Totally Moth Fab...

Have you missed me?!  I have been locked in my creative dungeon today, so I can actually share something new ;) 

Can I just say, I love Torrente stamp images?  So demented looking... fiendish, really.  LOVE THEM.  I know, I know... if you've been to my "normal" blog, you are probably wondering how I can create a whimsical little snowman card one day, and say that I'm in love with Torrente images the next.  Well, that's just how I roll.  Yes... I AM the same person... ;)

Stamps:  Moth Fab (Torrente), sentiment (The Angel Company - TAC)
Paper:  Penelope (orange) & basic black cardstocks (TAC), misc. white & green cardstocks
Ink  Palette Noir
Other:  Copic markers, Crystal Lacquer, MS spider web punches, misc. ribbon

I took a ton of pictures of this one... I was trying to show my Copic coloring.  I've got a handful of them, and am still a bit clumsy with markers.

I used Crystal Lacquer on Moth Fab's eyes, bodice, boots, and the heart on her purse.  It adds just a bit o' shine.

A lot of Torrente's images are freakin' TALL!  This forces one to step outside of the typical A2 sized card... me likey :)

I think I did pretty good on coloring this one... and I like how I added all of those little orange dots everywhere.  They kinda go along with Torrente's style of drawing.

She really does look better in person... and the bow is yummi-liscious... you'll just have to trust me :)

I'm thinking the inside of the card should read:  "No, really.... go".  I got that from Junkmail Greetings... LOVE IT.

What do you think?

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Macabre Monday #012 - Garishly Gleaming Glitter

Welcome to 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 HDH012.
4. I'll have monthly contest giveaways... tune in for additional details.
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... this could be stamp sets, handmade items, papers, halloweenie embellishments... you just never know.

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

Garishly Gleaming Glitter

Create a dark, Gothic, or Halloween page, project or card featuring glitter... 

Stickles, metallic glitter, Sparkly Fluff... if it gleams or catches the light, use it!

Here's my version...

I love this Build-an-Owl stamp set... just imagine all of the cool color combo's I could use... hmm....

Stamps:  Build-An-Owl (TAC),  poem stamp from Bad Axe Stamps
Paper:  Bazzill card base, Basic Brown & Kraft cardstocks
Ink:  retired chalk ink from TAC, rust color from ColorBox
Other:  Copper Stickles, bronze pearls from Michael's, misc. ribbon

The owl is huge... it takes up most of this standard A2 sized card (4-1/4" x 5-1/2")... so it doesn't leave room for much embellishing or layering.

Now, the Gruesome Twosome of Halloween week is:  Kristen, for her awesome hand-drawn ghoulish couple, and Creepy Glowbugg for her beyond bizarre pulp-film fabulousness!  Grab your GT badge from the sidebar, ladies, and display with pride ;)

I'll post October's Master of the Macabre in a day or two... what you REALLY want to know is who is the bonus winner for the Lurid Love challenge, right?  From Random.org:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

3

Timestamp: 2009-11-01 23:40:11 UTC

Which means, Linda aka Oz is the bonus winner!  Hey Linda, shoot me an email with your mailing address and I'll get a package out to you this week!  Congrats!!

Halloween for 2009 may be over, but there is less than a year until the next one!  So let's get the challenges going... are you up to it?

All Hallows Eve 2009...

...well, it's basically over.  I am a bit sad.  There were hardly ANY tricker-treaters this year... I MEAN, hardly.  With all of the grade schools doing the trunk-r-treating thing, and then there is the mall... it's all become a one-stop-candy-shop scene.  I did get a few cuties... a little ladybug that would make your heart melt, several princesses, a few witches {ahhhh... my kindred spirits :)}, a couple of alligators...

My favorite was a dad and son that dressed up like Dr. Evil and Mini-me... I didn't know if I would ever stop smirking... too darn cute!  They even had the scars.  I was glad to see so many parents dress up WITH their kids... those groups were the ones laughing and carrying on the most.

As promised, a few shots of the house via candlelight... enjoy :)

All Hallows Eve 2009 (well, All Hallows afternoon, anyway)...

