Macabre Monday Vile Vintage (Warning! Possibly offensive or at the very least, distasteful...just sayin')

This week at HDH our challenge is Vile Vintage, take something vintage and make it vile or use something vintage you find vile.  This one was a total no brainer for me.  Behold a layout featuring Victorian Post Mortem Photography (meaning, at least somebody in these pics are DEAD, peeps, not sleeping, DEAD.  EEEEWWWW!!!!).  Apparently this was common practice back in the day, with professional photography being pretty pricey, so in some cases these were the ony photos families had of their loved ones.  Gives me the total creeps. I'm not overly fond of wakes, either and the images of people I've seen who were dead are permanently burned into my memory, so having a reminder to hang on the wall is not my cup of tea.

How about a whole family shot?  Often the dead person was propped up or put on a stand and their eyes were painted in later.  As keeper of the family archives on both sides, I actually thought I had a few of these, but upon further investigation, I guess a lot of my family just wasn't that photogenic.  LOL  No question here who the dead ones are.  The coffins sort of give that away.  Bummer it's a twofer.  Sooo sad.  I did make the fab mat for this which reminded me of many of my vintage photos.  I used the Cuttlebug Gracie's Frame folder with Tim Holtz Kraft Core Nostalgic Collection card stock and sanded it after using a craft knife to cut out the inside.  Looks just like some of my real antique mats. 

Or just the kids?  Don't they look thrilled?  Couldn't resist the title, done with my Dymo.

The photo album and camera are from Graphic 45.  Added a dried rose that could have been part of a funeral bouquet.  Don't know if you can read the rest of the title, but it says "and say cheese".  I really edited the photos I found on the net.  Some were either too heart wrenching or just plain gross.  I got a kick out of how pissed this little girl looks having to pose with her dead brother.  Her look says "Are we done yet?"  Wondering if it was starting to smell like cheese (limberger, I'd bet) in there since I'm pretty sure this was before embalming was popular.  Okay, I could go on and on about this but I'll release you to the rest of the Minions HERE to see what exactly they find vile and can't wait to see how you interpret our Vile Vintage Challenge.

Tiddly Inks Anything Halloween Challenge

We're celebrating anything Halloween at Tiddly Inks Challenge blog and don't faint, I've created a layout! (This makes a total of 4, WooHoo!) Digi stamps are just great for layouts because you can size them accordingly for a perfect fit. First I have to thank my dear friend Margie for sending me those adorable pix of her granddaughter Bella from a few years back. Isn't she a DOLL!? I was excited to use 5 different Tiddly Inks digis, all colored with Copics, to match the bright colors of the K&Co paper I used for the titles. The cool scalloped paper is Pink Paislee.

First we have the adorable Candy Avenger out trick or treating past a HUGE Twisted Tree

under the Silver Moon. These two images come as a set and there's also clouds and fab digi paper with it too (all for $2)!

So off she goes up the path (made from Sizzix handmade paper) past the sweet pumpkin that was a freebie from the Tiddly Inks PCP group. What, you haven't joined yet? What about FREE do you not understand? LOL You can also nab some HERE on the Tiddly Inks Blog and keep up with what's new and happening. These images are only available for a limited amount of time so if you snooze, you lose. (Sorry, I'm pretty sure the pumpkin is gone but there's some fabby drippy paper today). Check it out every Tues!

OOOh, this Home Sweet Home looks pretty spooky. Bella's not too sure she wants to trick or treat there even if there IS candy to be had. Don't you want to just pinch those cheeks? Well, I hope you enjoyed trick or treating with Bella and Tiddly Inks so why not stop over to the Challenge Blog to see the fab creations by the rest of the Tiddly Inkers.

Laying Out at The Spot

Well looky here for The Cuttlebug Spot. I said I had a rough week last week with DT projects and here's one of the reasons...the dreaded layout! YIKES! Just kidding, (sort of) but if you know me, you know I don't scrap. This is layout #3 for me (EVER) and the first that is actually REAL! Yup, that's right, a real layout with pix of my DH's backpacking trip in the Sierras. Isn't he a cutey? He got all shy when he found out this was going to be plastered all over blogland. His words were, "You're supposed to do a layout of me?" Well, no hon, but I'm kinda hard up for pix having no kids and all. LOL Actually, I LOVE the big pic of him and have it hanging in my craft room. It' s so HIM! Dig the glasses on his forehead. He's just the opposite of most of us and takes them off when he reads a map or does any close work so they're perched there ALOT!

