Crafty Secrets Linky Party

OH MY GOSH ...

I'm LATE!  I'm LATE!

LOL!  I know ... I sound like the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, but it's the LAST DAY to enter the Linky Party going on over at Crafty Secrets!  

Where did the time go????????

My first creation utilizes some of their new Halloween Digitals and I just LOVE what they are doing with their new digital line!  Be sure to pop over and check it out!  They are moving to a DIGITAL LINE so all the clear stamps & several other products are REDUCED considerably!!!  You don't want to miss out on this sale!  Their products are always fabulous ... you'll love them!

 Isn't this cool!!!

The background paper as well as all the images are from their Halloween Digitals.  The only additions are the Petaloo flowers and Jambo lace roll tape as my embellishments.  For the 'matting' on the small printed tags, I have simply used a round tip black marker and gone out around each one to give the illusion of another layer (less bulky that way).

Other Qualifying Challenges:

Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes

Pile It On - Patterned Paper

The Squirrel and the Fox - Anything Goes

 For my second creation, I have created a Christmas Z-Fold card utilizing the Crafty Secrets "Christmas  Images & Journal Notes" booklet.  I just LOVE these booklets for quick cards!  The images as well as the journaling notes are fabulous ... either used together on a creation (as I have done here) or independently!

For an easy tutorial on making your own Z-Fold card, scroll down or go to my Tutorial Tab under the header of my blog.  There you will find additional samples and links to other tutorials too.

Other items used on this card:

Papers:  Scraps of DCWV design paper, blue cs, white cs

Accessories:  Fiskars postage stamp scissors, MS icicle border punch

Other Qualifying Challenges:

 Robyn'sFetish #124 - More than one fold

The Crafty Pad Challenge - Scraptastic (using up scraps)

 Hiding in my craft room - Super Scraps Saturday (using up scraps)
Jingle Belles Rock - Going Postal

Well I'd better get these posted to the party before I run out of time!  

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today ... I hope you have found inspiration in today's creations.

So Much To Share With You . . .

Happy Monday  & 
Happy Halloween
Everyone!!

I've have been SO BUSY this month and just wanted to share with you today some of the activities I've been up to ... hope that's okay!

Recently I shared the new landscaping project we had done to the front of our home.  We are so pleased with the outcome.  Moving the two trees was an adventure and relocating the landscape lighting made a huge difference.  A few people asked me to post a photo showing the lights on the house at night so I quickly snapped a few shots last night before it got totally dark.

 (click on the image to enlarge for a closer look)

 We have also decided the old shutters really took away from the curb appeal so we are now in the process of replacing the old louver shutters with new double panel shutters.  As you can see in the photo, the upstairs shutters are still the OLD ones and the lower level have been replaced with the NEW ones.  With the exception of the ones on the brick ... need to locate different fasteners to use in the brick.  But, hopefully we'll have it all done over the next week.  After all, 'Winter' is on the way ...  as experienced by you folks in the new England states over the weekend!

From last Wednesday through Saturday, I attended another awesome workshop at Joan's Gardens.  Joan asked if I would like to teach the ladies how I make my tissue box covers and of course, I was thrilled to say yes!  Here are photos of the Friday group of ladies [above] (there were workshops also on Saturday and Sunday) as well as the projects Joan had for us to do [below].  There were some fabulous new techniques and I hope to share a little more on that topic with you later in the week.

(front of pop-up Snowman card)

 (inside of pop-up Snowman card)

 (Tapestry - LaBlanche Stamp on Sticky Back Canvas)

(Box stamped & gold embossed with Heartfelt Poinsetta's on top)

LASTLY ... I would like to share with you, photos of a few neighbors dressed up for Saturday night's neighborhood Trick-or-Treat (200+ came to my door).

(l.) Emily and (r.) Olivia Adkins

Aren't they just the cutest!  And Olivia's costume was home made!! 

And here are our neighbors Christy & Travis Shamp.  They had an adult Halloween party to attend, so they dressed early and were in costume to hand out candy before leaving for their own party fun!!

Christy is so cute and Travis was down right scarey!

Well, with being away, I've fallen behind on my DT work so I'd better get busy.  Thanks for letting me share with you today!  Don't forget to pop back tomorrow for the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge!  Hope to see you then!!
Hugs,
Darlene

Penny's Challenge #13

Today's challenge at Penny's Challenges is a sketch and I decided to use this Inkadinkado image that I had totally forgotten I even had (oops ... does that mean I need to slow down on buying stamps?? OH NO!!). I'm really happy with the outcome and it was so easy to create!!

