HALLOWEEN RECIPE/FUN BOX

I meant to put this up before the Christmas projects :)  While I haven't been blogging really for quite some time, the posts are a great way to record projects.  Still having a lot of traffic for the vintage images I have put up, so I do intend to keep that going.

I anticipate this being a box the grands will have fun looking through and maybe choosing a recipe to make.

I covered the box in "Happy Haunting" papers from Graphic 45 after painting it first with Annie Sloan's "Barcelona Orange" chalk paint.

I printed out all of the fall pictures I had in 3x4 and adhered them to cardstock for sturdiness.  The recipes are from a small "Gooseberry Patch" booklet "Best of Halloween".  I cut them all out and put them in plastic sleeves.  Vintage orange library cards and "Witch Recipe Cards"  from The Chocolate Rabbit on Etsy make fun fillers.

HALLOWEEN STEAMPUNK PAPERDOLL

I found this articulated digital paperdoll by searching for Halloween items on Etsy!  What a lucky day that was.  If you are intrigued (you should be!) check out Rhonda's Originals.

These were quite easy to put together once I got over my excitement and saw the directions :)  Being the magpie that I am of course I loaded both pieces up with glitter!  These went into a Halloween Swap I have done.

I will be doing more of these!

HALLOWEEN WREATHS

These are inspired by a class I took this summer (here), loving Halloween as I do it just had to happen!  The goal was to use my Halloween stash and not purchase anything new...until the sales are on!

 A fabulous way to use my Halloween scraps plus lots of Stickles, Distress Inks, Co`Ordinations card stock, a few felt leaves from a Thanksgiving garland and a ghostly punch.

Here I used the Tim Holtz Halloween Kraft paper pad, inked with green, orange and yellow Distress Inks for the wreath.  Embellished with images from ``Happy Haunting`` by Graphic 45. The rolled flower centers are cut with a Memory Box die.

Another favourite ``Halloween in Wonderland`` from Graphic 45;

Papers from Pink Paislee (I think);

Papers from Authentic;

"BOO, GIRL" A HALLOWEEN SPOOLIE

Time for a Halloween project!  The image is from Retro Cafe Art..do check out Kristen's work!  Bits and bobs from my Halloween stash make the details with lots of glitter! I mounted the spool on a tin mold which I have chalk painted (orange), dark waxed and rubbed for some grubby goodness.

HALLOWEEN PEAT POT PRETTY!

The theme this month at Inspiration Emporium is "Spooktacular" and they are looking for Halloween home decor.  Why have I only just found this LOL   I am entering this little bit and who knows perhaps I still have time for another project!  There are some fun and amazing entries, do have a look!

I started by spraying a 4" peat pot with Dylusions Black Marble and cutting oasis (floral foam) to fit snugly inside.  Used a chenille stem to create a handle.  I ruffled black crepe paper to create a flounce around the top, adhered some pumpkin ribbon around the middle of the flounce and edged the crepe with Platinum (my fav) Stickles.   The lace and button flower I had in my stash, it was backed with a black crepe paper rosette, I made a larger purple crepe paper rosette to set behind that.  I used Platinum and Purple Stickles for highlights here.   The gold Dresden Halloween  word I got from Paper Valise.  I "fluffed and fooled" with some orange dyed cheesecloth and adhered that with dst to the oasis.  Fussy cut my image, Deviant Scrap, adhered that to a small craft stick which I stuck through the cheesecloth into the oasis.  A bit of purple seam binding for a simple bow and that's it!

Inspired by Nancy Maxwell James' "Peat Pot Pretties".  I plan on doing variations for all of the holidays!

MS ZELDA FLEDERMAUS (MY HALLOWEEN GAZING BALL)

Ms Zelda Fledermaus, librarian of the "Haunted Library" angered the spirits just once too many times with her continual shushing and hushing!  How else was a proper spirit to "Boo" properly?  Ms Zelda is now ensconced in the very gazing ball she spent so much time contemplating.  The spirits not being completely evil  however provided her some company, three (defanged) vampire bats for her to shush and hush to her heart's content for eternity.

A better picture of the bats!

Ms Zelda Fledermaus is an image from "Deviant Scrap", the Haunted Library micro kit, the bats are a gift from my friend Heather (so lifelike and scary up close and personal!).   The gazing ball is a flower display case which belonged to my grandmother and I am guessing dates from the 1950/1960s.

I am entering this project in the Sugar Creek Hollow Challenge #31 Things with Wings and at Make it  Monday!  