Anyway, along with the challenge itself Nilda suggested we not limit ourselves to just embossing die cuts. Hmmm, okay. My interpretation of that was to tear a "trail" and emboss it with the Tiny Mosaics folder to help tie the small pix together. They were printed and cut out with my Nesties deckle rectangles (and fortunately I found my deckle scissors for the big one.) The cool sign is from the Graphically Speaking cartridge and embossed with the Tim Holtz Woodgrain folder (my new FAVE!!!!) Tell me that doesn't look real! Somewhere in the back of my mind I must have thought I'd scrap one of David's camping trips SOMEDAY because I had this paper from American Traditional Designs (who?) called Great Outdoors.

The Sun is a Nesties pinking circle embossed with the new Rays folder by Tim Holtz. I used a whole bunch of Distress Inks to help bring out the embossing but tried to keep it subtle (and MANLY) except for the page from the DCWV Green Stack with the swirly things on it that the whole shebang was mounted on but the colors worked so ... (and I don't think he noticed.)

UR here is also from Graphically Speaking, including the arrow. I can't imagine anyone scrapping with that cartridge. It's the COOLEST and has stuff for EVERYONE on it! The words are embossed with Tiny Bubbles and the arrow head with Swiss Dots. so there you go. Fairly simple but you really can get too fancy if you're scrappin' for guys, ya think? I may just frame this and let DH hang it in his music cave (or the garage). This isn't the start of any album or anything, but I think it's pretty cool (and secretly so did he). Be sure to stop by The Cuttlebug Spot to see what my DT sisters did with this challenge. Pretty darn fabulous for a bunch of mostly non scrappers, if you ask me! And for you guys who do, it should be a piec of cake to play along for the chance for a gift certificate to Custom Crops.

(I'm) Five Layout for Everyday Cricut

So are all my buddies in SHOCK again? Yup, you're seeing right, I did a layout!!!! I don't know what came over me, but reading the reader's comments on Everyday Cricut made me fool around and I think I'm starting to like this. Other than the hand from A Child's Year and the 2 inner mats from George, all of the cuts are from Graphically Speaking. LOVE those number borders and the jumbled words. My dear friend Leah has always loved this cartridge (and borrowed it often before she got her own, hee hee) and she is a scrapbooker extraordinaire. this happens to be a layout for a child, but Graphically Speaking has alot of great cuts for adults and I almost did one using one of my fave pix of DH on a back packing trip that hangs right here in my scrap room. Another day perhaps.

Had to laugh. I tried to carry the "5" theme throughout the layout: 5 buttons, 5 beads of each letter in the "five" word jumble and there in a closeup there are 6 adhesive beads on the letter "I". Thanks Michelle for pointing that out. All fixed now in real life. Trust me, it was a long day. LOL Alot of people are asking about those beads. I usually get mine at Michael's and they're their own Recollections brand. $1.99 per pack for 3 sizes and they come in loads of colors as well as pearls and rhinestones. I've got a whole drawer full because I stock up every time I go, especially when I've got one of those fab 20% off entire order coupons. Couldn't live without them! I've listed all of the sizes for this layout on Everyday Cricut. Also, for those who were asking, the .cut file for the criss cross cards is now available HERE at Custom Crops. The Baby frame is coming next so be sure to come back.

Jubilee Layout (Yes, you read that right!) for Custom Crops- .Cut File Available

Don't faint, but I actually made a layout. Of course I couldn't find the picture I had in mind to put in it, but it's a layout nonetheless. Those of you who know me know I have NEVER done a layout in my life. But this was a challenge from Custom Crops so I just couldn't refuse. (It does hopefully excuse the quality, though, I hope. LOL) Anyway, besides it having to be a layout, it also was to feature the Jubilee cartridge. (Another one of those I thought I needed and have NEVER used.) I didn't go all creative because, quite frankly, it's the houses that I bought this cart for so I focussed on them. I hope you can tell that the huge mat in the background is a house with a porch. (My dear friend Leah, who's the QUEEN of layouts, didn't immediately get that so it sort of made me nervous.) I planned to put a 4 x 6 picture of our house the day we moved in on this but as I said, I couldn't find it. Thought this "Welcome Home" theme could work for a number of different Homecomings though; new baby, returning soldier, you get the picture. Only the big cloud from Create a Critter (which I thought could be used for journaling) and the grass and rectangular mat from Plantin Schoolbook were not cut from Jubilee. The DPs are from Heidi Grace and I added a few Prima flowers and texture with my cuttlebug Spots and Dots and Swiss Dots folders. The article and .cut file are available HERE on the Custom Crops site. Now I'll happily return to my comfort zone (much to everyone's relief! LOL)