Tag Archives: Instruction

With all of the miles of commercially produced wrapping paper that stores seem to stock at every corner… why make your own? Well, it can be made super-fast and super-easy without looking like it! With my simple repurposing trick, you can make handcrafted gift wrap inexpensively in a matter of minutes. It’s really easy to stamp any type of package, paper, tag, card or box… even one that gets addressed and sent in the mail! It looks even more adorable on matching notebooks, craft letters, or any other gift that would accept inking. With stamping, you can match the colors to your décor for a catalog worthy Christmas, and delight loved ones with one-of-a-kind gifts at the same time. And, I don’t know about you, but I really love it when someone has cared enough to make something just for me.

My simple trick to easy and fast polka-dot making (ahem, drumroll please)… bingo markers! The idea was sparked about 15 years ago when someone gave me a few of these because she thought I might want the ink in them. Let me tell you, I made so many spotted cards with them! Everyone was always surprised when I told them what I had used.

You can find them in so many colors. I’ve used pink, green, blue, red, and purple as examples here. They even come in shapes like shamrocks or hearts, but I’m sticking with polka-dots for now because they are just so classic and chic!

You can use any kind of paper for the gift wrap or bags. Glossy paper will leave more of a watercolor look, while matte paper will dry to a solid flat color. Both have their merits. Just know that glossy surfaces take much longer to dry. It’s great to buy neutral colored bags in white or kraft paper color, and then stamp them into personalized colors as needed.

You can match your décors theme, go with traditional colors, or even pick a different color combo for each family member. Pink is my grandmother’s favorite color, so that’s just what she gets!

Blue and pink polka-dots are perfect for gender-neutral baby showers.

The paper I’m showing here is the best I’ve found for wrapping. It’s thick enough to hide the contents well. It won’t tear like the commercial variety in transit or mailing. It dries quickly and evenly so you can make a ton of it and just roll it back up. The tag in the picture has dry ink on pink paper, and it’s sitting atop tan with freshly applied ink.

The roll is really inexpensive for quite a lot, so it fits everyone’s budget. It’s so versatile because you can do anything with it (spray paint it, paint a scene on it, write messages on it, have kiddos draw on it, make gift tags or cards out of it, etc…) What is this amazing product? (Another drumroll please)… rosin paper from a hardware store! It’s actually used in homes during construction. I learned about it from my interior designer mother of course. It’s available in pink, green, white and tan like kraft paper in rolls that will last for years. I even use this stuff for covering the backs of framed artwork. (I’ll do a DIY tutorial for this in the future. It’s really easy and will save you so much money.)

I try to stamp one color in a grid-like pattern, and then follow up in between those with a contrasting color. I have to admit though… sometimes it’s fun to just get stamp-happy all over the place! Do expect this when kiddos are involved. It’s fun to see the creations they come up with.

When making hand-stamped giftwrap for my Etsy store, I make long sections for wrapping purchased goods, and also package making kits complete with tag and twine.

I make my individual sheets much larger (36 x 30 inches) than others typically offer (20 x 30 inches) so as to fit larger packages. Each kit will definitely cover several small boxes.

If you want to make individual wrapping paper sheets for yourself, just use a T-square ruler to measure and mark straight distances before cutting.

Another idea, how fun would it be to have a holiday stamping and wrapping craft party with the gal-pals!

Here are traditional red and green packages for Christmas with added ornament decorations. You can see for yourself the differences between glossy, matte, box, bag, and wrapping paper.

I also used a stamp on them that says, “handmade for you, because you’re worth it,” as it really exemplifies what I’m trying to do… show that I care!

This is an idea for a friend celebrating Hanukkah. I realized I had no appropriate bag decoration for it, so I took a couple of minutes to make one. To make your own, run the matching bingo marker over 6 popsicle sticks to stain them. After they’re dry, hot glue 3 into a triangle. Repeat this with the last three, then glue one triangle on top of the other. Tie on with coordinating twine, yarn, or ribbon.

This would be a great type of Christmas craft for the little ones making ornaments for the family. The bingo markers don’t make a big mess and the ink washes off of skin. Adding a year and a name in permanent marker would make it even more precious.

