Thanksgiving is a time for caring and sharing with family, friends, and friends of friends. By blogging, we do the same thing year-round every time we read, write, like or comment on posts. Our online community is a kind, safe, and interesting place to be. I am grateful for each visitor to my blog and wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks for Reading, Happy Thanksgiving & Happy Crafting!
Thanksgiving is celebrated by everyone across the United States. It is a time of family gatherings and delicious food. Planning is the key to preparing a feast for a crowd, which can be a daunting task. There are so many decisions to be made, starting with the dining table.
Traditional Dining Room Table
Is there enough room for your guests and the food? Should you serve a sit-down dinner or buffet style? How can you create a festive atmosphere?
Contemporary Dining Room Table
Just as artists are faced with a blank canvas, what can you do with an empty table? Let’s look at a few options…
Tablecloths & Placemats:
Tablecloths
Placemats
Centerpieces:
Table Runners, Candles & Flowers
Cornucopia with Seasonal Produce
Seasonal Accents at Varying Heights
Ceramic Pumpkins & Leaves
Place Settings & Glassware:
Formal Place Setting – Neutrals
Formal Place Setting – Bold Jewel Tones
Casual Tropical Place Setting
Buffet-Style Place Setting
Glassware
Food Presentation:
Charcuterie Boards
Spreading Knives
Bold Contrasting Colors & Materials
Decorative Platters & Artfully Arranged Food
Thanksgiving Themed Desserts
Homemade Cakes & Candy (Edible Décor)
Lighting:
Firelight & Candlelight
Fairy Lights
Specialty Lights & Floral Garland
Thanksgiving Day:
Dinner is Served
Celebrating with Family & Friends
I hope these suggestions will inspire you to come up with creative Thanksgiving décor in your own unique style. Wow your guests on this memorable occasion. If you have any family traditions you would like to share, please do so in the comments.
Thanks for Reading, Happy Thanksgiving & Happy Crafting!
Wouldn’t it be cool if you could simply change a gloomy sky to a gorgeous day with a wave of your arm? We might not have that ability now, but we can certainly achieve this monumental task through the power of photo editing. Many software programs are available, including PhotoShop and Corel Paint Shop Pro. Your existing digital photos are the perfect canvases for creating new masterpieces to share with family and friends. Here are some fun photo-editing ideas to explore:
Fun in the Sun
Take a few of your old vacation photos and add or subtract a little action. In the first photo, the planes, boats and parachutes were added to a peaceful beach scene. In the second, all the extras, except for the two planes, were removed and removal of the waterfall restored the shoreline.
Playful Pets
These silly hybrid animals are amusing for the kids. The combinations are endless. The key is choosing animals with similar colors. The rest is a simple copy and paste.
Adventurous Kids
Many people have tried riding a horse or maybe even a camel. Why not alter the photos to spice things up a bit by adding a dolphin or a T-Rex? Now that would be exciting!
Story Time
Our local library offers a program enabling children to read to a live greyhound. I’m sure a tiger loves stories as much as everyone else, but I doubt kids will be reading to them any time soon. Photos like this will certainly grab the attention of their grandparents!
Creating Drama
Do you have a budding actor or actress in your family? With the appropriate pose and facial expression, he or she can be inserted into any harrowing scene you choose.
Portraiture
Portraits don’t have to be same old same old. This layered photo tells a story by combining colors, textures, and meaningful items surrounding this beautiful woman in a more intriguing pose. Perhaps she’s an architect or a stained-glass artist with an appreciation for antiques. Tell your story.
Storybook Romance
Prom or wedding photos are ideal resources. Add a fairy tale background and imagine the possibilities
View from Above
Everyone loves taking photos from airplane windows. Usually there’s not much to see except clouds or maybe a bit of land or water. The little lizard above is really funny, but it could be even better if you inserted a family member instead. You could say it was a “no frills airline!” lol
Come Sail Away
The tricky parts of this illusion are the ripples in the water’s surface and the reflection of the sailboat.
3D Tech
Can you remember a time when you didn’t have a cell phone? These photos not only capture the subjects, but they also bring them out into our world in three-dimensional splendor.
Room with a View
Who is watching whom? This is an amazing photo. At first glimpse you might think the artist simply replaced the outside image with an underwater scene but look how cleverly the reflections of the water create dappled patterns upon the walls.
Cat & Mouse Games
Typically, a game like this would not end well, but this is another astonishing illusion.
Who’s Afraid of the Wolf?
This fearless little girl looks calm and self-assured. the story, “Little Red Riding Hood,” has come to life!
Death-Defying Yoga?
Someone is always coming up with new exercise and meditation classes, but I don’t think underwater yoga is a thing! Maybe she’s a shark whisperer? In this exceptional photo, it’s the shared lighting and bubbles that really make it believable.
