A Labeler Halloween PP315

So, you know how some weeks are just crazy?  Extra hours at work, people pulling you in all different directions, deadlines looming?  Yeah, it was one of those for me.  Which is way I cheated a little for Claire's awesome theme challenge this week at The Paper Players:

I cheated because I used the exact same sketch and layout as my cards for Joanne's awesome sketch challenge last week!  Ugh, I just couldn't come up with anything new.  That said, I do really like how my Halloween version turned out.  Take a look:

Like Thanksgiving stamps & accessories, Halloween stamps and goodies stick around in my craft room too.  Here, I've used some old DSP with Edgar Allen Poe's verses as well as a retired bat stamp from the set called From the Crypt.  

The real star, though, is the gorgeous tree from the Sheltering Tree set.  Embossed in silver on black it looks positively spooky!  I washed over it with some clear Wink of Stella because a Halloween forest has to sparkle!  The Labeler Alphabet stamp was super fun to use on the sentiment.  I love the ransom note (i.e. creepy) look of the crooked letters.  This is my first time using the fun black/grey Baker's Twine from the holiday catalog--love it!  Because I felt guilty for not coming up with a new design, I decided to try out an idea that had been floating in my head since my mom showed me this awesome idea from Pinterest:

I made a candle to go with the card!  I bought plain white candles at Dollar Tree and set to decorating them.  I cut a 6.5" x 7.25" piece of vellum cardstock.  I heat embossed the same tree as well as a gate image from another retired set, Toxic Treats.  On the back of the vellum I stamped the retired Dictionary image with Basic Gray archival ink.   I used spray adhesive and rolled the vellum onto the candle.  Some Glitter Tape around the bottom and some more black/grey Baker's Twine was tied around the top.  Easy-peasy!

By this time, I got my crafty groove on so while I had everything out I made three more!  I dug deep into my retired collection for these stamps including a contraband (non SU) stamp of some dancing Day of the Dead ladies.  Here's a close-up so you can see the background stamping and the detail:

And here's the whole set:

So, I guess I created someting new afterall!  Thanks for the fun theme, Claire. I love Halloween and though I don't send many cards, I do love decorating for the holiday so these candles will be put to good use...and will make a good present for a friend or two!  

The Paper Players Design Team

Claire Broadwater

Jaydee

Joanne James

Laurie Schmidt

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy

Sandy Mathis

Linda Callahan

Hannelie Bester

Colleen Begley

Be sure to check out the rest of the inspiration from my friends on The Paper Players design team!  We would love see your Halloween projects before our challenge closes on Friday, October 7th at Noon (PST)...thanks for stopping by!

A Paper Players Sketch {PP119}

Happy Sunday, friends, and welcome to another week with The Paper Players!  I am delighted to be your hostess this week for our monthly sketch challenge.  I love sketches--sometimes they are just a starting point and get the mojo flowing and sometimes I follow them exactly.  Either way as the foundation of the design, it's a great way to get started!

Even though it's late for a Halloween card, I just had to show you a card we made at my monthly stamp clubs:

You'll notice that I followed the sketch almost exactly--except where I used the Apothecary Accents Framelits instead of the banner.  You might also notice that it's a little bit longer than normal.  I just cut it in the middle and extended it beyond the focal image to make it a bit taller.  The label framelit covers the edges so no one would ever know that it's cut in half!  For the focal image, I heat embossed an image from Toxic Treats and using a 3/4" circle as a mask, sponged More Mustard ink around the circle.  Remove the circle and you have a perfect, spooky full moon!

I amped up the spook factor with a single eyeball accent and some champagne shimmer paint brushed over the spider web embossed background.  Gives a subtle sparkle to the background.

I used the same full moon masking technique on the inside along with two more of the images from Toxic Treats.  Stamping the images in Tangerine Tango and the masked moon in More Mustard.

And just because it goes so well with the colors and the full moon of today's card, I thought I would share a picture from our recent trip to Savannah, Georgia.  The historic district is brimming with gorgeousness around every corner and this historic square is no exception.  It was a perfect Southern night for strolling and snapping a pic or two!

I hope you'll find this week's challenge a perfect excuse to get busy in your craft room.  Go check out all the fabulous creations from the rest of the Design Team and  then link up your creations with us at The Paper Players!  Just be sure to get in on the action before Friday, November 2nd at Noon (PT) when this challenge turns into a pumpkin!  Happy Halloween!

The Paper Players Design Team

Jen Arkfeld
Dawn Easton
Helen Heil  

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

Nance Leedy

LeAnne Pugliese

Ann Schach

Amy White

Supplies 
Stamps: Toxic Treats
Ink: More Mustard, Tangerine Tango, Jet Black Stazon
Paper: More Mustard, Tangerine Tango, Very Vanilla, Basic Black CS; Houndstooth & Scaringbone DSP; Champagne Glimmer Paper
Xtras: Apothecary Accents & Labels Collection Framelits; Spider Web embossing folder; Basic Gray striped satin ribbon; 3/4" circle punch; googly eyes from my stash; Finishing Touches Edgelit die; Champagne Shimmer paint

Bejeweled Feline {PPA141}

Happy hump day, friends! I've got another stamp club card to share with you today.  I was inspired to play along with the great sketch over at Pals Paper Arts.  It's been waaaay too long since I joined the PPA fun:

I got out my pack of Howlstooth and Scaringbone DSP and got bizzy mixin' and matchin' all those patterns.  Here's what I ended up with:

Eeek!  I just love this kitty kat especially embossed in Tangerine Tango.  Don't you just love her rhinestone collar?!  So cute!

And here's how we decorated the inside.  Once the girls started stampin' those little frogs, they couldn't stop!  There were frogs hoppin all over!  

And speakin' of hopping, maybe you'll hop on over to my daughter's blog!  I've added a new button on my sidebar that will take you directly there.  She posted her first challenge card that she made all by herself!  So stinkin' proud, I am!  So, thanks for stopping by today friends...full supply list for today's card is listed below...



Supplies
Stamps: Frightening Feline; Toxic Treats
Ink: Tangerine Tango, BasJet Black Stazon; Versamark
Paper: Basic Black, Tangerine Tango, Very Vanilla CS; Howlstooth & Scaringbone DSP
Xtras: Designer Ribbon Slides;  Basic Gray striped satin ribbon; Basic Gray satin ribbon; Houndstooth embossing folder; Tangerine Tango stampin' emboss powder; embossing buddy; basic rhinestones