Sunday, October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween!

Hello, all! And Happy Halloween! I just wanted to pop in and share a layout I completed for the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge #19! The technique for this week was the Extreme Masking technique and of course the subject for the page was Halloween! Enjoy! And Happy Haunting!

Ooh Spooky. layout. I used Spiced Marmalade, Dusty Concord, and Black Soot Distress Inks, Thickers in Orange Chit Chat, the masks I won from a previous Compendium Challenge, Stickles, and various ribbons and stamps.

Thanks for stopping by! Getting ready for all the trick-pr treaters!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

A Scrapping Storm

Hello, all. I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend. These past two days have brought a wealth of creativity for me and I've completed eight, count them, eight layouts in the past three days! I feel like I've accomplished much! lol. The descriptions to each will follow each layout. I hope you enjoy them!

If you would like to enter my Halloween giveaway please scroll down to the post below this one for instructions.

By Moonlight layout. I used a bat stamp, Pearl Dabber, and Distress Inks in Black Soot, Brushed Corduroy, and Vintage Photo for the background. Everything, except the Stickles, Distress Inks, Dabber, and flowers (misted with Maya Road mist from the kit), is from my October Scraps of Darkness kit. I used the Scraps of Darkness October Sketch by Craftysprinkles. Don't you just love that chipboard bat?! This is my daughter, Kassy, as a zombie for last Halloween. AND the layout was created to enter in the Scraps of Darkness October Blog Challenge and the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge #18 over at Studio L3!
I'll Get You My Pretty... layout. This layout was created for the From Screen To Scrap Challenge; this month's movie poster inspiration was My Fair Lady and we had to use shades of pink, a blue title, and a handmade hat. I colored one of my photos green to invoke the Wicked Witch of the West. I infused a bit of steampunk in here for some fun! I will share this in my Steampunk Challenge for Halloween.
Zombie Queen layout. Again I used the Scraps of Darkness Sketch and kit for this layout. The flowers, alphas, and Stickles were from my stash. This is my eldest daughter, Janie, as a zombie prom queen last Halloween.  I will also be sharing this layout in my Darker Side Challenge for villains and monsters.
So much layout. I had wanted to enter the Cosmo Cricket challenge over at scrapbook.com but in my forgetfulness I forgot that the challenge was to use multiple photos and created my P.S. I Love You layout. So to fix my little problem I created another page to go along with the previous one. So the 2 pager would become P.S. I Love You So Much.  I used Cosmo Cricket's Halfway Cafe line for this and some Distress Ink in Black Soot.  
Pumpkin Patch Play layout. This layout is for the Monochrome Challenge Week #1 Orange over at scrapbook.com. The twist was to use two separate borders; I used inking and ribbon as the borders. I am also entering this in the Scrap Your Fall Photos Challenge.  
Felipe layout. I created this page for the heritage album I'm creating for my grandmother. This was her husband and my grandfather. He fought in World War II and was a very patriotic man. I will be entering this in the Military and Heritage Challenges at scrapbook.com. 
Fidel layout. Another page for my grandmother's heritage album. This was her brother, Fidel. I am entering this page in the Monochrome Challenge Week #2 Blue with the twist of a fall quote. I used a sketch from the Pagemaps 2 book for this one.  
Golden layout. I created this layout for the Monochrome Challenge Week #4 Gold and for my cousin's wedding album. I decided to combine the two since my cousin's wedding colors were burgundy, gold, and white. I used lots of Gold Stickles and some gold foil paper.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Frosted Petunia's Tea Under The Halloween Moon

Hello, all. It's time for tea! I've been looking forward to this party all week! Thank you to Anna from Frosted Petunias for putting this party together. To visit the rest of the participants in this tea party please visit her at the Frosted Petunias blog. Also, at the bottom of this post you'll find the rules for entering my Halloween giveaway!
I've put together a photo tea party to share with you all including some delicious sweet treats! I hope you'll enjoy the fare and the company!
First, you'll have to find my house. You'll come to this sign and turn left. Don't worry you'll stay well away from the cemetery on your way here.  
Now you'll come to a crossroads with this sign in the middle. Just take a right and you'll be there in no time!
Welcome, welcome! I'm so glad you could make it and celebrate this fine occasion with me! Would you like some tea? Cream? Sugar? One lump or two?  
Please choose a cup for your tea. Would you like the black one?
 Or would you prefer the white one with black polka dots? Whichever you choose, is just fine. I've made some deliciously decadent treats for you all. I hope you'll enjoy them.
First, we have Halloween trifle; made with layers of brownies, chocolate and vanilla puddings, whipped cream, and sliced strawberries. Delectable!

