Create for Halloween

Today I'm sharing my last two projects from October's Create magazine. I'm doubling up because they were both made with the same supplies.

First up. a two-page layout from the Halloween Gallery:

There was no requirement to use a sketch for the Halloween Gallery, but of course I did anyway! This was made with the Scaredy Cat Paper pack from Close To My Heart, Bazill cardstock (because I did not have 2 sheets of the matching Thistle CS from CTMH yet), and the Halloween Greetings stamp set with Black and Sunset ink. I also used some White Enamel Stars that I colored with an orange Copic marker.

I used mostly the same products to make this Halloween card with the required card sketch:

Don't be scared by how complicated this looks! While I used the sketch exactly as drawn, there are several other examples in Create where they used a looser interpretation. And this really isn't as hard as it looks either. It just took a little thinking, and I temporarily adhered a triangle (from the art department) to my paper trimmer so everything was cut at the same angle.

Again, I used the Scaredy Cat paper pack. I switched to stars from the Scaredy Cat Assortment because all three colors were already there for me - no coloring! I again pulled out the Halloween Greetings stamp set for my broom and sentiment, using black ink and White Daisy pigment ink for stamping.

Thanks for checking out all of my Create projects this month! Be sure to go check it out for yourself, and maybe even submit something for the January issue based on one of their free sketches.  Speaking of which, the sketches are available for free download in the Scrapbook Generation online store. Past month's sketches are all there as well.

Simple Stories and a Sketch

I'm back today with another project I had published in this month's Create magazine. This one is a fun two-page layout.

When I saw this sketch I knew right away the pictures I wanted to use, and they were just taken a week earlier! I think this is the soonest I have EVER scrapped photos, lol. I also knew just the papers, and was hoping I had enough left to make this work.

All of the paper and stickers are from Simple Stories. The Summer Fresh collection is retired, so I knew what I had left was it. I think it turned out nicely; I even used one of the circle elements for an "award ribbon" for an extra bit of journaling.  The journaling area on the left page is pretty much cut straight from a piece of patterned paper, banners and all.  I added some textured cardstock from my stash, and swiped ink (CTMH) on it to make it look similar to the denim pattern paper in the collection kit. I also used ink pads and sponge daubers (CTMH) on the edges of my papers for added dimension.

I hope you enjoy the design of this layout as much as I do. Be sure to check out the current issue of Create for yourself, and maybe submit one of your own layouts for the January issue.

Time to Create Again

If you have not yet seen the beautiful digital magazine Create, where the heck have you been?! Seriously, I just love this thing... it focuses on sketches for layouts, cards, and tags (and we all know sketches are my favorite). And since it's published by an actual scrapbook store, each issue they pair up with one of their manufacturers, whose design teams match up their products with one or more of the sketches featured in the issue.  My favorite part? They feature US, the readers!

Every issue has a Readers Gallery, featuring projects submitted using sketches from a previous issue. And this month, they've started a "seasonal" section featuring ANY project that fits the theme(s) for the month. This month, they have both a Halloween and an Autumn section.

Somehow, I managed to have four projects in this month's issue, and I'd like to share them in a little more detail here. Today I'll start with my one-page layout, featured on page 181 of the October issue.

I almost never use white as a page base anymore (CM overload from back in the day I think, lol) but it was absolutely perfect for this layout! I loved the sketch, with all of the strips on the background. I opted to use washi tape for all of my strips, except the skinny ones, making it super fast & easy to  make. I did layer the blue lacy tape on white CS first, just for extra contrast against the similar color background. Easy and AWESOME!

I also want to point out my page title, as this was my first time using an SVG file from Miss Kate's Cuttables. If you are an SVG user, you should totally check them out! It was super easy to layout, cut, and assemble, and I will absolutely be returning for more.

Finally, I want to note that most of the pattern papers I used are from Close To My Heart's Chalk It Up line. Yes, it is absolutely a "school" theme if you look at the sample artwork in the catalog, but that doesn't mean you can't use it for other stuff. The pastel colors are perfect for Spring & Summer projects, and the circle pattern paper I used absolutely reminds me of water.