Today, I'm showing a few snapshots from around the house... before it gets dark & all the candles are lit!  I'll take more photos tonight... when all is aglow :) 

I hope your Halloween is Frightful!

Boo Sprite Girl... in the pink

Well, kids... the big day is almost here!  I didn't get much of anything done today, so I have a ton of work ahead of me tomorrow... spiderwebs, creepy black vines, the big mummy... yikes.  I won't bother dusting anything... that will just add to the ambiance, right?  ;)

Ok, tonight's card is a whole lotta Ca-yoot-ness (right, Patti J.?)  ;)  I know this little sprite isn't too spooky, but she's a little grungey.. does that count?  I think I would look like this if I put a bow in my hair, too ;)  Although, I don't wear dresses... or pink... and I have a mouth & nose...

Stamps (TAC):  Spunky Sprite Girls, retired sentiment
Paper:  Brighten My Day, White UltraSmooth cardstock, DCWV card base
Ink:  Noir Palette
Colorant:  Prismacolors w/mineral oil blending
Other:  misc. ribbons, Bazzill & misc. florals,  jewel

I think I'll be off for the night... to let the images of ghosties & goblins dance about in my skull  ;)

BTW:  let's get some more players in this week's Macabre Monday challenge, people!  Don't you want to win some Halloweenie goodies?!!!

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Lookie lookie...

More Happy Mail from another TAC Angel demonstrator!  I'm telling you, the gals (& few guys) that are demos for TAC are some of the NICEST people ever.  This group of Halloweenie yummies is from

Suzanne Edwards... Thanks Suzanne! 

From Recollections:  pom pom spidey stickers, brads, paper ribbon, fabric trims/ribbons, and some REALLY cool metal charms.  And the cutest handmade vampire card... she said this package of goodies is because I am so kind to everyone...

{psssst, Suzanne... you are TOTALLY blowing my cover here, girl... you are supposed to keep that on the D.L. ;)}

Thanks again, Suzanne!  And if you would like to pop by her blog and show her some luvin', that would be great ;)

HDH010 Gruesome Twosome...

Gruesome Twosome for last week:  Glenna for the sparkly spider butt (it just makes me smile), and Linda aka Oz for her mad drawing skills on that witchie treat bag!  Grab your GT badge in the sidebar ladies... I know... Linda already has one ;) !

Macabre Monday #011 - Lurid Love... my version :)

It's Tuesday and I should be working!  But instead, I thought I'd share my take on this week's challenge :)

I know... it's cute... but in a kinda creepy way, right?  I can't remember which TAC Angel demo suggested it, but she thought I could creep-out these cupids, and... Ta Da!

Stamps:  Love & Friendship (TAC)
Paper:  DCWV card base, White UltraSmooth cardstock
Ink:  Palette Noir
Other:  Prismacolors w/ mineral oil, Black & Crystal Stickles, Scor-Pal & Scor-Bug, misc. sheer ribbon, black gems from JoAnn's, pop dots

I love their little black glittery wings... I did go a little Stickles-happy on this one, but it IS a wedding image after all... ya' gots to have the glitta, baby.  :)

I'm hoping to see some more participation this week!  I really want to have a bunch of names in the bonus drawing!  If we get a good number I might draw more than one name... you never know... that's just how I roll.

What do you think?
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Oopsie... do you want some candy?

Did I forget to mention that everyone that participates in this week's challenge will be in an extra prize drawing?  Yeah... since it IS Halloween Week after all :)  I'm not saying what all will be included, but it will be some Halloweenie goodness.

Macabre Monday #011 - Lurid Love

Welcome to 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 HDH011.
4. I'll have monthly contest giveaways... tune in for additional details.
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... this could be stamp sets, handmade items, papers, halloweenie embellishments... you just never know.

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

Lurid Love

Create a dark/Halloween page, project or card featuring love and marriage... 

in all it's gruesome & gothic glory.

What is lurid?  From dictionary.com:
1. gruesome; horrible; revolting: the lurid details of an accident.
2. glaringly vivid or sensational; shocking: the lurid tales of pulp magazines.
3. terrible in intensity, fierce passion, or unrestraint: lurid crimes.
4. lighted or shining with an unnatural, fiery glow; wildly or garishly red: a lurid sunset.
5. wan, pallid, or ghastly in hue; livid.

