Halloween Chaos!

Halloween is the same day each year but every year I feel like I'm behind :/  I'm sure it doesn't help that Kendall's birthday is seven days before, so needless to say it's a busy time of year.  Our theme at Hand Stamped Sentiments this week is Tags and I may have made a few this weekend.

Oh, and throw in pumpkin carving....that's "my" pumpkin.  The girls insist that Erik and I also carve a pumpkin and it's just not my favorite thing, it's messy, slimy... so I wrapped mine in gauze and of course it needed a little banner.  On to my projects:

I made two of these for each of their teachers.  Afterwards, I didn't like the shiny jar tops so I hit them up with some chalk spray paint.  The tag is not at all what I envisioned but some times that's how the ball rolls.

These are the treats the girls will hand out to their classmates.  I had to make 60 of them :/  My husband thought I was crazy, but I know my crafty friends will agree that you can't just hand out a plain sucker.  I found the idea over at My Chic N Scratch.  I changed the tag a bit, as I just bought this boot set and wanted to use it...plus I'm sure the kids will get a kick..hee hee..out of the saying.

So on top of these projects, here are a couple of pictures of more Halloween craftiness...yes my craft room looks like it has seen a Hurricane.  (If you are reading this from the East Coast, we are thinking of you!)

Here is my Kendall.  She had a costume birthday party to attend.  She's going to be a witch for Trick or Treating and we made her little Tutu ....because....

Mom made herself a Tutu for a Halloween 5K she ran on Saturday.  I also sewed my double sided, scalloped cape...not a great first sewing project but it worked!

Now I only have one more Tutu left to make on the Halloween to do list.  Be sure to head over and see what the rest of the team has created.  I'm secretly hoping there is some Christmas tags as I need to start on that holiday next or I'll be feeling the same way again :/

Fall Fun

It's theme week at Hand Stamped Sentiments and one I love!  FALL.  It's my favorite season and being a Midwest girl, we really experience the changing of seasons.



I went to my photos and found a couple that I hadn't scrapped yet....

These pictures were taken last fall when we were visiting my husband's aunt and uncle.  My nephews were also there and while the dads were hunting, I took these photos of them on the gravel road.  If you haven't noticed, I'm a sucker for hand holding, butt photos.

It's a simple layout: 12 X 12 is from the Harvest DSP (Cajun is going to grow on my yet!), Lucky Lime DSP is actually from one of the Christmas collections.  I used the cotton ribbon to make a couple of flowers.  Some left over chipboard letters are colored with my cajun marker then covered with Crystal Effects to give them luster.

Now head over and see how the rest of the team interpreted the photo.

Checkered Hearts

UGH!  Sorry if you have been looking for this.  Our cable was out last night and they had to come this morning and do a couple of things outside, so my apologies.

On with the show..

It's technique week at Hand Stamped Sentiments and one I love and use often... Inked Emboss Folders.




So I was stuck for a bit because I can't emboss an entire 12 X 12...but then I decided to use the technique in a detail of my page.  Truth is I love the Stripes folder in creating a checkered pattern, simply turn it 90 degrees and ink again.  I went looking for a photo that I have of the girls in plaid shirts, I know it's sad that I recall photos I have, but then found this 5X7 of Kendall in her little Jessie swimsuit that was plaid.  Take a look at the final product:

I used many-o-retired products, the previous in colors and the letter dies, but just because Stampin' Up retires them, doesn't mean I stop loving them...

All of my hearts on the bottom use this inked technique.  I first inked the paper than punched the hearts.  To balance all the letters, I stuck included a piece of First Edition DSP, if you don't have this paper shame on you!  Teasing, but I really love adding this.  Some stitching on the bottom and done!

Hope it was worth the wait!  Be sure to hop over and see what the rest of the ladies created!

Back Away

...from the craft table, not from http://handstampedsentiments.blogspot.com/Hand Stamped Sentiments!  It's theme week and what could be so fitting for this time of year, but PUMPKINS!



My page got a bit carried away...

I'm a bit addicted to the new Spritzer bottles, I just didn't have my paper as far away from the bottle as I wish...

Anyways. I love how I used the "plant paper" from the First Edition DSP.  I love my large Old Olive banner which is fabric.  I am loving the 7/8" Cotton ribbon which I used twice.  I love the size of those letters....miss them.  And last but not least, I adore my pumpkins!

They are ovals and circles that I sponged.  For them vine, I dyed my Bakers Twine with Old Olive reinker. Once it was dry I wrapped around a pencil and sprayed it with some Spray Starch.  I let it dry for a bit, then I finished drying it with my heat tool.  Super cute!

Be sure to hop over and see what the others have come up with.  I'm super excited to see some scrap pages....I get to peek when I upload my project!


I'm also linking up with Dynamic Duos, love this blog!

NO More Collecting

Do you have products in your craft space that you HAD to have....and then don't get around to using them?  I DO!  It's a color challenge this week at Hand Stamped Sentiments, and I also personally challenged myself to use some of those products that I've been neglecting!



Another card! I'm trying to find a balance of family time, volunteering, girl's activities, and me time...the me time is been hard to find lately.  I just didn't get around to a layout this week, but I am pretty happy with this card.  AND I used 5, count them 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, products that have been eagerly waiting for their turn at the desk.

I have to admit these colors threw me at first.  I'm not an Indigo girl (the color, not the band), but I remember a fellow HSS designer doing a Halloween card with blue and I really loved it...have to remember not to "stick" to traditional colors.

Anyways, I loved this kitty, and I loved the Early Espresso embossing powder, and I loved the designer buttons all of which are in the Holiday Catalog, and I ordered the Argyle embossing folder and fabric as soon as the Annual Catalog came out....and this is the first time they all made their way onto my desk.

I'd love to see what you can create using these colors...and if you can use something neglected too, well bonus!  I can't wait to see what the others have created, I really am such a fan of them all!

LOAD-Day 1

The gals over at Let's Scrap have a LOAD (Layout a Day) challenge that starts today....and I was just crazy enough to take on the challenge.  I've struggled with me time lately, and I really am in a better mood if I get to sneak away and create.  They may not be the most "brilliant" layouts, but they are another page in the girl's books.

Here's today's Layout:

This is my oldest who found some mustaches I had purchased and then forgotten about at Christmas time.  I had found the black mustache paper at a local craft store and the rest of the materials are from Stampin' Up.

Day 1. Done.  ...I really am hoping I can do 31 days of this!