TOFF Quotes and Forever Night

Just managed a quickie today for the TOFF Quotes challenge. I had planned to do something entirely different, but when I saw that Forever Night was Mysterious Findings (from Wonderland), I decded to use the Hatter's riddle as my quote. It's a quickie, because I'm running out of time and hubby wants to see a movie. Crafting as an excuse gets overused in this house so I'm rushing. I merged The Octopode Factory Raven, Ink and Quill from the Poe Set and Dada Steampunk Hands images (which for my purposes became the Hatter's) on the computer and added the quote. (I'm pretty sure the answer to this is still a mystery.) I colored with Copics, matted with a stripey border, a few beads and DONE! Sorry so short, but I'm outta here!

Bah! Humbug! Paper Weaving Challenge

Those gals at Humbug Hall almost scared the bejeezes out of me with that giant spider they had introducing this week's challenge. Boy, I sure couldn't wait 'til it was off my sidebar. LOL Thank heavens it's gone! Thought I'd stumbled into Haunted Design House for a minute. And I dare say I wouldn't be using any spider catcher no matter HOW long the handle. How are ya hanging in Humbug Hall this month, Barb? HeeHee However, the challenge this week was not the easiest either, especially since I took a few days off from crafting the beginning of the week and thought I could sort of skate by. Paper weaving? Eiyiyi! Yes, I've done it, but it's not something that is easily slapped together. I'm proud that I did manage, however. The mats were cut on my Cricut with a cut out from Storybook which I stretched to fit the sweet silhouette from A Child's Year.

After weaving my background, I ran it through my Cuttlebug using the Sizzix Tim Holtz Swirls folder so I could enter it in the CHNC Swirls challenge and also because it made me think of swirling snow. The top mat and silhouette are embossed with the Cuttlebug Limited Edition Snowflake Folder.

Both mats and top image are popped on a prefolded 5 x 6 1/2" card base. The gorgeous snowflake is cut and embossed with the Spellbinders Create A Flake 1 and topped with an adhesive pearl. Be sure to stop by B!H! and CHNC to see the lovely examples. No much timeleft for B!H!, but you still can sneak in a card at CHNC.

Tiddly Inks 2 Week Art Journaling Challenge.

Better grap a cuppa, this is gonna be a long post.

Our challenge this week at Tiddly Inks is inspired by our Wow Ya Wednesday artist Kate of The Kathryn Wheel and what a challenge it is! (for me, at least) Create an art journal page (or project) inspired by the multi media style so popular now. I'll be honest. I don't have a lot of paints and sprays and that kind of stuff because I really don't like to get my hands (and everything around me) dirty. And I'm a chicken, and a perfectionist, and if I don't like something I throw it away and start over, COMPLETELY over. The philosophy here is "There are no mistakes in Art". Tell that to my waste basket. LOL So actually experimenting in a bound journal is actually quite terrifying to me. I joined the Smeared and Smudged Art Journaling Group and I lasted 3 days and NEVER posted what I did on my blog. The group was very supportive, but what was supposed to be a fun and freeing experience caused me EXTREME anxiety so I dropped out. However, armed with the fab inspiration from Kate and the various links Christy provided for us HERE, I was ready to take the plunge again.

Okay, so maybe it looks like a little dip, because my page is really not as jam packed with doodling and whatnot as I would have liked... I started by slapping gesso on the page which covered up the lines and provided a base. Then I used Distress Inks in colors I immediately didn't like (was going for a sky and grass thing because I had no idea what the page was gonna be about, or what images to use.) Note to self: have a plan first.I hated it so on went another layer of gesso which muted it all (thank GOD!) Next some Acrylic Paint Dabber in Cloudy Blue and while the gesso AND the paint were still wet, I pounced it all with bubble wrap trying to get some texture. Then I had to let it dry. Hmmm... not very patient, so I blasted it with my heat gun.

Then I pretty much just messed around. Used more bubble wrap and Distress Inks with pretty much all of the blues. Stamped a Heartfelt Creations text background stamp with Perfect Medium and dusted with Perfect Pearls in the upper right corner. So it started to look like sky, or water. Took a look at my Tiddlies and came across Whaz'Up...or Down (currently residing in the Tiddly Inks Basement for a mere $1.00! Now you know I'm more of a cat woman, but these little guys captured what I've been feeling lately. (Read the computer generated journaling. No, I was just too chicken to try and write it by hand and possibly mess up after all of this!) I colored the little guys with Distress Ink and cut them out. I also added a compass mask and some stamping also with Distress.

