Carmen De La Paz's You Can Do It! Magazine Fall 2011

F A L L 2 0 1 1

AND FUNCTIONProjects For TheChanging Season

Ready For RAIN?Simple Ways To Keep YourRain Gutters Clear

Carmen’s Tool BeltNot All Sandpaper Is Created Equal!

EASY LANDSCAPINGPROJECTSGet Your Garden Ready For Spring!

™

De La Paz

CREATE IT.BUILD IT.LOVE IT.YouCanD It!M A G A Z I N E

www.YouCanDoItMag.com

FALLfun

Halloweenis in the

FAST & EASY DECORATIONS TO DO WITH YOUR KIDS

2 | FALL 2011

AND FUNCTIONProjects For TheChanging Season

CARMEN’S TOOL BELT:

All Sandpaper Is NOT Created Equal!

18CARMEN’S KIDS CORNER:

Halloween Is In The Bag!

™

De La Paz


FALLfunF A L L 2 0 1 1

12

YOU CAN DO IT! MAGAZINE | 3

4

SEASONAL MAINTENANCE:

Ready For RAIN?

CARMEN’S BITS:

Fall Into Autumn WithEasy Landscaping Projects

9RAIN CHAINS:

Elegant Downspouts

PUBLISHERJerri Hemsworth

[email protected]

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFCarmen De La Paz

[email protected]

EDITORIAL CONSULTANTSBennett Root, Jr.

[email protected]

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Brian Hemsworth

[email protected]

ASSISTANT EDITOR Michelle Hurlbut

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Steve Higginson and Benjamin Raices

EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING OFFICESCarmen De La Paz’s You Can Do It! Magazine

6133 Fallbrook AvenueWoodland Hills, CA 91364

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Carmen De La Paz’s You Can Do It! Magazine™ is published by HMH Media Inc., 6133 FallbrookAvenue, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. Volume 1, No. 1 Copyright ©2011 by CDLP Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction inwhole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Acceptance of advertising or spon-sorship in Carmen De La Paz’s You Can Do it! Magazine in no way constitutes approval orendorsement by HMH Media Inc. of products or services advertised. Carmen De La Paz’s YouCan Do it! Magazineand HMH Media Inc. reserve the right to reject any advertising. Opinionsexpressed by authors are their own and not necessarily those of Carmen De La Paz’s You CanDo it! Magazineor HMH Media Inc. Carmen De La Paz’s You Can Do it! Magazine reserves theright to edit all contributions for clarity and length, as well as to reject any material submit-ted. Not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. This periodical’s name and logo along withthe various titles and headings therein, are trademarks of CDLP Enterprises Inc. and HMHMedia Inc. PRODUCED IN U.S.A.

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4 | FALL 2011

carmen’s bits

all is one of the seasons where we often chose in-

activity versus activity. For some reason, the hints of

Spring and Summer inspire an aggressive “to-do”

list, yet Fall barely allows for an acknowledgment of

the leaves laying in the yard. With the transition of

seasons there is drama and color—from the land-

scape to the weather, even the wardrobe calls for a

change or at least some transition.

Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons,

especially growing up in Wisconsin. As I was think-

ing about DIY projects for the season, I had an

amazing trip down sense-memory lane. Beginning

a new school year. Getting new Fall clothes with

plaids and high boots with new navy socks.

Bundling up to get warm and going out to see the

amazing colors. Taking the trip to the farm to pick

out my first pumpkin, cutting it right off the vine,

carving it, and toasting homemade pumpkin

seeds in the oven. Picking apples. Scooping up

piles and piles of leaves to run and dive into, like

nature’s crash pad. There is something about the

sun setting earlier that makes you want to snuggle

up in a big sweater. And I’ll always love the change

in the way the air smells with fireplaces burning.

There’s a time for snuggling by the fire, but I’m

telling you that there are things to be done this

Fall, before we kick back for the Winter chill and

the occasional ride on the snow blower. The things

you do now for your yard can greatly impact your

home and garden next year.

Plant a tree for next year: Did you know planting a

tree in the early Fall will help it have a jump start next

spring? Be sure to protect it from harsh winds, and

remember that if the ground is not frozen, it still needs

water about once a week. Do some research and

determine the best choices for your planting zone.

