Fall Decor: The Only Way I'll Do Centerpieces Now...The Pool Noodle Hack

 

I tried my hand at the pool noodle hack for creating centerpieces with Halloween, and I'm never going to do them any other way! If you aren't familiar, follow along to learn what I'm talking about. 

Supplies

• Foam Pool Noodle
• Assorted Silk Flowers, Picks, etc. 
• Fairy lights (Optional)
• Table Runner (Optional)
• Wire Cutters, Zip Ties, Wire Cutter

This was an early Fall find from Dollar Tree, and I knew it was an "if you snooze, you lose" item, so it was a no-brainer to buy. 

The basic construction steps are:

• Fold pool noodle in half (or you can cut into two pieces if you want)
• Secure with zip ties or wire (I used the extra long ties from DT)
• Thread candleholders through the middle 
• Go wild

I started with the pumpkins shown in the first pic just to give myself some sense of balance. I had these pumpkins in my Thanksgiving decor already so I just used them differently this year. This is my favorite part about DIYing things. You can reuse your existing supplies in different ways!

I tend towards non-traditional colors mixed with traditional ones. When I saw these lavender leaf bunches, I fell in love. I really love how they worked with the copper and other Fall colors. I cut each "branch" from the stem, and this is the best part: you stick the ends directly in the pool noodle. It provides the perfect surface. And when you're ready to change it out? Equally easy. Just pull them out! 

I already had the white and taupe pumpkins. I picked up other stems from DT and Michaels. This is a great way to use the bunches they have every season, since you end up cutting everything apart anyway. I spent less than $10 on florals I didn't already have, between 60% off florals at Michaels and $1.75 stems from DT. 

Keep filling in blank spots until you're satisfied wit hw things look. 

You can use candles or not. If you don't want them, skip the earlier step of threading candle holders in the middle of the pool noodle. The next step I did is also optional. All up to you! I found some remote control fairy lights for a good price online so...

I threaded them throughout the centerpiece and...

I'm so happy with the outcome! I loved my Halloween centerpiece. I love this one even more, and I can't wait to play with Christmas! The pool noodle hack allows for dimension and depth. 

Have you tried the pool noodle hack? 

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Vintage Charm Party 516

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. 

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Creatively Crafty Linky Party #271

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! 

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Creatively Crafty Linky Party #270

Halloween: Glam Sugared Skulls

 

Happy New Week! Sharing a play on words inspired project with these Glam Sugared Skulls. Living in the Southwest, Sugar Skulls, Catrinas, and Dia de los Muertos iconography and creations are EVERYWHERE and I love them. So, my brain doing what it does, came up with this idea. 

Supplies:

• Plastic Skulls (Dollar Tree)
• White Multi Surface Acrylic Paint (Waverly)
• Mod Podge
• Glitter
• Gemstones (Dollar Tree)
• Silk Roses (Michaels)

I used these plastic skulls from Dollar Tree and my favorite multi-surface Waverly paint. 

Cover the skulls thoroughly with paint. Those sponge spouncers work better to me than brushes. 

I wanted these to look like the skulls were cast from sugar so I grabbed some white glitter from my stash and mixed a bunch into some Mod Podge. Then, using the spouncer thingy (very technical term!), applied to the painted skulls. 

I craft like I cook. "Some"..."a bit"...so I don't have exact proportions but just mix until you're happy!

You can see the glitter effect here. I grabbed some of these irregularly shaped gemstones (Dollar Tree) and decided to use them for the eyes. I just started gluing them randomly and filling in. Yes, they're self-adhesive, but for better adhesion, I reinforced them with some dimensional glue. 

Mr. Chocolate had thoughts on the rhinestones I put in the noses. Pffft. 

I unintentionally made these to match us! Me, with black curly hair represented by black roses, and him, "clean shaven". I used a black rose spray from Michaels, cut it apart, and then glued leaves and flowers as shown.

Mr. Chocolate!

Me!

Us!

I'm planning a future decor tour post when I'm all done using all these projects I've made so you'll see how I used them (if I can stop making more stuff!). 

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Creatively Crafty Linky Party #270