Easy to make Witch Hats

What you'll need:

• 2 sheets of black construction paper
• 1 sheet felt (green, orange, purple, or red)
• Strip of black felt
• White craft glue
• Scissors
• Tape

How to make it:

1. Roll 1 sheet of black paper into a cone. Secure with tape (see image).
2. Trim the bottom of the cone so that it will stand up on the table.
3. Use a cup or jar as a guide and cut out a circle from black paper large enough for the hat brim.
4. Glue the cone to the circle and set aside to dry (see image).
5. Cut ¼” or ½” strips of felt and glue them around the cone.
6. Cut a strip of black felt to go around the base of the cone.
7. If you like, cut a bat out of black felt and glue to your hat.

Tips:

1. Buy construction paper at the dollar store for plenty of fun projects.
2. Felt is inexpensive so stock up on 5 or 6 sheets each time you go to the store.
3. Traditional Halloween colors include black, orange, purple, red and green. However, you can use whatever colors you like for this project!

How to Make Creepy Candlesticks

Creepy Candle Sticks

 Because vampires are sensitive to light, rely on soft light at your soiree from candles resting in wax-dripped candle holders, which are fashioned to resemble dripping blood.

Step 1: Squeeze Paint into Bottles

Squeeze the paints into each bottle, using a straw to spread the paint around. (You can also cover the bottle openings with paper towel and shake them.) Use multiple colors to get a fun effect. Repeat several times so that the entire insides of all the bottles are covered. Let dry completely.

Step 2: Add Candles

Place the bottles on a protected surface. Insert a candle into each bottle. Light the candles, letting the wax drip down the outsides of the bottles. (You may need to hold a lit candle in your hand over the top of each bottle and have the wax drip down.) Let dry completely.

TIP

We used a combination of Americana Gloss Enamels and Folk Art Extreme Glitter to achieve this look. Make sure the candles sit securely in the bottle openings before lighting. Never leave a lit candle unattended.

Step 3: Light Candles

Insert the same used candles into each bottle. Light just before guests arrive.

source:www.freshhomeideas.com

5 Spooky Glowing Jack-o-Lantern Jars Decorations

I came across these great idea's for pumpkin decorations. There's no directions but they give you a general start to a great idea.

