Whimsie Doodles Digi Treat Boxes

Supplies:  Whimsie Doodles Digi Stamps "Halloween Minis", Copic Markers, Tangerine Tango, Pumpkin Pie, and White CS, Scallop Punch, Circle Punch, Crop-a-dile (to punch out the circles around the scallop), XL Decorative Label Punch, Fancy Favor Box Bigz Die, Silver Stickles, Orange Stickles, Glossy Accents, DSP My Mind's Eye, and DSP Recollections

The link for the digi stamps can be found here.

I am up at midnight putting together these treat boxes for the teachers tomorrow.  I am chuckling to myself, because I am so tired that I forgot to color in the broom (see above photo)!  Don't worry...I will color it in the morning...but for now I need to hit the hay!

The party favor boxes are really simple to put together.  This die cut is a great investment.  The digi stamps are cute - but they took FOREVER to color.  They are so tiny and there is lots of detail.  I added stickles and glossy accents to make parts of the image pop.  Don't forget to give your project a day to dry.  The glossy accents stays wet for hours.

I'm looking forward to the school Costume Parade tomorrow!

A Rocky Mountain Getaway

We just returned from a short trip to Rocky Mountain National Park in Grand Lake, Colorado!  We had a very relaxing getaway.  I was geared up for lots of hiking and wildlife sightings, but unfortunately got very little on both counts.  The temperature was in the low 30's, and it was very muddy, snowy, and wet.  So, it didn't make for good hiking conditions.  We did hike a little, but just not as much as we wanted.  Eli spent most of the time playing in the snow and thought it was neat had a chance to preview the winter snow, before everyone else back home.  We enjoyed watching him play in this winter wonderland.  We were hoping to see moose and elk.  We didn't see any moose, and we only saw about a dozen elk.  And my photos of the elk didn't turn out great.  Bummer!  It was cloudy and overcast each day we were there, and I am not skilled at taking photos in those conditions.  However, I am pleased with my photo of the hawk (above).  I hope you enjoyed this little peak into our Colorado vacation!

Tim Holtz Scaredy Cat Card

Supplies:  Tim Holtz Bigz Die "Raven and Scaredy Cat", orange glossy card stock, black glitter card stock, Stampin Up Halloween Rub Ons, glue

Are you scared?  Another graphic, yet easy card.  I love this one, too!  Tim Holtz creates fantastic images.  And the Stampin Up rub ons are AWESOME this year.

First, I cut the cat out of black glitter card stock using my Tim Holtz die cut.  Then, I adhered him to the glossy orange card base, using glossy accents as a glue.  Then I adhered the rub on to the bottom, and another one to the right-hand side.

Tim Holtz Raven Card

Supplies:  Tim Holtz Bigz Die Cut "Raven and Scaredy Cat", orange shimmer card stock, black glitter card stock, Stampin Up Halloween Rub ons, glue

I love a simple, graphic card every now and then.  And the best part?  They are easy.  Plus, I REALLY love ravens.  Ravens and owls really make Halloween delightfully dreary.

First, I cut the raven from my Tim Holtz die cut using my glitter paper.  Then I adhered him to the card base using glossy accents (it works as a glue, too).  Then I applied the rub on. 

Fall Card made from "Fall Set"

Supplies:  Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing Folder "Fall Set", Core'dinations card stock, natural card stock, sanding block, Stickles (Scattered Straw, Orange Peel, Peeled Paint, Vintage Photo)

Another easy-as-pie card!  These Impressions Embossing Folders really do all the work for you.

To create this card, just emboss and sand your core-dinations card stock (this type of card stock has a different color in the center, so when you sand it down, the core color shows through).  Then adhere the image to your card base.  Then "color" your image with Stickles glitter glue.  Be sure and let the card dry overnight - it stays wet for hours.

Pumpkin Plaque Card

Supplies:  "Pumpkin Plaque" stamp by Stampendous, Copic Markers, Black Memento Ink, Tangerine Tango cs, DSP by My Mind's Eye "Boo to You", Trim by Taylored Expressions, white cs

I am surprised at how much I love this stamp!  I bought it on clearance at Michael's, and thought it had some potential.  But, when I started coloring the image, it really came to life.  Lots of character!

First I colored the stamped image with Copics, and then I trimmed the image out and adhered it to a piece of Tangerine Tango.  Then I trimmed around the image again, leaving about 1/8 or 1/16".  I taped the trim by Taylored Expressions to the card base, and then applied the stamped image with dimensionals.

The My Mind's Eye DSP was FREE - hoot!  Well, it was a gift with $50 purchase.  :-)  But I think the moons work so perfectly with this stamped image, it gives it a pumpkin-patch-at-night feel.

Chicken Chili

The photo is mine, but no, I didn't create this recipe, but I thought I'd share a good recipe every now and then.  Ya know, the ones I deem share-worthy!  :-)  This is from the Picky Palate website.  Click here to go to the link.  Enjoy!

