1. Plaster skulls.
Today is Halloween (Yay!), so that means all the decorations will be marked half off tomorrow.

Here is a tip: If you celebrate Day of the Dead, go early to the stores and scoop up some of those light up sparkle skulls - you know, the ones that are made of pitted rubbery plastic? Peel off the felt eyes and nose. Buy some plaster wrap from the craft store, cut it in strips and cover the skull with one layer. Let dry. Now take some decoupage medium and white gift tissue and cover it with that. Let dry. Paint white, and decorate as desired!





2. Sugar skulls.
Every year I get oodles of e-mails asking about sugar skulls. Used in Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations Nov. 1 and 2, the sugar represents the sweetness of life, while the skull signifies that the body has passed on.

The sugar skulls are colorful and bright and are used in altars to honor loved ones who have passed away. The trick to the skulls (and the icing) is the meringue powder. Mixed with water, it hardens the sugar for the skulls. It also works for the icing, but it is a long process. I have a shortcut, which is why I use mini-tubes of frosting from the grocery store. When all is said and done, they look just like the real thing and are simple to use. And you can learn more about Day of the Dead, its history, traditions and local celebrations at dead.azcentral.com.

Supplies:
1 set of plastic skull molds
Mixing bowl and spoon
2 cups of granulated sugar
2 teaspoons of meringue powder
2 teaspoons of water
1 piece of cardboard, approximately 5" x 5"

Mix the dry ingredients together in the bowl. Sprinkle the water in and continue to mix until the sugar is completely moistened and becomes the consistency of moist sand. Scoop some of the mixture into the mold and pack it evenly and firmly. Place the piece of cardboard on top of the mold and quickly flip it over so the sugar skull pops out. Very carefully slide it onto a flat surface.

Continue making the rest of the skulls. Let them dry for 24 hours in a dry place (indoors so ants won't get to them!).

Traditional icing (I prefer mini-icing tubes from the grocery store instead!):
2/3 cup of water
1/2 cup meringue powder
2 pounds of powdered sugar
Electric mixer
Concentrated food coloring (the kind professional cake bakers use)
1 pastry or Ziploc bag
Plastic cups
Spoon

Blend the ingredients with an electric mixer until the peaks form in the icing. If using assorted colors, scoop the white icing into separate bowls and add a dab of different colored food coloring in each one. Mix again. Scoop the icing into the pastry or Ziploc bag (snip the corner for the latter). Continue until you have several bags of different colors. Keep sealed and refrigerated until use.

Makes four small skulls

***
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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2006. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: Day of the Dead, Halloween, Latin-inspired

Kathy Cano-Murillo
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 27, 2007 12:00 AM

There are few things like old-school horror flicks to get you in the mood for Halloween.

If you are having a party, or plan to stay in to watch a Boris Karloff movie marathon, here is a spiffy coaster idea to add to the eerie atmosphere.

The coasters are made of fabric and are sealed with glossy varnish, which makes for easy cleanup. (Just wipe off with a damp cloth.) I know what you are thinking: "Where did she find those pictures?" Easy. Google images. Just type in the image you want and you're bound to find it, or something close. Keep in mind, many images are copyrighted, which means you can use them only for personal reasons, not to sell or mass produce.

Supplies
4 images (5 inches by 3 inches each)
1 Inkjet fabric sheet
Scissors
HeatnBond
4 pieces of primed canvas (available in a pad in the art section of the craft store)
Iron, piece of scrap fabric (to protect ironing surface)
1 sheet of craft felt
Sewing machine
High-gloss spray or brush-on varnish and brush

Directions
Using a computer picture program, arrange the four images on one 8 1/2-inch by 11-inch page. Insert the fabric sheet face down in your printer. Print.

Cut out each image, and cut a piece of HeatnBond for each image. Cut the canvas sheet into pieces that are 5 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches.

One at a time, flip the images over (right side down), place the piece of HeatnBond shiny side down, cover with the scrap fabric, and with the iron on high, run it over the surface until the HeatnBond is adhered to the back of the image. Let cool and peel off paper backing. Set the image right side up on the piece of canvas, cover with the scrap fabric and iron so the image bonds to the canvas. Let cool.

Place a piece of felt behind the image and sew the edges using the zigzag feature. Repeat process for the other three images. Cut off any excess fabric from the edges. Varnish, let dry.

Tip: Do not varnish before sewing, otherwise it will gunk up your needle.


***
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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2006. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: fabric, Halloween, home decor, sewing

This is a project I've featured before, but I love it so much, I wanted to share it in video form. All you need are two cloth napkins and a glue gun!