Bride of Frankenstein, goth wedding announcement, a treat for your twisted sweet... I'm picturing some really fun stuff with this one, baby ;)  I'll post my card project in the next couple of days... I'm busy with last minute Halloween preparations!  I'll also announce the Gruesome Twosome for last week at that time.

Ok people... show me the LOVE!

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Gruesome Twosome for HDH009...

Gruesome Twosome for last week:  Beth Van Brunt for her beautifully eerie skull card, and Creative Momma for her AWESOME dimensional skull sign!  Grab your GT badge in the sidebar ladies!

Macabre Monday #010 - Bubble Bubble Toil & Trouble...

Ok, so I still haven't picked the Gruesome Twosome this week... I'm hoping to do that tonight, so be watching for that post :)

Here is my take on the ingredients challenge:  green, black, purple &/or tan in color,  and something round & shiny

See... told ya' it was going to be a super-simple one!  I found the metal container in the $1 spot at Target like TWO FREAKIN' YEARS AGO!  Yep... I've had it in my pit of studio this whole time.  It was already painted black with the shiny metal lid, so all I did was add a little patterned paper, fuzzy skull rub-ons, and a little stamped cardstock, and BOOM... done.

Stamps (all TAC):  So Splattered (retired), Label Lingo (Hostess Level D set)
Paper:  Bo-Bunny dp, kraft & black cardstocks (TAC)
Ink:  StazOn & Palette
Other:  flocked rub-on kit from Making Memories, Target container

I stamped splatters on the lid with StazOn & then heat-set it (just in case)... we'll see how it holds up.  I'm thinking I like this cannister for a "you've been boo'd" kinda thing... or just as a giftie container in general.

What do you think?

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Macabre Monday #010 - Bubble Bubble Toil & Trouble: Use These Ingredients

Welcome to 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 HDH010.
4. I'll have monthly contest giveaways... tune in for additional details.
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... this could be stamp sets, handmade items, papers, halloweenie embellishments... you just never know.

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

Bubble Bubble Toil & Trouble:  Use These Ingredients

 For this week's challenge, you are to create a Halloween page, project or card using the following ingredients: green, black, purple &/or tan in color,  and something round & shiny.  I'll post my super simple project in the next couple of days... I'm worn out from the craft fair!  I'll also announce the Gruesome Twosome for last week at that time... sorry!

Happy Mail :)

Go check out my other blog here:  http://fosterdesignhouse.blogspot.com/2009/10/happy-mail.html

I've received some Halloween yumminess from a group of the nicest ladies...
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Macabre Monday #009 - Eerie Inspiration: Haunted Home Decor

Welcome to 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 HDH009.
4. I'll have monthly contest giveaways... tune in for additional details.
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... this could be stamp sets, handmade items, papers, halloweenie embellishments... you just never know.

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

Eerie Inspiration:  Haunted Home Decor

 For this week's challenge, you are to create a Halloween page, project or card using the photo below for inspiration.  This is one of my favorite Halloween decorative groupings at the house so far... I put up a backdrop to hide the refrigerator ;)

At least one of the elements shown in the photo must be present in your project... skull, owl, birdcage, bones, barbed wire, or raven!

For my card, I decided to make an almost direct copy of the scene, minus the raven jar & the barbed wire.  I colored with Prismacolors & mineral oil, and cut everything out.  I sliced the owl wing so it would rest over the top of the bone end, and created more dimension by popping up the birdcage.

Stamps (all TAC):  Birdcage, Fleur Birdies, Boo Bash & Punk Princess (both retired)

Paper:  White UltraSmooth, Black, & DCWV lime cardstocks

Ink:  Palette Noir

Other:  misc. sheer ribbon, Prismacolors w/ mineral oil, Scor-Pal & Scor-Bug

Gruesome Twosome for last week:  Jana for the awesome little hidden spider treat box, and Linda aka Oz for her raven's egg box.  Grab your GT badge in the sidebar ladies!