Plant bulbs now for color next Spring: Planting

bulbs in the Fall gives you a higher return in the

bulbs actually blooming come Spring. If you don’t

get them in the ground this Fall, be sure to store

your bulbs in a dark and cool spot, preferably in a

brown paper bag to allow for moisture to flow in

and out slowly.

Falling leaves—Mother Nature’s mulch: You

don’t have to kick your leaves to the curb! You

don’t have to pile them up and burn them. Instead,

spread out the leaves evenly over your grass and

then mow the lawn like you always would. Yup,

mow right over the leaves. When raking back the

clippings, use the shredded leaves as mulch in your

plant beds. Nutrients from leaves decompose back

into the ground and also serve as mulch while they

break down. Your garbage man will appreciate it

and Mother Nature gets back what she gave.

Protecting plants from chill:Not all plants require

protection from the harsh cold and freezing tem-

peratures. Educate yourself on the planting zone

you live in and which of your plants may be exposed

to risk. Plan now for what you’ll need on those days

of extreme weather, either burlap or plastic, and

have it on hand at the beginning of the season.

Trust me, the gardening you do in the Fall will

make your Spring and Summer more delightful.

Fall intoAutumn With EasyLandscapingProjects

F

Carmen

S e a S o n a l M a i n t e n a n c e :

Ready For


ave you ever walked out the front door during a rainstorm

and been met by a cold sheet of water coming off the roof?

The cold splash of rain is a reminder that rain gutters are a

“must-have.” Your roof’s rain gutters are a critical part of

roofs, but what exactly do they do? Rain gutters guide hun-

dreds of pounds of water from the edge of the roof and to a

downward spout or exit for two main reasons: to guide

water away from your home’s foundation in order to pre-

vent an interior moisture or mold problem and/or to guide

the water to one location for collection or dispersal.

Cleaning and maintaining rain gutters with the change of

the seasons is a “to-do” that most people don’t consider on

a regular basis. To help your rain gutter system function and

achieve its maximum life expectancy, homeowners should

ensure that their rain gutters remain clean and free of any

debris that may block the flow of water. This includes loose

debris removed from both flat and sloped roof areas. With

safety playing a huge role in the process, rain gutters can be

cleaned by hand and rinsed with water to insure each

downspout is flushed thoroughly. Here are a few things to

consider when checking your rain gutters from ground level

to assure proper flow and determine if there are any trouble

areas or repairs required.

A safe rain gutter

inspection of your

home is a “must do”

that should NOT be

overlooked

For

8 | FALL 2011

1Downspouts and guttersshould be cleaned about twicea year, spring and autumn.

Plan for rain gutter maintenance inthe spring just before heavy rainsarrive, and then again in the fallwhen leaves, tree limbs and otherdebris might cause problems.

2If you find your gutters seemto catch too much debris dueto a location near a tree, you

may choose to install metal meshingscreen or a “leaf catching system.” Ihighly recommend you select a stylethat you can easily remove and replaceduring the cleaning of the gutters.

3Be sure to check downspoutsfor rust, peeling paint andleaks. Beyond the actual gut-

ters, be sure to inspect the fastenersholding the gutters to insure thatthey are tightly affixed to the fasciaboards. Check each section to makesure that all fittings are snug andtight. This is also a time to check thefascia boards themselves for dry rot orother damage. If needed, replacethem with lumber treated with woodpreservative that is finished to matchthe other boards.

Be Mindful of the Slope!People think gutters are merelyattached to a fascia and that is theend of it. The fact is the slope atwhich the gutters are attached caneither hinder or improve the flow ofwater. You may find the slope of yourgutter may need to be adjusted fromtime to time where a fastener mayhave loosened or a piece of woodcould have bloated and pushed the

angle off. To determine water flow,do a water test by running waterthrough your rain gutter system. Ifyou find the water drains slowly,inspect and reposition to insure thegutter slopes toward the downspoutsat a rate of 1/4 inch for every 10 feet.So, if the length is 20 feet, the dropof the rain gutter from end to endshould to 1/2 inch.

Alls Well That Ends WellNow that the rain gutters are work-ing and flowing well, another thingto take into consideration is whereall of this water is going to end up.To prevent soggy ground and extramoisture around the foundation lineof your home, be sure your down-spouts expel water well away fromyour house. Often, downspouts areleft to flow water right at the cornerof a home. This forces the water torush down into the foundation rightalong the base of the home. If youare experiencing moisture in your

basement, check the downspout onthe outside. It may be a huge factorto your moisture problem. If neces-sary, add downspout extenders tocarry the water away from the home.You may also consider concrete orplastic “splash blocks” that areslightly sloped and extend away fromthe house at least four feet.