Please be sure to check out the creations by my Team Mates for even more fun creations. Be sure to post a direct link to your creation to Mr. Linky over on the Challenge Blog. It's so fun and easy ... won't you please come play along!!

Penny's Challenges - Halloween Theme

Today's challenge on Penny's Challenges is to create using a Halloween Theme. With Halloween being "right around the corner" I was having fun playing with all my "trick or treat" goodies. Now I just have to remember to put them in the mailbox for friends and family to enjoy!!




For today's card I have used a Trick or Treat Bag digi image by Reece's Designs [April] from the Digital-Ink Co. Shoppe. I've colored my Trick or Treat Bag using Prisma pencils and Gamsol. Nestabilities (Labels 1) created my panel & matting. Background paper is from DCWV and my Bat & Pumpkin Man are dimensional stickers by Miss Elizabeth which have been hanging out in my Scrapbooking Stickers Box for ages!!!





I'm very happy with this little creation and hope you like it too!! Why not join us in today's challenge then direct link your Fun Filled Halloween Creation back to Mr. Linky at Penny's Challenges Blog. If you are uploading to an online gallery (PCP, SCS, etc.) please use the keyword/tag number "PC12". I can't wait to see what you come up with and I'll be sure to stop by and take a peek!!







Thanks to my friend Kim (Memories in Thyme) for letting me know that the challenge this week over on Design Dollies is the colors black, purple and green. This creation sure fits that bill so I'll be popping right over to enter it into the fun. Why not pop over and check it out for yourself.






Thanks for stopping by today ... hope to see you again soon!!

Crafty Secrets - MASKquerade

Good Morning everyone! The sun is shining here in NE Ohio and I have a TON of outside work needing done ... but before I get started I wanted to play along with the SCS Crafty Secrets Forum Challenge.

Pammyjo is our hostess today and she has asked us to do a card using a "MASK". Not the technique, although I'm sure she wouldn't have a problem with that, but to create your own Halloween mask or use one of the Crafty Secrets images that has a mask in it. Since I'm not "artsy" enough to create my own mask, I decided to use an image with a mask and to use the masking technique on the inside of my creation. My image is from the Crafty Secrets Halloween Images & Journal Notes booklet and I have double matted it with orange and black cardstock for stability. My basecard is of very vanilla cardstock and A-6 in size (9-1/4" x 6-1/4" folded in half). In this case, I have made a Gate Card so the card was folded so both sides met in the middle. The designer paper used is Crafty Secrets (Radient) and Debbie Mumm Harvest & Holiday pack.

For the inside of my card, I have created a SPOOKY scene which started out by stamping the house from the SU "Home is Where the Haunt Is" set with versafine black then MASKING it using Eclipse masking medium. Then using various Stampscape images for the sky, tree, yard and fence as well as Anita images for the cat & witch, my scene came together. I've used a makeup applicator to color in my moon & windows. The inks I have used are old olive, summer sun, more mustard, soft sky, versafine black and versafine sepia. I've used prisma pencils to write out my invitation details. This was great fun to make ... I hope you enjoy it and are inspired to try something like this. It's amazing what you can do when you start looking through the images you have and putting them together. Of course I had some help by using my Stampscapes ... if you are not familiar with them, you can check them out HERE.

Well, the grass is starting to dry out so I guess it's time for me to get outside and get started! Time is flying by so fast I really must take advance of these possibly last few nice days. It's supposed to be in the upper 60's today and possibly 70 tomorrow. Besides, it's beautiful outside this time of the year ... everyones trees are in gorgeous fall color, the air is crisp and the smell of wood fires burning is awesome ... I love FALL!!! Happy Day Everyone! Thanks for stopping by!!

Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturday Challenge #9

WOW ... what a busy weekend I'm having ... but luckily I have a creation to share with you that I made for today's SSDS challenge ... which was a Halloween Theme. In fact, I have two Halloween creations to share with you.




My creations are both created using Rubbernecker images. Aren't they cute!



