Happy Halloween Everyone!

Happy Halloween!!  They are having a fun Halloween posting over at SLS Lines today, so I am sharing the stand up card that I created using this voodoo man.  I thought he would be just perfect for the holiday.  It's a stand up card using a template die cut set from Sizzix.

I hope you have something fun planned for the day.  We'll be staying around the house and handing out candy to the kids.  Most of the churches in my area are having a "trunk or treat" event, so it's hard to say if that will draw a lot of kids down our street or have them only go to the local churches.  Let's hope at least some kids come by because I have 8 pounds of candy! 

Have a great Halloween

Little Old Cat Lady

 Here's an adorable image from Sweet Pea artist Sandra Caldwell called Little Old Cat Lady. Isn't she cute as can be?  I can totally imagine this lady walking around my neighborhood with her grandchildren or going to one of the local Halloween events.  Everyone would just fall in love with her.

Here's a great close up of this darling image, which is currently available as a digi stamp.  Sandra has a bunch of other fun stamps that you could use for Halloween, some typical such as witches and jackolaterns, but also some fun ladies dressed up as bees, ladibugs and other cute little outfits that would be perfect as Halloween "costumes."

Important News, Sweet Pea stamps has announced it's closure!! It will be shutting down on 11/25; Just before thanksgiving.  Current Coupon Code is CLOSING40 for 40% off until the 31st....then you can watch the Sweet Pea stamps website for other specials.

If you love Sandra Caldwell, please join us on a new facebook group CLICK HERE

Treats this way

Here's a fun image from Simply Betty Stamps. She's all dressed up and I added a sentiment "Treats this way" (notice the finger is pointing towards her).  I thought this just devilishly delightful!  I added a border that I made from another paper using some cute skeletons and a couple of bright green accents for the season.

Only a couple days left of Halloween theme and then we are off to fall/Christmas. Do you like those little candy buttons?

Cheers, Holley

Cutest Little Witch

Here's an adorable Scrapbook Stamp Society image from Sherri Baldy.  Today's challenge over at the SSS Challenge blog is Anything Goes!  We can't wait to see your cards.  As you can see, my choice was to create something for Halloween.  How could I resist?

Check out all the amazing Design Team examples over at the SSS Challenge blog and then share your handmade cards with us.  If you win, you will get some wonderful stamps from Sherri Baldy and you could even get a chance to be a guest designer on the SSS blog.

Meet Mia

Here's a gorgeous image from Crafty Sentiments named Mia.  The contest is happening over at Outlawz Monday Greeting's Challenge and our theme is anything goes this week, you only need to include a sentiment somewhere on your card front. 

I chose to make a fun fall theme card, but any theme is welcome and we can't wait to see what you create, so please share with us.

Can you believe it's almost the end of October?  It's finally cooling off here in TX. well, that is relative I suppose, for us that means 60 degree mornings and highs in the mid 80s most days.  The leaves are finally falling though, in some neighborhoods, it's quite beautiful though in many places in Texas, we have trees like Live Oak which don't actually shed their leaves in winter time.

Happy Birthday Sherri Baldy!!

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY today to Sherri Baldy, the wonderful artist who creates all of these gorgeous Bestie stamps.  The one shown here on this card is one that she gave away for free! If you haven't gotten it, you just need to go the Facebook Group My Besties and search around until you find it.

I have to say I was on her design team from the start, way back in 2011, the very year after my brain surgery.  She's been a dear friend and a wonderful supporter.  Every year she has given amazing prizes during my celebration of another year of good health.  She just the nicest person who deserves everything that she receives!!  Happy Birthday to you Sherri!

Cheers, Holley

Boo!

This kitty is just SUPER cute. what an awesome little Halloween image. This image is a freebie over at Outlawz!  That little cat looks like if someone said boo to him, he's dart off in a run.  You can check out this an other freebie images here. 

You all should see my neighborhood, I know you think people deck out their houses for Christmas, well I have a lot of neighbors who do the same for Halloween!  It's stunning. I was walking evenings now when it's dark, a block away....if I get a chance, I will try and take some photos. I would have added some recently, but with the rains out, it's been hard to take pictures.

Chalkola Markers, Review part 1

 Recently I was contacted by the company who produces Chalk Markers to give them a try....I mentioned it in passing a while ago, but now I am ready to start showing some projects and give you info about playing with them.  There's some amazing projects for those of you who already KNOW you love chalk markers, check out their Facebook Group (click here).  I see lots of other craft avenues using these markers so I was really excited to see how they would work for papercrafts and cardmaking.