Always Consider SafetyOne of the biggest reasons people hirea company to clean out their raingutters (or don’t clean them out atall!) is because of the height and thesafety required to handle an appropri-ate-sized ladder. The bottom line forme with safety is this: if I don’t feelcomfortable, I don’t do it. The DIYends when I simply don’t have a goodfeeling about a project. Wheneverworking with a ladder on the exteriorof a home, ALWAYS have someonewith you to serve as a spotter and tohelp with anything required with bal-ancing or handling the ladder.

Ready For

DO

WN

SP

OU

TSelegant


consider

installing a

rain chain in

place of the

typical gutter

downspout.

they’re easy,

functional and

downright pretty.

10 | FALL 2011

What the heck is arain chain? It is aninnovative and dec-orative chain made

from a series of loops or funnelsjoined together and hung from theend of your rain gutter. It takes theplace of a downspout. Rain chains canalso be attached to the eaves of yourhouse with no gutter, wherever therain runs off your roof.The rain chain originated in Japanmany years ago. It was traditionallyused to guide rain water to large potsand containers that was then used forcooking and laundry. Today, in Japan,homeowners also channel the rain

water into their rain gardens, wherethe gently falling water produces asoothing, rhythmic sound.There is a wide variety of rain chainstyles. Single or double strands ofround-, oval-, or square-linked chaincan accent modern and contemporarystyles, as well as rustic, country orAsian styles. Small buckets, terra cottapots, flared cups, fluted shaped fun-nels and embossed cups with designsof flowers, butterflies and/or leavescan also be used to accent these styles. There are some very simple and verycreative materials that can be used tomake rain chains. You can use lengthsof chain from the hardware store,

shower curtain hooks, large sizedmetal key rings and even PVC pipe cutinto rings. Copper (the most popularmaterial), and brass (also very popu-lar) can all be used. Copper, like allmetals, oxidizes as it weathers, turn-ing to a greenish-gray color known asa Verdigris patina. Brass as it oxidizesdarkens with age, while aluminum orstainless steel usually retains its color.

How To Make A Rain ChainYour rain chain can be hung from thegutter by using an aluminum or stain-less steel rod horizontally placedacross the gutter hole (allowing it toextend 3 inches into the gutter on

Copper, brass or stainless steel chains makegreat rain chains.

I placed small rocks in the bottom of the buckets tohelp weigh them down and make them wind-safe.


both sides of the hole). Then hang anS-hook on the rod, securing the hookat the top with a “u” shaped fastener.A v-shaped gutter hanger may also beused. To anchor the chain to theground, a metal stake may be used, ora something with considerable weightlike a rock may be tied to the bottomof the chain. I would suggest some-thing visually pleasing and compli-mentary to the esthetics of your yard.I’ve used a small anchor in the shapeof a fish on one of mine. Tradition-ally, a rain chain is placed into awhole or half rain barrel, or a decora-tive terra cotta pot, to catch the wateras it comes down the chain in order

to recycle the rainwater. I like to placemine directly into a potted plant.

Safety TipThis is something you need to watchout for with any downward spout ofwater. To prevent excess moisture buildup at the foundation of your home, beit from a standard rain gutter or a rainchain, be sure to guide the water awayfrom the foundation of your homewith a down spout splash block.Once you have completed the installa-tion of your rain chain, be sure to give ita trial run by running water from a hosethrough the path where the rain wouldflow. By doing this, you will be able to

make minor adjustments, if needed, toensure you rain chain doesn’t splashand the water flows where you want it.

Relax and Enjoy!Your rain chain can provide relaxingbackground sounds near your patio orother outside seating areas. It’s fun tohang them from tree limbs or hooksthroughout your garden. Placed near orover fountains and ponds, they are pleas-ing to the eye and can be functional. Ifyour rain chain is made of chain link, itwill tend to splash more than those madeof cups or funnels. So be sure to placeyour rain chain so that garden pathsand walls will not be splashed.

Rain chains are hung from the gutter by using ahorizontally placed rod and an S-hook.

Run hose water through your gutter to ensurethat the water splashes where you want.

