Paper Sweeties November Challenge

Did you have a good Halloween?  The weather here was rainy but we still had a few brave souls willing to brave the elements and get some treats.  They probably made out pretty good too - I know I gave them a little extra for the effort!!

Every month Paper Sweeties hosts a challenge.  It's a great way for you to see some innovative ways to use your Paper Sweeties stamps and maybe win some free stamps!   November is the busiest month of the year for me - I have so many blessings to be thankful for  including my birthday, wedding, and birth of both my children.  I love  the cooler temperatures and the colorful show of the leaves turning. 

This scarecrow is one of my favorite Paper Sweeties images - he just makes me smile.   I layered him on fancy die cut and a layer of burlap.  The colorful quilt pattern paper seemed perfect since it includes just about every fall color I can think of.

Check out what the rest of the team made to kick off the new challenge.  You have the whole month to play!  And please give a warm welcome to Kristi Schurr who has just joined the team! 

Debbie Marcinkiewicz
Pattie Goldman

Tammy Hobbs

Lori Hairston
Maria Patrick
Michelle Bala

Have a beautiful day!! 


Supplies Used:  4.25 x 5.5"
Stamps:  Paper Sweeties Happy Fall Ya'll , Stand Add Ons 3, Scarecrow
Pattern Paper:  Crate Paper "Farmhouse" 6x6"
Burlap Paper DCWV
Ribbon:  5/8" Textured Lines Fuchsia/Lavender, Natural Button Twine, 1" Crochet Velvet Ivory Red May Arts
Dies: Spellbinder Floral Ovals, Scrap mart Exclusive Oval Square
Wood Button:  Little Yellow Bicycle
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Rich Cocoa, Copic Markers
Border Punch EK Success Zig Zag Stitch

CASE Study Challenge #164 - Teresa Tea Time

Happy Halloween!  I know you were expecting something spooky weren't you?   I didn't think I could pulli it off with the inspiration photo this week at CASE.    Are you all set for tonight?  It's supposed to be rainy here in Northwest Indiana but I don't think that will stop the kids from heading out to get their goodies.  Our family always gives away bags of chips instead of candy - don't ask me how that got started, but it's become a tradition.  One year I tried to give candy instead and all I heard was "where's the chips?"  I have all different kinds - Doritos, Cheetos, Fritos, Sun Chips, and yes even regular old potato chips.   My husband, the dog and I will probably all sit on the porch to save the kids the time of ringing the bell and keep an eye out for any mischief in the neighborhood. 

I hope you've been enjoying playing along at CASE Study Challenge this month.  This is the last week you will get to play with Elena Roussakis.  Does this lady know how to throw a party or what?    I can hardly imagine how her house looks this time of year!  Look at all the yummy pastels here - pink, blue, green.    So many other neat elements too - the tea set, pennants, flowers. ... so what did I see?  The white frame, the tea set, the pretty pastels, and the wood grain on the table.   I used floral print paper for my banners to mimic the strips of fabric in the background.   So what do you see?  Focus on that and make it all your own! 

 Need a little more inspiration from the Design Team - well that's what they're here for!!! Our special guest designer this month is Michelle Williams!  

Chupa - Iwona Palamountain

Amy Wanford

Andrea Ewen

Clare Buswell

Debbie Hughes

Maureen Plut

Tasnim Ahmed 

Maureen Merritt

Silke Ledlow

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day and keep smiling!!

Supplies Used:  Finished Size:  4.25 x 5.5"
Stamps:  Memory Box Woodland Thank You, Poppystamps Teresa Tea Time
Pattern Paper:  My Mind's Eye "Dwell" 6 x 6"
Card Stock:  PTI:  Lemon Tart, White, Vintage Cream, Aqua Mist, SU! Certainly Celery
Dies:  Spellbinder Nested Pennants, Memory Box Mansfield Frame
Roses:  I am roses.com
Twinery Twine Blossom, Buttons, pearls
Ink:  Memento Luxe Rose Bud, Memento Tuxedoo Black, Copic Markers

Casology - Black - Gothic Chapel

Are you having a good day?  I'm gearing up for Halloween here.  It's always a big occasion in my neighborhood.  There are lots of kids in our area and everyone seems to get in on the fun.  You will  see manikins all over our neighborhood.  It's a trick.  You get used to seeing the manikin so you walk right past it when you are trick or treating.  On Halloween a live person will be standing where the manikin was and scare the heck out of you!    How's that for a trick?  You have to be really brave to earn your treat!

