So yesterday, I showed a tutorial of how to make a Halloween Garland.  Today I am going to show you a banner I made, along the same lines.  I used My Mind's Eye paper again for this banner.  And all it takes is an exacto knife, some scrapbook paper or cardstock, a punch, and some thread. I use my trusty Brother Sewing Machine that I just love.  Just sew everything together and hang it up.  I just love the witch that came from the Haunted Line of My Mind's Eye!!

And i altered a mason jar to hold some candy corn and Halloween colored m&m's...however when I went to the store, I could not find ONE bag of Halloween colored m&m's.  This is the exact reason that I detest Wal-Mart.  If I had a target as close to me as the Wal-Mart is I would never step foot into a Wal-Mart again.  I just hate it.  And I can say that with ease, b/c I worked for Wal-Mart one time in the pharmacy.  They don't treat their employees great either.  But, I digress.

Isn't that cat so cute!!  I know some of you have seen it several times.  I made that last year, and put it on the old blog, but wanted to start fresh on this blog, so i'm including it again!

I just love handmade, cheap decorations!!!  For those of us like me, who are trying to watch every penny spent, it really comes in handy to make your own. 

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DIY Halloween Decorations Part One

Today I am gonna share a fun tutorial that I did for the For the Luv of Art blog.  If you are not familiar with For the Luv of Art, it is a scrapbooking kit club and store.  Norma is the owner of the store, and she is the sweetest woman.  Not only is she sweet, but she has great taste!  She puts together the most amazing kits and carries such great products from great manufacturer's in her store.  The DIY Halloween Garland that I am going to show you today was made from My Mind's Eye Paper found in the store HERE.

Okay, so here we go....

More than likely if you are just finding this blog and reading for the first time(and this is my first post, so I'm assuming you're reading for the first time) you will find out a few things about me. Number one I like things cheap and easy, so this tutorial is both!!!

This is a photo of what you should come out with(the garland of course)...

I also made the frame, but it's pretty self explanatory:)

Okay, on to the tutorial.....



First Things First: You will need to gather all of your supplies:

1.) double sided cardstock or paper: I chose My Mind's Eye double sided cardstock in the Blackbird collection.  Can be found HERE.

2.) a circle punch of your choice...you could actually use any shape you like.
3.)thread and sewing machine

STEP ONE:
Punch out all of your circles. I love the punches around here...they make things come together a lot quicker!

Don't forget to save your negatives from punching your circles...they can always be used on other projects or masking:):) Reduce, Recycle, Reuse!!

STEP TWO:

Layer two circles together...repeat until all of your circles are paired up.

STEP 3:  Sew down through the middle of your circles.  Remember to leave enough thread at the beginning so you can tie up somewhere if you would like.

Little tip:  It always helps if you slightly stick out your tongue while working....helps me concentrate a lot better!!

STEP FOUR: Continue feeding each of your paired up circles into the machine...this should be how it is coming along so far....

Keep in mind that you want to keep sewing in between circles....I usually sew about three stitches in between circles

STEP FIVE:

After sewing through the middle of all of your circles, be sure to leave some thread at the end too.  Then open up all of your circles.

Repeat until all circles are open, and you are done!! And the final product

again:

There you have it...a cheap and easy DIY Halloween Decoration!  Come back tomorrow for some more Handmade Halloween ideas.

Love, Jess

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Inspired by Tim Holtz

I followed Tim Holtz's 12 days of Christmas tags earlier this month and actually made 14 tags inspired by his ideas (2 based on 2007 ideas). I have very little of the supplies he uses for his tags so I improvised, (make do in the thrift rhyme) and I think they came out very well. I was thinking that I would use them next year to decorate the tree - a totally handmade tree (well, other than the artificial tree that I bought at a garage sale along with lights and garland for $12 5 years ago, and the lights which I had to replace last year (bought after Christmas on sale). I really enjoyed making the tags and maybe I will do a post on "my improvisations."

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Apronista, or tie one on, or sweater girl?

I have been super busy today finishing the ruffled apron (so easy) and knitting the last 2 rows of the back section of this short sleeve sweater. I pinned the pieces on to Bella, my dressform, and hopefully I can get it sewn together before Christmas (I always make myself a Christmas present & this sweater is it - I started knitting it in Sept and I only knit off and on, plus I admit I am a very slow knitter.) I love the abstract and avant-guarde look of this sweater,(pattern appears in the Berroco Linen Jeans book #270) and I know it will be a very wearable style for Florida living. I iced the sugar cookies that I made yesterday and right now the Scottish shortbread is in the oven. What a pain shortbread is - you have to knead the dough with your hands and although I love to knead bread dough (and do it once or twice every week), this dough was so dry that it just kept crumbling. Dan specifically asked me to make it as his Scottish grandmother used to make it every holiday season when he was a little boy. I now need to tidy up my studio and it will be time for a glass of wine. This evening there is a pro football game on tv and of course, Dan will watch it. I want to finish a knitted washcloth to put in his stocking and maybe work on a layout.

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Handmade holidays

I saw a charming homemade wreath on Ali Edwards's blog - she had the link to this blog - http://eliseblaha.typepad.com/golden/handmade-holiday/ . this week has been quite cold for south Florida (65 day, high 40s night - I know you're laughing but honestly with the way our houses are built, I swear they feel colder than our house in Denver felt) so I'm really in the holiday spirit. I made this wreath yesterday afternoon out of recycled materials - old Starbucks cup holders (I usually carry one with me but sometimes not and I hate to throw them away), an old used priority mail box (probably illegal to recycle it but oh well), and some old K&co scrapbooking paper. I cut out a leaf pattern and then used it to freehand cut out the leaves. I glued them all together with hot glue. I didn't actually use a round base - I just laid out the leaves in a circular pattern and used the end pieces of the cup holders as backing to attach the leaves together - then I put a second layer of leaves on and then a third. I put some printed side up cup holders on the top layer. Then I added some buttons randomly (ha!ha! Random takes me forever to decide where and how many - I can't do random), punched a hole with my cropadile, and added a ribbon. I took down a picture in the kitchen and hung the wreath above my apron rack.

I was super energetic and productive yesterday. Not only did I get the wreath done, I finished the snow people wallhanging that I started in 2003 just after we moved into this house. I saw a wallhanging in a catalog and then drew my version of it. I cut out the pieces and began to sew it together but didn't get it finished by that Christmas. I put it away in the Christmas boxes. Then the next year (2004) we had 2 hurricanes and since our house had to be reroofed and the inside completely gutted, we lived in a camper (not provided by FEMA) parked in our yard for that whole winter and spring. In 2005 I was still in shell shock and couldn't work on it and the last 2 years it didn't appeal to me. Now this year I rediscovered it and finished it in two days.

I'm now ready to make some button Christmas trees - I made several last year and liked them so much I have decided to make some more. This year I am limiting myself to blue, white and silver decorations (no new decorations this year) so I want some blue trees to go with the white ones I made last year. Unfortunately I can't locate my stash of blue buttons so until I do . . .

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