HAPPY HALLOWEEN

So much going on today so this will be a quick post.  Still painting.. carving .. cardmaking!

First up..  look at my craft room!  All that crazy green is covered.  This is flat paint and I’m not keeping it this white color.  Just needed to cover that green. 

What a difference!

Now I start the process all over again but with the real color.  Outline and top to bottom.

Next I got a great pumpkin this year.  It has a cute curly cue stem on the top.  Carved it up and now we have Pumpkin 2012!

Corny huh?

My drill was laying close by so I had to get crazy with that.  Drilled holes so “punky” can see all those cute costumes that will be coming by tonight.  Then spirit took over me and look what happened.

Guess who got the benefit of my supreme pumpkin craving? 

That’s Keifer on the left and Conan on the right.  They loved their pumpkin!

Rocky had to get into the Halloween Spirit also.

He put his costume on. (I helped a little)

Yesterday I had just a little time to make a card for Paper Smoooches, a Thank You card. 

Please be safe and take care of the little ones tonight. 

Happy Haunting.

Craft room redo day 1

Well the time has finally come.  To me it’s bittersweet.  The room that I am turning into my craft room is considered a den.  It does not have a closet.  Eight years ago when I moved in I also asked my mother to come live with me.  She decided she wanted this room.  It was at the front of the house and had a window that looked out to the front.  Due to the  bitter part, my mom took my daughter’s room and the front room will now be my craft room.  It has double doors that both open inward so it can also be part of the living room.  I’m like baby… “don’t shove me in a corner”

Yesterday I gathered up my supplies and decided it was time to start to paint.   This was a very hard thing to do.  To me it was almost like accepting or it was like me liking that my daughter is gone.  I don’t figure anyone will understand but very tough.

Something you need to know is I hardly ever buy anything at full price.  From cloths to food (sales and coupons) to anything for my crafting.  This also includes my painting supplies.   I love checking out the oops paint at my favorite hardware store HomeDepot.   I even worked there so one thing I do know about is paint.  I was the dept manager in paint  so I can say that I totally understand the ins and outs of their paint brands of Behr and Glidden.  Everyone has their favorites and I’m not here to change your mind or bash any other brand.  All I can do is just tell you my opinion.  I love both brands and they have made changes recently that make them even better. 
As usual I get off track.  This weekend I hit the holly grail of paint oops.  The price is always the same for oops paint, $7 gallons and $20 for 5 gals no matter what brand or quality.  It is very hard to ever come upon a light color.  They go very fast as you probably can figure. 

Look at my buys.

Speedwall is a Glidden product and is their lower end contractor grade paint but since I am covering a very bright green I was going to have to either prime it or put on a couple coats.  So for $20 and the perfect color I could not pass it up.  It is an off white, a very very light cream color.   The other three cans,  I already had the one on top, I am just going to “box” them together.  “Boxing” them together is just mixing them all in one bucket.  This is ok to do but you will never be able to match the sheen or finish again.  I don’t care about that so all is good.

About two hours later…

I am sure I can finish up the basics today.  I am trying to make decisions on what I want to do with one wall.  As you look at the pictures from top left to bottom your standing in the double door way.  

#1 looking in, to the left, it is like one full wall with a bend in the middle. this is going to be a difficult wall to deal with. 

#2 is looking to your right.  That is the big full wall I’m thinking of doing something with it.  You can also see the front wall and that window that looks out to the front.

#3 I walked into the room and it’s obvious that I took the picture from the other side of the room.  See that whole side is just the double doors.

If any one is out there reading this has any ideas send them my way.  They would be greatly appreciated. 

A couple ideas I’ve been kicking around are a wall of chevrons or taping off big lines of different colors… maybe that “Ombre” thing  still unsure.

Things are changing….

and I don’t know if it’s for the good.  No, it really is but it sure doesn’t feel like it. 

***  WARNING **** 

This post will not have anything that I have made or crafted.  

I just need to talk.  I hope that’s ok and if you want to move on to the next blog that’s ok also.  I just need to get these feeling out whether anybody is listening or not.  

