Graveyard Ghouls

You will need

white knit glove
3-4" round paper mache box
cotton batting
cardboard
craft foam in yellow and black
glitter glue: gold, orange, pink
2 jumbo craft sticks
black marker
acrylic paint in white and black
crackle medium
hot glue gun
toothpick
scissors
paintbrush
patterns

What you do

Fill the glove with cotton batting, ensuring that all fingers are full and half of the palm.

Dot on ghost eyes using the handle end of a paintbrush dipped in black paint. Use a smaller dot of white on top of that, then dot on a black spot with a toothpick.

Use glitter glue to add bow ties, buttons and a tie (see photo), set aside to dry.

Paint entire outside surface of the paper mache box with black paint. Allow to dry.

Apply crackle medium according to directions on the bottle, a medium coat works well. Allow it to dry for 15-25 minutes, until tacky but not completely dry. Next apply a medium coat of white paint over the crackle on the box. Do not excessively brush, one or two strokes is enough. Let dry, crackle will begin to work within minutes.

Mix together some black and white paint to make gray. Paint the craft sticks gray and set aside.

Using the printable pattern, cut the graveyard sign and 2 tombstones from cardboard. Paint all of them gray and set aside to dry.

Cut moon from yellow foam and all three bats from black foam.

Use black marker to write RIP and "Here lies a" on the tombstones (you will not see more than that once craft is complete).

Shade the craft sticks, sign and the headstones with black paint, highlight with a little white. Write the words "Rattlin' Bones Graveyard" across the sign with black marker.

Place a handful of cotton batting into the box. Place the glove inside the box. If the height looks good, glue it all in. If not, remove or add batting below the glove to adjust.

Place some batting in front of the ghosts, but don't glue it in just yet. Position the headstones where you want them, then glue them in, adding and gluing batting as you go.

Add more batting to the back of the box behind the ghosts and place craft sticks behind ghosts, do not glue just yet. Position sticks, one higher than the other, so that the sign will be slanted downward. Hold the sign up to the sticks to make sure that they line up. Hot glue the sign to the sticks FIRST, then glue the ends of the sticks into the box. Add more batting if needed.

Glue the large bat to the front left side of the sign and the medium bat behind the sign on the same side (refer to photo). Glue the yellow moon behind the sign on the right side and glue the small bat to the moon.

Adjust and glue any loose batting and you are done!

About the Author:
Amanda Formaro is the entrepreneurial mother of four children. She is also the Chief Editor and Craft Expert of FamilyCorner.com Magazine.


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Round Lollipop Ghosts

Use Tooties Roll Pops, or other round, sucker style lollipops, as the base for tissue paper ghosts for Halloween.

They are easy enough for children to craft themselves, make great hand-outs for trick-or-treaters or party favors, and are just the thing if you're looking for an inexpensive group activity to make Halloween decorations.

You will need:

- one round Tootie Roll Pop or round sucker lollipop for each ghost

- one or two white tissues

- pair of plastic movable eyes and a dab of glue or black marker for the eyes

- black marker for the mouth

- small piece of yarn or thin ribbon - any color will do, but orange or black are more traditional for Halloween

Instructions:

1. Place a tissue down flat on your work surface. If using two tissues, lay the second one on top of the first on an angle, so that the corners of both tissues can all be seen.

2. Place your round lollipop in the middle of the tissues and gently gather the tissues around the head of the lollipop.

3. Tie a small piece of yarn or thin ribbon just below the head of the lollipop to make the ghost's head. You can make a bow with the yarn if you wish, or just tie it and cut off the long ends.

4. If using plastic eyes, add a dab of glue to the back of eye and gently press into place. If you prefer to draw all the facial features, just use a black marker to dab on two circle eyes and a larger circle shape for the mouth.

5. Hang as decorations, or stack in a big bowl to give out on Halloween night.

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Making Simple Cushions Instructions

These are the easiest cushions to make even if you have limited sewing skills.
Simple cushions can be made in all weights of fabric from lightweight cottons to heavyweight velvets.

They can be made to match, contrast or coordinate with your soft furnishings, be left plain or enhanced by adding lace, braid or fringing.
The instructions below are for a simple square cushion which can be used to complement a sofa, add a finishing touch to a chair or enhance the look of a bed.

Image refers to the colour code key for the diagrams
Requirements:
Square cushion pad in the desired size.
Fabric of your choice.
Braid, lace or fringing, if required, enough for the circumference of the cushion pad.
Matching thread.

Refers to step 5 of making a simple cushion

Making a Simple Square Cushion:

Refers to steps 3 and 4 of making a simple cushion

Measure the cushion pad, place the tape measure seam to seam and add a seam allowance of 0.5" (12 mm) to all edges.
Cut out 2 pieces of fabric to the chosen size including the seam allowance.
Place the 2 pieces of fabric with right sides together. Pin and stitch around the 4 corners and 3 sides, leaving an opening in the centre of the remaining side big enough to insert the cushion pad. Fasten the ends of the threads securely.
Turn the cover right side out and insert the cushion pad.
Turn under the raw edges of the opening in line with the remainder of the seam and slipstitch.
If required, stitch braid, lace or fringing to the right side using a small backstitch.


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Homemade Advent Calendar Pattern

Use this origami homemade Advent calendar pattern to make your own calendar this year, or make one for a family member or friend.


Materials

24 small squares of patterned paper. Here I am using 3x3" (7.5x7.5cm) squares. Use up your spare papers left over from scrapbooking, or old wrapping papers, newspaper, magazine paper etc.
1 piece of card-stock. Here I am using a 12" (30cm) square piece of scrapbooking cardstock, but you can also use any type of cardboard. If you only have scrap cardboard (like off a cereal box or something), paint it a nice colour, or cover it with a piece of wrapping paper.
Paper Glue or double-sided tape.
Ribbons, Pens etc to decorate.
Optional: Adhesive magnets, or string.

Homemade Advent Calendar Pattern Instructions

Take one small square of patterned paper.

Turn over the piece of paper, so that the pattern faces downwards.

Fold the square in half, so that the bottom corner now touches the top corner.

Now, fold the top corner down to meet the bottom edge, and make a crease. Unfold this flap.

Fold the bottom right corner up to the crease made in the previous step. Line up the edge of the paper along the crease.

Repeat this fold for the left hand corner.

Secure these two flaps in place using glue or double-sided tape.

Remember to write a number on each pocket so that you can count down the days until Christmas.

Here I have cut out small flowers using a stamp and glued them onto the top section of each pocket.

You can write directly onto your pocket, or use numbered stickers. Whatever you like!

Now attach each pocket to the card base, add a decorative ribbon border, and make sure to fill each pocket with nice treats!

You can stick adhesive magnetic strips on the back to stick your calendar on the fridge. Or, punch holes in the top two corners, and hang up with string.

As each day passes, fold down the flap on that pocket.

You can also add small messages on the inside of the flaps if you have special events planned throughout Advent (eg. Put up Christmas tree, Visit Christmas Lights Display...).

Especially if they are surprise excursions for the recipient of your advent calendar :-)

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