source:http://sofabeds-furniture.com

Sugar Skulls

Sugar skull making instructions   Celebrate Day of the Dead with your own sugar skulls!
Get your sugar skull molds & supplies here Read about sugar skull kits & holiday projects here Learn how to use our chocolate skull molds here Buy decorated sugar skulls here Want to throw a sugar skull making party? Read here	Sugar Skulls are a traditional folk art from Southern Mexico used to celebrate Day of the Dead. Mounds of colorful sugar skulls are sold by Indian vendors in open air village markets during the week preceding the holiday. Spirits of the dead are welcomed back to their homes with beautifully decorated altars made by their loved ones. Sugar skulls, marigolds, candles, incense and special foods adorn home altars. Families take the flowers and sugar skulls to the cemetery to decorate the tombs on November 2. Sugar skulls are colorfully decorated with icing, pieces of bright foil, colored sugars and usually bear the name of the deceased loved one being honored. They are easy to make by children and adults, and if kept dry, they can last a year. MexicanSugarSkull.com's Angela Villalba is the creator of the original sugar skull mold. We now have 13 wonderful high quality molds - and all the right supplies that you need to create your own fabulous skulls. Make sugar skulls as part of your family tradition to remember your dear, departed loved ones.
	Sugar skull recipe CAUTIONDo not make sugar skulls on a rainy or high humidity day. They will not turn out. Please don't forget the meringue powder! It's necessary for the sugar skull recipe. Meringue Powder BrandDo not use meringue powder from hobby shops or cake supply shops as it's usually diluted and cut way too much for use with heavy granulated sugar. It's ok for icing, just it will not hold together sugar skulls! We get calls daily from teachers & folks who's sugar skulls are "sandy" and not sticking together and have a big mess on their hands and don't have enough time to get new meringue powder and redo the project. Start right from the beginning! The only reliable meringue powder is the one we sell or that of Sur La Table gourmet kitchen shop/ catalog. Mix together well in large bowl: 1 teaspoon Meringue Powder for every cup of granulated sugar used. Step 1: Mix dry ingredients well. Step 2: Sprinkle sugar mixture with 1 teaspoon water per cup of sugar used. Variation: Colored Skulls Most people prefer white skulls the first time they make them, but if you'd like colored sugar skulls, add paste food coloring TO THE WATER. For a 5 pound bag of sugar, use 1/4 cup meringue powder and 10 teaspoons of water. Yield 5 large skulls or 20 medium skulls or 100 mini skulls or any combination. For a 10 pound bag of sugar, use 1/2 cup meringue powder and 7 Tablespoons water. Yield 10 large skulls or 40 medium skulls or 200 mini skulls or any combination.
	Yield Table Mold Size # of Skulls Sugar (pounds) Meringue Powder Water Large 10* 10 lbs 1/2 cup 7 Tablespoons Medium 40 10 lbs 1/2 cup 7 Tablespoons Mini 200 10 lbs 1/2 cup 7 Tablespoons Large 5* 5 lbs 1/4 cup 3 Tablespoons Medium 20 5 lbs 1/4 cup 3 Tablespoons Mini 100 5 lbs 1/4 cup 3 Tablespoons 5 pounds of sugar = approx.10 cups 10 pounds of sugar = 21 cups 3 teaspoons = 1 Tablespoon
	Meringue Powder Conversion Table Weight Cups (approx.) Tablespoons teaspoons 4 oz. Jar 1 cup 16 T 48 t. 8 oz. Jar 2 cups 32 T 96 t. 1 lb. Bag 4 cups 64 T 192 t. Meringue Powder is a MUST and cannot be omitted. It is difficult to find, but may be ordered in 4 oz, 8 oz or 1 pound packages on our sugar skull molds and supplies page. Meringue powder is what makes the sugar and the icing hard. Its main ingredient is powdered dry egg whites & starch, but it also includes vegetable gum, cream of tarter, calcium lactate, malic acid & sodium aluminum sulfate. It's totally edible. Powdered sugar for Royal Icing 1 pound box = 3 1/2 cups 2 pound bag = 7 cups (do not sift Powdered Sugar) Measurement: 3 teaspoons make a Tablespoon: 4 Tablespoons make 1/4 cup. But on this website, 7 Tablespoons (21 teaspoons) of Meringue Powder = 1/2 cup! (Please don't email me on this!) Sugar Skull making is not an exact science... we like easy measurements! Especially when measuring with kids.
	Mix well with hands until every bit of sugar is moistened. If your fingerprints remain when you squeeze the sugar in your hand, it is ready to mold. (Right) It should feel like cool "beach sand." If it doesn't hold together, mixture is too dry. (Left) Remember, water sinks, so keep the sugar mixture mixed up frequently as you make your sugar skulls.
	To mold Pack sugar mixture FIRMLY into mold with special attention to chins & edges. Use a straight edge to scrape the back of the mold flat. Pack down some more until perfectly tight. Place a stiff cardboard square (approx. 5" x 6") over mold and invert immediately. Lift mold off carefully. Throw any "mistakes" back into your bowl, stir up and try again. If mix is too dry, spritz with a water bottle.
	TIPIf all the sugar mixture does not fall out of mold easily, it is too wet. Re-mix with a bit more sugar. Hand wash and dry your mold after every 5 skulls to avoid sticking. Most Sugar Skull makers will have a collection of molds to make the molding process more enjoyable.
	To Dry All sizes of the molded sugar skulls need to air-dry on their card boards from 8 hours to overnight before they are ready to decorate. Medium and Mini skulls may be decorated after they are completely dry. Large skulls require a few more steps. They are a 2-piece mold, and must be "scooped out" after they are partially dry; start checking them in 5-6 hours. When the skulls feel dry enough to handle, hold skulls carefully and hollow both the back and the front out with a spoon, leaving the skull wall 1/2" thick. Do not scoop out the neck area. It's very important to scoop out the larger skulls as they are so thick, they trap moisture - AND they are so heavy that they slide apart if not scooped. Set the hollowed skulls upside down to continue drying until totally dry (approx. 12 hours). When completely dry, dust off and assemble the front and back of the skull with a 1/4" bead of thick royal icing, either applied with a knife or squeezed from an icing bag (one side only). Align points on the back of the skull with the sides of the neck, and press the two sides together until they are firmly connected. The icing will ooze out a little. Drag your finger over the seam to remove excess icing. Try to do this with just one pass - touching the skull too much will make the icing look bad. Drag your finger across the base of the neck crack to remove excess icing. Lay skull aside to dry. When seam is dry, about 2 hours minimum, it is ready to decorate. Sugar skull blanks may be made up to a year ahead of time awaiting decorating. Just store in "breathable" boxes like cardboard. Not plastic lidded boxes.
	TIPS When assembling the Large skull, if the two pieces of the skull are sliding around, your royal icing is too wet. Add a Tablespoon of powdered sugar to your icing, to stiffen it up a bit. The sugar "scoopings" from Large Skulls will net about 50%. Sugar will be soft and moist and may be made into smaller skulls. This moist sugar may be stored in plastic tightly-topped box for a day or two. When you're ready to use sugar, give it the hand-squeeze test. If too dry, spritz with the water bottle until it holds together again. Tip: When assembling the Large skull, if the two pieces of the skull are sliding around, your royal icing is too wet. Add a Tablespoon of powdered sugar to your icing, to stiffen it up a bit.
	Royal icing recipe Mix 2/3 cup water, 1/2 cup meringue powder and 2 pounds powdered sugar with an electric/stand mixer until icing peaks (about 9 minutes!) Don't mix up more than 2 pounds at a time. Keep in a tightly covered container. DO NOT REFRIGERATE. Royal icing is a cement type icing used for gingerbread house construction. It isn't very tasty, but it is strong, dries pretty and lasts. Use ONLY concentrated paste food colorings (NOT liquid food coloring from the grocery store!) Yes, we have 12 great colors on oursugar skull molds and supplies page. Mix icing & paste colors in disposable cups. Use pastry bags and metal decorating tips if you are a pro or into cake decorating. Yes, we have great disposable pastry bags on the Order Page! Add 2-3 ounces of Royal Icing (no more than 1/4 full). Squeeze to decorate. Calculate each 5 pounds of sugar skulls will need 2 pounds of powdered sugar Royal Icing. Most skull makers prefer 5-6 paste colors to decorate with and at least one pack of colored tin foil. Yes, we have tin foil in deep Purple, Magenta, Orange, Gold and Red, seesugar skull molds and supplies page.
	TIP The sugar "scoopings" from Large skulls will net about 50%. Sugar will be soft and moist and may be made into smaller skulls. This moist sugar may be stored in plastic tightly-topped box for a day or two. When you're ready to use sugar, give it the hand-squeeze test. If too dry, spritz with the water bottle until it holds together again.
	All skull sizes Have fun decorating your skulls with colored Royal Icing, sequins, feathers, beads, even earrings made from soda pop tops. Colored foil and icing are how Mexican sugar skulls are decorated. Foil is pasted down with icing, and is great for making crowns, crosses, hearts, shiny eyes or even pipes. Labels, wrappers, trinkets and shells can personalize a skull in memory of your dear, departed loved one. Be creative! Have fun! Kids down to kindergarten have fun decorating sugar skulls. If youngsters don't have the coordination to use a pastry bag, let them "Finger-paint" with the colorful icing.
	Can you eat the Sugar Skulls??? There is nothing that will make you sick in Sugar Skulls except for the tin foil and other decorations. However, after all the handling that is done to make them, they aren't very clean! So, NO, you shouldn't eat a sugar skull. They are for decorative purposes only.
	What's needed to make sugar skulls? Sugar skull molds Granulated sugar Powdered sugar Meringue powder Decorations, colored tin foils, paper flowers, sequins, etc. Corrugated cardboard squares, (one for each skull made) 6" x 6" for large skulls. 3" x 4" for medium and mini skulls Large metal bowl Measuring spoons 1 cup liquid measuring cup 1/4 cup dry measuring cup Plastic spray bottle for water Electric / stand mixer 16 oz. red Solo plastic cups Butter knives or tongue depressors for mixing color into icing Pastry bags Paper towels Hose to wash down sugar encrusted children!
	Tradition The traditional Mexican sugar skull is placed on the home altar or the tomb to honor a deceased loved one. It decorates the altar and make it a happy place for the spirit to visit. The name of the loved one is usually written on the skull with icing in the market by the sugar skull maker. You can customize your skulls with characteristics that you remember –– like a tin foil pipe for Grandpa Joe who smoked a pipe on the porch after dinner. source:mexicansugarskull.com

