Do you send out Halloween cards to friends and family each year? I usually don’t because I send out homemade Halloween party invitations for my birthday each October. However, I’m leaning towards a more low-key celebration this year spent alone. Does that mean I’m not going to create some awesome Halloween cards? Heck no! Creating your cards is at least 75% of the fun. This year let’s try something different and create some fun greeting cards. First up is this handmade humorous zombie Halloween card. You may remember the zombie stamp from this Valentine’s card but we are completely changing up the look of it today.

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[bctt tweet=”Send this #handmade humorous zombie #Halloweencard to friends and family this year!” username=”diyadulation”]

Materials

A2 White Pre-Folded Cardstock Card
Black Ribbon (3/8 in)
8.5”x11” Piece of Olive Cardstock
Zombies Saying Stamp
Glue Runner
Black Pigment Ink
Red Pigment Ink (similar)
Brown Chalk Ink
White Pigment Ink
2.5”x2.5” Black Cardstock
Large Corner Rounder
Red Glitter Embossing Powder
Paper Cutter
Small Adhesive Foam Squares
Heat Tool
Trick or Treat Stamp (I got mine at Michael’s)

Step 1

First, cut a piece of olive cardstock that is .25 inches smaller than your pre-folded card when it is open.

Step 2

Rip the top right corner and bottom left corner of your cut piece of olive cardstock.

Step 3

Next, ink the edges of your olive cardstock with brown ink.

Step 4

Now, attach the inked olive cardstock in the center of your open card with your glue runner.

Step 5

After the cardstock is secured, ink around the edges of the inside of your card with red ink.

Step 6

Next, ink over the red ink on the edges with brown ink.

Step 7

Fold your card back in half and ink around the edges of the front with brown and then red ink.

Note:

The inking order is reversed for the front of the card. It helps add a slightly more sinister first impression to the card.

Step 8

Next, attach 2 pieces of black ribbon diagonally across the front of the card with your glue runner.

Step 9

Trim the edges of the ribbon to match the edges of the card.

Step 10

Cut a small square of olive cardstock that is 2.5” x 2.5”.

Step 11

Next, rip the top right corner of the olive cardstock square.

Step 12

Now, ink around the edges of the square with brown ink.

Step 13

Stamp your zombie saying in the center of your square with black pigment ink.

Step 14

Immediately cover your stamped saying with red glitter embossing powder.

Step 15

Next, shake off any excess powder and return it to your container.

Step 16

Heat the embossed saying with your heat tool.

Step 17

Attach the stamped olive square with your glue runner.

Step 18

Next, round the top right and bottom left corners of your black square with the corner rounder.

Step 19

Stamp “Trick or Treat” in the center of your black square with black pigment ink.

Step 20

Again, immediately cover your stamped image with red glitter embossing powder.

Step 21

Shake off the excess powder and return it to your container.

Step 22

Next, heat your stamped image with your heat tool.

Step 23

Now ink the edges of your black square with white ink.

Step 24

Lastly, attach your black square to the inside of your card with adhesive foam squares.

I know that seems like a lot of steps but most of them go very quickly. Plus, the end result is this awesome, handmade humorous zombie Halloween card. A little bonus tip for you: get the pre-folded cards that come with envelopes. Then when you are done creating your card you can slip it in the envelope and it’s protected and ready to go. This will save you time later. Looking for more Halloween paper crafts? Check out this Sweet DIY Pumpkin Banner for an easy décor idea. You can also make these Wickedly Easy DIY Halloween Invitations if you have a party coming up next month. Don’t worry, I’ll have more fun Halloween greeting cards coming your way soon!

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Don’t Forget to Pin It!

In case you have somehow missed it, I am a huge nerd. I love Doctor Who, rock Hello Kitty everything, and “I want to Believe”. The epitome of my fangirl soul is Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BTVS). Unfortunately, DIY tutorials for awesome Buffy crafts are hard to come by. For that reason I’ve decided to create my own. If you are looking for a great DIY to flaunt your BTVS nerdiness then this DIY Buffy Hush Box is the perfect start!

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About the Episode

Even if you aren’t a BTVS fan, I totally recommend watching this episode (don’t worry, you can watch it for free on Netflix or Amazon Prime). Hush is the tenth episode of Season 4 and it is phenomenal from a cinematic standpoint. The entire town is rendered speechless due to the latest villain, The Gentlemen, and the actors nail silent-film style! The Gentlemen are easily one of the scariest monsters you’ll ever encounter and the mimes that play them did incredible. When they steal all of the townspeople’s voices, they contain them in a creepy little box. Find out how to make your own replica box below.

*DISCLAIMER* This one probably won’t steal and/or store people’s voices for you.

[bctt tweet=”Flaunt your BTVS nerdiness with this DIY Buffy Hush Box is the perfect start! #diy #btvs #buffy” username=”diyadulation”]

Materials

Wooden Box (4.25 inches X 4.25 inches X 2.9 inches) I got mine at Michael’s
Raw Umber Acrylic Paint
Paint Brush
Paper Towels
Gallery Glass Simulated Liquid Leading in Black
White Fabric Paint
Screwdriver

Step 1

Remove all stickers from your box.

