Tissue-Paper-Mache Gourds

This isn't extremely Halloweenie, but a fun project nonetheless ;)  I followed (sorta) Martha Stewart's instructions to make this tissue paper mache pumpkin.  Basically, you use a balloon as a form, layer tissue paper with diluted Mod Podge, and let dry overnight. 

Pop the balloon and remove.  Martha used her's as votive holders, if I remember correctly... I'm going off memory, so I'm sure I left some info out ;)  Let's just say, it would be WAY freakin' easier to do this project with two people... it took forever on my own, and it was probably messier, too.

I punched a flower and cut it apart to use as leaves and rolled up some kraft packing paper and glued it for a stem.  A little Scrapper's Floss for the stem tendrils... perfect touch!

I modified it a little and TRIED to create one of the striped green gourds.  I'm not sure how it's workin'.  To do this one, I under-inflated one of those long skinny balloons... it was trickier to remove it after it all dried, but I got it!

After I let them dry another day without the balloons, I cut larger holes so I could insert wrapped candy inside (Halloween peanut butter kisses).  After I filled the gourd, I glued a punched flower to the bottom to help it stand up a little.  For the pumpkin, I gathered the hole and glued it shut along with the leaves & stem.

These took a while, but maybe if you got an assembly line workin' it would be worth doing several!

Stamps:  More Bone Appetit (TAC special... ask me for more details!)
Paper:  tissue paper, kraft & Bazzill cardstock
Ink:  Burnt Umber Palette
Other:  Copper Hardware (TAC), Scrapper's Floss

What do you think?

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Macabre Monday #007 - Menacing Moveables

Welcome to the Haunted Design House's Macabre Monday challenge!

HDH Macabre Monday Rules:
1. Create a Halloweenie SOMETHING (card, scrap page, altered item, whatever) that follows the specific Macabre Monday challenge given. Cutesy Halloween is fine, but creepy is better :) However, no extra 'points' are given either way.
2. You have until the following Sunday night @ 5pm central time to post your creation and linky back here.
3. If you upload to any online galleries (TACPCC, PW, PCP, SCS, etc.), please tag the title using HDH007.
4. Starting in September, I'll have monthly contest giveaways... more details to follow.
5. I'll be selecting a weekly Gruesome Twosome (my top two favorite creations) from all the players. At the end of every month these will be compiled and a Master of Macabre will be selected. He/she will be asked to be a guest blogger for the following month, if they so wish, and receive a little giftie from me (I have NO idea what this will be!!).

Ok, my little pretties... your challenge this week:

Menacing Moveables

For this week's challenge, you are to create something that moves.  Spinner cards, sliders, pop-ups... anything with a little action ;)  To illustrate, I'd like to show you something that I had made for a TAC Paper Wings design team project... sorry for the repeat for some of you!

The moon moves on the front a little bit with the help from a swing arm, and all of the creatures of the night on the inside are suspended from an acetate swirl created from a Sizzix die.  I used Crystal Lacquer on the bats, ghost, and owl eyes, and Stickles here & there (everywhere!).

I used Copics to color... it took forever since I am not marker savvy at all.  I cut the tree branches and highlighted them with a white gel pen & Moonlight White Brilliance ink.  There are a ton of different TAC stamp sets that I used on this, so if you would like the names, just leave me a comment or shoot me an email.

Gruesome Twosome for last week:  Lisa & Christina W. for their BOLD use of Perplexing Pigments!  Grab your GT badge in the sidebar ladies!

Ok, let see some action... do you accept this week's challenge?
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HDH006 Perplexing Pigment Play - finally...

Yeay!  Here it is... took me long enough... I mean, it's almost time for the next challenge!  Is she not the cutest?  The hair, that sweet face... paired with the teensie spider... this image totally makes me smile.  :)

Stamps:  Spider Girl (Stampotique), Boo Bash (retired TAC), Spunky Sprite Boys (TAC)

Paper (all TAC):  Penelope SWIC, White UltraSmooth, Black, & Penelope cardstocks

Ink:  Noir Palette, Moonlight White Brilliance

Other:  white embossing powder & Mini-attacher (Ranger), misc. black trim

I decided to let the 'yo' sentiment hang loose, so to speak... I received the black trim in a goodie bag from a crop a couple of months ago... me likey.