This card here is very simple, I used the marker on the rubber stamp of the skull, I simply colored the white chalk marker (yeah, this white marker, it's going to be my favorite) on the rubber, I spritzed the stamp once with a water bottle (mist, not spray) and then stamped it.  Stamped beautifully.  I could also spritz the stamp again to get additional images, usually 2, sometimes 3, but your third image will be very limited.  I am only using black paper here, not "chalk" paper (which I have some of, to show later).  I also used the markers, which have a very broad tip, to add polka dots to the card.  LOVE the even consistency of these pens.  I do wish they had interchangeable tips, so you could get different sizes.

Here was  a little Halloween fun where I took a sheet of embossed images in black (all six images on the left and right).  I took the chalk marker and ran it very loosely over the embossed area to highlight it and then used a circle punch to punch out the circles.  I am also using the same skull stamp as project #1.  I used the chalk marker in orange to edge the happy Halloween word blocks.

Here's another fun card that I did using a combination of Chalk Markers and Paper Temptress Papers.  You can't tell from the photo, but I actually used a transparency, embossed the transparency using a Darice Embossing folder of Witches shoes and then used my Chalkola markers to color on the BACKside of the transparency which I then layered on top of a Hambly Screen print. How bright and vivid are these markers here?

 

The base of this card is a 5.5" piece of  Dark Orange Basis.  I then used part of a 6x6" piece of a Hambly Studio Screenprints.  It is available in one of the 6x6" variety packs or as a 12x12" piece and is called Home Décor.  I used a bright flash on one side so you can see it's shimmer and tell that it has beautiful prints of decorator items like chandeliers and other home items (that make me think of a haunted house for this card).  The Pumpkin Stacks as well as the space behind the happy haunting embellishment are used to adhere the Transparency to the card front.  Then I added some fun glittery stars to the Top side of the transparency to give some additional depth.

I hope this card gives you some wonderful crafty ideas for a quick and cute Halloween card.  You can both run your transparencies through your sizzix machine to get some depth as well as color the backside to add even more!


That's my initial set of Chalk Marker projects, I have several more where I did some more stamping and colored on them.  Click HERE to see more projects I did with their markers.

Happy Halloween

 Here's a wonderful Sweet Pea stamps image from artist Karen Middleton called Kitten and Skull.  Isn't this image just too cute?  You all knew I would love it!  I added some paper with skulls on it as well as this fun die cut of a skeleton.

 

Here's an adorable closeup of this image, it is currently available as a digi stamp

Be sure to check out all of Karen Middleton's designs. She has several other wonderful Halloween theme images, but her main stamp line is filled with adorable kids, beautiful women, lovely portraits and sweet animals.  Check out our Sweet Pea Stamps Friends and Fans page over on Facebook, we have regular contests, great coupons, and daily card sharing.  We can't wait to meet you.

Witch on Pumpkin

Here's the cutest witch stamp from Sweet Pea stamps artist Molly Harrison. This cute image is called Witch on Pumpkin.  How adorable is she?  I paired her with some gorgeous papers from Paper Temptress to make a lovely Halloween theme card. 

The front of the card has been trimmed and a layer of mica called Kunzite.  The sentiment Boo is also layered on Kunzite and Amethyst.  The image is printed out on Neenah Solar White Copic Crest and die cut.  The layer behind the image is a Hambly Screenprint called Japanese Print.  If you check out the image, it's a very large paper with a portion that doesn't have any print on it.  I used that portion here because the color was a perfect match.  The base of the card is a beautiful Brawny Midnight Blue, both the base as well as the die cut border with the bats.

Hope this Halloween card is a happy treat today.

Cheers, Holley

Zombie Time

Here's an awesome zombie image from SLS Lines today.  Today is the new release day for the images for October.  Be sure and check out all the new images at the SLS Lines store on Etsy and check the blog for fun cards made with the new images by the design team, AS you can see, I totally love this fun image.

This funny sentiment comes from Hampton Art Laugh Out Loud stickers.  Too fun.  The great lace used is some that I got when I was in Istanbul. 

Halloween Treats

I am using a brand new sizzix die cut set along with the cutest Sherri Baldy stamp today to create this fun little pop out card.  The first image here shows what the card looks like when it is closed and pulled out from the envelope.  The Halloween Treats for you tag is glued to only half of the opening, so the second side can be pulled out.