I've made both strawberry muffins and cranberry orange muffins in cute Halloween cupcake wrappers!

Here we have some yummy chocolate and chocolate orange swirl cakes! Mmmm...so moist and chocolaty!
These are some Autumn Splendor individual pudding cups; pumpkin and vanilla.  
For those of you who like fruity desserts, here is an apple pie! Thanks goes to Jaz at October Farm for the recipe. This has become a quick favorite at our house!

I hope you've had a wonderful tea time with me here and that you keep the celebration going by visiting all the other participating blogs! You can find a list of them here (on the right hand side of the page).

Now for the giveaway rules.... I have participated in one other blog party this month, Fanciful Twist's Halloween Party and I decided to have a rather large giveaway to combine it with this one. I will have two posts where you may leave a comment and enter the giveaway; this being one of them and the other will be the post for Halloween party (second post after this one). Become a follower (or let me know if you are all ready a follower), leave a comment on either of the two posts, and you will be entered into a random drawing for the prize below! I will draw the lucky winner on October 31st and announce the winner here on my blog on November 1st! Below is a picture of what you can win. There's a little bit of everything; some handmade flowers, vintage ribbons, paper, and loads of stickers! Good luck!


 

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Pieces of Fate Giveaway

Hello, all! I just wanted to pop on in and let you all know about a giveaway over at the Pieces of Fate blog. Susan is giving away a large amount of blog candy and the prize won't be drawn until Nov. 30 so there is still plenty of time to enter. She adds more things to the prize every Wednesday! Make sure to read the rules for entry carefully and I hope you'll all pay a visit and enter! Here are the photos of the what she's added so far! A nice stash so far, don't you think?!


Friday, October 15, 2010

A Fanciful Twist Halloween Party & A Giveaway!

Hello, all. And welcome to my Halloween Party Ala A Fanciful Twist! It's just a mite early but I have errands to run in the morning and didn't want the chance of me forgetting to post. If you'd like to visit others celebrating today, please visit A Fanciful Twist, the participants are listed on the left-hand side of her blog. Thanks, Vanessa for putting this all together!

I will be participating in one other blog party this month, the Tea Party Under the Halloween Moon, and I decided to have a rather large giveaway to combine them both. I will have two posts where you may leave a comment and enter the giveaway; this being one of them and the other will be the post for the tea party (in one week). Become a follower (or let me know if you are all ready a follower), leave a comment on either of the two posts, and you will be entered into a random drawing for the prize below! I will draw the lucky winner on October 31st and announce the winner here on my blog on November 1st! Below is a picture of what you can win. There's a little bit of everything; some handmade flowers, vintage ribbons, paper, and loads of stickers!

Now on to the festivities! Here is a little story for you all! I hope you enjoy it!
Now it is nearing the creepiest, spookiest, most frightening (and fun) time of year and I suddenly received a visit from a jovial character with an oddly shaped head. He introduced himself as Jack and smiled (I think it's a permanent affliction). He told me of a place where the creepy crawlies, ghosts and ghouls, witches, vampires, and all manner of spooky folk gathered to get ready for Halloween night (Everyone has to be in tip top scaring shape!). Well, you know I was interested in visiting this place and so asked Jack to give me directions to it. He smiled...(it was starting to get a little weird) and told me where to go.