I'm playing along with Casology today.  The challenge this week is "black".  I thought I'd give a one layer card a go featuring the chapel from Waltzingmouse "All Hallows Eve".  I love this great vintage image and it looks wonderful all by itself. 
Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day!



Supplies Used:  Finished Size 4.5 x 6.25"

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse All Hallow's Eve
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
Card Stock:  PTI Vintage Cream, Black

Drunken Stampers #147 Goth or Halloween

OH I was doing a little blog hopping today and found a badge on a side bar that made me smile.  It was for Drunken Stampers!  I wasn't familiar with them so I thought I'd take a peek!  Looks like a fun place to play and yes, I will admit to stamping under the influence a time or two.   What can I say?  If the mood hits you just have to go with it right?

Halloween is sure creeping up fast.  I've been putting off buying the treats so we don't eat them all ourselves.  I better get some soon or I'll be sorry!!

I'm always picking up a package of those glittery embellishments at the craft store and thought a button card would be a great way to show them off!  This one was really easy to make with a zig zag punched border and a big fat bow to top it all off. 

 hope you are having a great day and the sun is shining for you!

Supplies Used:  Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5"
Stamps:  Papertrey Ink Button boutique, Waltzingmouse Midnight Feast (Sentiment)
Pattern Paper:  October Afternoon "Witch Hazel" 8x8" Collection
Card Stock:  PTI True Black, Vintage Cream
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
Border Punch:  EK Success Zig Zag Stitch
Glittery Charms:  Paper Studio Hobby Lobby
Pin:  Ribbon Reel
Ribbon:  5/8" Orange Satin Robert Stanley Collection Hobby Lobby

Ribbon Reel Challenge

I hope you had a good weekend!  I'm just about caught up on that mountain of laundry - seems like it is never ending some days.  We spent the weekend selling carmel apples with the Boy Scouts.  I got to decorate the tables with crepe paper streamers and colorful leaf doilies I found at the dollar store.  We sold about 500 apples that were hand dipped just for us at an orchard in Michigan.  

Are you ready for the latest fortnight Ribbon Reel Challenge?  This one is a beauty chosen by Zuzana.  You're instructed to create a project using the colors in the photo - blue, white and a touch of gold.  Oh yes... can't forget - have to use some ribbon and lace too - this is the Ribbon Reel after all.   The only hard part about getting ribbons from the Ribbon Reel is deciding which ones to get.  There are so many pretty ribbons and trims to pick from that it is impossible to decide!  I had to look past this beautiful cup and saucer - it was tempting me to make something "tea" themed.   I zoomed in on the crochet lace background  and grabbed a paper doily - and the rest fell together on it's own.   

 

If you need a little more inspiration I hope you will visit the rest of the design team - their projects are always beautiful eye candy and are sure to get you motivated!

Keilly Mulvihill

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Helen Berry 

Zuzana Obert

Pauline Pollington

Michelle Bala

Tammy Hobbs

Sarah Ingle

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day!

11mm Metallic Iridescent Wired Edge 3mm Mini Ric Rac ROYAL BLUE Button Twine Natural (10)

InLinkz.com

Supplies Used:  Finished Size 6.25 x 4.5"

Ribbon:  All from Ribbon Reel except 5/8" Textured Lines Blue Green May Arts
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Vintage Garden Seed Packet, Vintage Garden Flowers
Pattern Paper:  October Afternoon "Woodland Park" 8x8"Collection
Card Stock:  SU! Night of Navy, PTI Vintage Cream, AC Specialty Gold Foil
Embossing Folder:  Cuttlebug Damask Decor
Buttons, Gems

Tuesday Throwdown - Creepy Crawlies

Wow!  Another busy weekend!   My son had Friday off from school so we went to check out a college campus.. yes feeling old again.  Saturday I helped decorate tables for the Boy Scout caramel apple sale, and this morning finished up selling them.

It's been a while since I played the Tuesday Throwdown.  When I saw that the challenge this week is Creepy Crawlies I just had to play along.  I made a quick, clean and simple one layer card featuring my favorite witch - Wanda stamped on some green patterned paper.   

