DIY Halloween Ideas - DIYInspired.com
31st Oct2012

Halloween Round Up

by Dinah Wulf

Happy Halloween!! I hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween today.  I just wanted to celebrate by doing a Halloween Round Up of some of the Halloween crafts and projects I featured this year. Maybe you’ll still have time to make some of the easy Halloween treats because they are just that… EASY!!!

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Easy Halloween Treats- No cook no bake appetizers perfect for any Halloween Party.
Hello Kitty Pumpkin- A fun and easy pumpkin decorating craft you can do with your kids.
Halloween Jeweled Skull- Glam up some skulls with pirate booty!
Easy Halloween Tree- A low cost Halloween project from items found inside and outside the house.
Dancing Ghosts- Make spooky apparitions that dance in your front yard.
Monster Wreath – A kid’s craft made from dollar store items.
Tissue Box Monster – Another fun recycled craft to do with your kids.
Alice In Wonderland Costumes

I can’t believe Halloween 2012 is practically over! Boo hoo… I already have some plans up my sleeve for next year!  It’ll be here before we know it!  If you are out with your little ones tonight, be safe.  I promise I will too!  :)

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26th Oct2012

Easy Halloween Tree

by Dinah Wulf

This Halloween tree came to fruition when I was trimming some branches in my back yard.  Of course, it’s always hard for me to throw anything away, so when I second guessed myself about these branches I thought they were eerie enough to make a simple Halloween Tree for my decorations this year.  This is the perfect project to do with your kids.  The possibilities are endless.  Consider decorating it with homemade Halloween ornaments, bats, bugs, or cob webs.

I brought them inside, rinsed them (in case there were any unwanted bugs) and let them dry outside in the sun.

Next, I spray painted them with a flat black paint.

I filled a glass vase with some moss I had tucked away from my Halloween decorations last year.

Next, I added cob webs.  What’s a Halloween tree without cob webs?  The trick for a realistic look is to use a small amount and stretch them as much as possible.

I added some glittered bugs I made as well.  For me, the simpler the better :)

OK, so it was REALLY hard to take pictures because of the white cob webs.  I seriously NEED to take a photography class.  I swear it looks better in person! Here is a picture without the flash.

Here is a picture of my Halloween tree with the flash.

This is a SUPER quick and easy and CHEAP Halloween craft project that nicely filled an otherwise empty and non-creepy space!

 

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25th Oct2012

Halloween Jeweled Skull

by Dinah Wulf

Skulls are one of my favorite Halloween decorations because they are so creepy.  The fake foam bag of bones  you can buy at any retail store are usually inexpensive and look realistic.  I was originally inspired by a skull I saw on Pinterest when I decided to do this project.  Naturally I didn’t want to spend any money, so I raided my craft closet and found some beads and plastic gems I could use.  Because I love Halloween so much, I have several skulls and chose one that appeared damaged from Halloweens past.  Here is how I made my Halloween Jeweled Skull.

Materials:

  • Halloween skull decoration
  • Plastic Gems
  • Beads or old/unwanted necklace or jewelry
  • Hot glue gun
  • Hot glue sticks
  • Imagination

I honestly can’t remember why I may have put holes in the eyes of this skull (maybe for bugs? Light? No idea…) but I wanted to cover those up so I added some larger gems and plastic pearls to cover them.  I also took apart an old cheap plastic necklace that I never wear anymore and added a tear drop to the right eye.  I have to say, this project was so much fun and much easier than glittering them.

Here are some AFTER photos.  I may of gotten carried away a little bit! I am now addicted and may have to glam up some more skulls.  Maybe I’ll play with the bones.

These would be perfect for a pirate themed party or Pirates of the Caribbean themed party.  They remind me of a buried treasure.  Hope you try it out!

 

 

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23rd Oct2012

Dancing Ghosts

by Dinah Wulf

My friends (aka my family) are amazing.  So amazing, in fact, that two of them took step by step photos for me while making these awesome dancing ghosts for the front yard for Halloween.  Trina Encinas and Carrie Sparks made these creepy floating apparitions on a dime after seeing them on Pinterest (sorry I don’t have the link!).  Here’s how they did it.

Materials:

  • Three wooden dowel s (approximately 36”)
  • Three foam balls (Tip: foam floral balls are less expensive than Styrofoam balls)
  • A white plastic table cloth
  • Cheese cloth
  • Scissors
  • Three screws

Instructions:

  1. Insert the wooden dowel in the center of the foam ball.
  2. Cut the plastic table cloth in thirds and place one sheet over the foam ball.
  3. Layer the cheese cloth over the plastic table cloth.
  4. Insert a screw in the center of the top of the ghosts head to keep the layers in place.
  5. Repeat steps one through four for the other three ghosts.
  6. Insert each ghost into the ground forming a triangle.
  7. Tie the ghost’s “hands” together.

