Monday, October 26, 2015

My Other Creations: Halloween Treat Bags

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/
 It's Throwback Challenge Week over at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog!  What does that mean?  Be inspired by any previous Simon Says Stamp challenge theme; and there have been some good ones!  Since I'm still in Halloween mode, I chose to be inspired by Simon's October 2013 challenge theme of, "Spooky."  Back then, I had so much fun decorating some treats and I've gone with that same idea again.  As I've said before, I love to make fancy packaging to hide the fact that I can't cook/bake worth a darn! 


I started with some glassine bags and stamped some circles on them with Distress Ink.  I outlined them with black paper cut with the super-cool Simon Says Stamp die set called, Circle Loops.  

I made both the witch's legs and the black and white horizontal-striped element into clothespins so I'd have something to clip my bags closed with.  For the witch's legs, I used a striped stamp from Simon Says Stamp's Trick or Treat stamp set and added some die-cut witch boots at the bottom from Taylored Expressions.  I added a candy flashcard that I cut out of a 12 x 12 sheet of Crate Paper's After Dark paper collection.  I taped it all together and adhered it to a clothespin.  I did the same with the diagonally-striped piece of paper.  Here's a view from the back of my clips:


On the bag with the witch legs, I also added a cute dangly spider that I cut out of a piece of Doodlebug spider Washi Tape.  I tied green and teal ribbon/yarn around the bag after I'd filled it with green candy, then clipped it with the witch legs.


For the potion bag, I used a couple of great stamp sets from Taylored Expressions: Toil and Trouble and Witches Brew.  Once again, I filled the bag with some candy, then tied some yard around the top and added the clip to hold it all together.


With Halloween happening this week, all I can say is bring on the candy!  I really enjoyed making these bags with these supplies that I found at Simon Says Stamp:




I know you'll probably have plenty to do with your little ghouls and goblins this week, but if you have a chance, use the positives effects of your sugar buzz to craft!  I can't wait to see which former challenge inspires you now and what you create as a result.  Upload your projects to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to win a $50 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp Store.  That is all treat and no tricks!

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Monday, October 19, 2015

My Other Creations: Monster Party



LOVE this time of year and especially the fun that comes with Halloween.  The Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog issued a fabulous theme this week: The Monster Mash!  Since I am a fan of cute Halloween rather than gory scary Halloween, I made a hip and happenin' monster party!


I have never been the haunted house/scary movie type of gal.  In fact, when my high school friends would drag me to haunted houses, I made a beeline to the "Pumpkin Patch" area and sat coloring with the 5-year-olds until my friends were ready to go.  And so I decided to make a cute monster dwelling for my project-- one that I wouldn't mind walking through!

I made the house using the new Tim Holtz Village Dwelling die.  I modified the awning a bit and I lined the inside with yellow paper so it would look like it was glowing light from the inside.  The wood-grain paper is from Simple Stories' Pumpkin Spice collection.  I added polka dots to the roof, a banner, a monster (Paper Smooches Ghoulfriends stamp), and a pumpkin, bat and ghost from My Favorite Things' Frightfully Fun Halloween stamp set.  I used some awesome Doodlebug washi tape for my monster's hat.


If you want to make your own monster mansion, here are the supplies I used that you can find at Simon Says Stamp:



What will you come up with this week?  I can't wait to see your creations.  Upload them to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to inspire all of us and enter yourself into the $50 voucher to Simon Says Stamp!
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Wednesday, October 14, 2015

My Cards and Tags: Simon Says Stamp Create Joy Release

Just a quick post to say YAY to Simon Says Stamp's new Create Joy release.  I made this card using the Soft Snowfall die, which is fabulously versatile.

 
I  used both the positive and negative cuts from the die, outlined the trees and stars with a black Sharpie pen, then bumped out the trees and wrapped them in yarn.  I inked the background with various shades of Distress Ink.


I added some yellow scribble circles behind the star tree-toppers and finished it off with a great loopy Merry Christmas sentiment, also from Simon Says Stamp.

Thanks to Simon for another great collection of products!

Monday, October 12, 2015

My Other Creations: Watercolor Bird's Nest

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/
Welcome to another new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!  This week's theme is, "Wonderful Watercolor."  I decided to make a watercolored nest that also serves as a bowl to hold buttons or Scrabble tiles or other little things.

 
 I started out by watercoloring over some patterned paper (Prima's Garden Fable and Tim Holtz's Correspondence collections).  I also smudged on some Distress Ink in random areas for more spots of color.


Next I cut the watercolored pages into thick strips, then cut some of those into smaller strips using Martha Stewart's fringe-cutting scissors. 


I ran the strips through a paper crimper to give them even more dimension, then I crumbled them up and started gluing them to my nest base (a custard dish).  Once the outside was done, I cut word strips out of the Rise and Shine collection by American Crafts and started to cover the inside.


I made a cone hat for my bird using Prima's Royal Menagerie paper and added a "Create Magic" sentiment using the Brush stamp from Prima.  I added my bird to his new nest home and it was done!


Here are the supplies I used from Simon Says Stamp for this project:




I'm looking forward to seeing how you use watercolors in your creations this week!  Be sure to upload them to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to win a $50 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store!


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