Here are some birthday gift packages with tiny frames as bag décor.

I went ahead and stamped them ahead of time because I already had everything out, and I’m planning an upcoming green and pink polka-dot theme birthday party. It fit just too perfectly!

Also, I’ve made some critter themed wrap in blue and green. It seems like there is always a little one being born or having a birthday, so I make a point of finding theme items throughout the year for gift baskets. I can always find cute things in ducks, frogs, and ladybugs.

Here are some attempts at making shapes with the bingo markers. I’m sure it probably would have been smarter to practice before doing this on the bag and boxes. Oh well, at least you can get the idea.

The Mickey / Minnie Mouse bag appears to have black ink on it because green ink appears black on the red paper. I also stamped polka dots onto a length of red paper ribbon to demonstrate the endless possibilities of decorating with ink. The green Hungry Caterpillar box just as easily could have featured a blue Alice in Wonderland Caterpillar.

The hearts on the box aren’t great because it isn’t easy to make a V-point with a round stamp. Although I did get better at it by the time I made the leaves for the flowers. Just use a Sharpie to draw in details like arrows or a wavy lined stem. The peppermint candies were made by a foam stamp inked with the bingo marker. I thought it might work, and was delighted to find that it did! I will soon be posting a Winter Candyland Party that this type of stamp is perfect for, but here it’s used for a “sweetheart” gift box.

It’s really great to just stamp the outside of gift boxes, and not worry about wrapping at all! Here I’ve use some Christmas yarn… purchased with a coupon so that it was a fraction of the price of baker’s twine. I have enough quantity to be generous with it without worrying about running out… and it’s just really cute.

The Rudolph decoration was manufactured, but it would be really easy to draw a silly character on poster board in Sharpie markers and glue on a red pom-pom nose. That could be a fun way to get the kids involved as well. Another festive idea is to stamp the outside of a mailing parcel then write the recipient’s address in black Sharpie.

Don’t forget to make tags for your “presies”. I just used several large punches to cut them out of the same paper.

I then stamped them in assembly line fashion… proof positive that quick can be cute!

I used the handmade stamp and candy stamp on some. The star tag was stamped with a foam star and acrylic craft paint. This way you can see the difference between how ink and paint look. Use a Sharpie marker to write messages on any of these as pens just don’t show up well.

As for the gifts themselves, why not make super-quick stocking stuffers with matching polka-dots?

I took boring kraft paper notebooks, and raised the cuteness factor exponentially with a little ink stamping and twine wrapping.

I also added some washi tape to one whose top was peeling slightly. I personalized that one with my name in Sharpie.

There is one thing which will save you some length on twine brands that have a tendency to unravel easily… tie two knots before cutting in between them. I found that the yarn that looks like twine actually unravels less.

Here is a collection of my various colors of notebooks that will be made available at Le fidèLe Designs Etsy store.

Another stamping idea that’s super-easy and fast is making message holiday décor. I bought the only “J” left in 3 stores, so JOY must be popular for the holidays. Really, any letters using different colors can be made year-round. A name would make a terrific personalized gift for a little one’s nursery.

I simply stamped haphazardly with the red and green, because it was more fun that way!

I went ahead and inked the back as well, for versatility. In this way I can set them anywhere, even freestanding in the bar area.

Lastly, I found some holiday charms and bells to tie on with Christmas yarn. It was easy and done in a few minutes.

The best part of all of these projects is that I found people really want to reuse some of the stamped wrap. (I even had one request that I not to write on the tag next time, so that she could send it forward… not the gift, just the bag and tag!) By hand-making your own wrapping, you are not only demonstrating that you really cared enough to go that extra mile, but it’s also beneficial to the environment when others want to continue passing it along. Reusing is even better than recycling! It’s yet another way to give when we are good stewards for His majestic creation.

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Arts & Crafts

Easy DIY Upcycle Décor or Personalized Toy Using Printable Craft Film

December 16, 2014 Leigh

This DIY craft is a really easy way to personalize either a toy for a little one, or room décor for a love one using printable film. It can turn a lovely vintage find into something truly extraordinary, because of the care it takes to go that extra mile and upcycle a gift just to really suit someone. I think it’s that willingness to spend time and energy to deliver happiness is what makes crafting so special.

