Tissue-Paper-Mache Gourds

Today's post is here:

http://haunteddesignhouse.blogspot.com/2009/09/tissue-paper-mache-gourds.html

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Chubby Cherubs... can they really marry?

OMG... look, it's a card that isn't Christmas OR Halloween...
I'll wait for you to haul your tushie back up into your chair...
...
...

I've got my reservations about this one.  I wanted to break out of my only-coloring-with-pencil-&-mineral-oil box, so I grabbed my VersaMarker and shimmer chalks.  I thought this image needed just a touch of color, since I was going for the red & white thing, so I figured chalk would be my best bet. 

I'm thinking that the hair on these two cherubs are NOT working for me.  I'm diggin' all of the Stickles and the champagne colored veil... but that darn hair... me no likey. 

But look at those chubby pink legs!

I've GOT to get me this MS border punch!  Marilyn, from the Gardner Stamp Club girls, brought this bad boy for one of the cards she was teaching us to make... I'm lovin' it!  I added a few Scor-Bugged lines and a dot of Stickles in each of the big holes in the scallop border.  I really like how the sparkly dots show up on the inside of the card.

The image & sentiment are from one of the Stamp Stimulus promotions going on with TAC!  If this doesn't SCREAM love and Valentine's Day, I don't know what would ;)  Click HERE to see them all... pricing is fab! 

Stamps:  Love & Friendship
Paper:  White UltraSmooth, misc. red cardstock
Ink:  L'Amore Red Palette
Other:  MS border punch, Scor-Pal & Scor-Bug, VersaMarker, Shimmer Chalks, Pop Dots, White Lace & Crystal Stickles

As for the title of this post...

What do you think?

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Macabre Monday #007 - Menacing Moveables

Welcome to the Haunted Design House's Macabre Monday challenge!

HDH Macabre Monday Rules:
1. Create a Halloweenie SOMETHING (card, scrap page, altered item, whatever) that follows the specific Macabre Monday challenge given. Cutesy Halloween is fine, but creepy is better :) However, no extra 'points' are given either way.
2. You have until the following Sunday night @ 5pm central time to post your creation and linky back here.
3. If you upload to any online galleries (TACPCC, PW, PCP, SCS, etc.), please tag the title using HDH007.
4. Starting in September, I'll have monthly contest giveaways... more details to follow.
5. I'll be selecting a weekly Gruesome Twosome (my top two favorite creations) from all the players. At the end of every month these will be compiled and a Master of Macabre will be selected. He/she will be asked to be a guest blogger for the following month, if they so wish, and receive a little giftie from me (I have NO idea what this will be!!).

Ok, my little pretties... your challenge this week:

Menacing Moveables

For this week's challenge, you are to create something that moves.  Spinner cards, sliders, pop-ups... anything with a little action ;)  To illustrate, I'd like to show you something that I had made for a TAC Paper Wings design team project... sorry for the repeat for some of you!

The moon moves on the front a little bit with the help from a swing arm, and all of the creatures of the night on the inside are suspended from an acetate swirl created from a Sizzix die.  I used Crystal Lacquer on the bats, ghost, and owl eyes, and Stickles here & there (everywhere!).

I used Copics to color... it took forever since I am not marker savvy at all.  I cut the tree branches and highlighted them with a white gel pen & Moonlight White Brilliance ink.  There are a ton of different TAC stamp sets that I used on this, so if you would like the names, just leave me a comment or shoot me an email.

Gruesome Twosome for last week:  Lisa & Christina W. for their BOLD use of Perplexing Pigments!  Grab your GT badge in the sidebar ladies!

Ok, let see some action... do you accept this week's challenge?
 

(Be sure to click over to my other blog to add your link!)

What do you think?

So freakin' cute...

I know this isn't related to papercrafting, and the photo is not the greatest, but just look at the subject matter.

Polka Dot Quickie...

A little tribute to my WOSFF, Laurie... polka dots.  She loves 'em.  Soooooooo I decided to give it a shot today and came up with this.

