Decorate to Celebrate #63 - Halloween/Fall Party Part 1

Happy Wednesday!! It's time for a new challenge at Decorate to Celebrate!! For Challenge #63, we are asking you to create any project to be used as a party decoration (or party supply) for a Halloween/Fall Party. Let's celebrate everything wonderful about turkeys, pilgrims, family, being thankful and more with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more :)

For my Thanksgiving party, I created place settings for the dinner table :)

The place cards were created with Spellbinders Card Creator Basics A dies and Kraft paper, inked with Tim Holtz Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink. The next layer is a Spellbinders Fancy Weave die, cut with heavyweight cardstock from Canvas Corp. A layer of burlap was added to the middle, then another Card Creator Basics A die, inked with TH Fired Brick Distress Ink. Thankful and Blessings are from K Andrew Designs Fall-O-Ween stamp set, inked with Versafine Onyx ink.

The leaves are Spellbinders Nested Maple Leaves dies, inked with a mixture of Peeled Paint, Fired Brick, Spiced Marmalade and Wild Honey Distress Inks. The acorn is a TH Autumn Gatherings die, cut in cork. Twine was added for more rustic texture.

For the name cards, the medium size of the Spellbinders Nested Maple Leaf dies, inked with the same four Distress inks. The 20 gauge wire was added to hold the name of the person when the table is set.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes
2. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
3. DL.Art - October Anything Goes Linky 
4. Sunday Funday #14 - Anything Goes 
5. Just B Creative Crazy - October Linky

Now it's your turn!! Head on over to Decorate to Celebrate to see the amazing projects my talented design team sisters have created for today's challenge. Then link up your Thanksgiving/Fall project...I can't wait to see what you create :)

Wishing You Flowers and Sunshine

Happy Monday!! Today is my first design team post for the Craft It Up & Link It Up Linky Party hosted by Tara of Craftin Desert Divas! Every other Monday will mark the beginning of a new semi-weekly linky party and you could win fabulous prizes!!

This linky party theme is Anything Goes. The sponsors are:

Cardz TV - Set of CTV stamps

Designs on Cloud 9 - $20 giftcard

My Scrap Chick - $10 giftcard

The more you link up, the better chance you have to win. Visit Craftin Desert Divas for all the rules and to play along. Here's what I created for today's challenge:

The paper for this card is from Prima's Fairy Rhymes stack. The base is a Spellbinders Romantic Rectangles die. The next layer is a Spellbinders Opulent Ovals die. It was popped up with foam tape for dimension.

The flowers are Spellbinders Bitty Blossoms dies, the edges inked with Tim Holtz Victorian Velvet Distress Ink. The center die is also Opulent Ovals die, popped up with foam tape. The sentiment is from JustRite's Grateful Hearts Vintage Labels 2 set. The pearls are from Recollections and the ribbon is from May Arts.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes
2. DL.Art - October Anything Goes Linky 
3. Sunday Funday #14 - Anything Goes 
4. Just B Creative Crazy - October Linky

Now it's your turn!! Head on over to Craftin Desert Divas to see the amazing projects my talented design team sisters have created for today's challenge, then Craft It Up & Link It Up!! I can't wait to see what you create :)

Happy Halloween II

Happy Saturday!! I hope you are having a fabulous weekend!! I still haven't been able to get to my craft room very much, hence the few posts the last couple of weeks. I apologize for that. I keep hoping that I will have more time to craft but things keep popping up. There are so many projects I want to get done but just can't find the time to do them. I love creating Halloween projects but I haven't had the opportunity to do very many. This might be my last one of the year :(

The inspiration for this piece was a canvas I saw in Michaels. It featured a skull with a yellow and brown background with a black border. I tried to recreate it with my Tim Holtz stamps. The frame was created with Spellbinders Grand Labels Large dies. It was popped up with foam tape for dimension. The base is Canvas Corp heavyweight cardstock. The skull is from Tim Holtz's Apothecary stamp set. It was stamped twice with Versafine Black Onyx ink, once on the white cardstock and once on a TH Masking Sheet. The mask was cut out and applied over the other image. The background was then sponged with TH Distress Inks in Mustard Seed, Scattered Straw, Gathered Twigs and Tea Dye. The spider webs are from TH's Halloween Cutout stamp set. Happy Halloween is from Apothecary. The bottom one was outlined with a Sakura White Gelly Roll pen.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Spooky
2. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge  - Halloween or Halloween Colors
3. Little Scrap Pieces - Anything Goes
4. Craftin Desert Divas - Halloween 
5. DL.Art - October Anything Goes Linky 
6. Sunday Funday #14 - Anything Goes 
7. Just B Creative Crazy - October Linky 
8. 2 Creative Chicks - Halloween