VINTAGE HALLOWEEN GLUEBOOK PAGE

Early vintage halloween magazine images are hard to come by.  I put away a 1910 page from a "Ladies Home Journal" sometime ago unsure what to do with it.  Each  volume featured a page focused on entertaining, these typically included table setting, menu and theme ideas.  Went looking for it and managed to tear it!  Easy decision now, use the images to make a vintage Halloween gluebook page.  For some authenticity I have used only vintage images including the sheet music background and glue - the same supplies that would have been used in the day.  No glitter, no modern embellishments, no inking or stamping!  This will go into a Victorian scrapbook I have been making similar pages for.  The page size is 8 x 11, I have left a one inch margin on the left where the page will be punched to add to my scrapbook.  If you click for the larger image I am sure you can read the menus.  None of these tables would be out of place now except the suggested price of the decorations and menu items at $9.00 for up to 12 people LOL

I am linking this up to the September challenge at  Unruly PaperArts - gluebook pages.

CANDY CORN CONE AND BLACK CAT CHENILLE ORNAMENTS

Maybe each time I create a new piece it becomes my favourite?  Not sure but lovin' this sweetie!  The sparkly (Diamond Dust) Candy Corn cone is inspired by a Lisa Pace project. I have used black Ostrich Fringe (been dying to use this stuff!) around the top and provided pretty fluff to the cone top with orange dyed cheese cloth.  TH rosette die cut (sparkly green paper), MS felt jack-o-lantern sticker, sparkly orange pom, gold tinsel pipe cleaner and orange seam binding from my stash.

The Black Cat chenille ornament directions and image can be found at Vintage Image Craft.  The moon die cut was created by my friend Heather Hudson   I have been wanting to make chenille ornaments for ages, how vintage sweet!

Going from zero to 90 LOL I can't recall the last time I entered a challenge.  Inspired by Heather (who is on the Sugar Creek Hollow Design Team) I am entering this in the Sugar Creek Hollow challenge which just happens to be #30 - Vintage Animals!  And the challenge at Make It Monday.

VINTAGE IMAGE - RATS (WELL ONE AT LEAST)

If you really want to do Halloween up right then this image is for you!  This was culled from a turn of the century advertisement for rat poison  in a ``Ladies Home Journal``.   My friend Heather made a gif file out of it giving it a transparent background so you are just printing the image itself onto whatever you wish.  Have fun!

Heather is on the Sugar Creek Hollow design team, do check out her blog to see what she might be up to!

"TRICKS" A HALLOWEEN SHADOW BOX

I played around with one of these last year and had so much fun that I knew this would be on my "Halloween create list" again.   This is meant for the little ones to enjoy so not too fussy and not too scary!  The 7.5 x7.5 base is from Maya Road, a perfect size for an afternoon project and not too expensive to mail.  I've used Dylusions Ink Spray to cover, Graphic 45 papers for the backgrounds, vintage Scrabble tiles and tray painted with Luminarte Silk and a variety of brads, stamps, stickers and embellishments from my stash!  I can't get the photo to show the right colours, honest the background papers are all shades of orange - no pink included!

ILLUSIONS COLLAGE FACE - HALLOWEEN

Haven't got the right text quite yet - any suggestions?   Magazine ad face painted green with H20, background Tim Holtz stencils, Dylusions Spray Inks, flowers and skull Deviant Scraps (Halloween Micro Kits).

A GREAT HONOUR!

I have been chosen  as a "Ginger Gem" over at Gingersnap Creations for my entry in the Raven Challenge!  It really is a honour to be amongst those singled out at Gingersnap Creations, I couldn't be more excited or pleased.  This is a second for me, the first being for my Halloween House last fall.  My favourite season for creating art...

A RAVENSCAPE - THE RAVENS CHALLENGE AT GINGERSNAP CREATIONS

I haven't entered a challenge for ages and when I saw the Rogue Redhead Ravens Challenge over at Gingersnap Creations  (http://gingersnapcreations.blogspot.com) well I just had to play!  Do go and check out the marvelous creations!

I admire my crafty friends who can sit down and plan out their projects ahead of time..sigh  I never quite know what I am going to do until I spread out a good pile of stuff and just dig in!  My friend Marilyn split a paper mache witches hat with me so that is where I started...along with the silhouette of a raven that she sent me.  That woman can cut a template or stencil like no ones business!  I took the easy route printed the silhouette out on card stock, backed that with another piece of black card stock and fussy cut it.

I painted the hat orange, mostly covered it with some Soot Crackle Paint and then all of that with Rock Candy Crackle Paint.  Considering how the raven would show against the dark background is how I came to the idea of cutting out a witchy Halloween tree (MME) and using that as a major part of the background.  Added subtle texture with lots of opaque black glitter on globs of Glossy Accents, some Straw Distress Ink and then dimension with bits of Halloween floral trim.