This one was so fun and easy - and I bet you could whip up a whole bunch in no time at all!

Supplies Used:  Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5"
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Hocus Pocus, Fancy Flourishes, Halloween Party
Pattern Paper:  Basic Grey "Fiction" 6x6"
Card Stock:  Papertrey Ink True Black
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black

Poppystamps Winterflake Frame

Hi friends!  Today is my turn to post on the Poppystamps blog!  The design team take turns daily to provide inspiration and creative ways to put your dies to work.   I hope you will pay my teamies a visit sometime and see what they've been up to there.

 I made this card today featuring the Winterflake frame.  I cut the die out twice - once with white card stock, and a second time with a snowy aqua blue card stock!    I used regular packing tape across the window opening of the negative side of the white cut and then gently placed the aqua blue die cut frame inside it.   The rest was like piecing a puzzle togehter - but really easy since the sticky tape was there ready to receive the "bits" and "pieces".  The end result is a flush one layer design with deep cuts and contrasting color.  I embellished the design with some pearls and a die cut snowflake topped with a shiny button.  

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you have a great day!

[CS309B] Let it Snow [946] DIES- Giovanna Snowflake [905] DIES- Winterflake Frame

InLinkz.com

Supplies Used:  Finished Size:  4.25 x 5.5"
Stamps:  Poppystamps Let It Snow!
Dies:  Poppystamps Winterflake Frame, Giovanna Snowflake
Pearls
Button
Ivory Button Twine May Arts
Card Stock:  PTI Aqua Mist, White
1/8" Corner Rounder
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black

Casology - Country

I've been trying to find my CAS side lately.   It's a style that I love and will admit I am not so comfortable with.  I figure the more I try the better I will get.  I am trying to play along with more challenges that focus on this style and my favorite has become Casology.  It's a great way to see loads of examples and get tips from their experienced design team as well.  The theme this week is county.  So what does country mean to me?  I think wide open spaces and blue skies, Loretta Lynn and peanut butter pie.   I thought this cowboy image would fit the bill perfectly - and look - no bow (well just a bitty one), and no patterned paper (except for the bits I stamped). 

I used rustic cream paper and distress ink to give it a bit of a distressed look.  I embossed the top of the boot charm to give a tooled leather look, and the doily under the rider reminds me of a fancy concho.


 Thanks for having a look - have a great day!!



Supplies Used:  Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5"
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Back in the Saddle, Way Out West
Card Stock:  PTI Rustic Cream, Pure Poppy, Kraft, Silver Foil AC Specialty
Dies:   Die Namics (Thanks Cathy), Cheery Lynn Polynesian Sails Mini Doily, Spellbinder Standard Circles
Natural Button Twine:  May Arts
Embossing Folder Cuttlebug Madison
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Luxe Love Letter, Ranger Distress Antique Linen

CASE Study Challenge #163 - Ahoy!

 Hi and thanks for stopping by!  I hope you are having a good week!  It's getting cold here in Northwest Indiana - yes you can see your breath!!  We had our first frost a few days ago - and it looks like it's here to stay.  I always try to hold off  turning on the furnace for as long as I can between summer and winter.  I was hoping for at least one super low utility bill - maybe I could turn that in to extra crafty money?  But today I broke down and turned it on.   I might as well stop fighting it and be comfortable!    Yes I know... I'm a stubborn lady!  

It's Thursday!  And you know what that means right? Time for a new CASE Study Challenge.  Our muse this month is Elena Roussakis from Just Me Prints blog.  She has a beautiful way of making every day just extra ordinary - think pretty treat bags, fun place settings, dressed up cupcakes, and all sorts of other eye candy.  Check out the inspiration for this weeks challenge.   So what do you see?   Lots of pink and white?  Ballerinas?   Pretty flowers?  Tags?  Take it in what ever direction moves you.  What did I see?   I saw some sweet parting gifts for guest to take with them.  So I made some little pirate booty treat bags for little hands to load up with candy.   The bags were a great deal from The Carrier Bag Store.  I had to buy quite a few but I can use the red for lots of holidays including Valentines, Christmas, and the 4th of July.

The tags have a jumbo eyelet to keep with the pirate theme and I used a thick burlap rope to tie them to the bags.  They are simple enough that you can make a whole bunch in no time at all. 