My baby girl has moved out of the house and many states away.  It is one of the toughest times of my life right now.  I know she is ok since she moved to live with her older sister, in Seattle, but it sure doesn’t make me feel any better.  When her sister and I talked about it early on I knew it would be for the best.  It is time for her to grow up and realize how a young adult woman like her should act.  How she should treat people, respect and hopefully realize what she had here.  To me, mostly miss her mom.  One thing I did, that did not help, was raise my little girl in what I call a bubble.  I say that because she really never had to lift a finger, do anything for herself, whatever she wanted she got.  Well within reason but if I could do it, it got done or given to her.  I thought or I was doing it all due to how much I love her and she was my last little baby.  She ate it up.. she loved it.. and sometimes she thrived on it and definitely expected it. 

ALL MY BAD!  

Our relationship was so great up until she turned around 16 – 17.  Then something happened.  She still had the expectations of that 12 year old that wanted her mommy to do everything for her but she had the hormones and bullhead of the 17 year old that didn’t need her mom to ask her anything or get into her business.  As long as I listened to her stories and never tried to give her my opinion, make a comment or ask any questions, all was well.
  
I won’t go on and on.... I think you get the idea and maybe there is one or two of you out there that have gone through the same thing. I do have to say a TON of her attitude and our fights had to do with her older brother.  He isn’t the best he can be and is struggling himself but that’s whole nother “book”!  Well needless to say she was going to be leaving  on the 26th but last Sunday she changed the flight and just left, moved.  So right now I am pretty hurt… she did come in my room and said goodbye but she got a friend to help her pack and drove her to the airport.  No way for your baby to leave..  So I have not heard from her and I really don’t expect to for a while.  She is very stubborn and matter how much she might love me she is not the kind of person to back down or ever say she is sorry.  I know one day, most likely due to her older sister (she is the rock of our family) she will call me and act like nothing is wrong.
Thank you for letting me get this all out, if there is anyone that stuck around to read this.  If there isn’t anyone, that’s ok because I feel a tiny bit better… and I mean a very tiny bit better to written it and I get to pretend I am spilling my hurt out to someone who cares. 
 
Now on to the only good thing that has come out of this horrible hurtful week.  The only thing that I can keep busy with and keep my mind off of what a screw up my stupid family & life is.

I get a craft room!

I am so drained from this post and the emotions I have running though me that I will save my ideas for my craft room for tomorrow. 

Thanks again for listening.

CAS-ual Fridays challenge card

Just want to show off a card I made for CFC75.  This weeks theme was “Over the edge”.  That took me a while to understand exactly that was wanted from that meaning but once I looked at the examples this is my version of it.

SPECIAL BABY PROJECT

I wanted to show off a special little onsie I made for a new little boy coming into this world.
 
What I did was free hand a pattern on cardboard of a tie.  Then I laid it down on some really cute little boy fabric and cut around it.   

I like to keep an iron very close at hand when I’m sewing.  When it was all cut out I turned it over and folded the edge over just about 1/8 to 1/2 over, all the way around the edge.  Iron that down so it will be very easy to sew around the edge.  This process help it from not fraying.   I like to use a zig zag .. this part is all just for decoration so it looks like it was sewed down..

Really your not going to sew it down.  I buy wonder bond.  I buy the heavy duty.  What this does is when you iron it to one side of the fabric then peel the paper off the other it creates a iron on transfer just about out of anything.   So I cut a piece of this wonder bond just about the exact size of the item your going to make into the transfer.   Now it never is exact and since this is very heavy glue always get a piece of wax or parchment paper, even a paper bag will work, and lay that over the item, between the iron and the fabric.  This way any part of the wonder bond that is sticking out will not stick to the iron and ruin it for life.  

Now all you need to do is peel away the paper on the back side of what you just ironed and it is ready to iron on to your fabric.  Again use your wax or parchment paper just in case. 
Make sure you let is cool completely before you test it.  While it’s still hot it will peel off the fabric and look like it didn’t work.   Just be patient. 

So here is the finished project.

Close up of just the tie.

Isn’t that the cutest fabric. 

The boots are made for spookin

Another Halloween card completed!  It’s amazing that this one got completed at all.  I have no idea why this one was so hard for me.  I used MFT #94 sketch. 

Look at it.. it’s great... so why did I have such a time with it?

Maybe it was the color combo I used from The Play Date Café challenge #154.  It’s their 3rd anniversary.  They have a great new look, go check it out.

