"Gingerbread" House - by Christina

Sweet Bookmarks - by scrap happy (Julie)

Halloween is just around the corner.  If you are like me, you need lots of treats during this time of year.  If you don’t always want your treat to be candy, how about a sweet bookmark? 

I made these with a Halloween theme for a program I have at work.  The nursing home residents and I will be making about 25 of these to give to our fourth grade pen pals when they come to visit on Halloween.  But, these bookmarks can be made with any theme at all.  They are a great project to make with elderly or kids alike. 

Here’s what you’ll need: 

4x4 piece of cardstock (I used Bazzill basics black) purchased at cropchocolate.com

1 piece of patterned paper cut to 2.75x2.75 inches, then cut on the diagonal to create 2 triangles

2 pieces of patterned paper  3 7/8x2 inches.  I used Fancy Pants Trick or Treat for all the patterned papers from a cropchocolate grab bag.

Making Memories Spook Alley Trim & Treats – hot chocolate

Making Memories Toil & Trouble clear stamps – hot chocolate

Oh My Crafts craft tape (this is how I secured the ribbon)

Liquid glue of your choice (I used Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive)

Score the 4x4 cardstock at 2 inches on 3 sides.  Use these marks to score on the diagonal, then fold.

Glue one triangle over the folded area, and a 3 7/8x2 inch piece below.  This is the back of the bookmark and will hold it securely. I used liquid glue for a good, strong hold.

Stamp a sentiment on the front 3 7/8x2 piece of patterned paper, then glue front 2 pieces.

You’ll notice a seam where the 2 papers meet.  I covered this with ribbon, holding it securely with craft tape.

Embellish the bookmark with fussy cut stamped images (witches hat), and buttons, etc.  Keep in mind that it is a bookmark and will add bulk to the book.

And, just like that, you have a sweet treat for your favorite bookworm!

Treat Bucket - by Mom2Two (Jenni)

When I was a kid, my brother and I would empty our trick-or-treat sacks after returning home on Halloween, we'd divide up our candy into a "keep" pile, into a "give to mom" pile and a "trade" pile.  The stuff that went to mom and dad were things we just didn't like....those black and orange wax paper wrapped peanut butter things.....and the candy corn (no offense to those who love those)!  We'd trade each other for things we each liked.  I'd trade him my grape and orange tootsie roll pops for the chocolate and raspberry ones.

When I found out the next DT project was based on my favorite candy, I had a hard time trying to decide which was actually my FAVORITE.  There are so MANY favorites!!  Snickers, Sour Patch kids, dark chocolate ANYTHING!  Then there is the Christmas candy...you know the ones that seem to surface ONLY during the holidays.....chocolate covered cherries, Ferrero Rocher, but I've gone off track.

What is better than FAVORITE candy?  ALL THE CANDY!!  A treat bucket to hold ALL of my favorites is what I chose to make!

Started with a plain, silver metal beverage bucket that I purchased at a local craft store.  

I spray painted it black, which in the Florida heat and humidity took quite a while to dry enough to move on the the next step. (pix 2)

I cut the letters from Cricut Plantain Schoolbook cart at 2 1/4"  I used the black and white sticky vinyl stuff we all got in HC quite a while back.  I had no idea what it was or who the manufacturer is, but Jon we need more of this stuff!  It worked great!

Cut multiple different types, colors, textures of ribbon.  They ranged from 6-7" in length and were just tied onto the handles. (pic 3)

Then Anna and I made the pumpkin patch!  I had just recently seen a picture of something similar in CK magazine and knew it would be perfect.  The buttons are from the FP Oct 31 collection and the green ribbon I think is Giggle Kids Boy Trims, but I'm not certain. (pix 4)

Glue dot on the top of the button, fold over the ribbon to look like a stem and viola!  Instant pumpkin patch.

Glue everything on and your done!  Painting the bucket and waiting for it to dry was the longest part of the process!

CC product:  FP Oct 31 buttons and trims, MM cheeky trims, BG ribbon, Giggle Kids Boy Trims, MM Toil and Trouble trims

Non CC product:  tin bucket, black spray paint, random other ribbons.

Halloween Wall Hanging - by NinaN

Halloween Wall Hanging

Now I know we are supposed to be doing a project inspired by our favorite candy, but…….how is a girl supposed to pick one? Or ten even??!!! Yes, I love me some candy. The chocolate-ier the better! So when I heard the October challenge was candy inspired, I immediately thought of Halloween and all the candy that comes traipsing through my door! (That’s why we have kids, right? So we can eat their Halloween candy??!) I decided to make this project a chance to use up some of the Halloween products that I love and purchased from CropChocolate, but that wouldn’t make it on to my Halloween LO’s, as I like the more cutesy lines for my LO’s. And yes DeeDee, I felt you shudder at that ;).