ALL SANDPA Is NotCreated Equal!Which sandpaper should you use?

Does it matter how you use it?

Can you use one kind for all your projects?

Here are the answers tothese great questions!

Have you always thought sandpaper was just sandpaper? Or

maybe wondered if sandpaper came in different varieties? I used

to think this way about every tool out there! But there is always

an opportunity for comparing and learning. Ultimately, you want

your buying power to reflect how much you are willing to spend and what

you are ultimately going to do with your purchase.

carmen’s tool belttools and gadgets that youshould keep on hand for most DIY projects APER

14 | FALL 2011

There are many categories to my toolbelt and toolbox. I always have my“go-to” things in stock and plenty ofit. Sandpaper is always one of thosethings. I never hesitate to buy more,because I know I will always have a usefor it and won’t allow it to go to waste.It’s important to know what each typeof sandpaper to use and when.I will start by saying “All sandpapersare not made equally” or rather “Allsandpapers will not perform equally.”By sharing my experience, my goal isto empower you with knowledge andto inspire you to flex your creativemuscle. The way I see it, by sharingmy pitfalls and successes (‘cause I’vehad many), I will hope-

fullyprevent you from experi-

encing common roadblocks that willhinder you from an enjoyable “do-it-yourself” experience.

Marry The Paper! Say What?The next time you pull a piece ofsandpaper out of a drawer, take agood look at it. Does it have a paper,Velcro or mesh backing? Is it circularor square? What color is the abrasiveside? Does it have numbers and lettersprinted on it? The answers to all ofthese questions follow a code of col-ors, letters and numbers, making iteasier to determine the abrasive youhave and what it is for. Better yet, thenext time you are walking down thesandpaper and abrasives aisle of yourlocal hardware, paint, or home & gar-den store, stop and look at all theoptions. You will see different sandpa-per for wet/dry sanding, furniture fin-ishes, drywall and stripping paint. Youwill also see liquid sandpaper, whichis used to remove the thin top surface

layers of glossy painted items.But determining the rightsandpaper for a project ismostly determined by color.With that being said: Marrythe paper to the materialand the project! There are two kinds ofsandpaper out there:commercial and indus-trial. You will find com-mercial sandpaper inyour average hardwarestore. I am mostly con-centrating on commer-cial sandpaper in thisarticle. But it’s impor-tant to know that theindustrial kind ismore often consid-ered an “abrasive.”Although some-

times it looks like regu-lar sandpaper, it’s made fromdifferent particles and usually backedwith a thin fabric of cotton or poly-ester to give it longer life. Needless tosay, they are more expensive.

Numbers And Letters And Color, Oh My!One thing to understand about sand-paper is the importance of the num-ber on the backing. This numberrefers to the grit or roughness ofsandpaper. The grit is a universal gagedetermined by the number of particlesapplied on each square inch of thepaper at the time of manufacturing.The higher the number, the more tinyparticles there are on a square inch.Look at it this way: a piece of sandpa-per with 100-gage grit has 100 parti-cles per square inch of paper. A pieceof sandpaper with 400 grit has 400particles per square inch, and so on.Sandpaper can go as high as 2000 par-ticles per square inch and even higher.Now you know about the number,let’s talk about the letter. This can getreally confusing. You may feel thatthere are too many letter combina-tions. However, the letter refers to theweight of the backing material on thesheet of sandpaper. Generally, “P”refers to Paper backing—in otherwords P220 means—Paper 220 grit.“P” is most common among papersfound in the United States.Another important difference is thecolor of the abrasive. You will findsandpaper with black, red, yellow,purple or just plain brown paper-bagcolor. With modern technologies,many companies like 3M are now pre-senting new products with syntheticminerals, strong resins, and even spe-cial longer-lasting ceramics. Tradition-ally, sandpapers for woodworkinghave been made of Aluminum Oxide,Garnet, Silicon Carbide, and Ceramic.Up until recently, the two used mostoften by woodworkers are AluminumOxide and Garnet (identified by thered coloring.) Keep in mind the colorusually does refer to something—frombrand to manufacturing and it willimpact your final purchasing decisionso read the labels carefully.

Carmen’s Sanding

Safety Tip

When working with

sandpaper, be it by

hand, with a sanding

block, or with a

portable sander, use

your safety glasses an

d

a dust mask.