There you have it!  Trina mentioned that these are California ghosts, meaning that they did not use the fabric stiffener that the original tutorial they found suggested.  However these ghosts have held up nicely over the past couple weeks!

Thank you, Trina and Carrie!  Love you girls!

For another fun Halloween lawn decoration, check out the tombstones I made out of recycled shoe boxes!

 

 

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22nd Oct2012

Tissue Box Monster

by Dinah Wulf

Seventh Generation came out with the cutest DIY tissue box monster video on YouTube showing appreciation for their one million Facebook fans.  Congratulations, Seventh Generation!  Check the adorable video out here:

As a fan of Seventh Generation products myself (I love that they promote healthy products, healthy environment, healthy communities, and healthy company!), I decided to make my own DIY tissue box monster.  This is the perfect family craft to do with your kids.  It’s creative, fun, and quite easy.  Even better, you repurpose and reinvent!  Oh yeah… make sure you ENTER TO WIN some fabulous Seventh Generation swag, as pictured below, at the end of this post!

For my monster, I decided to make a partner in crime for my Monster wreath since I had some extra feather boas.  I started by painting my empty tissue box yellow.  I added black (rotten of course) teeth with black construction paper.  I wrapped my feather boas around the box and glued it with hot glue.

Next I created my monster feet by painting and cutting a paper towel roll into fourths.  I cut a jagged edge on one end and folded them up for toes.

I used scrapbook paper for my monster eye and glued it on.  Here he is!

Here he is, a little more sophisticated, with a bow tie.

******Now for the Seventh Generation Swag GIVEAWAY RULES!******

  1. Must be a U.S. Resident to participate.
  2. Like DIY Inspired on Facebook (if you haven’t already).
  3. Leave a comment on ANY DIY Inspired Facebook post with #MonsterEntry anywhere in the comment.  The comment doesn’t have to pertain to this post.  For example, you can post on a photo that you like, or leave any comment on my Facebook wall.
  4. You can enter up to five times.  One comment with #MonsterEntry = One entry.
  5. A winner will be chosen at random on Monday, October 29th at midnight PST.

Did I miss anything?  Please leave a comment below!

Good luck!

 

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18th Oct2012

Holiday Treat Gift Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

My initial inspiration for this post was poop.  Yes you read that correctly.  Poop.  I kept seeing Pumpkin Poop and Reindeer poop ideas on Pinterest that I decided to write a post on it!  These holiday treat gift ideas are all great ideas, I must say.  They are affordable DIY gifts for a classroom, holiday party favors, or even gifts for a group of friends or family members. Let’s start with the poop, shall we?

This first one is Pumpkin Poop complete with a poem!

I started to carve my Pumpkin, with my carving knife and scoop,

But my pumpkin got so scared that he took a little poop!

It looked so cute and funny, just like a candy treat,

So I’m sharing it with you now, because you are so sweet!

This Pumpkin Poop was listed on Etsy but no longer available.  The beauty of it is you can make it yourself!

Here is another one with a poem.  This time this poem is about Reindeer Poop!

Santa looked at his list.  He even checked it twice.

And he found out you haven’t been very nice.

Since coal is so expensive, here’s the inside scoop.

Santa is filling your stocking with lots of Reindeer Poop!

Don’t like poop?  Try reindeer noses with eight chocolate malted balls and one red gumball for Rudolph’s nose.

OK, last poop one with a poem!  This time snowman poop!

Heard you’ve been naughty so here’s the scoop.

All you get for Christmas is Snowman poop!

This is a simple hot chocolate pack with mini marshmallows.  I’d add in a mini candy cane too!

This is a cute treat to leave out for Santa.  Chocolate donuts, jelly bean red noses, and pretzel antlers.

Another donut idea, these snowmen on a stick are adorable and easy to eat!

This would be perfect for a hot chocolate bar at a holiday party.  Or consider wrapping these marshmallow pops up individually with a hot cocoa packet!

Here’s another fun marshmallow pop idea.

A perfect thank you with a message, “Thank you for giving a hoot!”

The best for last… These chocolate bag of skeletons may possibly be my favorite!

