Happy Halloween everyone! Have you been booed yet?
What do you do on Halloween......we'd love to know!
Do you let the kids dress up? Do you do the "trick" and "Treat"?
Leave a comment below telling us what you do for Halloween......maybe you have been crafty this year .....if so....show us what you have been making!
xoxo
Lyn Dwyer
Difficulty rating: Beginner
In preparation for the cooler fall weather and more crafting time, I’ve made a cute fabric pumpkin pincushion for my upcoming sewing projects. It’s covered with festive orange patterned fabrics and is just 4 inches wide. With Fiskars Supersize Shape Template and sewing tools it’s a cinch to make.
Instructions:
1. Choose 2 patterned fabrics with a fall theme or color scheme. Using the 6” Supersize Shape Template, trace and cut 2 circles – one from each fabric.
2. Use the Rotary Cutter and Acrylic Ruler and the Cutting Mat to cut both circles into even quarters.
3. Swap the quartered pieces to alternate the pattern for each circle.
4. Start stitching (right sides facing in) along one side of the two adjacent pieces. This will form one half of the circle. Press the seam flat.
5. Repeat step 4 for the other half of that circle and do the same for the other circle as well.
6. Then join the halves of each circle together and press seams flat.
7. Next, match up the two circles with right sides facing in and with the pattern of the top and bottom circles alternating.
8. Stitch around the edge, leaving a 1.5 inch opening. Be sure to back stitch at the beginning and end to secure.
9. Turn the piece right side out and stuff with polyfil until the piece is somewhat firm. This will help to create a plump pumpkin.
10. Stitch the opening closed by hand.
11. Using a long doll or embroidery needle and 24” of coordinating embroidery thread pierce the center of the pumpkin from the bottom through the top center.
12. Wrap the thread over and around the pumpkin along the seam line between two fabric patterns. And again pierce the pumpkin from the bottom through the top center and pull the thread firmly to start shaping the pumpkin.
13. Continue this pattern along each of the remaining 3 seams (pulling the thread firmly) and then begin dividing each quarter of the pumpkin to complete the plump sections ending with the thread through the bottom. Pull the thread firmly and knot.
14. Cut out two leaf shapes from green fabric, sew edges with right sides facing in and leave a small gap to turn out. Turn the leaf out, tuck the opening in and machine stitch around the edges.
15. Attach the leaf and curled ribbon to the pumpkin with thread or glue. The pumpkin pin cushion is now ready to use.
Tip: Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees. To curl ribbon, tightly and evenly wrap grosgrain ribbon around a narrow wooden dowel and pin each end in place with wooden clothespins. Lightly spray the ribbon covered dowel with spray starch. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 4-5 minutes. Let cool, unwrap and use on projects.
For further crafty ideas make sure you pop over to http://www2.fiskars.com/Activities/Crafting
Difficulty rating: Beginner
I gave the traditional fairy costume a Halloween twist this year and came up with this funky ensemble that is cute and sweet with a dark and naughty side. Just right for my little horror!
To make the fairy tutu I cut my organza into strips approx. 20” long and 4” wide to fit my 5 year old. I used my Fiskars’ Razor Edge Soft Grip scissors which can just slice up the organza without the need for actual snipping. This makes the job much quicker which is helpful because you will need a lot of these. I then cut the ends of all my strips into triangular points.
For the waistband of the tutu I measured some elastic (mine was ¾” wide) around my daughter’s waist so that it stretched comfortably around her. I then sewed the two ends of the elastic together to form a loop.
Next, I tied the organza strips onto the elastic. I first folded the organza in half and put the loop of the fold underneath the elastic. I then brought the two ends of the fabric up over the elastic and through the loop and pulled tightly.
I continued in this way until I reached the desired fullness to the skirt, and I would suggest the fuller the better, so I stretched and pulled the elastic so I could tie on as many organza strips as possible.
To complete the skirt I added some ribbons, which were tied on in the same manner as the organza.
My Halloween Fairy needed a wand so with all this organza flying around I felt inspired to make an organza pom pom for the tip of it. I used my Fiskars circle template set and drew around the largest circle on cardstock. Then I used the second smallest circle for the center and cut it out using my craft knife.
I made two of these ‘donuts’ from cardstock, then held them together as I began to thread an organza strip through the middle and around the outside edge. I needed to tie several strips together to create enough length to go all the way around the ring a couple of times. Pom poms are very forgiving and hide any knots you need to make as you join strips together.
After going around the circle a couple of times, I took my sharp Microtip Scissors No. 5 which are able to get into places other scissors cannot reach and snipped my way through the organza, right between the two cardboard rings. Before completely removing the rings, I tied some ribbon several time around the center of the pom pom as tightly as possible to secure it.
I then tied the pom pom onto a length of dowel that had been covered with ribbon. I tied a few more ribbons around the base of the pom pom for added magic powers.
For the skeleton ribs top, I did a Google image search and found a rib cage template which I printed, cut out and used as a pattern to cut white felt. Another option would be to use the template as a stencil and use white fabric paint to paint onto a black top.
I pinned the felt rib cage onto a black top and sewed it on.