With all of that being said, I really must state that I can’t take the credit for the spark of this idea. My delightful neighbor and her daughter-in-law found a metal plane and wanted to personalize it for the piloting patriarch of the family. I was asked if I could help out… well of course I would!

I just needed to find something that would adhere to what appeared to be lacquered looking high shine industrial enamel paint. After doing some useless internet research, I decided to wing it. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun.) I thought I’d try “Jewelry Attitude” which claims to adhere to a plethora of surfaces including metal. If it works on smooth shiny metal, why wouldn’t it stick to shiny paint?

I ordered a package online, and went to work on producing the requested moniker in a suitable typeface. I actually found a Star Trek font (at daFont) online for free. I typed out what I needed on a Word Document, imported it to a Corel Program to resize, and then mirror flip it so as to print in reverse. This is only necessary when printing words, in order to keep them legible after completion.

I also imported other images to print with it. There is no need to waste money by only printing one project at a time. Organize future projects and print them on the same sheet. You can just cut out the one you need now, and put aside the rest until you’re ready to undertake them. I have a bunch of fun jewelry projects planned with these which I’ll share with you in the future! I continued by organizing my images by moving them around on a print layout page so as to maximize every centimeter of space. I’m obviously big on getting big bang for my buck. I selected color photo printing on glossy paper. They suggest loading each sheet individually and also to avoid touching the glossy side. This is exactly what I did. It prints glossy side up, so I suppose lotion or oil from your hands might smear the inkjet ink being laid onto it. They also suggested doing a trial run by printing on paper before using up your film, which is actually a good idea if you’re unsure with your computer skills. I just didn’t want to waste any ink, so I flew by the seat of pants as usual. It looked great with all the words backwards. I was supposed to let it dry for 2 hours. I waited 4… just in case. I actually wished I had waited overnight because the ink appeared a tad smeared after I used the permanent glue-stick on it. That’s how you attach it, with a simple non-toxic glue-stick.

I cut out the words carefully, then applied glue to the ink side, and peeled off the backing as directed. I’m not sure why I couldn’t just peel it off after I stuck it the plane instead of before, but I did it the way it said since this was for someone else’s gift. Next time, I’m going to experiment a little… of course. If you try this yourself, be really careful not to let it flop onto itself. It really sticks hard! I smoothed them onto both sides of the tail section.

It sets immediately, so there is absolutely no repositioning. It stays where you put it whether you like it not. This actually reassured me that it wouldn’t get messed up later by handling. I decided to let it dry fully overnight before pronouncing my final judgment of the product though. And what do you know… it was successful!

Don’t be intimidated by the digital work, it really was easier than the directions make it seem. I’m sure my next try at it will surely be a breeze. And hey, if you do need help with the computer stuff… well, maybe you have a crafty neighbor too!

Merry Christmas to All Y’all!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

P.S. I just couldn’t resist dressing it up for Christmas and adding a gingerbread wing-walker for the photos.

Arts & Crafts, Parties & Tablescapes

Frozen Winter Wonderland Themed Christmas & New Year’s Eve Dinner Parties (+ Optional Crafts)

December 12, 2014 Leigh

With New Year’s Eve trailing behind Christmas so closely, I wanted to create a dinner party theme that could easily be converted from one to the other without spending any more money or time. I’ve seen all of the decorative components in variation at stores ranging from high end home goods to budget craft supply. I’ll even describe how you can craft your own easily and inexpensively. I’ve chosen a winter wonderland theme as a visual narration of the “Frozen” movie that celebrates family and friendship. It makes an enchanting setting for the adults, and provides an extra dose of holiday magic for the kiddos with frozen-fever. And, hey, you can always pick up items on sale this year to use the theme for next year’s festivities!

For each of the table-scapes, I set the base of the stage with a gold and ivory harlequin tablecloth found previously at an after Christmas sale. If you see something on your shopping trips that might work for next year’s theme… snap it up! This is how I manage to satisfy my high end taste while sticking to my tight budget. It’s really easy to fill in from there, just before the celebration. I did this with beautifully beaded cones in gold, silver, and pewter from Pier 1. (I have seen other versions of these at many of the stores I been to this year.)

