For the last two days, we’ve  promised to share the easy-to-make, healthy face paint recipe from our book, Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family.

So (drum-roll, please) here it is! Direct from page 100…

Make your own perfectly natural face paints

A test performed by Washington Toxics Coalition and a Seattle-area investigative reporter found that even children’s products labeled as non-toxic may be laced with known toxins such as lead. Store-bought, non-toxic face paints are no different and can expose you and your children to an array of chemicals and preservatives, including BHA, formaldehyde, kohl (due to lead), phthalates, and parabens, which the Environmental Working Group states, can disrupt the hormone (endocrine) system, and [in one report] were found in the breast cancer tumors of 19 of 20 women studied. Given that most face paints and pencils contain parabens, your best bet is to make them yourself. You might just save some money doing it this way too.

To DIY-for face paints:

• 1 tsp cornstarch
• ½ tsp water
• ½ tsp all natural diaper rash cream, such as the California Baby brand (we know, we know, it sounds weird, but it works)
• 1-2 drops natural/ organic food coloring

In a small bowl, mix water and cornstarch. Add baby cream and food color and mix a bit more.

Budget101.com can also help to turn you into a Hollywood worthy make-up and wardrobe artist with their list of do-it yourself, chemical-free or easy to alter recipes for all your kids costume requests, from the sweet to the gross and ghoulish.

Not the DIY type?

Purchase mineral-based makeup from EcoMom.com or TerraFirmaCosmetics.com.

(Photo by Holli Dunn)

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Have you made your own face paints? Have another recipe you’d like to share? We’d love to hear it. Add your comment, below.

Halloween is almost here and that means our contests will be coming to a close.  Don’t forget to enter now for your chance at fame and fortune, or at least a cool prize, like the Razor Scooter being given away by our national sponsor, Crayons Beverages for their pumpkin carving contest.

Pumpkin Carving Contest*

Photo contest (by BabyLegs)

Craft contest

* For help with the carving, you might like these free stencils from the World Wildlife Federation or try

carvingpumpkins.com, dltk-holidays.com or bhg.com.

Pumpkinmasters.com also has some great, free stencils as well as some tips for how to photograph your jack-o-lantern for submission to this or any other pumpkin carving contest.

A friend of mine recently signed off of an e-mail with, “Best Witches” and added this little character: <]; }

I thought it was so cute and apropos that I asked if I could borrow them.

You’ve also seen us using phrases like “to DIY for” and “eek-o-friendly” but I’m also a fan of “gourd-eously green”, “boo-tiful” and “no-cost-umes”!

Speaking of having fun… you and your kids might enjoy these Halloween jokes or search the Internet for more. Remember, you can make cost-free and healthy (non-edible) treasures for your trick-or-treaters by printing out some jokes on strips of recycled or tree-free paper, rolling into little scrolls and tying with Halloween colored thread or wool yarn.

What are your favorite Halloween puns and jokes?

As always, we’d love to hear ‘em!

last week I was a guest on Martha Stewart Radio.

I didn’t actually speak with Martha – she has her own “hosts” – but I’ve never come so close (and yet so far) from the Queen of Crafting herself!

In honor of my 20 minutes of Martha Stewart fame (the show airs on XM – did anyone hear it? Hello? Anyone?) I’d like to invite you to enter a new contest…

The Green Halloween Craft Contest

Send us your inspired ideas (with photo/s) – and we’ll select one winner to receive some as of yet unnamed but nonetheless eco-fabulous prize. Craft items may be for doors, windows, or powder rooms, for all we care – whatever you choose it should somehow incorporate the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) or 3Gs (Good for people, Good for planet, Good for community).

We can’t wait to see what you come up with and hope you have fun in the process. (No, we’re not going to say the ‘fun’ is the prize.)

Submissions due November 1 to corey@greenhalloween.org

Happy crafting!

I just love handmade treasures. Check out this adorable hand-knit rattle set from Yellow Label Kids! Of course, many more wonderful Halloween gifts, decor and costume-items can be found on Etsy.com, where artists (many of whom are “stay at home” moms and dads), can feature their talents and creative vision.

If you like what you see, take the Handmade Pledge for all of your holidays!

Of course, if you’re a crafter yourself, show us your artistry. We’d love to highlight you on our site.