Cute Halloween Card - Inkspirational Guest Designer

I don't know about you, but I am a HUGE hoarder of craft supplies. Last year when I first started blogging, I was introduced to "blog candy" and I won a big ol' package of October Afternoon Halloween supplies. Unfortunately, they came in the mail after Halloween was already over, so I haven't played with them at all!

But thanks to Inkspirational challenge, I now have a reason! 

They asked me to Guest Design for their latest challenge, which is cute Halloween (or pumpkins/owls for those who don't do Halloween cards)

I started out with some of the awwww-dorable vintagey Halloween images from the Witch Hazel embellishment pack, and then I picked out some graphic prints from the matching Witch Hazel paper pack. 

Isn't it sooooo cute? I finished it off by building my own sentiment from the STAMPlorations Joyful set. 

I'm also going to send this fun card over to the following challenges:

Friday Mashup - Create a project using ribbon OR for Halloween

Craft Rocket Challenge - Spooky 

Fusion - I used the theme - All Ha1low's Eve

Thanks for popping by! Hope to see you all playing along at Inkspirational! 

Mixed Media Card Challenge - Black and Orange

October means a NEW challenge up at the Mixed Media Card Challenge blog and we're giving you a chance to break out the black and orange! 

I do a lot of mixed media cards, but I particularly love this challenge because it gives me a chance to dig in the back of my drawers and bust out some things that I haven't used in awhile.

For my card, I used the theme - black and orange, but I left the glitter in the drawer. 

I did, however, pull out Distress Inks and Black Soot Distress Spray Stains to create a cool background - I actually used the background from the stenciling tutorial I posted last week. 

Then I stamped and masked some beakers, colored them in with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers. I added some frantage in the larger beaker, and then I mussed up the corners with some stamping and added some Distress Stain drops. I added a smoky base by using black Gelatos. 

  

Last but not least, I used glossy accents to make the eyeballs all 3-dimensional and stuff. 

It turns out that many of the other mixed media challenges are on the Halloween bandwagon, too, so I'm going to link up to 

Mixed Media Mojo's - Halloween challenge 

Mixed Media Monthly's - Spooky word search challenge (turns out black and orange are both in there!) 

So yeah. That's my card! 

You should come on over and play with us at the Mixed Media Card Challenge this month so I can oooooh and aaaah over your talents! 

Treats not Tricks!

Nom nom nom! I just made the most incredible Halloween puppy chow to put into some treat bags and give away. 

Here's my recipe:
9 C. Chex cereal
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 C. peanut butter
1 C. semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 C. candy corn
1 C. Reese's pieces
2 C. mini pretzels

Melt peanut butter and chocolate chips in the microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave another 30 seconds. Add vanilla. Pour mixture over Chex cereal. Put cereal into large bag then shake with powdered sugar. Mix all of the ingredients together in a big bowl. 

I know this isn't a foodie blog, but there's a reason I'm sharing. The challenge over at Simon Says Stamp's Monday blog is TREATS! I put together my favorite treat and then embellished it with a handmade tag. 

Since {PIN}spirational put out this great image I was inspired to go with  a Halloween-themed treat:

First, I die cut a tag using my Cricut, then I ripped one of the edges and brushed with Old Paper Distress Inks. 

Next, I used a hexagonal stencil and sponged Spiced Marmalade DI. 

I crumpled the paper up and then used my ink pad to highlight the crinkles. 

I brushed over the whole card with Bundled Sage to add some green and then stamped some vines in black from Close to My Heart's Harvest Memories stamp set. Lastly, I stamped a pumpkin from the same set and sponged it with Wild Honey and Vintage Photo DIs. 

I put everything together in a cute treat bag, tied it with a bow, and now I have amazing crafty treat bags to share with my friends!

All of my colors were taken from ColorQ's color challenge this week:

I went to an early Halloween party this last weekend and I just HAVE to share my costume with you all! Even my Halloween costume was crafty!

It took me two hours to glue on all those eyeballs and I will NOT be attempting this EVER again. But I do have to admit that it created quite the splash at the Halloween party I attended. What do you think?

Spooky Stamps and Markers

I've talked before about the international card exchange I joined at the Society of Stampaholics. The time has come to mail out cards for my second month of participation and the challenge could incorporate themes of either friendship, Halloween, or the moon. 

I got a real bargain on some holiday stamps at an estate sale and haven't had the opportunity to use them yet. So I busted out this adorable little witch and got to work coloring her up with my Spectrum Noir markers.

 Half-way through coloring, I stopped and thought, "Huh... do they celebrate Halloween in New Zealand?" Turns out, NOPE! New Zealanders don't trick-or-treat from what Google tells me. Shoot! But at least I get to share this cute card with you immediately, rather than waiting until Dawn in New Zealand gets it. She'll get a different creation. 

This cute card will just have to be mailed to somebody else...maybe with a bag of candy corn!

I also got a lovely comment from Darnell Knauss who just started a new challenge called never-before-used-schtuff. Just from reading her blog, I can tell she has an amazing wit and just loves to encourage other crafters, so I will happily be entering this into her second NBUS challenge. 

I also will be entering it into Crafting for All Season's Challenge "Colors of Autumn" and STAMPlorations "Stamps and Markers" challenge.