• 1 - 6ct. unfinished wood block set
• Halloween Paper of your choice
• Embellishment Glue Stick
• Darice Chipboard Letters
• Extra Fine Glitter (color of your choice)
• Acrylic paint to match the glitter colors
• Black Acrylic paint for the blocks, back and sides
• Black Marbleizing Spray

Directions:

1. Start with painting all your blocks with black acrylic paint.
2. Let dry and set aside.
3. Cut paper to fit the front of each block then glue to the block using the embellishment glue stick. Smooth out paper and press down on paper so it adheres well to the block.
4. Paint the chip board letters with acrylic paint.
5. Glittering Letters: use a brush to spread Martha Stewart glitter glue, then sprinkle glitter. Let dry then give it another coat of glue. Once it dries completely it will be clear and your glitter will still sparkle but it wont fall off!
6. Spider Web Letters: Once your acrylic paint dries take letters outside and spray them with wed spray. You will love the way it turns out!

Supplies for BOO Marquee Sign:

• 1 - B & 2 - O Marquee letters
• 2 - 12x12 scrapbook paper (we used Doodle Bug "October 31" collection)
• Black Acrylic Paint
• Krylon White Webbing Spray
• Pencil for tracing
• Scissors
• Foam Brush

Use your favorite fall fabric collection and these simple hoops to make a festive and fun wall decor! Change your look every season quickly and easily! Use Soft and Bright batting to give your fabric some body and the hoop art some depth!



Supplies:

•    14” or 18” wooden embroidery hoop
•    Fat quarter of fabric
•    ½ yard of fusible fleece
•    A bag of polyester fleece
•    Iron on word* if you are creating the welcome pumpkin
•    Aleene’s Tacky  Glue
•    Americana Gloss Enamel in complimentary color
•    Twine
•    Masking tape or painters tape
•    Cardboard larger than your hoop (a cereal box is great!)
•    Pen or pencil
•    Embellishments
•    Frixion pen, optional

Directions:

1. Using the Frixion pen, trace the inner hoop onto the fusible fleece.  Center the same hoop on your fat quarter and again with the Frixion pen, trace around it.  Again with the inner hoop, trace it onto the cardboard.  Cut out each.  The marks made by the Frixion pen disappear when you iron on the fleece.

2. Using the tape, securely tape the cardboard to the inner hoop. Set aside.


3. Center the fleece circle on the fat quarter, matching it to the traced mark.  Following the fleece manufacturer’s directions, fuse the circle in place.   Don’t trim the excess fabric.

4. Mound the polyester filling in the center of the cardboard and hoop.  Center the fat quarter/fused fleece circle on top of this mound.  The fused fleece circle keeps the polyester filling from looking lumpy on the outside. (If the entire fat quarter was fused with the fleece, you would find it very difficult to close the hoop.) 

5. Slowly put the outside hoop on, smoothing the edges of fabric and stuffing the little bits of stuffing back inside the inner hoop and pulling the fabric to tighten it.  Every so often you should flip the pumpkin over to make sure you don’t need to add or subtract stuffing in different areas.  Tighten the screw at the top of the hoop to secure it and turn the pumpkin package over.

6. Begin taping the fabric to the cardboard, gently pulling the fabric as you tape.  The entire process feels like you are trying to stuff things in a suitcase and close it!  I don’t think you can over-tape the fabric to the cardboard.  When you are happy with the way it looks on the front and the fabric is securely taped on the back, remove the outer hoop. 

7. Measure 3 lengths of twine or ribbon long enough to go around your pumpkin and allow you to tie a knot to create your pumpkin segments.  Being mindful of any directional design on your fabric, tie each piece of twine in the back to create the pumpkin segments as shown.  Paint the outer hoop or glue ribbon on to it.  When the paint is dry, run a bead of glue along the outside of the smaller hoop (on top of the fabric).  Put the outer hoop back on the pumpkin and tighten the screw. 

8. Add leaves, flowers, etc. to hide the hoop screw.

Note: If you want to create the welcome pumpkin, you will need a word, a fat quarter, ½ yard of fusible fleece and a hoop.  Make sure the word will fit into the size hoop you choose. Fuse the fleece to your fat quarter.  Trace the outer hoop onto the right side of your fabric.  Add 2” all the way around this circle and cut it out.  Following the manufacturer’s directions, fuse the word onto the right side of your fabric circle. If you plan to paint the outer hoop, now is the time to do that.  Centering the circle in the inner hoop, place the outer hoop on and tighten, pulling the fabric taut as you go.  Tighten the screw as tight as you are able.  Flip the pumpkin over and trim the excess fabric off the back.  Trim the hoop with ribbon, etc.  Cover up the hoop screw as desired with flowers, leaves, ribbons, etc.


* Lowest price of the season 50% off regular prices on Embroidery Hoops, Fabric Tac Adhesive $10.88 (reg $16.99), and Soft and Bright Batting 4 oz $4.88 (reg $6.99), and 30% off Fall, Halloween, and Christmas Bolted Cotton Fabrics on sale until October 27th, 2014

I've been making these Origami clocks for years, out of everything from wallpaper to vellum. I love to teach this craft to friends, so I'm excited to give the readers on this blog the instructions as well! It's truly a completely customizable decor piece, and is way easier to make than it looks. In addition to the Origami clock, I'm including ideas on a pop-up card using the same Origami folds as the clock. Origami isn't just paper cranes or airplanes, and once you get the hang of a few basic folds, you can incorporate origami folding into lots of other paper crafts.