 

Once opened, the card is designed to stand up on it's own, it's got a dimensional place in the center where you can highlight either an image or a sentiment.  I am using an adorable baker image of Sherri's bestie girls.  Isn't she adorable?  I am using some gorgeous papers and added a glittery Jackolatern.

 

Not only are these Sizzix cards beautiful when completed, but they are quick and easy to make!  This little bestie is proof!  Happy Halloween today.

 

Cheers, Holley

It's party time!

Here's an awesome image from artist Rick St Dennis. This beautiful maiden is called BeWitching.  Isn't she wonderful? I thought she would be just perfect for Halloween  I made this card for the Monday Outlawz Greetings challenge.  I added a fun skeleton holding the sentiment Happy Halloween and also added an additional sentiment, "it's party time."  She definitely looks ready.

The challenge is to include brads or flowers, so I am using skull brads.  Also, let me point out, did you notice that the paper has brains printed on it?  check the center of the squares!  They are brains.  How cool is that?!

Join in the Outlawz Challenge this week and you could win a prize from Rick St Dennis, I can't wait to see everyone's creations, the topic is wide open, just include brads or flowers and of course, a sentiment.

Fall Harvest

Here's one last quick reminder for the Monday Outlawz Greeting Challenge, as the new contest starts tomorrow!   We have three different prizes going out this week, and I have shown projects featuring each of the other two sponsors so today I would like to share this gorgeous pumpkin stamp designed by our very own team member Christina H!  This stamp set, which also has sentiments will be given out as a prize as well, so if you haven't played, run over to the Outlawz Monday Greeting challenge from last week and enter your card quickly!  Else, just wait, another new contest will get started tomorrow!

so, just a couple weeks from the church's bazaar...already getting from the stage of making to the stage of packaging up everything so it will be ready to go.  One thing I made....I hope to show it later, but here's a sneak peak, bottlecap magnets.....so many bottlecap magnets!!

Will add some much better photos later, as many of them have adorable embellishments like buttons and charms added and some are totally over the top!

Have a beautiful Sunday

I'll put a spell on you

Here's an awesome image from Simply Betty Stamps. You know I totally love her and her skull hat!  I used some great Halloween paper from SEI and a some ghost stickers as well as die cuts.  If only I had a broom I could fly! 

Can you believe we are only 2 weeks from Halloween now?  that also means 2 weeks from the church bazaar.  So many things to get done!  I will have to take some photos so you all can see all the projects I have.  I just bought the funniest thing, both for Halloween and the bazaar, a mold for chocolates shaped like brains.  I know I showed you some last year, but those were really large, they took about 2 oz of chocolate each!  These molds are TOO cute, tiny little brains.  EEK, can you say, Zombie Food?

Big Pumpkin

Here's a gorgeous Sweet Pea rubber stamp from artist Ching Chou Kuik called Big Pumpkin.  Isn't this image just stunning?  I knew I wanted this stamp as soon as I saw her.  I just love the image with the bat wings on the maiden as well as the cat, plus the giant pumpkin that she is sitting on.

 

Here's a closeup of this image, be sure and check out the coloring on the image at the Sweet Pea stamp's website, as it is using a totally different palette from mine.  It gives you a great idea of this stamp's versatility.

Drop by our Facebook page at Sweet Pea stamps Friends and Fans and share your creations with us.  We are always running a contest and share projects daily as well as announcing store coupons and chatting about crafts.  Cheers, Holley

Witchy Woman

Here's the cutest image from Faery Ink images.  I made this card for the Your Scrapbook Place challenge.  The contest is anything goes and runs through the end of this month.  We'd love for you to share any of your handmade creations with us and you will get an extra entry if you use a Faery Ink image in your project. 

Today several wonderful new projects are being shared, so drop over and check them out and then share a project with us!  I can't wait to see what you make.  Our prize giver this month is Faery Ink.

Cheers, Holley

Happy Fall

Here's the cutest images from Melonheadz, it comes in a wonderful set called Happy Fall filled with images including the three images I used for this card.  The lovely stair step card that I made here is done with a die cut from Spellbinders and floral dies from Tattered lace.  The challenge over on the Outlawz Monday Greetings challenge is to include some Twine on your fall theme card. 

 

The image above is how the card looks when it is closed.  It will fit in an A2 envelope (standard 1/4 sheet envelope).  Below is what the card looks like when opened up.