Click this LINK to see it!


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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2006. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: crafty video, fabric, home decor, LifetimeTV

Do you ever go to the craft store and stop and check out all the cool iron-on appliques? I can never decide which ones to buy. Here is a way to make use of all of them! These are Halloween themed appliques that are made from iron-on "studs". You can use them to make a crafty banner to hang on your front porch on Halloween night. You could even alternate the designs onthe flags with words or letters.

I made this last year using Tulip's Halloween designs. This year, they have a whole new crop to choose from.

You could also make one large banner for your door! If you don't want to use appliques, try stencils, fabric collage, patches, embroidery or freeform drawing with fabric markers!

Supplies
• 1 piece of typing paper cut into a 6- by 9- by 9-inch triangle (this will be your template)
• Pinking shears
• 1/4 yard of black cotton fabric, cut into five triangles
• 1/4 yard of orange cotton fabric, cut into five triangles
• 1/4 yard of interfacing, cut into five triangles
• Sewing machine and straight pins (or hot glue)
• Iron
• Tulip Halloween Iron- On Appliqués (available in T-shirt aisle at craft stores)
• 2 yards of black ribbon
• 2 yards of purple pompom fringe

Directions: Use your template and pinking shears to cut five triangles each from the black and the orange fabric, as well as the interfacing. Sort into sets for five triangles, preferably one orange and one black fabric piece per set. Insert one triangle-cut piece of interfacing between the fabric of each set. Sew each set around the sides, leaving the zigzag edges. On a flat surface, use the iron to apply appliqués to each outer side of the triangle according to package directions. Lay all the triangles in a row and pin the long strand of ribbon along the top to join them. Sew in place. If you do not want to sew, you can substitute hot glue. Apply fringe to the bottom of each triangle. Hang and enjoy!

Variations: Options to appliqués include iron-on letters, fabric paint and stencils, squeeze paint and foam stamps, or designs cut from printed fabric. If you want a longer banner, double the necessary supplies. You also can increase the template size for larger triangles.


***
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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2006. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: Halloween

There is a new Crafty Chica video posted on LifetimeTV.com today! This was the very last video we shot and boy, were we zonked. My make up had come off because I had been sweating outside painting the fan. But it is all about the project, right??

This one is a stenciled fan project. I made it for my husband's music studio. I used all "manly-man" colors (blue, brown and red) to make it look macho enough for Patrick's decor and topped it off with this set from Stenci11.com and another one that I made myself.


(Mini music set)

There are some things that got edited out of the video, however they are listed in the printable directions.

- It's easiest to start with a brand new fan, right out of the box because it is already in easy-to-paint pieces.

- Tape off any vent holes if you plan to spray the whole thing.

OK, click here for the link and to watch the video!

Hope you like it, and please spread the word or leave a comment there!



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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2006. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: crafty video, home decor, LifetimeTV

Photo copyright, Kathy Cano-Murillo and The Arizona Republic.

After going to all the trouble of assembling an award-worthy costume for your kids, it would be a crime to send them out trick-or-treating with a boring plastic pumpkin candy basket.

Go that extra step and whip up an adorable furry friend that serves a great purpose. These monster bags can be made in any size, only take a few minutes to assemble and will make a happy statement for collecting candy. Visit your local fabric store to find fur in all kinds of crazy colors to match almost any kind of outfit. And after Halloween has come and gone, they will make great accessories year-round, because monsters never go out of style. Elmo can vouch for that.

Supplies
1/2 yard of fluffy faux fur in desired color
Scissors
Straight pins
Sewing machine or fabric glue
White craft glue
Googly eyes
1/2 yard of thick ribbon (for strap or handles)

Directions: Cut two pieces of fur each measuring 12 by 12 inches. After making the cut, pull off any loose fur fibers. Line up the two pieces fur-side in and pin three sides in place. Sew around three sides, backstitching and the beginning and ending stitch. Trim excess fur around edges, along top of the seam. Measure desired length of ribbon to make strap. Sew each end of strap to the inner seam of bag through opening. Be sure to sew several seams around attached area to secure handles. Trim any hanging threads. Arrange eyes on bag and use white craft glue to attach them. Let bag dry before using.

Click here for printable directions.
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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: Halloween

Scare up a Halloween doll makeover

Kathy Cano-Murillo
Special for the Republic
Oct. 12, 2007 01:48 PM


There is something deliciously fun about making something creepy.

