All Hallow's Eve

Happy Halloween!  My favorite holiday is here!  It has been such a busy month that the days just flew by!  I can't believe it's the 31st already!  And can you believe that I met my personal goal of posting to my blog every day in the month of October?!  Twice on some days!  I shared 33 projects with you and I'm a little amazed at myself that I actually did it!  I'll confess that I'm dead tired (The baking spree this week has not helped!  Cookie pops are in the oven now!), but I feel such a wonderful sense of accomplishment!

I have one last card to share this month, but I have a feeling it won't be the last Halloween card of the year!  There is one more Simply B(etty) Stamps 13 Days of Halloween challenge to go, after all!  This card is for a Halloween birthday and was a bunch of fun to make!  I started with the new Sassy Witch image from Sassy Studio Designs.  She is colored with Copics, fussy cut, and popped up on foam squares.  The month of October paper from My Mind's Eye-Haunted 6x6 pad was perfect!  I cut a doily in Pumpkin Pie card stock using the French Pastry die from Cheery Lynn Designs.  I also cut a Magnolia swirl from black card stock as well as a Tim Holtz ticket from kraft.  Since I really wanted the paper to be the focus after the image, all I added was a few flowers, chipboard glitter numbers and a Tim Holtz metal bookplate.

I hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween!  I have taken half a vacation day so I can enjoy the festivities with my small man!  After a quick stop to see my mom, we'll be off to my best friend's for pizza, trick-or-treating, and The Great Pumpkin!  It's been our yearly thing since he was born.  I am taking advantage of this time to have fun with matching costumes!  Soon he will tell me that's not cool, but for now it's okay that he's going as a dalmatian puppy and yours truly Cruella de Vil!

Thanks for visiting and hope to see you again soon!

Markers used: Copics (E11, E21, E00, R20, W4, W6, W8, W10, 100, Y32, Y35, Y38, YR04, YR17). 

Challenges:
- Cards and More: #68-Halloween
- Crazy Amigo Challenge: Halloween
- Cupcake Craft Challenges: #216-Witches and Pumpkins
- Creative Inspirations: Happy Halloween  

{hugs}
Regan       

Simply B Stamps 13 Days of Halloween: Day 12

I weathered the storm yesterday and it was business as usual today.  Which meant a full day of work and a visit to my parents' with the small man!  But the challenge for Day 12 of Simply B(etty) Stamps 13 Days of Halloween closes at 9pm.  Knowing I wouldn't be home in time to craft and blog, I brought some supplies to work with me.  The card was colored and assembled on the fly and I'm now on my mom's computer writing the post.  I do apologize for the lousy photos.  If you remember, my camera died so I am taking them with my phone and the lighting here was not optimal.

Anyway, having come so far, how could I quit at this point?  The theme for Day 12 at Simply Challenged Challenges is Haunted Places and we were to use a haunted house on our project.  Mine is right on the paper, which if from My Mind's Eye - Scary Sparkle.  I've used Lola and Louie from the Every Day Teen Scene collection.  She is colored with Copics, fussy cut, and popped up with foam squares.  I added a few flowers, a "haunted" banner from K&Company, a Tim Holtz metal corner, and a Fleur de Lis Squares Nestabilities die cut from Spellbinders.

I'm not thrilled with this one, but lets hope I get points for determination and perseverance!  I am off to color while watching NCIS then it will be home for more baking for tomorrow is HALLOWEEN!  I'm working a half day and then the spook-tactular fun begins!

Thanks for stopping by and have a fa-BOO-lous evening!

{hugs}
Regan   

Nightmarish Nibbles

Happy Almost Halloween!  Today's post is a little something different...  I had hoped to have a card to show you today, but despite getting out of work early due to the storm, I have yet to sit down at my craft desk!  Instead I've been busy in the kitchen baking Halloween treats!  They may look gruesome, but they're pretty tasty!  We have a dozen red velvet cupcakes with vanilla butter cream frosting, complete with red gel "blood" and serial killer style knife!  Then there are the remainder of the cupcakes, without the blood, and some without frosting for those who prefer it that way. (Imagine?!?!)  And finally, what Halloween gathering is complete without creepy finger cookies?  A yummy almond sugar cookie recipe and mold pan make these a lot of fun!  There's even a sliced almond "nail"!  There's something funny and slightly disturbing about watching your cute toddler gnaw happily on a finger!  But hey, if zombies can do it, why not?