I built up the forest floor first with a ragged strip of cheesecloth misted a pale orange and dabbed with Orange Crackle Paint and some green acrylic paint, then topped that with a row of grey Bloomers (these came on a card with other colours, honestly I never thought I would use grey! and it a mouldery mummy grey to boot), dabbed a bright lime green acrylic paint here and there which I topped with green glitter (MS) while wet and finally a bit more of the Orange Crackle Paint.  I also used that green (with glitter) to sponge in a bit of foliage around the tree.

The raven has one foot upon a tiny pine cone.  Behind that I layered together a big orange flower - really just to create some contrast. The glittery net, paper flowers and button were part of the Bella Creations Halloween Embellishment kit.  I couldn't resist cutting out a crescent moon, adding a bat and wiring that above!  I didn't set out to do a Ravenscape but I do think it is fun!  A bit of a diorama on a hat - who would have thought LOL

BLUE MOON - 6X6 PRIM CANVASS

Ok,  well it was blue moon I had in mind when I started...Midnight Blue Sky just doesn't have the same panache!  Halloween seems the perfect holiday to grab a paint brush, work out a little idea and just have some fun.  There are many truly gifted primitive artists but the folkish, naive nature of the genre just lends itself to letting any of us brave enough to wield a paint brush giving it a try, even if it is just to do a background.  Which is good place to start.
I have really mixed it up here...the moon is a die cut from the Bella Creations Halloween Embellishment kit (created by Heather), I've stroked the blue sky with Glossy Accents and covered that with a lot of black opaque glitter, added lime green glitter to the foreground and faux stitched with a Pigma Pen around my curious jack-o-lantern and moon!

FRANKEN TAG! - MY TAKE ON A TIM HALLOWEEN TAG

One of the challenges in a group I moderate at Bella Creations (Celebrer La Fete) is to do a Halloween tag inspired by anything Tim Holtz!  I used a challenge Tim offered from 2008 at this link to create mine;
http://timholtz.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/10/october-techniq.html 

A plastic spider done up with several colours of Stickles adds the final perfect touch!  Do come and have some fun with us..

A NIGHT AT THE MOVIES WITH DRACULA! (A Halloween Banner)

I really have neglected one of my favourite sites Gingersnap Creations for quite some time.  They of course are doing Halloween up right!  This will be my submission to the "Horror Story" Challenge!  Whether you adore Halloween or not do go and see what is creepy and dark!

I really have no answer as to why I haven't followed the latest vampire craze as I have been fascinated with vampires since I was a child.  But I am looking forward to the whole renewal of "Dark Shadows"!  I remember getting quite anxious if the school bus was a few minutes late getting me home worried that I might miss the first few minutes of the show!  Barnabas was my favourite character, who was yours?

I found a few images of old movie posters online earlier this year and knew they would be the focus of a new Halloween banner for me.  I have hung this across a small mirror in my stairwell and yes I can still see my reflection in the mirror! LOL

Some yellow and black poisonous flowers and spray from the Bella Creations Halloween Embellishment kit (check out the kit and the domino book tutorial) , some silver bat peel offs (you really can't see these in the photo), a sparkly black bat (K&Co) edged with White Enamel Accents (love that stuff), the center medallion is MS on all three pieces and some fabulous black paper which I picked up at DeSerres backs the image.  The creepy bat hanging at the bottom LOL  found at a local thrift store and is one of those glow in the dark things which I inked up with StaZon in black and glued on with Glossy Accents.

I folded some white crepe streamer in half, sewed a running stitch along the folded edge and used that to frame the central image.  A line of chunky black glitter on top of the stitching line, lots of black ink to add some decay (and red in the appropriate place!)  I used the same orange and black smudged pp with bats on all three pieces as the background (GCD).  Can you make out the "Slayer's Kit" on the bottom right corner?  The slaying sword (some sort of key thingie that the DH sharpened for me!), a cross and a vial of Holy water.  The hanging piece is a metal mold (which I have been hoarding, so it was good to actually use one!) that I inked with a number of different inks, embossed and then glittered!

The third pennant has some of the same basic elements but then stands out with the addition of the fangs!  My favourite piece LOL  A set of rubbery fangs found in the thrift store package of Halloween odds and ends.  Made over with a bit of red ink and glitter...with a bit of drippy, glittery blood below.  All in all a totally blood thirsty project!

MY "SPOOKY" SHADOW BOX

Bella Creations Design Team member, Cathy B's  Halloween Shadow Box inspiration for her group Nuances De Couleur was the push I needed to haul one of the Maya Road Shadow Boxes I have been saving (read hoarding) out the closet!  That and a day of scrapping planned with my Halloween Stash and scrap pals Marilyn and Marlene at Scrapbook Parade.

