Fall Decor: Dollar Tree Fall Pumpkin Sign

 

This week's BFF Open House Link Party continues here.

Getting a few Fall projects done before I start on Christmas. I found this blank sign at Dollar Tree and thought it would be a perfect Fall project. 

Supplies: 

• Embossed Pumpkin Sign (Dollar Tree)
• Acrylic Paints (Michaels)
• Sponge Spouncer Brushes (Dollar Tree)
• Glitter Acorns (Dollar Tree)
• Self-Adhesive Wallpaper (Dollar Tree)
• Misc Embellishments (Stash)

This is the unfinished sign. I used paints in Copper, Gold (Craft Smart), and Metallic Berry (DecoArt), along with a Ceramcoat Grape (not shown). 

Using a sponge or sponge spouncer, apply the paints all over. I just kept spouncing and blending and picking up colors until I was happy. 

Once I was happy with the base, time to embellish! 

Dollar Tree has these fabulous sheets of self-adhesive wallpaper. I've picked up a bunch without a specific project in mind, but knowing they'd get used SOMETIME! I grabbed this gold and white patterned paper to use at the top of the sign. 

Using the sign, I traced the arc on the back of the wallpaper, cut it out and applied to the top of the sign. 

The maple leaf charms are ones I'd stocked up on YEARS ago when Michaels first had their dollar spot. I glued these across the bottom of the wallpaper as shown. This season, Dollar Tree has these glitter acorns in the color shown, as well as a brilliant Fall orange, so I grabbed some for this project. Likewise, Dollar Tree has packages of sequins, and I got a Fall colored set. Each color is packaged individually in a set of six, but I just dumped them all together. 

I used these to decorate the stem of the pumpkin, and added coordinating glitter to the vines. 

I added a few to other spots on the pumpkin as shown. To finish, I made a bow from some coordinating glitter ribbon and then added the acorns. 

This is a preview of my color palette for Fall and Thanksgiving decor. After Halloween comes down of course! 

Sharing At:

Sundays on Silverado

BFF Open House

 

Happy Halfway Through October and Friday Eve, Creative Peeps! It's going by FAST and if you waited to get any Halloween decorations, they're quickly being displaced by Christmas. It looks like pink will remain a core part of things for the Winter season. Was looking at some things at Michaels as I was stalking them for Christmas Scrapbooking paper for cards. I don't know about you, but there are things I find hard to buy online. Scrapbooking paper is one because no matter how good the photo, it doesn't capture metallics or glittered papers the same way. However, I may be too early! 

In good news, we had Mr. Chocolate's three-month surgical follow-up, and his care team is ecstatic with where he is. They normally would have done a follow-up in another 90 days and said, "See you in a year!". We are so very thankful. 

Busy week, but this week I shared: 

Mi Catrina...My take on a Dia de los Muertos project!

Now let's take a look at some of the fun ideas shared at last week's party! 

Whispers of the Heart definitely spoke to my corvid-loving heart with this incredible Cawsome Halloween Table Scape! Worthy of Edgar Allan Poe!

Hunny I'm Home DIY shared a fun and EASY Ghost In a Jar! Great way to repurpose jars on hand. 

The Crazy Little Lovebirds shared this SWEET (pun intended) upcycle of something we've all probably tossed in the recycling...Upcycled Honeybear Floral Display! 

Finally, nothing says Fall to me like acorns. Christine's Crafts shared these beautiful Needle Felted Acorns along with a tutorial on how to make. 

Thank you to everyone who linked up and I'm so happy that you all find inspiration from these parties! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Dia de los Muertos Catrina

 

Even before we moved to the Southwest, I loved Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a celebration that originated with the Aztecs, and then when the Spanish colonized Mexico, was incorporated into the Catholicism they brought. Having grown up Catholic, we had three days of celebrations, starting with Halloween, then All Saints Day, then All Souls Day, which is when Dia de los Muertos takes place. It's always resonated with me because my own culture honors ancestors and that's what this celebration is all about. 

Year-round, you'll see Catrinas abound, and incorporated into public art, and you can read more about them here. For years, I've incorporated the holiday into my decor. 