I love this stamp from Island Trees... easily creepy-able for Halloween, and yet, add a little Stickles and you've got a winter wonderland.  And did you notice... the moon is magically the same size as the polka dots.  Yep... more rubber stamp surgery.

I simply snipped the moon (or sun) away from the image so I can use it all by it's lonesome.  This way I can add a moon to the other images in the set, or... create a little polka dot action.

Stamps:  Island Trees, Hello Snow (retired)Paper:  White UltraSmooth & Black cardstocks, misc. lavendar cardstock
Ink:  Noir Palette, VersaMark 
Other:  Scor-Pal & Scor-Bug, Pop Dots, misc. sage ribbon, Stardust Stickles, Stardust glitter pen

And I love VersaMark... have I told you that lately?  Who needs separate matchy-matchy inks when I can use one pad of VM... yep, VM rates a 'me likey'... hands down.... or hands up... or hands up & down with a little 'whoop whoop'...

What do you think?


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Didya' miss me...

... yeah, I know... I posted yesterday.  Bonus:  I am caught up with my monthly Christmas Card Club!!  Just 18 more to go (I think... maybe less) before the end of November!  BUT I am needing your help in deciding which of these to use for one of my many batches of winter holiday cards!  Here they are, all in a row:

Now, in pairs:

Stamps:  Snowflake Backgrounder, Edge Designs, Vintage Santa


Paper:  Reece cardstock


Ink:  Burnt Umber and Ballet Blue Palettes


Other:  Scor-Pal and Scor-Bug, misc. ribbons


I know... VERY subtle differences, but it's all about the details, baby ;)  I'm thinking I need to drop the main brown floral edge to the bottom third mark, and just have more white space at the top 2/3.  And I'm out of the polka dot ribbon, so if that was on the plus side, I'll have to improvise ;)


What do you think?
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My bad...

...no, I haven't done my challenge card for Macabre Monday yet.  I KNOW!  I am such a slacker... but, to make it up to you I will show you this little ditty.

Cute, no?  This was a submission to TAC for publication consideration, but they used my other one instead... yeay!  I'll show that one to you sometime as well.

Stamps:  Spookilicious

Paper:  Penelope, white Ultra Smooth &  black cardstocks

Ink:  Palette Noir

Other:  paper piercer, mineral oil w/ Prismacolors, Black Scrapper's Floss

Who says you have to use the whole image of a stamp, right?  Kinda looks like a window... or maybe it's like the opening credits of the Brady Bunch:

Here's the story of a wicked witchy,
Who was boiling up one very goofy skelly.
He was green and white, like no other,
The bow tie looks 'nelly'.

Here's the story, of a scared black kitty,
Who was busy with two jack-o's of his own.
They were orange, and kinda silly,
Yet they were all alone...

I know... it's horrible... but creative writing was NOT my forte!
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First, an apology... then the good stuff...

I'm usually pretty good about commenting back to bloggers that have been so kind as to do the same for me.  However, as of late, I have totally been shirking my duties!!  I won't go into to details, but it's been a little crazy around here!  I will try to get back into the swing of things next week or the week after... hopefully my projects at work will be done and gone by then!  So, please know that I really do appreciate all of your kind words!!

Now, onto the fun stuff.  Are these fabric witch boots NOT the COOLEST things ever?!  My friend and fellow TAC Angel, Angela, made them for me as part of an Art Share we were in together.  I cannot tell you how fabulous they really are, and the pictures do not do them justice.  Thanks so much Angela!  These babies will be displayed year-round... no way could I put them away in a box ;)

Angela is one talented lady, and though she has been having computer issues, please pop in a look at some of her past work... beautiful stuff!  I've been used to seeing her paper-crafted projects, and now the fabric work... I can only imagine what else she does!

What do you think?

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Simply said...

Today's post is here:

http://haunteddesignhouse.blogspot.com/2009/09/simply-said.html

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Have a Beary Christmas...

Pretty cute, huh?  Don't you love that bear's tushy... he makes me smile.

:)

See?

