Halloween Greetings!

I need to find out if our neighborhood is trick or treating on Sunday or Monday night.  Need to get candy, too!  I have to say it's not quite as much fun as it used to be when Lauren was little and we had a Halloween party every year.   I guess I get my fun now by creating cuties like this year's Halloween hanging decor!

 Isn't she the sweetest little witch?   I ended up making several of these for friends who wanted to give them as gifts, but needed two because they wanted one for themselves, too!

I love these glittery yellow sticky thingys (well, obviously I don't know what they really are) that I picked up at Michaels awhile back.  They added just the right touch. 

Can't believe how fast this year is flying by - I made the first November time cards today  - which really alerted me to the fact that Christmas is just around the corner...  But for now, it's Happy Halloween!

Tutorial for Halloween Nut Cup

This is a tutorial for the Halloween Nut Cup I posted awhile back for the Paper Issues Blog Hop.  I had several emails asking and this tutorial will also be posted by Lowri at Tip Junkie later this week.  Okay, here goes:

Start with three nutcups.  I like three, because it makes the bottom quite a bit sturdier than only one.  Just a drop of hot glue between cups to stick them together and then a drop to hold the styrofoam ball. 

To make the handle, twist together two chenille stems. 

And then hot glue the chenille stem handle to both sides of the nutcups. 

For this nutcup, I kept the bottom decoration pretty simple.  Start by pleating the crepe paper and when a few pleats are done start gluing it to the nutcups.  (I use a liquid glue.)  Black velvet ric rac ribbon is glued around it. 

Be sure to back your image for sturdiness and also a little of it may show in the back so select something pleasing.  I almost always use old manilla folder.  

A serrated knife is perfect to create a slit in the styrofoam for your image to slip into. 

Remember that you will be covering the styrofoam with flowers, so place your image high enough to be seen.  The fun part is the decoration.  Crinkle ribbon tied on along with other ribbon, button, and tag are held in place with embroidery floss.  I always add the flowers last.  Some of the flowers are stuck in the styrofoam, while others are put into place with hot glue.  Be sure to cover the white rim of the nutcup base with flowers.  

Creating a nutcup decoration is actually pretty easy.  These are great for gifts or to decorate your own house.  Have fun!  

Hybrid Chick and a Winner

Hi!  Hope you had a wonderful weekend!  Today is my first tutorial for the Hybrid Chick.  See those sweet pinwheel flowers?  That's a template available from The Digichick and the pretty papers are from the store, too! 

 Be sure to go the the Hybrid Chick blog to see a tutorial on making the cute little guy right there in the middle of two flowers: 

 I've put up step by step directions to make this sweet kitty. 

Wouldn't he make a cute Halloween decoration?

Now for the winner of the October 31st  Cricut cartridge! 

Random selection done the old fashioned way! 

 It's BusyMartha!  Be sure to email me with your address and I'll get the cartridge off to you right away!  Here's wishing everyone a fabulous week!

It's a Paper Issues Blog Hop!

Hi and welcome to my first Paper Issues blog hop!   Not only will there be wonderful projects to see, but there are also a lot of giveaways!  More details on that shortly.  I've joined the altered items category - started out with a nut cup and ended up with this: 

Doesn't look much like a nutcup now.  Amazing what a couple of chenille stems, ribbon, and pretty flowers can do.  And isn't she a cute little witch?  She and her kitty, as well as the moon, are a part of one of my vintage postcards.   I think she'll be an adorable Halloween decoration. I loved Halloween as a child (although costumes were always a pain) and I just can't get enough Halloween cuteness as a grownup!  Now on to that giveaway... 

 It's the October 31st Cricut cartridge.  If you would like to win, tell me in your comment that you would like to have this cartridge.  Please tell me that you want it, because some will already have it or not need it and that way I'll know who to include in the drawing.  Also, for this hop, we are including your name twice if you are already a follower of my blog or if you become a new follower.   

Visit the Paper Issues Etsy store and get 25% off!  Just use the code HOP25. 

To see all of the Paper Issues Creative Team projects in all the categories go to the Paper Issues blog. 

 I'm so glad you stopped by  - now hop on to Susan Tutt to see her wonderful altered item! 

Happy 4th and Paper Issues, Too!

I'm so excited to tell you that I'm going to be a part of the Paper Issues Design Team!  Paper Issues is a really fun challenge blog and I'm thrilled to be included.  Right now the challenge is red, white and blue...so link up your projects and check out the rest of the DT's blogs!  I found this cigar box a year ago when we were visiting my daughter, Lauren, in Wichita. 