As your skills grow and you develop your own editing style, your creative photos will blossom with intriguing details and dazzling special effects. Who knows? You may find yourself working in the gaming and entertainment industry, graphic design, advertising, photography, or any of the many fields that entice consumers with compelling images.
Thanks for reading & Happy Crafting!
It’s hard to believe Halloween has arrived. I love driving around the neighborhood to see all the frightfully creative yard décor.
Treat your family to delicious homemade chocolates. These are easy, fun and so much better than store bought candy.
Want to feel like a child again? Wear a mask.
Costume making 101: Cut eye holes in an old sheet and throw it over your head. How easy was that? Accessories are fun but optional.
Most families trick or treat as a group. It’s a fun and safe way to wander around the neighborhood and you’ll probably meet several friends along the way.
Let the festive lights and laughter fill you with the spirit of the season. Breathe in the clean, crisp fall air and make a wish upon a star. “Listen to the Music of the Night.” – Phantom of the Opera
I hope you have a great time and wish you a Happy Halloween and Happy Crafting!
A mask is the perfect accessory to complement any Halloween costume. Feathers have gorgeous colors and patterns and are easy to work with, making them a great choice for mask making projects.
Humorous Bird Mask
Masks not only coordinate with costumes, but can also express personality, subtle sophistication, and even humorous characteristics.
Unintentionally Humorous Bird
The colors and patterns in this mask are bold and confident, but there’s a problem…birds don’t have feathers on their beaks. To correct it, remove the beak feathers and simply paint it flat black, which will return the focus to the beautifully accented eyes.
How to Make a Feathered Bird Mask:
Assorted Supplies
Crafts stores sell several mask styles, such as half masks, full face masks, and some with sculpted scroll or fleur-de-lis details. Decorations include feathers, rhinestones, sequins, faux diamonds, and fancy beaded or woven trims.
Paint Mask Black
This half mask is made of plastic. Because spray paint can produce strong odors, I chose to hand paint it with acrylic paint to make this more comfortable to wear. Depending upon the mask material, it may require two coats of black paint.
Add Faux Faceted Diamonds
Glue individual diamonds, flat side down, around the eye openings, ensuring the gems will not impede vision.
Begin Layering Black Feathers
I started under the center point of the eye openings and worked my way around to the top, following the contours of the mask.
Create a Feathered Crown
Layer additional black feathers creating a beautiful crown, which extends above the top edge of the mask.
Layer Turquoise Feathers
Turquoise & brown tipped feathers are added, starting at the edge of the nose and continuing around the eye as shown. Repeat for the other side.
Completed Mask
Add turquoise accent feathers on the top to contrast with the black. You may need to touch up the black paint due to scratches or nicks from handling. This completes the mask and it is ready to wear.
Completed Mask – Left Side View
Because each feather is unique, there will be variations, but this will not detract from the design. I chose to create a balanced design, but masks can also be asymmetrical.
Completed Mask – Right Side View
Completed Mask – Top View
Raven/Parrot Costume
I made this mask for my mom to wear to a Halloween costume party. I had already purchased this cape, which resembles bird wings, from Grandinroad. She wanted an easy-to-wear costume. All she had to do was wear a black top and slacks, pull on the cape and complete the look with the feathered mask.
I hope you enjoyed this project. It’s easy and fun. Have you ever made a mask? Please let me know in the comments.
Thanks for Reading. Happy Halloween & Happy Crafting!
When I was writing the first three posts in this series, I found myself constantly flipping back and forth between each of the Halloween themes within the Kid Friendly, Creepy and Nightmares levels. I thought you might like to see a side-by-side comparison. The results below are astonishing.
Halloween Themes:
Kid Friendly Creepy Nightmares
Jack-O-Lanterns
Black Cats
Mummies
Spiders
Ghosts
Clowns
Scarecrows
Monsters
Witches
Haunted House
Pumpkin Patch
Skeletons
Graveyards
Werewolves
Bats
Day of the Dead
Vampires
As you can see, Kid Friendly characters are cute, almost cuddly. Creepy ones make you feel uneasy, wondering what it might do. However, if you encounter a Nightmare character along a lonely road at night, don’t waste time wondering… Run away!
This is the last post in the Halloween Grins, Chills & Screams series. In case you missed the first three parts, please be sure to read part 1 Kid Friendly, part 2 Creepy, and part 3 Nightmares for more inspiring ideas. I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know your favorites in the comments.
Thanks for Reading. Happy Halloween & Happy Crafting!
When decorating for Halloween, there are two decisions to be made:
1. Choose a Theme. 2. Choose a Fear Factor.
What is the fear factor? Think of it as how much you want to frighten people, based upon a 3-level scale. Level 3 is Nightmares. Halloween themes at this level provide good old-fashioned scares like when someone sneaks up behind you and yells Boo. You jump and maybe scream in shock…and then you tell them they’re grounded for life. (lol) Let’s see how the desired emotional reactions affect our choices in Halloween décor.
