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!

Hello my crafty ghouls!

The wild rumpus has just begun and let's kick it off with the first spooky craft of the season.

 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:

 
large aluminum serving tray (try to find the heaviest gauge)

*I found this at Smart and Final for $1.59

-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:

Cut off the sides of your tray like so. BE CAREFUL! The edges are very sharp. Leather gloves comes in handy.

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!

Now depending on how tall you want your cookie cutter, cut the metal into strips. CAUTION: sharp edges!!! Oh the thought makes me shutter...

Now fold the strip, having one side about 1/4" shorter than the other side.

 Take the raw edge of the longer side and fold over the shorter side.

Just like the picture says, "press and smooth folded edge". Actually do this to both sides.

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.***

 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.

When you're forming, your strip will have a tendency of doing this. Just crimp them down with your needle nose pliers. 

Now when you come to the end, the ends should overlap. On one end, cut the sides to form a narrow end.

Make sure to cut off these nasty lil' boogers.

CAREFULLY open the other end using you needle nose pliers.

Just like what the picture says. Once it's in, take your pliers and squeeze the opening shut to secure.

And you're done!!!

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!!!