Meet The Mummies!

Great trick-or-treaters with a kooky undead family that glows in the dark!

Make a mini mummy family for Halloween!

Materials

2 plastic bottles, 1-liter size

1 plastic bottle, short and fat, 16 oz. (like a powdered coffee creamer)

1 plastic food storage container, 14 oz. (like a Ziploc Smart Seal small bowl)

2 Styrofoam balls, 5" diameter

2 Styrofoam balls, 4" diameter

1 old white sheet or 2 yards of muslin

3 rolls gauze, 4" wide or 2 yards cheesecloth

1 scrap of cardboard, 6" x 6"

Martha Stewart Crafts Acrylic Craft Paint, Glow-In-Dark

1 craft foam sheet, purple

1 craft foam sheet, black

sand, beans, or pebbles (for weight)

Tools

2 large paper cups

5 paper plates

craft stick

foam paintbrush

white craft glue

scissors

Steps For Each Mummy

1. Remove the bottle cap. Add some sand, beans, or pebbles to the bottom of the bottle for weight. Poke the neck of the bottle into the Styrofoam ball. (Use the 5" Styrofoam balls for the large bottles and the 4" ball for the short bottle.) You may need to scrape out some Styrofoam with scissors to make neck of the bottle fit.

2. Tear the sheet into long strips about 1" to 2" wide. Make a watered-down glue mixture in the cup that is half glue and half water. Dip a strip in the glue-water, squeeze off excess, and wrap it onto the bottle and ball. Continue wrapping until the mummy is covered.

3. Cut the gauze into 2"-wide strips. Wrap the mummy completely in gauze.

4. Dilute the Glow-In-Dark paint with water in a cup, mixing half paint and half water. Dab the paint-water onto the mummy with a foam paintbrush. Stand the mummy on a paper plate to dry (as it will drip quite a bit).

5. Cut two 1" circles out of purple craft foam. Cut four straight strips about 1 1/2" long our of black craft foam. Crisscross two strips over each purple circle and glue in place. Glue onto the mummy's face about halfway down the head. Cut a semi-circle smile out of black craft foam and glue below the eyes.

Steps For Cat Mummy

1. Add some sand, beans, or pebbles to the plastic bowl for weight. Turn the bowl (lid on) upside down. Make a slit in the top edge of the bowl with scissors. Poke one end of a craft stick into the 4" ball. Poke the other end of the craft stick into the bowl.

2. Cut two triangle ears out of cardboard. Poke each ear into the top of the Styrofoam ball. Cut a tail shape out of cardboard. Cut a slit in the side of the bowl and slide the tail in.

3. Dip strips of sheet in glue-water, squeeze off the excess, and wrap onto the bowl, head, ears, and tail. Continue wrapping until the cat mummy is covered.

4. Cut gauze into 1" to 2"-wide strips. Wrap the cat mummy completely in gauze.

5. Dab the Glow-In-Dark paint-water onto the cat mummy with a foam paintbrush. Stand the cat mummy on a paper plate to dry.

6. Cut two 1" circles out of purple craft foam. Cut four straight strips about 1 1/2" long. Crisscross two strips over each purple circle and glue in place. Glue on the cat mummy's face about halfway down the head. Cut a small circle nose out of black craft foam and glue under the eyes.

Can The Clutter

New year, new resolution! For us it's time to can the clutter. Tin cans are tiny containers just waiting to be put to use. To recycle them into versatile storage, all you need is your imagination and a clean-edge can opener.

Chef’s Special

Turn pretty pie-filling cans into a piece of folk art that doubles as a cooking utensil holder. Bolt three eye-catching blueberry cans to a wooden cutting board with a frame hanger on the back. Display your clever work on the wall near the stove, and you’ll never search for your favorite spatula again. Bon appétit!