Don’t be pushed away by the newceramic sandpapers. Ceramic is thehardest of all of the abrasives com-monly available. It is also one of themost expensive materials available,but with new technology, you will seeit more and more. I encourage you totry it sometime: the sandpaper DOESlast longer.

Let’s get to the sanding. As you lookat your project you will be determin-ing the finish you want to end upwith before you start. This will be ahuge factor to determine the sandpa-per that you purchase. Generallyspeaking, you are safe to always haveon hand a variety of grits from 150 to400, usually a 150, 240, 320 and 400.

These are standard U.S. grits. Gritsoutside of this run usually indicate aforeign-made brand.

Why Do You Need So Many Numbers?In the carpentry world, you will oftenhear the phrase, “Be sure to runthrough all the grits.” This means you

GRIT COMMON NAME USES

40-60 Coarse Heavy sanding and stripping, roughing up the

surface.

80-120 Medium Smoothing of the surface, removing smaller

imperfections and marks.

150-180 Fine Final sanding pass before finishing the wood

220-240 Very Fine Sanding between coats of stain or sealer.

280-320 Extra Fine Removing dust spots or marks between finish coats

360-600 Super Fine Fine sanding of the finish to remove some luster or

surface blemishes and scratches.

Runnin’ Thru The Grit

5080 120

220

60 150

should work your way toward yourfinished piece by progressively movingup in grit with the sandpaper. Forexample, if I start sanding a piecewith 150 grit, I have to progress to240 before I hit it with 320. Skippinga gage of grit will leave scratchesbehind. The grits are designed to pro-gressively work the piece to an even,smooth finish with each level break-ing down the one before. I usuallysand to 320 before I start staining or

sealing a piece. Depending on thewood I am working with, I don’t wantto “over” sand. This is when the poresof the wood become clogged and pre-vent the stain from penetrating thegrains evenly. I usually use 400 grit inbetween coats of water-basedpolyurethane. I use 600 to 1500 gritmainly on Venetian plaster. I leave you with the one cardinalrule in the DIY process of sanding:Always sand with the grain of the

wood, not across it. After trying it ona scrap piece of wood you will seehow the scratches are visible acrossthe wood, so it won’t make for a verynice finish.I really hope that by bringing a littleinsight into sandpaper, more peoplewill see it as a necessary step towardthe success of a professional-lookingfinish. Whether your project is work-ing on a wall, a piece of outdoor furni-ture or a floor, using the right abrasivewill make or break your project.

The Keys To Successful SandingThe next time you consider using orbuying sandpaper, take these thingsinto consideration:n Marry the abrasive to the material.Sandpapers and abrasives are madespecifically for different surfaces—wood, metal, etc.

n “Follow the grit through”n ALWAYS go with the grainn As a safety reminder when workingwith sandpaper, be it by hand, witha sanding block, or with a portablesander, use your safety glasses anda dust mask.

save your knuckles !

No-Slip Grip™ Backing On Sandpaper Keeps My Hands From Getting Tired!

When I’m doing a lot of handsanding, my fingers get prettytired and then my knuckles begin to ache. I like using 3M’ssandpaper because it has a No-Slip Grip™ Backing. It helps mesand longer without my fingers getting so sore. I can covermore surface and it makes for easier work.

When I fold the sandpaper to fit my hand, I make sure the back-ing is in contact with itself. The sandpaper doesn’t slip and Idon’t have to grip it so tight. If I’m using a sanding block, thesandpaper stays put longer without slipping. And the bestthing is that when the paper gets dusty, I just rinse the sheetand the backing gets restored! Check it out!

16 | FALL 2011

Backings vary ondifferent kinds ofsandpaper. Usually,sandpaper is backedwith paper or a thinfabric of cotton orpolyester. You willalso find mesh, self-adhesive and Velcrobackings. I preferusing 3M’s No-SlipGrip Backingwhenever I can.

18 | FALL 2011

HALLOWis in the Crunched For

Time & Cash This Halloween? Never Fear When A PaperBag Is Near!

Many people take Hal-loween seriously.They spend the

whole year designing, plan-ning and crafting incredibledecorations and costumesdedicated to this incrediblypopular holiday. Every year, Ispend hours helping friendsmake outlandish and tradi-tional Halloween Costumes.In the last few years, I havebecome make-up andwardrobe central for many—doing make-up through theday and getting everyoneready for their parties. Butfor me personally, I usuallychoose to stay home andgive away candy. I absolutelylove to see how much thelittle kids faces light up oncethey pronounce that age-oldmantra, “Trick Or Treat!”That is better than any Hal-loween party I can think of!


