Just Call Me the Procrastinate Princess

I came across the photo below and it made me smile. The weekend I made these tie backs for my bedroom curtains I was really supposed to be making cards for upcoming birthdays!! But in my defense they are simple strips of fabric that took me maybe an hour tops to sew. I attached velcro on the ends because I didn't want to jack with tying them every day, and I added a little fringe to keep them from looking overly simple!

I distract myself with new projects all the time. These curtains have been hanging in my bedroom for at least 5 years now and I have yet to hem the bottom of them properly...but I have tiebacks now by golly!

Umhemmed...my secret shame!

This window is one of Lego's favorite places to sit and watch the world outside, so I have to take a lint brush to these curtains fairly often...

Lego was busy playing in a box while I was taking pictures. LOVE him!!!

I also added the valance at the top a while back to cover the arched portion of the window and block the moonlight (and streetlamp) from shining in at night. These are pretty good blackout curtains for sleeping in and afternoon naps...not that I can ever get one of those! lol

I tend to get on a roll sometimes leaving other "duties" in the dust. As a matter of fact, i SHOULD be updating my events schedule for my February Newsletter right now!

Happy Friday! Have an awesome weekend and be sure to check my Facebook page later for today's Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge!!!

Graves R Us

Halloween is just around the corner so I have been working to move the graves from the backyard (they were in the back for Sydney's party) to the front, and beef up the decorations. I have much, much more to do, but it's starting to look pretty good! :)

Years ago I made a tombstone to add to our collection from simple plywood. It's the large one with "Carrie White" written on it. I decided that Carrie needed a hand coming out of the ground, so I whipped one up using a rubber glove stuffed with tissues and a toilet paper roll for her lower arm/wrist. I've always liked making things with paper-mache. I stapled a long wire to a small piece of wood that's inserted inside the arm. To dry I just stabbed it into the ground in the sunshine. This is Carrie's hand, palm up.

 

Once I painted it with a combo of white, black, and blue paint, I let it sit in the sun another hour. Then I dripped and smeared Riding Hood Red ink on her hand, and added some fake nails with hot glue. Click on the image below and zoom in.....not too shabby, right!?!

The hand isn't waterproof though. I have had to rescue it a few times from the rain, but that's a small price to pay for this little detail. I could probably have coated it with something, but I'm not overly worried about it. When it ends up weathered I might like it even better, or I can just make myself a new improved version!

So, anyway, we only had 5 graves that I was moving to the front, and on Sunday I was eyeballing a couple of small plywood scraps in the garage. They were just the right size for a few new headstones! My original DIY grave isn't anything that great, but after cutting and painting 3 new ones I had a "DOH!" moment. Why not STAMP the names on them!? Ta da...

Jack's headstone is actually embossed with VersaMark and Gold Embossing Powder! It's got good visibility in daylight, and at night with the red spotlight it really shimmers (pic below)! I tried Silver EP on Annie Wilke's grave. It's not as easy to read from every angle, but it looks pretty cool too! Silver would be FABULOUS on a plain black headstone. :)

The third gravestone is Norman Bates...bet you recognize that one! lol I stamped his name with Real Red Craft ink and embossed with Clear EP. I was pretty happy with it that way, but Gabe (the husband) wanted to outline the letters in white, so he did. They are certainly each unique!

So here's a trivia question for you. Do you know who Carrie White is? If so, do you know what she has in common with Jack and Annie? Leave me a comment, I'd love to hear what you think!

Can't wait to crank up the fog machine!!! Happy Haunting!

Lighting the Way to Halloween

This is a lantern made from card stock. I made myself a simple template on one sheet of card stock and then I used it to trace onto Basic Black sheets. I was able to get 2 sides per sheet so there are 2 tabs that hold the whole thing together.

Click me to see a larger view

The windows are filled with Vellum on 3 sides, and Designer Series Paper in the back one. For the Vellum windows I used the Spider Web Embossing Folder to give them texture :)

Use flame-less candles for safety...they really flicker too. At night no one will know the lantern is paper, and no one will know the candles aren't real! ;)

For Stampin' Supplies visit my website:

http://sally.stampinup.net

A Small Change with BIG Impact

This is my small area in our shared "studio." It has evolved over the last two years and I truly love my space, but there is so much more I'd like to do in this room to make it more functional. One thing I thought would be simple was mounting a towel bar to the wall to hang my punches on. I have seen many other crafters post pictures using this idea and I have been in love with the idea ever since.

BUT...yeah, here's the thing...I used a stud finder to check for studs to mount the bar, and it wasn't going to work. POO! So I've had these bars stashed in the corner with the intention of figuring out an alternative, and I have! After the patio cover we built last Summer I was looking at these leftover pieces of plywood and my light bulb went off...I could mount that to the wall and then it won't matter where the wall studs are!