To finish, I used my Fiskars heart lever punch to make a pattern for a heart shape on a piece of bright pink felt. I sewed this over the top of the rib cage.
Happy Halloween!
For more fun Halloween crafty projects make sure you check out http://www2.fiskars.com/Activities/Crafting
Difficulty rating: Beginner
Halloween is a popular time for parties. I have seen so many wonderfully scary parties, but I wanted to set out to design some festivities that wouldn’t be too spooky for the kids! And of course, I turned to my trusty Fiskars tools to make the job quick and easy.
If your guests will be sitting down at the table to eat, consider turning it into a dramatic scene instead of opting for a standard centerpiece. Here I turned utilitarian paper plates into spiders crawling on a gigantic web.
The web is simply masking tape. I used a fabric tablecloth and knew masking tape would remove easily post party. You could also use a disposable party tablecloth though the tape likely wouldn’t remove easily for future use depending on the material. To create the web, I started with a long strip of tape from one corner of the table diagonally to the opposing corner. I then added a few radiating strips from the same beginning corner. I went back and cut small pieces to fill in between each of these strips. You could also begin in the middle with criss-crossing strips to center a web.
Whenever cutting anything with adhesive, such as tape, I am sure to reach for my non-stick scissors.
I wanted the spider plates to be goofy with a little personality, so they were given long, crimped legs and mismatched eyes. For the legs, cut eight 8.5 inch long half-inch strips of black cardstock with your paper trimmer, and run each leg through the paper crimper. Fold each strip in half and fold back a small tab at each end. Hot glue one tab under the rim of a black paper plate. Continue with four total legs on each side. Punch circles for eyes and hot glue to the edge of the plate facing each guest.
To keep the menu easy, I decided on assorted sandwiches. To keep the menu fun, I decided on assorted sand-witches!
I came up with a super simple way to make witch boots using a very unexpected tool, the Boundary Waters border punch. Run a 3/4 inch wide strip of black cardstock through the border punch and cut into sections as shown, at the bottom of each large curl. Trim off the small curl with scissors and cut a small triangle into the heel.
Add a striped leg to each boot and adhere to toothpicks. Insert in pairs into sandwiches for a non-spooky take on witches. Mix it up by adding stars and witch hats. The limited edition ‘Hats Off’ lever punch is a great witch hat. Add a small trim of color and a 1/4 inch star for easy embellishment.
These witch legs would also make adorable cupcake toppers.
Another limited edition lever punch that I consider a must-have is ‘Laughin Jack’. This jack-o-lantern face could add instant personality to all kinds of party items. Punch it from yellow cardstock to layer onto any black party items or goodie bags, or punch from black to add to orange items, such as these paper cups.
Send your guests home with a goodie bag featuring one last way to turn something spooky into kid-friendly. I found this awesome, hairy spider on the ‘Creepy Crawly’ stamp set and knew it would work well for a “thanks for dropping by” sentiment. I stamped him directly onto small treat bags and cut a small slit using a craft knife to insert white string, which I taped inside to secure. Staple the string at the top of the folded bag once stuffed for an interactive web. To give the spider a sillier look for the kids, add small googly eyes! Googly eyes just make anything adorable.
Whether you are planning a spooky or not-so-spooky Halloween party, be sure to put your Fiskars tools to work to make the job both easy and fun!
**** for further fun Party Ideas head on over to http://www2.fiskars.com/Activities/Crafting where there are some fun crafty projects for Adults and Kids alike.....
A few weeks ago.. October the 30th to be exact, we helped our oldest daughter, Jhane, to celebrate her birthday. For the whole year she has been talking about having a Halloween themed party. SO I started collecting things as I found them for the big day.
Wanting to keep the expense down as we had 20 kids coming we made all the food and most the decorations ourselves.
This was where Fiskars tools came very handle. Who would have though garage bags and my Fiskars Micro Tip Scissors could make decorating so easy. Well... they did here ! We split the bags in half down the sides and then cut them into strips. We then hung them from the ceiling on fishing line so the strips hung down. They really created atmosphere for the party.
As you can see this really helped to transform out double garage for the party.
The kids had a ball that night. With loud music, yummy food,spooky decorations, black lights, a smoke machine and lights all made for a fun filled Halloween party.
The fun and goodies continued when everyone went home too. They all went home with a little mini caludrn we had found.
We decorated them using my two favourite Fiskars Squeeze punches. Then added lots of sweet goodness to them.
Who would have thought that craft tools could have played such a vital roll in a party.. ME!! They made the job of decoration and creating so much quicker and easier.
Thanks Fiskars for making our party so special and easy.
Cheers Michelle xx
Happy Halloween everyone!
Hope you have all had a wonderful day! Thought I'd share a BOO Banner that Fiskateer # 3830 Joanne shared over at Fiskateers....have you seen all the fabulous Halloween Projects over there...they are amazing! I have had a great day visiting family.........and surfing the net a bit looking at all the amazing Halloween Projects around......
Hasn't Joanne done a fabulous job of this BOO BANNER?
Just click on this Logo 
and then take a peek around the Fiskateers site....not a member yet.....then why not join up...it's free....it's fun.....and it's FISKARS!!
xoxo
Lyn Dwyer
