Saturday, February 11, 2012

31 Halloween Cookie Cutters

Tutorial looks familiar? A few of my favorite tutorials has made the move from Happy Find and is now residing here. Enjoy!
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Show us whatcha made! Go to: www.flickr.com/groups/suburbia-soup-creations/ and post your cookie cutters!


Spooky fun
Hello my crafty ghouls!
The wild rumpus has just begun and let's kick it off with the first spooky craft of the season.
Halloween cookie cutters
 Yes...YES my dearies...
your very own spooooky cookie cutters! BWHAAAHAHAHA!
***wringing hands***
*ahem*
Compose.
Sorry... got too exicted there.
Okay so after an extensive gruelling search for what I thought would be easy find was practically impossible. What I was looking for was aluminum strips. FOOD SAFE aluminum, mind you and what a pain.
I had found this site which was totally awesome, but unfortunately, the manufacturers of aluminum flashing no longer sells their product "chemically free" or "untreated".
BAH! BAH, I say!
So I searched and searched, I even called a few local sheet metal fabricators and they thought I was a nut. Before I could even finish my sentence it was, "NO. UH-HUH. Sorry." and click.
GASP! The audacity!
So what's a poor gal to do? Oh sure I could always buy copper over here, but EGADS... the price made me woozy and the they sell tin strips over here, but I'm such an impatient girl. MUST.HAVE.IT.NOW.
So here's what I came up with...
 SUPPLIES:
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large aluminum serving tray (try to find the heaviest gauge)
*I found this at Smart and Final for $1.59
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-A ruler(preferably metal).
-Pliers (flat nose and/or needle nose).
-Tin shears (or old scissors).
-Hammer.
-Sharpie marker.
-Paper (to draw your designs).
-Ear muffs (you'll need these when you're hammerin' away).
-Spools of different sizes, or any round objects to help when you're forming your piece.
-Twine or yarn (not shown).
-Leather gloves (optional).
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HERE WE GO:
Cookie cutter tute4
Cut off the sides of your tray like so. BE CAREFUL! The edges are very sharp. Leather gloves comes in handy.
Cookie cutter tute3
Hammer the bottom piece. You will want to flatten it out as much as possible. Make sure to cover you ears... I learned this the hard way. OH, and watch you fingers!
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Now depending on how tall you want your cookie cutter, cut the metal into strips. CAUTION: sharp edges!!! Oh the thought makes me shutter...
Cookie cutter tute2
Now fold the strip, having one side about 1/4" shorter than the other side.
Cookie cutter tute1
 Take the raw edge of the longer side and fold over the shorter side.
Cookie cutter tute12

Just like the picture says, "press and smooth folded edge". Actually do this to both sides.
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Draw out your design in the actual size you want your cookie cutter to be. With the twine/yarn, trace your design and cut. The cut twine/yarn will determine how much of the aluminum strip you will need. 
***Make sure to add about an inch to your measurement for connecting the ends.***
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 With your measured strip, start forming it to your design. TIP: I use thread spools to make nice curves and a flat nose plier to make clean corners.
Cookie cutter tute13
When you're forming, your strip will have a tendency of doing this. Just crimp them down with your needle nose pliers. 
Cookie cutter tute7
Now when you come to the end, the ends should overlap. On one end, cut the sides to form a narrow end.
Cookie cutter tute8
Make sure to cut off these nasty lil' boogers.
Cookie cutter tute9
CAREFULLY open the other end using you needle nose pliers.
Cookie cutter tute10
Just like what the picture says. Once it's in, take your pliers and squeeze the opening shut to secure.
And you're done!!!
Finished cookies

Cookie fun
Happy baking!
Do you have a spooky craft to share? C'mon... don't be shy! I'd love to see what tricks you've got up your sleeve!!!




31 comments:

  1. I Love your humor and the cookie cutters are excellent! Thank you!

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  2. OMG! You rock! Thank you for the fabulous idea and tutorial!!!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Candace! Surprisingly, there's not a lot of cool and funky cookie cutters out there. If you make any cookies, I'd love to see it!

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  3. This is actually a brilliant idea thanks for posting :)

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  4. I use plumber's strapping from the hardware store. I don't worry about the galvanizing since it is in contact with the dough for only seconds.

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  5. How safe are these once they are completed? I want to do some Mickey Ears to put in a busy bag for kids traveling for the make a wish program. Would they be safe enough to use on some play dough?

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  6. So long as you trim/fold over nasty edges it'a safe. Now the bigger the cookie cutter, the more flimsy. Wow... how many are you planning on making?

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  7. Wow!! You are so awesomely clever!

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  8. So you don't glue the edges?

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    Replies
    1. Nope... Easy peasy! I still have mine and they're holding up pretty well.

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  9. I don't think I'll be able to find a tray like that. would it be possible to recycle old cans for this project?

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    Replies
    1. Ideally you want to have one long continuous strip, to make nice sized cookie cutters. If you use cans, you're restricted to the side of your cutters. I'm not sure if there is any glue that is food safe to adhere strips of aluminum together to make longer strips. If you find something, let me know!

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  10. Great idea , at my country haven't halloween much things , only imported and is so expensive
    https://www.facebook.com/tearpiaocupacional
    http://tearpiaocupacional.blogspot.com.br/

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    Replies
    1. Hi Silvia! I saw your collection of costumes.... VERY cool. I personally think homemade decorations are the best and after seeing your costumes, I think you'd do a fabulous job making your own.

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  11. Thanks for sharing this great idea! I baked teddybears with my children!
    http://kesanlapsitaitaa.blogspot.fi/2012/11/nallenpaita.html

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    Replies
    1. Your teddybears look yummy!!! Thanks for trying out my tutorial...

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  12. Really cool! I'm always looking for unique cookie cutters.. I shall search no further!!! ;)

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    Replies
    1. Yay! If you make any, I'd love to see it!

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    2. Thanks for the tutorial. I am going to try to make some of my own very soon! Kathy

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    3. I'd LOVE to see what you make Kathy! Have fun!!!

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  13. Hi, it would be easier to just buy super thin small sizes of sheet metal at your local hardware store! GREAT IDEA thank you :D ~Andrea

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    Replies
    1. I tried that but the metal they sell is not food safe. If you find some let me know!

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  14. This is sooo cute <3
    Great idea! You're very creative!

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  15. This seems easy. I've got to make theese

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  16. This is a great idea! Thanks so much. My kid wants Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cookies (Disney) for her birthday and my options were either cutting them by hand (NOT!) or buying a cookie cutter kit for $25. Kinda spendy since I only needed ONE cookie cutter! I have a whole pile of those trays that we got from Costco, so I'm definitely giving this a try first.

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  17. This is an awesome tutorial. I'm unable to find food grade strips anywhere and this is labor intensive but necessary for the bubbling scientific beaker cookies my son wants as his mad scientist themed party favors. The bloody warning fonts are killing me. Pun intended:)

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  18. This is really awesome! I'm a doll collector who also does photography so I went looking for a tutorial on homemade cookie cutters since Halloween is about here and Christmas is coming. I've been wanting to do doll scale cookies and have some of the mini cookie cutters from Wilton, but I had other shapes I wanted to make. I have to say that this is an EXCELLENT tutorial! I'm really glad that the tools are so easy to get, and I love how you connected the ends together! Thank you. <3

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