My name is Traci Hines, and I’m a singer, mermaid model, performer, accessory designer, and a makeup artist too. Today I’m sharing step-by-step directions to help you achieve a fantastical mermaid look this Halloween.

Tools

A good set of makeup brushesAn eyelash curler

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I really love making food from scratch. There are so many great reasons to do so: a sense of accomplishment in the kitchen (that first successful pie crust, hello!), a better understanding of where your food comes from, and the slow and meditative pleasures of cooking

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With Halloween just around the corner, I’ve got bats on the brain. After participating in a night mission to monitor bat activity with the Conserve Wildlife Bat Project, I’ve become hooked on the bat cause. Brian Henderson and Ben Wurst, a.k.a. reclaimednj, of the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey have compiled instructions on how to make your own bat house. It’s important to help your local mosquito-swilling bats find refuge, as many bat populations are dwindling at an alarming rate. This weekend project is perfect for using up scrap lumber and doing your part for nature conservation.

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Between dress-up time and experimental, self-directed school outfits, a kid’s life can feel like an around-the-clock costume party. As a dad and an artist, Joel Henrique of Made by Joel has devoted himself to making art and craft an accessible and meaningful way to engage with the world and one another. (Perhaps you recall the bird mobile how-to video we made with him?) For this week’s How-Tuesday post, Joel shares a project perfect to make for a kid’s (or grown-up’s) Halloween costume, straight from the pages of his new book, Made to Play! These colorful modular leg bands will have your child doing the robot in no time!

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(Music by Jukeboxer and Eric Beug)

This week’s How-Tuesday is brought to us by the beloved Victoria Belanger, a.k.a. the Jello Mold Mistress of Brooklyn. Her combination of the cosmopolitan’s sophistication with raspberry’s sweetness will make quite the splash at your holiday shindig. For more recipes from Victoria, you can pre-order her book: Hello Jell-O!, available in February.

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Brussels sprouts and persimmons are two of fall’s finest specimens, yet I frequently feel compelled to defend them. They’re loved or hated, sometimes intensely so. Often, it seems the distaste for them has more to do with being poorly prepared than any inherent shortcomings in the produce.

Understandable! Growing up, we had a persimmon tree in our backyard. Every fall my mother would line the unripe fruits along our windowsills, waiting for them to soften. It was a perfect ritual to mark the change of the season and one I remember fondly. However, once the persimmons softened, I found the texture pretty unpalatable. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I learned about Fuyu persimmons, that lovely variety that is edible and ripe in its firm state. Its sweet flavor, delicate crunch and subtle spice notes make it an absolute treat when in season.

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My family’s Thanksgiving meal always features a magnificently high homemade pie-to-person ratio. I love the warm wafting scent of spices, pumpkin, and expertly rolled-out crusts emanating from a hot oven, and that anticipation of dessert after any already delicious dinner spent with friends and family feasting. Is your belly rumbling already too?

For this week’s How-Tuesday post, Jessica Partain from Inedible Jewelry, a shop dedicated to mouth-wateringly realistic faux food jewelry, and author of The Polymer Clay Cookbook, has shared with us a tutorial on making miniature polymer clay pumpkin pie charms that actually smell like pumpkin pie. Jessica will also be joining us on Monday, November 14 at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn (RSVP), and on the Online Labs, to lead a Craft Night on the same topic. I hope you can join us in NYC, or online!

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It’s an unavoidable fact: shipping gifts long distances has an environmental impact. However, you can you lower some of that impact by using recycled and biodegradable materials when packing holiday gifts. Here are some suggestions for alternative shipping materials that usually cost less than their conventional counterparts, and are fun and convenient to use!

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One of the best things about nippy weather is yarn, in my book. I am all about walking around swathed in cozy knit and crocheted stitches, from my handmade hatted head down to my lovingly knit socked toes. For this week’s How-Tuesday, rock star crafter, designer, TV host, and writer, Vickie Howell, has created a pattern for knitting your own fingerless gloves. Once you get the hang of it, you might find yourself knitting up a pair for everyone on your gift list this season.

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