Halloween Tray

Don't forget to double click to see the pictures really large! Halloween just seems to be in the air! I think after the intensely hot summer we are STILL having, we're all longing for come cool breezes and fall colors. This very special project is done on a 7 Gypsies Printer's Tray. These come in several formations. This one is sized for ATC's and it made a perfect Halloween themed tray. I'm posting several pictures and there are so many elements used. If you have questions, please let me know and I'll be glad to help. I used only two stamps! I used several MS border punches, lots of Tim Holtz hardware, lots of bling, an old domino, a large spider from the jewelry section at JoAnn's, prima flowers, etc. Notice the tiny little pumpkin tea pot in the extreme upper right corner! In several spots I punched 4 or 5 of one punch and layered them for dimension. Papers run the gamut from old SU halloween papers, new MS papers, and some special single halloween sheets I had purchased and was holding for years for just the right project. I had so much fun doing this that I am going to do another in the new Steampunk Debutante papers by Graphics 45. I hope this will inspire you to try a project yourself. Enjoy!

Exciting Halloween Online Class

I signed up to take this 12 day Halloween class that features NO, that's right NO purple, orange or yellow!!! It starts Monday and we've already received some wonderful tags to print. If you are interested, here's the link:

http://bethleintz.typepad.com/workshops/

I just love the look and scope of the projects and from what we've already been given (like backgrounds, ghost photos, patterns, etc) I think this is going to be fun. Check it out!

Organized Ribbon--So Pretty!

I was about to say I didn't have anything creative to share with you today. Then I thought about it and I think this is a work of art too! I had two large drawers in one of those plastic rolling carts that I had reels of ribbon in. They were always getting jumbled, rolling around in what little space there was. I think I counted about 150+ spools of the stuff. I couldn't stand it any longer. Took myself off to Michaels and bought heavy illustration or art board, cut small squares to wrap on and two long pieces to divide and the pictures show the result. I think it's beautiful! I can see what I have at a glance. It's easier to access than before and the very best part----I freed up one whole drawer for something else. That's right, what formerly took two whole drawers now takes only one and I still have room in that first drawer. I know this is not a big ribbon collection like some folks have and I can't take credit for this idea. Becca Feeken over at Amazing Paper Grace came up with the idea. She has hers on smaller cards because her drawer set is smaller and she has way more than I do but she thought this up and it's a super duper space saver. I love it! Have a great weekend everyone!

Just checking in.....

I have not been able to get much time to devote to my blog and my papercrafting lately as we have been busy with a bathroom remodel and matters relating to my mother-in-laws estate. So if you stop by, please know I'm not neglecting you but rather just busy with "life." Stay well and enjoy the end of summer!

Vintage Silver

I have a few pieces of vintage silverware to share with you. The first picture is of two baby spoons that I fed my own children with. So they are 40 years old. One was an issue by Gerber and as the "Gerber baby" on it.

The picture below that is a close up of my Grandmother's jelly spoon. She would be 114 were she living. The detail of the little spots on the strawberry and pineapple and the gorgeous grapes and foliage are really something. The final photo is of that spoon, another fork with my aunt's name "Mamie" on it and a small spoon (baby or demitasse?) with my Grandmother's initials on the reverse. I have to do something with these but it will probably take me forever to decide since I only have these few pieces. But have to do SOMETHING with that jam spoon for sure!

New Blog Award

I am honored to be selected by Clare from Cricut Crafty Claire (here's her link: http://cricutcraftyclare.blogspot.com/) for the Trendy Blog Award. I started blogging because I wanted to share my creations with others and I am still blogging because I have been so inspired by other's work and because I have made so many friends through the blogging community. I have selected the following ten people to receive the award as well:
1. Dawn at http://the-feathered-nest.blogspot.com/
2. Diane at www.nelliesnest.blogspot.com
3. Diane at www.http://dianeknottsmusings.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=50
4. Elly at http://www.ellyscardcorner.blogspot.com/
5.Arlene at http://butterflykisseswithlove.blogspot.com/
6. Wendy at http://studio490art.blogspot.com/
7. Lauren at http://laurenm.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/index.php
8. Michelle at http://michellepalmerart.blogspot.com/
9. Nancy at http://daretobeunique-nancy.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=14
10.Melissa at http://lilybeanpaperie.typepad.com/lilybeans_paperie/

These ladies, along with dozens of others, inspire and instruct me each day and several have become such nice cyber friends. Wouldn't it be lovely if we could meet the people whose blogs we read each day? So for those I"ve named, let us know why you started your blog and why you keep going and choose ten others if you wish to participate. Have a great week!

