Halloween Costume?

I found these spiders in my yard - they are almost always white, but you can see one was bright orange! I could only wonder if it had ask itself - should I dress up as a ghost, no that's what I always look like - think I'll be a jack-o-lantern this year!

Hope everyone has a sweet, but spooky holiday!

Halloween Treats

Before I get too carried away with my Christmas cards, I wanted to share this adorable little double sided box I made for Halloween treats. One one side there's a little bag of candy corn and the other a single stamp and black stampin' spot. I made this with the box #2 die (114518 - pg. 201). I cut two boxes - one basic black, one only orange and then without folding down the tops I glued them together. I punched a hole for the handle with the small oval punch(107304 pg. 186) and tied pieces of basic black and only orange 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon for added decoration. I stamped the front pieces using the candy corn and trick or treat stamps from the set Tasty Sweet. I made the filler using only orange and basic black scraps - running them through the crimper.

I really love my Big Shot (pg. 194 - IBC) the boxes and other gift items are endless! If you don't have a demonstrator and are interested in information on the Big Shot, shoot me an email and we'll get you all set up. You will wonder how you ever crafted without it!

Christmas Cards

Six of us have met every month to make Christmas cards (there have been a few exceptions due to illness, travel or work), but most have been able to be faithful every month and I was posting my cards here every month, but have fallen way behind - so this week I will try to catch up. This is one of my favorites (the next one will be one of my favorites too, LOL) - hope you enjoy it! I am posting the front and two other views so you can see how it folds. I love this card and you will see one more in another day or two!


I love making this trifold card. I used the flocked design from the Christmas Cocoa Specialty paper - you can see all of the available designs on page 21 of the holiday mini catalog. The stamp set is one of my favorites Christ is Born, pg. 37 in the 2009-2010 IBC.



I have used this card design for several different Christmas cards and some birthday cards - more coming in the next few days

Papaya Season

I know I've been out of pocket for some time, but I just bet you didn't know it was Papaya season! Yes, I've been out in my yard harvesting papaya - wish you were here to share! It's been a bumper crop for sure, I even needed a ladder to reach them all!

Deal of the Week # 2

Item 115961 Perfect Setting Bigz XL die, pg. 200 Special Price: $25.99
Item 114515 Flower Burst Embosslits die, pg. 195 Special Price $ 5.99
Item 116760 Pop-Up Three Tier Cake Bigz XL die , pg. 201 Special Price $25.49

Week 2 - October 12 - 18 You can find out more on my SU website about the "Deals of the Week." Every Monday in October a new deal will be announced - Be sure to check them out and either order on line or place your order directly with me. Our club order will be going in tomorrow, so if you would like one of these items to be added to that order, please let me know by tonight.

Autumn Leaves still falling!

Ok, ok, I get it! I have lots of friends with leaves and I have been given lots of invitations to come help rake leaves. LOL I don't think I meant to say I missed raking, I meant to say I miss jumping into them and I miss the season! And don't think I'm getting out of work, I get to mow grass all year long, sort of makes up for that lack of raking thing. So thanks for the invites, but I'll pass this year.

Actually, we're headed to Kentucky the end of October and I look forward to seeing some beautiful trees between here and there (we're driving). Now on to the cards!

I told you I made lots of these cards and so here are a few more of them! Tomorrow when I post my "last" of this club series, you will see one made a little differently, but these are just like yesterday. Again, these are the ones where I embossed the leaves completely before sponging the background.

The last two cards are photographed in two different stages. The first card I thought was finished, but then I was looking at Gretchen Barron's blog click here, she does a weekly post that shows a card in three or four levels - she call it taking it to the top. The first card is pretty, but then she adds some more to it and it's even better, then she adds even more to it and it's gorgeous. Well, I thought about this card and when I saw it on the screen I knew I had to do more - it was plain, plain plain. So, I added some buttons and it made a huge difference. This is not in anyway the magic Gretchen does with her cards, but her inspiration is really making me look at my card before I call it finished. We should all step back and try to look at our work with fresh eyes - sometimes, leaving the work space and coming back will give you just the added inspiration. Sometimes, it could be like mine - taking the photo and seeing the card big on my screen made me stop and add something! I hope you will check out Gretchen's blog - it is very inspiring. Now for my two cards! Here's card # 1-

And now here it is with three buttons - makes a big difference. It could still use some more, so don't be surprised if you see it again - as Gretchen would say - "taken to the top."

See you tomorrow. Happy Stampin'!

Autumn Leaves

Living where I do autumn leaves actually arrive in November around Thanksgiving and last through early December. They are pretty, but more yellows than the reds I group up with in Missouri. I still love the fall (we actually don't have one here) and I miss the smell of the leaves, the raking of the big piles and the jumping into the middle of them. Now actually, I don't think I would jump into the middle of them today, but I can tell you that just seeing brightly colored leaves brings back wonderful memories.

I saw a card similar to this one and new I had to make it. Check out my inspiration, Laura Lipe (click here)We actually made this card at our monthly club gatherings this month and by the time I had demoed for two different groups and made my samples I have a nice grouping to send out to my friends and famly. This is just one of many different looks, because the best part is just like real leaves each card has it's own look. I embossed the leaves on whisper white paper using soft suede and versa mark, with clear embossing powder. Colored in the leaves using a variety of stamp pads and blender pens. Covered the leaves completely using the versamark pen and embossed with clear embossing powder. We then sponged the background with three or four different inks and sponge daubers, wiping the leaves off when we were finished. The card base is Rich Razzleberry, second layer is Crushed Curry. I used Rich Razzleberry Ribbon - ribbon is polka dot, but you can flip it over and have a solid color. I stamped the cute little acorns with versamark and soft suede and colored in with blender pens, finishing by sponging the back ground. I punched them out with the 1 3/8 punch and two punches the same size with the Rich Razzlebery to add still another layer.

Like I said I have a number of these cards and will be posting them over the next few days. It sounds much more complicated than it is - so if you have this set - get out your inks and have fun! If you don't have this set and don't have a current demo, I will be happy to help you place an order - directly with me or using my online store.

Happy Stampin' - See you tomorrow.