 

 

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17th Oct2012

Four Easy Halloween Party Crafts

by Dinah Wulf

If you couldn’t tell, my favorite holiday is Halloween.  I love everything about it; the decorations, the costumes, the weather, taking the kids trick-or-treating, and of course, the parties.  I’ve recently been able to participate in taking the kids trick-or-treating last year since my daughter is only two.  It’s a big production.  We meet at one house, get the kids dressed up and ready to go, have some drinks and appetizers, and the adults fill their spirit tumbler drink cups with their beverage of choice!  In preparation for this big night, I wanted to share four easy Halloween party crafts.  All four are extremely inexpensive, and add character and an eerie charm to your Halloween party.  Click on the links for further details and helpful tips.

Recycled Halloween Bottles 

Buying Halloween decorations can get a little expensive.  If you take a look around the house, there are probably items that you can reuse and reinvent.  I made these Halloween bottles out of bottles I already had in my cupboards.  With a little help from Google Images, some paper and glue, I made these fun and easy recycled bottle Halloween props.  I gathered some lotion and liquor bottles for these.  Next, remove the labels and clean them.  For the images, I looked on Google images for inspiration, printed them out on card stock and cut them out.  I used plastic rhinestones in the eyes for the skeleton.

 

DIY Recycled Shoe Box Tombstones

Start collecting those shoe boxes, cereal boxes, and other food boxes to make these DIY Tombstones! Mount each box on top of each other and secure them with duct tape.  It’s ok if it’s messy because you will spray write over it with a stone textured spray paint. Decorate them with plastic bugs and gems.

 

Halloween Party Guest Hall of Fame

Honor each guest by turning our bathroom or hallway into an Insane Asylum Patient Hall of Fame.  Who made the cut? Your guests, of course!  Look for pictures of each attendee and print their photo on regular printer paper.  Carefully singe the edges with a lighter and blow out the flame.  Mount them on black card stock and glue on mismatched googly eyes.

 

Glittered Skulls

Finally, make a flashy Halloween centerpiece by glamming up those dollar store plastic skulls with glitter.  Don’t forget about glittering those cheap plastic bugs you can find at the dollar store too!  Place them on top of the skulls or place them so that they look like they are crawling out of the eye socket.  This is a great way to make something cheap and inexpensive look like you spent much more on them.

*****BONUS!!! Here’s a fifth Halloween craft for you!  I am excited and honored to have written an article for Home Made Simple on Black Painted Vases!  Check it out!*****

Until tomorrow!

 

 

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16th Oct2012

Halloween Monster Wreath

by Dinah Wulf

I heart Halloween AND I also heart dollar bins!  This Halloween Monster Wreath cost me about $7.00 to make.  It’s a fun craft you can do with your kids.  You can get creative and mix your colors to make your Halloween Monster your own.  Here is a short video tutorial if you’d like to watch it.  If not, continue reading the step by step instructions!

Materials:

  • Foam wreath from the craft store or dollar store (I found mine at the $1 bin at Target)
  • 4 feather boas (I got mine at the .99 store during the Halloween season)
  • 8 Straight pins
  • 2 plastic balls (golf or ping pong work great)
  • 2 Googly eyes
  • Scrapbook paper (and color of your choice for the eyes and mouth)
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue gun and glue sticks
  • Ribbon of your choice

Step One:

Pin the end of your feather boa to the back of the wreath.  Continue wrapping it until you reach the other end.  Pin the other end into the back of the wreath.  Repeat this step with the other three boas until your wreath is covered.

Step Two:

Make the mouth.  I used a 3.5 inch circle punch to make it easier, however you can just use paper and scissors.  Cut two jagged pieces.  It doesn’t have to be perfect!  I’ve never seen a monster with perfect teeth!  Glue each set of teeth to the back of your wreath using hot glue.

 

Step Three:

Make the eyes.  I used another circle punch, plastic golf balls from a golf themed baby shower I did, and googly eyes.  You don’t have to use plastic balls to cut down on cost.  Scrapbook paper works well too!

Step Four: (optional)

Dress your monster.  I added a bow tie for a little character.  Feel free to add whatever you want.  Maybe even add some arms or legs.  It’s up to you!

 

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12th Oct2012

Burlap Scrap Wreath

by Dinah Wulf

OK, I’m calling this a Burlap Scrap Wreath because not only is it made out of burlap scraps; this wreath is also made out of craft scraps.  It is made out of plumbing insulation, burlap left over from my burlap stenciled placemats, frames from my daughter’s butterfly themed birthday party, tulle from my daughters Alice costume for Halloween this year, and a ribbon I saved from a birthday present last year.  So, technically, since I recycled items I already had this wreath cost me less than $1.00!  I had to purchase the plumber’s insulation tube for $1.97, but I cut it in half to make two wreaths.

