Stephen Brown - Glittervilles Handmade Halloween: A Glittered Guide for Whimsical Crafting!

For those of us who love the holidays and crafting, there is no time of the year more magical than Halloween. Although this autumnal festival is seen by some as a dark and spooky day, in Glitterville, its a playground for colorful characters and projects dedicated to the sugary celebration of cupcakes, costumes, and all the candy you can eat!

My obsession for make and do has been lifelong! As a boy, I constantly found myself in post-holiday doldrums after every big celebration, until I learned that through crafting for the next upcoming occasion I could turn those feelings around and literally Make every day a holiday!, the premise that I used to turn my kitchen crafts into a worldwide company.

Since Glittervilles beginning, I have been asked to share my secrets for making whimsically wacky creations, but Ive been so busy crafting that I just havent had time to do ituntil now!

I can finally add to my craft repertoire making this book, Glittervilles Handmade Halloween , with all the tips, tricks, and techniques needed for making your holiday sparkle and shine using full-color how-tos and stories that rhyme!

My philosophy for crafting is the same as for cooking: simple ingredients make the best cakeor in this case, bats, cats, and party hats!

I dont believe your creativity should ever be limited to the number of fancy craft supplies you can afford, which is why all the projects in this book are made from easily acquired, basic materials, which are completely defined in a section called Stephen Browns Glitter Guide: A Manual for Make & Do.

The pages of this book are filled with projects for making some of Glittervilles most beloved items, including Candy Garland thats perfect for hanging over your door, treat buckets, costumes, and oh, so much more! I even reveal my most sought after how-to of all, making folk art figures that celebrate fall.

So grab some glitter and be on your way to make itand Make every day a holiday!

The number of craft supplies available in todays market can be overwhelming to new or experienced crafters alike. Beautiful packaging and the promise of their superior performance entices us to buy expensive tools and materials that just arent necessary for leading a full and productive craft life.

My friends often tease that Glitterville was started from only a handful of Styrofoam balls, some chunky glitter, and a little white glueand its completely true!

Mastering the art of make and do means simply learning to create anything you want from only a few basic materials, tools you have at home, and simple techniques!

Before you start your new creations, read my crafting declarations and let the glitter guide your way to make every day a holiday!

Sketching

Before starting any new project, the first thing I do is reach for a pencil and paper, in order to do a basic sketch of what Im about to create. This process not only helps me envision what my finished craft may look like, it also allows me to think about the materials I might use and the projects basic construction. Keep in mind that this design doodle is not the finished product and doesnt have to be a work of art. Its simply a roadmap to your destination craft!

M ATERIALS

Making magic for the holidays and every day doesnt require carts full of craft supplies... only a handful of talented basic materials. Although there are no hard-and-fast rules, Ive divided the materials into three categories describing the role they play in most projects.

Structure

Materials used for building the base of a project

P APERCLAY

One of the most important materials on your craft table is some sort of sculpting clay. This allows you to create your own original elements for a project, such as heads, hands, and so on, instead of buying premade pieces. Mixing sculpted clay elements with other kinds of materials, such as paper and glitter, will give your work a truly one-of-a-kind look.

After trying almost every sculpting material on the market, ranging from polymer clays that require oven baking, to messy and hard-to-mix instant papier-mch, I have found what I consider to be the ultimate clay for crafting. Its called Paperclay. Its texture is like a paper pulp; its easily sculpted, holds fine detail, and air-dries to an ultra hard, sandable finish. Its inexpensive and can be purchased at most craft stores, or ordered wholesale direct from the company in large or small amounts. Paperclay is used in many of my projects, but you can use any sculptable clay material instead.

S TYROFOAM

Nothing makes creating a lightweight form for sculpting upon better than Styrofoam. Its found in basic shapes, from various sizes of balls to sheets and cones. It can be cut with a serrated kitchen knife, and pieces can be combined and attached together to make practically any shape imaginable.