Especially when you start with those naked dolls from the craft or dollar store. You know, the ones with the plastic hair, blinking eyelids and stiff lashes. (Shiver.) Well, I decided to give those babes a mischievous Halloween makeover with the help of a bit of black paint.

The dolls come in a variety of sizes, and even scarier - you can even score a bag of heads and arms for under $5. Can you imagine how cute it would be to have a Halloween zombie doll crocheted tissue-paper cover in your bathroom for your party?

Even better, zombie doll cupcake toppers with black icing! You could even go the Toy Story route and mix and match heads, torsos, legs and arms with other dolls or toys. I opted for the classic full-bodied dolls and had just as much fun. Try it and you'll see what I mean.

Here's what else we'd like to do with these dolls: Create one of an alter ego of your "dark side." Use as trophies for a costume contest. Use as a craft party activity.


Supplies
1 plastic doll body with flat feet (so they can be easily glued to base)
White craft paint with drops of black and blue mixed in for the skin tone
Brushes (thin and medium)
Fabric scraps, thread, ribbon
Scissors
Chain and trinkets for jewelry
Glitter
Hot glue gun and glue
1 wood base
Spray glitter (optional)

Directions
Tie the hair away from the head. Paint the entire body and face with the white paint. Use a liner brush and the black paint to add the eyebrows, liner, lips and tattoos. Let dry. Add clothing using the fabric scraps. Add the jewelry. Glitter as desired. Glue the feet to the base. Paint the base. If desired, add a coat of silver spray glitter to the hair.

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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: Halloween

Send a free Dia de los Muertos e-card featuring Patrick's paintings!

Below is a picture of some sculptures he has been making for our upcoming events. They are about 4 feet high and he has four of them. Yuppers, these went over real nice when our neighbor came over the other day to ask about our tile floor. He was like, "Um, nice dead people you have in your living room..."

Nah, he didn't really say that, but his expression kinda did. We don't know what we are going to do with these yet - use them in one of our gallery exhibits, or at a fiesta, or heck, just sell them? They sure are fun to have around the house - except one night when I got up in the middle of the night for a drink of water. The lady scared the bejesus out of me! I hadn't seen that Patrick finished her clothes, so I thought she was a real midget - only dead.



Here are the events we will be at this year. There are only two - we are just too swamped with other projects:
-
Desert Botanical Garden: Oct 27-28.
- Vision Gallery: Exhibit Oct 22-Nov 3. Fiesta on November 3rd.
- Oh! I also have a book signing at the Mesa Arts Center, I'll check on the date and post it here.

I'm surprised I didn't post about Dia de los Muertos sooner! Every day I get at least 3-4 emails asking for info. So here are some links for you:

Crafty Chica Dia de los Muertos Podcast!

Next is my favorite. It is dead.azcentral.com - it is a web site for The Arizona Republic and AzCentral that Patrick and I helped put together. Patrick did all the illustrations and I wrote many of the stories.

- The history of Dia de los Muertos.
- Glossary of terms associated with the celebration.
- Food and recipes.
- Photos.
-
Videos.
- How to build an ofrenda (an altar).

CRAFT PROJECTS:

- Egg shakers, sugar skulls, paper flowers, reverse glass painting.
- Cigar box shrine, white chocolate sugar skulls, felt banner.
- Funky Fantasy Skulls.
- Bleach Pen Skull Banners.

- Clay Pin.
Steve Irwin Altar
- Plaster of Paris Skulls.
- Calaca Charm Bracelet.

SHOPPING:

- MexicanSugarSkull.com
- Day of the Dead Wedding decorations.

- Rubber stamps and more rubber stamps!
- home decor items from Mexico.

OK, that should be enough to keep you busy for a while! Look for more projects daily!


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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: Day of the Dead, Latin-inspired, multi-culti

I've been blogging about this all summer, and now finally - the day is here!

The first of many episodes launched today! The series is called "Crafting With the Chica"

Here is a link to the "Lifetime Portrait".



Here is the link to the first segment - the Fabric Collage Dream Journal.



There are printable instructions so you can get started right away! By the way, I designed all the projects for this series to be super easy! Hope you like them! Don't forget to check back every Wednesday for the latest project! Please help spread the word!

I want to send a shout out to my dear friend and Erica Konz for the fabulous make up job - she turned me on to false lashes, yay!! And kudos to the team at Bungalow 3! Oh my gosh, and to Lifetime too!!!Thank you!!

While you are there, don't forget to check out my friend, Pattie Donham's videos too!

Ok, now I have to get back to work!!! Happy crafting!!


