Saturday, October 31, 2009

Boo!

Happy Halloween! I hope your night is magical, your tricks are fun, and your treats are sweet!

My little ones both have the sniffles, and there is a wind advisory (in addition to sprinkles and below 40 temp) so we are staying in :( Luckily they got to trick or treat at their schools, so they had two days of Spooky Party fun, and I would hate to have them get sick.

We are handing out candy to the brave trick-or-treaters that come to our door, eating popcorn, and watching spooky cartoons tonight :) I may try to make them wear their costumes (I need photos to scrapbook!) but it might turn into a pajama party - and I think we will be ok with that :)

I think next year I will just plan on dressing them in furs and having them be polar bears...

Friday, October 30, 2009

Pixie Candy!

Candy candy! The Pixie Cottage is having its first ever blog candy! Lots of pretty new stamps, perfect for the upcoming winter and holiday season! Head on over and get the details...



Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Featured!

I was on the Graphic 45 site (one of my all time favorite paper companies!) and was completely surprised and thrilled to see my teapot card was on the featured page of the gallery! Too exciting! This site is fantastic for all things vintage/nostalgic/whimsical/retro/beautiful.... check it out! I love Graphic 45 pretties...

I am such a geek.

I actually am going to be teaching a teapot/altered book class in December at my LSS. So if you are in the Michigan area the first weekend of December... :)

Play with the Pixies!

It is time for our second challenge at Pixie Cottage! The challenge this time is "celebrate", and since babies are one of the most fabulous things to celebrate, I made this sweet pea card. I love pinks and greens, and this little cutie in a peapod makes me smile! Buttons, of course, and a bit of vintage pink eyelet fabric make this a little sweet card for a baby girl :)

Head over to the Pixie Cottage blog to see what cards the Design Team made, as well as find out the winners of the first challenge!

Ingredients
Papers: My Minds Eye
Image: Pixie Cottage
Embellishments: fabric, buttons, tag, brad
Colored pencils, ranger ink

I almost forgot! I am entering this card into several challenges :) Spots and stripes are all the rage at PaperTake Weekly, and I used the sketch at Cupcake Craft Challenges.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Great Pumpkin, Pretties for sale, and costume update

So it isn't even 7pm, and it is dark as midnight... when is Daylight Savings Time? But it makes the perfect ambiance for some Halloween movies, popcorn, and cuddle time on the couch. Of course, the Halloween movies will be G rated, and the scariest thing will be when Linus is spooked by Snoopy, but that is ok. I was going to make popcorn balls today, but I feel completely deflated after ruining two huge pans of pumpkin seeds yesterday :( It totally bummed me out. Trying to multi-task, I was carving pumpkins, keeping the twins away from sharp knives, baking seeds, looking for tea lights, chatting with my in-laws... the next thing I know, I smell smoke.

Many bad words were said. By me. My husband and his parents all ate handfuls, trying to convince me that the seeds weren't too burned... It was a sweet gesture, but by dinnertime, Steve's stomache was killing him, and I blamed the seeds.

I did manage to get some pretties listed on Etsy. My new favorite craft is altering and embellishing boxes. I had so much fun making the ones for my Halloween party, and I can't wait to make more! I also have a Halloween scrapbook layout up for grabs on eBay. It ends tonight, so you could get a deal!





I got the finishing touches for the twins' costumes today: pirate hat and hook, cowboy hat and badge. I also was delighted to find a little stick horse that Johnny can carry around (I know, I know - I will end up carrying it before the night is through, but it will be soooo darn cute!). I just need to cut Mikey's pants all jaggedy, and I think we are all set! Johnny insists he needs cowboy boots, but I think I have him talked into wearing his snow boots...

Don't forget tonight is the deadline to enter your cards for Pixie Cottage's first challenge! Woo hooo! I am having a blast seeing the cards made with my sketch.

