31 Days of Halloween 2012 - Day 18: DIY Halloween Bunting

So, the past two days have been spent on finding fun and sophisticated Halloween fonts for all your crafts.  Today, I decided to pick one in particular and put it to good use.  This is a project that anyone can do, without any sort of special equipment like a Cricut or something like that.  Of course, if you have a Cricut or other paper cutting machine, it will drastically cut down on the amount of time you spend on this project.  I, however, do not have one and don't typically do enough crafts that would utilize it to justify buying one.  So I go with good old time and hard work to get what I want ;)  Here's how you make this project:

Supplies:
Halloween paper - I used a Martha Steward Mat pad for Halloween (this one in particular...)
black cardstock
paper cutter (optional)
scissors
your favorite Halloween font, printed out in the correct size
glue stick
something heacy - this will make sense shortly...
black embroidery thread and embroidery needle

Print your letters out in the correct size and cut out for a template (or cut out and use directly on the bunting - it's up to you.  I liked the look of the cardstock better, but it definitely adds more time and work.)  If making a template, only cut out one of each letter - no need to add more to your plate.

(Sorry, I did this late last night, so no pictures of this step) Trace the letters onto your cardstock, preferably backwards so that when you cut them out, you don't risk having any marks on the front of your letters.  I totally didn't do this, so if you get close enough or look at the right angle, you can see black pen on mine.  Cut out letters - you'll probably have to hold the paper at an angle toward a light so you can see the pen on black paper.

Cut the white strip off the top of each mat paper you choose to use. 

Cut the mat paper in half, so at 3 3/8".  You can totally do this with scissors, but I apparently have an inability to be that precise, so I used the paper cutter.

Glue your letters to the paper in the order you would like them.

Yay!  Happy letters :D

Once you've glued the letters on, place under something heavy, like a big book, so that they dry securely.  (See, I told you it'd make sense later ;P)

Once dry, thread your needle with the embroidery thread (I split my thread in half and only use 3 strands - comes from my cross-stitch days.  If your needle has a big enough eye, feel free to leave all 6 strands).  Thread needle in and out of the top of the paper, from back to front, front to back - 3 times.  If you're right handed, start from the right side and go from last letter to first.  If you're left handed, go the opposite direction and go first letter to last.

I did a small one on the sides and a big one in the middle, just because.  No particular reason for that.

From the front

From the back

Hang that sucker up!  I just tied the remaining strings to thumb tacks in my mantel, but you could do whatever you like.  You could even just use something heavy to hold it on, or hang it from a door or wherever.  Would be so cute anywhere!

***I fully recognize that any amount of intelligence or creativity I have is a gift from God.  What I have been freely given, I freely give.  But if you choose to use these tutorials to sell items from, I would ask that you consider joining the Let Justice Flow Initiative, where you commit to donating either 10% of the total purchase price of each item, or designate a specific item for sale where the entire purchase price is donated to an organization that helps fight injustices around the world.  There are specific groups listed to give you an idea on the LJF page.  And feel free to snag the LJF button and put it on your page or etsy site.  Thanks!!***