Materials:

  • 3’ plumber’s insulation tube
  • Duct tape
  • Burlap
  • Hot glue
  • Small frames
  • Computer (optional)
  • Tulle scraps
  • Ribbon

First, I made the wreath out of the tube by securing it with duct tape.  I have made this wreath and this wreath out of this tube and it works great.  I would suggest wrapping the entire wreath with duct tape, once you massage out the lumps and get the perfect circle.  That’s the key, massage and maneuver the wreath until you get the perfect circular shape.

Note: If you are adding decorations on the heavy side, reinforce the entire wreath with duct tape before decorating it so it maintains shape.  It’s not necessary if you are making wreaths similar to my other wreaths using plumber’s insulation.

Next wrap the wreath with burlap strips.  I used hot glue to attach each strip.  After the wreath is wrapped, you can begin decorating it.  I painted these dollar bin frames black and printed out the letters of my last name to but in each frame.  I also made burlap flowers and hot glued a cluster to the right side.  I added some white tulle as well to add some contrast.

Finally, I used a ribbon to hang my wreath.  That’s it!  Hope you like my wreath that cost me less than $1.00! Hope you try it out!

 

 

 

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11th Oct2012

Halloween Skeleton Frame

by Dinah Wulf
Welcome, Loren from Pandora’s Craft Box!  So glad to have you again!
I’m so glad you decided to share this AWESOME tutorial!

 

 

The spirits of the other side are ready to come out and play here at DIY Inspired!  Are you prepared the mischief they will cause? I did warn Dinah if I was going to guest blog I was going to bring something spooky and creepy but I am so glad she did!My skeleton is using the a painting as a portal to the world of the living the evil spirits reaches for any passing soul to posses.

 

Watch out it might just me you.
Would you like to make one? Here are a few thing you will need.
Materials:
1. Cardboard (Free)
2. Skeleton (Michaels 14.99)
3. Modge Podge (own or 4.99 at Michaels)
4. Black paint & red paint  (.59 cent)
5. Burlap ($2.00 for half a yard)
6. foam brush (.10 cent)
7. Frame (Michaels on clearance $9.99)
8. Clay ($8.99 Michaels)
9.Tape (own)
10. 24 gauge wire (own)
11. Scissors (own)
12. Saw (own $4.99)

 

 

The first thing you will need to do is to cut the back of the skull of your skeleton because you want him to lay flat on the cardboard. Measure the cardboard to fit the inside of your frame. My frame is 8×10.

 

 

Position your skeleton, my skeleton name is Joe where you want him to be.

 

 

I felt bad cutting Joe up but he feel much better once all the extra weight is off.
I cut through the spice of Joe to make sure he could fit in the frame.

 

Mix modge podge with black paint with a foam brush.

Now the messy part starts, use the mixture and paint the burlap with it.

I told you it was going to get messy! Its going to look a little muddy but it will be worth it once it dries. You will need to cover the entire cardboard. Don’t lay the burlap flat on the cardboard because you will need some depth with it to make it look realistic.

 

Also use the modge podge to clue the down the skeleton. Let the burlap dry for at least 24 hours.

 

 

 
I wanted to have Joe reaching out for someone, so I took masking tape to hold the joints in place. I then used the burlap with modge podge to cover masking tape.

 

 

 
I did not stop there I also cut all the finger off and used the 24 gauge jewelry wire to reattach all the  fingers. Can you believe that Joe had to right hands before I did the surgery? haha. Now his finger can bend and point at you. 

 

 

 
The last thing I did was make a heart out of clay to be place in rib cage. 

 

Imagine that you are done with your skeleton frame tutorial. !!!

 
I think my puppy liked it. 

Happy Haunting’s from Pandora’s Craft Box.

Thank you for having me DIY Inspired.

 

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09th Oct2012

Hello Kitty Pumpkin

by Dinah Wulf

I got DIY Inspired from this Hello Kitty pumpkin I saw on Pinterest.  My daughter LOVES Hello Kitty and so do I! I remember collecting Hello Kitty “stuff” when I was little circa early 80’s.  When I saw this pumpkin I HAD to make it for myself…I mean my daughter… This would be perfect for a Halloween party for your little ones.

Here are the materials you need:

  • Construction paper (white, black, yellow, and orange)
  • Double sided tape
  • Black felt
  • Glue gun and glue sticks
  • Paper cutter
  • Scissors
  • Ruler
  • Circle punch (optional)

We went to a local pumpkin patch and picked up a white pumpkin, I found the perfect shape for her head.  If you can’t find a white pumpkin, you can spray paint or paint a pumpkin white.