Take care :) I am off to snuggle the munchkins (who are playing much too quietly... hmmmm...) and wait for the Great Pumpkin....

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Visions of Sugarplums... Pixie Peek!


It is no secret I love pinks and greens. With two boys, I love the chance to girl it up with some pretty pastels! With Christmas around the corner, however, these colors are perfect for more than just "girly" cards. Gingerbread and candy canes, frosting and minty goodness are for everyone! This little card was super fun to make. I have been so busy with Halloween preparations, it was nice to push aside my black cardstock and pull out some red and pink!

More wintery wonders await you at the Pixie Cottage blog... the Design team has been working like Santa's elves to bring you some Pixie Peeks!

Ingredients
Papers: Heidi Grace, Daisy Bucket, Core'dinations
Image: Gingerbread Men by the Pixie Cottage
colored pencils and Ranger Distress Ink


With all this sweetness, I had to enter this card into the Cute Card Thursday challenge using the sketch from A Spoon Full of Sugar.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Chocolate, costumes, and challenges :)

I have had some success in my quest for cute costumes for the twins. I decided to go with altering "real" clothes. This has several advantages. One, I feel fancy doing a "homemade" costume. Two, in Michigan, it has been known to snow on Halloween, and the store bought costumes often get covered in a coat (because I usually would buy the cheapies that were flimsy anway), and three, I justify the cost of buying a few things because parts of the costumes can be worn "for real" after trick or treating. I got some nice heavy black sweatpants for Mikey - after I creatively cut the cuffs into ratty pirate pants, he will be warm and festive at the same time! I found a cute red fringed scarf on sale, which when wrapped around his waist will be a perfect pirate scarf (and I plan on pirating it later - I love red!). Johhny can wear jeans, and his new plaid shirt can be worn long after the sugar buzz has worn off. I plan to hit the dollar store tomorrow for the proper hats to finish the costumes off.

In other news... I have to share my new favorite indulgence. Three words: Nutty Waffle Chocolate. Ice-cream with chocolate covered nuts, pieces of waffle cone, and swirls of decadent fudge. I polished off the carton while watching last night's episode of Glee (could life get any better? I don't think so!), and I have a burning desire to go to the store and get more. This could be dangerous.

Finally, I want to remind all you card makers and other crafty people that the Pixie Cottage Challenge is taking entries until Sunday night, midnight EST. Exciting and new, challenges are posted every-other-Wednesday. You still have time to make your card with this sketch:

I actually created this sketch, and am tickled to see all the great cards that have been made so far! A random winner will get some fabby stamps, and three others get a cutie blog button to show they were a Top Three cardmaker. You have until Sunday night to get this sketch up and loaded to the Pixie Cottage blog, and then the winners, along with the new challenge, will be revealed on Wednesday, October 28. Come play with the Pixies!

Here is the little button for the challenge - feel free to snag it and put on your blog :) Just right click, save, and load.

Hope to see you play, wish me luck in my costume making adventure, and remember - eat lots and lots of ice-cream!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Halloween costumes and Hello Friend... a triple challenge card :)

So I am looking for Halloween costumes for my boys. Johnny has proclaimed he is in charge of choosing all of our costumes (I have no idea where he gets his bossiness... not me! Well, maybe a littls...) and has proclaimed that he will be a cowboy, his twin Mikey will be a pirate, my husband is to be a ghost, and I get to be a witch. So I am looking for costumes, and I keep thinking, I could make that. I could totally make that! Of course, I pretty much just sew on paper...


Any suggestions out there? I want to make their costumes, but I will admit it, I am not a master seamstress. I can get hats easily enough, and I figure I just need, what, a vest or two, maybe some chaps? If you have any sites or articles you can link my way, I would love to see them! And of course I waited until 10 days until Halloween, so this will be a bit of a challenge...

Speaking of challenges...