I bought myself some pretty fabric to cover the board and had my handy husband screw it right to the wall. We mounted two bars, and loading them up with these punches I was able to empty out two of my "skinny" drawers. I'm so happy!!! :)

Isn't it awesome? Here's a closer look:

Wickedly Fun

One of the Stamper's Club projects for October was this little paper coffin. The paper itself is to die for and using some in this way was really fun! I have plenty left to make a super cute scrapbook page, and I'm sure I'll have no problem coming up with other projects to use it for as well. It's called Wicked Fun and these first  pages below have "fuzzy" raised images, the bats are my fav!!!

 The rest of the paper pack is double sided...

I found the coffin pattern through Family Fun. They send me emails with recipes and other fun craft ideas that almost always get my wheels turning! :)

It's not too difficult to assemble, but I recommend using Sticky Strip to hold it together since the double thickness of the card stock layered with DSP will add additional stress to the flaps that hold it together. I used one 12x12 sheet of DSP for the inside of the box. One side of the paper in the bottom of the coffin and the reverse (a purple stripe) on the inside of the coffin lid...looks AWESOME!

Stampin' Supplies:
STAMPS - Baroque Motifs, All Holidays

PAPER -Basic Black, Wicked Fun DSP

INK - Whisper White Craft

OTHER - Chalks, Sticky Strip

Punch Pumpkins

Don't you love things that are easy? These little pumpkins are just that. All you need is an Oval Punch and you can make one in 20 seconds! I did two different sizes here, and I just used the flat side (not sharp) of my scissors to curl a strip of card stock and make the vines. This is what we're doing at Ladies Night this Thursday...you should come! Read HERE for more details.

Stampin' Supplies:
STAMPS - Jumble Alphabet, Day of Gratitude

PAPER - Pumpkin Pie, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Old Olive

INK - Pumpkin Pie Craft, Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, More Mustard

OTHER - Oval Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Eyelet Border Punch, Green Satin Ribbon, Color Spritzer Tool, Stampin' Dimensionals

Pssst, a new promotion started today!
Handmade Holiday

Simple Gift Idea

The new Holiday Mini began this month and I am a BIG fan of paisley!!! So the first thing I ordered was this cute stamp set called Paisley Prints. It's a set of 5 with a leaf, a pumpkin, two different size hearts and a little Christmas tree! :) You can look at the mini on my website click HERE to download your own .pdf copy.
I guess I was inspired by the image in the mini, because the first project I did was a candle using 3 leaves in different colors, and that's exactly how they featured it. I honestly didn't remember the catalog version when I created mine...it must have been buried in my subconscious LOL. My club members really enjoyed making their "gift sets!"

Stampin' Supplies:
STAMPS - Paisley Prints, Day of Gratitude

PAPER - Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Confetti Cream (inside card)
INK - River Rock, Pear Pizzazz, Gold, Cajan Craze

OTHER - Hemp, 5/8" Crochet Trim, Gold Embossing Powder, Word Window Punch, Green Satin Ribbon

Coaster Creations

This is a simple tumbled tile that you can buy at any hardware/home improvement store. They have a distressed finish and rough edges. And I'm guessing they're about 3x3" although I admit I haven't measured them.
For stamping on tiles the trick is to make sure they don't have a shiny smooth surface, or that they don't have a coating on them...these were actually very "chalky" when I bought them, which is normal. You just need to rinse them and let them dry before you attempt to make them beautiful.

I did two different versions both using the Medallion Stamp that I love so much, but the possibilities are endless! If you'd like to give it a go, I'm having a class on Saturday March 26th at 2:00 PM. Visit my website for the details!

It's Not 2009 Anymore

...and it's not January anymore either! lol

That was one of the projects for Stamper's Club last month, and I should have posted it sooner, but I had it "packed away" in a pile of crafty stuff and it was overlooked! You'll be happy to know it is unearthed from it's hiding place and now happily resides on a shelf where I can see it every day! :)

I used cardboard drink coasters and covered the surface. Then stamped a large image from the Brocade Basics Stamp Set in Rich Razzleberry...YUM! The calendar pages are each also stamped with another image from the same set, but this time I stamped off before I stamped the page, then I went ahead and stamped it two more times without re-inking. I love that look!

Stampin' Supplies:
STAMPS - Brocade Basics
INK - Rich Razzleberry
PAPER - Rich Razzleberry, Welcome Neighbor DSP*

OTHER - 1/2" Library Clips

*Get yours for FREE when you spend $50 on anything!

Felt Flowers Make EVERYTHING Better!

Isn't that the cutest thing? These flowers are called Sweet Pea Stitched Felt. You get a package of 52 pieces for $7.95, it's a GREAT value!
I thought this was the perfect accessory for this little handcrafted photo frame I did. I was able to use some of the paper I got FREE from the Sale-a-Bration promotion! Totally simple, totally easy to make. Don't you just love it!?