I'm still totally behind in my holiday card-making... it is kinda hard to think about Christmas cards when Fall is in the air (well, soon to be) and all I see is black, orange, green & purple :)

Anyway, back to beary.  I masked off the 'merry' from the Christmas sentiment and then masked off the beary sentiment and stamped.  My masks of choice?  Mini post-it notes.  Yep.  Cover the unvwanted part of the stamp image, ink it up, remove the post-it, and stamp.

Stamps:  Bears & Bubbles, Thinking of You (Hostess Level C)


Paper:  DCWV scallop matchbook card bases, Black & misc. grey cardstocks, kraft packing paper


Ink:  Noir Palette


Other:  Black & white ribbon, White Scrapper's Floss, Stardust glitter pen, PTI button, Scor-Pal w/ Scor-Bug & sanding block

I managed to get six of these babies done... man... how many do I still need to do?!!!


What do you think?
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This is a long post... one for Grandpa!

So I forgot I was in charge of putting together a guest book for Grandpa's shindig tomorrow!  Mom reminded me last night, so this is what I created.  I blotted out his name for this post, but it was stamped with TAC's Mini-bet in Burnt Umber ink.

I had fun with this.  I printed out an old-school photo of Gramps when he was a young man... pretty darn handsome, if I may say :)  I glued it to the back of the bookplate and then applied Crystal Lacquer.  I let it dry overnight and then applied another thick layer this morning.  It looks really cool IRL... like a bauble.

I stamped everything, since my handwriting blows most of the time.  I love all of the different fonts and how all of the edges are aged with distressing or sponging.  I also stamped on each of the interior pages:


"CELEBRATE ... you're kind of a big deal!"  How true is this?!  This is a huge milestone... a 90th birthday!  I can't even fathom all that he has seen or done.  I love all of his stories and am constantly amazed. One of my favorite stories was about when my mom had a date:

Grandpa asked the kid before they went out if he had a watch & he had said that he did.  They get home 10 minutes late and are just talking in the car (according to mom!).  Grandpa leans over to Grandma and says "for two cents, I'll go run that kid off"... Grandma says "You wouldn't!"  So he grabs a pair of pants & his shotgun, goes outside to the driver's side of the car and asks the young man "Do you know what time it is", "Yes Sir" says the young man... "then what the hell are you still doin' in my driveway?"


HAAA HAAA HAA  Granpa is giggling the whole time he walks my mom into the house, and of course Grandma smiles "Oh Morris" like she always did when he was ornery.  Needless to say, the boy was a little skiddish before their next date :)  Hee hee



He is such an ornery thing!  He comes off so loud & tough (a true badass), but I know what a softie he is ;)


In the back of the book I made a spot for a personal note to Grandpa from me... I'll just have to remind him that it is back there :)

Stamps:  Playful-bet & Mini-bet, Date Disks, Thinking of You (Hostess Level C), Interact & Celebration Invitation (both retired)


Paper:  Brown cardstock, misc. offwhite & cream cardstocks, patterned paper from stash (who knows where this came from!)


Ink:  Landscape, Burnt Umber, & Cognac Palettes


Other:  Bind-it-All & 1" rings, DCWV Neutrals chipboard stack, bookplate, BG ribbon, Pop Dots & Crystal Lacquer, misc. brass brads


What do you think?!
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More Halloweenie-ness...

Today's post is here:
http://haunteddesignhouse.blogspot.com/2009/09/skull-collage.html

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Vintage Santa

TGIF!!  This week has seemed to just freakin' drag on and on and on... and not in a good way.  When was the last time I said it... 

I want to be a kept woman... Somehow saying it just didn't help :)

Ok, on to today's schtuff!  How cool is this santa?!  The photos kinda look washed out, sorry.  The colors look much better in real life.  AND you can't see the subtle sparkle I added with the glitter pen, dang it.  Someone PLEASE teach me how to use a camera properly!

Stamps:  Vintage Santa, Thinking of You (Hostess Level C)


Paper:  Ivory UltraSmooth, Brown, & Amelia cardstocks, Mulberry Meadow cardstock (retired)


Ink:  Burnt Umber Palette


Other:  Prismacolors w/ mineral oil, Copper Hardware, misc. ribbon & twine, Fiskars border punch, distresser

I think he turned out pretty cool.  Even though I'm not really into vintage-style stamps, I HAD to get this one... it was one of the first ones that jumped out at me from the new Inspiration Avenue magalogue.  


