Trick or Treat!

In just a few days all the kids will be going house to house bagging up some candy! So how many of you check your kids stash and sample a little just to be sure? Well I did when my kids went "Trick or Treating" and I remember the sound of, "Mom, I am missing a Butterfinger." Today I decided I would make a Halloween treat on the softer side, no blood or gore, just fun! I will also be sharing this on Friday at Artistic Outpost if you would like to visit and remember there is still a few days to join in the October "Show us you AO Art," so please join in!

As you can see the girls from Paperboy have finished their day at work and are getting ready for a Halloween celebration. I think the taller one is going to dress up as Lois Lane! Well that is what I had in mind when I started this! The image was stamped using Coffee Archival on a piece of leftover paper from ODBD Blooming Garden and I white washed it a little. I did like the subtle background and also have another project started that I will share at a later time doing the washing painty thing. This was shaded with Rusty Hinge and Vintage Photo. Added some alpha letters.

Now the background was great fun to make and that is why I continued on with another piece for another time. I inked up the leaf stamp from Generation Redux using markers. First by covering the entire stamp with Walnut stain and then added bits of Barn Door and Spiced Marmalade right over the WS. I did try Dusty Concord and Mustard Seed, but those did not show up as well. This was then stamped onto my inked tag background. I also stamped some music sheet in Vintage Photo from Ephemera Backgrounds.  I really did love the background and had a hard time covering it up!

Thank you for stopping by today and I hope you are having a wonderful week. On a personal note, my hubby is having surgery on Monday and I will be hit and miss for a while, depending on how much he needs me. My mind as been a little distracted lately with getting this all set up and getting things (extra) done around the house, so we won't have to do much. I just want him to relax and get all healed up really quick! So I will pop around whenever I can!

Snow Had Fallen

Well snow has not fallen here in the desert, but at Artistic Outpost, we are having a Winter/Christmas Blog Hop and there is sure to be some falling snow! You won't want to miss what my lovely DT Sisters have in store for you, so here is the list of talent.  

 

Tracy * Terry * Kate * Lisa * Gerrie * Linda 



I started by using Christmas paper from ODBD, cutting it to size and adding some snowy effects with white paint. That little birdie is adorable and then some! Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge has an "Anything Goes," so I am taken this wintery card over there for a visit.

The pinecones from MidWinter were stamped directly on the Christmas paper in Coffee Archival and then clear embossed, colored using Vintage Photo and then highlighting areas with a white gel pen.

Next I stamped the MidWinter snowy sentiment on white, using again Coffee Archival and clear embossed, cut using the Vintage Label die from ODBD, inked in Antique Linen, shaded in Black Soot and then flicked on some snow. Added some snowflakes and holly leaves that were touched up with white paint.

Thank you for stopping by today and hope you will join in the blog hop and also ink up your AO stamps and share at October's Show us your AO Art challenge. You could win something!

CC#3C - Worn Cover

Challenge #13, "Worn Cover" is the current lesson Linda and the Curiosity Crew have us working on. All the details can be found on page 35 of Tim's Compendium of Curiosities III and for extra inspiration really check out the CC team! This month's sponsor Inspiration Emporium has such a nice $50 prize for some lucky winner and for extra fun there is a package from Tim and Mario, chosen by the CC, so two ways to win.

You know the routine and you must work out of your own copy of  Tim's book, so I can't tell you all the details.

When I started this, I did not have a Christmas theme on my mind at all! Halloween crossed my mind, but I felt I had done enough Halloween. I had pulled out a few things earlier in the week and nothing was clicking. Honestly I am not sure how this came about! I thought I had to use the Window die that had never been touched, so I cut this on card stock and then added crackle and layered this up on two more chipboard cutouts.

So at that point, I decided we would go for Christmas and used Barn Door stain to add red to the cracks. Inspiration Journal's challenge for October is "In Disguise" and will go for a visit over there as well.

The front was card stock that was stamped, inked and stenciled. The little window insets were all cut from Tim's paper and I used some rubs and stickers, which had been treated with Cranberry alcohol. Added the photo corners.

All the little Christmas trims/embellishments are from my collection and the little deer and candy canes from Michael's just yesterday! Nice find!

The book spine, I added a ribbon that was saved from something my DD gave me and yes, I tied the bow. I did it!!! Added some fun items.