I hope you enjoyed these treacherous treats!

Baking supplies: Wilton
Sign: Waltzingmouse Stamps

{hugs}
Rega

Simply B Stamps 13 Days of Halloween: Day 11

Oh my stars and garters!  What a day!  It started off with a fun trip to a local children's discovery farm for their Halloween party.  Kayne wore his Frankenstein costume from last year, and we had a blast!  Except for the pervading mist.  The cold, raw kind that penetrates your bones.  The storm is definitely on its way so before we headed home we stopped at the grocery store for those just-in-case provisions.

If all that outdoor fun and battening down the hatches for the storm wasn't enough, I had to come home and cook dinner then make a card for Day 11 of Simply B(etty) Stamps 13 Days of Halloween!  The theme at Simply Challenged Challenges is a color challenge: Candy Corn (orange, yellow, and white) or Caramel Apple (caramel and green).  Black is allowed as a neutral.  Both are yummy, but I went with Candy Corn.  Then today of all days, two days before my favorite holiday, my camera decided to die!  So I apologize for the quality of the photos.  They were taken with my phone.

I will admit this was a rush job and not my best work, but I am glad I made the effort.  I printed Little Witch Ariel from the Jude & the Rockers collection and colored her with Copics.  I stuck to the color scheme and made her a candy corn witch!  How much fun is orange hair?  Huh?  Huh?  I then fussy cut her so I could pop her up in the middle of my sketch from Crazy 4 Challenges (C4C160).  I embossed a spider web on black card stock behind her.  Papers are My Mind's Eye - Halloween Scary Sparkle.  I used a couple of clear sentiment stamps: one from My Favorite Things - Make the Date (October) and one from Clear Art Stamps - Halloween Fun (Trick or Treat).  The rest is from my stash: pearls, a Martha Stewart candy embellishment, a Tim Holtz metal corner, glitter chipboard numbers, and a sparkly spider from Jolee's Boutique.  The Star Circle is a Nestabilities die from Spellbinders.

Eleven down, two days to go, folks!  I will be a card-making and baking fool these next two days.  Let's hope I don't lose power!  While I can still bake no problem without power since my stove is gas and uses no electricity, coloring by flashlight or candle light would prove challenging, and blogging even more so.  I hope everyone in the storm's path stays safe!  Check back tomorrow to see what sort of hocus pocus I've been up to...

Markers used: Copics (E11, E21, E00, E000, R20, R00, YR04, YR07, YR15, YR18, Y32, Y35, Y38, W4, W6, W8, W10).

{hugs}
Regan

The Corrosive Challenge #161 - Know When To Fold 'Em

It's been quite the month!  Posting every day has really tested my creative limits.  I have enjoyed it, but with only 3 days left in October, I'm looking forward to a little break from the crafting madness.  I hope to squeeze in some Halloween baking this week too, but we have Hurricane Sandy a.k.a. "Frankenstorm" headed our way just in time to muck up my favorite holiday!  That makes two years in a row that Mother Nature has surprised us with a wicked storm on October 29th (last year it was snow)!

Enough of my weather woes, though...  Today I'm here to tell you about a new Corrosive Challenge!  This is the last one for the month and for our fabulous sponsor, Sassy Studio Designs.  They have generously offered 4 digis of choice to our monthly winner!  I have used two SSD images in my project today. The theme this fortnight is "Know When To Fold 'Em".  In other words, fancy folds!  If it has more than one fold, it qualifies!  I opted to make a center step card.  This is only my second one ever, but I have to say that I love this style of card!  My images (including the Egyptian throne from Delicious Doodles) were colored with Copics and Prismacolor Art Markers.  I fussy cut Sassy Mummy and Bonnie of the Nile (Cleopatra Sassy) and sponged around the edges of the throne image panel.  Papers are Deja Views - Global Treks.  I added a punched border from Martha Stewart, flowers, bling, and a Tim Holtz word band as my sentiment.

 I hope you'll head over to The Corrosive Challenge blog to see what the rest of my team has come up with for this challenge.  Maybe you'll be inspired to play along!  Me, I am off to a Halloween party at a local farm with the small man.  We are meeting some friends for a bit of toddler friendly spook-tacular fun (as long as the weather holds out for us until then).  Then it will be home for more crafting and blogging as I try to complete the next challenge for the Simply B(etty) Stamps 13 Days of Halloween challenge.