I thought it’s a great color combo.

Flame – Grape – Mulberry

Great color right?

Man I had the worst time with this card.  I must have stamped 4 or 5 different things to make as the main attraction but nothing set well with me.  I’m content with the card but not over the top with it. 

It’s ok if it doesn't excite you either .. I totally understand.  Maybe I just had an off day.  It was a rough one, I mean the day.  Kid auguring, bad headache and just not feeling that great about myself right now.  Maybe it’s because my baby is moving away in a week.  The 26th see leaves, but that’s for another time.

So here it is.

I do have to say I am VERY happy with the actual picture.  So clear.

Here are some close ups.  I double stamped the boots and socks, embossed them and then popped them up.

I have a Marvy punch of this little tag.  I’ve had it forever.  Don’t we all have some of those items from the beginning that we still go to and use?  I used some of my favorite twine from WeRMemory.  I just made myself laugh.. I have always thought this was black twine but I just read the package and it’s named: blueberry.  LOL. 

Looks black to me.

Two other challenges for this card are:

Ribbon Carousel RCC 73: Halloween Spirit

and

Really Reasonable Ribbon’s Rambling #58: Halloween and Ribbon Theme

I hope my next card goes tons better than this one did for me and I hope all your crafting projects make you happy and satisfied.

Ittibitty Spider

Made another Halloween card for challenges I regularly visit. 
First I used this weeks challenge sketch from Sunday Sketch and Stamp challenge #128.

Then I used the color theme from  the ColourQ challenge #159   

Simon Says Stamp challenge posted a great Halloween picture as our theme to work off of.  

The week is called Eerie Inspiration.

 More Than Favors: Wacky Wednesday #76 – HALLOWEEN 
and 
Allsorts Challenge blog #176 - To Cute To Spook

On to my Eerie Halloween boo card.  I’m very happy with this one.   

Again I made sure to complete the inside.

WhitchiePoo’s hat

Yes it’s finally done!  I know I can’t believe it either.  I just sat down, took the time and got it done. 

TAAAADAAAA!

This started with a paper mache hat from Michales.  Then I painted it with Martha Stewarts Glitter Texture black paint.   You have to try this paint out.  It is the BOMB!

ModPodge the paper onto the rim.  Picked up some black roses and leaves.  Unleashed my glue gun and went to town.

Sorry for such a dark picture.

Since I am addicted to the idea of rosette I had to make a paper rosette trim.  I don’t know of another way to describe it.  

I also found a very glittery bat that I thought would look cool coming out the top.

One last finishing touch was my black widow spider. 

SO SPOOKY!!!!

Paper Issues has a challenge going on right now and wants craters to enter their Halloween Harvest  projects.  I'm going to post this on their site. It's open until the 20th so get to crafting and enter also.

Mondays Challenge Card

Good Morning all my fellow crafty bloggers.  Just wanted to show off another spooky Halloween card.   Not only are my cards for family and friends that I mail off but heck I’m going to take advantage of the great challenges that are out there.  Where else do you think I get my inspiration? 

First up is the color combo which I used from the ColourQ challenge #158 

Over at Stampin for the Weekend Challenge #19 they want something SPOOKY. 
Do you think it’s a spooky card?  My verdict is still out.  I tried.
Tomorrow my witches hat!  I know I finally got it done.

Eat Drink and be Scary

The first card for Halloween and I have to give the design up to Mojo Monday!  (#262).   As soon as I saw this weeks sketch I knew what I wanted to do. 
I learned how to make rosette about a month ago.. ( yea I’m so behind the times) and now I can’t get enough of them. 

The stamp is one I picked up in the dollar bin.  Isn’t she cute with her little bow.  The big thing going on right now are chevrons.. I love them and it’s one of the reasons I grabbed this new 6x6 pad.  It’s by a company called MME.  This one is called Haunted.  Mikes are caring them, there are a bunch of different themes.  Really nice ones.  Does anyone know what MME is?  I’ve never heard of the until now.

Do you see right under the lace strip.. oh that is a sticker that I got from a pack that Martha Stewart puts out.  12 sheets of adhesive borders.  When I bought it I didn’t even know they were stickers.  I just liked what I thought was the paper that I would cut to the border I wanted.   Way to read the package.  Now you can tell how I shop, like what I see, throw it in the cart.

