And six months later...

Wow.  I don't even know if I remember how to enter a blog post... 6 months... it has been awhile!

I still haven't made any new paper-crafted goodies.  Sad, I know.  But I DID make this:

It's a 5x7 chunky canvas, oil paint, palette knife painting.  Yep.  I did another palette knife painting... I wasn't sure about it after having done that 1st one that I am still not crazy about.  But I really like this one.  Even Poot likes it!  THAT is amazing in itself ;)

I think I do better on my own and not in a classroom setting.  That way I can do exactly what I want without someone telling me to do it differently!

I also think it helped being a smaller size... takes less time... kinda like card-making :)

I just LOVE all of the texture.  I don't feel like I have to be perfect with it like I do when I use a brush.

Now what shall I do for my next one?

What do you think?

Design Team Throwdown Challenge #3 at Smeared and Smudged

That's right kids... I'm baaaaack!  I've had to take a hiatus from the awesomeness that IS the

Haunted Design House 

blog, and I must say that I have missed getting my creep on >`:) 

So, to mark the occasion, I decided to go big and, along with a couple of my talented Minions, enter

Smeared and Smudged's

Design Team Throwdown Challenge #3:  Mini Books

It's been awhile since I've done a mini book.  But, mini books were where I started in this huge world of papercrafting, so it was about time I went back to my roots... only a little darker this time, of course :)  Be warned, there are a TON of pictures with this post, but me loves the details... check it:

The front cover is by far my favorite part.. I've used glass & leather as my base covers.  Sometimes it pays to be an Architect:  access to some lovely sample materials :)
Leather flooring is seriously sah-weet!

Ranger's Glossy Accents is my friend!  It is everywhere in this book... works great for metal & glass, like those Making Memories pewter alphas.

I added a grommet to the leather for added strength, which is helpful considering how freakin' heavy the glass is alone.  The glass has an awesome texture to it and beveled edges (bonus!).

I got out my Ranger Melting Pot & UTEE... so much fun!  After stamping (Artful Illusions stamp) into the warm goo, I added some Pearl-Ex for shimmer.

I also added some glass beads & alligator clip that dangle from the D-ring binder.

A couple of Maya Road stick pins & an uber-cool metal skull button finishes out the front cover.  I added some Crackle Accents on the flowers & the skull eye sockets. 

The inside pages were made from wood veneer.  All were stamped in black & heat embossed with superfine clear EP.  I then used Ranger's Picket Fence Distress Stain to low-light areas... it wipes off of the embossed images so they really stand out:

Page One:

Artful Illusions stamp.  Tim Holtz pen nib & tissue tape.  Key, clip & gem sources unknown.

Page Two:

Artful Illusions (headstones, script) & Smeared Ink (crow & window) stamps.  Prima resin square & 7Gypsies tab.  Coffin nail source unknown.

Page Three:

Artful Illusions stamps & Moxxie pumpkin paper.  7Gypsies metal tag.  Brad, clip & bottle cap sources unknown.  Bottle cap filled with Crackle Accents & rubbed with black ink.

Page Four:

Red Lead Paperworks stamp & Fancy Pants rub-on.  Tim Holtz skull & token embellishments.  Clip & chain sources unknown.

Page Five:

Red Lead Paperworks stamp.  Tim Holtz spider & Making Memories clip.  Jewelry rosette source unknown.

Back Cover:

Same leather & glass base as front cover, then I snipped the prongs off of some Karen Foster brads & attached them with Glossy Accents to use as feet to prevent scratches on the glass.

Ta-da!  If you are still with me, thanks... if not, you totally missed out ;)  I had a blast making this... getting inky, messy and finally using some of the awesome embellishments I have been hoarding for so long!

If you could take a look at the work of all of the Design Teams that are participating in this challenge and cast your vote, it would be appreciated... even more so if you vote for the HDH (Haunted Design House) Minions!  Voting is from April 11th at 12:01am thru April 12th at midnight... just go HERE to vote.  You must be a member of the Smeared and Smudged Forum, but it only takes a minute!

What do you think?

New catalogue & a Bonus Top Ten...

This weekend was so much fun!  It was The Angel Company's annual seminar, and I'm exhausted :)  But totally in a good way!  It was great to catch up with everyone and, of course, get the new catalogue :)  check out the new cover:

Pretty, right?!  And wait until you see the inside... fabulous!

Bonus #1:  you can start ordering on Monday... no need to wait until July 1st... ahhh... JOY  :)

Bonus #2:  87 NEW STAMP SETS.  Yes... 87... that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

Bonus #3:  TAC has partnered with Copic and we now carry 7 exclusive Color Caboodles!  These are NOT new Copic colors... they have just customized the Sketch sets with natural blending groups and color families. 

Bonus #4:  Color Caboodles cardstock is available, too!  TAC has taken the guess-work out for you, and created 6-color cardstock packs that match the corresponding Color Caboodle Copic sets!  Sah-weet :)

Bonus #5:  new double-sided exclusive paper collections!  Emma & Maggie.  A glimpse of Maggie is shown on the cover project!

Bonus #6:  we now carry the Scor-Buddy, The Cinch binding system, a huge selection of clear & chipboard mini-albums, and so much more!

