Cute Crafties: BOO wreath TUTORIAL

Okay, so I think this is just the cutest Halloween decoration!! It is just so fun and festive! Who wouldn't LOVE it?!

Craftaholics Anonymous: BOO wreath TUTORIAL

Cute Crafties: Necktie Envlope

What a fun way to use up old ties! Plus ya the men don't always LOVE the pretty envolpes and cards, so this can give em some of their manly manness back! ;)

http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/necktie-envelope

Cute Crafties: Birds of a Feather Family Tree

Introduction

Help your kids visualize their extended family in a cute and colorful way. Use our tree template to transfer the tree onto a bedroom or playroom wall, and paint. Then use the bird templates to depict the grandparents and successive generations.

Step 1

Print the tree and bird templates. If you have a projector, use it to project image onto wall, and trace with pencil. Otherwise, print on multiple sheets of paper and tape together. Tape templates to wall and, with transfer paper taped beneath, trace outline.

Step 2

Using transfer paper, trace birds onto limbs. (Start with owl grandparents at bottom, then branch up and out with children and grandchildren.) Paint tree; let dry.

Step 3

Paint birds; let dry. With fine-tip brush, write in names.


Read more at Wholeliving.com: Birds of a Feather Family Tree - Martha Stewart Crafts 

Cute Crafties: Pearlescent Painted Napkins and Ties

These easy-to-make ties -- satin cord trimmed with starlike dried sweetgum fruits -- are an elegant accompaniment to hemstitched napkins embellished with silver or lavender fabric paint. The "stars" are spray-painted white and attached to the cord's ends with a hot-glue gun.
Tools and Materials
Hemstitched napkins, made of cotton or linen
Fabric paint (one 2 1/4-ounce bottle covers about 3 napkins)
Small paintbrush
White spray paint, Design Master, available at crafts stores
Dried sweetgum fruits, from Dry Nature Designs
Metallic cord, (No. 9512), width S, color 3, from Shindo
Glue gun
Napkin How-To1. Wash and dry napkins to remove sizing, which can cause paint to adhere poorly.
2. Paint napkin edges using brush. Let dry completely, 2 to 3 hours. Flip napkins, and paint other side.
3. Heat-set paint (ironing is the most common method) according to manufacturer's instructions.
Napkin Ties How-To
1. Lightly spray-paint sweetgum fruits; let dry.
2. Cut cord into 12-inch lengths. Dab hot glue into openings of 2 sweetgum fruits, and insert end of a cord into each. Repeat to make additional ties. Let dry.
3. Wrap cords around folded napkins.


Read more at Marthastewart.com: Pearlescent Painted Napkins Tied Up with Stars - Martha Stewart Crafts 

Cute Crafties: Stuffed Animals From Kids' Drawings

To bring a child's drawing to life, pin the cut-out drawing, facedown, to two pieces of fabric. Trace with a fabric pencil, leaving about 1/4 inch all around. Cut out. Sew on button eyes. Pin fabric again, right sides facing. Sew together, leaving an opening for batting. Stuff with batting, and then sew closed. Sew on other features, such as ears, limbs, and embellishments.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Stuffed Animals from Kids' Drawings - Martha Stewart Kids 

Cute Crafties: Accordion Valentine

When opened, this valentine expresses your love four times over on its accordion folds. Constructed of assorted fine papers and assembled with convenient craft-glue dots, it's both easy to make and lovely in presentation.
Tools and MaterialsAssorted fine papers
Accordion-valentine templates
Cutting board
Bone folder
Ruler
Craft-glue dots
Accordion Valentine How-To1. Cut four hearts in graduated sizes using our downloadable accordion-valentine templates. For each heart, choose a different kind of paper.
2. Cut a 6-by-19 1/2-inch strip of paper for the base of each card.
3. Using the ruled lines of a cutting board as a guide, lay down a ruler 2 inches above the edge of the paper, and use a bone folder to score a line. Score seven more lines at 2-inch intervals.
4. Once you've completed the scoring, crease the paper back and forth to complete the accordion fold. The 4-inch remainder will be the back of the card -- a suitable place to write a personal message.
5. Find and lightly mark the center of each folded peak. Start at the back peak, and place a glue dot over the center mark.
6. Center the largest heart in place, making sure it does not extend beyond the card. One by one, glue the remaining dots to the card, folding each "peak" over the last heart glued to help guide placement.


Read more at Marthastewart.com: Accordion Valentine - Martha Stewart Holidays 

Cute Crafties: Valentine's Day Glittered Greeting Cards

Tools and MaterialsInk stamp
Pigment-based ink
Card
Glue pen
Glitter
Pen
Soft paintbrush
Glittered Greeting Cards How-To1. Start with stamp rubber-side up. Ink the stamp by lightly tapping with ink pad. Once the stamp is completely covered, lift it straight up. Hold stamp an inch from your mouth and "huff" on it to remoisten the ink.
2. Using a ruled cutting mat as a guide, find the center of your card. Stamp the image onto card. Let ink dry.
3. Highlight details with a fine-tip glue pen. Sprinkle glitter. Let dry.
4. Sign name in ink color that matches stamps. Brush off excess glitter with a soft paintbrush.


Read more at Marthastewart.com: Valentine's Day Glittered Greeting Cards - Martha Stewart Crafts 

Cute crafties: Block Print Valentines

A Valentine's Day card is even more special when it's handmade, and there are a number of techniques you can employ to create your own cards at home. One especially distinctive method is block printing. Dating back to ninth-century China, block printing involves transferring an ink impression of a design carved in wood, linoleum, or other engravable medium to another surface. Once a design is chosen and then carved, it can be used to make an unlimited number of prints. If you're creating multiple cards, reapply ink to the block after each print, and wash the block with warm water, drying it with a lint-free cloth after every three prints.
Tools and MaterialsDesigns of your choice
Tracing paper
Pencil
Speedy Stamp
Large spoon
Linoleum cutter
Various linoleum cutter blades
Block-printing ink
Wax-coated paper plates
Soft rubber brayer
Card stock
Block Print Valentines1. Choose a design to use on your card, such as a heart, a photograph, a favorite pattern, a leaf, etc. Using tracing paper, trace design with a pencil. Center tracing paper facedown onto Speedy Stamp, and rub the entire surface of the tracing paper with the back of a spoon to transfer your design.
2. Using linoleum cutter, carefully carve out design. The blades come in different sizes for more and less detailed work. Alternate between blades as needed until your design is fully carved.
3. Squeeze out a small dollop of block-printing ink onto a wax-coated paper plate. Roll brayer over ink to spread it. The brayer should be thoroughly covered with a thin, even layer of ink before it's rolled over the block. Roll brayer over stamp, coating the raised areas.
4. Place your card stock facedown onto stamp, and lightly rub the surface with the back of a spoon. Gently pull paper away. You may also place the block facedown on the paper, pressing gently and evenly.


Read more at Marthastewart.com: Block Print Valentines - Martha Stewart Crafts