Stampin' Supplies:
STAMPS - Stem Sayings, *Good Neighbors (leaf in center)
INK - Chocolate Chip, Old Olive
PAPER - *Welcome Neighbor DSP, Certainly Celery, Bali Breeze DSP (polka dot, retired)

OTHER - Sweet Pea Stitched Felt, Sanding Block

*Get yours for FREE when you spend $50 on anything! (s-a-b mini page 6 & 7)

Glitter and Shine, you are MINE

These are fun...take some clear glass ornaments and transform them into sparkly little beauties. Just put 20 or more drops of any ink color you wish inside the ornament and turn it over to let it coat the inside and drip any excess out. Then add a teaspoon or so of Dazzling Diamonds to bring out the BLING! Just make sure you shake the glitter inside to prevent clumping. You can also take this idea up a notch and add rub ons or Decor Elements on the outside on the ornament. I tried several colors and LOVE them all!


102023 Dazzling Diamonds $4.50 

My First MDS Project

I've been dabbling with digi scrapping for almost two years now and even though I still have a deep love for true paper crafting, I just HAD to get myself a copy of My Digital Studio, from Stampin' Up! As a demonstrator I went through a certification process so I could learn about it and have the knowledge to help others. It's so easy to use; I can see myself doing many projects with it. Some all digital and a few hybrid things.
As part of my certification I had to create something using the software, so I decided to make a 2010 calendar. It's not only practical, but it came together quickly. The elements available are so easy to drop in and there are even templates you can use to help you with your layout. Here's a screen shot:


It's the lead in page for the month of June. The pictures folder is on the left side and I just dropped my photo in, selected some "stamped" images, and added a ribbon. The small preview images along the bottom are all the pages of the calendar, and you can simply click on any of them if you need to make an edit. This image below is the calendar page itself that coordinates with the one above.


There are designer papers to use as well and I incorporated them into several of my other pages, but I didn't want every page to be "the same." I'm super excited to get it. The printing/shipping service is really fast. I uploaded it for printing on Saturday evening and it'll be here tomorrow. I can't wait to hang it in my kitchen!

Want to know more about My Digital Studio? Watch the video on my website! There are also two great promos this month that include My Digital Studio:

• Get 50% off My Digital Studio when you host a workshop totaling $400 or more
• Spend $50 on anything in the Gift Giving Guide and receive a free Decor Element ($16.95 value)
  

Cool Crisp October

It's here alright...just wish it would stop raining! Uggg I have a few fun Halloweenish things to share.
I could have posted this one last month, but I didn't want it to be lonely! It needed friends, yeah that's it!
I did this little candle for Stamper's Club last month and tonight we'll be making 2 other super cute things that I'm sharing with you now.

Stampin' Supplies:
INK - Black Craft
STAMPS - From the Crypt
PAPER - Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant
OTHER - Black Gingham and 1/4" Pumpkin Pie Grosgrain Ribbon, Silver Cord, 1" Circle Punch, Curly Label Punch


I originally saw these spiders on a crafting website...or two...and multiple blogs..I think everyone did them last year, except ME! lol
I made one as an example for Stamper's Club tonight. Sydney loved it and she made the one and then added a little pink bow she made all by herself! I also promised the girls they'll get to make up a bunch too. 19 for Sydney's class, another 23 for Natalie. That'll work, they actually come together so quick once you punch all the pieces! They'll be fun to give to their friends at school!

Stampin' Supplies:
INK - White Gel Pen
PAPER - Basic Black, Orchid Opulence, Whisper White
OTHER - Scallop Circle Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, 1/4" Circle Punch, Photo Corners Punch


This last item is a Halloween treat bag. I did the cracked glass technique over the center image. Love doing that technique. You basically coat the entire surface with VersaMark and then clear embossing powder. A minimum of 3 coats, I did 4. Pop it in the freezer a few minutes, then CRACK!
This bag is perfect to "boo" a neighbor with! You can easily fit a few treats inside and for fun add a note and a ghost picture for them to hang on the door. Never been "booed" before? I put directions below...

Stampin' Supplies:
STAMPS - Twick or Tweet
INK - VersaMark, StazOn, Close To Cocoa and Creamy Caramel Marker
PAPER - Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White
OTHER - Fancy Favor Bigz Die, Clear Embossing Powder


How to "boo" your neighbors:
Some people refer to it as "Haunting" but it's just a fun surprise gift that is left on someone's door without them knowing who left it! Print out the poem below or make up your own, gather a few treats, and make a little sign that simply says "BOO" on it, or a cute little ghost picture with "BOO." Then put them all in a little treat bag or basket and leave them on someone's porch - don't get caught!

Here's one version of the poem that comes with a "printable:"

<<BOO!>>

Keep an eye on nearby front doors to see how far and fast it spreads by Halloween.
,
Sally