I used my daughter’s Hello Kitty doll as a guide.  She has several different sizes, so I found one that was closest to the pumpkin size.  The most important part of this craft is getting the shapes and proportions correct.  First I cut out all the shapes for the face, a yellow nose, two black eyes, and six black whiskers.  Using double sided tape, I glued each piece following my doll guide.

Next I cut out the ears.  Initially I cut two because I wasn’t sure if the hat would cover the right ear.  I used the pumpkin as a guide for the base of the ear. I used hot glue to attach the left ear.

Next I cut a circle out of black felt for the rim of the hat. I used felt because I like the floppy look.  I hot glued it to the top.

I made a cone shape out of black construction paper and hot glued it to the top of the hat as well.

Next, I cut out the iconic Hello Kitty bow using orange paper, scissors, and a circle punch for the center.  I used double sided tape to attach it.

There you have it! A super simple and fun Hello Kitty Pumpkin the perfect Halloween craft!

If you LOVE Hello Kitty like I do, check out this Hello Kitty themed birthday party my friend Maily put together!
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04th Oct2012

Four Easy Halloween Party Treats

by Dinah Wulf

I always go to my best friend’s house on Halloween to take the kids Trick or Treating.  This is what I brought over for Halloween last year (it was too late to post after Halloween).  I made these because, 1) All of these treats are SUPER easy to make, 2) I can’t cook, 3) They are quick and painless to make because it requires no cooking or baking.  Here are Four Easy Halloween Party Treats:

Monster Fingers 

This version of the traditional rice Krispie treat uses Cocoa Krispies with an almond sliver “finger nail” painted with red food coloring.

Spider Devil Eggs

Traditional deviled egg recipe with a black olive spider.  Cut the olive in half using one half for the body and the other half for the legs.  For my deviled egg recipe, I mixed hardboiled egg yolks, mayonnaise, and mustard. Tip: When peeling hard boiled eggs, run them under cold water to make it easier to peel.

Freaky Fingers

These are my favorite. I have a full tutorial for this candy dipped finger food.  While the candy is still wet, insert an almond sliver as a finger nail.

Candy and chocolate dipped Apples

Simply cut apples into bite sized pieces and dip them with melted candy or chocolate with a toothpick.  Decorate them with festive sprinkles or nuts. Allow them to dry on wax paper.

I made all four treats in no time at all.  I think the hardest part was peeling the hardboiled eggs! How much easier can you get?  Hope you try these out!

 

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02nd Oct2012

DIY Disney Princess Costumes

by Dinah Wulf

As you may already know this year for Halloween my husband is going to be the Mad Hatter, I am going to be the Queen of Hearts, and my daughter is going to be Alice from Alice in Wonderland.  Recently, I did a tutorial for a DIY No Sew Tutu. I wanted to show you that with this tutorial, you can apply it to virtually any Disney Princess character (or any character for that matter) and make your own DIY Disney Princess Costumes.

Here is my skirt for my Queen of Hearts costume using the tutorial.  I used black, red, and white tulle and added three felt red hearts with hot glue.  I also made a crown out of a recycled plastic sour cream container.

This is my daughter’s Alice skirt.  I added the felt spade because I wanted us to match. J She will also wear a white t-shirt with puffy sleeves, a black ribbon in her hair, white tights, and black Mary Jane shoes.

Here are some other color combos you can do to make your own Disney Princess costumes utilizing the DIY No Sew Tutu tutorial:

  • Cinderella – baby blue
  • Snow White – blue, white, yellow, and red
  • Sleeping Beauty – pink and white
  • Arial – blue and green
  • Jasmine – teal
  • Pocahontas – tan and brown
  • Tinkerbelle – green and yellow
  • Mulan – red, purple, pink, and blue
  • Rapunzel – purple
  • Tiana- light and dark green or blue

Tip: Tulle also comes glittery as well.  Consider mixing the two kinds, but if you do, make the skirt outside!  Glitter everywhere (I learned the hard way)!

You can play around with accessories like, tiaras, crowns, wands, gloves, shoes, etc.  Remember: check the dollar store first!

 

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01st Oct2012

Recycled Plastic Container Crown

by Dinah Wulf

This year for Halloween my family is going to be the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts, and Alice from Alice in Wonderland.  As you know I preach recycled crafting and I made a DIY Mad Hatter Top Hat out of a cardboard box and hanger (among other things), but this time I decided to make my Queen of Hearts crown out of a recycled plastic container, specifically an old (but clean) sour cream container.