Anyway that strip under the lace is a ribbon but not really a ribbon.  I know you guys think I’m crazy.. I AM! That’s been determined along time ago.  It came on a ribbon spool and again I thought it was ribbon.  Nope when I got it home it’s like plastic and is sticker like.  Just peel the backing off and put it anywhere.  It’s the greatest.. like a special surprise.   Just Add Ink blog’s has a theme challenge this week #JAI139.  Something new.  I'll be adding this card to their challenge. 

I am really trying to remember or should I say take time to decorate the inside of cards.  It just makes the whole card so complete.  The trick or treat strip is another one from the Martha Stewart booklet. 

So on to the next one.  Also still doing that damn witches hat.  I hope I get it done by the 31st.  LOL.

Toil & Trouble

How’s all the spooky decorating coming along?  The other day while looking for something in my pantry I found way in the back an old jar.  It had a cork top and had some very old pepper corn in it.  I know I wasn’t going to use that pepper corn ever and threw it out.  I was so excited to have this jar.  It was sooooo perfect for something I had been seeing all over blog land. 

You know the jars where eye ball are put in with colored water.  I really had been wanting to make that for a long time to display on my Halloween table. 

I searched and searched for just the right eyeballs but everyone I found looked goofy and real fake.  Just when I thought I wasn’t going to find anything I found little skulls and hands.  Once I put them in the jar and added green food coloring they looked awesome.

I made a label and added skull and cross bones embellishment to the front. 

How about putting a big black spider on the top.

Pretty in Pink

I hope her Mommy & Daddy will think so.  Friends are expecting a little girl soon so I made a couple of frilly onsies for them.   You member.. the baby shower, this Saturday.  Nothing like down to the wire. 
My bestie and I spent a day of marathon crafting yesterday and boy did we get projects done.  She has a wedding this Saturday and was making a Ring Bearer Box.  She doesn’t have a sewing machine right now so I took mine over.   We needed to make two little silk pillows for inside the box.  Then she tacked a ribbon in the middle of each pillow (his & hers) to tie the rings to.

Check – got that done.

Next she wanted to make a onsie for a little baby boy that’s on the way.  I had made these in the past for a friends baby boy.  I create a iron on transfer of a neck tie and then adhere it to the onesie.

These are the ones I made a while back.  Of course I did not take my camera so I don’t have a picture of the one we made yesterday.  You know the more you make something the better you get, hers is really cute.

Project #2 down.

While I was working on my onsies she finished a Halloween frame she had already started.  Once she got done with that she started and finished another Halloween project.  She was a crafting fool.

#3 & 4 Complete.

My major project to get done were these onsies.

I bought a yard of this great fushia pink ribbon.  It already has a seam on one side to make it ultra easy to sew down onto any fabric.  I stitched three rows.  Just incase it’s not clear that is her little butt that the ruffle will be on. 

Here is the front.

I added a row of this pretty pink ribbon on the front, sort of like a collar or necklace.   Then Shanny had made a rosette with this exact ribbon before so I attached it to a head band to complete the set.

The next outfit I made was with a very sweet eyelet lace ribbon.  Same with this one it had a finished edge which I sewed three layers on the back side, just like the first one.

(look at my desk.. how clean it is.  After looking at that picture yesterday I had to clean it)  HAhah..

Here is a close up to see this beautiful lace.

See the little edging of light pink.

On the front I wanted to do something a little different.  I tried to make a rosette with this ribbon but it just didn’t work.  I glued.. pulled apart... tried a different way... glued.. and then just threw it away.  It just wasn’t working.  It did not look cute at all on the front.  
I found in my stache of fabric some tulle that the color matched the pink on the lace.  I made this flower.

It doesn’t look like much by itself but on the front I thought it turned out just right.

Had to make a headband for this one also.  I didn’t want it to be exactly like the ribbon or the tulle so I went with a flower. 

That’s a big flower!  I hope you’ll still be able to see the little one.  LOL.

She will be able to use that headband for many different outfits.  

So, see how busy we were.  That’s projects 5 & 6!

Six projects in one day for us.  By the time I went home at 7ish I was exhausted and really we didn’t do anything major.  Just crafted our hearts out.

Thanks Shanny for a great day and all your great ideas.