Fall Snow

What's the scoop? It's not even Halloween and we've had our first snow! You've got to love New England weather. Here are a few pictures taken on my walk in the forest this morning:




Keep warm!

Ali

Holiday Ornaments

Long time, no post! I've been having computer issues - my new laptop got a nasty virus and it needed a few days R&R. Well, actually, the nice Sys Admin at my husband's work and my husband have been been working on it. And it's still not properly fixed, sigh.....

But it has left me time to make stuff. It's amazing how much you can get done without a computer there to distract you. I've realized how much I get sucked into cyberspace and wind up wasting a lot of time!

Anyway, here are the ornaments I made for the Gingersnap Creations Holiday Ornament Art Exchange:

The tag bases are chipboard with vintage sheet music, gesso and lots of stamping and ink. I'm going to post a tutorial on how to make them on Gingersnaps this month.

I hope you'll sign up and join our exchange - it should be a lot fun!

Details:

• Stamps: Snow Swirled (SU), Script & Postmark (Hero Arts), Postcard (Artistic Outpost)
• Paper: Chipboard, vintage sheet music
• Ink & Paint: Gesso, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel (SU)
• Accessories: Red seam binding (SU), Silver dew drops, Poinsettia flowers (Hero Arts)
  
• Tools: Cropadile, sponges
  

Weekend Inspiration: Etsy Treasuries

I had some fun this week creating a couple of treasury lists on Etsy this week. If you're not familiar with Treasury, is a member-curated shopping gallery comprised of lists of items. Each treasury list can feature your favorite items or those based on a theme. For my lists, I chose color themes.

Some of the photography on Etsy is so inspiring - I think these lists are great inspiration for whatever artwork you're creating - cards, journal pages, scrapbook layouts, altered book projects etc. Enoy!

Aqua & Orange

Silver & Garnet

Pink

You can click on any of the items if you need to take a closer look at them.

Sneak Peek - Milliner Misses

Rogue Redhead Designs has a couple of new stamp plates coming out next month and here's a sneak peek at one of them - Milliner Misses. It's a mini plate and it's adorable. This might be my favorite Rogue set so far!


I used the sketch challenge on Splitcoast as my inspiration for the layout.

Got to run - I'm heading to New York City today for an art-filled weekend - should be fun! Have a wonderful weekend,

Ali

Double Challenge Card

Just a quick post today....

I fell in love with the colors for this week's Playdate Cafe challenge: Rust, Storm and Deep Sea and I also really like the Clean and Simple Stamping Sketch challenge too, so I combined 'em and came up with this Fall card.

The colors I used were Dusty Durango (ink and c/stock), Night of Navy (c/stock) and Basic Grey taffeta ribbon to approximate the colors. The leaf is from a retired SU set.

Thanks for stopping by!

Ali

Cupcake Challenge and a Giveaway

Good morning!

I have a clean and simple card to share this morning and a chance to win some of my notebooks.

Janice over at Artisan Crafted wrote a very nice post about my store today and if you scroll to the bottom you have a chance to win a stack of my music notebooks! Head over there and take a peek. While you're there, take a good look around because there's a ton of inspiration on this lovely blog. Thank you, Janice!

Here's today's quick card. It's for the Splitcoast CAS challenge, which is to use cupcakes. This couldn't have come at a better time because my daughter just got invited to a birthday party at a bakery - how much fun is that going to be? They didn't have parties at bakeries when I was 12, but that is a very long time ago :)



The stamp set I used is an old SU hostess set called Out of the Box and the Valentine patterned paper is also a retired SU paper. At least I'm using up my old stuff, right?

Have a wonderful day and don't forget to head over to Artisan Crafted!

Ali

Mini Art Journal with Twinchies and Things I Love

Happy weekend everyone! I didn't have time to make a "Weekend Inspiration" post today, but it'll be back next week.

I found time for a play date with my supplies this week and made this little art journal. I'm really happy with how it turned out.

It came about because I had just filled a big order for my Mini Thanksgiving Journals and had a couple "seconds" leftover on my desk. You know - the ones that don't quite make the grade!


The journal itself is an accordion which measures 2.5" x 2.5" and the inside pages measure 2.25" x 2.25". So I created a bunch of mini collages measuring 2" x 2" (also known as twinchies) and adhered them to the journal pages.

There is really not rhyme or reason to the items I picked - just things I love! Lace, tags, quotes, buttons, transparencies, music, text etc.



I'm itching to make another! Hope you liked it :)

Ali

Halloween Cone Tutorial

Good morning! I going to share a Halloween cone tutorial with you today. The instructions on the photos aren't very clear, so I'll write them underneath too.

Glue a square of paper (not card stock) to a piece of vintage paper.

Draw a quarter circle as shown using something circular as a template.

Have a cup of tea while the glue dries!

Cut out the cone and decorate with stamps.

Bend the cone around something round to break the paper
fibers before forming the cone, otherwise the paper might crack.

Place a piece of strong adhesive, such as Scor Tape, along one of the long edges.

Carefully bring together edges to form a cone. Often there
is a gap at the bottom - it's okay - we can let it go :)

Finish cone as desired with ribbon, trim and doodads.

Halloween Tag

Hi folks,

it's challenge day over at Gingersnap Creations and this month's supply challenge is alcohol inks. I made this little number using stamps from Oxford Impressions and some vintage text using a coffee dyed manila tag for the base.

I finished it off with a metal washer from the hardware store and some satin ribbon. But where is the alcohol ink you ask? I colored the metal washer with two shades of green ink.