PAPER MACHE CANDY BOWL

What's Halloween without the candy? Keep these crafty bowls filled and the little monsters will come running!

Materials and Tools:

paper grocery bags or craft paper

large glass bowl

aluminum foil

small bowl

decoupage medium

water

stir stick

paint

black craft foam

tombstone and tree templates (at right)

light transfer paper

blue painter's tape

pencil

craft knife

foam glue

clothespins

small black pompom

black embroidery floss

sewing needle

white thread

scissors

small bird figurine

black craft paint

bamboo skewer (optional)

Steps:

1. Turn the bowl that will serve as the mold upside down and cover the outside with aluminum foil. Fold excess foil into the interior of the bowl.

2. Tear the bags or craft paper into roughly 2" to 3" pieces.

3. Mix four parts decoupage medium with one part water in a mixing bowl. Dip each paper piece in the solution and place on the outside of the foil-covered bowl, overlapping the paper to cover the bowl. Work with the bowl inverted over a can so that it is easy to spin. Continue adding paper until 3-4 layers of paper cover the outside of the bowl.

4. Allow the bowl to dry for 24 hours.

5. When the paper bowl is dry, gently peel the foil off the inside of the glass bowl, releasing the bowl from the paper shell. Gently peel foil from the paper shell.

6. Paint the paper bowl. We used black spray paint on the outside and red house paint on the inside. Allow the paint to dry.