I added shimmer to the snowflakes, santa's hair & beard, and to random areas of the toys.  

I wonder who gets this card come December?

What do you think?

Simple, Smart & Sophisticated gone Goth...

Today's quickie post is here:  http://haunteddesignhouse.blogspot.com/2009/09/simple-smart-sophisticated-gone-goth.html
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Jolly Happy Soulman...

 

Whew... finished indexing and cutting out my stamps this weekend so I could play!  How's this for an uber-cute & simple Holiday card?!  Don't you just love that old school page-boy style hat? :)  

I KNOW!

After I had finished coloring this cayootie patootie, I just wanted him to be center-stage... so no other cardstock or patterned paper.  I did add just a bit o' oomph by embossing a few score lines to frame the sentiment.


How's about those loverly glittery pink wings?  :)  They make me smile.

Stamps:  Merriest Wishes

Paper:  White UltraSmooth cardstock

Ink:  Noir Palette

Other:  Scor-Pal, Crystal Stickles, Prismacolors w/ mineral oil

How's that for a SHORT list o' supplies?!  I'm thinking this would make a really cute place card... just down-size it a bit, maybe cut him out from the bottom of the wings up, and score at that point so that he would pop up above the fold line... OMG, how cute... if only I had formal holiday dinners!

What do you think?!

Another Peace card...

Are you tired of this bird set yet? Well, rest assured that this is the last one for a little bit :) I used the same principle as THIS card, but reversed the cardstock colors so the wings are lighter.

I matted one of the tags from Willoughby with brown to really set it off. I inked up the snowy swirl and stamped off before stamping on the tag.

I then added the eyelet and a bit o' ribbon. Everything is popped up on foam tape for a little dimension. To finish it all off, I got out my trusty glitter pen and hightlighted the snowflakes & swirls, the bird, and even the sentiment.

Stamps: Peace, Ready Set Snow

Paper: Willoughby SWIC & Cardstock

Ink: Burnt Umber Palette

Other: Copper eyelet, Reece Ribbon, Stardust clear gel pen, foam tape

This particular patterned paper is one of my favorites... isn't pretty? And I'm thinking about this bird (dove)... I believe it would make a great eagle for a patriotic or masculine card merely be coloring it appropriately.

What do you think?

Lookie at what I got in the mail...

... I can't wait to cut these bad boys out! This is a shot of the goodies I received for FREE for winning a contest & being a magalogue designer! See, TAC's motto "because being an Angel is just more fun" is so true :)

How would YOU like to get paid while having fun? What about the chance to win $100 in free stamps every month for submitting creations to TAC's demonstrator-only contests? Those are just a couple of the perks. If you are interested in more information about becoming a part of The Angel Company's family of demonstrators, please email me!!

Oh! I almost forgot... this is the last month for Double Hostess Benefits! Let me know if you'd like to book a FunShop or a Party on the Go!

New TAC Halloween set!

Tonight's post is here: http://haunteddesignhouse.blogspot.com/2009/09/more-cuteness-ugh.html

Peace, man...

Here is one of the cards we made at the FunShop I had last night. The hostess, Vickie had a great turnout and some awesome snacks! She even made chocolate fondue :)

Ok, back to the card. I came up with this one thinking that I needed to demo cards that could be easily mailed without extra postage.

Sometimes the postal system really irks me... heaven forbid a rogue brad would make it onto a card, causing a little bump, and the post office wouldn't let it slide because they needed that extra $0.20!! Sorry... soapbox moment :)

Stamps: Peace, Go Abroad
Paper: Ivory UltraSmooth & Navy cardstocks, kraft packing paper
Ink: Burnt Umber & Starry Night Palettes
Other: Stardust clear gel pen, 3/4" & 1" circle punches, brown Prismacolor pencil

The ladies were cracking me up last night... "this must be a Price Chopper sack"... no really... it isn't... seriously.

I just love the kraft & blue together, and the glitter pen really adds a lovely subtle shimmer.

What do you think?