Upcycle: DIY Candy Bowls

Halloween is coming and I don’t know about your house, but in mine that means one thing. CANDY. While I try to limit the amount of candy my kids consume, Halloween is one of the few days of the year that I let them go a little crazy. We attend and host annual Halloween parties and the lure (and presence) of candy is too strong to resist. This year we are presenting our candy at our party in these fun, DIY candy bowls. Perfect for cookie decorating parties, decoration or just plain eating, they are easy to make with craft basics, dollar store or thrift store items.

Things you need:
Glass jars or bowls
Brass or wood candlesticks
Craft glue

Things to do:
1. If your candlesticks aren’t already painted, give them a few coats of color to match your party theme and allow them to dry overnight.

2. Center the bowl or jar base onto the top of the candlestick, finding a good, centered spot for it.
3. Apply a generous amount of glue to join the two, wiping away any excess. Press down lightly to make sure the bowl adheres well.
4. Allow the glue to dry completely before filling with candy.

Singed Craft Paper Tags

These little tags take advantage of the natural look of that great craft basic, craft paper and adds a little fun with singed edges. Perfect for Halloween or Harvest labels, they are simple and fun to make. **

Things you’ll need:
Craft paper bags
Scissors
Hole punch
Candle and match
Hemp twine

Things to do:
1. Cut the paper bag into appropriately sized rectangles. Err on the side of a little big, they will be slightly smaller after singeing.

2. Light the candle and lightly run the edges of the paper through the flame, immediately blowing the flame out if the paper catches. The goal is to darken and roughen the edges of the labels only.
3. Punch holes ¼ inch in from each side. Add text to the labels.

4. String twine around the items to be labeled and pull the ends loosely through the holes. Tie oversized knots that wont pull through the holes and then trim away the tail close to the knot.

** Always use caution when working with an open flame. Have a bucket or water and/or a fire extinguisher handy and keep children well away.

Twig Wreath

Fall is here, and with it the cooler weather has inspired a lot of long walks in our house. The ground around out house these days is scattered with fallen leaves and twigs and I’m always impressed by the simple beauty of them. This projects takes the humble stick and turns it into something beautiful for your home. What could be better?

Things you’ll need:
Flat or wire wreath form
Twigs, sticks and thin branches
Branch clippers
Hot glue gun and glue sticks or craft glue

Things to do:
1. Trim all of your sticks and twigs to approximately the same length. The length depends on the width of your wreath and final look you want, but don’t be too fussy about keeping them all the same, you want some variation.


2. Lay your wreath form on a flat, covered work surface and, using the glue, attach a stick at the 12, 3, 6, and 9 points on the circle, centering each. These will be your guide points and will help keep your remaining sticks even and straight.

3. Place sticks at equal points between the four already attached, breaking up the wreath further to create eight, approximately even sections.
4. Working section by section, fill in the wreath, keeping the sticks relatively even with each other as you go.

5. Clean up any glue threads and check that all of your sticks have adhered well before hanging.

Handprint Turkeys

If you have kids in your house, then Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be complete without some handprint turkeys! This cute little version is a step up from a traced hand and is great for slightly older kids or different ages working together (small kids can do handprints, big kids can do the details!)

Things you’ll need:
Craft paint in brown, red, orange, white and black
Paintbrushes
Googly Eyes
Paper

Things to do:
1. Spread a generous layer of paint onto a child’s hands and press them down, thumbs pointing toward each other, firmly onto the paper.



2. Once the handprints have dried, paint a beak and legs, then add the comb, warble and eyes. Allow the paint to dry before displaying.

Easy Bat Chocolates

I love, LOVE Halloween. I love decorating for it, I love making costumes for it, and I love making treats for it. These bat chocolates are on my list for candy to hand out this year. They are the perfect mix of making candy personalized while still keeping it safe and wrapped.