It's always nice to see you here and I appreciate all the comments I receive!  They always make me smile!  Have a fabulous day and stay safe if you are in the path of the storm!  See you soon...

Markers used: Copics (E11, E21, E00, R20, W4, W6, W8, W10, 100, E23, E31, R24, R29, R43) and Prismacolor Art Markers (149, 196, 209).

{hugs}
Regan    

Dutch Canary

I have had this lovely Saturated Canary image colored up for ages!  I was supposed to enter her in the first challenge of the Dutch blog dedicated to Krista's gorgeous images.  It was a freebie I received from the Het Canary Blog and they asked that you play along if you received it.  However, life has a way of getting in the way and a card never got made.  Unttil now.  I know I'm later than late, but this little darling deserved to be showcased.  Her name is Canary Dutch Girl and if you weren't lucky enough to get her for free, you can find her HERE in Krista's shop.

I have colored her with Copics and Prismacolor Art Markers.  I used the traditional Dutch colors but she would look adorable in any color scheme!  The sketch is the current Deconstructed Sketch (#75).  Papers and ribbon are from my stash.  I used a border die from My Favorite Things as well as a Martha Stewart border punch.  Flowers, a bling flourish, and a corner die cut complete my card.

I am so close to finishing out a full month of posting!  Only four days to go!  I will be back tomorrow with a new Corrosive Challenge and hopefully my entry for Day 11 of Simply Betty Stamps 13 Days of Halloween.

Thanks for visiting and hope to see you soon!

Markers used: Copics (E11, E21, E00, E31, E33, E34, B06, B39, YR18, Y32, Y35, YG93, G07, V17, R29, E23, W4, BG13) and Prismcolor Art Markers (21, 131, 137, 169, 194).

{hugs}
Regan  

Simply B Stamps 13 Days of Halloween: Day 10

Fairuza Balk as Nancy Downs

Talk about cutting it close, but here she is!  My entry for Day 10 of Simply B(etty) Stamps 13 Days of Halloween challenge!  The theme at Simply Challenged Challenges is Ghouls, Ghosts, Witches, Killers... from your favorite movie.  Using a non-persona stamp we were to create a project based on our favorite movie character.  I asked for and received special permission from Betty Boo herself to alter Lola Addams to make Nancy Downs from The Craft.  She is my favorite greedy, power hungry psycho-witch!  

Lola Addams as Nancy is colored with Copics and fussy cut.  I did away with her braid and her dolly to make her look more like Nancy.  The papers are Martha Stewart- Elegant Witch and DCWV- The Ghosts and Goblins matstack.  I made a frame using the Fleur de Lis Squares Nestabilities from Spellbinders and put a piece of Tim Holtz filmstrip behind it.  I used mini Scrabble tiles to spell the word "CRAFT".  I stamped a Ouija board stamp in Tuxedo Black on kraft card stock and distressed it with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  I can't remember who makes the stamp as it is a loose unmounted one I bought some time ago.  My finishing touches were some flowers (black roses, of course) and bling flourishes.

I am utterly amazed I got this made, blogged, linked and entered in time!  I got home at 7:30pm.  I sat down at my desk at 7:50pm with nothing more than the colored image to work with!  Sometimes it's amazing what you can do in an hour!  Three more challenges to go!  I wonder what the next one will be...

Markers used: Copics (E11, E21, E00, E000, R20, BG10, BG15, W4, W6, W8, W10) and Prismacolor Art Markers (150). 

Challenges:
-  ATCs and Cards with Attitude: Halloween
- Alphabet Challenge: S for Skeletons, Spiders and Anything Spooky (I think psycho witch qualifies) 
-  Bloggers: Witches and Goblins
-  Fat Pages with Attitude: Halloween 
- Fun with Shapes & More: #120-Spooky 
- Totally PaperCrafts: #140-Spooky Halloween 
- Papercraft Star: #118-Witches

{hugs}
Regan 

Snow Angel

It's time for another Fabulous Freebie Friday from Sassy Studio Designs!  Head over to our Paper Craft Planet group to download TWO amazing images today (click HERE)!  But hurry- they're only available for 24 hours!

