Halloween Project

My last Halloween project this year...maybe! I have an entire day tomorrow to make more little crafts!

It's a little "plaque" that I'm hanging on my door. I have a similar one that I made for Christmas...all with ink and paint and paper! It really puts me in the mood for the holiday, and now I know I will have a great craft to pull out next year as well. I'm using supplies that I already had in my stash, adding some paints and ink and lots of imagination!

You will need:

- piece of corrugated cardboard cut to size
- pattern paper, ripped into different sizes
- paint, ink, stamps, glimmer mist, etc.
- other Halloweenie embellishments...skeletons, pumpkins, black cats, bats, etc.

Start by gluing down pieces of pattern paper. I use gel medium, but you can use decoupage medium or white glue just as well.

Now, smear some coloured paints on top, one colour at a time. Then smudge them together using a wet paper towel or baby wipe.

Add some black or dark brown to pick up the texture of the cardboard. Using a dry brush technique works well for this, so you don't get too much paint, but enough to add some contrast.

Embellish...I'm using Riff Raff Designs chipboard bats and the word "Spooky", as well as some American Crafts black brads, Art Chix skeleton die cut, 7Gypsies mini door knob, Making Memories word stickers, and some random feathers.


On the bats I first applied black crackle paint, then once it had dried I sprayed it with a couple of colours of Glimmer Mist.

The word "Spooky" is painted with black crackle paint. You could emboss your shapes, or paint then add some Glossy Accents to really make them stand out.

And since I love love love dangle-y things, I added some keys and other random metal embellishments to a chain along the bottom of my canvas. Whenever I open my front door, it makes clanking noises...and with a little imagination they become spooky, ghostly chains of the ghouls trying to escape the underworld and give us a little haunting on Halloween!

Punch two holes in the top and string some tulle through. I tied a simple knot through the hole, then attached the other end of the tulle to a twig and hung it all on a push pin that remains in my door permanently for crafts like this!

enjoy! I'm going to try and be back this weekend with a Technique post using some of the new wonderful Hambly that has just started hitting stores. Until then, Happy Haunting!

good afternooon good evening and good night...

The Technique of the Week today is a little something I "scraplifted" - that is, stole - from a super good friend of mine the Lovely Nadine. Nadine is always cooking up some lovely technique or album or card or decor thing on her blog Delite Designs, for the Riff Raff Design Team and for a class or two at Treasured Memories.

She created this lovely for the last Riff Raff release...which you can check out here...but for now, you're stuck with my interpretation of it! Putting a glossy surface on the chipboard first allows you to apply the alcohol inks, mix them up and play around without having them soak immediately into the surface of the chipboard and lose their natural, colourful beauty. Nadine is just clever that way I guess!

You will need:
- Crackle accents...Nadine used clear embossing powder instead, which totally works just as well and I have to give her props on that one because this is her technique and all!!
- A couple different colours of alcohol ink...I'm using Stream, Butterscotch and some other kind of yellow.
- Chipboard shape...I'm using the new "Thankful" from Riff Raff Designs

Step One: Cover your chipboard shape with crackle accents OR if you're doing it Nadine's way, stamp clear ink all over your shape, sprinkle clear embossing powder all over, then emboss it.
You'll have to let the crackle accents dry, which takes just 5 minutes short of forever. If you do it Nadine's way, it takes less time because you just have to wait for the shape to cool off. I myself am lazy and didn't feel like getting out all the tools required to emboss a shape, so I did it the slow, yet less complicated way. But remember my infamous advice: use what you got!

Picture #1: Just a smidge of crackle accents.
Picture #2: Covered in crackle accents...ooh la la! I can never be accused of not being thorough!

Step Two: You can apply your alcohol ink in a variety of ways. I used makeup foamies to smudge it around on the crackle accents, but you could use the felt applicators that Ranger makes to apply their alcohol ink, or you could use a Q-Tip...what does it matter to me?




Look at my messy fingers! You don't have to get messy while doing this technique, but usually the mess just finds me and since I don't mind, it doesn't matter. I'm still covered in paint from my creating session two days ago! Not for lack of showering!

Step Three: There is no step three. This is really a two-step technique...it just doesn't get any simpler than this. Let everything dry up nice and good, which doesn't take very long for the alcohol inks, and stick the finished shape on to your finished layout...like this!

And what's a post from Lisa without at least one crooked photo?