If you’d like to make your own last minute, you have two easy options. One is to buy glitter wrapping paper and double-stick tape it into a cone shape. You can just cut different sizes of paper and wrap each into a tube shape, then tighten one end into a point and tape it down. This only takes a few minutes and is affordable for everyone. The best part is that the paper can be reused for gift wrap later! Another option is to spray inexpensive Styrofoam cones with Krylon Glitter Blast spray. (I really like this stuff. It comes in many colors and is so easy to turn out matching crafts out of very different materials. I’m planning on showing it in use for my next Valentine project.) If you’d really like to go all out with the “Frozen” movie theme, just set the table in aqua blues, silver and white. It would even make a fantastic birthday party for a fan of the film. I topped my harlequin tablecloth with an inherited vintage mesh cloth with golden embroidery. (This layered look is easy to emulate with all of the various sparkly mesh fabric available. I previously purchased some myself from Joann’s with a 40% off coupon.)

For each place setting, I used my grandmother’s ivory dishes with gold trim atop gilded round placemats that served as a form of plate chargers. I also made use of my daily Oneida silverware, but switched out the butter knife for vintage steak knives with ivory scrolled handles. I love mixing and matching seamlessly!

I already had two lovely sets of napkin rings that would work beautifully, so I decided to go with vintage brass ones for New Year’s, and those with golden threads for Christmas. I placed extras of these beneath beaded Christmas ball ornaments as tiny stands, with the metal eyelet hooks hidden inside the rings. (I’ve formerly employed this idea successfully with marble Easter eggs.)

In the New Year’s setting, I placed ivory satin ribbon emblazoned with gold foiled champagne flutes and the exclamation “Toast”. (This ribbon from Joann’s would be equally lovely for a wedding as well.)

For Christmas, I topped the salad plates with large gold glitter snowflakes. I set more of these vertically throughout the centerpiece. (These can be found at numerous stores or may be homemade with chipboard or wooden snowflakes glittered with spray.) Lastly, I added inherited vintage glassware with pewter and golden touches. (Clear vessels would also be lovely in their place.)

Both table-scapes had golden scrolled embossed glass votive holders lined with plastic wrap to safely contain white “snowball” candies. Each of the centerpieces also had LED candles covered in gold sequins.

I added further glow to the New Year’s version with real votives in gold beaded holders. This table was finished off with large foil confetti of silver squares and gold stars. (Another easy addition would be to include metallic noise makers to ring in the New Year.)

For Christmas, pale gold glass trees were nestled between the cones. (I’ve seen different types of metallic glass trees at both department and craft stores.)

All of this was surrounded by a chain garland with opalescent bead “icicles”. (This can be made by anyone with jewelry skills using eye-pins, seed beads, and bulk chain. For everyone else, I’ll probably demonstrate this in the future!)

If your chandelier dips too low (as mine did) to accommodate the center cones, there is a simple solution. Use a small S-hook from a hardware store to hitch up a lower link to a higher one in the chain. Start by setting the S-hook on a link at the height you prefer, then lift the chandelier up, and lastly set a lower link onto the hook. (The photo really illustrates this better than I can describe.)

You might wait to try this until you have help to lift it while you relink it. The linking isn’t noticeable in person, and it really looks better to not have the chandelier visually conflict with the centerpiece.

Whether or not you choose one or both of these table-scapes for your next fête, for this year or the next… the idea of making simple changes to perfect your party for its holiday is a notable one if simply for its low cost and ease of transition. Most importantly, it leaves more time for family and friends. Have a very Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with blessings!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

P.S. Be sure to check out my Fast & Easy DIY Hand-stamped Polka-dot Gift Wrap & Matching Gift Crafts!

Recipes

Healthy “One-Pot” Cocorico Roasted Chicken (or Turkey) & Root Vegetables Recipe

November 24, 2014 Leigh

Making healthy roasted chicken and root vegetables is so easy with a Cocorico Roaster. I love to use mine as an easy “one-pot” wonder that presents beautifully from oven-to table. The night before a long day, I can peel the veggies and add herbs so it only needs to put it in the oven for a hardy home-cooked meal. Larger roasters will also accommodate a small turkey for the holidays.

