These are the Ghoul Times!

My boss shared this Far Side cartoon with me many years ago and it makes me laugh every time I see it!



Today starts a new monthly challenge on the JFF Rubber Stamps blog and the theme is Halloween!



I needed a little creativity jump start and used the September 2018 card sketch from the card sketch challenge in the Club Scrap Chat group on Facebook.





I used two different Halloween stamps from JFF Stamps to create my design. I randomly stamped the Tiny Black Kat  onto a strip of Club Scrap black print card stock with Versamark ink and heat embossed with copper foil embossing powder.



My Tim Holtz stamping platform came in handy again with the Crooked Old Tree silhouette stamp and Black Soot Distress Oxide ink. I always avoided silhouette or detailed stamps until I started using the platform. I had to stamp both images a few times to get a full imprint, but they turned out perfect! I added some googly eyes to the tree and some puffy sticker letters for my sentiment.



Click HERE for more inspiration from the JFF Design Team and link up your Halloween creation for a chance to win a gift certificate to shop at JFF Stamps! I'll look for you in the gallery!



CHALLENGES ENTERED:

The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog: October's Creative Team Challenge Inktober

Love to Scrap Challenge Blog #114 Fall Back

Love to Craft Challenge Blog #27 October Anything Goes

Hiding in My Craftroom #372 Freestyle!

Cards in Envy Something Spooky Card Challenge

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Bump in the Night

My brother gave my boys the book M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman many years ago. I scared the poop out of them by reading the short story " The Price" one night before bed. This animatic version is narrated by the author himself!

https://vimeo.com/56573423

Talk about some light sleepers after that! Any little noise and we were all wide awake!

The new challenge at Cupcake Inspirations is Bump in the Night. 



I created this tag with the Black Cat in mind!

[caption id="attachment_12734" align="aligncenter" width="507"] JFF Rubber Stamps Tiny Black Kat, Bats and Couple Under a Light Post . Club Scrap card stock and ribbon.[/caption]

I trimmed the Couple Under a Light Post stamp *GASP* to isolate the light post and created a scene using the three stamp images. The Tim Holtz stamping platform came in handy when stamping these silhouette stamps multiple times for full coverage!



I punched a mask for the moon with a 2 in circle punch on a piece of Post it tape, covered my stamped images and dusted the tag with Orange Marmalade Distress Oxide ink. Then I added some Diamond Stickles to the lamp post, inked the edges with Black Soot Distress ink and added an eyelet and some ribbon. Now I have a spooky little book mark for my book!

Click HERE for more inspiration from the Design Sweeties and share your hair-raising creations with us! I'll look for you in the gallery!



CHALLENGES ENTERED:

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog - October Anything Goes Challenge #56

The Ribbon Girl Blog - October Anything Goes

Make My Monday Challenge #81 Animals

Your Next Stamp Fall Fun Challenge #98

ATC Around the World  #46- Halloween! 

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Spots and Dots!

The new challenge is up on the Southern Girls Challenge blog and the theme is Spots and Dots!



Our sponsors for this challenge are Krafter's Kart and The Paper Shelter.





My project features the Hammock Days digital image from The Paper Shelter. I designed my project in Photoshop Elements with the intent to print and color with Prismacolor pencils.



I wanted something different, so I changed my mind!  I still had my metal supplies out on my desk from a few weeks ago for the “Metalize” it! challenge and thought I'd metalize this project too! Here's a quick video of the process.

https://youtu.be/YMHFRgc8agA

Be sure to check out what the rest of the Southern Girls from Team Trace have created and show us YOUR spots and dots! Click HERE to link up your creation for a chance to win!