WEEN e bag!

20 | FALL 2011

HALLOWEENis in the bag!

I also see Halloween as a great timeto be creative with children. Inspiringand participating in creative projectscan be rewarding for both the childand the adult. This is what I hope todo by sharing these very easy Hal-loween projects with you!We can all make awesome Hal-loween decorations and spend very lit-tle money with only a hugeinvestment in creativity. I also lovethat the same materials we use tomake Halloween crafts for kids alsowork with crafts for adults. It’s allabout how you present the projects.With a child, it can be whimsy orwith an adult, holiday flair. Not onlythat, these projects are all about creat-ing Halloween with recycled and costeffective materials!

Making A GREEN AndInexpensive Halloween On A Time CrunchI am huge into re-purpose, re-use orrecycle. I am hard pressed to throwanything away. I see value and cre-ative inspiration in just about every-thing. Don’t get me wrong—I am nota pack rat. On the contrary, I am a bitobsessive about organization. I knowWHAT I have and WHERE it is. Youwill often hear me say “I fit 10 lbs. ofcarrots into a 5 lbs. bag. Ok…maybe Ididn’t say carrots but you get the pic-ture (LOL). I also really enjoy making projectsout of the things I already have onhand. This concept eliminates buzz-kill things such as: 1. I don’t have to go to the store. 2. I won’t spend money 3. Waste time getting “set-up” to doa project (like running to a store) andthen lose the motivation due to a

price tag attached. You will often hear me say, “Limitedonly by creativity.” This applies tomaterials and controlling your finan-cial output. This is where recyclingcomes in. Do a scavenger huntaround your house and think, “How

many products can we recycle whencreating or thinking about the wholeHalloween theme?” The kids reallylove this part!I pulled out a bunch of paper lunchbags I’ve had sitting in the kitchen fora couple of years. Then I went out tothe workshop and pulled togethersome paints, pipe cleaners, old news-paper, felt, silk leaves from a once-for-gotten flower arrangement, etc. It wasamazing what I cobbled together byjust opening my eyes. After a couple of hours, I createdALL of the projects you see here. Eachone only took about 45 minutes tocomplete. Just let your imaginationfly….

Here are a couple more tips andtricks to inspire your Halloweencreativity:

Suggested Color Palette Orange, black, white, brown andgreen and feel free to play withgrey tones.

SuggestedMaterialsAcrylic paints,pipe cleaners,wood scraps,styrofoampackaging,cardboardboxes, plasticbottles, news-papers, maga-zines and onand on—noth-ing is off limits!

Tips andTricksCOLOR COUNTSWith any holiday, color is a priority.It is the color code that announcesthe holiday. Use orange, black andfeel free to play with grey tonesand white. Adding an element ofred can also be fun.

PLAY WITH AND INVERT COLORS When making multiples of thesame crafting project, play withthe selected Halloween colorpalette by inverting the place-ment of color. Also play withgrouping things in like colors—allblack bats, or who says pumpkinshave to be orange—if you makethem all black it could be a mod-ern spin on the traditional. Thereare no rules!

Conduct a scavenger hunt aroundyour house to find creative materials.


NOTE: I drew all the faces on thepaper bags freehand, but you canpull generic clip art from theInternet and trace them. Also,don’t feel limited by only drawingfaces. Try drawing leaves or otherfun images.

Materials

Paper lunch bagsBattery operated votive candles

Tools

PencilRuler or straight edgeArtist’s knife, scissors or cutter

1. Using a pencil draw or trace outthe image you want to cut out.

2. With an artist’s knife and apiece of scrap wood underneath(so you don’t damage the table),cut out the images followingthe lines. You may have to presshard in areas as the paper bagshave layers and you want to cutthrough all of them at the sametime. PLEASE supervise childrenwith any artist’s knife or scis-sors. If creating these withsmall children, the cuttingshould be done by an adult.

3. I placed battery-operatedvotive candles in the bottom ofthe bag. You can find at a localcraft store. I bought 6 forabout $5

If you like, you can paint the out-side of them. I like the “Fall” feelthe natural brown paper bagsbring.

