DIY Paper Mache Pumpkins

Happy Friday you guys!  Are you as excited for the weekend as I am??

So I saw this fabulous little Esty shop that sells these charming pumpkins, and not to derail her business (at ALL), but I was just thinking of what a fun DIY project these Paper Mache pumpkins would make.

Source

I'm thinking that it could be as easy as this...

Supplies:
  - Small Pumpkins
  - Glue
  - Craft Brush / Foam Brush
  - Small Container
  - Old Books
  - Moss

1. Buy some small irregularly shaped pumpkins from the grocery store (look for ones with long stems)
2. Mix one parts glue (Elmer's white glue) and one parts water in a small container
3. Rip book pages out of an old book you'll never read again (hey, I just gave you a use for the copy of Twilight hiding in the bookcase!)
4. Tear pages into small pieces
5. Adhere pieces of the book pages to the sides of the pumpkin
6. Glue a bit of moss around the stem of the pumpkin
7.  You're done!

You could mix it up like the pumpkin on the far right, and use plain creme colored paper and finish it off with a cool stamp...

You could take things a step further and use a little gold leaf on a few of these...

Like the above pumpkins, you could hang small jewels, brooches, or name tags off of these - how cute would these be as a name card for a place setting at a spooky Halloween dinner??

I might have to give this DIY a go!

Happy weekend :-)

Workplace Halloween Costumes

I happen to LOVE getting dressed up for Halloween, but you have to be careful when getting dressed in costume for work.  I put together an elaborate Cruella DeVille costume, but it's a little much for the office...

If you are like me, and love getting dressed up for Halloween, but you don't want to be that person with painted whiskers on your face in a meeting (yes, that happened to me last year), I've put together three work appropriate costumes, that are easy to throw together, and are adorable to boot!

Workplace Witch:  
All you need is a standard black dress and a few accessories to get this together... striped tights, and witch hat.  Everything else is optional!

Workplace Witch by beckyc1923 featuring a bangle bracelet

Diesel Black Gold wool dress / Happy Socks sheer tight, $21 / Rupert Sanderson platform high heels / Chain jewelry / A|X Armani Exchange bangle bracelet / Broom Costume Witch / Witch Hat, Witch Costume Hat, Witchy, Witches Adult Costume Hat...

Sailor Girl:
Not sexy at all, and who doesn't own a striped shirt??  Time to break out your white jeans (yes, even after labor day), and snag a sailor hat from the costume store, military depot, or your dad (in my case)!

Sailor Set by beckyc1923 featuring nars cosmetics

Comme des Garçons slim fit shirt / Mango denim skinny jeans, $56 / Charlotte Russe ballerina shoes / GANT leather belt / NARS Cosmetics , $28

Where's Waldo??
Another easy costume... red stripes, beanie, funky thick rimmed glasses... and call it a day!

Where's Waldo by beckyc1923 featuring leather shoes

Comme Des Garçons Play red long sleeve t shirt, $160 / Replay denim skinny jeans, $200 / Leather shoes, $105 / Sunglasses, $180

DIY Projects: Halloween

I love fall, but the decor for Halloween that you find in stores leaves a little to be desired.  I scoured the internet for some clever decor ideas that are simple, and relatively inexpensive.  It's such a short lived holiday, no one wants to break the bank on fake witches and over the top lawn displays (or maybe you do... I know I don't!)

Read on for some fun ideas to get into the Halloween spirit!!

Glittery Pumpkin Candle Holders:

This one is perfection - Twig and Thistle has a fabulous tutorial for turning foam pumpkins into sparkly accessories for fall.  Tutorial here!

Spooky Porch Decor:

Cassie from Hi Sugarplum! decked out her porch with a swarm of bats, which is spooky, not silly (my favorite type of Halloween decor).  She used thick felt, and fake crows from the dollar store, and it's incredibly striking (and easy!)  Check out her tutorial (and more pictures) here!

Glittery Spider Webs and Spooky Shelves:

Centsational Girl is the ultimate in crafty DIY, and has been making all the stops for Halloween.  These bookshelves capture the Halloween spirit without being tacky. One of my favorite ideas!!  Go look at the whole tutorial here.

DIY Trick or Treat Pillows:

The Cutest Blog on the Block had an easy idea for some DIY Halloween Pillows - these would work indoors or outdoors but with the glitter involved, I think I'd keep these outside on a porch, or in an area you could easily sweep (unless you want to find glitter in your carpet for years to come).  Tutorial here.

Pumpkin Punch Bowl:

You'll need an extra large pumpkin to pull this off, but Martha Stewart reigns again with her clever ideas for fall entertaining!  Check it out here

"Pick your Poison" Bar Setup:

Throwing a party?  While we are on the topic of entertaining, this is a fabulous little set-up for an adult Halloween Party!  Get more details here on BHG!

DIY Treat Bags:

Hi Sugarplum! made it on this list of fabulous DIY projects twice (she really is that clever) - this time with her cute idea for Treat Bags.  Adorable!!

What did I miss??  Any other cute Halloween DIY's that I should test out??