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The Crafty Chica DIY Project Library: a collection of fabulous handmade ideas by Kathy Cano-Murillo, the Crafty Chica! Tuesday, October 27, 2009Terrorific Tuesdays, Week 4! Well, it's the last week of Terrorific Tuesday 2009! I appreciate everyone who have participated in this fun lil' roundup of craftiness! I think a lot of people enjoy looking through these projects and getting inspired...that's why I put it together :) Now without further fanfare, I bring you week 4 of Terrorific Tuesday 2009! Trick or Treat!Frame and post it note holder dressed for Halloween Costumed Kokeshi DollsTry out a Halloween idea for a traditional Japanese doll with Crafterella Halloween MaskPhyllis Dobbs created a fun and easy Halloween mask - great for adults and kids! Fun Halloween LanternsStephenie Hamen accessorizes plain paper lanterns with her paper punches. Black Widow & Bloody NecklacesPattie Wack uses 3-D paint to create chokers that will creep out your party guests! Tutu Cute Halloween WreathVanessa creates an inspired wreath made of tulle! Mad Scientist PartyAmy of Living Locurto shares a slew of fun ideas to host your own Mad Scientist Party. Halloween Zombie DollsCrafty Chica shows how to add some zombie love to your decor! Halloweenies!Boopsie Daisy shares some of the wonderful Halloween dollies that she dreams up! Crafty Chica's Ghost Story!Kathy Cano-Murillo shares a haunted crafty tale! Halloween Cone WitchesMake these cute little paper cone witches for Halloween! Halloween LeftoversMel takes the leftovers from last week's project and makes a cool Goth choker! Brenda Pinnick Halloween OwlsSeasonal Owls for Scaring or Delighting Trick or Treaters The Impatient CrafterMargot creates another spooktacular mixed media necklace with a bite. Halloween Batty WindchimeHeidi Borchers creates a super cute windchime with personality! Kitschy Kitschy BOOAdd some Halloween flair to your day with this cute kitschy bracelet and earring combo! Simple Halloween Gift TagsStudio Mama makes a strong impact with these quick and easy tags! Strands of BeadsMelissa once again gives some pretty flower beads a Gothic makeover with this simple earring design Costume FunSharron Westerfield shares her passion for costume-making and the joy it brings her grandchildren. Return of the Birthday ZombieCandace is cracking herself up with this ghoulish gift box idea Doodle PumpkinSwelldesigner a.k.a. Alexa Westerfield shows you how to make a fun pumpkin on the fly! ** MY NEW BOOK: "Crafty Chica's Guide to Artful Sewing: Fabu-Low-Sew Ideas for the Everyday Crafter". See the new line of Crafty Chica products at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2009. Labels: Halloween Sunday, October 25, 2009Disturbing Doormat (for Halloween!) Any other time of the year, this idea would be sick. But hey, Halloween is all about the chills and thrills. This is a piece of canvas that I made into a doormat. It's a hit with our visitors, everyone gets a chuckle out of it.Supplies: 1 piece of heavy canvas in the size of a door mat Tulip Fabric Spray Paint (red) Crafty Chica Tango Permanent Fabric Markers (black) Rug grip for the bottom Directions: Pour the fabric paint (I like this one because it is thin and leaves a good "stain") on an unwanted cookie sheet or paint pan and step in it. Step on the mat and roll your feet so it makes a good footprint. Drip more paint around, and then add whatever phrases you want using the black marker. Add the rug grip for the bottom. Heh, heh, heh...enjoy! ** MY NEW BOOK: "Crafty Chica's Guide to Artful Sewing: Fabu-Low-Sew Ideas for the Everyday Crafter". See the new line of Crafty Chica products at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2009. Labels: Halloween, home decor Tuesday, October 20, 2009Terrorific Tuesday, Week 3 From Alexa Westerfield, the compiler of Terrorific Tuesdays: Another week, another fun roundup of Halloween craft ideas! I want to give a shout out to everyone who has participated over the past few weeks! I can really tell that you guys have really enjoyed sharing and making your projects. I think there is something about Halloween that enlivens people and gets them excited about crafting throughout the holiday months! I know it puts some mojo in my holiday step! Now onto the projects! Spooky Spider House Silvia creates a miniature haunted house that is spooky and oh-so fun! Witchy Embroidered Postcard Sharron Westerfield brews up a whimsical witch postcard The Impatient Crafter Vintage plastic owls become the focal point of a charming necklace you can wear for Halloween and all year round! Pumpkin and cat felt treat bag Felt bag that can also be made as a wall hanging or