Paper Bag Luminarias

™

De La Paz


HoliDaYS

HALLOWEENTIME: about 20 mins. SKILL: easy

I plan to line them up along my front walk to greet the trick or treaters.

—Carmen

Materials

Paper lunch bagsPaint brushAcrylic or poster paints in black,

white, silver and greenColored foam sheetsPipe cleaners or rubberbandsPlastic bottle caps and straw

(to create the bolts on theside of his head)

Black crafting feltPre-made googly eyes

Tools

Basic set of student or artistbrushes

PencilArtist’s glue or hot-glue gunArtist’s knife, scissors or cutter

1. Using a paper lunch bag, stuff itwith crumpled newspaper or mag-azine sheets to create the Franken-stein head shape. Note: I use thesquare bottom of the bag to helpreplicate Frank’s square head.Secure the bottom of the bag witha rubber band or pipe cleaner.

2. Paint the head in a “Franken-stein green.”

3. Attach the pre-made “googly”eyes (you can always make yourown eyes) with a bit if glue (Iused a hot-glue gun because it isquick but, you can use regularglue and wait for it to dry. Ifusing a hot-glue gun—PLEASEsupervise children as theyshould not be using one withoutadult supervision).

4. Cut out half-moonshaped eyelids fromthe green foam paperand attach with glue.

5. Paint on the noseand mouth and scaralong the side ofthe head with blackpaint. I actuallymixed a bit ofwhite into theblack paint so itwasn’t so stark anda little softer graycolor.

6. Using scissors and black felt, cutout pieces to cover the headwith hair. I cut 4 separate piecesfor the hair—one for the top,one for the back and two for thesides. I had a ton of fun cuttingout the hair in a zig-zag patternand making it look Frank-ish.

7. For the bolts: Cut about an inchoff of a plastic straw and glue itto the bottom of the plasticcap—then paint it silver. I usedspray paint but you can alsobrush it on with a silver craftpaint or silver paint marker.

8. Glue the bolts to the side ofFrank’s head, lining them upwith the eyes for nice placement.

9. Place the head in basket or in abowl with candy. Be creative!Frank can sit just about anywhere!

Paper Bag Frankenstein

™

De La Paz


HoliDaYS

HALLOWEENTIME: about 45 mins. SKILL: easy

SAFETYFIRST!

Always assistyoung artistswith a hotglue gun.

Cut half-moon eyes

Materials

Paper lunch bagsOld newspapers or magazinesAcrylic or poster paints in two

shades of orangePipe cleanersRubber bandsOld silk or paper leaves (or make

leaves out of construction paper)Basket, bucket or container

Tools

Basic set of student or artistbrushes

Watered down school glue

1. Using a paper lunch bag, twistup the whole bag to create wrin-kles. Then un-twist.

2. Stuff the bag with crumpled upnewspaper or magazine sheetsto create the pumpkin shape,mushing in the corners to keep itrounded. Note: I twisted the topof the bag to create the pumpkinstalk coming out the top. Securethe bottom of the bag with arubber band or pipe cleaner.

3. To create the shape of the stalk:water down school crafting gluewith a bit of water—then brush iton and shape the stalk by twist-ing it into place, creating thehook you want. Once it dries itwill stay in the shape you created.

4. Once the glue has dried, paintthe base of the pumpkin. Ipainted the bag in a lightorange. Once the base coat dries(about 10 minutes), lightly wiskon a darker orange to hit thehighs on the wrinkles of the

paper bag. Thesecret here is thatless paint is more.I dab paint on abrush and thenwipe most of itoff on a napkinbefore apply-ing. This iscalled a “drybrushmethod.”

5. Using a greenpipe cleaner,twirl it on atthe base of the stalk.

6. Glue a leaf onto each pipecleaner and twirl onto thestalk base.

7. For the twirled vine effect,twirl a pipe cleaner aroundyour finger and tuck it intothe other stems. You canadd a dab of glue to hold itall in place but I simplytucked and secured it usingthe wire in the stem.

8. Place in a basket with silkflowers or just sitting on atable. Whatever feels andlooks good to YOU!

Paper Bag Pumpkins

™

De La Paz


HoliDaYS

HALLOWEEN / THANKSGIVINGTIME: about 45 mins. SKILL: easy

These willalso workextremelywell forThanksgivingdecorations!

Documents

Carmen De La Paz's You Can Do It! Magazine Fall 2011