I love card challenges! Here is my latest :) Using the sketch at Friday Sketchers, the color scheme at Colour Create, and Moxie Fabb's challenge to use ruffles, I made this little square card. I love this stamp from Sugar Nellie! I could color her over and over...

Ingredients
Papers: Graphic 45
Image: Sugar Nellie (sentiment... Inkadinkado?)
Embellishments: fabric for ruffle, testained tag, brad
my only 2 copics (face) and colored pencil, Ranger distress ink



Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Yummy... Truly Scrumptious Coco :)

With the chilly fall weather, nothing warms you up like a mug of hot chocolate! I love this stamp from Whiff of Joy... Isn't Willow just tooo purty? I covet her hair...







This card was made for the challenge at Truly Scrumptious, which had the theme of autumn, and a great sketch! I love blues and browns together... so cozy!




Ingredients
Paper: Paper Loft, MME
Image: Whiff of Joy
Embellishments: Buttons
Copics, colored pencils, and Ranger distress ink

How Sweet! Sweet Sketch Wednesday...













This little card was super fun to make - I love buttons!

I used one of the newest Pixie Cottage stamps, and I loved coloring this little cutie :) He is a new favorite! Speaking of Pixie Cottage, don't forget the first ever challenge! You have until this coming Sunday to get your entry in :)

This card uses the sketch for the Sweet Sketch Challenge, and it is a nice one. I love the ribbon on top...

Ingredients
Paper: Cosmo Cricket, MME, Making Memories
Image: Pixie Cottage
Embellishments: fabric and buttons
Copics and colored pencils and Ranger Distress ink

Monday, October 19, 2009

Something WINNING this way comes...

Well, my broomstick is worn out! I was flying all over BlogLand this weekend, attending fabulous Halloween Celebrations, hosted and organized by Vanessa of A Fanciful Twist. I hosted a party as well, and had such lovely feedback! I am honored to have had so many visitors :) If you didn't stop by my haunted and magical party, the ghosts are still in full swing and the music is still playing... check it out!

I planned to have a random draw for a prize, and after having such fun at my soiree, I decided to have TWO prizes! Both gifts consist of a little altered box, a Halloween notecard, three "potion" tags, a mini book with a potion label, and a set of three of my altered vintage playing cards, tied with gingham and dried lavender.













I went to random.org and here is what I got! The first time, I had 90 comments, and when I decided to do an additional draw, I had 93 comments :)


So my winners are....

Suzy and Studio at Crow Haven Farm

Congratulations ladies! As soon as I get your info, I can send your pretties to you :)

Thanks again for everyone that stopped by. It made my weekend sPoOkTaCuLaR! I can't wait until next year's bash! Thanks again, Vanessa, for organizing such a lovely party :)

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Hauntingly Magical Celebration...

It is a blustery October morning, and the sun is hiding behind smoky clouds. The shadowy day was pale and chilly, yet I hoped to make a quick journey to the pumpkin patch. Because today, of course, is the Hauntingly Magical Celebration, hosted by A Fanciful Twist, and I needed some lovely pumpkins to adorn my home!

Pulling my cloak a bit closer about me, I made my way to the pumpkin patch. I knew a shortcut I could take... but I was a bit fearful. The old Haversford Cemetery had a reputation for shifting shadows and whispering trees, and the stories the locals told... But I was running late, and I reminded myself ghosts usually only rattled their chains at midnight, and it wasn't yet noon.