I am running late so I will keep this brief, but here is my card using one of the fantastic images courtesy of Lindsay, the owner and artist behind SSD!  This is Sassy Angel and I have used her to make a wintry holiday card.  She is colored with Copics, and I've added Crystal Stickles to her wings and boots.  The new challenge over at PCP is "Texture" so I incorporated some real feathers into my card as well as some dry embossing.  Papers are Little Yellow Bicycle - Snowy Window and Ski Sweater.  A flower and a Tim Holtz holiday muse token finish off the card.  The layout is the October I {Heart} Sketches.

I'm off to start another busy day, but be sure to stop by PCP to download this angel and her devilish counterpart!  They are only available for 24 hours!

Happy Friday and hopefully I will be back this evening with my Simply B(etty) Stamps card!  Have a fabulous day!

Markers used: Copics (E11, E21, E00, E79, E37, E31, E23, R20, B32, B34, B37) and Prismacolor Art Markers (194).

{hugs}
Regan   

Baby Bump

I'm just popping in with a brief post to share a pregnancy card I made for a friend of mine.  It seems like only yesterday I was the one waddling around with the baby bump, and now I'm potty training a three year old!  It goes by so quickly and I wanted to make her something special to remember this special time by.  What could be more perfect than Pickles and Ice Cream from Saturated Canary?

I colored her with Copics and Prismacolor Art Markers then fussy cut and used foam squares to give her some dimension on top of the Floral Ovals die from Spellbinders.  The sketch was a simple one from Feeling Sketchy (#30) that caught my eye for some reason.  I usually gravitate toward more complex sketches, but sometimes less IS more!  Patterned paper is Quite Contrary- Jack & Jill by My Mind's Eye.  The outer and inner sentiments are both from a My Favorite Things set called Baby Bump.

 Thanks for stopping by!  I am now off to work on more craft endeavors.  I thought I was in good shape but somehow everything has piled up at the end of the week.  Check back tomorrow for a new Fabulous Freebie Friday image from Sassy Studio Designs and I hope to have Day 10 of Simply Betty Stamps 13 Days of Halloween ready for you before the entry deadline tomorrow evening.

Have a lovely evening and see you soon!

Markers used: Copics (E11, E21, E00, R20, E04, E79, E37, E23, E31, E25, E27, YG03, BG10, BG13, BG15) and Prismacolor Art Markers (150, 169, 196).

Challenges:
- Card Mania Challenges: #6-Oh, Baby

{hugs}
Regan   

Simply B Stamps 13 Days of Halloween: Day 9

Here we are at Day 9 of Simply B Stamps 13 Days of Halloween!  Only 4 challenges to go!  This time around the Simply Challenged Challenges theme is Witches Stockings or Stripes.  

Verity Vamp and Boris the Bat from the Spunky Spooks collection is the image I chose to work with to make a Halloween birthday card.  She is colored with Copics and Prismacolor Art Markers.  The two striped papers are from Stampin' Up's Wicked Fun designer series paper.  I added black lace, black pearls, and flowers from my stash plus a spider web corner made with a Martha Stewart punch.  I used my glaze pen on her glass and eyes plus added Black Diamond Stickles to her boots.  The image is cut out using the Labels Twenty One Spellbinders Nestabilities.   The sketch is from Sketch N Stash (#99).  I decorated the inside and used a computer generated sentiment that reads "Hope Your Birthday is Bloody Fabulous!"

  
I can't believe there are only 4 challenges left!  And only a week until Halloween!  Costumes are being prepared and plans have been made for trick or treating!  I'm excited, but the small man, even at 3, doesn't quite know he is supposed to be.

Off to start my day now, but after work and a few errands I'll be back at the craft desk this evening.  Thanks for popping in and hope you'll visit again soon!

Markers used: Copics (E21, E00, E000, W4, W6, W8, W10, YG91, YG93, YG95, Y32, Y38) and Prismacolor Art Markers (137, 150, 169).

{hugs}
Regan        

Mulan: Take Two

Mulan: Revamped

New Image next to Old Image

Original Card

Inside

Ever take a second look at a card in your stash and think "Wow, that's great except for..."?  Well, that's what happened when I went looking for a birthday card one day recently.  I really liked how this card turned out when I originally made it in March 2011 (see the original post HERE), but looking at it now made me realize how my coloring skills have evolved over the past year and a half.  I couldn't give this card to someone with the image the way it was!  Hence Mulan- Revamped.  I printed a new, larger version of the Sassy Studio Designs image, Mulan Honey, and colored her with Copics and Prismacolor Art Markers.  I fussy cut her and used foam squares to pop her up then finished off the inside of the card for an added touch.

