This article will give you all the instructions, plus illustrations, for making Halloween placemats. The Halloween free printables are provided by Mom's Break at: http://halloween.momsbreak.com/printable-blank-certificates.html. 

To make Halloween table placemats, you will need the following:

• Colored Construction Paper
• Scissors, Glue Stick or White Glue
• Plastic Page Protectors
• Illustrated Instructions
• Free Printables provided by Mom's Break

First, print the illustrated instructions at: http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/HalloweenPlacemat.doc.

These instructions contain several pictures, so it might take several (long) seconds for the page to open. Once the page does open, then allow a few extra second for all the pictures to appear.

Print the free Halloween Printables from the free printables offered by Mom's Break. Print several of one kind, or print one of several kinds, as you desire, to use as your placemats.

You can personalize the placemats by using one of three different methods:

• Write on the placemat with a marker
• Print and glue on names
• Personalize placemat using Microsoft Paint*

For easy-to-follow, illustrated instructions for how to use Microsoft Paint (which is a software program that usually comes with any Microsoft operating system), go to:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/PersonlizePaint.doc. These instructions contain quite a few pictures, so it might take several (long) seconds or even a few minutes for the page to open. Once the page does open, then allow a few extra second for all the pictures to appear. The illustrations are pictures of computer screens, with helpful arrows, to show you exactly what to do.

Once you have prepared all the placemats by personalizing them, or even just decorating them with Halloween stickers (or letting your son or daughter draw pictures and color them!), then you are ready to assemble them.

Select construction paper of any color to match the placemat, or use several different colors. The construction paper will be the "back" of the placemat, so you can use any color you'd like.

To prevent the colors of the printed placemat from running (from drink spills), use clear plastic page protectors. You can find them in any office supplies store, such as Office Depot. Be sure to get the page protectors that are side punched for 3-ring binders, that do not have an extra "tab" extension for the holes. These are very cheap! I like to keep them handy for other printables projects---and they are great for scrapbooking!

Match the placemat with a piece of construction paper. Open the sheet protector, insert papers, and fold the flap of sheet protector back over itself to close the protector.

For other Halloween-related crafts, party, and costume ideas, please visit Jan's Holidays_and_Seasonal.

Jan K., The Proofer is a freelance copyeditor and proofreader. Visit http://www.jansportal.com for more information about Jan’s business services and Jan's other free information and resource sites. Be sure to visit Mom's Break (http://www.momsbreak.com/) for free printable crafts and projects. © Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.