Leaf Bowl

"There are very few monsters that warrant the fear we have of them". -Andre Gide

As an elementary student during free reading time, I would always want to read the book In a Dark, Dark Room by Alvin Schwartz and pictures by Dirk Zimmer.  I think it was because my parents were afraid of the gremlins before they turned evil, so I had an unnaturally early rebellious stage of being into scary things.  Okay, probably not, but I do remember that book.

A not scary at all tradition could be serving candy in fun and festive ways.  I know I make a lot of bowls and dishes, but that is because they are so simple and can be changed out as the season or mood presents.  Also, they tend to be rather cost effective.

Materials:

• Balloon (on hand)
• Elmer's glue or mod podge (on hand)
• Bag of fabric leafs ($1)
• Paint Brush (on hand)

Directions:

1. Glue leafs onto the balloon to the size bowl you want.  Make sure to overlap them a little. Let dry overnight.
2. Apply a second layer of glue. A paint brush helps to spread out glue quickly and easily.  Let dry over night.
3. Pop balloon and remove excess glue.

Great for use all fall long!  

Work in Progress

Pumpkin Candy Dish

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie." -Jim Davis

Sadly, those are all foods that I can't eat.  Not because of a diet, but because of allergies.  (Okay, so I can eat them if I make them myself).  If you are looking for something cute to serve trick-or-treaters candy in, try this easy to make pumpkin candy dish.  The cost of all materials was under $3!

Materials:

• Carve-able Foam Pumpkin
• Spanish Moss
• Green Material Leaf
• X-ACTO Knife
• Hot Glue Gun

Directions:

1. Slice the pumpkin in half (into top and bottom sections) using the X-ACTO knife. Remove any extra foam pieces.
2. Glue Spanish moss around stem of pumpkin.
3. Tuck and glue a green leaf under the Spanish moss.
4. If wanted add a small dish to inside the pumpkin to place candy in, or place candy directly into the pumpkin.

Pumpkin Jack by Will Hubbell is about a boy craving his first Jack-O-Lantern, which he names Jack.  As Jack starts to rot he puts him in his garden, and come spring he finds a surprise.  This is my Pumpkin Jack from two years ago, for some odd reason he doesn't want to rot.

Dryer Vent Pumpkin

Linus: "You don't believe the story of the Great Pumpkin?  I thought little girls always believed everything that was told to them.  I thought little girls were innocent and trusting."
Sally: "Welcome to the 20th century!"  -It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Dryer vent duct pumpkins are all over this season.  This could be because they are simple yet elegant.  A perfect craft for fall.  The great thing is, besides the spray paint and the dryer vent duct, everything was either on hand or bought from a dollar store.

Materials:

• Dryer Vent Duct
• Orange Spray Paint
• Brown Colored Incense Sticks
• Spanish Moss
• Green Material Leafs
• Hot Glue Gun

Directions:

1. Cut dryer vent duct to size you want for your pumpkin.  Hot glue edges together to form pumpkin shape.
2. Spray paint the dryer vent duct orange. (or white if that is the kind of pumpkin you want to make). Let dry.
3. Cut incense sticks into size you want for the stem.  Use hot glue to glue them into the center of the pumpkin.
4. Glue Spanish moss around the pumpkin stem.
5. Tuck and glue a leaf on under some Spanish moss. 

If you are interested in reading a book about pumpkins, Pumpkin Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington goes through the life cycle of a pumpkin from seed, to Jack-o-Lantern, and finally back into seeds for next years pumpkins. This make me yearn for some pumpkin pie and pumpkin seeds.  

Zombie Coffee Cozy

"I think that most people would rather face the light of a real enemy than the darkness of their imagined fears." -Max Brooks, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

With Halloween just around the corner, I wanted to focus on some more festive books and craft projects. Although I read this book way back in May (and saw the movie when it came out this summer), World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks is a great book about human nature when faced with a crisis.  It just so happens that the crisis faced in this book is the zombie apocalypse, so that makes it even more awesome.  A few months ago I found these zombie coffee cozies over at Geek Crafts, so I knew I had to try them.  My main problem was, I didn't know how to crochet.  Well, that is a lie.  I was once taught how to make the basic chain, but never learned anything further than that.  With some help from the videos over at about.com, I taught myself the basics and was able to make my own zombie coffee cozy.

