As you know by now, yesterday was Day 12 of the

Crafting Over Sweeting Challenge.

Sweets eaten: None.

I must confess though that I ate a couple of chewy granola bars and feel completely guilty about it. I wouldn’t technically classify them as “sweets”, but they were sugary enough that just eating them got me craving some bigger desserts. Needless to say I will be avoiding them now, just to be safe :).

Sweets craved: This. So yummy lookin!

Today I’m going to be doing my featured craft section a little differently.
When I started this challenge I knew I wanted to do a small giveaway at the halfway point,
and a bigger giveaway when I finished
(you know, just to show you awesome readers some appreciation :D).

This weekend was the halfway point. YAY!
I almost didn’t realize it, but when I did I started working on my small little something for the first giveaway.

Here’s a little something you need to know about me. I LOVE making stuff for girls. Clips, bows, quilts… you name it! There’s only one problem,
I am a mother of two beautiful BOYS.
I love them very much, but the fact is they don’t like to wear bows.

So with that in mind here is the Halfway There Giveaway:

and here’s a close up:

These are black felt rosettes similar to the flowers made for this wreath.
They’re made with glitter felt, which adds a touch of sparkle.

So? You want them? I know you do!

Here’s what you have to do:

1- Leave a comment telling me about the crafts you
like to do for Halloween.

2- That’s it!

I’ll be keeping this contest open through the weekend and announce the winner Monday morning. Remember to make sure I have a way to contact you, whether through your profile or the comment. Good Luck and as always…

Happy Crafting!

Linked up to:
Someday Crafts

**This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks to everyone for participating!**

---

Lindsay
October 13, 2011 at 8:31 PM
Decorating Pumpkins is a craft I love to do every year, and your cupcake paper painting on the pumpkins was awesome!
But, I think this year I have my eyes on making a Halloween garland like you made!

---

Leslie
October 13, 2011 at 8:33 PM
I know exactly what you mean. I make bows and am in the exact same boat =) It seems as though I like to make pumpkins for halloween. Fabric, wood, or paper. I have made them all lol

---

Michelle J.
October 13, 2011 at 10:01 PM
I didn’t even know glitter felt existed 🙂 As for Halloween, I’m not really brave enough to make my kids’ costumes, but I like to make accessories to jazz up their costumes a little (a matching trick or treat bag, jewelry, etc.)

---

Meredin
October 14, 2011 at 9:57 AM
The only crafty thing I do for Halloween is carve pumpkins…maybe in the next few years I will get more into crafting when I am not so busy with Steve’s school and my work plus little kids. I would like to start making halloween outfits.

---

Tanya
October 14, 2011 at 7:16 PM
Pumpkins of course and making sugar cookies. And love the glitter felt!
brightbird@gmail.com

---

cameron
October 14, 2011 at 7:19 PM
I helped my kids make Halloween books using glitter foam stickers. -Rachel

---

CHA0Sgirl
October 15, 2011 at 7:41 AM
I love pumpkins, and candles all around the house make Halloween more mystical for me.

---

Amara
October 15, 2011 at 1:22 PM
We love to make our costumes every year, and making all sorts of candy and cookies! A couple of years ago we made candy corn! 🙂 Thanks for the awesome giveaway!

---

sarah
October 16, 2011 at 9:04 PM
Scarlette likes to decorate for holidays, so for Halloween we make paper ghosts, bats and pumpkins and put them all over the house.

---

The Tatasciore Family
October 17, 2011 at 6:51 AM
First I just want to say how inspiring you and your blog have been. I love what you are doing and it makes me want to do more crafts. For Halloween I love carving pumpkins with the kids and decorating the outside of the house for the trick or treaters.

---

 

I totally missed posting yesterday and I’m not even sure you will believe me when I say what happened… are power went out. Right as I was sitting down to start posting.

Needless to say, I was seriously frustrated.

I can say one good thing about the power going out is that we got to spend some time together as a family. We made a Wal-mart run to pick up some more batteries for the flashlights and the boys got to stay up extra late. They were in heaven and had a blast! It made me happy to see them having so much fun.

As you know yesterday was day 8 of the
Crafting Over Sweeting Challenge.

Time for the Sweeting update!
Sweets eaten: None.
Sweet craved: Oh goodness, way too many.
I was getting close to baking something… but I resisted.

This week I will be featuring simple Halloween crafts to get your house ready for the holidays.

To kick it off is our day 9 craft, the

Garlands seem to be big this year when it comes to Halloween decor.
This one is so simple to make and rather inexpensive as well.
Not to mention it’s just cute!

For this craft you will need:

3- 4 yards of rick-rack
*Usually under $1.50 at any craft/ fabric store*

2 sheets of felt
*one black and one white*

Black tulle
*I just used leftovers scraps I had on hand*

Glue Gun
*a crafty girl’s best friend*

Before you begin, make some stencils of the ghost and bat shapes you would like to use.