The Great Dividers

No matter how hard you try to keep drawers from collecting junk, they seem to be the vortex of miscellany. Get control over the odds and ends by cleaning a dozen tuna cans and nestling them into a drawer. Each little compartment can store thumbtacks, rubberbands, clips or twist ties. Junk drawer no more!

Clutter Cups

Corral the clutter in the kids’ room with magnetic tin cans. Hot glue heavy-duty magnets to ten soup cans and stick them to a steel cookie sheet. Hang it within kids’ reach using a plate hanger. Use the cups to hold crayons, chalk, markers and even Legos. Label the cans for easy clean up.

Closet Can Do

Organize your accessories with a scarf display made of sleek silver cans. Arrange seven soup cans to create a tight circle with one can in the center. Tightly wrap a long sash around the bundle of cans, secure it with a knot at the top, then hang your new organizer on the wall. Each cubby stores a colorful scarf and adds stylish organization to your closet.

Cannery Row

Keep the weeds out of the seeds by organizing your potting bench with bright vegetable cans. Choose a brand with gorgeous graphics of tomatoes, corn and green beans, or whatever you plan to plant. The clean-edge can opener creates nice fitting lids, too, so your seeds will stay high and dry.

The Thankstionary!

Recycle a children’s picture book by gluing a different color piece of paper over each page. Pick something you are thankful for like mom, kittens, and ice cream to feature on each page. Decorate the pages with pictures cut out of old magazines, rubberstamps, and magic markers. Try to do one for each letter of the alphabet.

What You'll Need:

children’s picture book

different color pieces of paper

gluestick

magazine pictures cut out: mom, kittens, and ice cream

old magazines 

rubberstamps

magic markers

Witchy Pinecone Owl

Who's scary? Who! Who!

Here's a fun Halloween craft for kids. Collect pinecones from the yard and dress them up as witches! Make the hat and eyes from craft foam or felt.

Set one by the front door to greet guests. Line up a row of them on your mantle. Or use them as placecard holders for your Halloween party!

Bring old bottles back from the dead!

Cast a spell with these bewitching candlesticks! Start by cleaning glass bottles inside and out. Give them a thrilling finish with Krylon Glitter Blast in Starry Night Sky, Citrus Dream, and Twilight Sky. Use sparkly stickers to label each bottle’s "hazardous contents." Top the bottles with candles and give your haunted house a ghoulish glow.

Steampunk Chic is here!

It's here! It's here! Our new book just arrived! Hot off the press. The UPS guy just dropped off 2 big cartons full of Steampunk Chic: Vintage Flair From Recycled Finds. Whooo hooo! So exciting!

Our wonderful editor Pam Mostek would want us to tell you it's loaded with fun and funky steampunk crafts and step-by-step how-tos. Kitty's favorite is the mantel clock made out of a cigar box and Jennifer's favorite is the cupcake stand. Take a sneak peek!

Make Me Over!

Kitty found a set of these chairs for $10 at the flea market! Irresistible! We featured them in this article we wrote for Decorating Spaces. It's sort of a Chair Makeover 101. 

Cheers, J&K

Before: A Chair In the Rough

It’s rusty. It’s filthy. It’s fabulous! If you know what to look for, a ratty old wrought iron chair can become a delightful addition to your little garden oasis. Just take these tips picked up from the pros and get thee to a flea market to find that diamond in the rough.

After: Sweet Little Seat

A Chair In The Rough

This chair passes all the tests with flying colors: the rust is minimal, the seat pops right off, it has no real damage, and it’s loaded with personality. All it needs now is a little TLC. Start by picking a fun fabric for the seat and use a swatch to select your spray paint. Remove the seat and smooth the rough areas and rusty parts of the frame using medium, then fine sandpaper. Clean thoroughly, then spray paint the chair with primer and your chosen color. (To avoid runs, do several light coats.)

What To Do:

1. Disassemble the seat by removing the old vinyl, foam, and rusty staples.

2. Recover the seat with two-inch thick foam and your chosen fabric, folding carefully at the corners and stapling the fabric underneath.

