Halloween Pasta Craft

First of all, let me just mention how much I love to use egg cartons to organize my craft supplies. You can fill the egg carton with all sorts of pasta shapes for this project.


What you will need:
Pasta
Craft glue
Cardboard or thick cardstock(to support weight of pasta)
Paint (I used Acrylic, but if you have little kids doing this project you can use tempera and they will work just as good)

First, I bent my cardboard into 3 distinct sections. This will make it stand easier.
Second, I decided on my design and penciled it on to the cardboard.
Third, I applied glue over my penciled design (work in small sections so the glue doesn't dry while you are working)
Fourth, I chose my pasta pieces and arranged them on the glue design


Let the glue dry for a few hours or overnight before you start the next step.

Fifth, I painted my cardboard and pasta charcoal gray.


Sixth, I added 3 different metallic colors to the project to create a spooky effect.


And, that's it. So easy, and so fun...pasta, glueing, painting a great way for the little ones to get into the Halloween spirit.

Send me an email of your pasta creation and I will post it in my artist gallery: princesspeacrafts@cox.net

Spider Bite Cupcakes

I had to share these spider bite cupcakes with you...they are adorable and YUMMY!

The idea came from WomansDay magazine, but my mom put her creative touch on them.

Here is the link for the yummy recipe...Click Here

Now, it has to be said that my mom has a weakness for Mallomars. She actually can't be trusted around a box...she just might eat them all! In fact, I was a little worried that these yummy mallomar inspired cupcakes might not make the trip up to my nephews house. How sad would their little faces be if they opened up the cupcake container to half eaten (only the mallomars) cupcakes? Luckily she showed some restraint. Mom, I am proud of you!

She made her cupcakes extra special...she used halloween themed cupcake wrappers, tinted the frosting orange, skipped the nose (because, do spiders really have noses?), and used little white cupcake candies for the eyes.



These cupcakes made our day and really got us in the Halloween spirit.
Thanks Mom, I love you.

Stained Glass Fall Leaves

It is HOT here in Southern California. Yesterday, Los Angeles hit 113 degrees! It is Fall, right?

When I was little, and it was hot like this, my sister and I would melt crayons on the bricks in our yard. We would break the crayons into little pieces and then melt the pieces together. It was one of my favorite things to do! Many years later Crayola came out with a crayon making machine; the machine took little pieces and melted them together in the form of a new crayon...kind of takes the fun out of the old fashioned way.

Anyway, the melted crayon idea got me thinking...how can I incorporate melted crayons into a fall craft project?

Stained Glass Fall Leaves

What you will need:
1. Old, unwrapped crayons in an assortment of fall colors
2. scissors
3. wax paper
4. hole punch
5. curling ribbon
6. iron
7. old pillow case or baking parchment paper

optional items:
egg carton (I'll explain)
leaf stencils (you could free hand if you want)



Step one:
Tear off sheet of waxpaper. Fold in half.

Step two:
Shave crayons with scissor blade between the two halves. We used child safe scissors and they worked just fine.


This is wear the egg carton might be handy. If your child is too young to shave the crayons...YOU can shave the crayons into the egg carton and then HE/SHE can spread the shavings on the waxpaper.


Be sure to spread the crayon shavings evenly on the waxpaper.

Fold over the top half of the waxpaper to cover the bottom half.

Step Three:
Turn the iron onto the lowest setting. Place an old pillowcase or parchment paper on the ironing board; to protect the ironing board.


Step Four:
This is the REALLY fun part...put the crayon/waxpaper sandwich on top of the old pillow case or parchment paper. On top of the waxpaper sandwich place another piece of parchment paper; so the iron does not stick to the waxpaper. Quickly run the iron over the project. The crayons will melt quickly. Kids love to watch while you melt the crayons!

Step Five:
Let the crayon sheet cool for just a minute. Peel off the parchment paper.
This is what you will have:


Step Six:
Trace your leaf patterns onto the melted crayon sheet with a crayon. You will not see the crayon color, just an indentation on the waxpaper.


Step Seven:
Cut out the leaves.


Final Step:
Hole punch the leaves and use ribbon to hang in front of the window.


Have fun decorating for fall!
Send me a picture of your finished stained glass fall leaves and I will post it in the artist gallery: princesspeacrafts@cox.net