Step 2

Next, use your screwdriver to remove the hinges from the box and lid.

Step 3

Apply a thick coat of paint to the top of your lid.

Step 4

Immediately wipe off excess paint with a paper towel. This is what stains your wood while still letting the grain show through.

Step 5

Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the rest of your box until the entire outside is stained.

Step 6

Paint the inside of your box and lid but this time do not wipe the paint off.

Step 7

Allow your paint to dry completely.

Step 8

Next, reattach your hinges.

Step 9

Close your box and draw lines on the lid 1.4 inches from the top and from the bottom.

Step 10

Next, make small notch marks on each edge and each line to mark every inch.

Step 11

Connect the marks to form triangles as pictured above. (Start at the corner and connect to the first notch mark on the line below. Continue in this pattern.)

Step 12

Now, draw your lines on the sides of your box. These lines should be measured .8 inches from the top (under the lid) and .8 in from the bottom of your box.

Step 13

Again, make small notch marks on each edge and line to mark each inch.

Step 14

Connect the notches to create triangles as you did in step 11 above.

Step 15

Cover the lines on the top of your lid with gallery glass and allow to dry completely.

Note:

If you don’t have gallery glass you can use black fabric paint. The end result will not be as aged-looking, though.

Step 16

Next, put a dot of white fabric paint in the bottom center of each triangle. See the picture above for reference.

Step 17

Repeat steps 15 and 16 with the rest of your box. Allow the entire box to dry completely before use.

Now that you have your awesome replica it’s time to put it to use. You can use it on your night stand to store your everyday jewelry in the evening. It can hold your loose change displayed on a shelf. Another option that keeps in the theme of the box is to store a mini notepad and pen set inside of it. Any time that you are feeling a particularly strong emotion that you can’t shake, write it down. Then fold the slip of paper up and toss it in the box. Let the box hold onto your frustrations for you so that you can get on productively with your day!

Looking for more nerdy crafts? You will love these DIY Sonic Screwdriver earrings!

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You’ve been learning all about how to DIY your Halloween party. You’ve made your invitations, started on your décor, and planned your menu. What is left to do? That question would be easier to answer if you had a Halloween Party Planning Checklist. I have always loved to entertain, especially at Halloween. Over the years I have perfected the art of doing so. Now I’m passing that knowledge onto you. Get the free Halloween Party Planning Checklist when you subscribe to be a DIY VIP member (don’t worry, it’s free). Now let’s get onto more party planning with these DIY bone party utensils.

This is a sponsored post written on behalf on Oriental Trading. In addition, affiliate links are used on this site. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

Materials

Crayola Air Dry Clay
Plastic Forks
Optional: Sandpaper, Acrylic Sealant, and Painters Tape

Step 1

Pull out a small chunk of air dry clay (about 2 inches in diameter).

Step 2

Roll the piece of clay into a long strip (like a snake).

Step 3

Place the handle of a plastic fork on the top half of the clay snake.

Step 4

Fold the bottom half of the clay snake over the top of the fork handle.

Step 5

Roll the handle/clay mixture between the palms of your hands to completely cover the handle.

Note:

Roll in a way that all of the excess clay is pushed to the bottom of the fork handle.

Step 6

Form the excess at the bottom of the handle into a ball-like shape and gently push in the bottom center. Manipulate until you have what looks like the end of a bone.

[bctt tweet=”More Halloween party fun: DIY bone party utensils (+ a free party planner)! #ad #halloween” username=”diyadulation”]

Step 7

Set somewhere to dry for 24-48 hours.

Tip:

Dry time will vary based on the thickness of the clay.

Step 8

Repeat steps 1 through 7 until the desired number of utensils are made. The container linked to above will do the entire pack of forks.

Step 9 (Optional)

If your bones seem to be falling apart once they are dry do the following steps:

Very gently sand the bones. Clean off any dust.

Next, tape off the tines of your fork with painters tape.

Spray the clay with an acrylic sealer so that it is completely sealed.

These are super cool and creepy! If you don’t have time to cover all of your utensils, cover 8 to 10 of them and display them on your tablescape for décor. As you can see, they look awesome in the Gentleman’s box from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer “Hush” episode (that tutorial is coming your way next week!).

Looking for a deal at Oriental Trading? Visit their coupon page for the latest in sales.

Don’t forget to snag your copy of the Halloween Party Planner before you go. Sign up in the box below and you’ll receive the password for our resources page in minutes! In case you’re not ready to commit to weekly visits from me in your inbox, here are the 6 main party checklist components for a successful party:

Invitations

Décor

Food

Activities (Yes, even adults-only parties need some activities.)

Favors (I’ll give you some easy ideas for favors next week.)

Memories (You want to preserve the memories whether it be with a guest book or a photo.)

When you cover these 6 bases your party is sure to be a hit! Get all the tools you need to rock these bases and your costume with Oriental Trading!

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