door hanger Cheryl Ball's Halloween Door Hangers Create these door hangers from inexpensive gloves for Trick of Treaters My Big Mouth Make a creepy wire tree just in time for Halloween! Mel's Day of the Dead Necklace Linked chain, skulls and spiderwebs for Dia de los Muertos Crafty Chica's Matchbook Shrines Adorable little folding shrines that fit in your pocket! Paper Pumpkin Make a plump paper pumpkin from some strips of paper plus a little Halloween craftiness! Polymer Clay Zombie Candace's diabolical plan to populate the world with zombies continues! The Impatient Crafter for iLoveToCreate Make a retro style styrofoam ornament into a fab Halloween Party centerpiece! Madge shows you how using iLoveToCreate products! How to Make a Spooky Spice Rack Come make a spooky spice rack with Crafterella, she's sharing her unique labels with everyone! Halloween Treat Tote Conjure up a quick Halloween cupcake basket using new ScoreBoard dies! Brenda Pinnick's Halloween Banner A little scary, a little fun, this delightful banner celebrates all things Halloween. Made using Brenda Pinnick Sizzix dies, glitter and ribbon. Creepy Candlesticks Pattie Wack turns mini pumpkins into a boo-tiful Halloween lighting idea! Strands of Beads Melissa explores the holiday possibilities in a black and white checkered bead Glow in the Dork Wall Hanging Turn off the lights and have a laugh with this goofy wall hanging from Alexa Westerfield! Picture Perfect Pumpkin Vanessa Coppola turns a traditional pumpkin into a decopauged masterpiece! ** MY NEW BOOK: "Crafty Chica's Guide to Artful Sewing: Fabu-Low-Sew Ideas for the Everyday Crafter". See the new line of Crafty Chica products at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2009. Labels: Halloween Wednesday, October 14, 2009Cycle of Life Face Painting Many schools are teaching students about Dia de los Muertos and are on the hunt for cool crafty ideas. This is a good one that is often found at many muertos fiestas - face painting! But we're not talking Disney characters or sports logos. This is much more meaningful. This is a chance to explain about the cycle of life and how Dia de los Muertos relates to it. Using face paint found at the costume store, paint half of a face like a sugar skull and leave the other half alone. This represents that in this life or the next we will always be "alive", our spirit is eternal! I've seen all kinds of faces painted in this style and it is inspiring to see the variations on how the skull portion is decorated. You can use black and white, or lots of color and even glitter! If you are a painter, why not volunteer at a local school or local muertos fiesta and paint faces? Or at least have your face painted, it's fun. It tickles! Coming soon, I'll post a video on how to do it! ** MY NEW BOOK: "Crafty Chica's Guide to Artful Sewing: Fabu-Low-Sew Ideas for the Everyday Crafter". See the new line of Crafty Chica products at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2009. Labels: Day of the Dead, Halloween, paint Sunday, October 11, 2009Paint Drip Pumpkin This is was an unplanned Halloween project. I had foam pumpkins in my garage from years past that I couldn't use anymore - I wanted to make new ones. I had already decorated both sides of all of them and was ready to send them to Goodwill.But then an idea popped in my head! I was all hopped up on a quad venti pumpkin latte and decided to mix and pour colored resin over one of the pumpkins. I thought it would look shiny and brilliant, but after it cured it didn't. It ran and the colors became very thin. I was not about to give up. I then used acrylic paints and dripped them down. I let the colors dry in between coats. In a split-second decision, I squeezed multi-colored liquid glitter over all of it. That is my only regret. I wish I had thought it through better and used CLEAR liquid glitter so the colors would show through from underneath. I also wish I had glittered that spider black. Oh well! Play around with your pumpkins, do something different, they don't all have to have faces on them. And they don't have to carved. Check out Alisa Burke's  Messy Pumpkins! She even has tutorials! ** MY NEW BOOK: "Crafty Chica's Guide to Artful Sewing: Fabu-Low-Sew Ideas for the Everyday Crafter". See the new line of Crafty Chica products at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2009. Mask-on-a-Stick   This is an exclusive project I made for dead.azcentral.com, CLICK HERE for printable directions and all kinds of other educational info about Dia de los Muertos! ** MY NEW BOOK: "Crafty Chica's Guide to Artful Sewing: Fabu-Low-Sew Ideas for the Everyday Crafter". See the new line of Crafty Chica products