Thanks so much for stopping by!! Have a wonderful weekend my friends :)

Happy Halloween

Happy Wednesday!! I hope you are having a great week!! It's been so cold here the last couple of days. It was in the 20's yesterday morning, as opposed to the 70's a year ago. Ugh. I'm so not ready for winter :( But, in the spirit of fall, I have a Halloween project to share with you today :)

This is a shadowbox project I created, using mostly Tim Holtz dies and stamps. The box was cut with Spellbinders Grand Squares dies and popped up with layers of foam tape for the dimension of the box. The paper is from My Mind's Eye. The moon in the corner was colored with a Mustard Seed Distress Marker and a TH Waterbrush. The bats are from Tim's Mini Halloween #1 set, stamped with Jet Black Archival Ink. The tree is a TH Branch Tree die, inked with TH's Gathered Twigs Distress Ink. The owl was stamped from the TH Mini Halloween #2 set. The fence is a TH On The Fence die, inked with Walnut Distress Ink. Happy Halloween is from the Mini Halloween #3 set, heat embossed with Zing Vanilla embossing powder.

The skeleton is from the Mini Halloween #2 set. It was heat embossed with Zing Vanilla embossing powder and fussy cut. The spider web is from TH's Mini Halloween #3 set, and it was also heat embossed with Zing Vanilla embossing powder. The spider is from the Mini Halloween set. Several of the elements were popped up with foam tape for dimension.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Spooky
2. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge  - Halloween or Halloween Colors
3. Craftin Desert Divas - Halloween 
4. DL.Art - October Anything Goes Linky 
5. Sunday Funday #14 - Anything Goes 
6. Just B Creative Crazy - October Linky 
7. Funday Friday Challenge - Anything Goes  
8. 2 Creative Chicks - Halloween

My new blog design is still a work in progress. I'm having the hardest time getting the colors changed in several text areas. I hope to have all the kinks worked out soon. Thanks so much for stopping by!! Have a great day :)

Craftin Desert Divas Spooktacular Halloween Blog Hop!!

Welcome to Craftin Desert Divas Spooktacular Halloween Blog Hop!!

We are so happy that you could join us today! If this is the first time that you have hopped with us you won't be disappointed. My friends are all amazingly talented. If you've arrived from my sweet and amazingly talented friend Migdalia (I call her M ;) you are in the right place!! If not, please be sure to start at the beginning at Craftin Desert Divas so you don't miss out on a thing!! You will not only get some inspiration, but you could win GREAT prizes, too!! You must FOLLOW and COMMENT at all of the stops both days to have a chance to win.

Here's the wonderful sponsors for this hop...

For this two day hop each blog on both days will be offering a prize from a sponsor. You must visit each stop both days to be eligible to win. Winners will be announced Oct 22. The complete list of winners will be on Craftin Desert Divas blog.

My sponsor is Designs by Sarah Bryan!!

You could win a free 150 x 150 blinkie and html snag box!!

Here's what I have created for this hop:

I am so in love with this Sizzix 3D Accordion Flip Album die. So many amazing possibilities!!

The background paper is from K & Company. The tree is a Tim Holtz Branch Tree die. The owl is from TH's Mini Halloween 3 stamp set, and was fussy cut. The bats are from the TH Bewitching Hour die, and they were covered with Rock Candy Distress Stickles. The stars are from TH's Crescent Moon and Stars die, the edged inked with TH Antique Lined Distress Ink.

The whole premise for the card was this stamp from My Craft Spot's Spooky Treats stamp set. I just love this quote :) It was stamped on a Spellbinders Labels One die and embossed with Zing Vanilla Embossing Powder.

Here, the witch is riding and the black cat is seen :) The witch is from TH's Bewitching die set. The cat is from his Raven and Scaredy Cat die set. The fence is a TH On The Fence edge die, and it was sanded.

This panel completes the quote...'tis near Halloween. The moon and stars are from TH's Crescent Moon and stars die. The quote bubble is a Spellbinders Snapshot die.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

Little Scrap Pieces - Fun Friday
DL.Art - October Anything Goes Linky
Sunday Funday #14 - Anything Goes
Just B Creative Crazy - October Linky
Funday Friday Challenge - Anything Goes
2 Creative Chicks - Halloween

Thanks for stopping by!! Your next stop is Elecia!! Here's a complete list of the line up in case you get lost along the way:

