Halloween Spider Soap

Last year, I wanted to make Halloween goodie bags to pass out to my immediate neighbors children, and to the few kids coming to our Halloween party. I didn't want the goodie bags to just be filled with candy. I wanted to add additional non-sugar filled items in the bags. I stumbled across this awesome tutorial from Milk and Cuddles on how to make your own spider soap.

I had no idea how easy it was to make your own soap. I went to the dollar store and bought a muffin pan dedicated to soap making since I had a feeling this is something I might want to make time and time again *so versatile and so many options. Since my muffin pan was metal I used an old microwave safe bottle to heat up the blocks of glycerin in the microwave. Once the glycerin had melted I added a few drops of cinnamon apple scent to the soap. This made the soap smell like fall, and then I carefully poured it into each of the individual muffin cups. I then added a plastic spiders into each tin. Some had one to two spiders, and other cups had a "spider on a web". I bought one small bags of these plastic critters at the dollar store. 

I waited about a half hour or so until the bars had hardened, popped them out, and then wrapped them in plastic wrap. I labeled this as a dollar project because I honestly feel that it only cost about a dollar to make six of these bars of soap. I believe I spent roughly $6 on a bag of glycerin (after a 40% off coupon), and roughly the same amount on the scented oil to go into the soap itself. I had enough glycerin left over to make at least an additional 4-6 trays of soap. 

All the children who received this soap at our party LOVED it, and were ready to start washing their hands immediately. One of my friends said her daughter washed her hands all weekend just to get the spider out. If you have trouble getting your children to wash their hands... this is the way to go! 

{Sneak Peak} Halloween Project List 2011

Happy first day of September. Halloween is officially 60 days away. To me the first day of September brings joy to my heart. It is the first official day that Mr. Woodsy will allow me to pull all of the Halloween boxes down (well let's get this straight... Mr. Woodsy pulls all of the Halloween boxes down for me from the attic). It means we can begin working on Halloween projects. Although, I vowed last year that we would start in July/August next year, and time got the best of us (like always), and it's now September 1st and we are just now starting on projects. I told myself I didn't have  as many projects planned as last year, but after I started typing out my list of projects I realized I had just as much if not more than last year! You can read our 2010 project list from last year if you'd like. 

Thanks to the lovely Pinterest I've been able to gather ideas in one place to sort through what I want to make this year. In no particular order... here goes.

My amazing friend Christy has an even deeper love for Halloween than Mr. Woodsy and I do. We both talk about Halloween on a daily basis year-round! She made the most amazing bubbling cauldron last year. Ever since Mr. Woodsy saw the cauldron on her blog and then in person he stated we would make one of our own next year! 

 

She also made a Witch's Spell Book! Earlier this year I was gifted a bunch of old cook books and knitting books. I'm not fond of one of the books and it just so happens to be the largest book of all... I plan to transform it into my own spell book! Eeeeppp! So excited. 

 

Next on our list... an amazing Candelabra. We were beyond inspired when Sandra, from Sawdust & Paper Scraps posted her DIY tutorial last October. When we took down our dining room light fixture I made Mr. Woodsy save it so we could make a candelabra of our own! 

I don't know about you, but Mr. Woodsy and I get giddy each year when HGTV throws their "Halloween Block Party". We grab paper and pen and take notes for future Halloween ideas. Last year they made an AWESOME fence and faux tombstones. Yes, that's right... I want to make a fence and tombstones this year.  

picture courtesy of Kenneth Wingard

Thanks to pinterest here are a few more ideas for fences and faux tombstones. 

I'm now rethinking our original fence idea. I'm starting to really like this idea for the fence around our front yard... 4 foot sections that are zip tied together. easier for storing.... although I think we may need to measure the opening in our attic and make modifications so that it can be stored up there. 