This was quite easy and fun and I have to admit I got a little carried away with the plastic gems.  I happen to have everything in my craft closet already, so I didn’t spend a dime making this.  The materials you can use are endless but here’s a list of what I used:

  • Clean plastic sour cream container
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Glitter
  • Felt
  • Foam craft hearts
  • Even More Glitter
  • Plastic craft gems
  • Hot glue
  • Clear glaze spray paint (optional)

I started off by cutting off the top trim and the bottom of the container.  Next I cut a jagged edge at the top, using the first triangle I cut out as a pattern to cut out the rest so that they would be even.  Next I glammed it up!  I glittered the entire crown gold and added red felt trim.  I also sprayed the entire crown with a clear glaze to seal in the glitter.  It helps to minimize months of glitter hair!  I decided to glitter foam craft hearts in red and add plastic gems.  I kept adding and adding… I couldn’t help it!  Oh well, it IS a Halloween costume…it can be a little gaudy.

I think these would be fun to make for a princess themed party or even an Alice in Wonderland tea party.  There you have it! A low cost (or no cost) DIY crown.

 

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28th Sep2012

DIY Mad Hatter Top Hat

by Dinah Wulf

Every year, it always takes several days, even months, to figure out what my family is going to be for Halloween. I actually think the brainstorming starts on November 1st!  This year we decided on a popular theme, Alice in Wonderland.  My husband will be the Mad Hatter, I will be the Queen of Hearts, and my daughter will naturally be Alice.  So over the next few days, I’ll show you the progression of our costumes as I make them. Let’s start with the DIY Mad Hatter Top Hat.

I did a Google search and found an amazing tutorial on how to make a cardboard top hat on the Instructables, one of my favorite DIY sites.   I edited it a little bit as I went.  Here is my tutorial on a DIY Mad Hatter Top Hat.

Step One: Construct the Cardboard Top Hat

Materials:

  • Cardboard
  • Duct Tape
  • Pencil
  • Bowls or plates (any circular object for tracing in the desired size)
  • Scissors

I cut four pieces with the help of the bowls in my cupboard, a pencil, and scissors.  The size will depend on the Mad Hatter’s head size.

  1. Large circle for the top of the hat
  2. Small circle for the interior of the hat to hold shape
  3. Large ring for the rim of the hat
  4. Rectangular piece for the cylinder

Using duct tape, create the cylinder.  Cut 1-2” wide slits for the bottom of the hat and cut longer 1-2” slits for the top of the hat.  Insert the small circle in the top of the hat as shown and secure with tape.  Add the rim by folding each slit and taping the cylinder to the rim as shown.  Do the same for the top using the larger circle as shown.

Step Two: Decorate Your Hat

Materials: The materials are up to you, as the possibilities are endless!  Here is what I used.

  • Green velvet fabric (I chose this because it’s easy to stretch and maneuver)
  • Salmon fabric for the scarf
  • Two feathers, one brown and one black
  • A wire coat hanger and a wire cutter for the pins
  • Old buttons for the top of the pins (attached with hot glue)
  • Recycled book page and a black marker  for the infamous 10/6 price tag
  • Rubber band to secure fabric to the base of the hat

The pictures and materials speak for themselves.  I did not use glue, rather duct tape because: 1) it’s easier to use, 2) it’s easily removable if I made a mistake, and 3) it’s less messy, and cheaper!

Here is an after photo:

 

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26th Sep2012

DIY Pumpkin Inspiration

by Dinah Wulf

It’s officially fall and I can feel it in the air.  I love it!  I have so many fond memories growing up in the changing seasons.  I think they are even fonder now since I have been living in Southern California with essentially no season change at all!  I thought I’d put together some fun DIY pumpkin inspiration.  There are so many unique and creative ideas out there!  Here are a few of my favorites.

This adorable upcycled pumpkin made out of a book is by WhimsyWorkshop.  They’ll make it made to order or you can try it yourself??

I think these crushed velvet pink pumpkins are fabulous.  They are Pretty In Pink!  I don’t sew very well, but I think I could give these a try!

Leave it up to Martha to come up with this one.  Make a lace pattern on your pumpkin.  I don’t know about you, but if I decided to take this one on, I’d do a craft pumpkin instead of a real one so I wouldn’t have to do it again next year!

Chevron is all the rage…it’s everywhere!  Carpets, pillows, even furniture and walls; why not chevron pumpkins?

Check out this pumpkin cooler perfect for a Halloween party.  Simply cut, hollow, and insert a glass bowl with ice.  Brilliant!

How cute is this autumn bunting made of burlap flags and a cute little linen pumpkin applique?

