Happy Halloween - Dog gone cute!

While I was feeling my mojo making cards for the grandkids I figured I better make something for Halloween since I don't want to be caught off guard when the time rolls around.

I spied my Simon Says Halloween stamps set and knew this would be perfect for them.

Again, I used my copic mister to spray black ink and then daubed on a little carved pumpkin from my distress ink collection.

The images were then stamped, colored and die cut. Also showcasing my Impression Obsession pumpkin dies.

Finished off the card with a few crystal stars and now I am ready for sending when the time arrives.

Happy Halloween

Continuing with more of my Tim Holtz class byproducts I created the background using his paints as a stamp resist. Much like using any other ink or embossing technique this one simply uses paints to stamp an image with, then you ink up the card and wipe off with a wet paper towel to reveal the resist stamped image. I have to say I prefer these types of techniques by far than anything else I've tried.

Then using a plethora of die cuts I created my little scene. The pumpkins and broom are from Poppystamps, the tree from Quickutz or whoever they are these days. The Happy from My Favorite Things, a circle punch for the vellum then I used part of a Memory Box stamp to stamp just the Halloween sentiment. The plaid paper was part of that Authentique 6x6 Halloween pad I picked up at the expo.

BTW for a little tip, I use a piece of paper tape to cover up the sentiment part I don't want to stamp, ink up the stamp then pull off the tape. It's a pretty easy way to just use part of a mounted rubber stamp or any stamp where you don't want the entire sentiment or image for that matter.

Halloween - It's Official!

At least around our house it's officially decorated that is. I was a busy girl and was able to get 80% outside done and 100% inside done. Well technically I guess it's 100%. I usually have a very intricate Halloween village that I put on display but since the grandbabies have been walking I have omitted it. I was tempted this year to put it out but decided they still aren't quite old enough where I don't have to worry about something getting broken. Other than that it's done.

The outside still needs some spot lights up, cobweb material that I fill across an entire wall and of course fill it with spiders but it's too early for that. All I will get from now until HW is a bunch of debris stuck to it.

I was looking for pictures and a video I took last year to show you my witch who is mostly life size that is cooking up my zombie Harold in a cauldron but alas I guess I deleted it. I have two fog machines that also need to be setup but last year we used dry ice on top of that and lets just say it was a very cool effect and definitely will be repeating that. Ok enough rambling.

Back to more watercolors. I decided to splurge and bought some real watercolor paints instead of using my Distressed Ink dyes. They were a bit more work than the inks becauase I had to come back two or three times to get the effect I was after.

Using up some odds and ends 3-D stickers to complete this scene as well as a Simon Says stamp and dies for the sentiment

Halloween - Layout

Figured since I was in the Halloween phase that I might as well capture this picture of my dh and his little sister which allowed me to use up a stockpile of HW pp.

Apparently he doesn't quite remember why they were dressed up and since his sister is no longer alive it's hard to get any details about this.

I love this photo and my dh will have my head if he knew I was sharing it but it's so funny to see him dressed up as a woman in his teenage years.

For some reason this photo brings back childhood memories for me. That moment you are trying to throw together an outfit at the last minute because your friends want to go out but you hadn't really planned on it. Of course back then the Spirit store didn't exist and store bought costumes were pretty scarce so you had to rely on your own creativity. I remember going as Tom Sawyer one year. I had a straw hat and overalls so that pretty much made it an easy decision.

Lastly I actually did a few stamped images on this page which isn't something I normally do, but it just seemed like it needed a few more details. Up in the left hand corner you will notice a bat trio and little hanging spider, these were stamped.

Halloween - Happy Pumpkin Day

I decided I really like incorporating watercolors in my cards and decided to use both the watercolor technique along with creating a scene. On this card I actually painted the colors in an attempt to set the color scene I needed. Used both stamps and die cuts to complete it.

Have to tell you every time I use watercolors I can't help but hope I am channeling some of my father. He was a wonderful sketch artist and took up painting as an extension of his talents. His watercolors were some of his best paintings and am lucky to be able to enjoy having a few of his paintings in my home.

Quilt Time

Another weekend zapped by sewing. I have pretty much figured it takes three full days to sew this quilt. It's the second Halloween quilt I have made and this one is all mine. I really love the fabric and since there was leftovers you know there is a skirt to follow.

This is the back material, I really wish I had more of this but alas I ended up making the quilt longer rather than the wider width I actually bought the yardage for so ended up using it all except for some scraps.

Here it is in it's entirety

 

Close up of the quilting, nothing fancy just some random lines. Time like this I wish I had the $ to send it out for long arm stitching then I could have a nice fancy design. 

Well this has officially put me in the mood for Halloween.

Halloween Circle Skirt

Somehow when I ordered fabric to border the cute Bella Blvd quilt I made for my dd for Halloween I ended up with way too much fabric.

At the moment I am finding the best use of left over fabric is for children's clothing, it certainly doesn't use up a lot but does help with whatever odds and ends you may have laying about.

For this particular fabric I made a circle skirt for Evani (my dh's grandniece). Actually I have made her quite a few things and getting ready to send up a package to her so I am kind of excited to hear how it all fits.

This is supposed to be fairly easy but if you ask me it was but it wasn't, folding and pinning fabric underneath the sewn waistband certainly wasn't my favorite thing to do. I also didn't like I had to free hand the pattern, but none the less it still came out pretty darn cute and lets face it what little girl won't like to give this skirt a twirl and have it fan out.

 

 

As you can see it's fairly wide so when she spins she's sure to get a nice flare. 

 

 So I am back to working on my son's quilt. I don't need it until Christmas but hey better to have it done early rather than late.

Trick Or Treat

Ok first we had Christmas and now Halloween, yeah I am working out of order and way ahead but it's ok I like to be a bit organized with those kinds of things.

Well I decided after seeing this super cute Bella Blvd Halloween fabric that I just needed to make another quilt, sigh and actually decided I was going to make two. One for myself and one for my daughter but I did choose a different fabric for myself.

I went ahead and made my dd's and was able to give it to her last night when she came over with the grandbabies, it was a hit so I am happy to have that done and gone (I need the room..storage in my crafty room was getting tight)

I will confess that this pattern/fabric quilt has none of my creativity. The only thing I can take credit for was purchasing, cutting, sewing and the basic quilting of said quilt.

It went pretty quick since there was only one border and the size is a lap quilt (64x78) vs the twin size I did for the boys. I opted to just do a general wave for the quilting which is also a fairly fast method. All said and done it took me a week, but given that I work full time and have swimming on two evenings the only really full days I had to work on this was Monday and Saturday, my guess would be about ~15 full hours.