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Halloween DIY, tricks for transforming a sheet cake, and pretty découpage pumpkins
Get Crafty!
Six simple projects with a wicked sense of humor
The wreath you can’t take your eyes off
PHOTOGRAPH BY SETH SMOOT; STYLING BY CHRISTINA LANE; CRAFTING BY JODI K AHN
To create this eerie embellishment, you’ll need about eight dozen glow-in-the-dark rubber eyeballs ($7.99 for 12; amazon.com) and a 12-inch foam wreath form ($2.59 for three; createforless.com). Wrap the form in black crepe streamers and secure with straight pins. Poke a hole in the back of one eyeball with the sharp end of a flatheaded pin; then insert the pin’s flat end into the hole. Using a thimble to protect your finger, press the pin halfway in. Push the sharp end of the pin into the form. Repeat until the wreath is full and hang as desired.
Continued on next page > Written by Jourdan Crouch
OCTOBER 2011
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A sock puppet with batty personality one hand inside a children’s black crew sock, until your fingertips reach the end of the sock and its heel rests on the palm of your hand. Using our photo as a guide, determine where the ears, eyes, mouth, fangs, and wings will go; mark with chalk. Remove sock. STEP TWO Hand-stitch two red button eyes in place, then hand-stitch on a single-line mouth with red embroidery floss. Cut out two black felt triangles for the ears and two white felt triangles for the fangs; hand-stitch all in place. STEP THREE Download, print, and cut out our batwing template (country living.com/battemplate). Use chalk to trace the shape onto a piece of black felt at least 5"W x 14"L. Cut out and hand-stitch the shape in place atop the sock.
Put your finger on a newfangled pen. A playful product called Model Magic ($3.25 for four ounces; dickblick.com) makes it surprisingly easy to disguise any ballpoint pen. Pinch off a piece of Model Magic that’s slightly smaller than a golf ball. Working on a clean surface, use your hands to roll and flatten the claylike material into a strip approximately 1"W x 5"L. Wrap it around a ballpoint pen, leaving the nib exposed. Roll the wrapped pen on your work surface to smooth, then use your hands and a toothpick to shape knuckles and wrinkles. Finish by inserting a fake black fingernail ($2.99 for five; partycity.com) into the clay over the nib, ensuring that the nib extends far enough to allow for writing. Let dry for one day before using.
54 . COUN T RY L I V I N G.C O M . OCTOBER 2011
PHOTOGRAPHS BY SETH SMOOT; STYLING BY CHRISTINA LANE; CRAFTING BY (FINGER) KIRSTEN FIELDS, (BAT) JODI K AHN, (DOORMAT) CATHE HOLDEN
STEP ONE Begin by sliding
Lure visitors with a spiderweb doormat. STEP ONE Purchase an indoor/outdoor needle-punch carpet
($3.70 for one square yard; Caldwell Carpet, 800-772-7090). To turn it into a circle: Mark the rug’s center point with a Prismacolor white-colored pencil (88 cents; dickblick.com). Measure and mark the distance from that point to a spot about half an inch from the rug’s edge. Cut a piece of string to that length. Tie one end of the string to the pencil and secure the other end of the string to the rug’s center point with a tack. Pull the string taut and draw a large circle onto the rug; remove the string. Cut out the circle, just inside the white pencil mark, with sharp scissors. STEP TWO Using a yardstick, evenly space and draw eight intersecting lines that cross the rug from edge to edge. Between those lines, draw arches around the mat, using our photo as a guide. STEP THREE Lastly, coat the rug with a clear finishing spray (Krylon Make It Last Clear Sealer, $3.99; joann.com) to protect your web from trick-or-treating feet.
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Bug soaps that encourage good, clean fun
Get party-ready in a snap with handcrafted feather epaulets. For a chic alternative to a full-on costume, clip these fanciful accessories onto almost any outfit. STEP ONE Cut out two oval-shaped pieces of black felt that measure approximately 3"W x 4"L each. Hot-glue feathers ($1.34 for three ½-ounce packs; createforless.com) in layers atop each felt oval, starting with the longest feathers and finishing with the smallest, wispiest ones on top. Angle the feathers out as you work. Let dry, about two minutes. STEP TWO Flip each oval over and hot-glue a snap hair clip ($2.49 for four; amazon.com) to the edge where the epaulet will attach onto a shirt. Let dry for at least five minutes and don your design.
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY SETH SMOOT; STYLING BY CHRISTINA LANE; CRAFTING BY (SOAP) HALLIGAN NORRIS SMITH
Literal “creature comforts,” these sink-side spectacles require soap molds ($3.29 for four; create forless.com), extra-clear soap base ($8.15 for two pounds; wholesalesuppliesplus.com), and plastic bug toys ($5.29 for 15; amazon.com). Following package instructions and using a candy thermometer, melt the soap base in a large pot on the stove until it reaches 140°F. Place one plastic bug belly-up in each mold. Slowly pour the melted soap into the molds until it reaches the very top. Wait for bubbles to rise, then use a knife to scrape them off. Let the molds sit on a flat surface overnight; remove the soaps and you’re ready to lather up.