Photo and tutorial from HalloweenForum.com 

I really want to have pillars at the entrance of our drive way AND a larger "gate" that closes off our driveway. Mr. Woodsy isn't as fond... of the idea, but take a look at these awesome pillars and the amazing gargoyle--that someone made! A step-by-step tutorial.... look out. I'm all over this. Even if it takes me until next year to create. 

Photo and tutorial from HalloweenForum.com

I LOVE this gargoyle. We need this in our Halloween collection. I figured this would be instantly vetoed by Mr. Woodsy and he not only loved it, but said it looked easy! So it's made the list. I'm pushing for two but will be grateful for one! 

Photo and tutorial from HalloweenForum.com

Next up... this amazing beloved tombstone. Yes, someone made this... not bought it. 100% made it. Once again this is a pretty time intensive project. Not sure if Mr. Woodsy is up for something this detailed; however, he is the master of details and is a perfectionist. I could see him wanting to tackle something like this. UPDATE: Mr. Woodsy said we have to start working on this project for next Halloween... guess I can keep dreaming about this one! 

Photo and tutorial from HalloweenForum.com 

This is a simple enough project that I think we can accomplish it this year. With a little scrap wood and some additional dirt we should be good to go! Meet the Ground Breaking Coffin!

Photo and tutorial from HalloweenForum.com 

I would absolutely LOVE to make a skeleton fountain, but let's face it with all the above projects I'll be lucky if we even think about this fountain this year... I'm thinking it would make for a great back yard prop on the paver patio we still need to build in our backyard! 

photo and tutorial from HalloweenForum.com 

I would love to stuff large urns with branches and crows for a front entrance way. This could be a pretty simple project.

photo found on flickr from davisturner

Not sure where these would go in our house... maybe on top of the rustic coffin Mr. Woodsy built last year? There are multiple ways we can make these... used pvc is the first that comes to mind... 

Photo and tutorial from HalloweenForum.com

What about a creepy cool monster Mud Reaper? I'd love to make him and put him by our front door... I think I need to start searching for a lantern.  

Photo and tutorial from HalloweenForum.com

If I can find a Wherewolf mask from the thrift store I'll make one of these for our wall. 

Photo and tutorial from Instructables


I want to make more specimen jars this year. 

Photo and tutorial from Martha Stewart


Of course I'm always adding to the list and taking items off. Here's to a super productive 60 days of Halloween crafting/DIY projects! Are you planning to make any projects? If so, what?

Happy Halloween!

Well our favorite time of year has come and is almost gone. All the little ghouls were cute and some dressed more for the club than trick or treating, but I can honestly say they all loved the tree's! I can't tell you how many parents had there kids lined up in front of our spooky trees! 

In the beginning of September I created a list of projects I wanted to recreate via the Grandin Road website. I did pretty good--making at least half the list (and the other half resides on the 2011 project list)! 

I re-created the Mummy Head on a Platter.

*my version

*Grandin Road version

The larva sacks: 

*my version*

Grandin Road version

The mummy; although I never got to post about it (I'll post it next year)! 

I hope everyone had a blast following us through our Halloween crafting journey! I think we already have at least 5 blog post for next year of projects; I never had the time to post about! Until then... keep sending me Halloween ideas. Although Mr. Woodsy denies it we will be working on Halloween projects all year round getting ready for next year! :) 

Pumpkin Carving!

Obviously, I've been posting way to much this week, but I still have so many cool Halloween projects to post about and need to get them all in by Sunday!!!

One of Mr. Woodsy's favorite things to do during the month of October is carve pumpkins. Typically he will carve anywhere from 3-5 pumpkins. But this year due to our extremely warm weather in the South he only had a chance to carve one pumpkin! I knew I wanted a small pumpkin for my skeleton pumpkin holder and I knew I wanted the skeleton cut out from the Pumpkin Carving Solutions Cricut Cartridge!

If you love to carve pumpkins, please go invest in a deluxe scraper scooper. We bought one after Halloween last year and Mr. Woodsy literally did one spin around our small pumpkin and he had ALL the guts out of the pumpkin. Never once had to pull the guts out with his hands... no mess or fuss! Super easy, clean, and convenient!