Bonus #7:  I have printed catalogues available right now!  Only $4.95 plus shipping, or place a $60 order & get it for free.  But why stop at $60?  Go for $100 and get some of the awesome items above for HALF OFF!


Bonus #8:  Free catalogues to all of my Hostess Club members :)  AND Sign-ups for my next round of Hostess Clubs are going on now!  The new clubs will start up in August, so get a hold of me soon for details!!!  My contact information is at the top of my blog:  FosterDesignHouse.com

Bonus #9:  I have seven card samples in this publication!  Talk about Sah-weet, right?!!  totally stoked about that... and you should see all of the other designers' cards... wonderful!

And finally, Bonus #10:  This lover-ly card I made with one of the new sets:

Stamps:  Art Gave Her Wings

Paper:  kraft & brown cardstocks

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo, Palette Burnt Umber, Walnut Ink spray

Copics:  0, E00, E11, YR23, YR24, E53, E57, BG72, BG78, RV10, RV13, RV14

Whatcha' think?

Happy Mail :)

Look at the lovelies that I snatched out of the mailbox when I got home this evening!  Let me just say, TAC Angels are THE BEST!

Kim Sears sent me a witchy card, a beyond-uber-cool cardstock background made with glue & Pearl-Ex, and some Halloween Fries :)  Kim said that when she saw the creepy box o' flanges, she thought of me... awwwwwwwww... how sweet, right?  ;)  

Kim IS so sweet... last year she sent me a chipboard Christmas "Joy" book to alter... you can see it finished here:  
http://fosterdesignhouse.blogspot.com/2008/11/i-know-i-know-where-heck-have-i-been.html
I know!  Thanks, Kim!!!

Next up, from Patti J., super cute Halloweenie pizza box with skelly tag.  Then on the INSIDE, first is this:


... because I am sooooooooo angelic, right?  ;)  And then under the tissue paper is THIS!!!

...creepy-cool, right?!  Again, Patti said she thought of me when out shopping and came across this.  Because though I am so totally into creepy Halloween spiders, we all know a girl needs a little bling-i-ness in her life ;)  Thanks so much, Patti!!

Last month, Seleise sent me this totally cute green piggie card and mummy bag.  And inside the mummy bag?

...yeay!  More stamps!  More for my ever-growing collection!  These are great because they are smaller images... perfect to sneek in here or there ;)

THEN, Rita W. sent me this freakin' awesome necklace!  The pendant is made from a piece of a Scrabble game!  Told ya'... kewl!  Thanks, Rita!!

And finally, from Melisa, I was given THIS!!!  We took part in a Art Share, and she made this altered hardboard canvas.  It is beyond fantastic, and the pictures do not do it justice at all.  Crackle paint, glitter, heat embossing... there is a TON of detail on this little beauty.  

I have it propped up in a creepy iron easel that I can see from my studio table... I love it!  Thank you so much, Melisa!!!



Whew.  How's that for a crazy-long post!  I just want to once again thank all of these sweet ladies for all of my Happy Mail!


What do you think?
.

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?

.

Creepy Halloweenie Boo Birdhouses...

Tonight I've got the last of my Art Shares! Well, I had an additional one, but I had made one similar and had posted it before HERE... it was for Suzanne. She has a couple of boys and lives in Florida, so I thought it was totally her :) Hope you like it, Suzanne!!

I made these Halloweenie Boo Birdhouses for Bren. She is my downline from Wichita and she said to just surprise her with something... muhuhuwahh
ahh ahh ahh
aaaaaaahhhh! `:) What was she getting herself into?!

I LOVE THESE... and I almost wanted to start another project and keep these for myself. But, no no no... I was good and gave them away :) Me... good... ha ha ha... no comments from the peanut gallery...

{cough... CINDY... cough}

Anyway, I had these envisioned stuck in a plant centerpiece... mossy and dark. Or, if you want to go the fun route, in a big bowl of candy corn :)

I'm sorry to say that there isn't ANY product from TAC on this project... that's a first in a LONG time for me! But I am a collector of all that is Halloween and there just isn't any creepy stuff to be had from TAC {HINT HINT HINT} I know... not too subtle, but just in case Mischelle is reading along :)

What is bad, since I am a collector, is that I didn't keep track of some of the manufacturers... sorry guys!

I purchased the wooden mini-birdhouses from Michael's and painted them with green, black, and metallic copper paint. I roughed up some Halloweenie paper (unknown) and glued it to the birdhouses with PVA. I even made some scallop shingles on the roof... see...
cute AND creepy :)

I have no idea where the uber-creepy abso-freakin'-lutely awesome holey trim came from, but I think I'm in love :)

I covered some ugly brown chipboard letters with more paper and inked up the edges.. and then I just started layering! It's hard to see unless you zoom in, but there are these cool Halloweenie transparencies from Little Yellow Bicycle.. a cat and a bat. They are out at the face of the roof while the rest of the schtuff is set back with the face of the house... so they're just kinda hangin'...

me likey.

I found the glittery spiders from a party supply place... yep, they are table confetti... well, maybe not confetti, but cool nevertheless :)

And that's it! Seriously, the pictures are not the greatest because it was cloudy and I had to play with them in PhotoShop... but maybe Bren can take a better photo and post it for me :)

What do you think?