Enjoy, and make sure to stop by Nadine's blog and say hi! And thanks!

later skater alligator

Project #2...this week!

This project is inspired by Elsie...you might know her as ElsieCake or from the line of scrapbooking products as Love Elsie or when she wrote that book, or won that big contest, etc. etc. I yoinked the idea from this blog post showing how to make a banner out of instant pictures. Well, I don't have instant film, or an instant camera, but I have lots and lots of pattern paper.

This is a super cute idea that, like most of the projects on here, can be changed to suit your mood, decor, theme or whatever! Just change up the papers and the word or words. It's cheap and eco-friendly because you're using up scraps, and it's super fun and wonderful! I love autumn, so I decided to make my banner to match some of my fall decor that I put up in my home recently.

Enjoy!

******

You will need:
- six different pattern papers, or however many you need for your word of choice...you'll need a different colour for each letter...I chose ones that were heavier weight so they would hold together better once I started cutting them.
- pen and scissors or craft knife
- wooden clothespins (small or large)
- wool, ribbon, string
-tape, nails, hooks (something to attach it to your wall)


Step One : Cut all your papers down to the size you want...mine are all 3.5x5. Lay your papers out in the order you want them. This might take some moving papers around until you get it looking good!

Step Two: Draw (and I mean freehand!) your letters on each piece of paper. They don't have to be perfect or anything. If you're really not keen on your drawing abilities, run them through the computer, BUT REMEMBER to use a really simple, block font or else you will have a heck of time cutting the letters out!


Step Three: Cut out the letters using scissors or a craft knife. Your letters don't have to be perfect...mine looked pretty rough once I cut them out, but on the wall you can't even tell!

Keep cutting out your letters...

Step Four: To attach my banner to my wall I am using masking tape and a piece of ivory wool. Masking tape because I don't need any more holes in my walls! And wool because it reminds me more of autumn and I have buckets of this around the house so I can afford to use it on silly projects like this one! You can guess on the length of string you'll need...but better to guess too long and have to cut some off, then guess too short and have to cut another piece!

Step Five: Hang letters with clothespins. Since there's no gluing letters down, you can move them around if you got the spacing wrong the first time. And you can leave the wool up and change the word whenever it pleases you.

My Autumn-Fall-Halloween Inspired Decor. The mantle is the only place in my house I ever really decorate for the holidays, so I go all out! And you can see my little Trick or Treaters there as well.

Hope you had as much fun with this as I did! It would also be great for a baby or wedding shower, or a birthday party with the guest of honor's name. I'm not big on Christmas decorations, but I can see a "joy" or "believe" or "jolly" hanging up there in a couple of month's time.

Thanks for stopping by...

Project of the Month

Now, I just don't post enough cool projects here! I want to remedy that this week with (hopefully) two fun projects you can do to add some fall flavour to your home decor!

Project Number One...I did up using some of the new Riff Raff Designs chipboard released this month. And you'll have to pretend you are reading this post five days ago, because that's when I meant to post it and then Thanksgiving weekend happened. Hmmm.

You will need:
- four 6x6 canvases (I buy mine in a pack that comes with some 12x12 as well, but I'm sure you could buy them on their own in as many number as you need!)
- scraps of pattern paper cut into random shapes (mine are all squares and rectangles, but you could try circles or hearts or whatever for a totally different look!)
- paint in a bunch of (coordinating) colours - greens in my case - and some brown and black paint as well
- brayer, foam brush, foundation makeup applicator pad, old gift card, whatever you want to use to apply the paint...I use all of the above!
- something 3D to embellish your canvases - in my case I used the new Riff Raff, but if you have some fun metal embellishments, that would be great as well!
- a picture or drawing of a little trick-or-treater. I drew/.painted the ladies on my canvases, but if you have some vintage images handy or can print them off your computer, by all means go for it! This project is whatever you make of it!


Okay...GO!!!
Start by gluing down a smattering of pattern paper pieces all over each canvas. I use matte gel medium, and it works pretty well. It's easy to apply, covers and adheres well, and stays really smooth. Remember that you don't need a lot of glue, just enough to tack things down. Too much liquid adhesive just means things get blobby and globby and take forever to dry!

Once this has dried, apply two colours of your coordinating colour paint to a brayer, plastic gift card, foam brush, etc. and start rubbing and brushing them onto the papers. Get into all the cracks and gaps and cover the whole canvas. Now take a wet paper towel or wipe and get rid of some of that paint. Uncover some of the pattern papers a bit, blend the colours together and make everything start to look nice and smudgy.