The back was inked and stenciled and all is good to go. I am thinking this may be a gift to my granddaughter to start collecting Christmas memories and photos.

Hope you enjoyed my little worn cover transformation. I had great fun working on it and have a second one waiting!! Thank you for visiting and enjoy!

 

A Halloween To Die For!

Halloween - To Die For is the theme chosen by the lovely and talented Anne for the current challenge at A Vintage Journey. As always this will run two weeks and a prize to Country View Crafts store will be awarded to some lucky trick or treater! Hop on over for some spooky and fun inspiration from the Creative Guides!

I have had this shadow box sitting around for awhile and decided it was about time to do something with it. This box will also be linked to Eileen Hull's "Tricks and Treats" challenge at Art with Heart.

Using the Laboratorie paper, I stamped the Skeleton and then stamped and cut a mask. Next the background was inked with Dried Marigold, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Dusty Concord.

Using the Gothic Stencil, I applied modeling paste and after a few seconds removed for a slight ghostly resist.  Next I applied some Peeled Paint through the Speckles stencil and the shaded with Black Soot. Added a tree from some bright berry branch that was alcohol inked in black. The little pot base is a mix of moss, black alcohol ink and glue.

This section of the box was finished off with some rubs, Shrinky die cut movers and shapers bats, and Halloween!

Now onto the little compartments on the left side of the box!

The Spider was cut from foil backed grungeboard, inked in black alcohol and placed over the web stamped in clear embossing ink, colored and then removed with an iron.

Bottles were treated with alcohol inks and paint and more background paper. Stamped a label for one and added some bones for the other!

And finished off with some Halloween Lovers, stamped over stenciled and inked paper with a little Halloween script and then added a little Vintage Lace die at the bottom. The heart is from a Southwest Airlines coffee stir stick.

Topped off with a word band treated with alcohol inks and paint, some skull and crossbones curtain finials.

Also applied some of Wendy Vecchi's black embossing paste through the Speckles stencil in a few areas on the box and then highlighted them with Treasure Gold.

Thank you for stopping by to visit this spooky post! Have a lovely upcoming weekend.

Let It Snow

Let It Snow and how that would be nice! Once in a while we do receive a little of the white stuff here in the high desert of CA, but not often enough! I decided to take a Halloween break and make a Christmas card. If you have Artist Outpost stamps, you should get them inked up and join in the monthly challenge for October, "Show us you AO Art." There is a $15 store gift certificate and someone will win the random draw!

It sure makes it easier when you don't have to mess around with a background, so I used some lovely Christmas Paper from ODBD for two of the panels. The center one was cut using the mini pinking edge. Kind of went with the Christmas Chalk pinking edge, which was stamped using Coffee Archival and clear embossed on another Christmas Paper and then I applied a little color from my medium brown color blending tool.

"Let It Snow" was also stamped in brown and embossed and layered with red and I added some berries and tied it up with a bow. The most difficult part of this card was tying that bow! Oh how I fumble with that!

Thank you for stopping by for a visit. I do apologize for not being as active, but there is quite a bit going on here at the moment and soon all will be back to normal. Well you know what I mean!!!

Born Super Stars

Hope you all are doing fabulously and getting ready for the weekend! This tag I am sharing in detail at Artistic Outpost, so if you would like more information and photos, click the link! Also the October challenge "Show us your AO Art"

This tag was made for a 9 year-old boy and in fact we will be going to the birthday party on Saturday for a little while. I did not want to make anything too elaborate, but wanted something a little special.

Thank you for stopping by today and having a look!

Tim's October Tag of 2014

Tim's October tag for 2014 was great fun as most usually are. Like so many of us, there is something about Halloween that just adds that little extra magic and childlike feeling. I am also linking this up to Linda's Frilly and Funkie for the "A Haunting Halloween Challenge."

Following the guidelines, I stamped and cut my masks using that cute owl and spider and my stencil of choice was "Speckles." I do not have the new Distress Stain Sprays, so did mix my own using reinkers Spiced Marmalade, Rusty Hinge, Barn Door (orange combo), Dusty Concord and Peeled Paint. Flicked on a Metallic stain with a toothbrush.

The funky witch was calling my name, so she became the focal point and was stamped on manila card stock (because I forgot to using watercolor paper) and using the waterbrush was colored with Barn Door, Shabby Shutters and Dusty Concord. I did have a difficult time getting the shine to show through.