Saturday Oct. 19- Day 1

1. Tara - www.craftindesertdivas.com
2. Jessica - http://chick-n-scrap.blogspot.com
3. GiGi - http://thecricutbug.blogspot.com/
4.Barb - http://bugbites411.blogspot.com/
5. Migdalia - http://craftingwithcreativem.blogspot.com/
6. Lisa - http://indymermaid.blogspot.com < YOU ARE HERE
7.Elecia - http://creationsby-kahaulani.blogspot.com/
8.Donna K - http://createdbydonnak.blogspot.com
9. Jessica - http://craftinandstampin.blogspot.com
10.Corina - http://corinascreativeplace.blogspot.com/
11. Tracy - http://tracyscricutcorner.blogspot.com/

Decorate to Celebrate #62 - Ghostly Goodies

Happy Wednesday!! It's time for another fun challenge at Decorate to Celebrate!! For Challenge #62, we are asking you to create any project to be used as a party decoration (or party supply) for a Halloween Party or Celebration. Let's celebrate everything wonderful about goblins, bats, scary cats and more with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more :)

For my Halloween party table I created candle holders. For the one on the left, I used the Tim Holtz Graveyard die and double-sided paper from K & Company. Happy Halloween is from TH's Mini Halloween 1 set. For the one on the left, I used Tim's Apothecary Bottles die...love this die set!! The bottles were cut first in cardboard and then cardstock. The cardstock was inked with Tim Holtz Walnut Distress Ink on the edges and then covered with Mod Podge for shine. Once it was dry, I sprayed Goosebumps Texture Spray for some more texture. The stamp is from TH's Mini Halloween stamp set.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

DL.Art - October Anything Goes Linky
Sunday Funday #14 - Anything Goes
Just B Creative Crazy - October Linky
2 Creative Chicks - Halloween

Now it's your turn!! Head on over to Decorate to Celebrate to see the amazing projects my talented design team sisters have created for today's challenge. Then link up your Halloween Party project...I can't wait to see what you create :)

So, I just returned from vacation where we spent two weeks driving out west, hoping to see wildlife. I come home, and this is what I see from my living room windows!!

Not one, not two, but three bucks...very unusual to see one, let alone three together!! They are still young but beautiful!!

Aren't they gorgeous??!! Then I saw this outside my back window...

There were about eight of them, but I scared the rest off before I could snap a pic :) 

Surely The Stars Danced and WINNER!!

Happy Saturday!! I am having a hard time getting back into the swing of things after being on vacation. I've been trying to stop by your blogs this week and catch up, so if I haven't been by, I hope to soon. Thank you all who voted for me at Heartfelt Creations (you can still vote HERE). I appreciate it so much!! I have a winner to announce from my Early Christmas giveaway, but first I actually have a project...I can't believe it's been over a week and a half since I've posted a project :(

I used a piece of plastic from a large die as the base of the card. The bottom layer is a Spellbinders Majestic Labels Twenty Five die cut with black cardstock. The next layer is a Spellbinders Labels twenty five. It was popped up with foam tape. The paper is from my stash.

I used the Tim Holtz Crescent Moon and Stars die to decorate the card. The papers are from my stash. A Spellbinders Labels Twenty Nine die was used for the sentiment, the edges inked with Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Ink. The sentiment is from Paper Wings Productions.

I used another Labels Twenty Five and Labels Twenty Nine for the inside.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Inspired by Tammy Tutterow (her card HERE...I actually purchased the die set after seeing her card!)
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Use Rubber or Clear Stamp
Little Scrap Pieces - Fun Friday Anything Goes
DL.Art - October Anything Goes Linky
Craft It Up & Link It Up #16 - Anything With a Sentiment
Jo's Scrap Shack - Favorite Technique (Spellbinders)
Sunday Funday #14 - Anything Goes
Just B Creative Crazy - October Linky

And now for the winner of my Early Christmas Giveaway!! Thank you all who entered!! It took longer that I thought to pick a winner. I printed out all the comments from the Giveaway post, as well as the ones from the posts while I was gone, making sure to add extra entries for the additional chances to win. After they were all cut out and put into a box, I chose one name out. And the winner is.......................................................................................

jessica of Chick-n-Scrap!!

Congratulations, Jessica!! Please email your addy to me at indymermaid(at)gmail(dot)com and I'll get it in the mail to you!! Thanks for stopping by!! I hope you have a wonderful weekend :)

Back from Vacation and a Request!!

Hi everyone!! I've missed you so much!! Wow, what a vacation...and I say that not necessarily in a good way :/ Mother Nature and the Government conspired to make it a not so fun trip. I just got home yesterday...a couple days later than expected. We had to outrun the blizzard in Wyoming and the tornadoes in the middle part of the country. We had to scratch the whole second half of the agenda due to the storms :(

Before I get to the pictures, I have a request to ask of you. I would be so appreciative if you would go to the Heartfelt Creations blog HERE and vote for me. I'm a semi-finalist for the Design Team. I love their products...their dies are made by Spellbinders. If you do vote, you will be registered to win a $50.00 HC Gift Certificate!! If you click on the semi-finalist vote list, I'm the Lisa on list number 2. Thank you in advance :)

Okay, on to the trip!! This might get long winded, so you don't have to follow along if you don't want to :) Usually our family RV trips are exciting and fun-filled. We try to hit as many National Parks as we can. We should have known the first night what was in store. Our first day was a short one, an overnight stay in St. Louis. It poured rain. A portent of things to come.