Keep applying and removing paint until you have everything covered nicely. Now go in with your brown or black and create some shadows. You don't need a lot of the darker neturals, just enough to create some depth to the piece.

As a finishing touch, I added some metallic, shiny gold gel medium sparingly in a couple of places on each canvas. It adds a touch of glamour and interest and anything shiny is wonderful, really!

Witchy Woman...what are you cooking up dearie?
Little Miss Muffett...along came a spider... Skully...while she mainly believes in aliens she's keeping an open mind to include other ghoulies!
And Tiger Lily, who for some reason just wants to be sideways!
I heart Halloween, in every way! From the costumes and the dress up, to the decorations and the fun parties, and the candy and treats especially! These little guys already have taken over some prime real estate on my mantle and they look wonderful!

I hope they inspire you to take on your very own "mixed media" project sometime in the future! And for those of you who might need a little help with that, I am teaching a Canvas class at the store this weekend. Call Treasured Memories to sign up.

Shout Out...
I am inspired always by the lovely Kelly Rae Roberts...it was the above collage and paint technique written up in an issue of Cloth Paper Scissors that first got me into "mixed media" art. Check out Kelly Rae's website and blog for more lovely works of art and inspiration! And ways to find the "possibilitarian" within!

Later this week I hope to have another fun fall project for you, inspired by another one of my favourite artists, that can be changed to fit any decor, theme, or holiday festivities!

later skater alligator!

Featuring...NEW Sassafras

Be still my monster-heart! I have been patiently waiting for all the new fabulousness that is Sassafras to arrive in store...and it has paid off in spades!

Lots of bright colours and quirky patterns: classic Sassafras. Plus there's a sticker that says "That's How I Roll"...that's classic Lisa! I bought a bunch (a bouquet really!), and brought it home to play.

Layout the First. I used my hand as a mask! And while it is very orange now (very very), it was the cheapest and most accessible thing I could find! I used two colours of orange Glimmer Mist and my red Colour Wash. After it had dried a bit, I smudged some turquoise Glimmer Mist inside, then spattered some alcohol ink over top.

This layout is all about my name...

Page the Second, with another little Technique thrown in for good measure...

For perfect circles why not use coins as a mask. I grabbed my change jar, scattered some quarters, dimes and pennies all over my card stock, then sprayed with three colours of Colour Wash and Glimmer Mist. Because the coins are deeper than paper, they were easy to pull off without smudging the ink.

I hope you enjoy trying out some new stuff this week, wherever you might be. With all the change in the weather, it doesn't hurt to change up your scrapbooking as well.

I am submitting both of my layouts to different challenge Blogs today (if I get my butt in gear!).

WINNERS

The winner of the Grand Prize is: SARAH

The runners uppers are: Kerri & Crystal

I'll be emailing you shortly to get your mailing addresses. Sorry it took me so long...I wasn't even very busy this weekend! Just forgetful.

Thanks to all for entering, and check back this week for a new Technique Post. I promise to have something new for you, cause I totally didn't last week and I am a giant goof ball!

TOTW - Recession Proof your Scrapbooking

Hi All...how was your week? Mine was okay, but I have been doing a lot of scrapbooking so at least I have that going for me!! Plus, I got to work at the store on Thursday for the first time in awhile, and it was so much fun! All the new stuff we have been getting in is just awesome...but it can be overwhelming as well. I'm here today to offer you some tips on making the most of your scrapbooking dollar, while still being able to enjoy all the new fabulous product as well!


Try this:
- Use your scraps! This may seem obvious, but most of us have heaps and heaps of scrap paper laying around. I only ever use bits and pieces of pattern paper on my layouts, so I have piles of little pieces hanging around everywhere. A while back I organized most of my pattern paper into colour families, and my scraps have a similar home. Instead of always buying a new sheet of "must-have" paper, go through the stuff you already have...you might find just what you need there!

- Buy in bulk. Instead of buying a box of buttons, buy only the one or two that you need from a bulk jar. Creative Imagination's Creative Cafe line has every colour and style you could ever want, and they're only 5 or 10 cents per button. Same goes with ribbon...buy a yard for only a buck or two instead of a whole roll. Now not only did you save some money, you're not stuck with a bunch of product you don't want!