Ingredients:

1 roasting chicken (or turkey, in a size that will fit your Cocorico roaster)
2 teaspoons thyme
2 teaspoons rosemary
1 fresh lemon
1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
Olive oil (enough to coat chicken & drizzle a little over veggies)

Multicolored root vegetables in season (enough to fill the cocorico base):

~1 pound carrots
~3 beets
~2 parsnips
~1 bunch radishes
~1 or 2 pounds fingerling (or new) potatoes
(& turnips if you have better luck than I did finding good ones)

Instructions:

Cocorico roasters in glazed terra cotta are available locally and online. I ordered mine from Napa Style because it was the biggest I’ve seen, and also had a larger turkey cone that fit over the chicken cone. Soak the whole thing under water at least 30 minutes before cooking. This prevents any heat damage to the vessel. I saturate mine in a bleached clean sink.

Preheat your oven to 400ᵒ, while you soak the roaster and prep your veggies. There are a beautiful variety of purple, orange, red, and white root vegetables available. Peel and cut them into about 2 inch chunks to ensure even cooking. Some recipes will advise you boil potatoes ahead of roasting, but I’ve found that to be completely unnecessary if you buy small fingerlings. They roast just like baked fries. They’re prettier, easier, and quicker… so save the big ones for baked potatoes. Radishes may seem like an odd choice for roasting, but they completely change character after cooking. They mellow out, losing their sharpness and spicy heat. I really do prefer them this way.

Place these in a bowl with herbs and add just the smallest drizzle of olive oil. (The chicken juices will flow over the veggies while cooking thus providing more flavor.) Squeeze a little of your lemon over the veggies, and save the rest to place inside the chicken cavity before setting over the roasting cone. Add sea salt and toss to coat everything well. This may be done ahead of time, just cover the bowl and refrigerate it until needed.

Many recipes will also instruct you to wash chicken inside and out before cooking, but I read a study that found it only served to spread dangerous bacteria all over your kitchen. Thorough cooking will kill bacteria while rinsing will not. Drain the fluid and remove any extra gifts left in the cavity (neck, gizzard, giblets). Then set the chicken onto the soaked Cocorico. Other recipes will also say to do this with the legs up and trussed, but this is really subjective to the size of your roasting cone versus the size of your bird. I used a smaller chicken in the pictures, which would have been physically impossible to set upside down. It cooked beautifully and tasted great. Just place the chicken whichever way you can get it onto the cone. It’s really hard to mess up dinner with a Cocorico!

Roast in the oven at 400ᵒ for about 15 minutes, and then reduce it to 375ᵒ for an hour longer (for ~4 lb chicken). Because every oven heats differently, the safest way to cook is with a meat thermometer. Place it in the thickest part of the thigh, but not to the bone. www.foodsafety.gov says 165ᵒ is poultry’s magic number! I’ve also read to rotate the Cocorico every 15 minutes. Thinking of how heavy it was, how that would let heat escape, what else I could spend my time accomplishing, and burn potential… I decided to forgo that. Once again, the simplest way proved itself. The chickens turned out exactly the same.

Use a serving spoon to gently toss the roasted veggies, so that the juices are fully distributed. It’s easiest to serve the veggies first and then carve into the meat, using the newly empty well to hold the pieces. Or it can all be transferred to other serving dishes… but I prefer to avoid washing extra tableware, and the filled Cocorico looks so lovely. If trying this, be sure to use adequate hot pads beneath it.

In the past, I’ve saved time by omitting the oil and placing the roots directly into the Cocorico. When it finished cooking, I would sprinkle fresh herbs and orange juice over the top, stirring it right in the roaster. Whichever way you chose to prepare it, with whatever vegetables, with either chicken or turkey, and legs cooked up or down… Cocorico roasters make it all turn out so beautifully! (See this for yourself at the link: Last Minute Cocorico Rooster Theme Dinner Party Décor Ideas.) So think about getting one for yourself, and leave the “beer-can chicken” to the tailgaters! 🙂