I have never done anything like this with one of my cards, but I'm glad I did in this instance!  I'm quite pleased with the face lift and was happy to give it away.  The recipient seemed to enjoy it too so that's what counts!

I am off to work on my Simply B(etty) Stamps project for Day 9 of the 13 Days of Halloween next...  Check back tomorrow to see what I've been up to!

Markers used: Copics (E11, E21, E00, E04, R20, W4, W6, W8, W10, R81, E37, E39, G03, G05, G07, G09) and Prismacolor Art Markers (150, 169). 

Challenges:
- City Crafter Challenge: #132-Make Over

{hugs}
Regan    

Simply B Stamps 13 Days of Halloween: Day 8

Wow, Day 8 of the Simply B(etty) Stamps 13 Days of Halloween!  The pressure is on now over at Simply Challenged Challenges!  This time around we had less than two days to complete our project with the theme of "Skeleton Dance".  We were given a color and element challenge- use skulls, skeletons, bones AND black & white only.  I wasn't sure how I was going to do with this one since I have never attempted coloring in gray tones only, but it was easier than I thought for the image I chose.

I selected Skeleton Peter and colored him with Copics and Prismacolor Art Markers.  Papers are from The Apothecary Emporium by Echo Park.  I chose three designs that were black & white only (two of which had skulls and crossbones on them).  I added flowers, a bling swirl, two skull embellishments from Jolee's and a sentiment also from SBS that I cut with my Labels Twenty-Two Nestabilities.  A little glossy accents add a mischievous gleam to Peter's eyes!  My layout is courtesy of Paperminutes (#239).

 

I am off to work soon....  I can't believe it's Monday already!  I hope you enjoy your day and thanks for stopping by!

Markers used: Copics (W4, W6, W8, W10) and Prismacolor Art Markers (99, 100).

{hugs}
Regan

She's Fly

It has certainly been a busy month so far!  This crafty frenzy has left me feeling tired but productive.  Even on a day where the small man and I took a road trip to the ocean I managed to throw together a card before we left this morning!  And she's pretty fly if I do say so myself....

This fabulous digi is Fly Girl from Saturated Canary!  I just adore Krista's images, and I've actually had her colored up for a while now, just waiting for a card.  I went with the traditional black and orange when I colored her with my Copics so I kept the theme when putting the card together.  I cut out the image using my Labels Seventeen Nestabilities.  She is popped up on foam squares then embellished with orange glitter tulle, a Cheery Lynn doily die cut, a Magnolia flourish die cut, assorted orange and black flowers, a few black pearls, and a sticker sentiment.  The papers and sticker are from K&Company (Brenda Walton's Haunted), and I also used my Martha Stewart spider web border punch.

I have to get to work on the next 13 Days of Halloween project for Simply B(etty) Stamps!  The deadline is tomorrow evening.  I am exhausted after a day of sun and sea air and walking, but I have to try.  Before I go, though, here are a few photos of Kayne from our trip to Maine.

  
Hope you enjoyed your weekend as well!  Only ten days left to the month...  Ten more posts.  Can I do it?  Thanks for visiting and hope you'll pop in again soon!

Markers used: Copics (E11, E21, E00, W4, W6, W8, W10, YR04, YR07, YR15, YR17, E25, E23, E31).

Challenges:
- Come and Get It Challenges: Halloween
- Glitter and Sparkle Challenge Blog: #3-Bonfire or Halloween
- Dream Valley Challenges: #43-Halloween
- Eclectic Ellapu: Halloween
- One Stitch at a Time: #136-Use a Digi
- Opus Gluei: #142-I "Leaf" It Up To You (Leaves or Halloween) 
- Pile It On: #43-Holiday, Any Holiday (Halloween)
- Robyn's Fetish: #130-Halloween
- Sentimental Sundays: #125-Halloween
- Stamptacular Sunday Challenge: #186-NO Rules
- Saturated Canary: #28-Photo Inspiration (Spooky Tones)

{hugs}
Regan