What do you think?

My bad...

...no, I haven't done my challenge card yet.  I KNOW!  I am such a slacker... but, to make it up to you I will show you this little ditty.

Cute, no?  This was a submission to TAC for publication consideration, but they used my other one instead... yeay!  I'll show that one to you sometime as well.

Stamps:  Spookilicious

Paper:  Penelope, white UltraSmooth & black cardstocks

Ink:  Palette Noir

Other:  paper piercer, mineral oil w/ Prismacolors, Black Scrapper's Floss

Who says you have to use the whole image of a stamp, right?  Kinda looks like a window... or maybe it's like the opening credits of the Brady Bunch:

Here's the story of a wicked witchy,
Who was boiling up one very goofy skelly.
He was green and white, like no other,
The bow tie looks 'nelly'.

Here's the story, of a scared black kitty,
Who was busy with two jack-o's of his own.
They were orange, and kinda silly,
Yet they were all alone...

I know... it's horrible... but creative writing was NOT my forte!

Macabre Monday #006 - Perplexing Pigment Play

Welcome to the Haunted Design House's Macabre Monday challenge!

HDH Macabre Monday Rules:
1. Create a Halloweenie SOMETHING (card, scrap page, altered item, whatever) that follows the specific Macabre Monday challenge given. Cutesy Halloween is fine, but creepy is better :) However, no extra 'points' are given either way.
2. You have until the following Sunday night @ 5pm central time to post your creation and linky back here.
3. If you upload to any online galleries (PW, PCP, SCS, etc.), please tag the title using HDH006.
4. Starting in September, I'll have monthly contest giveaways... more details to follow.
5. I'll be selecting a weekly Gruesome Twosome (my top two favorite creations) from all the players. At the end of every month these will be compiled and a Master of Macabre will be selected. He/she will be asked to be a guest blogger for the following month, if they so wish, and receive a little giftie from me (I have NO idea what this will be!!).

Ok, my little pretties... your challenge this week:

Perplexing Pigment Play

For this week's challenge, you are to take inspiration from this photo and create something using only the colors shown:  black, white, orange, chartreuse green, & purple.  No adding, no subtracting... this ain't no math class, baby... ;)

I like this photo... actually, I like what is IN the bowl of the photo.  Don't you think M & M's should always be available in these colors?  They make me happy...

:)  

See?

Since I didn't get around to creating a little sumpin' sumpin' for this challenge, I'll have to post mine later this week!  I know... my bad.  BUT I've been working on some really fun stuff that you'll get to see soon!  Curious?  Too bad.. you'll just have to keep checking back... sucka!  ;)

Gruesome Twosome for last week:  Teri & Christina... for their true Movie Madness Mayhem!  Teri's hand-drawn IT clown is amazing, and I love how Christina took a lovely Disney film and made it totally twisted ;)   Grab your GT badge in the sidebar ladies!

Ok, let see some color... do you accept this week's challenge?

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First, an apology... then the good stuff...

I'm usually pretty good about commenting back to bloggers that have been so kind as to do the same for me.  However, as of late, I have totally been shirking my duties!!  I won't go into to details, but it's been a little crazy around here!  I will try to get back into the swing of things next week or the week after... hopefully my projects at work will be done and gone by then!  So, please know that I really do appreciate all of your kind words!!

Now, onto the fun stuff.  Are these fabric witch boots NOT the COOLEST things ever?!  My friend and fellow TAC Angel, Angela, made them for me as part of an Art Share we were in together.  I cannot tell you how fabulous they really are, and the pictures do not do them justice.  Thanks so much Angela!  These babies will be displayed year-round... no way could I put them away in a box ;)

Angela is one talented lady, and though she has been having computer issues, please pop in a look at some of her past work... beautiful stuff!  I've been used to seeing her paper-crafted projects, and now the fabric work... I can only imagine what else she does!

What do you think?

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Simply said...

I am so loving the Label Lingo set from TAC.  This bracket label is the best.

This card base is the other 'half' of the gatefold card base I split from the Skull Collage post.   Don't you just love a two-fer?!

