Still Loving Halloween

I have been having so much fun with Halloween this year.  For my 8 year old grandson, Lance Junior, I made a coffin filled with candy and a surprise skeleton.  The skeleton lies in the bottom of the coffin with Hershey Kisses covering him BUT... when LJ lifts the lid, the kisses go flying and the "hanging" skeleton pops out (hanging from the coffin lid)... such fun.  I found the coffin template on Martha Stewart and the skelton came as part of a skeleton garland from Dollar Tree.  I love it:

Now I am making tootsie pop broom sticks to send along and give out locally.  Will post some photos once I've finished them...

I Just Fell in Love

 Yes I have fallen in love...as a kid I loved Halloween and when my kids and grandkids were young I continued to love Halloween but... as I got older and they stopped dressing up, I just kind of fell out of love with Halloween.  However, I just took this incredible class at my local scrapbook store, For Keeps Sake, and I fell in  love with Halloween all over again.  So, of course I have to share what brought back the spark...here it is:

So if you can't figure out what this altered art started as here are some close ups:

 

Have you figured it out???  YEP...it's a rat trap...LOL...who wouldn't love to alter a rat trap...hahahaha!!!  It was such fun (Thanks for a great time, Nancy!!)  and I absolutely love how each of our traps turned out.   I am especially fond of mine!  LOL  I hope you enjoy my little creation...it is going to be a gift to a dear friend who HATES rats and all rodents.  I thought it would be the perfect little gift.  Well maybe not the last page of the note pad at the bottom.  I just had to provide a little trick with this great big treat, right??? So the very last page has an image of a rat with Boo! stamped on it!  I think she'll scream...now that's my idea of fun!!!  Sick aren't I??!!!  Hope you like it...

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!!!

Don't ya just love deadlines?  They can be such motivators... LOL.  I had 3 cards due by 10/15... remind me not to sign up for 3 swaps due at about the same time ever again... They are all for this great yahoo group I belong to called Stamping Queens.  Lot's of swap choices throughout the month. 

My first card is for the "card of the month" swap, and there was no theme.  I found this cool folding technique on Club Scrap and thought I'd give it a try.  There is definitely a learning curve or maybe it's harder if you're dyslexic...LOL  Here are 2 pics, 1 closed and 1 open...

 

The color is much brighter IRL... but I think its cute.  My next swap is a technique swap, and we were to do the faux patina technique and here is my card for that swap...

 

 

My final card was such fun thinking about and making... We signed up for an image challenge not knowing what the image would be.  I was thinking we would get a copy of a photo or a picture from a magazine or something similar.  Imagine my surprise when what I got were stamped images of bingo cards, bingo pieces, several different words and misc. images...  Here's what I came up with:

 









I just had so much fun!!  Those are not real dollar bills (but as I think about it, I could have used real ones)  instead I made copies of the front and back of 1 bill and then glued them together and worked them a bit to make them "softer".  I love the idea of shoving them into a container to save enough to go play bingo...I guess that's my lucky bingo card sticking out... LOL  All in all a wonderful couple of days!!!  Now lets see what else I can sign up for... stay tuned.

I finished this sympathy card for a person I work with online who just suddenly lost her husband.  How sad...  I'm a little late but my prayer is it will let her know I care about her and her family...  I  scanned the card so the quality is not that good...

My Fall Door Wreath

Well, I just think the ready-made wreaths you find in stores are just too expensive for my pocketbook... so, I decided to make my own and I made it for under $10.  Not bad...  I love how it turned out... and here it is:

As I look at this photo, I realize it is much prettier in real life... oh well.

My Neglected Blog

I don't really know why I haven't posted to my blog.  I have been making cards.  I even joined a really fun yahoo group called Stamping Queens and have been making at least several cards a month.... so who knows but I just finished a piece I just LOVE and as I was getting ready to post it to the SQ photos I realized I should really post it to my blog.  So I am.  The challenge/swap was called "Anything but a card"  so I made a little Halloween banner to hang somewhere...  it took me much longer than usual as I was determined to go slowly and thoughtfully, LOL, something that normally is not in my vocabulary...I think it really paid off... if you happen to come across my blog, let me know what you think...