I started by spray misting the entire box with LuminArte Shimmering Mist in Key Lime.  I used scraps to pop dot a background in each frame, the images I used around the outside, Lisa's Altered Art, were matted in black and then pop dotted on top of the scraps. Added a bit of Stickles and a little bling here and there to the frames.  The central frame contains a fuzzy, red eyed spidey and web corners from MS.  The felt ghost and word "trick" are Making Memories, the glitter cat is K&Co.  The velvet scalloped ribbon ..can't recall.  If it's mine I almost always have a bit of vintage something on it!  Digging through my Scrabble games for tiles and realized I could use a rack!  Some black paint and a shine with Goosebumps.  I used Glossy Accents to adhere the rack to the box and tiles to the rack.  I recently talked to someone who wasn't aware that Glossy Accents is an excellent "glue" so hence the mention.   I am making progress on my Halloween gifties..:)

Check out Cathy's group Nuances de Couleur at Bella Creations!  There is a lot of Halloween fun happening!

BELLA CREATIONS VINTAGE HALLOWEEN EMBELLISHMENT KIT

Lacee has revealed her Vintage Halloween Embellishment Kit and what fun it is to work with!  Mine has just arrived and already I've used it on two small prim canvasses I had under way!

The moon with verse is an exclusive die cut created by our Ms Heather and the ribbons and jack o lantern button on the BOO piece are from Lacee's sweet little kit.   The cat is an image offered in my group  Images d'Autrefois.

This sweet Halloween tryptic is the work of our Ms Starr!  She has done a wonderful job of showcasing many of the elements included in the kit!

For details on the Vintage Halloween Embellishment Kit click on the title of this post!  Happy Haunting!

OCTOBER CHALLENGES AT BELLA CREATIONS!

On the 5th of each month the details of the three main challenges and sponsors for each are announced (see my sidebar), along with the reveal of the Design Team projects.  So here are my three;

The Bella Unique Challenge is all about trying techniques.  This month it is making and embellishing crepe paper ruffles.  Lacee always provides a tutorial that you can follow.  The "crystal ball" belonged to my grandmother and I believe dates from the 1960s.  This would have been used to present your flower(s) in a competition or perhaps used for a table centerpiece when the Garden Club came for luncheon.

The Tres Chic Challenge is about using a certain style.  This month it is Romantic Grunge.  I have reworked a piece that I wasn't happy with from last year and I now think it works.

The third main challenge is the Bella Muse.  This month you have the choice of two images to use in your project which again are provided by Lacee.  I've used one of them to create my Halloween cards.   The patterned papers are Memory Box and MME.  I've used a bit of ribbon, black fringe, an MS dimensional sticker and Stickles.  I adore using chocolate foils and cupcake papers to create borders, medallions, toppers or swags. Here I sprayed a yellowed paper liner to set the Raven on.  The "Bella Witch Hat" is from Lacee's October Vintage Halloween Embellishment kit (also revealed today) to identify the mysterious Ms Gulch!

Why don't you come and join us for the fun!  Click on the title of this post to go directly to Bella Creations!

BOO BELLA! An October Challenge - HALLOWEEN CRACKERS!

It`s time for some new challenges at Bella Creations!  Why don't you join me in one of the groups I moderate, Celebrer la Fete, and have some fun making Halloween Crackers!

Here in Canada many of us follow the English tradition of having decorated  "crackers" at Christmas dinner.   These have paper poppers in them that you and someone sitting next to you pull, this sounds like the noise from a cap gun! They are typically filled with a tissue paper crown (which is worn throughout dinner), a riddle or joke, a small candy and gift.

Doing a Halloween version has been on my list for awhile.  I have taken the idea of a Halloween countdown and done seven.  Each one is filled with 3 tiny treats (keep it simple!) and are meant to be opened one every day on each of the 7 days before Halloween.  These are for my daughter`s three children who are 5, 3 and 18 months - I think winding them up towards Halloween for 7 days before is enough! 

I have used toilet paper tubes (these are 4 inches), sheets of crepe paper (cut 10 inches long and wrapped 3 times around for fullness), scraps of patterned paper (cut this a quarter inch or so short of 4 inches wide so it is not right on the edge of the tube) , narrow ribbons, Stickles, I made the rosettes using the Tim Holtz die and chipboard numbers.

I think these will look great in a big bowl!  As these are meant for children, I made them as simple as possible; no inking, inexpensive ribbons, scraps of paper and went for a mix of colours instead of trying to match everything up.

I am still using Christmas Crackers that I made with fabric about 15 years ago.  You can use tissue paper, gift wrap, fabric etc instead of crepe paper.  I know my daughter will let the kids open one end of these to tip out the candies and then they will be whipped out of sight and saved for next year!

Your challenge is to make at least one Halloween Cracker by October 31st.  The prize determined by draw will be a fall themed RAK from me.  Come along and have some fun with us!