Halloween in Wonderland

Have you seen this wonderful paper by Graphic's 45 called Halloween in Wonderland? It's double sided which makes it perfect for my Cricut-cut explosion box. There are a lot of pages to embellish in these things and I tried to do something different for each one. The lid has vintage chess pieces on it and two borders from Martha Stewart are used over the G 45 paper. Inside I stood two tags together like a house of cards in the center and underneath is a circle of bling. (If you remember, chess and cards play a large role in the Alice in Wonderland story.) The main characters are featured on the first layer of pages and there are so many other tags, techniques, pockets, etc used on all the other pages. I think this will be a super decoration for the fall season and I hope you'll give this paper a try. If you have any questions about any of the items used or the pages, just drop me a line.

A Challenge!

There's a new challenge blog sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Check it out here http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com/. Their first challenge is to make an item with the theme of "wings." I decided to enter the following pieces. Be sure to check this out as the work is lovely.

Cricut Explosion Box

I have made explosion boxes in the past and they are a work intensive project when drawn and cut by hand. Along comes the Cricut and you can do one in a few hours! I started this around lunch today and finished by 3. The file is from SVGcuts.com and it's wonderful. You have three different versions of the box to choose from and all the little "extras" to help you decorate it. I used six double sided sheets of K & Co. paper and there was very little waste. That way as you are doing each little section you really have 12 papers to choose from to decorate. I made this for a friend who just moved into a condo when they downsized from their individual home. She's a big bingo player so I had to include a page for that. I centered a Tim Holtz rose in the center inside panel. There are pockets and frames for pictures, pages that flip open, places for journaling and mementos. I think it turned out great and I highly recommend SVGcuts.com's files. I have purchased several and they always turn out beautifully. Have a great weekend everyone!

Very Special Project

About three years ago I bought this book by Design Originals called Shake, Rattle and Roll: Trading Cards and ATC's because it had this project in it. I was fairly new to papercrafting, bought all the supplies and cut out the papers......and then it languished on my desk or in a drawer, all the cut pieces waiting for me. The directions were a little vague and I think that's why each time I picked it up, I put it down again. TODAY was the day to do it! I struggled with the lacing of the book but once I figured that out, it went together just fine. Don't forget you can click and double click to see each picture larger. It's done with dark brown cardstock and Tim Holtz ruler papers. It is made to hold ATC's but could just as easily hold small photos or mementos. I only have a few ATC's (we'll have to remedy that!) so I put them in so you could see how they go. I love how this turned out and while I made the cover fancy with Tim Holtz hardware (awaiting Wendy Vecchi's new ATC Art stamp), most of the time you would display it open to show off it's STAR quality. Sorry, couldn't help myself!

My Very First.....

.....scrapbook page! And I can assure you it won't be my last. I had a lot of fun doing it. The background sheet I have had in my stash forever. All the lettering and shadows were done on my Cricut and the frame around the house was cut on the Cricut. I used Prima's, punched leaves and Stickles to frame one side of the haunted house. Maybe the second page won't take ALL DAY! (Wink!)

Is it Halloween Yet???

Well the stores sure seem to think it's right around the corner! Mike's and JoAnn's are full of fall and Halloween things and I was in the mood. This is SU Chocolate Chip and last year's Halloween DP. The Tim Holtz embossing folder was used on Very Vanilla cardstock and then distressed with Vintage Photo ink. The black "splat" is also Tim Holtz. The sentiment and graveyard scene is an Inkadinkadoo stamp and the bird....well he is unidentified. Let's just call him Rodney......( I don't know why.....)