I'm Cuttin' Up Once Again

 I do not know what motivated me but I am now back to papercrafting... LOL.. Oh I know, I made a birthday card using a Splitcoast Stamper tutorial and it just got the paper juices flowing.  I never made a copy of that card but here are 2 others I did this week.  I'm a little out of practice but they turned out pretty good.  Both use techniques from Technique Junkies (yep I am still a member!)  For anyone who takes a look, Thank you very much!

Another Piece

I love this newest piece I made.  The original pattern is by a member of our Seedbeadersters Yahoo group and I just tweaked it a little.  It was part of my birthday present to my friend Carole.  I definitely need to make one for myself, as I just love it!!! 

This last photo is a Russian spiral bracelet I made.   Hope y'all enjoyed my latest passion!!!

Finally Some Photos!

Thanks to my girlfriend Carole, who along with my granddaughters is most often the recipient of the jewelry I make, I have pictures (nice ones at that) of 2 pieces of my work, the first being a very early piece and the second my absolute latest, her birthday present, completed and given to her yesterday.  Enjoy...

SURE HAS BEEN A WHILE

I have not been on my blog in so long I thought it was gone... LOL.  I have not been working in paper for so long that I have had nothing to share with my paper loving friends.  For the past year or more I have been cuttin' only wire and/or beading thread and have not been photographing my work before giving it away.  Though my goal for this year is to begin to sell my jewelry, I am also thinking about getting somewhat into papercrafting again.  Tim's online class is very tempting... Anyway, was just checking to be sure my old blog was still around. 

I did purchase a photography studio to photograph my jewelry but haven't every used it.  Plan to soon practice and then start posting my jewelry hopefully!!  Take care anyone who happens to read this and know I am still alive and well and crafting!!!

A Fun Giveaway at a Fun Craft Site

Want to win a pack of Viva Pearl Pens, I know I do... LOL... the entry can be found at the Favecrafts website and if you haven't been there, make sure you have loads of time to get lost in all that site offers.  It is a GREAT website to inspire you and to help you step by step with brand new projects in just about any craft you want to try!!!  My fav is Eco-Heidi and her incredible recycled projects but there is something (or 4 or 5 somethings) for everyone!!  It is a site you can get lost in.  Have fun there and let me know what you think!!!

Simon Says Stamp and Show and More

I failed to mention in my post about Terry's card that I was entering it into the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge.  Alas, it is too late for that one I think but believe me, I won't be forgetting to do that anymore...  and as I think of it, I forgot to mention I also entered it in Hels Sunday Stamper challenge on her blog.   There are so many challenge sites anymore and I rarely have the time to participate but it is always great fun when I can...  Though I said I entered at Grungy Monday I didn't link to it so go have fun on Linda's blog too.  Now, go check out each of their latest challenges.  They know how to keep you busy!!!

YAY!!! Terry got her Thank You card

I am so glad Terry got her thank you card and enjoyed it.  Now, I can share it with the rest of the world... LOL...  it will be submitted to the Grungy Monday challenge, at the very least, but Terry mentioned some others it would work for.   Here it is, using 2 Tim techniques:

That Terry is such a sweetie!!!

MOSAS 29

I finally completed my last OSA MOSAS 29 project.  I chose to make a box with a drawer and then I filled the drawer with some goodies for the recipients.  Here are the very poor quality photos of the boxes:

I just realized that at the bottom you can sort of see the drawer.  So, I took another photo (of just one box) with the drawer open somewhat, with the goodies wrapped inside:

OK, that's it.  I am on to a new project!!!

I WON SOMETHING!!!