I had to first go through a pumpkin patch growing in a cemetery. There I was to find the largest pumpkin (Jack said I couldn't miss it. That pumpkin would be the biggest I had ever seen, not to mention that it would have a door). All I had to do was go in, follow a long corridor, and enter the door at the end, and I would see this haunting world. I started on my way, stopped and turned back to Jack and asked, "I'll be able to get back all right, won't I?" He just smiled and vanished. (Hmmm....that last smile didn't seem genuine.)
So against my good judgement I started on my Halloween adventure. I found the cemetery easily enough and spotted the pumpkin patch right away. But I didn't see any abnormally large pumpkin (or any type of gourd) anywhere. I started to think that Ole' Jack had played a trick on me when I walked straight into the biggest pumpkin I'd ever seen! Almost broke my nose! Now how did that get there? 
I saw a door and thought nothing of opening it and going in. Inside there was nothing but a long hallway covered in framed pictures of strange smiling pumpkin-headed people. I think I was looking at Jack's extended family here. I eased my way down the hall, stopping only to gaze at some of the more interesting portraits. When it seemed like forever (and that seemed strange, since I didn't think pumpkins could be so wide) I found the door at the end of the hall. I opened it a crack and peeked in but couldn't see much through the cobwebs. The cobwebs should have tipped me off that there would be spiders but I just wasn't thinking straight. I entered into a forest of sorts and stubbed my toe on a tombstone with "Beware of the Black Widow" on it.
I though that it was strange to bury someone and not use their name on the tombstone. I know black widows are women who kill their husbands but just to call her Black Widow seemed strange. Once the throbbing of my big toe subsided I went on my way. I had to move lots of web from my path and don't you just hate the stickiness of it. It feels like you'll never get it off! There was a persistent strand that I could not get off my arm when I felt a slight tug. At first it was a slight tug, at least. Then I was whooshed to a rather large and intricate web. I guess I had found Black Widow. Not a psycho wife but a real spider. And a giant one at that!
Eeek! All I could think of was that I was soon going to be wrapped up and sucked dry by this gargantuan arachnid. I hate spiders, so it seemed ironic that one would be the death of me. The spider gracefully wound its way near me and looked at me with its beady (and many) little eyes. It moved closer an whispered "Have you seen a giant fly on your travels?" I must have gone mad from terror because one, the spider spoke and two, it didn't eat me. I told the spider no, I had not seen any giant flies and cautiously asked if she was Black Widow. She laughed and said "Goodness, no. That would be my sister. My husband's alive and kicking. I'm called Arachne and I guard the entry to the Halloween meeting place." So I am not allowed in, I asked her and she says she's not supposed to allow anyone past but she thinks I'm rather nice and she'll let me pass if I promise to stay hidden and only have a peek. I promise and she lowers me down with her long spindly legs (shudder).

I turn a corner in the path and wander into an open space in the woods. There were tables set up and all manner of fall decorations were hanging from the trees. The tables were heavy with so many delicious looking sweets and treats; bowls of candy, cakes, cookies, and pies!
I quickly duck behind a gnarled up old tree and peek around its trunk. The view was amazing! I saw witches cackling around a large bubbling cauldron, teasing up their hair and putting warts on their faces. I saw mummies wrapping each other in linen bandages. I spotted some vampires mending their capes and sharpening their fangs. Jack had been right. This was where all of Halloween got prepared for that one frightening night.
Can you believe it? There was even a vampire Pomeranian waiting to be groomed. He was so darn adorable but his teeth looked awful sharp (I wonder if he looks for unsuspecting cats to drain).
There were zombies in one area of the woods ripping their clothes and covering them with blood. I guess they wanted to look their very scary best. There were little boy zombies and girl zombies, too. All so very frightening.
Some were dressed punky and were none to happy, while others were dressed up like they had a party to go to. There was even a zombie that looked like a prom queen. 
Well the zombies soon started to sniff around like they were looking for something delicious. They bumped into each other moving as fast as their reanimated bodies could go (which wasn't all too fast) and when they started coming in the direction of the tree I was hiding behind, I realized it was me that was they sniffing. I was delicious! (To them!). So I scurried backwards till I hit another tree with my back, did a quick pivot and high-tailed it out of that clearing and onto the path I had come from. I passed through thick sheets of cobwebs and past Ms. Spider, who had caught her giant fly (Gross!), and back through the hallway door. I shut the door behind me but I could hear something coming towards it on the other side, so I ran as fast as I could down the long corridor (not stopping to look at the portraits this time) and didn't stop until I had the front door closed behind me, too. As soon as the door closed behind me the pumpkin vanished and I knew I was safe.
I walked back through the pumpkin patch and out of the cemetery and back to my safe little house. I was so relieved to be back home that I sat down on my sofa with a great sigh. If I ever saw Jack again I would be sure to give him a talking to about sending unsuspecting people to a place that zombies were looking for a snack! (Of course, maybe I shouldn't have been so curious, but I'll never admit that).