 I opened it up and thought the image of these Little Continentals was darling - I had to have it! 

Then, of course,  I had to turn it into cute July 4th decor.  So this is what I came up with:

I also made some July 4th blocks.

  These are really cool, because they have six different images.   I'll just show you a couple. 

 Hope you're having a wonderful July 4th holiday.  Lauren's here, so I gotta go!  

ETA:   Thank you, Tracy, for featuring me!  You are so sweet and did a fantastic job.  I'm so honored!  Check out her blog, Cotton Pickin Cute .  Thanks again, Tracy!

Fourth of July from The Cutting Cafe

Regina added this great 4th of July sentiment circle to her store at The Cutting Cafe.    When I saw it, I knew I wanted to create an old fashioned "award" decoration.  I had picked up the silhouette stamp at Michaels not too long ago and thought they would work together beautifully.  

 I love red gingham so I used that for the ribbon base.  Paper Issues new challenge is Red, White and Blue so I'm linking this project up there. Check it out!  

  I'm looking forward to the 4th of July - Lauren and Paul will be here and it's never better than that! 

Happy Easter!

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!   I realized I hadn't posted some of my Easter things, so this seems a great time to do it!  I love these angels - just think they are so pretty! 

They didn't need much to turn them into a beautiful Easter card:  just cut out the frame and popped it up, glittered liberally, and added pretty ribbon...

For I know it's Easter morn,

and life and love and peace

are all new born.

These Webster pages papers are so pretty, they don't seem to need much either.  I cut out the middle with a Spellbinders die and popped it up.  Glitter and pretty ribbon again!

This little guy has kept me company at work for the past month or so.

  A sweet little bunny in a cute little basket just makes me happy!  Wishing you and yours all the best...

It's Spring at Craft Us Crazy!

It's that time - a new challenge at Craft Us Crazy!   The theme for the next two weeks is Spring and/or Easter - always fun!  The April monthly sponsor is Stamp Fairy.

Stamp Fairy has up to 40 new releases per month along with a free image every Friday, a weekly challenge on Mondays and Guest Designers each month on their challenge blog.
Please visit the store and browse StampFairy’s wonderful images to inspire YOUR creativity.

The prize from Stamp Fairy is a $12.00 gift certificate!

 The sponsor for this two weeks is Peggy Loves Vintage - she's got great vintage image CDs (I own a Christmas, Snowman, Wedding, and Baby CD) and groups of images available as downloads. 



From Peggy:  My husband and I have shared 36 years together and we have 2 sons and a daughter and 2 glorious grandkids ages 3 and 6.
I  started collecting vintage cards quite by accident. I was helping with my aunts estate sale and ran across her collection. The cards were so wonderful that I fell in love with them and have been collecting them ever since.
I love to get a new vintage scrapbook and read all about the lives and times of the individual. Some of their stories are truly inspiring.
Be sure and visit http://www.PeggyLovesVintage.blogspot.com/ where you'll find some great inspiration, tips, tricks and some free vintage images for you to use.
I'm really excited about being an sponsor for Craft Us Crazy and sharing these beautiful vintage images with you. I hope that you come to love them as much as I do.

The prize from Peggy Loves Vintage:  5 different cutouts from her shop - a $17.50 value! 

You know I love vintage - so I couldn't stop at just one project using Peggy's cute images - I had to do two!  First up is this darling little bunny box (template is from Martha Stewart) showcasing an image from Peggy Loves Vintage.

   Don't you just say "awwww" when you see the baby bunny and duck? 

 Next, how about a pretty Easter decoration in the shape of an egg?  Showcased is a beautiful vintage image from Peggy - love it!  I printed the image twice so that I could pop up the bunnies and flowers. 

 The papers are Prima and old sheet music.  I made the roses and carnation and added some pretty ribbon - it has a lot of my favorite things!  Check out all the inspiration and challenge details at Craft Us Crazy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here's a last little vintage-looking heart-laden Happy Valentine!  I really love this image and wanted to create something I could keep out during the Valentine season.  The background is created with Papertrey Ink stamps and the heart doilies are a punch from Martha Stewart.

  It's topped off with hand-dyed seam binding ribbon, vintage buttons, pretty pink lace, and a silver ornamentation at the top. 

 I'm linking this up at The Shabby Tea Room and Sisterhood of Crafters.  Go check out their challenges!  In the meantime, hope you have a fabulous Valentine's Day and thanks for stopping by!

P.S.  Thank you, Charlene, for the Stylish Blogger Award!

 I so appreciate it!