This chenille pumpkin is lovely.  I say, try making it out of a thrift store sweater or blanket!

Glitter those pumpkins up!  Simple and fabulous! If you are taking this one on, I have some glittering tips of my own.

 

 

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Category : Crafts, Holidays
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24th Sep2012

DIY Fall Wreath Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

Ouch my eyes hurt!  I just spent the last, I don’t know, hour looking at Etsy for some DIY Fall Wreath Ideas.  Oh man!  There were some good ones and there were some bad ones with a capital “B”.  I looked at 3200 wreaths to be exact and that wasn’t even a fraction of what was available.  There were wreaths made out of every material from tulle to yarn and burlap to branches.  There were even wreaths made out of recycled materials like cork, coffee filters, and book pages.  There were wreaths made to look like Elmo and Mickey Mouse and wreaths made out of baseballs and flip flops…yes…flip flops.  That one may be a submission on regresty.com.  Yikes!

I’ve been trying to think of a fall wreath project to make and I’m stuck.  Anyway, I narrowed it down to sixteen of my favorite.  As you can see I was kind of drawn to burlap and yarn.  My favorite is the Halloween one made out of gauze…it’s fantastic!  I think I’d like to incorporate my house numbers in it but I’m not sure.  But now after looking at 3200 of them, I’m even more stuck…Ugh.  Here goes…

What about you?  Do you have any ideas for me?  Help!

 

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13th Sep2012

DIY No Sew Tutu

by Dinah Wulf

With Halloween coming up I thought this would be appropriate.  I’ve seen several Halloween costumes with tutus including all the Disney Princesses and much more!  I made these tutus for a recent craft fundraiser.  They are very inexpensive and easy to make.  You can make a DIY No Sew Tutu this size (Toddler) for about $5.00.

Note: I did a scrap T-shirt skirt tutorial a while back.  This tutorial works for tutus as well.  The difference are 1) the materials chosen, and 2)  I also used an elastic dollar store head band, which works great for this tulle DIY No Sew Tutu as well.

Materials: These are the measurements for a Toddler sized tutu.

  • 2 yards of ribbon
  • 6 inch X 20 yards of tulle (you can buy these rolls at a craft store for $3-$4
  • Scissors
  • Yard stick
  • Clear nail polish (optional)

Note: Yards of tulle at a fabric store is much cheaper, however pre-cut rolls like these make it more convenient and simple.  Consider buying from a fabric store if you are making a larger (or longer) costume.

First, using the yard stick as an aide cut the entire roll of tulle in 20” strips.  One by one fold each strip in half and knot it around the ribbon as shown.  Make sure you start in the center of the ribbon and make your way out.  When you are finished the skirt will be about 20” around.  You can slide and maneuver the tulle to make it a little smaller or wider as needed.  Cut the ends of the ribbon in an angle and use clear nail polish to stop the ribbon from fraying.  Tie the ribbon in a bow.

Here are some after photos.

Warning: If you decide to make glittered tutus as pictured above.  Make them outside! :/

Consider making a green skirt for a Tinker belle or mermaid costume; a blue skirt for Cinderella; a pink skirt for Sleeping beauty; a yellow skirt for Belle; or a blue, yellow, and red skirt for Snow White.

If you need more fundraiser ideas, check out my YouTube video for the other crafts I made for this fundraiser.

 

 

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Category : Crafts, Kid Stuff
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11th Sep2012

DIY Recycled Jar Tea Light

by Dinah Wulf

I’m pretty sure I save every single jar after it’s empty.  Pickle, spaghetti sauce, salsa… I don’t discriminate.  The Mason jar is beautiful but I think it gets too much credit (don’t get me wrong, I’ve done several Mason jar crafts in the past and I still LOVE them).  For this DIY Recycled Jar Tea Light, I decided to use a pickled beet jar.  Yes, I eat pickled beets…yum!!!

Materials:

  • Jar
  • Burlap scraps
  • Scissors
  • Wire or a wire coat hanger (I used 20 gauge because it’s easy to work with)
  • Spouncer
  • Craft paint in the color of your choice
  • Stencil of your choice
  • Wire cutter
  • Pliers
  • Hot glue
  • Tea Light

First, cut your burlap so that it fits nicely around your jar.  Next, stencil your burlap and set aside.  Wrap your wire around the mouth of the jar several (4-5) times depending on the desired thickness.  Cut another piece of wire for the handle wrapping each end securely around your wire circle as shown.  Place the wire circle with handle around the mouth of the jar.  Locate the ends of the wire circle and pull taught.  Pliers may help.  You may have to massage the circle accordingly.  Tuck in the ends of the wire.  Finally, hot glue the burlap around your jar and insert and light your tea light.