The scene on this first card was created using SU Home Is Where The Haunt Is stamp set. The sky was created with a little "sky" stamp from Ala Art. I used old olive ink and a sponge pod to create the grass ... another large sponge pod and more mustard ink to make the moon and soft sky ink for the sky. My "Halloween Ghost" was stamped onto white cardstock and colored with Prisma pencils and gamsol. I then used my Fiskars swivel craft knife to cut him out and pop him up in the front.






For my second creation, I used the same method as my first creation. Stamp, color with Prisma & cut out with swivel craft knife. I had had his Nestabilities scallop rectangle laying on my worktable and decided it was perfect to make my happy guy stand out!! It's hard to see in the photo, but I've popped up the TOP portion of the pumpking so it looks like he's ready to leap off the card. My base card is deep hunter green and the Halloween dp is from DCWV and I've used Hobby Lobby purple organza ribbon. The corner treatments are green metal dots by Colorbok.



Thanks for stopping by ... hope to see you again tomorrow!

THE TIME IS HERE ....

for the new SATURDAY SPOTLIGHT WITH HIDDEN POTENTIAL challenge! Are you excited??? I know I sure am and can't wait for you to see what the DT has been working on and what Vicki (basement stamper) has in store for you in the weeks to come!! So PLEASE check out the Challenge Blog and play along! I promise you will find inspiration.



The basic philosophy behind our challenge is as follows:

To join in the fun, please post your project on your blog with a link to our challenge, then leave us a comment with a direct link to your creation so we can check it out!!If you don't have a blog, you can always post your project to an online gallery (please use keywords: SSHP01, etc.) We want everyone to be able to participate, all are welcome!ALL styles of artwork are welcome and combining challenges with our challenges are welcome. Please feel free to use any media/companies you like to work with! (We just ask that you create something NEW for each challenge.) We all feel that everyone has something to share and we can all learn from each other! Being different can be a good thing!

With that being said ... here is today's challenge. Make a creation with a Halloween theme using NO Halloween images! Get creative and think of using Halloween colors and images you can "turn into" something for Halloween.

Here is what I've come up with ...

As you can see, I have used the circle from the Hero Arts Friends stamp set to create my "pirate moon". Stamped in summer sun ink, edged with pumpkin pie ink, diecut using Nestabilities (classic circles) and matted with basic black cs. The pieces for the eyes, nose & mouth were punched with an EKSuccess pumpkin punch. A smaller Nestie circle created the patch and the a round tip black marker was used for the "bands" that hold on an eye patch.

Papers used were basic black, pumpin pie and homemade background paper created by sponging various inks (old olive, pumpkin pie, really rust & summer sun) onto a piece of white cardstock. Tearing, distressing and faux stitching added texture to the panels. The sentiment is by Vap! Scrap and stamped with Versafine black ink and embossed with Detail Clear ep.

Please be sure to stop by the other DT members blogs for even more inspiration.

*Vicki (Creator/DT Coordinator)
Boni
Chris
Crystal
Darlene (that's me, teehee)
Dawn
Debbie
Erin
Jessica
Maria
Susan

As always, thanks so much for stopping by today ... it means the world to me!!

CCEE & Get Sketchy #7

Here is my creation for the CCEE Stampers Challenge to use Digis and the layout WAS for the Get Sketchy #7 challenge. I am SO FAR behind ... (that's what I get for going away for the weekend and having fun, LOL). I missed the Get Sketchy challenge time limit ... bummer but still have the chance to share it with you and the CCEE ladies.

The digi I chose to use comes from TERI who is a team mates over on the Digital-Ink Co. challenge blog. Please pop on over to Teri's Cards and Toppers for some wonderful inspiration and of course be sure to check out her wonderfully creative digis in her store called Delicious Doodles.

The background paper was a gift but I believe it might be from DCWV. I've used my Nestabilities circles for the sentiment and since I didn't have the stamps I needed ... I hand wrote it. Mr. Bat was colored with Prisma pencils and the sky was created with an Ala Art stamp and Versafine black ink.

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping in! DON'T FORGET ... Tomorrow is the very first Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential Challenge. We on the DT are so excited to show you what we've been up to! You don't want to miss it ... Vicki has some AWESOME fun planned for the upcoming weeks!!!

Stamp By Step Challenge

A couple of posts back I told you about the Stamp By Step Challenge and today I have a card to share with you that is for this "Halloween with Circles" challenge. You can click "HERE" for a quick peek at all the details. You can also check our her store "HERE".