**Helpful Tip: I made mine from junk mail printed on a thicker paper.**

Trace your ghosts onto the white felt, and bats on the black felt

Cut them out…

Use any left over black felt to makes eyes and mouths for the ghosts,
then glue them on.

After figuring out what order you would like them to go in,
glue them about every 8 inches on the rick-rack.

Cut tulle into rectangles and stack 3 together
*mine measured about 3 x 6 inches*

Tie tulle in-between ghosts and bats,

and your done!

So simple, so cute!

Happy Crafting!

Linked up to:
Sumo’s Sweet Stuff
Skip To My Lou
Mommy by Day, Crafter by Night
Craftomaniac
Making the World Cuter

---

Leslie
October 11, 2011 at 3:44 PM
I LOVE that garland. I would have never thought of this. Thanks for the idea. I need some added decorations for my house!!

---

Lorene (just Lu)
October 11, 2011 at 7:48 PM
SO cute! I love your crafts and your challenge for yourself… you are doing awesome at both!

---

ELIZA
October 13, 2011 at 8:40 PM
Thanks so much Lorene! You sure know how to give a girl a boost :D.

---

 

Crafting Over Sweeting Challenge.

I really don’t know what it was about the first week that made it easier, but it was. It seems I’ve hit the “Are you crazy?! Just have a freaking donut!” wall. I’m also starting to think I come off a we bit crazy when I’m at the supermarket. Wouldn’t you think that about a woman who walks past the cupcakes then backtracks, then walks past them again only to backtrack once more? All the while I probably have this ravenous look in my eyes… I’m sure I’m quite sad looking. Oh well, this was the point of the challenge, to break bad habits. Obviously my habit of eating sweets was worse then I had originally thought.

Time for the Sweeting update!
Sweets eaten: None… thank goodness.
We’re not even going to go into sweets I craved.

The day 10 featured Halloween craft is:

These are oh so fun and just add that small little something when you’re decorating your house for Halloween. They are also super easy, which is a definite plus.

For this craft you will need:

1-2 packets of Halloween themed brads
*I found my brads at Wal-mart for 97 cents… awesome!*

Silk Flowers Plastic Spiders Pieces of spiderweb
*fake, of course*

Magnets

& of course, your nifty little Glue Gun.

For the first magnet you’ll just glue the brad to the magnet

So easy!

**Helpful Hint: Keep your magnets far apart from each other when you are gluing.
Take it from girl who knows, you don’t want your magnets trying to connect when there hot glue all over them.**

For the second magnet,
glue your magnet to the back of the flower.
(trim the plastic flower stem down if necessary)

Cover with spiderweb

Glue the plastic spider on top

These are so easy and they are so fun to have on your refrigerator for Halloween.
Happy Crafting!

Linked up to:
Sumo’s Sweet Stuff
Mommy by Day, Crafter by Night
Skip to My Lou
Craftomaniac
Not JUST a Housewife

---

Meredin
October 11, 2011 at 3:18 PM
I don’t think you would have looked too crazy backtracking to look at the donuts…I did the same thing yesterday. I just have to keep reminding myself that in about 4 weeks I’ll begin to regret every sweet I’ve eaten this pregnancy because then I have to work it all off. I’m proud of you for going for so long without any sweets! I am not sure I could do it, it’s such a temptation to have just a bite…then have that become 2 bites, then the next thing you know they are half gone. Oh and good for you for stopping your nail biting habit…I can’t stop myself with that one either.

---

ELIZA
October 13, 2011 at 8:38 PM
Thanks so much Meredin, you are a sweetheart! I sure felt crazy, but it’s good to know someones in the same boat :D. Nail biting was hard, I still struggle with it at times (though it is nowhere near as bad as it was!).

---

 

Now, instead of dreaming (too much) about sweets on Sundays, I try to dream about crafting.
I’m still crafting up a storm and am working on a lot of projects to feature in the upcoming week. Today I just wanted to take a break from doing a normal craft post and feature some of the things I dream about making.

The first few I found perusing this site. What can I say besides Miss Martha most definitely knows her stuff!

I know I’m not supposed to be even thinking about candy, but this was just to cute NOT to post.
Beautiful… and would you believe I’m referring more to the glass containers then the candy?

Creepy, yet gorgeous all at the same time.

My oldest boy just loved these. When he saw them he quite accurately described them as “zombie pumpkins”. Which left me wondering, where did you learn about zombies?

I know that I’m a bit obsessed with wreaths, but you can never go wrong with a good wreath in your decor. This one is certainly no exception.

Rhinestones… need I say more?
(Find here.)

I know this one really doesn’t go with the theme of Halloween, but it’s just to cute NOT to post.
If I could, I would by thousands of these button letter wall hangings (found here).
I would have 12 for every room and then get some for friends and family.
It is adorable!

What are some crafts you’ll be working on this week??
As always…
Happy Crafting!

---