Supplies:

• Skull (Dollar Tree)
• Multi-surface Acrylic Paint (Waverly)
• Tissue Paper
• Acrylic Paint Pens
• Acrylic Flowers

The skulls they have at Dollar Tree every year. I used my go to Waverly no-prep acrylic paint in white to cover. 

I punched a couple of flowers from scrap tissue paper to create the eyes. 

Then I grabbed my acrylic paint pens and just winged it with the design. 

Decorate to your heart's content! 

Catrinas are often decorated with a crown of flowers so I made some tissue paper flowers with tissue that coordinated with the colors I used. These were probably a little too big, but go big or go home, right? 

I attached these with hot glue. I could have stopped here but what fun is that?!

I guess my "signature" is rhinestones and I often say "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that bling" so, added them as shown. 

The inspiration for the colors I chose. Last year, when we were at Disneyland, (both parks honor Dia de los Muertos) I found this "Coco" sipper at California Adventure and made a beeline to the kiosk that had them! I knew it would get incorporated into my decor. 

And here's my Catrina on display on my island! 

While I'm not of Mexican ancestry, I love having a day where I can honor those I've lost, including those I never knew, who lived lives much harder than mine, so that I could be here. 

Sharing At:

Creatively Crafty Linky Party #271

BFF Open House

 

Happy Friday Eve, Creative Peeps! October is just rolling along...more like steamrolling, right? I was in Michaels the other day, talking to myself as I sometimes do, and one of the guys was putting up Christmas trees and heard me and said, "Talking yourself out of buying more stuff?" To which I replied, "I plead the 5th," and we shared a laugh. 

Have you seen some of the Christmas stuff they're getting in? I CANNOT add another tree! We have FOUR. But the temptation, especially with some very pretty jewel tone and jeweled ornaments, and some gingerbread themed goodies...TEMPTATION! 

I got the paint and eye pins I went in for, along with some Fall florals at 60% off for when I switch out my table centerpiece. 

This week I shared:

My Haunted House 

Shakespeare Inspired Halloween Decor 

Lots of inspiring ideas shared at last week's party so let's take a look at some of them! 

From Bay to Beach shared a great way to combine current Halloween trends with a natural, beach, Coastal Halloween Decor. 

The Apple Street Cottage shared this fun Doily Ghost. Visit to see it lit up!

Creatively Beth shared these adorable Halloween Wooden Spoons with easy supplies from Dollar Tree. Fun to make with little ones. 

Finally, these wonderfully creepy cupcakes with Homemade Halloween Eyeballs are perfect for the season. From Ann's Entitled Life. 

Thanks to everyone who shared last week, and can't wait to see what you have in store this week. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Halloween: Black and Copper Ode to Shakespeare

 "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio. 

A fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy."

--Hamlet, William Shakespeare

I'm a bit of a Shakespeare nerd. Not sure if this scene from Hamlet inspired this idea, or it immediately came to mind once I finished it. 

Since we live in the Copper State, it felt fitting to add some copper to my Halloween decor!

Supplies:

• Skull and Hand (Dollar Tree)
• Multi-surface acrylic paint in black and copper or colors of choice
• Dimensional Glue (Judi Kins)
• Seed bead mixture
• Glitter

No doubt, you're familiar with the skulls they have at Dollar Tree every year. I forgot to take a pic of it before I painted it. Used a sponge spouncer (DT) to cover with Craft Smart multi-surface acrylic paint in black. 

I used this Martha Stewart multi-surface paint in Rust, which is a deep reddish copper.

I also used this to highlight the cracks in the skull, and to highlight the teeth. 

I used a fine-tipped brush for the cracks and to outline the mouth and nose, and dry-brushed some of the paint onto the teeth. 

I used some Diamond Glaze by Judi Kins, a dimensional glue, to hold a mix of seed beads and coordinating glitter in the eye sockets. Pool a little glue, sprinkle bead/glitter mix, and then add a little more glue. It dries quick and clear. 

To finish, I outlined the eye sockets with these Creatology Gems from Michaels which I treat like your favorite seasoning and add to darn near everything lol! Used the same glue to attach, and used up some leftover dark gray rhinestones for the center and sides of the head. 

Originally, I planned to glue the skull into the hand, but it actually cradles perfectly in the hand. Like they were made for each other! 

Creepin' it real! 

Sharing At:

Creatively Crafty Linky Party #270