Origami Clock

Supplies:

*4 sheets of patterned paper, 2 each of 2 patterns. I used paper from Authentique's "Spirited" collection, along with the sticker sheet from the collection for the "numbers".
* A bone folder for crisp folds. I used the one that came with my Martha Stewart Scoring Board.
* Walnut Hollow Clock Works. Be sure to get a 1/4" shaft. I also always get bigger, better clock hands from the same brand
* Darice "Home for the Haunting" fleece spider net. This can be found in the Halloween section of your local Craft Warehouse
* Darice 8 piece Crafter's Tool Set. You will need the hole puncher and hammer. You will also need a wood or resin block to hammer on top of.
*Aleene's Tacky Glue in either regular or Quick Grab
* 6" mat board or thick chipboard for the back. Either square or round.
*Crescent wrench to tighten clock bolts.
* A heavy book to flatten clock while it dries.

Instructions:

Center Circle-

1. Cut 2 sheets of patterned paper into 6"x6" squares.
2. "Square base" fold each of the 8 pieces. (LINK:http://www.origami-instructions.com/origami-square-base.html) Once you've chosen which side of the paper you want to show, that is the "Right" side. The side you want hidden is the "Wrong" side. Fold Right sides together on the diagonal, and wrong sides together on the horizontal. Crease folds well with the bone folder.



3. Nestle together 2 folded pieces, open ends to the center, and put a little glue under the top flap. Be sure to alternate all the layers. (see photo) Continue nestling and gluing until you've done all 8. (The last one is tricky, make sure both sides layer right)



4. Once it's all nestled and squished together to your liking, let glue dry under a heavy book.

NOTE: I love Aleene's tacky glue for this project because it allows you to move things around for a bit without hardening too fast. Do not use hot glue or a glue runner.


5. After it's dry, glue the web to the front. Center it nicely and match the spiderweb points up with the origami points. Let dry under the book.

Outside Circle-

1. Cut 2 sheets of your contrasting patterned paper into 5 3/4"x 5 3/4" squares.

2. Fold once, diagonally, with wrong sides together.

3. Loosely arrange the triangles in a circle and overlap every other point.

4. Place Center circle on top of this loose arrangement, and then get ready to get finicky! You want a 1/4" between points, and the tip of each center circle point should match the folded edge of the outside circle triangles.  (see photo) Take your time. Only be as finicky as you are comfortable, and remember you are using a wet glue and have some wiggle time.


5. Once arranging is done, lift corners of outside circle and glue where you can. Then lift off center circle, glue some more, and put center circle back on top to secure.

6. Put it all under the book to dry.

Clock Assembly-

1. Glue the 6" piece of mat board or chip board to the back of the clock. Let dry under the book.

2. Take your hammer and hole punch and find the center of the front of the clock. Place over the wood/resin block and hammer away. With the fleece and mat board it will take a bit to get all the way through. Then enlarge the hole a bit more to make it easier to get the clock part through.

3. From the back, shove the clock part shaft through the center and assemble as instructed on the package. Add hands and top piece. I added stickers from the "Spirited" collection pack to the back of the hands, trimmed and glued to fit.

4. Add "Numbers" of your choice to the 12,3,6,9 clock positions. I used stickers from the collection, backed with die cut glitter paper scalloped circles. You can use anything from buttons, brads, flowers, or any other embellishment, as long as whatever you use doesn't obstruct the hands as they go around.


NOTE: The clock parts are not permanently attached. Make clock faces for each holiday or season, or change up your decor, and use the clock parts in each clock face!

Origami Pop Out Card

Supplies:
* Authentique "Spirited" Collection cardstock, die cuts, and stickers.
* American Crafts Printed Adhesive Cork Sheets
* American Crafts Glitter Cardstock
* Bone Folder
* Solid Color Cardstock
* Lifestyle Crafts Nesting Dies * Tombo Glue Runner
* Aleene's Tacky Glue
* A heavy book

Instructions:

Front of Card-

The front of the card can be designed and assembled in an infinite number of ways. The card base is a 6"x12" piece of cardstock, folded in the center. I die cut frame pieces from the cork sheet for each card and used die cut pieces from the "Spirited" Collection with each card, but otherwise they are very different, and the focus on the card is on the origami pop out inside.

Inside-

1. Glue a 5 3/4"x 5 3/4" to each face of the inside of the card with a glue runner.

2. The pop out base piece is cut at 6"x 6".  Do the same "Square base" fold technique used on the clock, but omit 1 diagonal fold.

3. Decorate and embellish as much or as little as you like. For each layer you add to the pop out, be sure to cut it at least a 1/4" smaller than the layer below it, to allow unobstructed creases. Textures are great, i.e. embossing, but pop dots are not recommended, inside the card.

4. Fold origami pop up piece up. Put Tacky Glue on the bottom flat side and center it on the card fold. Put glue on top flat side and fold the card down on top of it. Get that heavy book again and let the card dry underneath.

5. Decorate and embellish your heart out!