Southwest Shredded Chicken 3 Bean Chili

4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 large bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 14 oz cans chicken broth

16 oz can black beans, drained

16 oz can red kidney beans, drained

16 oz can canelli beans, drained

15 oz can Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes

6 oz tomato paste

1 Tablespoon Tabasco hot sauce

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 heaping Tablespoons chili powder

1 heaping Tablespoon cumin

1 ¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onion and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and shredded chicken breast; cook for 1 minute then stir in chicken broth, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, hot sauce, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes then reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to serve.

Easy Peasy Halloween Card

Supplies:  Bats and Owls Sizzix Texture Impressions Embossing Folders, Core'dinations card stock, SU Pear Pizazz, Martha Stewart Jewels (eyes), sanding block

Oh yeah, by far the easiest card I've ever made!  Love it!  I just ran the Core'dinations card stock through the embossing folder, and then sanded it down until the core color started to show through (you have to buy the Core'dinations card stock in order to get this effect).  Then I attached it to the base card and attached the jewel eyes.  So easy!

Halloween Spider Matchbox

Supplies:  Bigz XL Die Matchbox, SU XL Decorative Label Punch, Jeweled Halloween Spiders by Personalized by you (I found them at Archivers), acetate sheet (from Office Max), milky way bars, sticky tape, cardstock (not sure...I think I bought it at Michael's last year)

I hope you enjoy my little Halloween candy-bar box!  I wanted to use the matchbox die and see if an acetate window would work with it.  I think it looks nice.  After I punched the label out of the top of the box, I taped some acetate to the back of the window using sticky tape.  I then affixed the spider to the top of the box.

Retro Halloween Witch Card

Supplies:  Tim Holtz stamps "Retro Halloween", Pebbles Metallic Chalks, Stampin Up Halloween Rub Ons (Sentiment), Black Linen cs, White cs, Black Memento Ink, DSP Martha Stewart (last year's), Glossy Accents, Dimensionals

I love this stamp set!  Tim Holtz makes the coolest retro images.  And, I love my new Pebbles chalk.  They are so creamy and easy to use.  And I know the image doesn't do it justice, but the chalk has a very rich shimmer.  

I stamped the image on white cardstock, colored with the chalk, trimmed the image very closely, then attached to card base using dimensionals.  I applied the SU! rub on to the RH side of the card.  After the card was assembled, I applied Glossy Accents to the witch's hair, eyes, and tooth.  I wish I would have ordered another package of the rub ons!  Love those, too.  I am so happy I found this striped paper in my stash from last year, because it is very retro as well.  I'm very happy with the result.

Fright Night Moon Card

Midnight Raven Stamp Set by SU, Cast-a-Spell DSP by SU (retired), More Mustard, Black, and Bazzill Brown cardstock, SU Black Marker, Tiny Bubbles Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Mesh Ribbon from Taylored Expressions, Pebbles Chalks, Ranger Distress Ink in Pumice Stone, Large Bat Punch by SU, Label Punch by SU, Smooch Spritz in Silver, Large Circle Punch, Black Floss, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Happy World Cardmaking Day!  Oops, I'm over an hour late!  I tried sooooo hard to get this blog post in before midnight.  

And, my goal was to make 30 Halloween Cards this year, starting with the 1st of October and ending with the 30th.  I already missed the 1st, so the outcome is already looking frightful.

I hope you enjoy my first Halloween card of the season.  Halloween is my favorite time to craft.  I love Christmas, too - but I'm usually too busy during that time of year.

The 1st step of making this card is to punch the circle on the RH side, then adhere a mustard piece of cardstock behind your DSP.  I used Pebble Chalk in dark silver to add a cloud effect on the moon.  It doesn't really show up in the photo. 

The 2nd step is to emboss a piece of black cardstock, and then punch out your bats.  I sprayed them in silver Smooch Spritz and adhered them with glue dots.

The 3rd step is to stamp your sentiment and then punch out the label.  I distressed the edges of the label and the card with Pumice Stone Distress Ink.

The 4th step is to gather the center of the mesh with a piece of floss, and tie with a knot.  You could also use a brad.

The last step is to assemble your card.  Enjoy!

60th Birthday Card

 Occasional Quotes Stamp Set by SU, Versa Magic Jumbo Java Ink, Milestones DSP by Reminisce, Bazzill Brown Medium, Bo Bunny Wild Berry Red Dot, Ivory Linen, Spellbinders Die, Martha Stewart Jewels, Mark Richards Jewels, SU Punch, Maya Road Velvet Point Blossom, Other Paper Flowers from Oriental Trading Co, Smooch Spritz in Gold

Here is a card I made for a friend who is turning 60 next Friday night.  We are going to a crafty, card-making get-together that night, so I can hardly wait to give this to her.  I hope she likes it! 

After I completed this card, I felt it needed a little something.  I just purchased the gold Smooch Spritz today..........so I decided to give it a go!  Without a test run!  I sprayed away, and I really love the result.  It softened the look of the card, and also gave it a more uniform look.