I wanted to create a card that was super simple, yet still had some sort of detailing.  Heeeellllllooo Scor-Bug... have I told you lately that I love you?

I'm thinking that if I wanted to step it up a notch, I could just add some lines with a gel pen to create a cobweb background...

I drug my New Canvas ink spot along the Scor-Bugged lines to highligh them... I'm thinking it would be better to just go with a white gel pen... not sure.

Stamps (TAC):  Label Lingo (Hostess Level D) & So Splattered (retired)

Paper:  DCWV card base, kraft cardstock

Ink:  New Canvas & Noir Palettes

Other:  Scor-Pal & Scor-Bug, pop dots


What do you think?
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Macabre Monday #005 - Macabre Monday Movie Madness

Welcome to the Haunted Design House's Macabre Monday challenge!

HDH Macabre Monday Rules:
1. Create a Halloweenie SOMETHING (card, scrap page, altered item, whatever) that follows the specific Macabre Monday challenge given. Cutesy Halloween is fine, but creepy is better :) However, no extra 'points' are given either way.
2. You have until the following Sunday night @ 5pm central time to post your creation and linky back here.
3. If you upload to any online galleries (PW, PCP, SCS, etc.), please tag the title using HDH005.
4. Starting in September, I'll have monthly contest giveaways... more details to follow.
5. I'll be selecting a weekly Gruesome Twosome (my top two favorite creations) from all the players. At the end of every month these will be compiled and a Master of Macabre will be selected. He/she will be asked to be a guest blogger for the following month, if they so wish, and receive a little giftie from me (I have NO idea what this will be!!).

Ok, my little pretties... your challenge this week:
Macabre Monday Movie Madness

This week's challenge is to choose a horror flick for a little inspiration!  Jason's hockey mask, a 1958 Plymouth called Christine, Leatherface, Pumpkinhead, Freddy, Amityville, and who could forget:  Killer Klowns From Outer Space?  Oh yeah... I said it.  :)  This has GOT to be an easy one!  I listed a few, but you do not have to use them... whatever makes your skin crawl :)  Let's have fun this week!!

No Good Beauty Queen

I decided to use the movie Carrie as my inspiration film.  Does my little Queen of  Prom Night of the Living Dead work?!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this image.  The blood red dress & boots are perfect... pig blood anyone?

I added a little Crystal Lacquer to her bow, bodice, skirt trim & boots... kinda reminds me of goth vinyl-wear ;)  My favorite part is her eye shadow... it blended so well.  I didn't have a disco ball, so the chandelier had to do.  And, yes... it took awhile to cut out those images!

TAC Stamps: This Girl (queen), This Boy (up to no good), So Splattered (retired), Too Much Fun (beauty -retired), Tea Talk (chandelier -retired)
Girl Stamp: Torrente's Gooseneck (stampotique)
Paper: DCWV card base; Black, Premium White, & Amelia cardstocks (TAC)
Ink: Bordeaux and Noir Palettes
Other: Prismacolor pencils w/ mineral oil, White Scrapper's Floss, Scallop Square punch, Crystal Lacquer & Pop Dots, misc. ribbon & trim

Gruesome Twosome for last week:  Creepy GlowBugg & Jane for their truly Repulsive Riddle & Rhyme!  Grab your GT badge in the sidebar ladies!

Do you accept this week's challenge?!

Curious Sofa Halloween finds...

Here is what I purchased at a little boutique yesterday.  Sweet score, right?  I spent waaaaaay too much, but I figure I can since it is for THE BEST HOLIDAY EVER!  :)  The goodies include:

• 3 yards of hand dyed silk ribbon in a lovely eggplant purple... pure yummi-licious-ness
• terra cotta skull votive holder with an awesome rusty finish
• a couple of coffin mint tins, because you can never have too many
• a couple of 'blood filled' syringe pens
• rolls of tickets... orange says 'treat', the gray says 'trick'
• fabby spider... feels more handmade than all of that rubber junk in most stores
• and my favorite... the witch hand!  This is a rusty terra cotta creation as well... simply fantastic.