I've used the "Halloween Haunted House" digital image by Reece Designs which can be purchased through the Digital-Ink Co. Shoppe. My "circle" choices are from the DCWV designer paper, the pumpkins & moon within the digi image and the metal hardware. My coloring was done with Prisma Pencils & gamsol and the ribbon is from "Big Lots"! Yep ... I buy crafting supplies EVERYWHERE!!! If you can spare the time ... please take a moment and check out this new challenge and play along! There is a prize and someone has to win!!! It could be YOU!! Thanks for stopping by today and taking a peek at what I've been up to. Hope you have a wonderful day!!!

Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturday Challenge

Evening everyone ... sorry I'm so late posting today but I've been suffering from a nasty head cold all day and just wasn't up to being creative until this evening. Anyways ... it's time again for another Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturday Challenge (or as Boni calls it [SCROODLES] ). Today's challenge is a color challenge using BLUE & ORANGE and there is also an inspirational photo for you to ponder ... how cool is this!!

Does this photo scream FALL FUN or what!! Although I must admit the old Ford truck my "X" used to have was more of an Olive Drab color versus this awesome turquoise!! Either way, here is the card I created for today's challenge.

Since I'm in a FALL FUN mood, I decided to use this FUN Mice in a Pumpkin by M&M Designz from the Digital-Ink Co. Shoppe. My papers are Only Orange, Pacific Point, Debbie Mumm dp and Basic Grey Marrakech dp. I've used both watercolor pencils and prisma pencils for my coloring. The borders were cut using the SU scallop border punch and the Martha Stewart picket fence border punch. My sentiment was handwritten (and not spaced very well, LOL) but I felt it was appropriate for these cute little guys!!!

Hope you like my creation and thanks for stopping by today!!

HVCS Challenge on PCP

It's time for another Paper Craft Planet Heartwarming Vintage/Crafty Secrets group challenge. I am thrilled to be your hostess and just for fun, I thought maybe we'd do "something just a little different" today! What does that mean you ask??? It means anything other than the normal A-2 side open card. You can still use an A-2 sized card but have it open differently ... like I've done here with this "top to bottom" gate card. Or, you can make an A-6 (or larger), square, round, tag ... whatever.

My image is from the Crafty Secrets Halloween Images & Journal Notes booklet. I've used the "journal" portion on the inside of my card. I've also used the Crafty Secrets Halloween Fun stamp set to make the spiderweb corners on the inside. Sorry my photo is blurred ... but you get the idea, I hope!! The bats & moon stamp was stamped onto Crushed Curry cs with Versafine black ink, clear embossed and cut out/popped up for a little added dimension. I've also colored in the pumpkin on the inside panel with Prisma pencils.

Item details are as follows:

Stamps: Crafty Secrets Halloween Fun, Canadian Maple Collection

Papers: Crafty Secrets Radiant dp, Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Whisper White, Crushed Curry, bright Orange cs

Inks: versafine blk

Accessories: Crafty Secrets Halloween Images and Journal Notes, copper Stickles, dimensionals, swivel craft knife, detail clear ep, photo clasps, brads, Prisma pencils

Thanks for stopping by and if you get the opportunity, please come play along in the challenge! I'd love to see what you create!!!

Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturday Challenge

Have you checked out this relatively new challenge blog yet??? Well, what are you waiting for ... hop on over to Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturday blog and play along! This is week #4 and the challenge for today is a sketch challenge. Well, you know how I LOVE a sketch challenge ... here's what I came up with.



Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Studio G
Papers: Really Rust, DCWV textured white core
Inks: Versafine black, Ranger vintage photo
Accessories: Crafty Secrets Halloween Images & Journaling Notes booklet, Cuttlebug spiderweb embossing folder, Michaels wire ribbon, Fiskars swivel craft knife, sand paper, dimensionals





What fun and I'm ahead of the game on my Halloween cards! Yea!! Have a great day (night) ... see you tomorrow!! Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Cards to share with you ...

Since it's going to be a very busy weekend ... FAMILY REUNION time ... and mine is ALL WEEKEND LONG. Yep, a full weekend ... I come from a very LARGE family and about 20 years ago we started having just the 1st cousins getting together on Friday evening & Saturday then the entire family on Sunday. There are 42 first cousins and a zillion more 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th. So, needless to say, I probably won't have much time for crafting. With that in mind, I'd like to share a couple extra cards with you today.