- Make your own...embellishments, pattern paper, flowers, etc. Paint is cheap, and for the amount of use you get from it, so are inks, sprays, colour washes, etc. Try revamping some of your old supplies by giving them a little spritz with some Glimmer Mist. Or making your own pattern paper using ink and colour wash. All you need is some cheap cardstock...I buy 25 sheets of white 8.5 x 11 at a time, and I am never bored with it! An investment in a couple of favourite colours will last a long time. Plus, these types of techniques always make for unique and creative layouts!

- Share supplies with a friend. Instead of each of you buying that giant pack of paper, split it in half. Not only will you save money, but you might get something that you wouldn't normally pick for yourself, and it's always fun to try new things!

- On a similar note, hold a "Swap Crop" where everyone brings some supplies from their stash that they just don't want anymore. Let all the participants "shop" from the unwanted items. You get some free, new-to-you product, you get rid of some of the old stuff in your stash, and anything left at the end of the crop can go to a charity group or school that might need the supplies. Everybody wins!

- Buy a kit. Every month the talented ladies at Treasured Memories put together three kits full of amazing, coordinating product worth about $50...and then we sell them back to you for $35! Not only do you get to try some new things, everything already matches so you don't have to worry about that, and you're getting a sweet deal! There are loads of other kit clubs online nowadays. And every one of them has something different to offer, so there's a kit to suit every scrapper. I'm always the first to recommend buying local before you "outsource" your shopping, but if you live in a town with no scrapping or craft store, this might be your best bet for sticking to a scrapping budget, while sampling some of the latest and greatest products as well. But do your research first...in a lot of cases the shipping costs are what kills ya!

There are millions more ways to save some green while still enjoying the best hobby ever! This is just the tip of the iceberg.


And now, on to the fun stuff...


At the last CHA Show, Prima Marketing released a line called "E"...this is their response to the economic situation facing us all. Everything in the release is classic Prima: jewels, gems and flowers! Great colours, great design, all for a great price...only $2.25 per pack!!!

I snagged a couple of packages from the store, added some scraps from home and created this simple, beautiful and economical layout.

You will need:
- flowers & gems, rhinestones, pearls, whatever suits your fancy
- white cardstock (in whatever size you like...this technique would also look great on Kraft)
- Spray ink or Colour Wash or Glimmer Mist and a mask (I'm using a chipboard shape)
- scraps of pattern paper, tags or stickers in coordinating colours
Using a Riff Raff Designs chipboard shape and some Adirondack Colour Wash (in Pesto & Lettuce), I created a great inexpensive background. I sprayed the ink over the shape, moved the shape over and did it again and again until I had covered enough of the cardstock. I already knew where my photo was going so I didn't have to cover the whole background. I spritzed a little bit of Stream Colour Wash on top to add some blue into the background.
Here's a close up of the Prima "E" flowers and pearls. I picked the white ones because by using spray ink or Glimmer Mist you can make them whatever colour you want! You only have to buy one pack of flowers, some spray ink and you're set to go! This not only makes each project less expensive, but more unique as well. All of the pattern paper I used were leftovers from previous projects. I cut them into irregular shapes and placed them around and under the edges of my photo to create a fancy frame. The ribbons and flowers add some texture and interest without being too busy. I might add some journaling in the Jenni Bowlin sticker at the top of the frame, but I'm going to leave off a standard "title." Wasn't I a cute kid!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Now what would a budget-friendly post be without a GIVEAWAY! I am here to help you make the most of your scrapbooking dollar, and freebies are the best way to do that!!! Up for grabs is a wonderful Prima prize pack, with a selection of flowers and gems from their "e" line. Not only do you get packs of the white flowers and blue & brown gems that I used on my layout, I'm also including some brights, rainbow, and great fall colours...most of the ladies who shop at TM (and work there!) would agree that you can never have too much bling or flowers in your stash!!

Enter to win by leaving a comment below stating your favourite way to make your money last. Make sure your email address is either in the comment or on your Blog profile so I can get in touch with the winner. I also have a couple of "runners up" prizes, including some of the new paper and embellishments from My Mind's Eye...sorry, no flowers there!

Everyone who posts a comment is eligible to win, no matter where you live (or where you shop!!).

Contest closes next Saturday, that's September 19th. I'll probably draw at name at the end of the day, so you'll have a full week to comment. Good Luck!!