 

Here's a side angle so you can see how I decorated the steps on the card.

 I hope this card gives you a little inspiration for the challenge, there's three different prizes available this week, so please share a card using Autumn colors and twine, plus of course, a sentiment.  The contest will end on Sunday.  We can't wait to see all of your creations.

Cheers, Holley

SLS Lines Challenge, Three Witches

Here's an awesome image from SLS Lines today.  We are starting out new challenge for this month and the theme is Halloween.  I am using this great image, Witches Halloween Party from the SLS Lines store on Etsy.  The fun paper I used is from SEI and the new skeleton die cut comes from Frantic Stamper.

Drop by the SLS Lines challenge and join in the fun!  Check out all the DT Cards and then share your Halloween cards with us.  We can't wait to see them!

Cheers, Holley

Halloween Card

Here's the cutest girl with her Jack-o-latern.  How perfect is she?  Just cute as can be.  I couldn't resist this image the second I saw her.  They are having a Halloween theme challenge over at the SSS Challenge blog, I hope you will drop by and check out all of the design team's cards and then share a Halloween card with us.  Of course, you are welcome to share any Sherri Baldy card as always.

There's a new twist that the winner will have their card shared on the SSS Blog as a guest designer. Plus you will your choice of wonderful stamps from Sherri Baldy. We can't wait to see your creations.

It's Fall

Here's the cutest penguin, this image is called Brrrr Falling Leaves from Scribbles Designs.  The newest contest over at Outlawz starts tomorrow morning and the theme will be fall colors with twine.  I created this fun stair card full of leaves and a sentiment from Scribbles Designs as well.

Be sure to drop by Outlawz Monday greetings challenge tomorrow and share your fall card with us, as always, be sure there is a greeting on your card!  We can't wait to see what you make. There's two prizes this week, one from Scribbles Designs and we have another digi prize from one of our team members, Christina Hor who made a delightful pumpkin stamp.

Here's the card when it's standing up on my counter, excuse the lighting....

Cheers, Holley

Meet Morticia

Here's another wonderful Sweet Pea card using a stunning image from Lemon Shortbread called Morticia.  She is available as a rubber stamp as well as a digital image.  Be sure and check out the amazing coloring on this image at the Sweet Pea stamps store as it's just stunning and so different from mine.  I just love the Skull chandelier in the background, it had light switches hanging from each, so I added stars and moons to the chains.

I hope you are loving all the beautiful Halloween images.  Lemon Shortbread has so much more, both in Halloween theme as well as cute little girls. 

Drop by our Facebook Sweet Pea friends and fans group and check out all the amazing creations, not just from our design team, but also from so many other crafters.  We'd love to see your creations as well.  We have two contests a month and any coupon sales get announced there. 

Bat Flapper Girl

 Here's a wonderful images today from Sweet Pea stamps artist Lemon Shortbread.  This image is called Bat Flapper Girl.  I am sure it doesn't surprise many of you that what I totally loved about this image was the skulls, esp the darling hairpiece that she is wearing!  Eeek, super cute!

Here's a close up of this stunning image that I colored using copic markers, she is currently available in the store as a digi stamp and a rubber stamp.

Drop by our Facebook Sweet Pea friends and fans group and check out all the amazing creations, not just from our design team, but also from so many other crafters.  We'd love to see your creations as well.  We have two contests a month and any coupon sales get announced there. 

Cheers, Holley

Chick Witch

Here's a funny stamp called Chick Witch from Sweet Pea stamps artist Sandra Caldwell.  I paired this image with some gorgeous papers from Paper Temptress to create a lovely Halloween card in very non-traditional Halloween colors today.

The base of the card is a wonderful Mica cardstock called Gold.  I added a strip of Basis Black across it which I layered with three papers, a piece of Neenah Solar white classic crest, a strip of Hambly Studios Overlay in Grandmas Wallpaper, and finally a piece of Basis Black punched into a skull border.  I printed out the digital image on Neenah Solar White Classic Crest and colored it in copic markers.  The image is then mounted on .  My final embellishment was a barren tree cut from a sheet of Brawny. 

Here's a closeup of this fun image available as a digi stamp from Sweet Pea.

Hope this card inspires you to create something fun for Halloween using a darling image and some great papers from Paper Temptress.

Cheers, Holley

Vintage Pinup

Here's a great image from SLS Lines called Vintage Pinup. Don't you love the lady images that she has?  I made this simple and beautiful card for my hubby, I am sure it will give him a smile.