This is currently sitting on a table as you come into the entry & living room... and that is where it will be from now on... even AFTER Halloween :)

The boutique has some freakin' AWESOME framed art & shadow boxes... one was really old looking with some sort of animal skeleton... too cool.  There was a framed antique anatomy poster that I wanted, but alas, I didn't have a spare $300 laying around ;)

I still can't believe this is only the second time I have been out Halloween shopping!  I've GOT to make some time in the next couple of weeks :)

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for Macabre Monday!!!

Halloweenie blog candy alert!

Check it:  

http://threecloversdesigns.blogspot.com/2009/08/blog-yummies.html

Mmmmmmmmm... Tasty :)

Skull collage...

I was feelin' kinda scrappy, but not enough to actually create a page :)  So I came up with this.

I used a stamp from my new goodies I got in the mail from The Angel Company, and a couple of embellies in my Halloweenie stash.

I used another pre-made gate-fold card, but I created two card bases from it!  This is the smaller one, and then I have a standard A2 that you'll see next time :)

Stamp:  Fun Skulls

Paper:  DCWV card base

Ink:  Noir Palette, Tsukineko Eucalyptus spray ink

Other:  BG ribbon, Yellow Bicycle clear star, MM ribbon tag, Avery shipping tag, fabric scrap

What do you think?

Simple, Smart & Sophisticated gone Goth...

Such a dreary icky day out... clouds, rain... perfect for an all black & white card!

And this one is a super quick one... a premade #10 gatefold card from DCWV makes it even easier :)

I don't know if I'll ever get tired of this retired stamp set from TAC... the skulls are so awesome.  I think this would make a very cool  Halloween party invite... very grown-up, but still fun.


Stamps:  Forever Family (TAC), Punk Princess (retired TAC), unknown sentiment

Paper:  DCWV card base, White UltraSmooth cs (TAC)

Ink:  Noir Palette, Moonlight White Brilliance


Other:  Tim Holtz Mini- Attacher, misc. wired ribbon

What do you think?

Macabre Monday #004 - Repulsive Riddle & Rhyme

Welcome to the Haunted Design House's Macabre Monday challenge!

HDH Macabre Monday Rules:
1. Create a Halloweenie SOMETHING (card, scrap page, altered item, whatever) that follows the specific Macabre Monday challenge given. Cutesy Halloween is fine, but creepy is better :) However, no extra 'points' are given either way.
2. You have until the following Sunday night @ 5pm central time to post your creation and linky back here.
3. If you upload to any online galleries (PW, PCP, SCS, etc.), please tag the title using HDH004.
4. Starting in September, I'll have monthly contest giveaways... more details to follow.
5. I'll be selecting a weekly Gruesome Twosome (my top two favorite creations) from all the players. At the end of every month these will be compiled and a Master of Macabre will be selected. He/she will be asked to be a guest blogger for the following month, if they so wish, and receive a little giftie from me (I have NO idea what this will be!!).


Ok, my little pretties... your challenge this week:
Repulsive Riddle & Rhyme

This week's challenge is to use a ghastly little poem or rhyme in your creepy creation. To illustrate this challenge, I've come up with a simple gatefold card using one of my new Torrente stamps.

Trio of Worm Play
In case you can't read the rhyme:
The worms crawl in
The worms crawl out
The worms play pinochle
On your snout.
(do you remember this one from way back when?)

Stamps: '3 in a round' (stampotique), rhyme sentiment (artful illusions)
Paper: DCWV card base, moss cardstock (retired TAC), UltraSmooth White cardstock (TAC)
Ink: VersaCraft black, VersaMark, & Noir Palette
Other: Prismacolor pencils w/ mineral oil, Scor-Bug & Scor-Pal, white embossing powder (ranger), Transcendence embossing powder (TAC), string (ace hardware)

I haphazardly ran my VM pad over the card base and sprinkled with white EP and heat set. Also heat embossed the main image with VC & Trans. EP, colored behind the trio and matted with moss cs.

So, do you accept this week's challenge?

Gruesome Twosome for last week:  Lynx & Ineke for their truly Wildly Wicked Winged Things!  Grab your GT badge in the sidebar ladies!

Lookie at what I got in the mail...

My first Penney-Torrente stamps from Stampotique!! I'm so excited :)
The only thing that would be better is if they were available on cling instead of wood mounts.

