Simple, Embroidery Hoop Pumpkins

Here's a fast and super simple project you can finish just in time for Halloween! And the best part is you can keep it up through Thanksgiving to give your house that great, fall feel! Chances are also good that, if you're a craft nerd like me, you probably have all or most of the materials required to create this project! Check out the tutorial below to get started...

Materials:

-embroidery hoops-I used three different sizes, 6", 8" and 10"

-fall or orange fabric cut into squares slightly larger than the corresponding hoops

-green raffia

-2 feet of ribbon or fabric strip

-glue gun and sticks

Instructions:

1. Place the fabric square on top of the inner ring of the embroidery hoop (aka, the one without the metal parts) so that it is completely covered.

2. Place the outer ring on top of the fabric and inner ring and tighten using the screw at the top so that fabric is taut.

3. Repeat this process for the two remaining rings.

4. Trim the excess fabric from around the ring so that no extra fabric remains.

5. Tie about 4 strings of raffia around the tops of each embroidery hoop into a bow.

6. Lay the fabric strip or ribbon across the backs of the embroidery hoops with 2-4" in between each hoop. Leave about 5" above the smallest hoop to create a loop from which to hang the decoration. Glue the fabric strip or ribbon to the backs of each hoop and at the bottom of the loop.

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Hang and enjoy!

Happy Halloween, goblins and ghouls!!!

Children's Jack-O-Lantern Painting

With baby #2 on the way, I have had virtually no energy to do anything once I get home from a long day of work. Poor Claire has been a trooper when I explain to her that mommy needs to lay down a little and watch her play, or must her chicken nuggets yet again for dinner because I have no energy to cook! Now that I am starting to feel a little (and I mean a little) less exhausted, I finally broke down and bought her the art supply she's been requesting for longer than I care to admit (the thought of setting up, taking down and the potential mess were all just too much for this preggo to handle in the first trimester)...paint! 2 packs of watercolors, 1 set of finger paints, brushes, a Mickey Mouse poster paint kit, paper, and one, giant, drop cloth later, and we were on our way!

Once we arrived home, it was on! I grabbed an old shirt of mine for Claire to use as a smock, covered everything within a 3-mile radius in a drop cloth and let her go to town. After finishing her Halloween-themed, Mickey Mouse posters, she used the leftover paint to decorate a white, baby pumpkin we had recently purchased. A word to the wise...teaching a toddler that she must wait for paint to dry before touching and playing with the completed 

projects WILL result in multiple meltdowns. The sooner you accept it, the easier it becomes!

Finger painting was our final endeavor of the evening. We worked on mixing colors to make other colors and used the orange we created to spread and play with the paint. I helped Claire use her fingers to trace jack-o-lantern eyes, nose, and a mouth and placed it in a safe place to dry.  The following day, I knew I wanted to use her creations as Halloween decoration and decided to tweak her finger painting a bit to be able to display it proudly year after year.

I used a green, chevron, piece of cardstock I had in my stash and traced a pumpkin shape on the back of it in pencil. Using scissors, I cut out the pumpkin shape. 

Double-sided tape allowed me to adhere the pumpkin cutout to the finger painting, so that the jack-o-lantern face was centered nicely. 

I trimmed the excess paper from the finger painting and cut down the chevron paper to make it fit an 8x10 frame. Once placed in a cute frame, the project was complete!   

I do believe this will be a household staple for every Halloween and Fall for many years to come!

Jack 'o Lantern Treat Cups

 

My classroom staff members are rock stars! Period! We work in a stressful environment on a regular basis, where flexibility, patience, and strong communication skills are an absolute must at all times. Not only do these guys exemplify all of these qualities, but they do so with a positive attitude and a great sense of humor! The absolute least I can do for them is treat them to some holiday-inspired, crafty treats! I purchased clear, plastic tumblers and transformed them into jack o' lanterns to help bring out their inner children! I mean, who doesn't still love a treat bag (or, in this case, treat cup) filled with chocolate at any age? Here's how you can make them yourselves:

Materials:

-clear, plastic tumbler

-candy in orange wrappers (I chose Reese's cups and Kit Kats)

-black cardstock

-green cardstock

-green, curling ribbon

-double-sided tape

 

Directions:

1. Fill tumblers with candy, leaving room in the middle for the straw to fit when closed.

2. Place lid and straw onto the cup

3. Cut a circle out of the green cardstock and cut two slits (making a plus sign) into the center of

    the circle to slide over the straw. You can add a message onto the cardstock, if you wish, or leave

    it blank.

4. Cut 4, 24" pieces of curling ribbon and tie around the base of the straw.

5. Use scissors to curl each tail of ribbon

6. Cut out various jack o' lantern face shapes out of black cardstock and adhere to cup using double-

    sided tape

Happy Halloween!!!!!