Fall Crafting and Decorating

I can't believe tomorrow is November 1st-- that marks the date we start listening to Christmas music in our home :) So, I better get my fall craft project ideas posted before time runs out for folks to make them and enjoy them through Thanksgiving.

2 X 4 Blocks

Using 2 X4 scraps, acrylic paint, scrapbook paper and mod podge I made these blocks to spell out Fall.

A "graduated" 2 X4 block pumpkin.

I used some more 2 X4 scraps, paint, and a wood dowel to make some pumpkins.

Paper Pumpkins

Rounded Paper Pumpkins

Archiver's Accoridan Paper Pumpkin Project

Rounded Paper Pumpkins

Supplies:

• Double sided 12 X12 scrapbook paper
• 2 brads per pumpkin
• paper cutter 
• paper puncher
• ribbon or paper for stem

Instructions:

1.  Cut 12 one inch strips of 12 X12 paper with paper cutter to make a large pumpkin. 

2.  Punch a circle at the bottom and top of each strip of paper.

3.  Cut a piece of ribbon or paper to make a round stem.  

4.  Bind strips together by using a brad. Also adhere stem to pumpkin using a top brad.   

5.  Slide strips apart one by one to make a pumpkin shape. 

Archiver's Accordian Paper Pumpkin Project/Tutorial

When I recently visited an Archiver's store, I picked up an instruction sheet on how to make this pumpkin decoration.  It is adorable but it was a struggle to make with their directions.  So, I decided supplement their directions with a tutorial video.  This should make it much easier for you to create one if you'd like. 

Supplies: 

• Martha Stewart scoring board and scoring utensil
• paper cutter
• hot glue and hot glue gun
• 1- 1 1/2" paper punch (you will need 20 circles)
• scissors
• leaves
• twine/ribbon
• eight 12 X 12 sheets of solid or coordinating double-sided scrapbook paper
• 1 sheet for the stem

Instructions: 

View my uploaded Archiver's instruction sheet here and my tutorial movie below. 

Burlap Wreaths

Hallowee "Boo" wreath

I made the "Boo" wreath by spray painting 1 yard of burlap fabric black and cutting it into strips. I used pipe insulation to make a wreath and spray painted it black too.   Double tied the strips of burlap randomly around the wreath.  Modpodged scrapbook paper onto the chipboard letters and loosely tied them to the wreath with twine.  I hot glued the ends of the orange ribbon together to create a hanger. 

Fall Bubble Burlap Wreath

 I was inspired to make this burlap bubble wreath by this tutorial at Today's Fabulous Finds blog.  I again used pipe insulation to create the wreath but I wouldn't suggest it for this type of wreath.  Some of my stick pins aren't sticking into the foam very well, so I would spend the money on an actual foam wreath, if I were to make this again. 

And of course, a Grateful Banner

Grateful Banner

Here's the link to my banner/pennant tutorial to make your own.   

So from our home to yours-- Happy Fall ya'll :)  Now, enough crafting....I need to get back to cookbook typing, formatting and publishing! 

Angry Bird Party Plan & Resource List

Finally, I am following through on my promise on sharing the details of Josiah's Angry Bird Birthday Party. Since there are not any commercial Angry Bird party supplies available (yet) I had to pull out all my creative juices to create a fun seventh birthday party for Josiah. I found lots of resources on the internet and compiled all of them and my ideas below.

Invites

·        I made his birthday invitations by using clip art I found online at a variety of different sites. 

 

 

Balloon Templates & Party Sign

·        To create a party atmosphere I ordered two helium balloon bouquets of red, white, black, yellow, red and blue balloons to create our own Angry Birds.  Unfortunately, no one ever took a picture of them.

·         You can find the balloon templates I used here. 

·        I printed the templates on white cardstock paper and attached them to the balloons with foam dimensional stickers. 

·        I wanted to use green paper plates and balloon templates to make lots of “pigs” to staple to our wooden fence that the kids could have fun shooting/aiming at.  However, that never got done because we ran out of time. 

·        I also came across several examples in which people hung balloons from their ceilings when they planned an indoor party. 

·        I recruited the boys' help to create a pennant/banner that said “Help Us Save Our Eggs” which we stapled on our backyard wooden fence. 

Party Food

·        We served supper to our guests—make your own sub sandwiches, a couple of salads, fruit, and chips. 

Party Hats

·       We started the party by making our own hats.  I was pleasantly surprised of how the kids got into the spirit.   I told them they had to gear up to take on the pigs! 

·       We printed and cut out red, blue, and yellow angry bird characters on white cardstock from coloring pages on Cartoon Jr. to have the kids decorate and make their own party hats.  I provided colors, markers, feathers, and wiggle eyes to make them.  We then glued their characters to strips of construction paper to make “head band” party hats.

·       Have stapler(s), scotch tape, and/or glue readily accessible for putting together the head bands.  

