Halloween- Scroll Holder & Spells

This is a cool idea I had while thinking about a witch themed Halloween and I'm a little surprised that I haven't come across anything similar on the internet before. So this is a simple DIY to make a scroll holder and some spell scrolls.


Things you will need-

• Toilet roll tubes
• Acrylic paint (I used brown but you can also use grey or black)
• PVA glue
• Brown paper
• Charcoal/pen and ink
• Paint brush

Take your loo roll tubes and glue them together. I found the best way to do this is to glue them side by side in lines of 4. Then once that glue is dry stack the lines on top of each other and glue them in place to create a structure similar to the one below. 

Once the glue is dry paint the whole structure with acrylic paint. I found that watering the paint down slightly gave a weathered effect to the piece. 

Whilst the paint is drying you can now prepare your spell scrolls. I found A5 sized paper worked well though you can use any size you like as long as it fits inside the tubes. Tear along the edges of the paper to create a more organic look to your scrolls. I wrote out the 'spells' in charcoal but you can use pen and ink if you prefer. I drew out arcane looking symbols for some of the spells and wrote out potion ingredients and ritual instructions on others. Let your imagination go wild for this bit and stick in as many crows feet, eyes of newt and chickens milk as you like.

Once all your spells are written and your scroll holder is dry you can roll up the spells and place them however you like. I added a number of plant parts, shells and stones to my scroll holder to make it look as interesting as possible. 

Crafts- Flower Pot Make Over

Personalised flower pots are a great way to bring some originality to your living space. They also make thoughtful gifts for any green fingered friends you may have.


Things you will need-

• A flower pot
• Acrylic paint
• Glue
• Masking tape
• Black sand (or black glitter if you want more sparkle)
• Varnish (optional)

Take your flower pot and give it a coat of acrylic paint. I used black but you can go for any colour you want. If the paint is thin you may need to apply a second coat once the first is dry.

After leaving your paint to dry completely carefully apply masking tape to any areas that you don't want to get covered in sand. I just want a layer of sand around the top rim but you could also try applying it in vertical stripes along the sides of the pot. Once you are happy with the placement of your masking tape cover the exposed area with glue.

Once you have covered the top rim in glue carefully peel off the masking tape to leave a nice straight edge around your pot. Take the black sand and slowly pour it over the glue, rotating the pot as you do so to cover the glue evenly.  

My flower pot is going to stay in my windowsill but if you would like your pot to live outside in the garden you will also need to cover it in a layer of varnish to seal the paint and sand against the weather. 

Halloween- Dry Leaves

Another super simple DIY for a witchy themed Halloween.

Gather up some foliage, either from your garden or from your local roadside/woodland. As always if you forage from the countryside make sure you never take more than you need, don't damage any endangered species and make sure you don't handle any toxic plants unless you have experience and know what you are doing.

I picked a large handful of doc leaves from my garden and laid them out to dry for several days. Once they are fully dry I tied them together in bundles with twine and hung them around the house.

In the photo above these plants look very out of place but once you decorate your house with more set dressing for your party these will add a very unique touch. 

I also dried out some bundles of mint leaves from my herb garden so that I had some variety. 

DIY Fashion- Coin Purse

This DIY is a gentle introduction to working with fabrics for anyone who doesn't have much experience with sewing.

Things you will need-

• Cotton fabric
• Thread
• Sewing Machine or Needle
• Iron on Velcro
• Iron
• Fabric Scissors
• Scissors
• Chalk
• Paper
• Ruler
• Pencil

Start by drawing out a template on paper. This design measures 17cm across and 12.5cm deep, it sounds like a lot but don't forget that includes a seam allowance. To get a symmetrical pattern fold your template in half down the centre and then cut it out to ensure both sides are even. 

Fold your fabric in half so that you have 2 layers of material and draw around your template with the chalk. Cut out your pattern along the chalk line being careful to cut the top and bottom layer together.  

If you don't own a sewing machine you can hand stitch your fabric but it will be faster with a machine. Fold over a 1.5cm seam allowance along the top edge of each piece and straight stitch along the edge. You may find it easier to pin down the fabric or iron it flat before you begin stitching. 

Once you have sewn down the top edge of both pieces place your sections back to back with the wrong sides facing out. Stitch along the bottom edge again leaving a 1.5cm seam allowance. 

Turn your purse the right way out and measure and cut your iron on velcro. You should need a length approximately 12cm long. Place the velcro inside the top edge of the purse and iron it on as per the instructions on the velcro package. 

If you like you can also stitch over the velcro for extra security.Trim any loose threads and your coin purse is finished!

Halloween- Hanging Shells

This is another very simple project that requires limited creativity. You will need some twine, string or cord, a collection of shells and an awl or similar tool for making holes in your shells. I have used snail shells that I gathered from my own garden and the gardens of my family but you can substitute these for seashells if you prefer.

Start by cutting your cord into 6 uneven lengths and tying them together in a knot at one end. Take your awl and carefully poke holes in the shells. Thread the shells onto the cord and tie a knot in the cord after each shell to hold them in place.

These shells make a lovely sound when they are jangled together so I would advise hanging them near a door or window for the breeze to jingle them.

DIY Fashion- Pattern Haul

Woo! I just received a bundle of dress making patterns in the post today and am very excited. :-) I haven't made any new clothes from scratch for a while now, the past couple of years I have been mostly altering and up-cycling existing clothes.

I can't wait to get started! These patterns are all 'costume' style but with a few small alterations and different materials to the ones shown on the packets and I'll have some awesome new gothy outfits.  

Halloween- Stuff in Jars

What witches kitchen would be complete without things in jars! So to start things off I'm going to create several very easy to do projects that require virtually no artistic skill (so there's no excuse not to try them!).

Obviously you need a supply of empty jars. These can be glass or plastic but I think glass looks better. If you don't have any empty jars in your own recycling bin ask your friends/family/neighbours if they have any they'd be willing to give you. (They don't need to have their lids.)

Jars 1, 2, 3 & 4- Plant matter.
Go out into your garden or take a stroll through the local countryside and gather up various plants. If you're gathering from the woods or countryside don't take more than you need and never ever damage rare or endangered plants. Common plants that you can pick without harming the environment include dandelion, doc leaf, bramble, common daisy (Not Ox-eye) and clover. You should also be aware that some common plants, such as hemlock and foxglove, are in fact poisonous and should not be handled unless you have experience with dangerous plants and are wearing the appropriate protection.

In the jars above I have from left to right- ash leaves, doc leaf seeds, dandelion leaves and dandelion roots. Let your various plants dry out for a few days before putting them inside the jars, you don't want trapped moisture to make things mouldy.


Jar 5- Soft fruit stones
This jar takes even less effort than the first three. If you eat any soft fruit such as plums or nectarines save the stones and give them a good scrub to remove any bits of flesh still stuck to them. You can then either put them in a jar as they are once they're dry or you can give them a thin coat of acrylic paint to make them look a bit more unusual.

Jar 6- Dried fruit
For my final Halloween jar I used slices of dried apple but you can also use oranges or lemons if you prefer. Take your fruit and slice it into thin sections. Place the slices on a baking tray and dry them out in the oven on a low heat setting. Be careful not to turn the heat up too high or your apples will soften and turn into mush.