at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2009. Labels: Day of the Dead, glitter, Halloween, wearable art Vampire Rose Bouquet If you are hosting or sporting a vampire theme this year for Halloween, you'll need some of these. These are red silk roses. I used my Crafty Chica Fabric Markers (black one) to color the pedals, and then I brushed on some Aleene's Paper Glaze and loaded them up with Crafty Chica Be Bop Black glitter!TIP: You can do this any time of the year, just change the color of the flowers and the glitter accordingly. You can theme them to parties, anniversaries, etc. ** MY NEW BOOK: "Crafty Chica's Guide to Artful Sewing: Fabu-Low-Sew Ideas for the Everyday Crafter". See the new line of Crafty Chica products at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2009. Gothic Skull Princess Crown If you want something a little dark and creepy for Halloween, but not too dark and creepy, this might be for you!Supplies: 1 plastic tiara (found at party store) Silk red roses Greenery Skull beads Mardi Gras beads Plastic twigs Crafty Chica Glitter Crafty Chica Little Paint Pack Aleene's Easy Flow Tacky Glue Round wood disc Hot glue Directions: 1. Hot glue the leaves and roses to the base of the crown. 2. Paint the wood disc and hot glue the skull beads on it. 3. Using the Tacky Glue, coat the twigs with glitter and hot glue to back. 4. Hot glue the Mardgi Gras beads around the wood circle. ** MY NEW BOOK: "Crafty Chica's Guide to Artful Sewing: Fabu-Low-Sew Ideas for the Everyday Crafter". See the new line of Crafty Chica products at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2009. Labels: Halloween, wearable art Glittered Halloween Hair Clips!  It's OK to have spiders in our hair as long as they are glittered, right?This is an easy project that will make every gasp in crafty delight! Supplies: Long hair clips Embroidery floss Glittered leaves Plastic bugs Crafty Chica Glitters Aleene's Easy Flow Tacky Glue Hot glue To make these, first wrap the embroidery floss around the top of the hair clip. Use a dab of Aleene's to tack down the end. Next, coat the bugs with glue (using a paintbrush) and cover with glitter. Let dry. Hot glue to the top of leaf. Hot glue to hair clip. TIP: To prevent a hot glue mess, slide the hair clip onto a glossy coated business card or postcard and then hot glue embellishments on. Let the glue cool and remove. The hot glue will not stick to the glossy coating! ** MY NEW BOOK: "Crafty Chica's Guide to Artful Sewing: Fabu-Low-Sew Ideas for the Everyday Crafter". See the new line of Crafty Chica products at HERE Amazon.com!! All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2009. Labels: Halloween, wearable art Friday, October 31, 2008Costume: Super Mario Goes to Heaven Here is Maya's costume. She wanted to go as Super Mario. Easy! Overalls, red shirt - and for the hat, I painted a white circle and added a fabric M in the center of a baseball cap. Patrick painted a Mario mustache on her. I thought it would be cute if she wore angel wings for when Mario doesn't quite make it past Level One... *** See my new product line at select Michaels stores or buy online at Amazon.com! Other links: STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com Labels: Halloween Tuesday, October 28, 2008VIEDO: Day of the Dead Mask
Make your own mask for Dia de los Muertos! LINK *** See my new product line at select Michaels stores or buy online at Amazon.com! Other links: STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com Labels: crafty video, Day of the Dead, Halloween, wearable art Monday, October 27, 2008Dorothy Shoes My little niece, Sarah, is in third grade and is going as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz for Halloween. Everyone knows the most important part - aside from Toto, is the pair of ruby slippers. Unfortunately, Sarah's mom couldn't find anything comparable at the stores, so she asked me to transform the above vinyl pair the best I could. Their first choice was glitter. First thing I did was Google the shoes for a picture.  Next I bought sequins and tried a Crafty Chica version, which came out like this...  