I hope all of you have enjoyed this little Halloween Party journey. Make sure to come back to see who wins the prize! Have fun visiting all the participants for this blog party and Happy Halloween!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Compendium of Curiosities Challenge #16 & # 17

Hello, all! Man I seem to be losing all track of time! I can't believe that I once again waited until the last minute to get my entry in for this challenge! And that's because this challenge was extended to two weeks! lol. Well here is my entry. It's a Halloween card that I had fun playing with. I'm also dropping off some layouts I completed for my cousin's wedding album and one of the candlelight photos I took during my Practical Magic Blog Party. Enjoy!

Boo! card. This is for the CCC #16. I used the wrinkle free distress technique on the background paper and added a lace flower and some bling!

Lovely layout. For my cousin's wedding album. Made all the flowers myself. The lilies are from a tutorial byAmarylis. Papers are Love Nest by My Mind's Eye. I used my Cricut Expression to cut out the title and used Stickles for the details.

Radiant layout. Another layout for my cousin's wedding album. The flowers are mostly handmade, again the lilies are from the tutorial by Amarylis found here.

Candlelight layout. This is a layout I created using some photos I took during my Practical Magic blog Party. I love how candelight makes everything look!


Hello, all! I am so sorry to have to add on my CCC #17 entry to this post but I didn't want to bump my Halloween Party Post just yet. So here is my enrty for the challenge of using fragment charms. I decided to use on of my favorite paper lines at the moment, the Graphic 45 Hallowe'en in Wonderland, and make a bag clip. I hope you like it!


Friday, October 8, 2010

Art on the Darkside Challenge #63

Hello, all! One of my friends over at Scraps of Darkness let me know of a challenge blog that was right up my alley. The blog is called Art on the Darkside and all the challenges are about making dark art. You can enter anything from mixed media and paintings to cards and scrapbook layouts. The art there is truly inspiring and creative and the current challenge is to use the colors black and orange. I've decided to enter (you know I love all things Halloween). This is the layout I'm entering in the AOTD challenge and I'll be entering it into the (Paper) Trail Makers Challenge that the topic is listing 10 things! Thanks for stopping by!

Treats & Sweets layout. This is a scraplift of Snozberry??? by Kaye222. The link to her layout is HERE. When I saw her layout is reminded me of candy and when I thought of orange and black it brought me to Halloween candy, so I put the two together for this layout. I used a Sizzix diecut for the swirls and my Cricut Expression for the circles. The checkerboard border is drawn with markers and the title is from Thickers.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Practical Magic Blog Party Winner!

Hello, all! First I wanted to announce the winner of my Practical Magic Blog Party Giveaway! I used a trusty number generator to pick the winner. Sorry that I haven't figured out how to get the actual number generator to show up here! Argh!

.............Well who could the winner be but........

................# 38 Jaz@OctoberFarm..................

Who wrote "great post! thanks for stopping by and following too! i signed on to follow you too!"

Jaz, please email me at forevervampress@aol.com with your mailing address so I can send you your prize!

Now I would also like to share a few layouts I've been working on. Two are for examples to the challenges I host at scrapbook.com and the other I created for my Scraps of Darkness Guest Designer participation.

Steampunk Happy Halloween layout. This layout I created as an example for my Steampunk Challenge for October. the topic will be A Steampunk Halloween. Some of the images here are my own and others are from the internet. The background paper, "bat," moon, and lady are from my Scraps of Darkness September kit. The letters are Thickers. I hand cut the clouds and witch hat and added a fabric skirt to the lady.

And your Little Dog 2 layout. This layout is the example I created for the October Darker Side Challenge. I love the Wicked Witch of the West and I wanted to use her for this layout. I created my own Flying Monkey background with a stencil I made and Distress Ink in Peeled Paint. I cut the witch and her sister's feet from images I got from the internet. I made the larger black flowers out of fabric and added mini Prima roses. I used alcohol ink in Red Pepper to tint the Thickers alphas then covered them in Christmas Red Stickles because I wanted them to look like the ruby slippers. I also covered the flourishes in the same Stickles. The photo is of our beloved Max, who is not with us any more. We used to dress him up every Halloween and he let us!

Just Us Girls layout. This is a layout of my grandmother, two of her sisters, and one of her daughters on vacation in Mexico. I created this with two of my favorite papers from the Scraps of Darkness September kit, Modern Marvels and Fantasy Floral. I cut out as many of the roses as I could to use them as borders to the layout. I added pearl bling, a Thickers title, and some Stickles in Stardust on the roses.