Looking for a little more inspiration?  Check out projects from the rest of the DT and see all the wonderful directions this one went!  Our special guest designer this month is Michelle Williams!

Chupa - Iwona Palamountain

Amy Wanford

Andrea Ewen

Clare Buswell

Debbie Hughes

Jean Martin

Maureen Plut

Tasnim Ahmed 

Maureen Merritt

Silke Ledlow

If you'd like to be the next guest designer at CASE - put a "GD" behind your name when you link up your entry.  I hope I see you there!    Have a great day!

Supplies Used:   Finished Size 5x7"

Stamps:  Clearly Besotted Ahoy!

Dies:  Spellbinder Labels 28

Card Stock:  SU! Night of Navy

Ink:  SU! Real Red, Memento Nautical Blue

Twisted Burlap May Arts

Silver Jumbo Eyelet We R Memory Keepers

Striped Treat Bag The Carrier Bag Store

SSCB#22 - Words or Verse

Hi friends!  It's time for a new challenge at Serendipity Stamps Challenge Blog!  Play along using your favorite Serendipity Stamps images for your chance to win $20 off your next order. Everybody is a winner though because the sale this week is 20% off all stamps in the Words and Verse Category at the store!   Good through 10/30.  We have a challenge twice a month and hope you will join us.  The challenge this time is to make the sentiment (words or verse) the focal point of your project.  Halloween is my most favorite time of the year so I chose this cute Trick or Treat sentiment to play with.

Aren't these bitty spider buttons so cute?  I attached them with glue dots to the end of the button twine I left hanging from my tag.

Need a little more inspiration?  Check out the designs from the rest of the DT!

Jenny Gropp

Jeanne Jachna

Marybeth Lopez

Miriam Napier

Pauline Pollington

Vickie Zimmer

Julie Warner

Karen Amidon

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day!  

Supplies Used:  Finished Size:  4.5 x 6.25"
Stamps:  Serendipity Trick or Treat, Small Boo
Dies:  Lifestyle Crafts Nesting Doily Ovals, Nesting Ovals, Spellbinder Charmed I'm Sure
Pattern Paper:  October Afternoon Witch Hazel Collection 8x8"
Card Stock:  PTI True Black, Orange Zest, White
Ink;  Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers
Ribbon:  1/4" Black Stripe Twill, Black Button Twine May Arts, 1/4" Orange Ric Rac Decorative Trim Hobby Lobby
Glitter Star Paper Studio (Hobby Lobby), Spider Buttons (Joann)

Waltzingmouse Stamps October Pajama Party

Did you have a good weekend?  I got my new clothes washer installed by DH and got to work tackling the mountain of laundry that has accumulated over the past week.  I was so lucky that my husband stayed up late and did several loads of laundry himself - and can you believe no pink socks and t shirts?    Everything looked great!  I love when the whole family works together as a team - it makes any chore so much easier.  He even added a new telephone line for me to make it easier to pick  up when I'm in the middle of something.   So he gets all the credit for this one - so glad I had some time to work on something ! 

So... did you play along with the Waltzingmouse Pajama Party?  The challenges are closed and the winners were announced  but there is one more chance to win some goodies from Waltzingmouse.  What better way to end the Pajama party than with a Bed Time Story?  Here's the sketch - and YES there are four more days to link up your creations here.  I love an excuse to pull out my stamps and make something.   

I turned the sketch on it's side so I could fit everything in.  I started with some white card stock that I distressed with purple ink.  Then I stamped the vintage witch in Versafine onyx black to get lots of detail.   I added ultra fine glitter accents to the moon and background to add a little sparkle.

I think the fun stripes, zig zag stitch and purple color tone down the spooky image.    I can't wait to see what you made for this sketch challenge!

Supplies Used:  Finished Size 4.5 x 6.25"
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Vintage Witch
Dies:  Spellbinder Labels 8
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Dusty Concord
Card Stock:  PTI White, Royal Velvet, vintage Cream
Ribbon:  1" Wired Purple Organza (Hobby Lobby), 1 1/2" Striped Black & White Grosgrain, Purple Button Twine May Arts
Button
Glitter:  Martha Stewart Crystal Fine
Border Punch:  EK Success Zig Zag Stitch