They didn't quite come out like the original...Sarah and I agreed we would go with old school micro glitter (plus, I ran out of sequins!). This is the end result:  They came out super sparkly and Sarah-approved. She is ready to rock the third grade Halloween party! To make these shoes, first paint them red, if they are not so already. If they are vinyl, you'll need to sand them down to give them "grip". Then coat with Aleene's Fabric Fusion one section at a time and pour on the glitter (I used my Crafty Chica Rockabilly Ruby). I wanted these shoes to last a long time, so I finished them off with two coats of high-gloss spray varnish. *** See my new product line at select Michaels stores or buy online at Amazon.com! Other links: STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com Labels: Halloween, wearable art Monday, October 20, 2008Halloween Candy Necklaces This is an idea I did in 2003 for Valentine's Day, but I lost the picture! So here is an easy version using skinny licorice whips and orange and black candies too. Marshmallow candies work easy for this project too! Just take a sharp bamboo skewer and poke holes in the candy and string them on! Great for parties! NOTE: Best when made to be eaten right away! *** See my new product line at select Michaels stores or buy online at Amazon.com! Other links: STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com Labels: Halloween Skelton Shadow Box (click on image for a closer view) Take a spin by the toy section to pick up some figures, give them a makeover and then stage them inside a glittery shadow box. You can go as small as a mint tin or larger with a cigar box. Either way, you'll have a worthy piece of art! My box is called "Recuerda me" (Remember me), it is about a ballerina who was in love with a musician. They lived in the southwest. She dreams of him in the afterlife, and knows he is thinking of her too. Come Nov 1st, her spirit will return to Earth and linger at their romantic hideaway, where she knows he is waiting for her with a beautiful ofrenda in her honor... Supplies • Any collection of small boxes. • Scrapbook paper or fabric. • Magazine pictures. • Small dolls from the dollar store. • Small found objects. • Glitter, hot glue, white craft glue, paint. • Mardi Gras beads or other accents. Directions Using black paint, coat the inside and outside of the box, let dry. Line the back with paper/fabric, using white craft glue. Paint the doll to look as sweet-and-scary as you want - it can be a vampire, a skeleton, a pumpkin head, a witch, a zombie, etc. I made mine for Dia de los Muertos. Glue the doll in place and add found objects to give the box personality. Trim the inside and outside edges with the Mardi Gras beads or accents. Add a hanging attachment to the back. Tips Make several of these boxes in different shapes and sizes and display them together in a modular pattern. Add captions, speech bubbles or titles to make them funny. Use more than one figure in several of the boxes, just to mix it up. *** See my new product line at select Michaels stores or buy online at Amazon.com! Other links: STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com Labels: Day of the Dead, Halloween Saturday, October 11, 2008Crafty CHICA-ween & Day of the Dead! Looking for some fun Halloween projects? Look no further! I'll be adding more throughout the rest of the month, but in the meantime, here are some from years past. CRAFTY CHICA GHOST STORIES Rubina Chinchada & the Enchanted Dresser (flash fiction) My Real Life, Swear-to-God Ghost Story! (for real!) CRAFTY CHICA HALLOWEEN IDEAS (more to come) Candy Necklaces All about pumpkins (plus stencils!) Beehive Wig Candy Sorter Placemats Corpse Bride Costume Creepy Candles Furry Monster Candy Totes Glow-In-The-Dark Jewelry Halloween Zombie Dolls Horror Flick Fabric Coasters Hot Glue Eye Masks Mason Jar Lanterns Personalized Lucha Libre Mask Pumpkin TV Set Sparkly and Spooky Banners Stained Glass Lanterns CRAFTY CHICA DIA DE LOS MUERTOS IDEAS (more to come) Learn all about this spectacular and spiritual Mexican holiday by visiting Dead.AzCentral.com. My hubby, Patrick, did all the illustrations! More projects to come!  Teacher and student educational packet, featuring the art of Patrick Murillo! Skeleton Story Box Black and White Charm Bracelet Bleach Pen Skull Banners Clay Calaca Beaded Charm Bracelet Decoupage Lamp Day of the Dead Pin Felt Banner FREE e-cards! Funky Fantasy Skulls How to make a shrine La Catrina Cigar Box Shrine Light up Skulls Paper Flowers Plaster of Paris Skulls Reverse Glass Painting Simple Papel Picado Steve Irwin Altar The Therapist Shadow box Traditional Sugar Skulls 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). - MexicanSugarSkull.com - Day of the Dead Wedding decorations.  - Rubber stamps and more rubber stamps!- home decor items from Mexico. Wedding Couple Tote White Chocolate Sugar Skulls *** See my new product line at select Michaels stores or buy online at Amazon.com! Other links: STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com Labels: Day of the Dead, Halloween Painted Halloween or Muertos Lanterns Supplies: 1 paper lantern. Spray paint (optional). Assorted paints and brushes (or stencil and spray paint). Loose glitter in black, white, purple and orange. Newspaper.