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Arts & Crafts

DIY Rusted Rooster Chicken Wire Votive Holder Craft

November 24, 2014 Leigh

These votive holders were made to complement my Last Minute Cocorico Rooster Theme Dinner Party Décor Ideas, but you can easily craft them with plier/cutters and glue. The base is made of pre-rusted chicken wire “ribbon” (which may be substituted with chicken wire from the hardware store). Atop that are rusted rooster shapes (which are available online and at local craft stores… or made from scratch if you’re feeling super crafty). They can be lit by candle filled glass votives or LED tea-lights. It’s actually a very easy DIY project that just takes a little patience and elbow grease. Once made, they are lovely elements that can be pulled out anytime you need last minute dinner party décor to complement a simple chicken dinner.

Using a single roll of pre-rusted chicken wire “ribbon” saves time, because it already has 2 smoothed edges. If you can’t find this, regular chicken wire may be cut and bent over (toward the inside) at the top and base. Keep it naturally gray metallic or rust it with a liquid chemical solution. (There are several brands of liquid rust that may be found online or at a craft store.)

Use a glass votive as a measuring guide for wire length. Loosely wrap the chicken wire around the glass, overlapping it, and then cut the wires in a straight line. The extra length is needed for the tightening that occurs when joining the ends together later. This cut section may be used as a guide for cutting the rest. (The process would be the same for an LED tea-light candle.)

The next step is to twist the ends together, just as you would begin tying a shoelace, with one end over the other. Begin at one corner and continue the rest of the way, closing the cylinder like a zipper. (This was the part that took patience, so I “multi-tasked” by watching a movie while I twisted.) Pinch these joined ends together with pliers to completely tighten them.

I found many dozens of reasonably priced pre-rusted shapes online. There is a shape to suit any theme. Also, feel free to cut your own out of thin metal. I’ve cut butterflies from various types of thin sheet metal and also up-cycled shapes from aluminum cans. These can be painted to mimic rust. In the future, I’ll show you how to make “metal” shapes from paper (these of course would need to be used with LEDs). If you need a rooster shape for a template, just cut it out of the free invitation PDF from my Cocorico dinner party.

Glue the joined section of a wire cylinder to the underside of your rooster. Let this sit face down overnight. I used E6000 glue, because I wanted to ensure that it stuck together despite the rust. This stuff has glued down everything I have ever tried it on, so it’s a go-to product where other glues have failed. It does have fumes though, so use it in a well-ventilated space.

Slide candles into your newly handcrafted wire cages, and set on your table. Then light to delight!

Faithfully yours,

Leigh

Arts & Crafts

Fabulous Fall Leaf & Pumpkin Décor Crafts (Place-card Holders & Easy Remade Basket)

November 3, 2014 Leigh

I’m combining what are essentially two projects, because they entail exactly the same easy process of hot gluing your way to a fabulous fall! With so many beautiful options in faux foliage available, you can keep your creations to display again. The pumpkin topiaries may be placed throughout your home or office as small floral elements, or used as place-card holders as I have for my Fall Leaves & Pumpkins Themed Thanksgiving Tablescape. And though I used a vintage pumpkin shaped basket, I’ve seen similar variations of it at several craft and party stores that are just begging for embellishment.

For those of you who are brand new to this kind of thing… always buy fall foliage on sale (and there is always a sale somewhere). There are a plethora of leaves, sunflowers, berries, twigs, and mini-pumpkins available in fall colors. Rip off (or cut) the pretty bits from the largest stem.

Make curlicue vines by first wrapping brown floral tape around wire (pulling as you go). Then take that and twirl it around a pen. Pull the pen out, and you’re ready to use your newly made vine.

Now glue, glue, glue to your heart’s content. For the basket, start with leaves in order to form a base platform (at the junction between the handle and bowl of the basket). Then glue the larger elements on top of that blanket of leaves (without covering them completely).

Add smaller elements like berries, by dropping glue onto the stem ends, then tucking them in behind the biggest center element. Lastly, glue the vine ends (in the same way as the berries) and tuck those in wherever you see empty spaces.

It’s just that easy! You may now fill your creation with anything from candy to potpourri. To see it action, check out my “Glitter-Ween” Halloween Party Theme Decorating Ideas (With DIY Links).