As I was perusing Pinterest one day (I swear, all my projects have been Pinterest inspired lately!), I saw a beautiful wall hanging created from corrugated cardboard pieces and I knew it would be perfect for a Halloween wall hanging. Here is the link to the original: http://davebrethauer.typepad.com/outsidethebox/2012/02/cherry-blossoms-dragonflies.html

Supplies From CC:

MM - flocking and foiling kit “Halloween”

MM - glitter bling icons “Toil & Trouble”

MM - glitter foam stickers “Spellbound” & “Spook Alley”

MM - Halloween shimmer brads

MM - “Spook Alley” brads

Citrus alcohol ink

Distress Ink - walnut stain

MME - “Haunted” paper (fussy cut the witch)

WRMK - Sweet Heart Inker - orange

Cardboard shipping box J

Other Supplies:

LYB - Halloween trims

Cheesecloth

Black ink

Black Lace

Gesso

Unity Stamps: “Cooped Up Notes” & “Wood Grain Script”

The “How To”

This isn’t really much of a tutorial as you can see what needs to be done just from looking at the pictures, but I will share with you what I did.

Step 1: Decide on what size and how many panels you want and cut them from your cardboard. Mine are about 5” x 7”

Step 2: Cover the cardboard pieces with Gesso or white paint. I wanted a gloopy more uneven feel on mine, so I smeared on some Gesso with a scrap of cardboard. Let it dry completely.

Step 3: Distress the pieces by stamping, inking the edges and pulling off layers of cardboard to expose the corrugated part in areas. Add a little more ink to highlight the newly exposed areas. You could also add glitter or spray mist during this step, if you so desire. I also recommend punching the holes for hanging now. I waited until I was finished and it was a bit of a pain.

Step 4: Pull out your Halloween stash and go crazy! As you can see, I also dug a package of cheesecloth out of my kitchen cupboard, cut off some strips, inked it up (one piece with the citrus alcohol and the other with black ink) and made flowers and used some as a border.

Step 5: To join mine together (and as a hanger) I simply cut some lengths of black lace and tied them up together. I love how the one I pinned used some chain in between theirs, but I didn’t have anything like that.

A simple, fun project to do using what you have in your stash already!

Secret Surprise by Clayton528 (Kathy)

 

Gummi Bear Paper Bag Mini - by By Belle (Michele)

 

Calorie Free Cake - by Miwa (Miwa)

Greetings, fellow CC’ers!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, just because there is so much room to be creative! For our October challenge, Amber made the task a little more difficult by asking for it to be “candy-inspired”. After much debating, I decided to make a Halloween paper cake.

Okay, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a baker. Yes, I like to cook but no, I don’t like to bake. HOWEVER - I find cake decorating to be absolutely fascinating (I love that TV show, Ace of Cakes!). I’m also kind of a fitness fanatic so a calorie-free cake is perfect for somebody like me! Best of all, now I have a Halloween centerpiece that I can use year after year.

Trust me, this is much easier to make than a fondant cake… (been there, done that!)…

You will need…

CC-items

EP Chillingsworth Manor 12x12 Collection Pack

Bazzill Just the Edge Paper Strips – Halloween & Blanche (latter used as a template only)

MM Toil & Trouble Rosette Stickers

MM acrylic paint (Acorn) – hot chocolate goody

Tim Holtz Clear Rock Candy Crackle Paint

Ultra-thin glue dots

MM Spook Alley Trim & Treats (ghosts & bling)

MM Spook Alley Looking Glass stickers

MM Toil & Trouble Brad Combo (skulls, witch hats, & bling spiders)

MM Toil & Trouble Brad Value Pack (purple & yellow stars)

MM Toil & Trouble trims (orange polka-dotted ribbon)

WRMK The Cinch Wire Clipper tool

Non-CC-items

Multiple paper mache boxes (graduated sizing)

Wilton cookie sticks (6”length) – n = 4 (four  3” pieces plus four 2” pieces)

Tacky glue

Krazy Glue

Plastic cauldron (bought or homemade)

20-gauge craft wire (Darice)

Tissue paper for flames

Battery-operated light

Polyester Fiberfill (batting) – Mountain Mist

Miscellaneous Halloween decorations, charger, and glass tea light holders (purchased from Dollar Tree)

Step 1 – Painting the Paper Mache Boxes

The first thing you’ll need to decide is how big of a cake you want. Each cake layer will be a paper mache box. I wanted at least 3 different tiers, but ultimately my choice was limited by what the local craft stores had available. In fact, what I found determined the cake architecture – I had to add stilts to the tiers, even though that hadn’t been part of the original plans (but it turned out at the end, you’ll see!).

