Stitched Halloween wall decorations

Hey, while we're on the subject of cross stitch, have you seen the stitched Halloween wall art at Decor Hacks? Find the tutorial right here.
(Via Curbly.)

In other news, I just attempted to fold this origami spider. The video tutorial is good... except I used regular printer paper which is too thick. Use origami paper, or there will be too much bulk to deal with and the spider's rear will stick straight up in the air. My spider now lives in my trash can where he will be joined by other garbage and hauled off to the recycler. Origami fail.

Free cross stitch font Costura

Here's a fun download: a cross stitch-style typeface by Simon Wiesmayr. Costura is free for personal and commercial use and comes in light, demibold, and bold weights. Get it here from Font Squirrel.

Free sewing patterns and tutorials

If you've got fabric yardage crawling out from under your bed waiting to trip innocent passers by, it might be time to use some up. (Possibly that's just me.) These DIY bag and clothing projects might put some of that surplus to good use!
Backpack at Hart & Sew
Backgammon skirt by Ellen Luckett Baker at I'm Feelin' Crafty
Half apron with jumbo pockets from Sew 4 Home
Little Grey Dress at Un Petit Design (plus FAQ here)
Reversible tote bag at You Can Do That Dot Me, based on this tutorial
Little Betty Bag from The Mother Huddle

Custom box template generator

Blog reader Maarten sent over this useful link: an online box template maker. Choose the box design or envelope you want, then type in your own dimensions. A PDF template will be generated for you. Download the file and print it out on decorative paper or use it as a dieline for a project. (The PDF is editable in Illustrator, too.)

Next time you've got a small gift to wrap, it's easy to make a custom-sized box for it!

More metallic foil exploits, with free printables

I experimented some more with the laser toner reactive foil I got from Decal Pro FX. I ironed the foil onto black laser prints on colored cardstock to make these bookmarks and cards.

See this post for a more detailed how-to. I did everything the same way, except this time I used Decal Pro's carrier board as my ironing surface. I think this worked slightly better than chipboard since it's very smooth and doesn't warp when heated.

I reused the little flowers I'd drawn and scanned for the printable business card project here.

I like the foil best on dark paper, since the metal contrasts nicely when it gleams. Plus dark paper hides any tiny specks of toner that aren't covered by foil. Laser printing on the black cardstock worked well, though the flowers looked a little blotchy and strange (above). But the foil still adhered well.

I guess I'm easily amused, but peeling it off is totally thrilling.

This time I tried a two-color design. I printed out just the parts that would get the first color, then ironed silver foil on.

Then I ran the foiled paper through the printer again, printing just the leafy stems this time. I ironed gold foil onto those. Foil won't stick to itself, so no gold got into the silver. The smooth, mirror-like surface of the silver foil did get a teensy bit duller or more textured on its journey through the printer, but that's barely noticeable.

If you'd like the files I used, feel free to download:
Printable bookmark PDF
Printable birthday card PDF (This file is three pages. Print only the page you need at 100%: first color page, second color page, or the entire design.)

Purchase individual foils or a sampler pack right here.

Bike iPhone and desktop wallpapers

Get a charming little desktop freebie, with or without an October calendar, at Oh the Lovely Things. The designs are simple, just the way I like 'em, so finding files and folders on my desktop is easy. Plus you can't go wrong with bits of orange!

Download free, vintage-style bookplates

When you're giving a book as a gift, how about including a bookplate with the recipient's name? Or as a little bonus, add a pack of labels printed on sticker paper. Benign Objects has created a set (top row) that you can download here. They're modeled after the freebies posted by Besotted Brand Blog (bottom row), available here.

Create vampire and zombie photo effects

PicMonkey, the online image editor, has just released a variety Halloween effects you can apply to your photos. Wish you looked like a Twilight cast member? Here's your chance. Turn people into vampires, zombies, and monsters. Add moody backgrounds or dramatic lighting. Or create Halloween labels or invitations using frames, cutouts, and text. Test it right here!