As for the pumpkin topiaries… simply start with small terra cotta rose pots (because they are taller than regular pots). Fill these with floral styrofoam cut to size (not squishy “oasis” as that is made for wet arrangements). Next, hot glue a stack of tiny pumpkins (with a leaf in-between each) onto the top’s center. Cover the styrofoam with a layer of green moss. Then add a leaf or stem of berries here and there. Voila!

If you’d like to turn these into place-card holders… simply make flags out of toothpicks and washi tape, by using a ruler as a guide to cutting similar lengths.

Or… you can use floral tape, like I did, so long as you stretch it as you smash it between your fingers. A permanent marker writes the name well. You can also do this for your décor, to add a message like, “Happy Fall Y’all!”

See more of these here: Fall Leaves & Pumpkins Themed Thanksgiving Tablescape Décor Ideas.

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Arts & Crafts

DIY Easy Last Minute Halloween Ornament Décor Remade From Scraps Craft

October 30, 2014 Leigh 1 Comment

Is your spooky Halloween tree décor looking a tad too bare, and your budget’s already blown on candy and costumes? Then do what I did and use ribbon scraps, felt stickers, plastic rings, $1 felt garland, cupcake picks, and felt from a card found around the house to craft cute ornaments! So easy that it can be done last minute, and it makes an interesting artistic scavenger hunt for the kiddos… “Find as many things as you can, in 10 minutes, to turn into ornaments.”

Take a dollar bin felt garland, and cut the ribbon joining the shapes into sections. Tie a knot to form a hanging loop. You can stop there, or add bows made from glittery ribbon (also from the dollar bin) or from leftover pieces from your other crafts. Cut the ring part off the plastic spiders (that outnumber those treat bags).

Hot glue those elements, at various angles, onto your new one-of-a-kind ornaments.

Remove felt decorations (in this case a house shape) from cards. Cut the spikes off of leftover plastic cupcake picks. Pull the sticks out of floral arrangement decorations (the pumpkin people in the picture). Cut lengths of ribbon or tinsel twine to serve as hanging loops. These don’t stick into tiny fingers like hooks would, and they pack better too!

Hot glue the ends of the ribbons to the back of the shapes to make loops. Glue any decorations to the front sides. Then take fabric or ribbon (or in this case the thick orange paper that came with a floral arrangement) and glue the ornaments onto it. (The stickers will obviously just stick to it.)This makes for a prettier back that hides the hanging loop ends.

Hang your newly crafted ornaments as proof positive that cute doesn’t have to mean expensive or time intensive!

Happy Halloween!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Arts & Crafts

DIY Easy Last Minute Halloween Décor Kid Friendly Foam Shape Crafts

October 30, 2014 Leigh 1 Comment

This project began with the question, “What on earth do I do with that sack of foam shapes that didn’t get used up in that last project?” My answer was to make holiday signs, spooky garlands, not-so-scary ornaments, favor necklaces, and puppet favor / food picks! So without further ado, here are some quick and easy kid friendly craft ideas that are great for last minute fill-ins for your décor this Halloween.

Glue colored twine in between two foam shapes to make any length garland you chose. Adults can use hot glue and a ruler as a distance guide. Kiddos can use foam glue and make it as crazy as they like!

Drape it along a spooky Halloween tree, or loop the ends and hang them on the wall with tacks.

Using the same technique, make favor necklaces for the little ones. Wrap them around mini felt witch hats for party hat dress up that doubles as décor. A barrette turns them into a grown-up witchy fascinator.

Glue the shapes back to back with a new popsicle sticks in-between.

Stick those little puppet favors into candy stashes for an extra dose of Halloween fun.

Some shapes can double as letters for a thrifty but cute holiday sign.

A block of wood or small canvas backed with a ghost cut-out, may be topped with eyehooks for a wire handle.

Glue on small letters plus pumpkins for O’s, armed ghosts for T’s and K’s (when an arm is cut and added as the kick in the K). Bats can just swarm the whole project!

A coat of glitter paint (or glue) unifies the whole project, making the foam indistinguishable from other materials. The whole thing can actually dry on the wall (so long as wee fingers are out of reach).