Here's a list of everything I used:

Bazzill: cardstock
Close To My Heart: Chalk It Up paper pack, Scaredy Cat paper pack ("L" in POOL), ink, adhesive sequins, washi tape (gold dot, gray dot, orange chevron), Dream Pop paper pack (gold dot vellum, retired)
Love My Tapes: Washi tape (blue lace, black swirl)
Miss Kate's Cuttables: Pool Party Title cut file
Scrapbook Customs: South Dakota dimensional sticker

Be sure to check out this month's Create magazine for yourself, and maybe try your hand at one of the sketches for the January issue.

Creations by AR October New Release Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to the October New Release blog hop for Creations by AR! Today we are sharing two fabulous new cutting files from Adela - the Card Armoire and the Fragrance Bottle Set. I just love both of these new files and I'm sure you will too.

As usual, we will have winners! Two random winners will be chosen from comments left on the designers' blogs and the AR Facebook page. Winner #1 will receive the Card Armoire, and winner #2 will receive the Fragrance Bottle Set.


Comments accepted until Friday, Oct 17, 12:00 noon Eastern
One random winner will be announced Oct 18 here:
AR FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Creations-by-AR/154314751303824
AR Website:  http://creationsbyar.com
 


So, let's check out these new files! I'll start with the Card Armoire, a neat little place to store your favorite notecards or present a set of cards to someone as a gift. It was super easy, using Make the Cut with my Silhouette Cameo. There are other versions too, including PDF files for those of you cutting by hand!

I made mine to match my craft area, but I can see SO many possibilities for this! I used Graphic 45 papers and stickers, Bazzill Cardstock, Tim Holtz gears, and brads & eyelets from my stash.

Here's a better angle of the "sign" I made for the top of my armoire. I cut a strip of cardstock 3" long and scored it at .5", 1.5", and 2.5", and used the short sides as the base.

The top lifts up on a hinge, releasing the doors of the armoire.

There's plenty of room inside for notecards - the exact number will depend on how lumpy-bumpy you like to make yours!

Now for the Fragrance Bottle Set, or should I say Potion Bottles...

I was in a Halloween mood, and those bottles were telling me they wanted to be potion bottles so I went for it! For these two items, I used Close To My Heart products, including Scaredy Cat papers and the Magic Potions stamp set.

The cologne bottle was perfect for some Pickled Toad...

and the perfume bottle was just right for some Bat Wing Brewing Powder.

Inside each bottle is a little container with room for some sweet treats or party favors.

Plus there's an optional insert, making it easy to give a gift card to a special someone if your occasion calls for it. In fact, I can't wait to make a few of these for Christmas - I know some girls who would love some gift cards to the beauty shop!

Remember, be sure to visit all of the designers and leave a comment on their blogs for your chance to win:

• Adela
• Lyn
• Julia
• Sue
• Lisa E.
• Monica
• Doris
• Penny
• Lori (YOU ARE HERE!!)

Grateful For...

Do you have a special tradition for Thanksgiving at your house? We do, and most people find it rather "interesting" to say the least. If you saw my Instagram yesterday, here's the promised Fall layout I let you peek at yesterday...

Yes, our Thanksgiving tradition is making a Fruiturkey. Long ago, I saw this idea in a Family Fun magazine and thought it would be a great way to keep my littles busy while waiting for dinner at Grandma & Grandpa's house. It also provided a healthier appetizer than stealing cheese slices off the platter.

It was so popular, and the kids loved it so much, that it became a required thing for us to bring (and fruit is not cheap in November, my friends). My son even tried to talk me into making one for Easter one year but I managed to put my foot down... So, it's become a tradition to not only make the Fruiturkey, but to take pictures of it and its creators every year.

I love the Pathfinding papers and Chipboard Complements for this layout. I added a custom title by using the fonts from both the Artiste and Artbooking Cricut cartridges, and added lots of paper flowers and brads from my huge stash. I also snuck in a Fiskars corner punch on the large panel.

