Halloween Mood Lighting: Make Crafty Lights Out Of X-rays!
Posted Oct 25, 08 -Filed Under Crafts, Halloween, Party Décor, reuse glass bottles/ jars, reuse lamp, reuse x-rays | Leave a Comment
X-rays from my husband’s head MRI and x-ray from his broken elbow turned out to be perfect for making Halloween themed décor. X-rays by their very nature are great when put in front of a light so it wasn’t much of a leap to come up with these lighting ideas. You will need to ask around for unwanted x-rays. Your friends will think you are weird but who cares? Or, ask your vet if they have any animal x-rays that they will be throwing away.
Night light
How to: Cover a night-light with a portion of an x-ray. I used a creepy head x-ray because of the eyeballs at the bottom.
Candle Votive
How to: Cut the x-ray in a rectangle of desired proportions. The ones pictured here are 5 ½ inches tall. Bring the sides around and overlap a little. You could use a stapler or glue but I used a paper clip on the top and one on the bottom because I can easily unroll them for storage. Inside you can use small jars to put in tea lights or a votive. Be careful of where you place your candles because the bottom of the jars can get hot.
These x-rays are creepy looking and therefore provide great mood lighting for a Halloween party!
Lamp shade
How to: Get a second -hand lamp and use the shade as a stencil to cut out a new shade out of an x-ray. Use black electrical tape along the seam. Also, you can use the tape to trim around the top and bottom of the lampshade.
bones +skulls+innards = Halloween
Easy Ghost String-Lights Made From Recycled Single Serving Milk Bottles
Posted Oct 23, 08 -Filed Under Children's Crafts, Crafts, Halloween, Party Décor, reuse plastic bottles | Leave a Comment
How to:
Set aside suitable single serving milk bottles. Make sure you wash them out really well; old milk smells really bad. I got these bottles at Chick-Fil-A. If you don’t eat at that restaurant, ask all your friends to save them for you or find a similar bottle elsewhere. Depending on your needs, you may want to start collecting well in advance. (I’ve been known to save all year or longer for projects.)
Paint on the faces with black acrylic paint and let dry. Your kids will want to make some too! I accidently discovered that if you paint the face and let it dry a little but not all the way, you can use your brush to slide around the paint to make even scarier faces.
When your paint is dry, use a hole- punch to make two holes at the top of the bottles (see arrows in picture). Then use scrap ribbon or wire to attach your ghosts to a set of string-lights: use the holes you just made. Put one ghost over each light.
Easy Ghost Party Favors Made From Recycled Single Serving Milk Bottles
Posted Sep 28, 08 -Filed Under Children's Crafts, Crafts, Halloween, MYO Gifts, Party Décor, Party Favors, reuse plastic bottles | 1 Comment
How to:
Set aside suitable single serving milk bottles. Make sure you wash them out really well; old milk smells really bad. I got these bottles at Chick-Fil-A. If you don’t eat at that restaurant, ask all your friends to save them for you or find a similar bottle elsewhere. Depending on your needs, you may want to start collecting well in advance. (I’ve been known to save all year or longer for projects.)
Paint on the faces with black acrylic paint and let dry. Alternatively this might be an activity for guests at your Halloween party. Even young children can do this simple craft. Make a few in advance to set out as examples. I accidentally discovered that if you paint the face and let it dry a little but not all the way, you can use your brush to slide around the paint to make even scarier faces.
Print out ghostly messages on your computer, cut into strips and glue to the bottom of each bottle (See photo.) Write “Find a trick or treat inside. Maybe both”. Or write ” No trick, there is a treat inside!”
For fun, you may want to surprise your guests with a “trick” inside. Take a strip of paper and fold it accordion style with the word “Boo!” at the end. Glue the other end to the inside of the bottle cap. Children will find it when they open their bottle.
Fill these Halloween themed party favors with gummy worms or other treats.
Imaginative Children’s Costumes Made Of Unwanted Sweaters
Posted Jan 30, 08 -Filed Under Children's Crafts, Halloween, Sewing | Leave a Comment
Seven year old designer, Jade, modeling her latest creation.
Children will have a blast creating their own costumes out of unwanted sweaters. Jade made this super fun Dude-A-Wild Thing costume by cutting up sweaters. When she had things just the way she wanted them, she hand-sewed the pieces back together. Even the eye is made from cut up sweater fabric. She got her costume inspiration from a stuffed creature I made from sweaters. My inspiration ironically was from her. When she was smaller she would always draw charming critters that she called Dude-A-Bobs.
This is another great way to encourage your children to use their creativity and to learn to sew. If the stitching isn’t perfect, not a problem!