Hello Tissue Paper!

by Edward Quiceno, marketing assistant, crafting novice, and hot chocolate connoisseur

I recently starting working at this lively place called KLUTZ, and quickly realized I had formidable crafting competition. To be frank, I had never really crafted before, or maybe I had and just didn’t realize I was crafting. So I thought that Halloween celebrations would be a great opportunity to put my crafting skills to the test and surprise everyone at the office.

Luckily, I found myself being inspired and excited by the range of options Klutz books has to offer. Hoping to make some decorations that would wow the office, I found the perfect book to assist me in my endeavor.

Hello tissue paper! Klutz’s Tissue Paper Crafts was my saving grace. 

I figured I could use some company, and help, and hot chocolate, so my friend Caro and my sister Yoly teamed up with yours truly to make some awesome crafts. Plus, this crafting session was a fun way to accompany some delicious hot chocolate.

We started off our Halloween decorating with some “pumpkin” making: 

I was excited to see how quickly the pumpkins could be made (my crafting ego was growing). The book is great because it comes with step-by-step instructions to make shapes and sizes that can be used as garlands, flowers, or hey, even pumpkins. Feeling inspired we then decided to step it up a notch and make a Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) design to activate some wall space. Check out some of our specially-designed Halloween decorations:

Stay tuned for my journey to crafting fame; I’m coming for the crafting throne!

Turkey Day Treats (with Twisted Critters and Window Art)

Happy fall y’all!

I’m headed to my cottage this Thanksgiving weekend for fall colours, family fun and, my favourite, pumpkin pie! And I’m bringing some Klutz-made turkey day treats to spread my holiday joy.

Make your own Thanksgiving-themed Twisted Critters. With tons of colourful pipe cleaners in different shapes and patterns, it just takes a little imagination to bring your favourite Thanksgiving icons to life. These easy-to-make critters can be made the day-of, with hands of all ages helping to create the perfect centerpiece or place settings for your turkey day table.

And deck your chilly windows in festive peel-and-stick Window Art, in it's new boxy format. Freehand your favourite fall designs or print out some clip art, slip it inside the clear plastic sleeve and get started! First, trace your designs in the black paint, then it's time to do some colouring. You can even mix paints to get that perfect pumpkin orange or a warm fall brown. These colourful window decals really add that autumn feel to my house, and with a quick slip into a Ziploc bag and a not so quick six-hour ride up North, they'll do double duty at the cottage too.

Can't wait!

What are your Thanksgiving plans? Got any fun crafts to share?
Wherever you are and whatever you do, I hope your Thanksgiving is turkey-tastic!

One Tree, Three Ways

One of my favourite Christmas rituals is the decorating of the tree. The smell of fresh evergreen in the air, a mug of hot chocolate for fuel, Christmas carols on the radio, the fireplace channel on TV, and I'm ready to go! 

When my dad would haul up the big cardboard box of ornaments from the basement, it was like the first Christmas present of the season. We’d open that box up and sort through all of our holiday trinkets and mementos, reminiscing as we draped the tree in paperclip ice skates, shrinky dink Santas, and pumpkin seed poinsettias.  Now that I have a tree of my own (albeit a very mini one), it’s time to start my own collection. I’m commemorating my first Christmas as an honest-to-blogger here with some handmade 100% Klutz ornaments.

Last week, while busily making my Christmas Velvet Art cards, I also put together some fuzzy Velvet Art ornaments (above). They’re super cute and easy to make; the perfect activity to keep little ones busy during snowy winter days. Just punch them out, colour (it doesn’t have to be inside the lines), add some string and you’re set! 

Looking for more of a creative challenge? Get twisted! Ever since I first made my Twisted Halloween Critters, I have been hoping for a chance to make some more. So I set to work with those colourful pipe cleaners and I love, love, love the results. Candy canes, wreaths, reindeer, earmuffs and mittens; these twisted ornaments (below) fill me with holiday joy! 

Finally, try your hand at some Fabulous Paper Dolls to finish it all off. Peel and stick clothes to make all sorts of paper people, then attach loops of string to hang. I made some wintery characters in honour of the season, and some extra special ornaments to celebrate this year’s milestones. A new baby girl in the family, a great tropical vacation, rereading all of the Harry Potter books; just some small reminders of all the things that made this year great. 

 Looking for some more last minute craft inspiration? Pick up Christmas Window Art and deck your windows out in some festive stained glass. You can also use Window Art to make this faux snow globe (below). Flip over a jar or wide vase and stick on some Window Art snowflakes. Then create a little scene to go inside your globe, like this one, made with Twirled Paper and some tea lights. 

Alright boys and girls, that’s it for me this holiday season. Time to hang up my scissors, put down the glue and let the celebrating begin.

 May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be… crafty!

One Stop Halloween Shop

There are only a few days left until Halloween, but that's enough time to get seriously spookified - with Klutz's help! 

Create this creep-tastic banner (above) by stringing together some Twisted Critters creations. The kit comes with tons of colourful pipe cleaners that you can twist and bend into some scary (or sweet!) shapes.

Make some frightening shrunken heads (above) with Make a Mummy, Shrink a Head and Other Useful Skills. You’ll also find instructions for mummifying a hot dog, and the book includes a cool sarcophagus to store your mummy-dog in when its ready for eternal slumber (below).

Want to see how it's done? Watch this video! 

Looking for last minute costume ideas? Klutz has those too! 

• Make Your Own Twirly Tutu and pirouette across the stage as a prima ballerina. 
• Make Your Own Twinkly Tiara and rule over the land as a posh and pretty princess. 
• Pick your super power and transform into a costumed crime fighter with The Superhero Starter Kit. 
• Make a fancy fascinator with Headbands and Hairstyles and put on your Sunday best as a royal wedding guest.

Whatever you do to celebrate Halloween, remember to create wonderful things, be good and have fun!