Happy Halloween!

If you haven't carved a pumpkin yet, you should. It's a cheap, fun craft. You don't need any artistic ability...just do what I did and use a stencil. Lots of patterns on the web.

Have a sweet, safe, and spooky Halloween!

Yum! Gingerbread Skeletons

 

From MyPaperCrane:   Make gingerbread men and owls with icing piped on to look like bones for a yummy Halloween treat.  She even includes a recipe.

What I Did Last Night...

...Was make my Halloween costume using materials from Goodwill and my sewing machine.  It took far too long, and I'm still not quite done.  I'll post results, though I'm undecided whether to wait until after Halloween to show off my little creation.   Either way, here's a hint about what I'll be:

Well, it's either a hint or just a photo I really wanted to look at longer.

Ooh, pretty.

Bitter Betty Blogs provides a tutorial on how to make a gilded lace crown.  Perfect for costumes or just your everyday tiara needs.  (Via Craftzine)

Halloween Candle Decorating

My friend alerted me to this cute project from Booga J after she saw yesterday's post.  Using stamps and  tissue paper, you can decorate candles!  I love, love this idea!  I want some candles, stamps, a heat gun...

Halloween Votives

For a cute, simple Halloween craft, head over to Skip To My Lou for a tutorial on how to make these Halloween votives.

Falling in Love with Autumn

Fall is my favorite time of year...sure, spring has the flowers and the rBlogger in draft: Design Phoenix - Create Postelief that winter is over.  But fall has changing leaves, a crispness to the air, and football season.

In honor of the best season of the year, here's a collection of fall-themed crafts that I put together:

First Stop:

• Threadbanger's own Fall Project Roundup, featuring their collection of fall-themed crafts

Fall Treats:

• Ramshackle Solid--Making Acorn Flour
• Kaboose-- Nature Luminary Candle Holders (pictured above) 
• Folding Trees-- Free Paper Chicken (or is it a Turkey?) Download that would make a nice Thanksgiving centerpiece
• ReadyMade:  Build a Brick BBQ and enjoy fall while it lasts (for the truly ambitious)
• Truly wishing that I could find a decent knitted beer cozy tutorial online to share with you.  I knitted some of these up in my guy friends' favorite football team colors.  Come to think of it, though, I never heard of them actually using them....hmm....
  

Halloween:

• Bakerella--Spooky Sweets (pictured above).  You have to see these adorable treats.
  
• Julie K in Taiwan-- Halloween Paper ornaments
•  For some [Warning: I Mean This] gross Halloween decoration ideas, Mental Floss--DIY Halloween Decorations 2007 provides some disgusting ideas
  
• See my previous post How About Orange's pumpkin decorating roundup 

Cool Weather Fun (maybe not Fall-specific, but I like them):

• Resurrection Fern:  Scarfette tutorial (above).  I couldn't wear this cuz I'd feel like I was choking, but it looks like just the answer for a nippy fall morning 
• Knitty Magazine:  Maple leaf purse (It's cute!  Check it out!)
  

Pumpkin Carving Crafts

There's nothing I love more than a good holiday craft.  Growing up, crafting was how we celebrated holidays:  ornament making for Christmas, elaborate Easter egg dying,  crafting our own lace Valentines....the list really went on and on.  And of course, Halloween pumpkin carving.  Usually, my mom and I spurned the messiness of actually carving pumpkins and instead created charming faces using good old permanent markers.

For those of you who want to transform a pumpkin this Halloween, How About Orange provides a great list of links to carve, decorate, and generally maim your holiday gourd.  Hope all those pumpkin guts all over the place aren't too....horrifying!