Hope you liked it! I'm also entering the tag into the following challenges:

Vicki's challenge #27 - Halloween
Art With No Boundaries - Halloween

Come back tomorrow because I have a Halloween cone with tutorial planned :)

Weekend Inspiration

Happy weekend! It's so warm and sunny here in New England - it feels like summer. I think we're being lulled into a false sense of security before all the snow comes!

I haven't had time to stamp any more this week because I've been wicked busy with my Etsy store filling orders and getting ready for the holidays. I listed some adorable (well I think so) mini journals this week:

And my products have been featured in over a dozen Etsy Treasury List this week - it's been amazing! My Halloween Treat Boxes were featured on Design Wotcha and my Gothic Halloween paper was shown on the Spanish language site, Bueno, Bonito y Barato. Both sites have lots of eye candy!

Here's the final installment of Halloween inspiration for you. Next week we'll move onto other Fall themes - promise!

Check out this awesome Book Page Pumpkin - just up my street. Click on the link below for the tutorial.

Source: Creations by Kara

Aren't these strawberry ghosts a riot? Click on the link below for the recipe.

Source: Taste of Home

We are definitely making these Mummy Candy bars in our house this year - Hershey Bars are my girl's favorite :)

Source: The Idea Room

Who would have thunk it? Cover Dixie cups with paper, attach some lights and you've got an inexpensive holiday light fixture. Just change it out the cups for each holiday - very clever!

Source: Good Housekeeping

If you're hosting a party, this would be the hilarious to play!

Source: Jeanetics

Last but not least for us paper crafters, check out this awesome wreath! Sigh......

Source: Vacuuming in High Heels and Pearls

Enjoy your Halloween preparation!

Clean and Simple Halloween Card

I've been away all weekend in Vermont scouring antique stores for vintage paper goodies :) And man, did I get some beauties. I can't wait to photograph them and put them in the store. They are so awesome! I've been busy catching up on emails and orders and didn't think I'd have to stamp, but.....

I couldn't resist today's Splitcoast Clean and Simple challenge because it was a really great CAS sketch. My desk was still covered in Halloween items, so I pulled this together this afternoon.

The main image is from an SU set called House of Haunts and so is all the c/stock. The strip of text is the gothic text from my Etsy store and the main image is stamped on this too (an edge piece with no text on it).

Note: I don't have many of these packs of gothic text left. Get 'em while you can :)

I created the moon in the background by creating a reverse circle mask from a 1 1/4" circle punch and a post-it note, then sponged Dusty Durango ink to create the moon.

I was also intrigued by today's Ways to Use It challenge, which was to use a #2 or HB pencil on your project. I immediately thought of fog and mist with this image, you can see the close up here (hopefully). I shaded with the pencil and then used a blending stump to blur it.

Hope you're having a good start to your week :)

Ali

Halloween Weekend Inspiration

In keeping with the Poe piece yesterday, I have some spooky inspiration for you today from Etsy. Etsy is just filled to the brim with amazing Halloween items and I thought I'd share a few of my favorites with you.

This cute little guy makes me smile every time I look at him. He's definitely on my Halloween wish list! Lisa from Anna Belle Arts created him and a whole host of adorable needle felted creatures, pumpkins and acorns.

Needle Felted Jack-O-Lantern Assemblage

This skull pendant would be such a cool Halloween gift for a teen or preteen instead of candy. It was created by Sarah-Lambert Cook of Tuckoo and Moo Cow

Día de los Muertos Hand Painted Pendant

If you decorate your home for Halloween, then this bat covered pillow, created by Rachel from Out on a Limb, would be an awesome addition.

Halloween Bat Pillow

How much fun is this guy? or gal? Sallie from That Sallie creates the most adorable primitive dolls and this Raggedy Mummy really caught my eye!

Raggedy Mummy Primitive Country Doll

Lots of you are already familiar with Lynn Steven's work. When I saw her Halloween Collage Box, it really blew me away! I love how she included those half burned candles. You can see more of her work in her store Trash to Treasure and her blog of the same name.

Halloween Collage Box

Robin from rrizzart creates mixed media art and jewelry - don't you love this funky coffin jewelry box?

Coffin Jewelry Box

Are you planning a Fright Night party? These cup cake toppers would make the evening really special. Debbie at Ephemera's Vintage Garden created this fun vintage collage sheet and she has lots more spooky fun in her store.

Cup Cake Toppers/Treat Bag Stickers

I saved my favorite for last. Isn't he adorable? His name is Hal and he's a Zombie Sock Monster. I know my 5 year old niece would love this guy just as much as I do! Melinda from Maddie's Minions created him plus lots of other quirky, one-of-a kind creatures.

Halloween Zombie Sock Monster

I hope this post put you in the mood for a little Halloween fun! Enjoy your weekend,

Ali

Poe

Happy October! Edgar Alan Poe is the theme on Gingersnaps this month and I created this collage to kick it off.

Starting with a piece of watercolor paper as my base, I added a stamped and grunged up piece of green patterned paper, then layered on gothic German text and some mesh.

I found a photograph of Poe on the internet, re-sized and printed it onto the same German text (in my Etsy store). The paper is from an old copy of Goethe's Faust from the 1800s and is quite fragile, so I glued it onto a piece of copy paper before running it through my printer. It worked like a charm! I added some stamping, stitching and an old optical lens to the photo.

I finished the piece with a vintage pen nib and aged scrabble tiles. Not my normal style, but I hope you like it :)

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

Ali