Nightmare Themes:
Jack-O-Lanterns
Black Cats
Mummies
Spiders
Ghosts
Clowns
Scarecrows
Monsters
Witches
Haunted House
Pumpkin Patch
Skeletons
Graveyard & Zombie
Werewolves
Bats
Day of the Dead
Vampires
Haunted Corn Maze
Haunted Village
Haunted Bog
Onion Monster
Insects
Headless Horseman
Vampires & Werewolves (Extra Credit for Living Chess Pieces. lol)
Gremlins
Nightmare Themed Foods:
Beverages
Cakes
Desserts
Pastries
Let’s Toast to Halloween
Halloween Nightmares themes explore the unknown and isn’t that mankind’s biggest fear? Being more complex, these characters appear out of the darkness via motion (costumed actors or animatronics), light, sound and fog, triggering screams or bad dreams for days to come.
Stay tuned for the fourth and final post in this series for a frightfully fun side-by-side comparison of Halloween themes. In case you missed the first two parts, please be sure to read part 1 Kid Friendly and part 2 Creepy for more inspiring ideas. Please let me know your favorites in the comments.
Thanks for Reading. Happy Halloween & Happy Crafting!
When decorating for Halloween, there are two decisions to be made:
1. Choose a Theme. 2. Choose a Fear Factor.
What is the fear factor? Think of it as how much you want to frighten people, based upon a 3-level scale. Level 2 is Creepy. Halloween themes at this level are eerie and unsettling, resulting in spine-tingling chills & goosebumps. Let’s see how the desired emotional reactions affect our choices in Halloween décor.
Creepy Themes:
Jack-O-Lanterns
Black Cats
Mummies
Spiders
Ghosts
Clowns
Scarecrows
Monsters
Witches
Haunted House
Pumpkin Patch
Skeletons
Graveyard
Werewolves
Bats
Day of the Dead (Extra credit for being fashionably frightening. lol)
Vampires (Looks like Tom Cruise in Interview with a Vampire)
Twisted Fairy Tales
Dolls (Reminds me of the little girls in Stephen King’s The Shining)
Creepy Themed Foods:
Beverages
Cakes
Candy
Serving Dishes
Guests, craving the thrills of amusement parks, will appreciate the chilling surprises discovered around every corner with these Halloween Creepy themes. Please let me know your favorites in the comments.
Stay tuned for the third and fourth posts in this series for ideas on Halloween Nightmares themes and a comparison of all three. In case you missed it, please be sure to read part 1 for Kid Friendly inspiration.
Thanks for Reading. Happy Halloween & Happy Crafting!
When decorating for Halloween, there are two decisions to be made:
1. Choose a Theme. 2. Choose a Fear Factor.
What is the fear factor? Think of it as how much you want to frighten people, based upon a 3-level scale. Level 1 is Kid Friendly. Halloween themes at this level are cute or funny, resulting in widespread grins. In this four-part series, let’s see how the desired emotional reactions affect our choices in Halloween décor.
Kid Friendly Themes:
Jack-O-Lanterns
Black Cats
Mummies
Spiders
Ghosts
Clowns
Scarecrows
Monsters
Witches
Haunted House
Pumpkin Patch
Skeletons
Graveyard
Werewolves
Bats
Day of the Dead
Vampires
Kid Friendly Themed Foods:
Candy/White Chocolate Marshmallows
Cupcakes
Cakes
Cookies
Donuts
Guests of all ages will appreciate the playful, festive atmosphere created by these Kid Friendly decorations. Stay tuned for the next three posts in this series, exploring Creepy themes, Nightmare themes, and a comparison of all three. Please let me know your favorite Halloween themes and if you prefer amusing or frightening decor.
Thanks for Reading. Happy Halloween & Happy Crafting!
Feathers have been used for centuries as personal adornments, ceremonial costumes, wall art, and as the inspiration for freestanding sculptures and architectural reliefs. The photo above is a modern-day interpretation of the ancient Mayan & Aztec feathered serpent gods.
Light as a feather, each one is a fanciful treasure found.
The finest feathers provide bold colors in unique patterns and soft textures.
Peacock feathers are highly sought for their fascinating colors, shapes and natural sheen. Peacock patterns are often used in clothing, home furnishings and finishes. Let’s explore some of the artistic possibilities for these delicate natural wonders…
Costumes
Dolls
Dreamcatchers
Easter/Spring Décor
Digital Art
Quill Pen
Fantasy Portraiture
Feather Boas
Jewelry
Mobile
Photography
Wall Art
Feather Wreath
Feathered Hats
Feathered Hair Accessories
Flower Arrangements
Cultural/Religious Ceremonies
Feathered Masks
As you can see, there are many ways to incorporate feathers in your life. I hope these ideas inspire you to give it a try. Please let me know your favorites in the comments.
Thanks for Reading & Happy Crafting!
Crafts Inspire Me 