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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: collage/paper, crafty video, empowerment crafts, LifetimeTV

I did a big pumpkin carving package for the paper, and I worked with our newsroom designers on coming up with some southwestern themed pumpkin carving templates. Even if you are a northerner, I think you'll enjoy these designs! Just print them off, tape them to your pumpkin and have at it!



Here is the link, and the templates are in the right column.

And here is a healthy page of info I put together that is all about pumpkin carving, Crafty Chica style.

Here are some other resources:

ONLINE

- carvingpumpkins.com: Hundreds of patterns, such as a cat on a broom, Finding Nemo, The Simpsons, Lord of the Rings, patriotic, celebrities and others.

- pumpkincarving101 .com: A guide to using tools to carve a basic pumpkin design.

- extremepumpkins.com: The wild side of pumpkin carving, featuring Mud-Flap Girl Pumpkin, Puking Pumpkin, Conjoined Twins Pumpkin, Radioactive Pumpkin, Carrie Pumpkin with Pumping Blood and many others. They now have a book out: Extreme Pumpkins: Diabolical Do-It-Yourself Designs to Amuse Your Friends and Scare Your Neighbors



- thepumpkinfarm.com/ jack/jackboard.html: Forget the mess by carving a virtual pumpkin online.

- spookmaster.com: Free stencils, instructions, games, recipes and more.

BOOKS

- Great Pumpkins, by Peter Cole (Chronicle Books, $14.95).

- Halloween Pumpkins & Parties: 101 Spooktacular Ideas, by Carol Field Dahlstrom (Better Homes and Gardens, $15.95).

- Pumpkin Chic: Decorating With Pumpkins and Gourds, by Mary Caldwell (Hearst Books, $19.95).

- Holiday Pumpkins: A Collection of Recipes, Gifts, and Decorations, by Georgeanne Brennan and Jennifer Barry (Ten Speed Press, $14.95).

and I LOVE this idea! A DVD all about carving your pumpkin! Great idea! A Complete Guide to Carving the Perfect Pumpkin, ($6.98)




And I saved the best for last. My friend and crafty co-worker at Duncan made this adorable pumpkin centerpiece, perfect for your next spooky party. I was there when the masterpiece was being created, and I remember vowing that I would blog about it!!!!

Drum roll...



Here are the directions for the "I'm So Scared" Centerpiece!



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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: food crafts, Halloween

This is a project from last year, but I'm going to post it again because I love it so much!

Sometimes all we want is easy. No directions, no thought of goof ups, nothing too detailed. That's when it's time to head to places like Target or Wal-Mart and pick up some ready-to-go Halloween decorations. But you don't just buy them and put them out, silly. I spotted these plastic light-up skulls and they looked so sad and well, plain. They were crying for color, especially for this time of the year. So I picked up a batch and embellished them with acrylic craft paint and added glittery accents with squeeze paint.

No muss, no fuss and not too gory or scary. The skulls come in various sizes and price ranges ($2.99-4.99), which make them even more appealing. If you have kids, line the kitchen table with newspaper and set out a shoebox full of craft supplies and let them go at it. You can then use them to light up the front porch, the fireplace mantle or use as centerpieces for a party.

Supplies:

1 plastic skull light purchased from a discount department store
Acrylic paints
Assorted small paintbrushes
Tulip 3D Fashion Paint in assorted colors and textures (shiny and glittered)
Loose glitter, sequins, gems, etc.

Directions: Using a paintbrush and paint, add designs around the eyes, mouth, cheeks and top of the head. Use different colors for the various areas. Let dry. Use the squeeze paint to outline or accent the areas of dried paint. Keep the designs big and bold for a more vibrant look. Add gems, sequins or loose glitter over the wet squeeze paint. Let the squeeze paint dry (about an hour) and then "brush" on the glittered squeeze paint over the flat paint to make it sparkle and look varnished.

Variations: You can also find light up pumpkins to be decorated as well. Write words on the forehead or even glue pictures on.


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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: Day of the Dead, Halloween, lights

Today, my Lucha Libre Craft Lab epsiode airs on HGTV! 7 am!

We trick out a wrestler mask and think of fun names for our lucha alter egos that fit our personalities.

This would be an awesome Halloween costume, don't you think? We also make mini-shaker wrestler heads (my friend Anita's idea!!!), and lucha placecard holders.

Directions for the lucha mask.


Directions for the lucha cascarone eggs.


Directions for the lucha place holder.

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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: Cinco DeMayo, Craft Lab, Halloween, Latin-inspired, wearable art

Hey, guys: Designs can be manly

Kathy Cano-Murillo
Special for the Republic
Oct. 6, 2007 12:00 AM

Every so often someone will ask me, "Do you ever do boy crafts?"

