Halloween Countdown: Spooky Banner

Today’s Halloween craft is a banner I made for the Mini 13 Days of Halloween Swap.  My partner requested a banner which I was happy to oblige and I LOVE how this one turned out!

I tried something a little different with this one since it was getting shipped across the country and I didn’t want to take a chance with it getting damaged.  So I started each piece with a rectangle base that I cut out of a cereal box.  This gave it good weight and sturdiness.  I wrapped each piece with scrapbook paper and folded it over the edges to hide the cereal box which also gave it a crisp, clean edge.
 

  

 

I then spelled out ‘spooky’ by printing the word out on scrapbook paper and cutting it out using decorative edge scissors.  Then I just layered the letters over some other papers that I cut and punched out, raising it just a bit with foam for some depth. I still had some space at the bottom of each piece, so I got out my stickers, doodads and thingamabobs and created different little images along the bottom. The strung them together with some black and white cording. 

   

I absolutely love this banner.  It was fun to put together and think about each rectangle as both a separate piece and a part of the whole banner.  The papers and colors look great…if I must say so myself.  

Halloween Countdown: Miniatures

My partner in the mini 13 Days Swap loves miniatures.  She has a doll house and a fairy garden.  I wanted to add some Halloween decor to her miniatures so here's what I made for her.

A simple banner for her fairy garden.  I punched star shapes out of Halloween themed scrapbook paper and glued it to some string and added some skewers so she could put it in the garden. 

A little rocking chair with a Halloween pillow.  I found the rocking chair at Joann's in the clearance bin.  It was already black and I thought it was perfect! I cross stitched a small jack-o-lantern pattern and turned it into a small pillow for the chair. 

A Halloween tree.  I also found this bottlebrush tree at Joann's.  I painted it using copper and orange acrylic paint.  I then strung some buttons on a silver sparkly pipe cleaner and added it so it looked like a garland on the tree. 

Then a small wreath with a witch shoe!

These were really simple but fun projects.  I see how easy it is to fall in love with creating miniature scenes.  You can really get lost creating little scenes. 

Stay tuned for more Halloween fun!

Bookworm Birthday Party

We threw a little party for my son’s second birthday back in June.  (ack still can’t believe he’s two!)  But I wanted to share a few things I made and other details about his party.  This year I did a bookworm theme because the little dude loves books!  He digs into his bookshelves and baskets and sits for hours looking at his books.  It’s so wonderful really. I first searched through Pinterest just to get some ideas and get the creative ideas flowing.  I decided on many things but in the end, I didn’t make as much as I planned because I just didn’t have the time.  But it all turned out OK and at the end of the day, we celebrated him which was the point. But here's what I did to celebrate our bookworm!

I made pinwheels out of Dr. Seuss’s “The Foot Book”.  We had a second copy that was previously loved and had some crayon scribbles in it so I just used the pages to make the pinwheels.  If it’s been a while since you’ve made pinwheels, I highly suggest it—it’s super fun!  I attached them to pencils that said "I Love Reading" that I ordered and they were part of the goodie bag that I passed out to the kids who came to the party.  I also included these fun book-themed stamps, these bookmarks, these super adorable bookworm erasers, some gummy worms, and a few of these stickers.  A fun little bag I thought.  

I also made a little banner out of another double-copy of “The Three Bears” we had.  It was super simple.  I just cut triangle shapes out of the pages and strung them together.  I didn’t add anything to the pages.  Easy Peasy. I don't seem to have gotten a picture of it and I didn't keep it.  oh well.

 

I made a birthday banner as well.  I’m going to try to make one each year for at least first five years or so if I can.  I can hang them in his room when his birthday is over. I don’t think I ever shared what I made for his first birthday!  Maybe I’ll post that sometime.  (sheesh, behind much?)   Each piece has a little bookworm theme to it and I added a few of the leftover pinwheels to it.    It’s simple and fun.

That’s all I had time for.  I had planned on making invitations that look like library cards…that didn’t happen.  I had planned making cupcakes myself with cute bookworm toppers…that didn’t happen. And it’s OK.  I’ve learned to go with the flow and do what I can.  It’s the spirit of the party and the smile on my kid’s face that counts. 

Valentine's Day Banner

Well I was able to finish one more project I had in the works for Valentine's Day!  I made this kinda wacky, but fun banner with scrapbook paper, ribbons, buttons and other odds and ends.

I spelled out the word love, cuz you know, Valentine's Day IS the day for love!

 I had another project I wanted to do but probably won't get it done this year.  Oh well, till next year. 

I hope you all have a fantastic Valentine's Day and get to spend it with someone you love!