I stamped over the Alpha Chips using Tim's web and flicked on some Barn Door and then shaded around the edges with black.

Finished off with what I had or should say because I could not find where I placed the monocles, recently purchased!!! What can I say!

Hope you are having a wonderful and inky start to the week. Thank you for visiting today and taking the time to comment.

CC3C - Distress Photo Tinting

As we open our Compendium of Curiosities III, to page 41 as instructed by Linda and the Curiosity Crew, we learn all about Distress Photo Tinting. The Funkie Junkie Boutique is the fabulous sponsor this time around and again a prize package from Tim and Mario will be chosen by the CC, so let's begin! As always we are not at liberty to tell you about the technique (get the book), but I can tell you my colors of choice were Antique Linen, Dried Marigold, Crushed Olive, Mustard Seed and Vintage Photo. The tag background was cut from glossy card stock and inked with shades of green, yellow, orange and brown alcohol inks.

This photo is a picture of my Dad when he was very young and I can't tell you the age. I do know that dog is in a few photos with various people and family and believe he belonged to my Uncle Louie.  As you can see, my Dad always loved dogs and when this challenge came about and I was looking through photos, it had to be this one.  I lost my Dad six years ago and thought this was a great way celebrate him. I also think he would like me showing off his good looks! Love you, Dad!

Now I would like to tell you that I did not struggle with tinting the photo(s), I would like to tell you that. Finally on the third try, I decided to leave my Dad and dog unretouched. I colored in some of the oak barrels, walls, stick poles (I am sure for tomatoes and beans), and even a little terra cotta pot in the background, along with bits of lawn. The rest was just added some rubs and other goodies to finish it off.

 

For the bookplate, I inked some paper and then stamped and clear embossed the hashtag "Grateful" and finished it off with some brown paint rubbed on the wing!

Thank you for visiting today and I hope your week in beautiful!  

I Believe in Miracles!

Today's post is brief, because all the details are over at Artistic Outpost if you would like to visit and say, "hello."  My card was created is in honor of  "Breast Cancer Awareness" month and all of those who have been or know someone who has been affected by cancer.

Thank you for stopping by today and an extra thank you if you hopped on over to AO! Have a lovely weekend!

Heavy Metal for AVJ

Hello and welcome to my edition of "Heavy Metal," the current challenge at A Vintage Journey and chosen by me. AVJ is all about Tim Holtz style and products, so we hope you will join us in this current challenge, which runs two weeks. Country View Crafts is our wonderful sponsor and there is always a prize to be won and a chance to be among the "Pinworthies," so that is pretty nice. My incredibly talented DT Sisters have some wonderful inspiration as well, so do stop by AVJ for all the details and get "Metal" on.

This began as a framed tile my DD gave me years ago with a matching little pitcher. I really tired of the pretty little flowers, but could not part with the gift, so it was SALVAGED as well as the light on top (the hubby replaced it from my car). I am also going to take my Spooky little adventure over to my old stamping ground, Frilly and Funkie's "A Haunting Halloween Challenge."

The first thing I did was to figure out what was going to cover the tile and I decided on the "spider web" paper from the Laboratorie stash! This was inked with Wild Honey and Dried Marigold, added some background stamping using Weathered Wood and various Halloween Tim stamps. Next a flicked on some thinned Tarnished Brass and Antique Bronze Distress paints with a toothbrush. Next all edged were shaded.

Next we had to build out house which was done from foil backed grungpaper inked with Alcohol Inks (Pitch Black, Butterscotch, Sunset Orange) and Mixatives Silver and Gold. Using a Dylusions stencil, I added some leaves and again the Metallic Distress paints were applied after the Black paste dried. The people were painstakingly cut from the same Laboratorie stash and glued to the backside.

No house is complete without a picked fence, right? This was cut and painted blacked and then I dabbed on the two metallic paints.

At this point I had most of my items pulled out and ghouled up and played with the arrangement!  Now time to figure out what to do with the actual frame!

First I covered in white gesso and then two coats of black paint. I used the Shattered stencil and using a stencil brush, dry brushed on the Brass and Bronze paints.

And we finished our frame with bits and pieces, tinted with metallic and all chained up.

I had quite a bit of fun with this altered Halloween Heavy Metal project and now I will probably send this back to by DD in an altered state! Thank you for stopping by today and hope you will join in the challenge!