We are having a fun challenge over on the SLS Lines Challenge blog, it's Monochrome theme. There's just one week left to go.  Check out all the beautiful cards and please share your creations with us!

Cheers, Holley

Halloween Spooks

Here's the cutest little witch from Tiddly Inks.  Sharing this fun Halloween girl for the contest over on the Tiddly Inks challenge this week. Their theme is to use craft paper (like brown bag paper), which is the base of my card here.  I think it goes perfect with this green copic color and a deep set of oranges. 

Check out all the other fun Tiddly Ink cards at their contest blog. 

Happy Tuesday everyone, have you been enjoying the weather?  here we have been in the mid 80s!  that's like amazing for us.  I have to laugh because everyone is like, isn't it just wonderful outside.  You know you live in South Texas when weather in the 80s is FALL temperature.

Cheers, Holley

Just Be-caws!

Happy Monday everyone!  it's time for this week's Greeting's Challenge over at Outlawz.  Our challenge sponsor this week is DeeDee's Digis.  I am using this fun image set, called Just Becaws.  It comes with several wonderful images, papers, and sentiments.  I used the line drawing and colored it myself with copic markers and I used one of the sentiments that came with the set.

The contest this week is to share a fall/Halloween theme card with us and you must include a sentiment.  Any sentiment type will do, for example on this card my printed sentiment would be fine or just the printed ribbon would have been sufficient.  We can't wait to see what you share and DeeDee's digis will provide the prize!

Don't miss the fun!

Here's an awesome image from The East Wind.  They are having a challenge over on their blog this month to add some texture to your card.  I am using this awesome fiber on my background for this.  I also have another card that I am making with all sorts of textured items.  Coming soon!

Hope you love this card today.  Drop by the The East Wind Challenge blog and check out their latest contest.  I can't wait to check out everyone else's cards.

I got the most awesome supplies yesterday, a set of chalk markers, I was already playing with them last night and I can't wait to show you guys....here's a sneak peek of the product....Chalkola

Artist Trading Cards

Here's a couple of ATCs that I created for a contest over at the Ike's World Challenge Blog.  The contest is anything goes for ATCs.  There is also an awesome freebie available, a darling cat image, so definitely drop by the challenge blog and check it out, grab the freebie and perhaps play along!

Here's my first ATC, she's called Miss Whiplash.  How fun is this image?  I totally had to add my own sentiment along with a fun charm to go with it. (Note, I enlarged the image here, the ATC is actually made proper size)

 

Here's my second ATC using a wonderful freebie that was given to us from Ike several weeks ago.  You all know I just love Halloween theme images, so I had to make this quick and cute little ATC for the challenge. The spider web is a die cut from memory box and the spiders are a border die that I trimmed the spiders apart.  The sentiment is actually included with the Ike's art image, I simply trimmed it.

 

Check out all the examples over on the Challenge blog as well as all the other fun entries and be sure to play along in the fun!  Cheers, Holley

Gothic Dark Moon

Here's a stunning Sweet Pea stamps image from artist Ching Chou Kiuk called Gothic Dark Moon.  I have colored this image completely different from the artist's original, by coloring it at a time before sunset instead of using a dark night coloring as the artist did.  Click here to see the artist's original coloring to get an idea of how versatile this image really is.

 

Here's a close up of this image, I just love the bats on this image and chose some gorgeous paper to go with the bat theme. In addition to bats I also used some great spider web die cuts and spider theme corners and embellishments.

I hope this card is giving you some Halloween card inspiration. I can't wait to see your creations for Halloween. Drop by the Sweet Pea Stamps Friends and Fans page on facebook and share your Sweet Pea creations with us.

 

Cheers, Holley

Your Scrapbook Place Monthly Challenge

Wow, October is here!  Can you believe it?  it's time to start up a brand new challenge over at the Your Scrapbook Place card challenge blog.  Actually we accept any handmade project as long as it's new!  This month our sponsor is Faery ink digi stamps.  Her designs are just cute as can be.  I am sure you call can guess that this is the one that I picked, she's too cute.  She's called skully girl.  This store also has a bunch of wonderful freebies including several on her Facebook group that you can grab and play along with us.

Please join us for our Anything Goes contest this month, you will get an extra entry if you use a Faery Ink image on your card.  We can't wait to see what you make. 

Cheers, Holley