Note: Sometimes the bowl will become slightly misshapen after you paint it. To restore the bowl to its original shape, wait for the paint to dry completely, place the glass bowl you used as a mold inside of the paper bowl and let it sit for a few hours.

7. With a craft knife, cut a spooky tree and three tombstone shapes from black craft foam. If using templates, transfer the images onto the craft foam with light colored transfer paper, holding the paper in position with blue painter's tape. Glue these shapes to the outside of the bowl with foam glue. Use clothespins to hold the foam pieces in place while the glue dries for 24 hours.

8. Create a spider by threading black embroidery floss through a small black pompom. Secure the embroidery floss "legs" by coating them with glue. String the spider on a piece of white thread and attach to the tree.

9. Paint a small bird figurine black with craft paint and glue it to the tree. If the tree begins to droop, brace it with a bamboo skewer that has been painted black and glued both to the back of the tree and the top of the bowl.

source:http://www.diynetwork.com

HOW TO DECORATE PAPER LANTERNS FOR HALLOWEEN

Light up your Halloween party with paper lanterns decked out in spiders, bugs and creepy crawlies.

Materials and Tools:
round paper lantern
black paper or card stock
small black brads
scissors or craft knife
small hole punch (optional)
red tissue paper and tape (optional)
hanging bulb style lamp fixture
fabric (optional)
sewing machine (optional)

1. Cut out several spooky shapes from black paper or cardstock with scissors or a craft knife. Our cutouts were of things like rats and mice, spiders, and other creepy-crawlies.
   
   
2. For the red accent on the black widow, cut an hourglass shape out of the spider's abdomen area and tape a piece of red tissue paper over the cutout on the back side.
   
   
3. Punch a small hole in each shape with a hole punch or cut a hole with scissors or a craft knife.
   
   
4. Slip the legs of a brad through the hole and attach the cutout to the outside of the lantern by poking the brad through the paper lantern and separating the legs of the brad.
   
   
5. Insert a hanging bulb style fixture.
   
   
6. To disguise the cord, sew a tube of fabric at least two times as long as the lamps cord. Insert the cord and bunch the fabric together.

source: http://www.diynetwork.com

Spooky Characters (DIY)

Two spooky characters, ready to offer a "helping hand".

See the steps for this project by reading the Brush Head Figures post!

Materials:

2” paint brush from Home Depot’s painting department or other hardware store
Aluminum foil (for the figure’s head and body)
Permanent markers (optional)
Double sided foam tape
Model Magic variety of colors
Embellishments of your choice

1) Since the bristles on the paint brush I used were light in color. I used a black permanent marker to “color” the outer side of the bristles so that they looked black. Next, tear off small pieces of double sided foam tape and press the pieces onto the metal bristle holder of the paint brush and wooden handle on both sides. The foam tape will help connect the foil armature (in the next step) to the brush for the figure’s torso.

2) Create the figure’s face by applying Model Magic pieces over the foam tape covering the metal section and upper half of the paint brush just below the paint bristles. The bristles act as the hair for your figure. Add on facial features, the nose, eyes, ears, scars and or fangs with additional pieces of Model Magic. Set this aside briefly while you prepare the foil armature.

3) Tear off a medium sized sheet of aluminum foil and crumble it as you stick it onto the lower half of the paint brush handle just below the neck of the brush. Crumble more foil over the first layer and mold it into a torso shape, making sure it supports the whole handle. The bottom, foil base of the figure should be wide and flat in order to hold the (paint brush) figure straight up.

4) Once the base is set, roll up two small pieces of foil for the arms and attach them to the figure sides using more foam tape. Have fun with the arms and pose them any way you like. Sculpt the figure’s shirt and add additional details over the foil with more Model Magic. The clay should stick to the foil easily. Add embellishments, such as beads, buttons or wires as desired and you’re done. Happy Halloween!

source www.theartannex.com

Halloween Crafting Idea's

Check out this cute Halloween idea. Great for your child's school Halloween Party.

These plump candy packages make perfect party treats. Just wrap everybody's favorite bean in orange tulle, tie off with a green pipe cleaner, and your little guests will be happily nibbling their favors all the way home.

Source from parenting.com

Halloween Crafts

I thought these were so cute..Enjoy this activity..More to come

Stationed on a walkway or porch, these homemade lanterns will extend a ghostly greeting and good-bye to all your holiday visitors.

Materials

• Clean plastic gallon milk jugs
• Black permanent marker

• Craft knife
• String of 50 clear low-wattage holiday lights

Instructions

1. Draw ghost eyes and mouths on the jugs. Tip: Leave the caps on while you do this, so the jugs don't dent.
   
2. Use the craft knife to cut a half-dollar-size hole in the back of each jug (a parent's job).
3. Arrange the ghosts near each other and string the lights between them, stuffing several bulbs into each of the jugs.