13 Day Halloween Countdown

Last year I saw Matthew Mead's Vintage Halloween Memo Board and pined after it. Trying to find a vintage memo board though is pretty tricky so I decided to make my own. Materials used for the project:
lumber (mine was a 1x6 about 14 inches long)
black paint
modge podge or clear coat
sandpaper
6 large binder clips
Scrapbook paper and embellishments
Halloween printables
A list of 13 countdown activities
Paint your board black, then sand its edges to distress it a little. Finish with a clear coat of modge podge. Once it is dry you can add your binder clips. No need to glue these, they barely fit over the board. Instead of closing the binder clip all the way leave the hinge attached to the back open so you will have twelve spots for the countdown.
Then decorate to your hearts content. For each of the thirteen days list a fun activity. Mine included carving pumpkins, Halloween movie night, making carmel apples, and the last day of course is the trick or treating. I also have three that say pick a treat box which is why I have those cute boxes sitting next to the board.
I used magnets to attach some of the activities, some are on the back of the numbers and one is inside that cute black and white envelope. Since there are only twelve spots and thirteen days for the last day I made a paper lolly that said trick or treat and put it in the bottom corner.
All finished, let the countdown begin.


List of Printables Used (let me know if I missed one):


white treat box: psitsinthedetails.etsy.com
bat/pumpkin: paper crave
No. 3 & 8: oopsey-daisy.blogspot.com
All other numbers and printables from matthewmeadstyle.com

Faux Bolster Pillow

I wanted to make a bolster pillow for my little girls bed and I thought that this potato can would be the perfect size. I was going to use it to make a pattern and thought to myself why waste the stuffing I am just going to use it. It is going to have a nice shape and its just for decoration anyway.

I wish that I had a better tutorial for you but I made this before my blog and didn't take any pictures but here is what I did.

First I hot glued a couple of layers of batting to the lid and bottom of the can.

Then using a dinner plate as a template I cut out a circle of white fabric. I ran a gather stitch around the edge of it and then tightened it around the lid and bottom. I added a few dabs of glue just to keep it secure.

MIDDLE: I measured my can and made three panels. 2 white ends and the printed middle. I actually folded the ends over for a double layer and then ran a 1/4 inch stitch along it to give it a nice crisp look. Then I sewed all three pieces together. I covered my can with two layers of batting and secured the fabric over it using a ladder stitch (ber sure and pull nice and tight). All done sit back and admire your new pillow.

Storage Solution

I always have piles of projects stacked on my desk (and everywhere else) and my husband has commented a few times about how it would be nice to have a little spot for his things to go so they won't get lost in the shuffle.
I was going through my daughter's closet the other day and noticed a wooden box that came with a toy. Bingo! The perfect storage solution.

I sanded it down a little and then painted it black. Then I scuffed up the edges with sandpaper.

Put some cute paper in it and sealed everything with a coat of modge podge.
Last I got this cute hardware and attached it to the front.
Okay the real last I piled everthing in it and admired it.

I have another one (they come with every Doug and Melissa toy) that I am thinking of painting white and using a pink cut glass knob on the front and pink paper in the inside for jewelry storage.

Pineapple Tutorial

My friend loves pineapples and it suits her since the pineapple is the symbol of hospitality and she is the most hospitable person I know. Last year for Christmas I made her a pineapple from a book and it turned out pretty cute so I thought I would make another one and show you how it is done. I actually am going to have this say WELCOME instead of Gratitude but I didn't have the right words and I wanted to show you what it looked like with the lettering on it. Also I think this would look great with and OVAL FRAME. Okay lets get started. You will need:
paperback book (mine was just over 100 pages but this is a small pineapple)
picture frame (mine was a 5x7)
scrapbook paper
ink
glue


First things first rip the covers off your book. If you aren't going to attach it to the frame you may also want to trim the spine down a little with a razor blade so it will open up easier. Draw a cute half pineapple on a piece of paper for a pattern. If you are using a bigger frame use the whole length of the book. Starting with the bottom half trace it on your book and start cutting. *Save the scraps for another project!!*



Periodically trace again, if you don't your pineapple will keep getting wider and wider. Go back through and trace your leaves. I traced and cut the bottom for a few pages and then alternated with the top leaf so it gives it a little more dimension.

When you get done it should look something like this.

Next step is to ink the edges of your pineapple. For the leaves I used Versa Color Bamboo which is my all time favorite ink EVER!!! It is such a great olivey green color it is wonderful. For the bottom half I used a brown distressing ink watered down to give it a little lighter color (I applied it using a water color pen).

Let your lovely pineapple sit while you work on the frame. I cut a mat out of some cute green scrapbook paper and used it to cover the mat that came with the frame.

Okay reassemble your picture frame without the glass and with a sheet of solid white or cream in the background.

Center your pineapple on the background and glue down the first and last pages of the round section.

Add your lettering and set out to display.

Fall Pumpkin Tutorial

Fall is my favorite season so the earlier I can pull out the decorations the better. I have had some orange paper just waiting to have some crafting done to it and here is the result, some cute 3-d paper pumpkins. The solid paper you see is actually a smaller pumpkin nestled inside the larger one. Want to make some? Here's what you need:

paper cutter

hole punch

glue gun

patterned and solid paper

brads

Cut your paper into 1/2 inch strips.

large pumpkin patterned paper is 8 inches and the inside solid is 7 inches

small pumpkin patterned paper is 6 inches and inside solid is 5 1/2 inches (about 14 strips each of patterned paper and solid)

Punch a hole in each side of the strips

Put your brad through the hole of one side of your solid and one side of the patterned then lay the solid on top of the pattern and put one brad hooking them both together. Starting with the solid pumpkin start spreading the strips out to make a ball. Then spread the pattern paper open around it. For the stem take a little scrap of green paper and swirl it up then attach it to the brad with some hot glue.
Decorate with some cute wire or some leaves or a fall saying. Super cute and easy. Also these would make some great ornaments if you used Christmas paper or string them up for a little garland.