T-shirt Halloween: Make a Mini Mondrian!

For all of you would-be Halloween revelers who are down to the wire when it comes to your costume, here's a quick and easy costume idea that requires just a blank T-shirt and some fabric paint or markers. Create a masterpiece! (Or, rather, wear one inspired by the works of Piet Mondrian.) In just a couple of hours you'll have your priceless artwork -- just grab a frame and hit the trick-or-treating circuit! (Even better, grab some friends and paint a whole museum or gallery worth of fine art pieces.)

 

I'm Totally Crushing on Ryan Gosling's Scorpion Jacket from the Movie Drive

Hey Girl.

As one popular Tumblr ode to Ryan Gosling says, he's "your favorite sensitive movie dude-turned-meme." Another Tumblr puts it more bluntly. And a recent video by Gosling doppelganger Joey shares "How to Look Like Ryan Gosling." Which got me thinking about snagging Ryan Gosling's style. Forget the hoodie and well-groomed 5 o'clock scruff. I mean, did you see that embroidered scorpion jacket he wore in Drive? (Ahem, in case you can't tell them apart, that's Ryan on the left.)

You can actually buy it -- oh, but making it would be so much more fun. And so I set out to make some sweet scorpion threads inspired by that original jacket -- no satin quilting, no embroidery, just a white jacket from a thrift store and some fabric paint. And since my favorite new sensitive dude happens to be pint-sized, I've decided to make it in miniature for my little gosling. (Note: These instructions can produce a version for a full-sized goose as long as you start with a full-sized jacket!)


Materials:
-White zip-front jacket or sweatshirt
-Pen
-Contact paper
-Craft knife and cutting mat
-Masking tape
-Yellow fabric paint, brush or spray on (for scorpion)
-Orange fabric paint, brush or spray on (for highlights)
-Black fabric paint, brush or spray on (for trim)
-Paint brushes (optional)
-Sewing machine threaded with white thread (optional)
-Scissors (optional)



Make it:
1. Lay the jacket flat and measure the approximate dimensions of the back panel. Cut a piece of contact paper to those dimensions. Draw or trace the outline of a scorpion onto the paper.

2. Use the craft knife and cutting mat to cut out the contact paper stencil.

3. Peel off the paper backing of the contact paper and press the stencil onto the back of the jacket.

4. Paint the entire scorpion shape with yellow paint. (Use fabric spray paint or paint it on with a brush for more precision.)

5. Paint some highlights on the scorpion with orange paint to show the shadows.

6. Line the bottom edge of the jacket, the sleeve ends, and the shoulder seams with masking tape and paint them black.

7. Let the paint dry completely and carefully pull off the tape and stencil. Optional: If the jacket has a hood, cut and hem it to create a collar. (Hey, we're going for authenticity here!)

8. Try the jacket on your littler driver. Okay, so he can't even hold his head up yet, but he sure knows how to grip the wheel! Next up: Get him a driver's license...in 16 years.


Photo of Ryan Gosling via FirstShowing.

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Craft on!

MAYA IN THE MOMENT TEEN CRAFT: Glowing Corset Halloween Top

I've been craving to use the Tulip Glow in the Dark 3D Paints for Halloween, but I wanted to do something really cool and not cheesy. This is what I came up with...

I took a black fitted T-shirt and slipped it over a cardboard form and taped the back with clear tape so the shirt wouldn't slip.

I then pulled out my favorite paints!

I used a piece of chalk to outline where I wanted to make the first line. After that, I just kept adding rows of designs. It took a couple hours. I suggest a good chick flick to keep your mind entertained as you make dot after dot after dot...Every so often I would hold it up to make sure it was all evenly spaced. I let it dry for several hours.

After that, it was ready to go. I love how it turned out and I'm really looking forward to wearing it out at night to a party or just goofing around with my friends. I think it would be really wild to do a whole pair of jeans like this too.

Craft on! Click here for our giveaway!

31 Days of DIY Halloween – Butterfly Baby Costume

It’s time for costumes!!! And when I created this adorable butterfly costume, I was thinking it should be soft, cute, and brightly colored for a baby’s first Halloween. Our little model belongs to Kristina, a co-worker and blogger for Diapers.Deadlines.DIY. and she was so much fun in the photography studio, she melted our hearts.

Materials:
– Aleene's® Fabric Fusion® Permanent Dry Cleanable Fabric Adhesive
– Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint™ in 65089 Silver
– Baby bodysuit – dark blue
– Safety pins
– Chenille stems – (2) – green
– White poster paper
– Scissors
– Purple felt fabric – ¼ yard
– Blue hat & booties
– Blue felt fabric – ½ yard
– Felt tip pen
– Craft felt square – (1) – green
– Patterns (click here)

Instructions:
1. On poster paper, using felt tip pen, draw butterfly wings approximately 22”x16”. This includes all four top and bottom wings. (See diagram) Cut out.

2. Using Fabric Fusion®, glue blue felt fabric to both sides of paper and cut out.

3. Cut out four purple felt inner butterfly wings. Cut purple wings small enough to leave a 1½” space around all sides and between. Glue onto blue wings. Refer to diagram.

4. Cut out six green teardrop shapes and use Fabric Fusion® to glue to wings. Refer to photo.

5. Cut out six blue circles and glue to teardrop shapes. Refer to photo.

6. Accent edges of wings with lines and dots of Silver 3-D Fashion Paint™. Let dry.

7. Cut out green shape according to diagram. Glue to front of bodysuit.

8. Cut out blue heart and glue on top of green shape.

9. Cut out three purple teardrop shapes and glue to blue heart. Refer to photo.

10. Accent shapes with dots of Silver 3-D Fashion Paint™. Let dry.

11. Glue back of bodysuit to center of butterfly wings. Hold in place with safety pins until dry.

12. Cut out purple circles and glue to hat and booties.

13. Accent circles with dots of Silver 3-D Fashion Paint™. Let dry.

14. Shape chenille stems into spirals. Glue stems to hat on both sides. Hold in place with safety pins until dry.

Craft on! Click here for today's daily giveaway!