Halloween Paper Plate and Cupcake Wrapper Eye Balls

Yes! It's another 10 minute craft! Fast, cheap and easy - these eye ball plates are quick to put together and use things you (probably) have on hand.
Materials:
9" Paper plates
Cupcake wrappers- iron them flat for easy gluing (adults job) 
Black card stock
Glue stick
Red marker
3m removable foam squares or painters tape
Optional- circle punch (2") from craft store (use your coupon!)
 


Use glue stick to add a cupcake wrapper to each plate.
Cut or punch out a black pupil and add to the center of the cupcake wrapper.
Add bloodshot lines with a red sharpie marker.
Add a foam square (or painters tape) to the back and add to the wall.

Cheesy Googly Eyes

You can see (no pun intended) that you can add little mozzarella string cheese disks and olive googly eyes to anything.

 

I made this rigatoni pie for work (recipe here) but added the eyes to nachos, mini pizzas, regular pizza or even crackers.

Cut the olive in half and then push the straw through the skin side. 

You can cut the extra olive off the back.

Different diameter straws will yield different sized pupils.

(yes, I punched out the pupils while I was talking to my mother-in-law on the phone. #multitasking).

Cut the cheese disks from the string cheese. 

Set everything up so it's ready to go.
Make whatever you’re going to make (pizza, nachos etc.) then add the cheese disks at the end for the last couple of minutes. Remove from the oven and push in the olive pupils. 
 
If you're making the crackers- put the Triscuits in the oven at 350 degrees for 5 minutes- it doesn’t take long for the cheese to get just melted enough to add the olive pupils.

Halloween Marshmallow Monster Eyes

 
These brownie bite eyes are fast and easy to make- in keeping with my 10 minute Halloween crafts. You can make them with cookies or cupcakes but brownies are the best because each brownie is warmed and there is nothing better than gooey warm brownies.

Materials:

• Brownie bites (you can bake your own but if your short on time like me- just buy them at the store).
• Regular size marshmallows
• Gummies Life Savers
• String licorice or Pull and Peel Twizzlers
• Mini chocolate chips

Additional equipment:
A microwave
Scissors
Oil (spray is the fastest)

Cutting marshmallows is sticky business- spray a little oil (or wipe it) onto the scissors before you start cutting and they will release longer. When the scissors get really sticky just wash them and start again.
 
Lay out the Gummies Life savers on a plate and add a mini chocolate chip to each center hole, set aside.

Separate lengthens of the licorice (or Twizzlers) and cut into 1" sections for the lashes; set aside.

Put up to 4 brownie bites on a microwaveable plate.

Cut marshmallows in half and add one half, cut side up, to the top of each brownie bite.

 

Microwave the brownie bites with marshmallows for 7 to 21 seconds until they puff up. I push stop and start after 7 seconds because my microwave reverses direction which I think makes them puff up more evenly. But micowaves vary in strength and speed...

Carefully remove the plate and squish the Gummies Lifesaver in the center then add the eye lashes.

 

 

Valentine Candy Mason Jar and Easy Cards

Valentines already?  I bet you thought I forgot…
I’ve been busy taking a break from work. Taking some time off to blow the snow and make lots of pots of stew among other things.

Maybe because Valentines is on Saturday this year, or the day after winter break starts or maybe it’s just the way of middle school but we didn’t make Valentines this year! Yikes! It’s the first year since preschool.

However, I have some sweeties that I want to give cards to so I made these 2 fast cards this morning. Super easy and quick.

And also-- this jar full of candies. I made this project as a prototype for work for a Christmas present but I really think it works as a Valentines gift.

It's pretty self explanatory – but I made a document for my words- you can write your own words. The labels are 2 3/4" by 1 3/8" and print out on sheet with cutting lines.
Wrap them around the Hershey's Miniatures chocolate candy bars and tape them on the back with clear tape.
Put the candies in a quart mason jar and decorate the lid with washi tape and decorative paper. Use string or ribbon to attach a card stock heart shaped tag labeled "The many things I love about you."

The cards:

Eye Love You
Use any size card stock base folded in half (mine measures 5.5” by 4”).
Cut a front piece from pretty paper that is slightly smaller than the card.
Use a piece of scrap paper to cut a heart shape out (you know fold it in half and cut the shape out).
Make sure it fits on the card.

Then trace around the heart shape on the pretty paper and use a craft knife to trim the center out.
Place the pretty paper on the card – trace lightly around the inside heart shape.  Set the paper aside.

Add glue to the drawn heart shape and put the eyes inside the drawn line.
Allow the glued eyes to dry then use glue stick to add the pretty paper.
Add the words on a separate piece of paper (hand written or computer).

I like you sew much!
Use any size card stock base folded in half (mine measures 4.25” by 4.25”).

Cut a front piece from card stock that is slightly smaller than the card.

Use a piece of scrap paper to cut a heart shape out (you know fold it in half and cut the shape out). Make sure it fits on the card.

Trace lightly around the heart shape on the smaller card stock sheet.  Then mark around the heart shape about every .25”.

On a cork coaster, fun foam, or a magazine (something soft and protective of the surface your working on) use a push pin to make holes around the hearts shape on the .25” marks.

Use 3 strands of embroidery floss, Perle cotton or string (or yarn) to do a running stitch on the paper. I doubled up the stitches around the center of the heart to make it look even. Tie the strings off in the back and trim the ends.

Add glue stick to the back then add it to the card base. Add your message

to the front:

You’re sew cute!
I love you sew much!
I’m sew excited we’re friends!