3. Then finish your new treasure by reattaching the seat to the chair. Now you’re sitting pretty!

Tips:

You don't have to use oilcloth to make your outdoor chair waterproof—just cover the fabric seat with a layer of clear plastic.

When selecting a fabric for your outdoor chair, you don't have to stick to florals. Consider decorator fabrics with stripes, dots, or plaids, as long as the pattern matches the mood of the chair.

If you want to spruce up a plain chair with more than just color, try a spray-on finish like metallic copper, hammered bronze, or even natural rust. Yes! You can buy rust in a can!

Smashing Glass Tray

Make crime pay with a cool dresser valet made of recycled car window glass.

Give an ordinary wooden tray an edge with shattered green glass from a broken car window. Simple high-gloss resin lets you embed the glass safely while creating an ultra-modern mosaic.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
Wooden or bamboo tray, 6"x6"x2"
Shattered glass from a car window, 2 cups
EnviroTex Lite Pour-On High Gloss Finish, 8-ounce kit
Disposable cups, 2
Wooden chopsticks, 2
White Con-Tact paper
Household silicone sealant, clear
Medium-sized cardboard box
Scissors
Ruler
Level

WHAT TO DO
Step One
Measure the inside bottom of the wooden tray and cut a piece of contact paper to fit. Stick the Con-Tact paper to the bottom inside of the tray. Seal the inside corners and bottom edges of the tray with the silicone sealant and let cure for 45 minutes. Pour the shattered glass into the tray and shake the tray until the glass creates an even layer. The glass should be about three-quarters of an inch deep.

Step Two
Following the directions on the EnviroTex Lite box, pour the entire contents of the resin and hardener into one cup. Mix thoroughly with a chopstick for one minute. Then pour the mixture into a second cup and mix with a new chopstick for one minute.

Step Three

Immediately pour the resin mixture evenly over the layer of shattered glass until it is completely covered. Place the tray on a completely level surface and cover with a dust-free box. Let the tray cure undisturbed for 48 hours. 

Tiny Bubbles: Don't worry if you whip bubbles into the resin as you stir it. Once you have poured the resin, most of the bubbles will de-gas on their own within five minutes. If any bubbles remain, gently exhale over the surface and the bubbles will rise and pop.

Don't Get Busted: Be a law-abiding crafter and put away the hammer! Instead, call an auto shop that specializes in window repair and ask them to save you some glass.

Tin Can Critter Drink Markers

Sip someone else's margarita? No way, Jose! Your margarita glasses need drink markers, but for this Fiesta del Crafto they need a little cha cha cha. Your margaritas need Tin Can Critter Drink Markers! Have your guests make their own, then hang them off the margarita glasses (don't worry, they won't drink much!). Your amigos will go loco for these tin can creatures!

Materials
12 oz can of Mexican beer
3 10" strands of 18 gauge silver wire
8" strand of 18 gauge silver wire
2 googly eyes


Tools
needlenose pliers
scissors
ruler
dry erase marker
hot glue gun & glue sticks


Steps:
1. Open a beer can and empty out contents (down the hatch!).

2. Rinse can and shake out excess water.

3. Using scissors, carefully cut the top and bottom off, and slit the cylinder down the middle. Flatten the rectangle of tin, then trim off any jagged edges so you don't cut yourself (no craftastrophes allowed!).

4. Using The Tin Can Critter Template and a dry erase marker, draw the outline of the bug top and bottom onto the blank side of your tin.


5. Cut out the bug shapes and place them back-to-back, aligning the narrow bug torso. Make sure the printed sides of the tin are facing out. Pinch the top piece of the torso so it fits around the bottom piece.


6. Using one 10" piece of wire and the pliers, bend one back leg and wrap the wire around the narrow torso of the bug tightly three times. Then bend the leftover wire into the other leg.