More cuteness... ugh!

;) Seriously, I just wanted to share one of the new Halloweenie stamp sets available from TAC. I was lucky enough to be asked to submit samples for their latest publication: Inspiration Avenue, and this is one that made it in!!

Yep... CUTE! I stamped & colored the witchie, masked her off and sponged the moon, grass & sky. I paper pieced her little skirt and then added some shadows to her & the sentiment with a q-tip.

Got out the ol' sewing machine and stitched a couple of edges of patterned paper after distressing them. Add some sheer ribbon & a glittery plastic spider and... voila!

Stamps: Spooky Girls, Happy Haunting

Paper: Penelope SWIC, White UltraSmooth & Penelope cardstocks

Ink: Landscape, Violette, Starry Night & Noir Palettes, Purple Hydrangea Versamagic (I think!)

Other: Penelope Ribbon, PrismaColor pencils w/ mineral oil, glittery spider

I'll be sharing a few more cute ones over the next several posts, so I hope that's ok ;)

What do you think?

Macabre Monday #003 - Wildly Wicked Winged Things

Welcome to the Haunted Design House's Macabre Monday challenge!

HDH Macabre Monday Rules:
1. Must have fun and not stress.
2. Create a Halloweenie SOMETHING (card, scrap page, altered item, whatever) that follows the specific Macabre Monday challenge given. Cutesy Halloween is fine, but creepy is better :) However, no extra 'points' are given either way.
3. You have until the following Sunday night @ 5pm central time to post your creation and linky back here.
4. If you upload to any online galleries (PW, PCP, SCS, etc.), please tag the title using HDH003.
5. Starting in September, I'll have monthly contest giveaways... more details to follow.
6. I'll be selecting a weekly Gruesome Twosome (my top two favorite creations) from all the players. At the end of every month these will be compiled and a Master of Macabre will be selected. He/she will be asked to be a guest blogger for the following month, if they so wish, and receive a little giftie from me (I have NO idea what this will be!!).


Ok, my little pretties... your challenge this week:
Wildly Wicked Winged Things

This week's challenge is to use something with wings on your creation. Fairies, moths, butterflies, birds, bats... just make sure they are a little wicked. This is what I've created... a little Moonlight Fairie. Be sure to click on the photos to blow up to see details :)

Stamps: mushroom fairie (Stamp it Crazy), Fresh Air Favorites (retired TAC)

Paper: Mulberry Meadow cardstocks (retired TAC), black & White UltraSmooth cardstocks (TAC)

Ink: Jardin Moss, Landscape, Cognac, Orangerie & Noir Palettes

Other: Grungeboard, Crystal Laquer, Prismacolors w/ mineral oil, VersaMarker, clear embossing powder, black lace & white swiss dot fabrics, Glimmer Mists

See the creepy-cool swiss dot fabric? It used to be white :) I sprayed it with olive & cranberry Glimmer Mists and dried it with a heat gun. I chose to over-heat it so that it would melt a bit & scrunch up. It feels really funky in real life and there is a lovely subtle shimmer from the mists.

After coloring the image, I applied Versa-Marker & embossing powder over the fairie & mushroom. Then I sponged the background & stamped the foliage. To really make the fairie stand out, I applied Crystal Lacquer.

Now it's your turn! This should be easier than the first two challenges :) so I hope to see a lot of participation this week!!

O Christmas Tree...

That's right... 8 more Christmas cards done! It's another cutesy design, but I've been in a cute mood lately... so bear with me during this trying time :)

The black gate-fold card bases were kinda fun with which to work... a little difficult, but fun.

Stamps (all TAC): Victorian Elements, Holiday Cheer, Playful Bet, Merry Words (retired)

Paper: DCWV card bases & orange cardstock, White UltraSmooth & Winchester cardstocks (TAC), SU! pattern paper

Ink: Noir & Violete Palettes, Champagne Dazzle VersaMark, Olive Glimmer Mist

Other: TAC black & white ribbon, ghostie trim (May Arts?), Crystal Stickles, EK Success border punch


So...
no more takers on the second Macabre Monday challenge??? You've got a couple days left!