First is a card I created for the MOON Challenge over on the CCEE Stampers Challenge blog. Cindy Motherway (SCS: Mothermark) is our hostess this month and she's a VERY clever lady. The first week was the BIRDS & the BEES .... second week was the FLOWERS & the TREES ... this week is the MOON up above .... can you see where this is going???? Those of us from the 60's era remember this song and have no doubt what next week's challenge will be!!! Do you know what it is???









The stamps used in this creation are Stampscapes and Rubber Stampede. Ink colors are Soft Sky, Blue Bayou, Not Quite Navy & Versafine Black. I've used chalks to color the rocks, ducks and sun shadows. The moon was created by cutting a circle with my Nestabilites and putting it in place before sponging on all my blue shades for the sky ... then I removed it before stamping the trees. Hope you enjoy this creation ... I'm always happy when I can create with my Stampscapes!






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My second card for today is a card I created for encouragement to a lady named Maddy Mason. Maddy is from New York and is a stamper over on SCS. This lady has been suffering with a rare form of cancer for a very long time now and is still doing her best to keep a smile on her face and make it through each and every day. Cindy Motherway (SCS - Mothermark) has been an ANGEL of Mercy and kept us all up to date on Maddy situation /progress. If you are interested in sending a card Maddy's way ... please check out the SCS thread located HERE for the address information.


I've used the sketch from The Fresh Batch: Stamps & Smiles Sketch Challenge SASSC29 for the layout and my starting point. I purchased this Spellbinder's Framability yesterday and just had to give it a try. My images are from Cornish Heritage Farms and they were stamped with Versafine Black ink onto a photograph of the clouds which I had taken out of an airplane window a couple of years ago and printed onto white cardstock. The only other embellishments on this card are the Prima flowers and Making Memories brads. A pretty easy peasy card with a powerful message! I hope it makes Maddy smile ... if even for a moment!!






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My third & last card for today, is one I just created for fun!!! This is a digital image from SSDS ... isn't it the cutest!! I used SU watercolor pencils & blender pens to color it in then waited for awhile and penciled over it again. I've used the "negative" of a Nestabilities scalloped oval that I had cut for another project to frame him in. The images on the corners are Sugarloaf stamps which I've stamped with Stazon Opaque snow white ink and embossed with Ranger Embossing Pearls and the ribbon is from Michaels.



How do you like my photo staging, LOL!! I've had this DCWV Halloween 12x12 paper laying around for my scrapbooking pages but since my scrapbooking has been on the back burner since I started making cards ... I figured I may as well use it for background when photographing. It kind of helps "get you in the SPOOKY mood" ...






Well FINALLY ... that's it for today. I hope you can find some inspiration from my designs ... I know I certainly do from all of you!! Have a WONDERFUL weekend everyone!

Color Throwdown Challenge #17

One of my other favorite challenges is the Color Throwdown Challenge blog. I got hooked on this one because my friend, Tammy Hershberger (stamphappy), is one of the ladies who started this blog. Thanks girlfriend!!

Today's colors are perfectly HALLOWEEN ... purple, orange, green & black. This card came together pretty quick when I discovered this Crafty Secrets image (one of their cuts) which actually has all four colors within the image! It just all came together from there! Pretty easy-peasy actually!

If you get the chance, please check out this fun challenge and the awesome samples the ladies provide for inspiration!! Once again, thanks for stopping by ... please come back!!

SCS Sketch Challenge #199

It was so nice to find a little time today to make a card for this week's SCS sketch challenge. I think sketch challenges are my favorite ... sometimes the layout is the hardest part for me and the sketch takes care of that!!

I LOVE making Halloween cards ... too bad I never take time to send them out to anyone, LOL!!

The Crafty Secrets challenge this week is to use Orange & Black so this fits that challenge also. LOVE, Love, love these Crafty Secrets images ... whether they are stamps, booklet images or cut outs ... they are just so darned cute!!!

Check out what I did with the brads in the upper right corner (you can click on the photo for a better view) ... I decided to draw pictures on them with my EKSuccess photo pen. This is as close to pumpkin carving as I get these days and gave the card a little more whimpsie!!

The bg paper is by The Paper Studio ... the orange panel was punched with the Fiskars roping border punch and the BOO panel was made using images from the Crafty Secrets Halloween Fun stamp set. Hope you like it and thanks so much for stopping by!!!