7. Repeat to make another set of legs. For the front legs, make sure they curve down like a praying mantis (that's how he'll hang off the glass!).


8. With the last piece of wire, bend his antennae into shape.


9. Hot glue googly eyes onto his head and you've got a Tin Can Critter that's muy loco!


Alternacraft: Don't feel limited to making a praying mantis. Why not try a classic cucaracha or a giant mosquito? Then hang a bunch together with fishing line for a mobile that's a swarm of fun!

A Flair For Chairs!

Chairs are super fun and super easy to makeover. You just need to start with a good makeover candidate. 

1. Check for Rust
A little rust is okay, but unless you're a big fan of sanding, skip a chair that is completely corroded. Look for a chair with only minor rust spots—no bigger than a quarter.

2. Check the Seat
Recovering a seat is a cinch, but only if it's easy to remove and reattach. Don't worry if it's decayed; the wood, the foam, and the fabric are all replaceable. Plus you can drive the price down by pointing out every flaw.

3. Check for Damage
Inspect the frame for serious damage. Watch out for broken legs, weak joints, or shoddy fixes (like duct tape!). Some repairs aren't worth the effort unless you like welding!

Flea Style Birdhouse

Give an unfinished birdhouse unflappable curb appeal with a colorful flea market makeover!

YOU'LL NEED
Materials
Unfinished wood birdhouse, 9" tall.
RIT dye, Kelly Green.
Clear topcoat spray paint.
Screws, 1/2", 2.
Little nails, 1/2", 38.
Big nail, 2".
Eye screw, 1 5/8".
S-hook.

From The Flea Market
License plate.
Big washer, 3/4".
Small washers, 1/2", 8.
Small nuts, 1/4", 9.
Sawtooth picture hangers, 6.
Wooden yardstick.
Bottle caps, 6.
Small buttons, various colors, 6.
Medium buttons, various colors, 6.
Keys, 6.
Post office box number plate.
Old jewelry chain, 12".

Tools & Supplies
Pyrex measuring cup.
Sponge paintbrush.
Light-duty hand saw.
Liquid Nails glue.
Teaspoon.
Chopstick.

WHAT TO DO

1. Use a chopstick to stir 11/2 teaspoons of the Kelly Green RIT dye into 1 cup of steaming hot water. Over a drop cloth, use the sponge paintbrush to stain the wooden birdhouse with the green dye. Let dry. Seal the birdhouse with a coat of clear spray paint.

2. Start adding gingerbread trim by gluing one nut to the peak of the eaves. Using the small nails and a hammer, attach the saw tooth picture hangers to the eaves of the birdhouse. Then glue the rest of the nuts and washers in a row beneath the eaves, alternating the nuts and washers.

3. To make short flowers, glue a small button onto each key. Glue the short flowers onto the sides of the birdhouse.

4. To make taller flowers, glue a medium button inside each bottlecap. Snip pieces of the chain into two-inch lengths. Using the small nails and a hammer, attach the ends of the chain lengths to the sides of the house, stretching the chain out to form the flower stems. Glue a bottle cap to the top of each chain-stem.

5. Create a fence by sawing the yardstick into 4 pieces that fit around the bottom of the birdhouse. Using the small nails and a hammer, attach the ruler pieces to the base of the birdhouse.

6. To make the roof, punch a hole in the center of the license plate using the big nail and a hammer. Bend the license plate in half over the edge of a table to form a peaked roof shape. Place the license plate on the roof of the birdhouse, then screw the eye screw through the hole in the license plate and into the birdhouse. Use small nails to nail through the sides of the license plate securing it to the roof.

7. To finish it off, use the screws and a screwdriver to attach the post office box number plate onto the birdhouse over the door.

Crafty Shopping Tip: Don't have a license to drive to the flea market? There are plenty of license plates to choose from on eBay! Whether you find one online or at the swap meet, you can expect to spend about $5 to $10.