Directions: Open the lantern. If it's white and you want to add color, take it outside and lightly spray it with the spray paint. Let dry. Prop it on a flat surface. Carefully paint on your design (or go outside and lay the stencil on the lantern and apply spray paint). Let dry. Use a liner brush and paint to highlight the edges of the design and sprinkle glitter over the wet paint. Let dry. Continue adding designs to the rest of the lantern if desired. *** See my new product line at select Michaels stores or buy online at Amazon.com! Other links: STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com Labels: Day of the Dead, Halloween, lights, paper Groovy Ghouly Pins Supplies: 1 flat wood disc (at least 1-inch in diameter). 1 image of a pumpkin, witch, ghost or skull face. Scissors. Black, white, orange or purple curvy pipe cleaner. Assorted decorative fibers (in the cardmaking section of the craft store). Hot glue. Small pin back. Directions: Decorate the wood disc with the image of the face with paint, decoupage, a rubber stamp design or sticker. Cut two pieces of the pipe cleaner so they each have two "curves." Twist the two pieces together to look like a body - two legs pointing down, two arms pointing out. At the top, make a pinch to create the neck. Hot glue the face to the front of the neck and let dry. Roll the tips of the arms to look like hands and bend the bottom of each leg to look like a foot. Turn it over and glue the pin to the back of the body and let dry. Variation: You can also tie on string to make it into an ornament. *** See my new product line at select Michaels stores or buy online at Amazon.com! Other links: STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com Labels: Halloween Halloween Jar Lanterns There must be a hundred ways to dress up plain paper bags into illuminated art pieces. However, this year I'm giving the small sacks a break and going for the glass. Mason jars aren't as cheap as the bags, but they are worth the extra change. Decorate the front with some fun images and trim the sides with tissue paper to add a whole new level of whimsy to your outdoor Halloween décor. When tea light candles are inserted, these luminarias will glow when lined up in long rows. I went for a retro vibe by using Halloween cards from www.archiemcphee.com ($4.95 for a set of 10). A case of Mason jars will run you about $10. Mason Jar Halloween LuminariasSupplies Variations: For more personalized luminarias, take pictures of your family members making scary faces and then shrink them down to use instead of the other pictures. In place of tissue paper, embellish with ribbon, stickers, sequins or any other lightweight items. To store your luminarias, wrap them individually in plastic bags. *** See my new product line at select Michaels stores or buy online at Amazon.com! Other links: STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com Personalized Lucha Libre Mask Lucha Libre is a form of Mexican wrestling, but it actually means "free fighting." The crafters are given Luchadors masks and various crafting tools and materials so that once they decide who their Lucha Libre "character" is, they can decorate the masks to reflect their wrestling personality. Materials: Mexican wrestling masks
Lucha Libre masks can be purchased online or at Mexican import stores, and this is how they come (figure A). Embellish the mask and pick a name for your Mexican wrestler personality.
Tips:
*** See my new product line at select Michaels stores or buy online at Amazon.com! Other links: STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com Labels: fabric, Halloween, Latin-inspired Tuesday, October 07, 2008Sugar Skull Glitter PIllow Here are directions on how to make this from two bandannas!  *** See my new product line at select Michaels stores or buy online at Amazon.com! Other links: STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com Labels: Day of the Dead, fabric, glitter, Halloween Wednesday, September 10, 2008VIDEO: Day of the Dead mask!Watch to see how to make a Dia de los Muertos mask! Click here if you can't see the video above. *** See my new product line at select Michaels stores or buy online at Amazon.com! Other links: STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com Labels: Day of the Dead, glitter, Halloween, paper Wednesday, October 31, 2007SKULLS: Plaster and sugar 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 *** CLICK HERE to see my crafty videos at LifetimeTV.com! Other links: STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2006. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * Labels: Day of the Dead, Halloween, Latin-inspired Monday, October 29, 2007Horror Flick Fabric Coasters 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. *** CLICK HERE to see my crafty videos at LifetimeTV.com! Other links: STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2006. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * Labels: fabric, Halloween, home decor, sewing Monday, October 22, 2007Sparkly Halloween Banners  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. *** CLICK HERE to see my crafty videos at LifetimeTV.com! Other links: STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2006. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * Labels: Halloween Monday, October 15, 2007repost: Monster Bags 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. *** STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * 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 Friday, October 12, 2007Halloween Zombie Dolls  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. *** STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * 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 Tuesday, October 09, 2007All about pumpkins!  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  - http://www.costumesupercenter. - 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! *** STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * 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 Funky Fantasy Skulls 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. *** STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR * 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 About Me
Mommy, wifey, artist, author, left-handed middle-child Sagittarian. Craft designer, product developer, former newspaper columnist. My first novel, WAKING UP IN THE LAND OF GLITTER debuts March 1st!  
Note to visitors: Hola! This site is the archive of all my past projects for Gannett News Service and The Arizona Republic. These ideas are for personal use only. I make a living as a craft designer, so I will be using these ideas in my published works. If you are thinking of selling or using these ideas for profit, please give respect and "twist" them to make them your own - put your own stamp on them to make them different. It will work out for the best for both of us! Thank you and much respect from one creative person to another! — Kathy Have a burning crafty question? Visit my Ask Crafty Chica blog or drop me a line! Project Categories
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