The rolling hills, dotted with their crumbling tombstones, was as silent as... the grave. Then a noise, whisper soft, made my heart beat faster. I peeked around a stately oak, and caught a glimpse of someone else making their way through the stones.
"Hello?" I called, but was answered only with a soft sigh of swishing branches as this mysterious wandered disappeared in a thicket of crimson leaves. Curious, I peered into the tangled branches.
A key, large and rusty, dangled from the branch, a mysterious invitation. Pumpkins forgotten, I reached for the key...
It had to belong to the cloaked figure I spied in the graveyard. I could just follow the path, the branches still quivering, to see where she had gone off to. Just to see if the key was indeed hers. The branches created a darkened tunnel, twisting and turning, until suddenly I stumbled into the open, and saw the House.
Large and stately, it loomed against the pale sky. A heard a door thud shut, but not before a soft laugh floated across the expanse. "Wait!" I cried, "I think I found your key?" I trotted up to the front porch, the echo of that laugh still ringing in my ears. I knocked on the door, but no one answered. I considered the key in my hand, and my curiosity overcame me.
The door opened without a sound, and I poked my head inside the darkened foyer. "Anyone home? Helloooooo..." I thought I heard footsteps above, and a dim light flickered above, making shadows play on the staircase in front of me.
I followed the elusive footsteps, and found myself in a small room, the only light filtering in through a lonely window...

But wait! There was a light in the corner.

A small table stood in the corner, and it looked as though a child had just left his play.

Little wooden blocks lay abandoned, and a magazine lay open to a charming little puzzle. I moved the blocks aside, wanting to see the little story...

A Halloween Party! So the owners of the house were having a party, too, perhaps! I glanced about, wondering where these elusive people might be. I went back to the door and listened - but the house was still. I turned back to study the puzzle...

..but that was strange. I don't think those blocks were stacked like that. A tinkling laugh from behind me sent shivers up my spine, and I decided I had seen enough of this room...
I went downstairs. I would just leave the key on the kitchen table, write a note, and get out of this house.

Back downstairs, I headed down the hall and found myself in a lovely sitting room.


A large fireplace looked lonely next to the forgotten chair, and I found myself wishing that a warm, crackling fire were lit. A glimmer of candles at the other end caught my eye. There was a table set up, and in the candlelight I could make out a stack of boxes. Presents, perhaps? It was looking more and more like a party was being planned.

But what kind of party? Black and white packages were nestled among the candles...

...and mysterious little books were tucked in among the boxes...

I looked up in the flickering candlelight, and let out a muffled scream - someone was there!

I let a sigh of relief. It was merely a statue. "Is that you, William?" For I recognized the bearded Bard, Shakespeare, and felt oddly comforted by his presence. A familiar face in this flickering darkness. But then the words from Macbeth came unbidden into my mind, and I found myself whispering into the darkened room, "By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes..."

I gave a nervous giggle, and looked at ghostly companions keeping old William company...

These frightful but delightful pumpkins leered and grinned in the darkness, and I continued on into the house, calling out. "Hello? Anyone here?" Still no answer. "Trick or treat?" But still, no answer. A few more steps, and I found myself in what had to be the kitchen. The table was set, but no guests seemed to have arrived...

But this was the strangest kitchen I had ever seen. The shelves held dozens and dozens of tiny little glass bottles, all with very unusual labels...


Wing of Bat? Phoenix Tears? Ground Mummy? I decided, then and there, that it was time for me to leave.
"Ok, well, I am just going to leave your key here, ok?" I called out to the flickering darkness. "Have fun at your party..." I added, at a loss for what else to say to the empty house.

Thank you...

It was a whisper, softer than a sigh, and it was right behind me...

I dropped the key and ran out the back door, not looking back until I was safely out of the house. I turned for one last look. I heard music floating from the window.


Was that - no, could it be? I could hear the strains of "Monster Mash." I put my chilled hands in my pocket, and found a note. Heart beating, I unfolded the piece of parchment, and read:

Dinner is at seven o'clock

Laughing, I folded the note up, and made my way to the pumpkin patch. I was going to need more pumpkins for the pies I planned to bring to this fabulous party.


Thanks for stopping by! I hope you had a hauntingly good time :) I will be doing a random draw Monday morning (October 19) from the comments for a delightful prize!


Credits: In addition to my original artwork, photographs of house and empty rooms (and spooky ghost) are from Country Living Magazine and have been modified, spookized, and hauntified :)

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