This article was originally published on Hubpages in October 2014. October 31st is the date of an ancient Celtic celebration of one year's end and the beginning of a new. Traditionally observed as a time to revere ancestors, this festival was partially absorbed into the early Christian calendar as All Hallow's Eve, or Hallowe'en. The present-day emphasis on trick-of-treating is a relatively recent American invention. For kids, part of the fun of Hallowe'en is in making your own costumes and props. Why not try your hand at making these very simple paper witch dolls? They cost next to nothing but can provide an hour or so of quiet fun. Use them to decorate your home, occupy the kids, or to provide an easy-to-do craft project for someone who has little dexterity or a low concentration span. I've made them with care home residents many times. Alternative Materials! If you don't have black paper, try other colours. Red, orange and green work well. Improvise with wha...

 This article was originally published on Hubpages in March 2012. Simple-to-sew decorations for all occasions. If you want a simple sewing project, or you need to create a lot of home-made gifts on a tight budget, then these bright and cheerful fabric decorations are a great idea! No clever sewing is involved. They don't take long to make. Certainly they don't cost much! They could even be made from remnants of fabric leftover from other projects. These decorations can be made by young children, busy parents and teachers, or the elderly. And if you are a member of a social club or community group, then this project offers a relatively quick way of making a gift of everyone in the group which can also form an eye-catching display. Easy-to-Sew Felt Decorations for Christmas, Valentime's Day and Hallowe'en! Materials Needed... To make these easy-to-sew decorations you will need: felt of various colours - off-cuts are fine to use. ribbons. sewing needle. embroidery cotton. ...

 This article was originally published on Hubpages in February 2010. Suffolk Puffs can be joined to create any shape. Easy to sew and economical to make, traditional Suffolk Puffs can be stitched together to create colourful and surprisingly beautiful tablecloths. They are great for anyone new to sewing or textile crafts, as they require only basic skills. They are also very portable, so it's a craft you could do on a train journey or while half-watching TV, for example.  If you are looking for economical gifts for family and friends, Suffolk Puffs may be the solution, as they can be sewn into any shape. So if a tablecloth seems like too big a project, how about making a table runner or a cushion cover instead. The method of making Suffolk Puffs does not differ for any of these projects. A mug is the perfect size for making Suffolk Puff templates. How to Make Suffolk Puffs  You will need:- cotton fabric a large cup or mug paper pen scissors sewing pins sewing needle cotto...

 This article was originally published on Hubpages in August 2013. Cute kitties! Easy and fun to make! If you are looking for a simple craft project, which is easy to do and involves only basic sewing, and which can be made economically from fabric scraps, then look no further - especially if you love cats! These cute and quirky patchwork cats can be made in a couple of hours. You could use this project to: Make gifts for a bring and buy sale; Teach kids to use a sewing machine; Fill a rainy afternoon during school holidays; Quickly make a gift for a cat-lover; Use up fabric scraps; Make crafts for charity. You Will Need... scissors scrap paper (an old envelope will do) a variety of cotton fabrics, patterened or plain sewing machine (or you could hand-sew but this will take longer) stuffing - kapok (fabric scraps, odd socks, lentils etc.) sewing cotton buttons or beads pipe-cleaners, thick wool or ribbon felt If you are working around a tight budget, this project is great as it rea...

 This article was originally published on Hubpages in June 2009. Delicious home-made jam, cooling on the rack and waiting to be labelled. Reasons to Make Your own Jam! Walk along any preserves counter in any supermarket, and you will see a huge range of economically priced jams. Before you feel tempted by all those jewel-like colours, read the labels. What percentage of the contents is actual fruit, and exactly which synthetic chemicals have been used as sweeteners? And why would artificial preservatives be required by a product which is supposed to be, in itself, a preserve? The answer is less than wholesome. Turnips are regularly used as a cheap way of adding bulk to commercially-made jams, and the fruit used is often of such an inferior quality that without the addition of artificial preservatives it would quickly decay. Consider also that some artificial sweeteners have been suggested to be carcinogenic, and that the link between various artificial colorants and a variety of be...