·        You can find the coloring pages we used here. 

·        Since we always have family birthday parties, the mommies and kids made the party hats while the dads and older kids hid eggs for our Golden Egg Hunt. 

Golden Egg Hunt

·       Since the main objective of the Angry Birds video game is protecting the eggs, we used leftover plastic Easter eggs to have an egg hunt.  I had about 125 of them. 

·       I created slips of paper with points on them and placed them in the eggs.  The dads and older kids hid them in the backyard while we made party hats inside. 

·       I provided each child with a brown paper sack and said they could only find eggs until their sack was full. 

·       I awarded prizes (card games) for the highest AND lowest points found.  The golden egg contained 10,000 points. 

Egg and Spoon Race

·      

  ·    We separated the kids into teams to have an egg and spoon race, using raw eggs.  The only person who dropped an egg was me when I was explaining how to play the game.  J

·        I awarded all the kids tootsie roll lollipops for playing the game. 

Get the Pigs!

·       We gave the kids 1 ½ minutes to get as many pigs as they possible using slingshots and plastic/rubber balls. 

·        I made our “pigs” by using about 60 plastic green cups and adhering images of angry bird pigs onto them with a hot glue gun.  Hint:  Buy plastic heavy duty cups (NOT the $1 ones at the Dollar Store) because they will be much sturdier and easier to set up over and over again. 

·        We bought the slingshots (water bombs included) for $1 each at the Dollar store.   These also doubled as a party favor. 

·        For ammunition I gathered up lots of rubber balls, as well as plastic golf balls and put them in buckets.   

·        We stacked the “pigs” on two banquet tables and had two lines going at once.  After 1 ½ minutes, we counted how many cups were knocked down.  We had a final show down between the highest winners to declare one winner and they won a prize. 

Piñata

·        Next we broke our homemade piñata.  Click here for instructions on how to make your own. 

Cupcakes

·        I gathered Angry Bird images online to decorate our red and yellow frosted cupcakes with special Angry Bird cupcake toppers. 

·        I intended to have the boys make a display out of the cupcakes by using Mega Bloks and Legos but we ran out of preparation time to do that. 

Party Favors

·        Our party guests took home their party hats, slingshots, water bombs, and pop rocks. 

Backyard Movie

·        We planned to show a backyard movie but the night got late on us and we skipped that.  However, the perfect movie to show would be Rio—just released today! 

T-shirts

·        We bought matching, themed t-shirts at JcPenney!  The kids really got a kick out of the fact that the parents were the pigs!  J 

Linking up to: 

Seasonal Banner and Pennant Tutorial (*Free Download*)

With the intention of adding some extra pizzaz to our house when celebrating new seasons, holidays and special events and celebrations I have started creating banners/pennants. It's an inexpensive way to add some seasonal decorations to our house and "shout out" our family's sesonal greetings to the world (at least those who pass by our house from time to time :).

I started this tradition at Christmas with a "Joy To The World" banner! For Valentine's Day, I made one stating: "Love One Another". And after our long winter, I created a new pennant design "Spring Time". I also created a "Congrats" banner when I hosted my friend's bridal shower.  Since all three of our birthdays fall within the next 1 1/2 months of each other, my next pennant will simply state "Happy Birthday!"  But I'm also tempted to make a "Walking On Sunshine" banner to celebrate summer!  However, Rob reminds me I need to save some ideas for upcoming years :) 

If you want to start spreading your own messages of fun, hope and love to your family and friends, you are welcome to use my templates. Here are some further instructions, tips, and a supply list to help get you started.  Once you have all your supplies gathered, it will take about 1 hour to create a new pennant from start to "hanging". 

Supply List:

• Heavy 12x12 Cardstock
• Patterned 12x12 Scrapbook Paper that coordinates with heavy cardstock
• Chipboard Letters, Die Cut Letters, Large Alphabet Sticker Letters, or make letters using a Cricut or Silhoutte Cutting Machine(s)
• Tape Runner
• Twine/String/Ribbon (whatever medium you choose to use to hang it with)
• Single Hole Punch
• Scissors
• Decorative Ribbon (optional)
• 3M Command Adhesive Clips or Hooks

Tips: 

• Use double-sided heavy cardstock if your banner/pennant will be seen from both sides.  Since I hang my banners/pennants between my columns I use clean double sided cardstock so it looks nice from both the front and back.  Plus, the heavy cardstock will prevent curling. 
• If you use my templates you can cut two pieces from one 12X12 piece of cardstock. 
• Punch a hole in each corner vs. one hole in the middle of each piece.  Each individual piece will hang much nicer and also prevent the cardstock from curling. 

Click here to view and/or download my banner/pennant templates. 

If you save or download my templates to create your own banner/pennants please leave me a comment :)  I would love to hear what message you plan to spread AND see pictures! 

I am linking my post to Paisley Passions.  Click on this link to check out more homemade ideas, recipes, printables, etc...