The main changes to my design were that I used a J size hook and my base row was 12 instead of 11 chains, and I attached my button loop differently.  Still a lot of work in order to say I am good at crocheting, but its better than just a chain.  

If you want to see something really frightening, check out my first attempt at the cozy.  My chains were dwindling down quickly.

Elegy (Book 4 of the Watersong Series) Craft

"We are tied to the ocean.  And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch- we are going back to whence we came." -John F. Kennedy

Elegy is the fourth and final book of the Watersong Series by Amanda Hocking.  It concludes the story of Gemma, Harper, Penn, Thea, Daniel, and Alex.  This book is full of celebrations, tears, and some some good old fighting.  In sticking with the happy, celebration theme, I made a wine glass beach candles.  

Materials:

• Wine Glass
• Sand
• Seashells
• Wire
• Wire Cutters
• Needle Nose Pliers
• Candle

Directions:

1. Add sand to the bottom on the wine glass.
2. Add shells on top of the sand.
3. Cut three even strands of wire.
4. Using the needle nose pliers, attach the three wires together on one end.
5. Fold the wire so the center is in the middle of the candle and the three wires support the candle like a cradle.  
6. Using the needle nose pliers, curl the ends of the wire.
7. Fold the sides of the wire, in order to create the floating look of the candle over the sand/shells. 

All of these projects would be amazing center pieces for a Watersong themed book club meeting.  They certainly got me ready for book club this month!  Hope you enjoyed the nautical themed crafting!

Tidal (Book 3 of the Watersong series) Craft

"My experience is that you can't possibly win against whatever the tidal wave is that's coming at you." -Lorenzo di Bonaventura

Tidal is the third book in the Watersong series by Amanda Hocking.  This book is about bonding together as friends and trying to break the curse.  All friendships need a good friendship bracelet, so I took the basic chevron and turned it into a friendship bracelet for any sailor. 

Materials:

• Three different colors of floss
• Gold/brown polymer clay
• Lobster claw
• Jump ring
• Glue (any type)

Directions:

1. Roll out three strands of the clay.  One long, one medium, and one small.  
2. With the long strand loop it over at the top and pinch to make the top of the anchor.  Spiral a skinny strand of clay around this strand. Attach a small triangle of clay to the end of this piece.
3. Attach two small triangles of clay to the ends of the medium strand.  Mold this into a C and attach to the long strand to form the hooks of the anchor.  
4. With the small strand of clay pinch to form ball type ends and attach the middle towards the top of the long strand.
5. Bake for 10 minutes at 225 degrees Fahrenheit.  
6. Attach an arms length amount of floss to each side of the anchor.  
7. Follow a chevron pattern on each side, until it is the right size for your (or a friends) wrist.  If you do not know how to make  a chevron bracelet, I found an easy tutorial here. 
8. On one side attach the lobster claw to the end of the friendship bracelet, and on the other side attach the jump ring.  Make sure to double knot.
9. Dab glue on the knots in order to make sure they do not unravel.  

This would also make a great anklet for when you are lounging on the beach.  Only 8 more months until beach season (at least this far north)!

Lullaby (Book 2 of the Water Song Series) Craft

"Harper swallowed the lump in her throat and shook her head, trying to shake off the feeling.  Of course Gemma would live here again.  Harper wouldn't stop searching until Gemma was home." -Lullaby, Amanda Hocking

Lullaby is the second book in the Watersong series by Amanda Hocking.  In this book Harper, Alex, Daniel, and Marci go on a quest to find Gemma and bring her back to Capri, MD.  Because every good lost soul needs something to light the way back, I made a beach candle to celebrate this book.

Materials:

• Pillar candle
• Sand
• Jute
• Seashells
• Elmer's glue
• Hot Glue
• Hot Glue Gun

Directions:

1. Spread glue onto the bottom portion of the pillar candle. 
2. Pour sand over the glue, shake off excess, and let dry.
3. Wrap jute around the top portion of the pillar candle.  Glue it into to place.
4. Hot glue a seashell onto the wrapped jute. 

You shouldn't read by candle light alone, but you can help set a mood.