Rocky Mountains National Park was on the itinerary, but it was closed due to the horrible flooding. I've been there before but the rest of the family hasn't, so we didn't get to cross that one off the list. We drove through Denver (said a sweet hello to Peyton Manning ;) and the Rockies in an absolute downpour. It was foggy and windy and made the trip not so fun in an RV through the mountains.

Our next tussle with Mother Nature was outside of Reno, Nevada. Apparently the rain hadn't hit the area as we were in dust storms and gusty winds all day. The interstate we traveled closed to trucks and RV's due to the high winds. Our first detour.

We finally made it to one of my favorite places in the USA, Lake Tahoe. Usually the beauty of the gorgeous lake, the soaring mountains and stately pine trees is unparalleled. The whole time we were there, it stormed. You couldn't even see the tops of the mountains (that were dusted with snow).

Next was a jaunt through beautiful Northern California and Redwoods National Park. We also visited Great Basin National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park. Look...a little sunshine :)

From there, it was up Highway 101 and the Oregon Coast. Oregon was the last of the contiguous US states that I haven't visited, so there's an item off the Bucket List. We stopped at all the lighthouses, but again, the weather didn't cooperate. This one was gorgeous, but shrouded in fog.

It was a little better here, but the winds almost knocked you off your feet.

We had three days on the ocean, staying in the top whale watching city of Depoe Bay. Seeing a whale is another Bucket List item we hoped to cross off. We were right on the ocean but the weather was horrible. The winds rocked the RV constantly and you couldn't see very far out into the sea. It even hailed. The waves were powerful due to the storms.

Unfortunately, this is the only whale we saw :(

I always keep my camera ready as we travel, and was able to get a snap of the beautiful Blue Heron as it flew in front of us.

After traveling the entire Oregon coast, we headed inland through the Columbia River Gorge. My gosh, this is one of the most beautiful drives. I am sad that the weather was so bad that we couldn't fully enjoy it.

We stopped at beautiful Multnomah Falls, the same falls Vanna poses in front of in several Wheel of Fortune episodes :) And yes, it was pouring rain.

After a trip through Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, (and lots of snow in the mountains), we had planned to revisit Yellowstone National Park. The last time we were there, half of the park was on fire and we didn't get to see it. Well, thanks to the wonderful Government, the shutdown closed all of the National Parks. But...if the Government hadn't closed it, the blizzard would have. So we had to abort those plans and venture around Wyoming all together to avoid the snow. We ended up in Montana and North Dakota trying to outrun the snow. But it gave us a chance to see...

Salem Sue, the world's largest Holstein Cow, and...

The world's largest Sandhill Crane :) So, in our attempt to avoid the snow, we were smack dab in the middle of the tornadoes that rocked the middle part of the country. We spent a night in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as tornadoes hit all around us. Finally, after a harrowing few days, I was so happy to see...

this as we crossed back into Indiana (where, yes, it was raining :) So, that's the trip in a nutshell. I didn't intend to make it sound bad...the scenery was incredible. I would love to live on the Oregon coast. But I would have appreciated a little cooperation from Mother Nature instead of wind and rain and hail and snow and dust and tornadoes.

I am trying to catch up now. I will be by your blogs in the next few days to visit you. Thank you so much to those of you who stopped by while I was gone!! And thank you for voting for me at Heartfelt Creations!! I will be drawing the winner of my Early Christmas giveaway in the next couple of days!! I hope your week is starting off marvelously :)

Decorate to Celebrate #61 - Witch's Brew

For my Early Christmas giveaway, click HERE

Happy Wednesday!! It's time for another challenge at Decorate to Celebrate.  For Challenge #61, we are asking you to create any project to be used as a party decoration (or party supply) for a Halloween Party or Celebration. Let's celebrate everything wonderful about witches, ghosts, pumpkins and more with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more :)

For my Halloween Party, I created decorative bottles. This was a super-easy project :) The labels are from last year's Martha Stewart Halloween clearance at Joann.

Aren't they fun??!! Now it's your turn!! Head on over to Decorate to Celebrate to see the amazing projects my talented design team sisters have created for today's challenge. Then link up your Halloween Party project...I can't wait to see what you create :)