with some ad watching, making a wreath can be ridiculously affordable.  Included below are the instructions to copy the look I have created above. 

What You'll Need:

1. 20" Grapevine wreath 

2. Wooden letter or saying

3. Acrylic paint - 1 tube 

4. Burlap ribbon - 1 Spool should be more than enough.

5. Twine

6. Mod Podge

7. Glitter

8. Scissors

9. Paint brushes

10. Floral stems - I used 4 leaves, 2 pumpkins and 4 "berries"

Step 1: Paint Your Monogram

     I used a foam brush for this to keep the brush strokes to a minimum as I was using a metallic gold paint. I also let it dry overnight. The paint I used is from DecoArt (I picked it up at Hobby Lobby) and is a paint that I already had at home and have used in many different crafts.  You could easily use spray paint on this if you were so inclined, I just wanted to keep costs to a minimum and use paint I already had. 

Step 2: Glitter Your Pumpkins

     Go insane, go insane! Throw some glitter make it rain!  OK I'm done singing Ke$ha (maybe). Anyway, if you wanted to make this easier on yourself you could buy the floral stems that had pumpkins with glitter already applied.  I wasn't fond of my color selection, these non-sparkly pumpkins were a pretty dark orange-red.  So I very lightly brushed some Mod Podge on the tops and dusted them with a fine-grit glitter.  Then set them aside to dry with the monogram. 

Step 3: Make a Bow

     I followed the directions from this lovely site: http://www.thistlewoodfarms.com/how-to-make-a-burlap-bow.  Bow making is not my strong suit. If I were to do this again, I might use some burlap that is a smaller width and maybe wired. Alas this is what I had hanging around the house, left over from another craft so I figured I would use it here.  Also since the burlap is kind of deconstructed I felt that the the lop-lopsidedness wouldn't be too obvious. 

Step 4: Attach the Bow to the Wreath

     Figure out the general layout of the wreath and place the bow first.  This will be the anchor element of the wreath and all the other pieces will fan out from this central point.   I used a piece of twine to tie the ribbon to the wreath, but you could also use wire or even a hot glue gun.  The twine ties in nicely with the burlap and again it was something I had on hand.

A backside view of the attached bow.  I used a simple knot. 

Step 5:  Add in Pumpkins and Start Filling

     The HARDEST part of this project was figuring out where I was going to put the pumpkins.  Originally I thought the bow would be more in line with the wreath, and I was planning on doing pumpkins on top and bottom in a more symmetrical pattern.  I quickly realized that A: that looked really odd with only two pumpkins and B: my bow didn't want to lay straight.  So instead I let the bow sit however it wanted to and decided to do a more asymmetrical look.  I put the pumpkins on the top and the majority of the leaves on the bottom.  

     The great thing about the grapevine wreaths is that by their nature they catch on to everything.  For this step I just had to shove the floral stem wires deep into the vines and they stayed put. I shook the wreath around a bit to make sure they wouldn't fall out, which they did not.  If yours do you can secure them with some floral wire, twine, or even some glue from a hot glue gun. 

Step 6: Attach Your Monogram 

     I wanted our "N" to be in the middle of the wreath so I threaded some twine through the vines and tied each end to the letter.  If you wanted to you could use the twine (or any of the above mentioned methods) to attach it directly to the wreath.  

Step 7: Hang It Up: Bask in the Revelation That You Are a Crafting Genius. 

     This is the most important step - especially the second part.  When someone compliments your wreath (and they will) say "Thanks I made it myself!"  They will think you are amazing.  When your husband comes home and complains that you have spent more money on house decor - whip out the receipt and show him the savings - make sure to show him the prices of a pre-made wreath first! 

The Bottom Line:  How Much Did this REALLY Cost?

   These are the prices of the materials I did NOT have on hand, and had to buy.  I purchased everything from Hobby Lobby when it was 50% off.  If something you want isn't on sale at Hobby Lobby, wait a week.  Chances are next week it will be as they rotate departments every week. 

Grapevine wreath - $3.50

Wooden Letter - $1.75

Floral Stems "leaves" - $3.00 (4 at $0.75)

Pumpkin Stems - $1.50 (2 at $0.75)

Floral Stems "berries" - $4.00 (4 at $1.00)

TOTAL = $13.75

   I was able to save some by using materials I already had at home, the burlap ribbon, the glitter and the paint.  However all these materials are relatively cheap and can also be found at 50% off.  The most expensive item if you had to buy everything would probably be the Mod Podge and I think that can run around $11.00 at full price. 

 

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