So, do you accept this week's challenge?
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Randomness...

I delight in finding creepy-cool schtuff at Hobby Lobby... I think it is because they are more cutesy-Halloween than creepy.  This little beauty was in their random metal & glass, chotchky, dust-collecting decor items area... me likey :)

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Ghoulish gourds all in a row...

I thought I'd share another little treat project today.  How cute is this little row of pumpkins?!  It's very basic and super easy to make, and I'll be selling a few of these at an upcoming craft fair.  Sorry about the photos... it was cloudy when I snapped them.

I created a little accordian-folded divider so that the little guys wouldn't move around in the box.  May I just say:  the Scor-Pal makes crafty life so easy sometimes!  I created a template, however it is not to scale... but it is so seriously easy you can just line it up on the SP and go to town:

This box feels nice and sturdy because I have an extra side piece that folds over... this also creates a nice finished top edge.  I did trim a smidgen off of the outer piece that folds over and in so it would fit correctly.  The acetate lid is created with the same box bottom template, except omit the two outer 1" x 5-1/4" sections.  I just used a mini glue dot to secure each flap so that there would be minimal adhesive that would show.  You could also use an eyelet if you wanted a more polished appearance.

I wrapped the little pumpkins in food safe plastic before putting them into the box... this will keep them fresher and cardstock won't stick to them!  Supplies:  TAC's promotional stamp set More Bone Appetit, Penelope & kraft cardstocks, copper eyelet, acetate, and some paper ribbon raffia.

What do you think?!
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Macabre Monday #008 - Terrifying Treats

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 HDH008.
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:

Terrifying Treats

 For this week's challenge, you are to create a Halloween treat container or bag topper.  Coffin boxes, candy bar wrappers, tins... anything that can house a sweet (or sour!) treat for the kiddies!

  I've seen these cute little witch's broom bags around the web, done up with kraft bags, but I had a stack of black ones... so why not?  I put some of those peanut butter kisses in a food safe plastic bag and tied it with a twist tie.

After slicing the bag to almost the bottom (I should have gone further... note to self for the next one!) I place the plastic bag of  candy inside.  I used a spooky pencil from Wal-mart for the handle & some funky paper ribbon-raffia to secure everything.

Used my wunnerful MS spider web punches, Bazzill cardstock, Noir Palette ink, & Bone Appetit promotional stamp set from The Angel Company (TAC) to create a large tag.  A little black Scrapper's Floss adds the finishing touch!

Definitely not as cute as some I've seen, but I've been out of town for a few days and needed a quickie project!!  This SO qualifies, and will be easy to mass produce for the kiddies! 

Gruesome Twosome for last week:  Lynx & Chris V. for their Menacing Moveables!  Chris's fun wiper card & Lynx's dancing skeleton card are too good ;)  Grab your GT badge in the sidebar ladies!

I put the names of all of our fantastic Gruesome Twosomes to date in a jar.  The name that was drawn for the very first Master of Macabre was...
....
....
....

LYNX

Congratulations my friend!  Be sure to grab your MM badge in the sidebar, Lynx!  And please shoot me an email with your mailing address so I can send you this More Bone Appetit stamp set:

Yep, I love these so much that I bought an extra set.  Next month I'll be giving away this one:

I know, next month's prize will be too late to use for this year, but this IS an ALL HALLOWEEN ALL THE TIME blog ;)

Ok, let see some yummies... do you accept this week's challenge?
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Halloweenie Project Playlist on TAC's website...

Ok, so I haven't been posting much lately, right?  Well, part of the reason is because I was busy creating these lovelies:  http://www.theangelcompany.net/PromoProjectPlaylist.html !  Click on the Fall Into Fabulous title to see the stamp specials, and click on the individual photos (including the Boo-berry one) for a closer look at the projects :)

I had an absolute blast, and these stamp sets make me want to host a Halloweenie bash even more than before!  I LOVE how the two mummy things turned out... so much fun!  I think I'll be doing several of these projects to sell at my upcoming craft fair booth... most definitely.

Thanks for looking!  And if you have any questions on recipes, etc., just email me and ask!

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