Things you’ll need:
Black cardstock
Bat template
Mini chocolate bars
Removable Glue Dots
Scissors

Things to do:
1. Cut out one bat per chocolate from the black paper using the template

2. In the center of each bat, gently place a removable glue dot.

3. Press the chocolate onto the glue dot.
4. Fold the wings of the bat gently up to add dimension.

Push Pin Pumpkin

Turn an ordinary pumpkin – or fake pumpkin – into a personalized decoration for your home or doorstep with a little paint and some thumbtacks! Show off your family initials, your house number or a special image with this fun project.

Things you’ll need:
Pumpkin
Spray paint
Acrylic paint
Foam brush
Pencil
Silver pushpins

Things to do:
1. On a covered and well-ventilated work surface, spray the pumpkin with three thin coats of paint all over, including the underside, allowing each coat to dry before applying the next.

2. Using your paintbrush, coat the stem of the pumpkin with the craft paint.

3. Sketch your shape, address or initial onto the pumpkin with the pencil and then follow the line with overlapping pushpins, thickening some of the areas with more than one row of pins to add dimension.

DIY Mod Podge Glitter Shoes

Sometimes you just need a little zing in your day. Something fun and different to make life a little silly and exciting. Like glitter shoes… like red glitter shoes. Sure, you can buy them, but you can also turn some not so pretty shoes you already have into a pair of shoes Dorothy would have danced for with a little Mod Podge.

Things you’ll need:
Shoes
Painter’s tape
Mod Podge Hard Coat
Fine red glitter
Fine silver glitter
Foam brush
Clear coat finish

Things to do:
1. Wipe the surface of your shoes clean and tape off any areas that you don’t want glittered.

2. Mix together the Modge Podge and the glitters, adjusting the quantities of the glitter to your liking.

3. Paint a thin coat of the glitter Modge Podge onto the exposed portions of the shoes. Allow the Modge Podge to dry thoroughly.

4. Repeat this process at least two more times or until the shoes are thoroughly covered.

5. Coat the glitter with a thin layer of clear coat to seal.

Spider Pops with Pipe Cleaners

Looking for something a little extraordinary to hand out this Halloween? Look no further than these spider pops! Simple, quick and spooky, they are sure to delight the kids and the grownups on your block!

Things you’ll need:
Black felt
Scissors
Lolly pops
Black pipe cleaners

Things to do:
1. Cut circles out of felt large enough to cover the candy part of your lollypop plus a little extra.


2. Pull the circle down over the candy and secure around the stick by twisting a pipe cleaner around the felt tightly.
3. Twist three more pipe cleaners over the first and trim and bend to create legs.

DIY Spooky Silhouette Vases

Turn any clear vase or glass into a Halloween decoration with a pair of scissors and some black contact paper. Easily removed after the holiday has passed, this project is an excellent way to give your house a little spook without buying all new decor.

Things you’ll need:
Clear vase, glass or tall bowl
Black contact paper
Scissors

Things to do:
1. Determine how tall your cut out will be by cutting a piece of contact paper slightly shorter than the vase.

2. Cut out a silhouette of a Halloween creature, adding as much detail as possible.
3. Peel the backing off of the contact paper cutouts and smooth them onto the inside on the vases and glasses.

Pumpkin Cookies

A cute and quick treat, this project takes simple sandwich cookies and turns them into a Halloween goodie!

Things you need:
Orange candy coating
Chocolate sandwich cookies {double stuff work best… plus I may like these better }
Black gel frosting
Shortening
Green candy coating
Double boiler
Parchment

Things to do:
1. Start water boiling in the bottom of the double boiler and pour orange chips into the top pot, stirring frequently as it melts. Add a teaspoon or two of shortening to help thin out the coating until it is thin enough for dipping.

2. Work one lolly pop stick into the cream center of each cookie and press the cookie gently to make sure it is secure.

3. Dip the cookie end of your lolly pops into the candy coating, using a fork as needed to help lift them out. Let any excess coating drip off before setting on the parchment to dry.

4. Once dry, draw a jack-o-lantern face onto the cookie.
5. Soften one or two green chips in the microwave for a few seconds, just enough to make it slightly workable. Form small stems from the green candy coating and press it into the top of the cookie pumpkin. Allow the coating and frosting to set up before serving.

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