Trick-or-Trinket

I’m guest posting this idea over at Get Your Crap Together Blog, and sharing the How-To’s over here. You have to check out that site! She is running a 31 Days of Halloween series and it is all sorts of fun!

So if you aspire (like me) to be the most memorable home for Trick-or-Treaters to come to, here are some fun, easy, and cheaper than candy (I won’t even mention the sugar highs and cavities) ideas to help you become that house on the street.

They are pretty simple, but I’ve included some basic instructions for how I put each activity together.

Everything is cuter the smaller it gets.  (Except chocolate)

Free print off’s, and dig into your 25 cent crayon stash.

Who knew ghosts could be so cute?

And even cute little finger pumpkins.

Hours of entertainment in the dark with simple shadow puppets and a flashlight.

Bean Bags filled with rice (because beans actually hurt pretty bad when you get smacked in the fact with one).

Wanna make some?

I’ll show you how.

These sketch books need only one simple stitch.  You can do it.

Gather some cardstock.  I know you all have some of that on hand.

I was able to make 1 sheet of cardstock and a small stack of printer paper yield 4 mini books.

-Cut your paper to the size you want. Fold the cardstock down the middle where you will sew.
-With your printer paper evened up, stitch right on that fold.  Keep those papers secure in your fingers while you sew so they don’t shift.
-Be sure to back stitch at the beginning and end.
-Crease all the papers along the previous fold and where your stitch line is.

That’s it!  But you will need a new sewing machine needle now.

For the coloring pages, get online and print all the free Halloween pictures you want.

Then try to remember back to middle school on how to fold them with a pocket.  Can’t figure it out for the life of you?  Don’t worry.  I couldn’t either.Check out this site for help.

Stick in a few crayons and it doesn’t get easier than that.

For the ghosts you only need a small sheet of white felt and some black paint.

1.  Make a pattern on the fold of a paper.
2.  Give it about an inch around your finger.
3.  Using your pattern, cut the shape on 2 pieces of felt.
4.  Stitch around the ghost leaving the bottom open.  Be sure to backstitch.
5.  These are super easy to mass produce.  Sew them back to back so you don’t have so many threads to clip.
6.  Using the back end of a colored pencil, dab it in some black paint and make two dots for your eyes.The pumpkins are just about the same as the ghost.

Just a few more steps. 

1.  Make your pattern on paper.
2.  Cut out your pattern in felt, 2 pieces for each pumpkin.
3.  Cut a strip of green felt for a stem.
4.  Insert the stem inside the pumpkin on the top middle section.  Sew around the edges leaving a small gap for turning and for the finger at the bottom of the pumpkin.
5.  Using paper and a knife, cut out a simple pumpkin face and use it as a stencil for painting.Wallaa.

If you have an electronic cutter (I own the Silhouette SD) these shadow puppets are so quick and easy.  Just cut your shape out of cardstock, and hot glue it to a stick.

But you can of course make simpler shapes with scissors or an exacto knife.

For the bean/rice bags –

I didn’t get a tutorial but you basically sew a square up, wrong sides together.  Leave a gap for turning and fill it with rice.  Stitch your gap up.Not rocket science around here.

All these ideas don’t have to be just for Trick-or-Treaters.

Group them in a cute package and give them to your class, grandchildren, your kids friends, or hand them out as party favors.

The children will no doubt be delighted.

And you will have had a lot of fun making them.