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Freckles and a Temper

"The so-called Irish temperament is a mixture of flaming ego, hot temper, stubbornness, great personal charm and warmth, and a wit that shines through adversity. An irrepressible buoyancy, a vivacious spirit, a kindliness and tolerance for the common frailties of man and a feeling that 'it is time enough to bid the devil good morning when you meet him' are character traits which Americans have associated with their Irish neighbors for more than a century." ~Carl Wittke

My father-in-law loves to say that I have an Irish temper. He's right. I can get hot quick and stay mad for a long time. But when I cool off,  I'll hug your neck and forget it just as fast. I suppose I get it honest, my great grandmother was a Cagle and that is an old Irish name. It's taken my husband most of our marriage to learn to sidestep my Irish temper, but he's mastered the dance pretty well. He's also really good at keeping me in check. This scene is from my all time favorite movie The Quiet Man. This is exactly something my husband would do and me too for that matter!

https://youtu.be/MkQyRE0byBI

He's crazy, wildly inappropriate and doesn't give a @#$%. He loves to embarrass me...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10217533327352952&set=a.4762432626638&type=3&theater

BUT,  I like it too. Salty and sweet, it's a good mix!

Today's post is part of the Cupcake Inspirations green and brown color challenge.



Our sponsor for this challenge is A Day for Daisies and they are generously offering a $12 gift certificate to our randomly chosen winner!



My card was inspired by a quote from my favorite movie and the Garden Chair Gathering digital image from A Day for Daisies!



I created my card layout in Photoshop Elements and printed on mixed media paper. I colored the background using Distress inks and Gansai Tambi watercolors for shading. The chairs were colored with Prismacolor colored pencils and blended with Gamsol and a paper stump.



I love it so much I think I'm going to frame it and put it somewhere I can admire it.

Be sure to check out what the rest of the Sweeties have created for the challenge and link up your green and brown creation for a chance to win!

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"Metalize" it!

I'm always looking for something new and different and this was just what I needed! ATCoins! They remind me of the round badges that were popular in the 80's.



They were right up there with Swatch watches! My sisters brought the 80's back when they gave me this for my 40th birthday trip to Vegas...



ATCoins are similar to Artist Trading Cards except they are round instead of rectangular. They are 2.5 inches of mini canvas to decorate!



The new Southern Girls challenge is up and the theme is to add some metal to your projects! I have plenty of metal embellishments, but I wanted something else. It's been awhile since I got out my Ten Seconds Studios sheet metal and embossing tools. I watched this video for a refresher.

https://youtu.be/ZhEkgXkZ4SE

I created a metal embellishment out of Ten Seconds Studios metal and one of the new Club Scrap stamp images from the Ivy League kit. I used the instructions from the video to create my metalized "wax" seal!



I found a tiny metal coffee cup charm for this coin and a mini pair of reading glasses too!



I was playing with scraps and came up with this one. I intended to make a starburst pattern, but liked this instead! The sentiment was just the right fit for my 1.5 inch circle punch.



Click HERE to see what the rest of Team Trace has created for the challenge and link up your metalized creation for a chance to win a prize from Krafter's Cart! I'll look for you in the gallery!

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If it's too Loud, You're too Old!

I love the surge of endorphins after a good workout! My body is relaxed; I can breathe a sigh of relief after a long day and just be. Music is essential to my workouts. When listening to music, people run farther, bike longer and swim faster than usual—often without realizing it. I put a lot of thought into my cycling playlist. My number one song is AC/DC's Thunderstruck. Gets me going everytime! The next few songs are steady beats that make you want to get up and move. The mid section starts with Pink's Raise Your Glass and ends with JT's Sexyback, 'cause that's what I'm doing this for! (Not really, I'm just trying to get off my blood pressure pills, but bringing sexy back sounds sooooo much better!) The songs are fast tempos and help me keep a steady pace. The last few wind down slowly and end with Queen's We are the Champions. Hey! It's cheesy, but every workout is a huge feat for this former couch 'tater and makes an hour bike ride breeze by.

https://youtu.be/04854XqcfCY

I really don't like music when I practice yoga. I try to focus on breathing and background music interferes with my concentration. However, AFTER class I'll roll down the windows, open the sunroof and blast some ELO for the ride home. Mr. Blue Sky never gets old!

https://youtu.be/s7dTBoW5H9k

I'm definitely a rock 'n roll fan. If it's too loud, you're too old!

Today's post is part of the Cupcake Inspirations color challenge sponsored by Lawn Fawn. 

I'm not sure how I ended up with this theme; I just let the creativity roll! Hmmmm, I did have Heart playing in the background...