Mr. Woodsy had scene some black pumpkins that I sent him on the Martha Stewart site and he was determined to paint at least one pumpkin black! So he did... He used a basic black flat water based latex paint (like you would use to paint on the wall). He painted it evenly once and let it dry.

Once it was dry, he cut a hole at the top and scooped out the guts.

I cut out the skull and cross bones at around 4.5 inches and then we taped it onto the pumpkin. Mr. Woodsy traced the pattern, then began cutting. 

Here is the finished product!!!

Halloween Rustic Wood Coffin

I started talking to Mr. Woodsy in September about the possibilities of him building a coffin for our house (for Halloween of course)! He eagerly took on the project. I knew I wanted it rustic and very weathered looking. I think he did a great job achieving this (even if he did wait until last minute to build it)! 

Here are the plan's Mr. Woodsy drew up... 

nothing too elaborate, and he claims he didn't really follow them. 

Look at all the free wood! He pulled all this wood off old warned down pallets. It took a few hours of pulling out nails, but it was worth it in the end when this project costed $0! 

Cutting some wood! 

After I took this picture, Mr. Woodsy made me leave, and he did not allow me to document any more of his wood working project! Sorry, apparently he claims he can't divulge all of his secrets. But if you really want more information you can email us! 

Here is the finished product! A very rustic coffin! 

I added some moss, bugs, and creepy bloody fingers to the coffin!

A side view of our new creepy coffin!

Spooky Tree's

Two week's ago Mr. Woodsy surprised me with two very large spooky tree's! They were damaged and had been used on a play set many years back. He decided he would restore them (i.e., repaint them), and put them in our front yard. I agree'd to let him take them home, but to be honest I had very little faith that they would come out like they were originally painted. He bought a few tester paints, and started painting away... too my surprise (and I think his, too) they came out AWESOME!!! Way better than either of us had ever dreamed! Who knew he was an artist? 

*testing paint colors. 

Mr Woodsy anchored the tree with a 2x4 in the ground, so that it wouldn't blow over. 

Mr. Woodsy went into the woods behind our house and picked up tons of moss and branches to fill the tree's with. *Free decorations--he's so resourceful! 

Adding some branches! 

A close up of the finished product! 

One of our spooky tree's in the "graveyard"! 

Look at the detail on the face! 

Love the way he put the moss around the bottom of the trunk! 

The front of our house! The other tree is on the other side of the drive way! 

Halloween {Heat-N-Bond} Shirt

Ever since I first experimented with heat-n-bond and my cutting with my cricut I knew I wanted to make my nephew a shirt... since Halloween is quickly approaching I made him a Halloween shirt to wear to school!

I purchased a toddler shirt (size 2-4) from Hobby Lobby for $2.50, used some remnant Halloween fabric, heat-n-bond, my cricut, and both the Happy Hauntings Cartridge & the Pumpkin Carving Solutions Cartridge! 

I followed my directions that I wrote up here for the heat-n-bond.

Here is the finished project, and a happy baby to boot! 

Modeling his shirt from his crafty Aunt! 

He was loving the spiders... he couldn't stop laughing at them! 

Halloween Printables Placed on Canvas!

As soon as Craftly Ever After posted these awesome free Halloween printable I knew I needed to incorporate them in my house! After I printed those 2 I then found this awesome "If The Broom Fits Ride It" free printable from Crafts & Sutch! 

Make sure you visit HERE and HERE to print yours out too! 

I took an 8 x 10 canvas, spray adhesive, and the print out. 

I cut the print out to fit the canvas, adhered it to the canvas, and voila! 

Super quick, inexpensive project that makes a nice impact ands great flair to your walls! 

I choose to hang all three above my kitchen window.

Like that creepy valance? Foam core and black spray paint! That's it!!! 

I already have plans for the "If The Broom Fits Ride It" sign for next year...