Eek! I'm so addicted to glitter, bright colors and bejeweled trim that honestly, masculine projects are a challenge.

Not today.

I bought my 16-year-old son a new set of sheets and wanted to personalize it for him. I thought of a cool company - Stencil 1 (www.stencil1.com), and its specialty is hip stencils - I found at last year's Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn. No geese in bonnets or ivy vines here. I'm talking boomboxes, monkey heads, turntables, muscle cars and old-school banana-seat bicycles.

The stencils come in large and small sizes, perfect for walls or smaller projects. When using them, you can go with the traditional stencil pouncing method and fabric paint, or you can try fabric spray paint.

Using hip stencils on sheets creates a fun graffiti-style look that proves crafting can be cool even for boys.

However, if you want a cleaner, classier look, check out the craft store for other stencils.

My only quandary for these guy-friendly bedsheets was whether to add black fabric glitter. It took all my might, but (sigh) I decided against it.

I don't think my son would have appreciated the sparkles.

Stenciled Graffiti Bedsheets
Supplies

Sheet set

Plastic gloves

Assorted stencils

Stencil brush

Bottled fabric paint

Directions

Working in a garage, or someplace roomy, line the bottom of your work surface with plastic. Lay the sheet face up on the plastic. Put on the gloves.

Set the stencils where you want the images to be. Hold down the stencil with your hand and lightly dab stencil brush in paint, dab on paper towel and then pounce up and down on top of fabric, covering entire stencil area.

Remove stencil and continue on the remainder of the sheet. Repeat process for the edge of the pillowcases. Let dry. Wash as usual.

Fabric paint dries soft, but you can choose whether to just decorate the top sheet, or the bottom sheet as well. I went with just the top sheet.

Spray fabric paint works, too, but the previously mentioned method leaves much cleaner lines.

Variations: For more personalization, use foam letters, stamps and fabric paints, or draw your own designs using permanent fabric markers.


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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: home decor, inside

It's finally October, pumpkin season! Like all other obsessive crafters, every year I hurt my brain trying to come up with some new and fantastic idea, only to see a better version in a glossy magazine. I don't think that will happen today. Maybe it's because of my addiction to the new fall TV season, but I've had nothing but screens on my mind. I think that's how this Pumpkin TV idea creeped into my imagination. The concept is to take any picture and transform your pumpkin into a lighted prop. To go the extra inch - bake a batch of rectangular cookies, use orange, brown and white icing and decorate them like TV remotes. Now that's what I call Must See TV!

Foam Pumpkin TV Set

Supplies:
1 medium foam pumpkin
1 heavy-duty craft knife
1 quarter of a piece of paper, pen, scissors
1 image printed on a sheet of vellum paper
Orange micro glitter, orange paint
Polka dot ribbon
Glue dots and hot glue gun
Plug-in pumpkin light (found at the craft store)
4 wood doll heads
2 chopsticks
4 purple spice drops

Directions: Using the scissors, round off the corners of the piece of paper to create the pattern for the "screen". Draw two shapes on the pumpkin where you will need to cut. Find the flattest side of the pumpkin, then lay the pattern down and trace around it. Turn it face down and draw a circle big enough to fit the light through. Using the craft knife or Dremel tool, cut out the two shapes.




Using your finger, apply a thin layer of orange paint around the inner edge of the screen, to cover the bumpy cut marks. Sprinkle the orange glitter over the wet paint. Let dry. Take the pumpkin piece that you cut out to make the screen. Lay your image over it and cut off the edges, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Apply glue dots around that border on the front side of the image. Feed the image through the hole you cut at the back of the pumpkin and carefully press the picture in place so it is centered and the image shows through. Use a hot glue to tack down any open spots and to add a border of ribbon around the screen. Turn the pumpkin upside down and glue on the wood doll heads for the "feet" of the TV. Turn the pumpkin right side up again, trim the chopsticks and poke them through the top of the pumpkin to look like antennas. Glue a purple spice drop on each one and also for the knobs at the side of the screen. Feed the light through the hole and glue in place if needed. Plug in and use!

Variations and tips: Only use a foam pumpkin for this project for safety reasons. Use family photos from past Halloween events for the image. Use white striped or speckled vellum paper to make it look like a real TV screen. For best results, insert the light from the back of the pumpkin, instead of inside the pumpkin. You can also cut several "windows" in the pumpkin and apply multiple pictures.

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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: Halloween