Pumpkin Candle Holders Tutorial!

It is time to get into the Halloween spirit!  I made these last year, but some how they did not end up on the blog... so hooray for me this year when I needed a post! :) These are great for your halloween mantel! 

Here is a SUPER easy craft to get in the halloween spirit! 

Here is what you will need:

Candle holders (I made mine from a candle holder and a candle stick from the dollar store)

DecoArt's Crystal Gloss Enamels

DecoArt's 3D Gloss Enamels

1. I didn't have orange paint... but I had yellow and red so I mixed them!

2. I painted the orange gloss enamels paint using a brush.  I wanted my strokes to look like the lines on the pumpkin.  Let dry.

I printed off some pumpkin faces and taped it to the inside the candle holder.  I used my 3D Gloss Enamel's black paint to trace over the face.  You can find pumpkin faces by googling "pumpkin face templates"

 

Let the paint dry for 48 hours and then cook at 200 degrees for 30 min. in an un-preheated oven.  Let cool with the oven door open. 

Once the paint is dry you can light a candle!

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Show Off Your Stuff Party #144

Hello and welcome to our Show Off Your Stuff Party!

This week we are showing off:

Fawnda's Knight Hoodies:

Let's get party-ing!

Here is the run down:

1. Pay attention! There are 4 categories to link up:

Crafts and Sewing

DIY and Home Decor

Recipes
Inspirational/Creative Writing

pick one and go with it!

{If you pick the wrong one... you can delete your own and add it to the right one! :) }

2. Add a link to your specific post, not the main page of your blog.

3. Please do not link up to something that you are just trying to sell.

4. Link to this party from your post so everyone can get in on the fun. You can just grab my button!

<a href="../search/label/ShowOffYourStuffParty/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="blank"><img border="0" src="../-fvxHkFmRuww/TjYS_3oztzI/AAAAAAAAAjA/H6n_MRE4xhs/s200/Show-off-your-Stuff-party-button.JPG" width="125"/></a>

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Knight Hoodie Tutorial (Free Downloadable Patterns)

My Nephews' birthdays are at the end of summer.  There mom (my SIL) asked me to create some dress-up clothes for them that will not fall apart and she also said that they like pirate and knights.  I was up for the challenge.

And then I saw this:

Armor Hoodie

Totally cool- right?!  Now the guy who made this, created the whole thing.  I was inspired but I also wanted a short cut so I thought I could start with a gray hoodie and add to it to make it look like knight armor.

 

Here is what you will need:

Gray hoodie

Gray felt

Black thread

Mask pattern (Free download)

Helmet visor pattern (Free download)

Shoulder armor pattern (Free download)

 

1. Cut out the  mask pattern and trace the outline of the it onto your felt on the fold. Cut out the pattern out of the felt.

 

2. Use your pattern to trace the holes onto one side of the mask.  Flip the pattern over to the other side and trace the holes.  Cut out the holes (I used a sharp scissors).  Sew zig-zag details on to the mask to give it dimension.   (not pictured- use your button hole attachment on your sewing machine to add a button hole to each side of the mask)

 

3. Mark of each side of the hood were you want your button to go to attach the mask.  Sew on the buttons.  Cut out the helmet rim pattern.  Trace the pattern on the fold of the felt and cut it out.  Add zig-zag stitching around the outside edge to give it dimension.  Attach it to the top of the hood lining up the ends with the buttons. 

4.  Cut out the shoulder armor pattern and trace it on the fold of your felt.  Line up the middle of the shoulder armor with the seam of the shoulder of the hoodie and pin in place.  Sew on to the shoulder using a zig-zag stitch.  I used 2 lines.  

Here are my nephews sporting their new Knight hoodies!  For the breast plats I just cut out a shield shape and sewed elastic straps to the back in a criss-cross.  Then I used a stencil to monogram them. 

Show Off Your Stuff Party # 143

Hello and welcome to our Show Off Your Stuff Party!

Let's get party-ing!

Here is the run down:

1. Pay attention! There are 4 categories to link up:

Crafts and Sewing

DIY and Home Decor

Recipes
Inspirational/Creative Writing

pick one and go with it!

{If you pick the wrong one... you can delete your own and add it to the right one! :) }

2. Add a link to your specific post, not the main page of your blog.

3. Please do not link up to something that you are just trying to sell.

4. Link to this party from your post so everyone can get in on the fun. You can just grab my button!

<a href="../search/label/ShowOffYourStuffParty/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="blank"><img border="0" src="../-fvxHkFmRuww/TjYS_3oztzI/AAAAAAAAAjA/H6n_MRE4xhs/s200/Show-off-your-Stuff-party-button.JPG" width="125"/></a>

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Easy DIY Detangler

Raise your hand if you have a child with tangly hair? My daughter has VERY thick, curly hair. It's beautiful, and I'm totally jealous, but it is a nightmare to comb through. This is how my daughter wakes up in the morning, on a good day:

I have a mommy confession: I got lazy very busy over the summer and neglected to take proper care of her hair on a daily basis (in other words, I let her brush her own hair after her baths), and by mid-summer, no joke, I found the start of a dread lock in the middle of her gorgeous mop. I tried to comb it out, but ended up having to cut it off.

I have tried every type of detangler you can find at the store. I have also tried tricks like rubbing a dab of conditioner through her hair and leaving it in there. But after researching homemade detanglers, I came up with my own recipe that is EASY, CHEAP, and works great, which is the best combination for me. Most likely you already have everything you need to make this.

Here it is:
1. Buy a spray bottle or, use an empty one recycled from something else.
2. Put about 1 Tablespoon each of olive oil and apple cider vinegar into the bottle (I never measure, I just pour in a splash - this is not an exact science here).
3. Add a few drops of good smelling essential oil (Lavender is my fave) - this is optional. It smells better than vinegar.
4. Fill the bottle with water, and give a little shake.

To use: spray hair thoroughly with detangler, and comb through.

~ This works on wet or dry hair, but since it's mostly water, you'll probably want a towel around the shoulders if hair is already wet. Works fantastic on morning bed-hair!
~ This works well as a leave-in conditioner too. I have the straightest, slipperiest hair in the world. I barely even have to comb it. I use it in place of conditioner, and I love it.
~ We have a variety of hair types and ethnicities in our home, and so far it has worked well for everyone. If it makes your hair feel too greasy, then decrease the amount of oil.

 Here she is after being sprayed and combed. As her hair dries the curl bounces back and looks gorgeous!
I would love to know if you try this, and how you like it!