Disney Princes Purses - Handmade for Halloween

Halloween can be a great time to get crafty, from carving pumpkins to making decorations and baking spooky treats! But when it comes to costumes, especially when you're young and this Halloween business is serious stuff, sometimes a homemade costume just won’t cut it. I remember the horror on a school friend's face when she walked in to class in a mom-made Raggedy Ann, only to find herself in a sea of store bought fairies, pirates, and princesses. I thought her costume was the coolest, but I could tell that she was silently wishing her mom had hit up the store instead of the sewing machine.

When I heard that super-cute little Miss Emilia was going as Cinderella this Halloween, I jumped at the chance to add a little craftiness to her costume. I shared my copy of the brand new and boxy Make Your Own Disney Princess Paper Purses and we gave this little princess some accessories worthy of her namesake!

Little Cinder-Emilia got down to business, donning her royal gown and breaking out her fabulous zebra print scissors to cut out accessories.  She decked out her royal purse in pom poms, sequins, and stickers, and laced the purses up all by herself! She was even kind enough to make two more purses to share with her friends!

If you need more ideas for Klutz-made Halloween fun, check out what I got up to last year! Stop by my One-Stop Halloween Shop for tons of fun, 100% Klutz decorating and costume ideas, or check out how I made my pumpkins pop!

Can't Beat Klutz (with Fashion Forms)

One of the lucky perks of being 100% Klutz is that sometimes I get to try out stuff that hasn't hit the shelves yet. And, boy oh boy, getting first crack at those coveted kits is a great thrill for this craft-hungry gal!

You can imagine my excitement when I was presented with a very early production sample of the swoon-worthy, boxy, new Fashion Forms. This update on classic paper fashion fun is any style-savvy girl’s dream! Tiny, three-dimensional dresses, skirts, and shoes for you to make in all sorts of exciting prints. With a little help from Klutz, I figured I'd soon be well on my way to my own fashion label!

I got to work popping out pieces and setting up my mini-design studio. But my ambitions fell short when I discovered that this early book only had three sample pages of instructions inside. I paused for a second to regroup. Sure, the intricate paper outfits on the box looked complicated, but this is Klutz we're talking about, so I knew there would be some fun trick or handy tool to make it all a breeze. But, as I sorted through the materials and devised a plan of action, I realize that it wasn't the missing instructions I was worried about. What I missed most was the inspiration I get from the Klutz craft masters.

The first thing I do when I crack open a new Klutz book is to scan through the pages and earmark crafts and designs I want to try. And without that special Klutz magic to be my fashion muse, somehow things just didn’t quite come together.

I am so glad that I get a second chance, complete with pages of expertly-made Fashion Forms for me to choose from, because that’s when my clothing line really started to shine!

And that, my friends, is why Klutz can’t be beat!

Don't believe me? See for yourself!
 

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!

Back in Time (with Spiral Draw)

If I had to name my three favourite childhood toys, 
they would probably be:

1. Easy-Bake Oven 
   (Because making your own desserts = awesome!)

2. Speak-and-Spell 
    (Nerd alert!)

3. Spirograph

Can I get a hands up from all those who loved their Spirograph too? It was so simple, but felt so high tech, and there was something incredibly hypnotizing about that swirling, whirling, geometric art. So, I was super excited to discover that Klutz had given my childhood fave a second lease on life with Spiral Draw. It's got in-book activities, a no-slip frame, tons of colourful gears, and a six-colour quick-switch pen for some seriously rainbow-coloured spirals, which means I’ll be taking this nostalgia trip for days!

 

And in case you need even more to be excited about, Klutz books now come in a deluxe new boxy format, which makes them even better for sharing, and easier to wrap. So wrap up a new boxy Klutz book and spread some craftiness!

And We're Back (with Fancy Friendship Bracelets and Glossy Bands)

It’s back-to-school and time for new beginnings... A new grade, new things to learn, and a new outlook on life! Time to wind down from the whims of summer and get into the swing of the new season.

And then there’s back to school fashion... 

Oh, the anticipation of that first week of outfits, every day a new opportunity to paint the picture of your fashion self. Will you make a statement with some bold prints or linger in summer's neons and florals? Me, I'm just excited to finally break out the knits!

But there's nothing better for this crafty girl, than getting to wear one of her creations. As a part-time crafter, full-time wallflower, it's nice to be able to tell the world a bit about me without having to speak. So show everyone what makes you you this school year and rock some 100% Klutz accessories made just by you.

 Squeeze and swirl, peel and stick these Glossy Bands for a one-of-a-kind accessory. Bright colours and groovy patterns add a pop of colour to your autumn neutrals. Switch these sticky bands from wrist to Ribbon Bangles and Headbands (and Hairstyles) for all your fall moods.

Braid and knot Fancy Friendship Bracelets into all sorts of shapes and patterns. Choose from five colours of cord and all sorts of beads and charms to really finish them off. So pretty and polished that no one will guess that you made it yourself. Be sure to make a bunch, because these beaded beauties are perfect for stacking!

Whatever you wore for your first week back-to-school, hope it was fashion fabulous and 100% you!

Summer Sisters (with Me and My Friends: The Book of Us)

Oh summer... parting is such sweet sorrow!

It’s almost time to say goodbye to still-light nights, eating popsicles and riding bikes. Pool parties, BBQs, and the odd too-hot-to-bear crafternoon indoors, I will miss you dearly during the glum winter days ahead. But most of all, I will miss my summer friends, those special people who come around when the sun is shining and make each school-free day extra fun!

My cousin Carolyne is my favourite summer friend. There is almost no one that I’ve known longer; we’ve been friends since birth (hers, of course, since by that time I was already a mature six months). We’ve done it all; playing in laundry baskets, staging stairwell productions of The Sound of Music, and indulging our embarrassing love of a certain dance movie franchise. But then she had to go and move away for school. So now our friend-fest is summer only… Sigh!

Before we said goodbye for yet another school year, she and I had a little fun with Me and My Friends! We gabbed and giggled about food, friends, and being carefree for one more week, as we filled out pop quizzes, compatibility tests, and more to commemorate our awesome friendship. So now, on those days when her absence is particularly stinging, I can look up all the reasons that she’s totally worth the wait!