6B COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL Oct. 26, 2016
HALLOWEEN GUIDE | CRAFTS
Personalize Your Pumpkin
I
t can be hard to make your jack-o-lantern stand out from the crowd of
evil faces. Put a creative, personal touch on your creation to keep the
whole family talking about your pumpkin for Halloweens to come.
THEMES
Are you a superhero or sports fan? Show your support with
your jack-o-lantern. Line up a row of pumpkins showcasing the
logos of your favorite teams or good (or bad) guys. Carve your
favorite Star Wars characters or jersey numbers. If you can
dream it, you can probably find an online template to help you
bring your idea to life.
Be prepared to devote some time to this project, as adding the
necessary details could take up the better part of an afternoon.
PERSONALIZATION
Add your initials or family name to your pumpkin to make it
truly one of a kind. There are many ways to do this. You can
order personalized vinyl stickers or make your own with a vinyl
cutting machine. Mix and match your favorite colors and pat-
terns, or go for polka dotted, striped or glittered versions of your
name or initials. For a simple yet elegant aesthetic, paint a black
script initial on a white pumpkin. For a truly unique look, press
upholstery tacks into a pumpkin in the shape of your initials.
Apply your design to a reusable foam pumpkin for a piece of
decor that you can use every year.
ARTISTIC FLAIR
There’s no limit to the amount of creativity you can put into
your pumpkin. This Old House holds an annual pumpkin carv-
ing contest, and 2015’s winners included an elaborate scene
depicting skeletons wreaking havoc on an unfortunate squash,
fancy owls decorated with sticks and feathers, a meticulous rec-
reation of BB-8 of Star Wars fame, a deranged bunny and even
Donald Trump’s hairdo.
You don’t have to be an artist to put a little flair into your
pumpkin. A few basic craft supplies can go a long way toward
making your pumpkin stand out. Create a diamond patterned
motif with black and white acrylic paint, disguise a pumpkin as
candy corn with a tri-colored paint job or carve seasonal mes-
sages such as “boo,” “welcome” and “fall” out of small baking
pumpkins. Glam up your pumpkin with shiny gold paint or glit-
ter. Turn the pumpkin on its side and use the stem as an ele-
phant’s trunk or a witch’s nose. Carve several windows and a
door to turn your pumpkin into a haunted house, and complete
the scene by painting on a creepy tree and ghosts.
If you put your imagination to work, your squash won’t soon
be forgotten.
© FOTOLIA
Trick or Treat
In Historic Downtown
Cottage Grove
Monday, October 31st
3pm -5pm
Join us for
PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST
Sponsored by the Cottage Grove Aqua Lions
COSTUME CONTEST
Youth and Adult
All America City Square 4:00pm
• Most Original • Scariest • Cutest • Funniest
• Most Technologically Advanced or Eco Friendly
• Best Animal • Best Homemade • Best Group
MINI WALK-THROUGH HAUNTED HOUSE
Sponsored by Cottage Grove Faith Center
GUESS HOW MANY M&M’s
Sponsored by Umpqua Bank
SPIN THE WHEEL
Sponsored by Grocery Outlet
SELFIE STATIONS
WINDOW DECORATING CONTEST
sponsored by EBID and the Main Street Program
CITY HALL JACK-O-LANTERN DISPLAY WITH
GAMES & CANDY
COOKIES AND CIDER AT
ALL AMERICA SQUARE
Sponsored by the
Cottage Grove Lions Club, Don Williams, Bohemia Sunrisers
Kiwanis Club and John Rudolph
RC PLANE DRAWING
Sponsored by the Oregon Historical Aviation Museum
Be sure to check out the…….
Safety fi rst on Halloween
For kids, few holidays are more anticipated
than Halloween. Th e chance to dress up in
costume and patrol the neighborhood with
friends while collecting treats is the highlight
of many a child’s autumn.
For parents, anticipation is replaced by
anxiety. While kids are out trick-or-treating,
parents may be home or at work hoping their
kids are safe and sound. Because Halloween is
so popular among kids, it’s hard for parents
to forbid trick-or-treating. But parents should
instruct kids on the following tips to ensure
this Halloween is as safe as it is fun.
• Strangers’ homes are off limits. Make sure
kids know they should never enter the home
of a stranger, no matter how friendly or
welcoming that stranger may seem.
• Th ere’s no going it alone. Kids should not
be permitted to go out alone. When trick-or-
treating, kids should always be accompanied
not only by their friends, but there must be
at least one adult chaperone present at all
times. Parents should get together several
weeks before Halloween to determine who
will chaperone, where kids will be trick-or-
treating and during what hours.
• Stay close to home. Kids should stay in their
own neighborhood and only visit homes of
neighbors they know. Advise kids to steer
clear of homes whose doors are hidden from
street view. Chaperones should accompany
kids to the front door if visibility from the
street is poor.
P arents Lounge, Games, Snapchat GEO Filters, Carousel Animal
Display, Scavenger Hunt, Death Mobile/Animal House on
Display, Music and Trick or Treating
• Choose safe costumes. Kids should wear
costumes made of light colored material. If
a child insists on a favorite costume that uses
largely dark material, attach refl ective tape
to the costume so your favorite reveler is
easily visible to motorists during twilight and
nighttime hours when it’s not always easy for
drivers to see.
• No toy guns. Toy guns are just asking for
trouble, as many of today’s replicas are easily
confused with the real thing. Play it safe and
choose costumes that aren’t accessorized
with toy guns.
• Bring a fl ashlight along. Night falls quickly
in late October, so kids and chaperones alike
should carry a fl ashlight to improve their
visibility and make them more visible to
passing motorists.
• Stick to the sidewalks. Trick-or-treaters
should stick to the sidewalks and always cross
the street at corners. Don’t walk in the street,
and never walk between parked cars when
crossing the street, as it’s especially diffi cult
for motorists to anticipate pedestrians
walking or running from behind parked cars
into the street.
• Be wary of masks. Many masks restrict a
child’s vision, so look for one that provides
suffi cient visibility. If a child’s favorite mask
is low on visibility, make children agree to
remove their mask when crossing the street.
Parents understandably worry when kids
go trick-or-treating. But a few simple safety
lessons shared with children can ensure
everyone gets home safe.
THIS MESSAGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY THESE SPOSORS:
Roads will close prior to the start of the event
and reopen by 6pm.
www.facebook.com/cottagegrovechamber
South Lane
Fire & Rescue
233 Harrison Ave
Cottage Grove
541-942-4493
Rogers & Son
1324 E. Main St.
541-942-0500
Brad’s Cottage Grove
Chevrolet
2775 Row River Rd
541-942-4415
Dave’s Pump &
Construction
76082 London Rd
541-942-9635
Cottage Grove Police
Department
400 E. Main Street
541-942-9145
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!