I thought six of these spelling out “boo” and “eek” would be really cute on the mantel for Halloween.  Hope you try it out!

 

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31st Aug2012

Pintrest Halloween Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe it’s that time of year again.  I just went to Michael’s to get some craft supplies and the aisles are littered with Halloween decorations and even some Christmas ones too!  Needless to say, I was definitely inspired so I decided to search around Pintrest to get some ideas for the upcoming Halloween holidays (which by the way is my FAVORITE holiday).  Here are my favorite Pintrest Halloween Ideas.

How cute is this set up from the House of Smiths.   I love that she used regular flower vases.  Typically, apothecary jars are used for displays like this but they can get costly and are not always affordable.  Here, she made a flower vase that you can pick up at a thrift store beautiful by adding a creative and frightful label.

I love love love this from Country Living.  I always go to after the holiday sales, and last year I picked up craft pumpkins for next to nothing.  THIS is what I am going to try.  What a fantastic idea for a non-working or decorative fireplace.  No fireplace?  Get your DIY on and create a removable one for the holidays!

Finally, and probably the best of all is this Halloween DIY candelabra from Saw Dust and Paper Scraps.  She made this out of two lamps from Good Will and an old light fixture from the thrift store!

Everyday is a Crafting Day was inspired by that post and made this gorgeous table top version.

I hope you are as inspired as I am.  I think I’ll have to try all of the above for sure!

 

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31st Oct2011

Forevermore: A Hallowedding

by Dinah Wulf

Happy Halloween Everyone!

I also wanted to wish one of my friends from college, Katie O’Bryan and her husband Tony a happy one year Hallowedding anniversary! Or should I say, Hallowversary…no wait that doesn’t quite work.  Scratch that last part.

With Katie’s permission, I received the honor of sharing her elegant and eerie Hallowedding with all of you.  With the help of her wedding planner, Carole Grogan of Bright Blue Events and a lot of imagination and creativity, this Hallowedding was frightfully fantastic to say the least.

The little details are what made the event absolutely perfect. With over eighty hand carved pumpkins and a Magician for entertainment, it was difficult to narrow down a plethora of incredible photographs.

I have to start with the honorees, the bride and groom. To fit the theme, the bride wore a beautiful Etsy feather hairpiece, blue spider earrings, and orange garter, while the groom’s attire was complete with a top hat and cane.  Katie, the eighteen months of salads paid off…GORGEOUS!

The flowers were red calla lilies with coordinating red and orange flowers for the bridesmaids.   I love the black feather accents.

The little ring box was a casket with the words, “Til death do us part” written on top and after the ceremony the guests were instructed to fill out a tombstone place card and “find your resting place”.

The guests could capture a memory in front of a Halloween photo backdrop and could also leave a special message to the bride and groom on the framed board pictured below.

Here are a few pictures of the table centerpieces atop black table cloths and accented with orange napkins.

The blue, black, and white cake was stunning with pink champagne and red velvet layers from Some Crust Bakery in Claremont, California.

Here are a few final details including the candle lighting ceremony in a giant carved pumpkin!

Happy Anniversary, Tony and Katie!  Thank you for inspiring us!

Photo Source: Chris R. Chavira Photography Phone: 310.500.9075

 

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28th Oct2011

Danger Do Not Enter

by Dinah Wulf

Homemade Halloween Ideas: Danger Do Not Enter

So this is one of my last Halloween post for this year and I am very sad about it.  I wanted to do something for those last minute Halloween party touches.

Having a Halloween party and want your guests to stay out of certain areas? Here is an easy homemade Halloween idea. Make a quick and easy Danger Do Not Enter sign out of scrapbook paper.  Use blood red and black colors and embellish it with paper skulls and plastic bugs to hang on your doors. Add orange, black, or red rhinestones for the skull eyes and use Chiller font on your computer for an extra spooky effect. It’s cheaper than buying Caution tape! If you don’t have scrapbook paper handy, it is only about 49 cents each at the craft store and one sheet will make two signs.

I ended up giving the signs to one of my best friends little boys for the door to his room because he loved pirates and skulls.  It’s a fun and simple Halloween craft to do with your kids as well.

Tip: Use double sided tape on black plastic bugs, and have them crawl off the sign and down and around the door knob. It is easy to remove and will not cause sticky residue on your door.

You may also like these other do it yourself Halloween crafts with easy step by step tutorials:

Also check out Halloween Costume Ideas:

 

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