That from someone who hardly ever wins anything... LOL... I follow Terry's Work in Progress blog.  She has become a cyber friend, especially after helping me get my blog started but also because we are in several online groups together.  WELL...  I was totally blessed to win 1 of her 2 prize give aways for her 1-year blogaversary!!!!  AND IT CAME TODAY!!!!  What a stash!!!  Just oodles of wonderful goodies to play with!! BUT the greatest thing I received from Terry was a beautiful tag she had made for Grungy Monday!!  I loved it when I saw it online (as I do most of Terry's work!!!) but let me tell you, it doesn't hold a candle to it's real life beauty!!!  Here it is:

I just love it!!!  Aren't I lucky????  I am so thrilled.  THANK YOU SO MUCH TERRY!!!

After the Climb

I realized after the fact that without the race name (St.Louis Fight For Air Climb) and my bib number (76) you would not be able to see me at that last step.  Now, if you still want to see me, just click the link on that post and add the above information... OR, here I am with my daughter and her partner after we had caught our breath and after we had gone down the 40 flights, in the elevator of course.  I still look pretty raw but then, some of that is just ole me...  here ya go:

It's Been A While Cuz I Was Busy Climbing Stairs!

I have been busy.  I don't think I have been so proud of myself in years as I was last Saturday when I climbed 40 flights of stairs for the American Lung Association, in the Fight For Air Climb!!!  It took a while.  My daughter and her partner climbed with me and we did it on my schedule, finishing in 23 minutes.  To see me abject joy of having completed it, just click HERE.  That's my daughter behind me...It was definitely difficult but definitely worth it.  Anyone want to join me next year????

I have been creating just a little.  Below are 2 things I completed, both for my OSA Yahoo group.  The first is my March MOSAS swap.  I found the tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers and used a technique called the dryer sheet technique.  I simply stamped and colored an image and ran it through my Xyron (with the sticky side covering the image). I then placed a USED dryer sheet over the image and brayered it down to the sticky stuff. It gives a lovely muted touch to the stamped image.  I then added some Dazzling Diamonds very sparingly and brayered those down.  Unfortunately the image is a bit blurry.  I apologize but I tried over and over to work with it to no avail.  Here it is:

There was a card I wanted to send to another OSA member, so I used this week's card layout/sketch (#114):  It is very simple but I like how it turned out.  

I think I am all caught up now!!!  I appreciate all comments and thank you for them!!!

From The Frugal Crafter A Great Giveaway!!!

Hi, I just enjoyed two videos by Lindsay, the Frugal Crafter, about coloring with Promarkers and Trias (both are alcohol ink pens), from a company called Letraset, and the really nifty thing is that she is giving away a set of Promarkers if you leave a comment on her blog.  Just click here or on the Frugal Crafter link above and enjoy the videos and leave Lindsay some sweetness for your chance to win!!!

MOSAS 29 for February

The Oriental Stamp Art yahoo group I belong to has a 3-month swap I joined and here is my first swap.  I took bamboo tiles and covered them with washi paper and layers of decoupage, stamped on the back (not shown) and strung a beaded trim on the bottom and created a chain.  I then made an envelope to place the pendants, also from some beautiful handmade paper I just happened to pick up at Michael's years ago.  Here's the photo.

BTW, MOSAS stands for Multiple Oriental Stamp Art Swaps and this round is the 29th one.

Happy Valentine's Day

In celebration of this special holiday, I made a unique card gift.  It is the bonus technique from the latest Technique Junkies Newsletter.  It is called a goodie box and was created by the very creative Hetty Sanders!!  I just love the whole idea of it.  I used Tim Holtz designer cardstock and score tape to put it all together.  Unfortunately, the photos make it look a bit more distressed than it looks IRL.  I also used a trinket pin for the tag.  I think it's cute. Thanks Hetty and of course, thanks Pat for publishing such an incredible newsletter every other month!!!

Now, I am off to fill the box with candy... the candy box is opposite the tag and pocket.  In the above photo I opened the lid on top of the box.  The whole box is firmly attached to the card!!