[caption id="attachment_12697" align="alignnone" width="3607"] Club Scrap limited edition stamp images, sentiment and card stock.[/caption]

I drew some guitar strings with a white gel pen (PROBABLY should have worn my "cheaters") and made the tuning pegs out of some copper jewelry wire. It's all about the little details right?



Click HERE to check out what the rest of the Design Sweeties have created for the challenge and link up for a chance to win a gift certificate from Lawn Fawn! I'll look for you in the gallery!

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FORE!

Heads up!  The school year has begun and HOCO 2018 is right around the corner! Whether it's your first homecoming or your last, the dance is definitely one of the highlights of going back to school.  "Putt" a smile on your favorite golfer's face and give them this cute gift box as part of your homecoming proposal (so you can stop worrying about your date and start thinking about your outfit)!

[caption id="attachment_12691" align="alignnone" width="3284"] JFF Rubber Stamps Golf collage image (will be in the store soon!) and Club Scrap card stock from the August 2018 Ivy League collection. [/caption]

It takes a lot of balls to ask someone out on a date. Why not gift them one and ask them to "par-tee" with you at HOCO?!



I found this cute patisserie-box template, printed on 8.5x11 card stock, trimmed and scored.



I stamped the new Golf stamp collage image from JFF Stamps on Club Scrap card stock, colored with Prismacolor pencils and trimmed with detail scissors. I added some gold Stickles for sparkle and adhered the image to an oval die cut.  I attached to the back of my box with some matching card stock. I made some parallel slits in the box lid with a craft knife and slid the golf tee underneath the tab. It's a gimme!

The JFF Stamps monthly challenge is going on now and the theme is STRIPES!



Link up HERE for a chance to win a gift certificate to shop at JFF Stamps! I'll look for you in the gallery!

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Talk Birdie to Me

Golf is not my bag. I can curse loudly (and proficiently) and throw a golf club (kinda far I might add!), but I don't enjoy playing golf. The sad part is that I'm not a bad golfer. I played a half-assed game at Bringhurst with my kids on Mother's Day a few years ago. I didn't really want to play that day and drug my feet and pouted. Well, it was Mother's Day! When it was my turn to shoot on the 6th hole, I addressed the ball and swung. They all watched the ball fly through the air and then dead silence when the ball landed and rolled to a stop. My Bellino Boys erupted into loud yelling and jumping and I waited patiently for the teasing to begin. Instead, I got hugs and back thumps for shooting a birdie. *SHRUG* Some of the women's golf outfits are kinda cute. Eh, maybe I'll give it another shot. How can I say no to these guys?



My sons are pretty serious golfers. If they have free time, they're on the golf course and they're always in competition with each other!







Daddy -O likes to tag along and play with the new toys!









They keep me active and on my toes!

Today's post is part of the JFF Rubber Stamps new August 2018 challenge STRIPES!



I just received some of the new Summer 2018 stamps from JFF Rubber Stamps (available in the store soon!) and of course I had to use them! My first card features a female golfer silhouette, a golf themed birthday sentiment and a fun bridge fold that will fold flat for mailing in an A-2 sized envelope.

[caption id="attachment_12678" align="aligncenter" width="5472"] Club Scrap card stock, JFF Stamps image and sentiment, Cricut Everyday Pop Up Cards golf flagstick and golf ball.[/caption]

I still had scraps of card stock out and decided to make another golf themed card using the male golf silhouette image. I got my new Club Scrap Ivy League kit yesterday and the card kit instructions that are included with the kit featured a fun double angled pocket card.



I used the male golf silhouette image on one of the nested inserts and the "tee"-rific birthday sentiment on the other.



The kit came with some tiny tassel embellishements and a fleur de lis filigree charm. I created a small cluster with the elements and tied them together with some waxed linen thread.



Check out what the rest of the JFF Design Team has created HERE and join us for a chance to win a gift certificate to shop at JFF Stamps. I'll look for you in the gallery!



CHALLENGES ENTERED:

Dare2BArtzy Blog August Challenge Anything Goes

Pile it On #145 New Technique

Hiding in my Craftroom #364 Use Three Colors

LTCCB #25 August Anything Goes

Die Cuttin' Divas #380 Anything Goes

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