To balance out the large chipboard circle element, I stamped a couple of large circles with the Season of Thanks stamp set. I made it multi color by inking the entire image in Glacier, the blotting on Lagoon, Autumn Terracotta, and Chocolate inks in spots of the stamp.

As you can see here, I also tossed in a few pieces from the Pathfinding Assortment, including some cork and wood pieces. I love mixing up the texture with little pieces like this.

I want to say a quick word about color and pattern choices while we're here. Sometimes all of the patterns in a pack are so awesome it's hard to choose what to use, and I know it can be difficult to know which color(s) to focus on.

This paper pack was the obvious choice due to theme, and here's how I chose which papers to use: I started with a sketch (as usual), this one from Scrapbook Generation. They do a nice job of suggesting where to put pattern and solid, although I freely admit that I don't always follow the suggestions.

This sketch suggested a large pattern for the long strips at the back, and since I love that "beauty pattern" it was an obvious choice. Small patterns were suggested for the other areas, and a stripe for the long skinny strips. For the large center panel, I chose the repeating leaf image, because the minimal shape also reminded me of feathers. I replaced the suggested patterned circle elements from the sketch with flowers because I thought they fit the season better. Finally, I chose the Olive cardstock bases and the chevron zip strips because the color matched the camo shirt my son was wearing, so it helps draw attention to him. And the Lagoon is used in the title for a surprise pop of color.

I hope you enjoyed today's fun layout. I know I can't wait for this year's Fruiturkey! (Apparently neither can my son, as he has been making suggestions for this year's model for about 3 weeks now.)  
I'd love to hear about your favorite Thanksgiving tradition, so leave me a comment. I'll choose a random commenter next Friday (10/17) and send them a little something from my prize stash!

Oh Nuts! A Card For Mojo Monday

Lots of crazy has been going on around here lately, and sometimes things get lost in the shuffle. So this week's Mojo Monday sketch was the perfect opportunity both to play and to make amends for things forgotten!

This 3 Step Autumn Squirrel stamp set from Kitchen Sink Stamps is an awesome way to say "oops" (or add a great touch to any autumn project). I combined the stamps with the Pathfinding paper pack, Sunset Chevron Washi Tape, and a Colnial White Card from Close To My Heart.

I really love how realistic that squirrel is! I gave him a little pile of nuts to enjoy, stamping the smaller two directly on the panel and the larger one on a scrap. I cut the larger one out and mounted it on foam tape. For my squirrel, I stamped his layers in Champagne, Cashmere, and Barn Red. The acorn layers are stamped in Champagne, Olive, and Chocolate.

If you'd like to play along with this week's Mojo Monday, there's still plenty of time! Head over and check it out and try for yourself.

Easy Seasonal Treat Bags

I've been thinking ahead to later in the month, and have started planning little treat bags for my next Woman's Club meeting. Since we skip a November meeting in favor of an early December Christmas party/meeting, I decided to do Fall instead of Halloween for this month.

This Payday mix is a hit with almost everyone, so I'm planning on filling little bags with that. I picked up little 3"x4" treat bags and 4" doilies in the cake decorating aisle at the craft store. Since the bags aren't the zipper type, I folded over and stapled the top of the treat bag.

You can barely see one of my pewter eyelets peeking out from behind the leaf here. After folding the doily and punching 1/8" holes about an inch apart in it and the treat bag, I set eyelets in the front holes. I did this for a little added stability when tying the hemp cord through it, because who wants it to rip?! (Also because I have a stash of approximately 1.5 million eyelets, so I use them whenever possible!)

The leaves are cut from the Artbooking Cricut cartridge at 6". This is because the images on this cartridge are all based on the size of the page image - standard size for the page this came from is 11".  I cut the little banner by hand and punched a small hole in the end to tie it right into the hemp bow. Oh, and of course I sponged everything with ink because it looks cool. The stamp is an old CTMH stamp, but of course you can use any you choose or even print them from the computer.

I like how this turned out so well, I think I will make some extra (non-peanut!) treats to drop off for my kids' teachers.