Once you’ve gotten all of your paper mache boxes together, get the wax paper ready and paint the tops and bottoms of each box. I used some Making Memories acrylic paint (Acorn) that came in my last batch of hot chocolate. After two layers, I topped it off with some Tim Holtz Rock Candy distress crackle paint, to give it more of an aged look.

Step 2 – Decorating the Bottom Tier

To help make each layer distinctive – and to hide the obvious lip separation – I added a scalloped edge to the rim of the bottom and middle tier lid. I simply trimmed a smaller strip of Echo Park’s Chillingsworth Manor paper and traced a Bazzill “Just the Edges” border. Once the border was cut, it was glued to the lid.

Once the scalloped edges had been added, I glued two Halloween-themed borders (Bazzill’s “Just the Edge”) and topped it off with some rosette skull stickers from Making Memories (another hot chocolate goody from long ago).

Step 3 – Decorating the Middle and Top Tiers

I used the same EP Chillingsworth Manor patterned paper (as the bottom) for the middle tier, but opted for a different look for the top, to set off what would be the eye-catcher later. I glued another strip of Halloween-themed Bazzill border and added some stilts to both layers. I had originally planned to have the boxes resting directly upon each other, but because the sizes were not what I had envisioned, I had to add some space so the different sizes wasn’t so obvious.

The stilts were simply Wilton cookie sticks. They’re made out of paper, so you can easily cut them with scissors and sand them down with an emery board. Don’t forget to paint the stilts! Depending on the size of boxes you use, you’ll have to decide how tall to make those stilts. Since TM Crackle Paint is actually kind of slippery, I had to use Krazy Glue to get the sticks to “stick”. I found it best to allow the legs to dry in its final position (prop the tier up on its legs).

Step 4 – Decorating the tops of the tiers with scalloped circles

To make the top of each tier a little more attractive, I topped each one with a scalloped circle. I found a free printable template here: http://www.picstopin.com/500/free-printable-round-scalloped-circle-for-scrapbooking/http:%7C%7C0*tqn*com%7Cd%7Cscrapbooking%7C1%7C0%7Cl%7C1%7C1%7Cscallopedcircle*jpg/

I traced the circles onto another EP Chillingsworth Manor patterned paper and topped them off with cut Halloween-themed brads (use the Cinch wire clipper to remove the tabs and simply glue the brads on with the ultra-thin glue dots).

Step 5 – Making the Cake Topper

You can put anything you’d like on top of the cake! However, it’s probably best not to make it too heavy (if you do make something heavier, I would switch out the cookie sticks to wooden dowels that are screwed to the paper mache boxes, for stronger support). I made my own cauldron (hubby had an odd piece of plastic in the garage that was the right shape) by drilling two holes on the side and twisting some craft wire through it, for the handle. I also popped in a battery-operated tea light, surrounded by some tissue paper (to simulate spooky flames). For the final touches, I glued a chipboard-backed haunted house (Sizzix/Tim Holtz’s Rickety House die) to one side of the cauldron and a couple of bling-eyed ghosts (from MM Spooky Alley Trims & Treats) to the other. I did not opt to glue the cauldron to the top tier, to make it easier to pack up for storage later. 

Step 6 – Further Decoration of Bottom and Middle Tiers

I like my cakes fancy, so I added some ribbon trim (MM Toil & Trouble ribbon) around the bottom and MM Looking Glass stickers on the middle tier.

  

Step 7 – Adding cobwebs

 Since every Halloween cake should look old, I added some cobwebs (stretched batting) around the legs of the stilts, securing it with dabs of tacky glue. These webs were topped off with some bling spiders from the MM Toil & Trouble brad combo pack (trim off the metal tabs again with the wire clippers).

  

Step 8 – Outdoor photos of cake

Here are some pictures of the cake outside, where you can see the vivid colors better…

  

Step 9 – Close-ups of outdoor photos of cake

Step 10 – Cake with All the Trimmings

You can opt to set your cake in a fancy display…  and go all out by embellishing the cake base with more Halloween trinkets (skeletons, rats, spiders, and scorpions all purchased from Dollar Tree).

Step 11 – Secret Candy Stash

And last but not least… remember that part about being candy-inspired? Well, I can’t think of a better place to hide your special candy stash, can you? Your guests might even comment on how your cake smells so sweet! 

 Happy Halloween, everybody! If you decide to make your own Halloween cake, I’d love to see pictures!