Thread an intentionally random mix of seed beads to a thick wire handle, and twist securely into a hole or eyehook.

Voila, super-cute… super-cheap… super-fun!

Happy Halloween!

Faithfully yours,

Leigh

Arts & Crafts

DIY Glitter “BOO” Wreath Halloween Decoration Craft

October 28, 2014 Leigh 1 Comment

This year’s glitter explosion of kid-friendly Halloween party decorations needed an accompanying wreath, because every holiday deserves its own wreath… right?! I chose to make this one out of the same materials I had already been using. It contains a “BOO” sign, which you’ll see more of in my “Glitter-ween” Party article appearing soon. (You can find this type of thing at most craft stores.) I also used a pair of felt bat wings that were cut using my template from a previous craft, and some of the glitter shapes I set aside from my garland remade craft. (You can use any glitter shape made out of foam or wood.) Lastly, I used some of the same Halloween ribbon I had decorating various other elements in my home. This is why you should always buy extra rolls of matching ribbon. You never know when the crafting-bug will strike!

The best way to make a ribbon wreath is to use a hay or Styrofoam wreath form as a base. Just start by gluing the ribbon end at a 45 angle to the base. Then just pull tautly as you wrap the ribbon at the same angle around the form. I hot glue dots to the underside as I go, but that’s just because I’m a stickler for solid construction. It’s really not necessary until you reach the end of the underside. Then all you need to do is cut the ribbon and fold it over, for a clean finish, then glue it down. Though there’s no need to fold it over if you’re including a ribbon hanger.

To add a convenient built in hanger, simply cut a length of ribbon in relation to the size of your wreath. (Use the photo as a visual guide.) Glue it well to the underside, forming a loop.

Cut a piece of floral wire, and then twist the loose section of ribbon. Give it a couple of turns, and tie it off with the wire (like you would a twist tie on a bag of chips). Don’t worry about how it looks as this will be covered by a bow later.

Now use my template to cut out bat wings from stiff felt or craft foam. Place your “BOO” sign (or individual letters) next to the top area… so it’s easier to judge where to place those wings. Once you’ve found your placement, glue them down.

Arrange your shapes in the way you like best, because enjoying your own creation is the most important part. Since the shape openings didn’t show up well on the black glittery ribbon, I made some “eyes” from brighter pieces. I merely glued the lengths onto the underside of the shapes.

To add more visual interest, glue more loops of bright ribbons around the base in between the shapes. Now make a bow and layer it with several types and colors of ribbon. You can either make it by tying several ribbons together at once, or by gluing additional ribbons to a bow. Glue all of that visual smorgasbord to the base then top it off with the “BOO” sign.

If you like, use coordinating glitter glue to add faces or fill in shape openings, but wait a day to hang it up. I added extra glitter dots to cover the sparse areas of the “BOO”.

The last step is to hang it up and enjoy your handiwork! Have a Happy Halloween!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Arts & Crafts

Superfast Glitter Halloween Shapes Garland Remade Craft

October 28, 2014 Leigh

This superfast Halloween project is so easy that I more than hesitated to call it a craft. It’s more like a… remake something bland into something beautiful endeavor. Hence the name “remade craft”. I had three inexpensive pre-manufactured garlands that had cute shapes, but were boring in that they just contained one image and color per strand of generic ribbon. I just had to mix them up. I’m writing this as encouragement to look for the creative possibilities in everyday materials… but if you like the look of the completed piece, why not buy some glittered shapes and string them in the same way that I restrung these glittered wooden ones.

I always see glittered foam shapes like these in the craft stores, but if you’re feeling really crafty you can buy precut wooden shapes and glitter paint them yourself.

Remove all traces of cheap and twisted dull generic ribbon. Find some pretty sparkly yarn in a contrasting color that coordinates with your party color scheme.

Arrange the shapes in a pleasing order, and string them along. (But set aside some shapes to use on a Halloween wreath, article will follow.)

That’s just so much better.

I draped them along the staircase railing, using green floral wire to tie them on. See the Easy DIY Kid Friendly Bat Halloween Décor Craft from an earlier article.

I think they made a terrific backdrop for my “Glitter-Ween” Party!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Living Faithfully ~ Embracing Creativity