Halloween crafts, have you started making any? What do you like to make for

Hey there, writersedge. Since you asked, here is a link for how to make spray starch: http://www.zeiglercustomquilts.com/blog/2008/08/preparing-fabric-making-spray-starch/ I am not much of a crafty person, except I do knit. Once in a great while, I'll come across something I'll want to make and try to do it. I haven't made any Halloween crafts since my son grew up. We always carved jack-o-lanterns and drew pictures and did cut and paste pictures. Now, I don't spend as much time on the holiday activities as I used to. Maybe I am just lazy. Hope the link is helpful for you, writersedge. Take care.

Did you check at your local grocery store to see if they carry spray starch? I know our store carries it. Sounds like your sister-in-law went to alot of trouble to make Halloween crafts but they sound so cute. I don't do anything special for Halloween any longer. When our kids were small we cut out a pumpkin and ofcourse took the kids trick or treating in the neighborhood. It was such a fun time. Our grandkids live in Arizona so we aren't visiting during this time and only get to see photos of their costumes and hear about how much fun they had going out. I am so far behind making any craft items. I generally start Christmas crafts during the summer months. This way I stay way on top of things but didn't this year. Started knitting a baby afghan and am still working on it.

I love halloween! Next to Christmas, it's one of my favorite times for crafting stuff. I make luminaries out of light weight tin. I use the thinner tin that you can cut with heavier scissors, and then make a full-wing-span bat pattern, with a 1" base. After cutting out the bat pattern with the base, I then curl the base of it around to meet and join, and then fold the bat wings so they're more curved. (Hard to describe without a picture, but it's similar in design to those little cardboard egg-cup holders that you cut out on the back of the packages of easter egg colors...the base is kind of shaped like a flat ring and then you bring them together to meet at the back side.) I cut openings for eyes, and veins in the wings, etc. Then I set them on something fire-proof (if using inside) or out on the sidewalk, with those little cup candles in them. The light shines through and they come out real cute. Plus, to store them for next year I just uncurl the tin and lay them (almost) flat in a storage box. I also like to save those big sturdy flat fat foam sheets that they put into boxes to keep products from moving around. I make tombstones out of them for halloween decorations. The foam is really easy to carve and cut, or you can cut them tombstone shaped and draw your design on cardboard and paste it over top. To stick it in the ground you just stick in a couple of old chopsticks and glue them in place, and then stick them in the ground to hold them up. (If the decorations going to stay in the lawn longer, then use something longer than chopsticks.) I used to have a halloween party for adult friends every year for over 20 years. (50 + people with more pleading for an invite lol) I have made all kinds of things for halloween decorations and really love decorating and making things for it. Oh yea...when making those cheesecloth ghosts....You don't have to buy cheesecloth. You can also make them from any thin white cotton (sheeting, etc) that you have in your scrap bin. Instead of using spray starch, I make mine with Elmers glue. I just buy the regular glue, dilute it some with warm water in a bowl, and then dip the cloth into it and then wring off some of the excess glue. I use 3 different sized foam craft balls (like you'd make ornaments with) and hot glue them together. Then I cover the craft ball 'snowman' shape with saran wrap and drape the dipped gluey material over it. I cover a cookie sheet with the saran wrap too so they have a flat, moveable base, to dry on. If you want them to look like they're flying with their arms out, just poke in popsicle sticks or something coming out at an angle, and drape the whole material square over it. One thing, don't get the glue too runny. Yes it will still work, but if it's a little thicker the little ghosty will last for many years and won't mildew in storage like the spray starch ones.

I'm probably going to knit a costume hat this year, otherwise halloween isnt all that big in the UK in most places, though the big cities are getting more Americanised with displays and dressing up.

I'm so late making Halloween this year and haven't made anything yet. I know I have a few skull beads somewhere in my bead cases and I'll probably use them to make a few pairs of earrings. I plan on making some polymer clay Halloween pendants and using some of the black silk cord I have to make them into necklaces. Hopefully I can get some of these made up this weekend or I'm liable to miss out on the Halloween sales. I think you can find spray starch at the grocery store (as mentioned above) Hopefully you'll upload a picture or two of your finished Halloween crafts!!!

Halloween is by far my favorite holiday. I love creating Halloween themed jewelry and paper products. I've already started working on my merchandise for this fall, in fact, I did several weeks ago.

I have a miniature cemetery made of foam board, Popsicle sticks, card stock, small twigs and paint. This year, I hope to work on it a little more and make a cool fence and gate for the background. I hope to make it with homemade bread dough. I found a few recipes online for making bread "clay" for crafts. I am also a writer and intend to write some Halloween articles very soon also.