Then I decided I wanted clouds so I got REALLY BRAVE and slapped on some Dreamweavers Embossing paste. What I didn't read was that it was translucent. CRAP! (thought it was white) so I looked in my drawer and grabbed some Sparklyfluff, sprinkled it on, and hoped it would stick. Yea, it did, but the pic doesn't show the sparkle...bummer. My only dilemma now was the balloon strings because I was pretty sure I couldn't draw over the Sparklyfluff. Couldn't find black floss either, so I opted for wire which was not a great choice, but what's a gal to do? So anyway, here's my page and I have to admit I had FUN! No, it's far from perfect, but it's okay. Now, if you want to see perfection, check out what my teamies have done HERE. And don't forget this is a 2 week challenge so you have plenty of time to muster some courage if you're a newbie like me. You may just find your voice. There are no mistakes in art.

P.S. Christy has previewed 2 new adorable images and a FREEBIE on her blog, so have a look HERE.

BBTB2 TBBM Box Challenge

Isn't that title hilarious? I'm sure non Cricuteers are scratching their heads. Translation: This week our challenge at Bitten By The Bug2 was chosen by our fabulously talented sis, Jeri. Her pick was ony of the 3D boxes or containers from Tags, Bags, Boxes and More. Well, my fave box on that cart is the cake box. However, I had a hard time figuring out what to do with it because I had already done a vintage inspired Halloween one HERE, and also a birthday cake shoe HERE. What I didn't realize, was that I could cut it quite a bit bigger than the "fit to page" size on a 12"x12" mat, which is 9". By turning it around using DS, I could just cut it a a whopping 11". WooHoo! That is SOME slice of cake!

I used just two colors because I decided to use the trick or treaters silhouettes from A Child's Year and create a little scene around the sides of the box. They look quite vintage to me, and the paper decorations I have left from my childhood have few colors other than orange and black. I finally got to use the larger MS fence punch too.

The figures were cut at 2 1/4 " (the witch, clown and princess) and 2 1/8" (fairy, fireman, and cowboy) Some were flipped so they would all face the front of the box. To continue the scene, I punch a smaller MS Spooky Fence punch to add around the top.

"Trick or Treat"was cut from Pumpkin Carving. I added a large moon and shadow cut with my Grand Caliber and Grand Circles Nesties. The haunted house is a Tim Holtz Sizzix Bigz Die. I happen to have a Big Shot, but these can be cut in the Cuttlebug too, using the die between 2 B plates.

The box opens from the back so of course I needed to decorate that too. "Happy Haunting" is also from the Pumpkin Carving cart and the ghosts are another MS punch. I'm telling you, LOTS of treats will fit in here! Now don't fret if you don't have TBBM, because any box or treat container from any of the carts will do, as long as it is a "new" project and you mention and link to BBTB2 in your post. Now go have a look at the amazing inspiration from my DT sisters and we hope to visit you to see your take on the challenge too. BTW, although we have a new challenge every week, you have 2 weeks to complete them so our winged, drippy heart challenge HERE is still open as well.

Macabre Monday 7 Deadly Sins Challenge

This week at Haunted Design House, our challenge is to create a project inspired by one of the 7 Deadly Sins. That would be Lust, Greed, Envy, Pride(Vanity), Sloth, Gluttony and Wrath. I was all set to do a dude having a Big Mac Attack when I realized the project I was doing for the TOFF Challenge (that I was late for) would work just famously for this challenge so I saved it. Anyway, it is my FAVE Deady Sin so...(don't laugh, just because there's snow on the roof doesn't mean there's no fire in the chimney ;D) Anyway, I used The Octopode Factory Whimsical Devil Girl and colored her with Copics and popped her with dimensionals. The background paper was done with Distress Inks and the flames behind her were stamped using the cool Distressed Stripes clear stamps from Papertrey Ink (thanks, Leah) which I squiggled up on the clear block and also stamped with Distress. I did a little journaling (a la Art Journal style, sort of) up the flames and doodled a striped border as well (because the TOFF challenge was stripes). The die cut letters are the QuicKutz Haunted Mini Alphabet cut on my Cuttlebug. The Minions are out in full force so check out the inspiration HERE, and don't forget Wretched Wednesday when Creepy Glo posts her contribution. Hope to see yours, too.

Tiddly Inks End of Summer Card

div>It's Fabulous Inky Friday which means at The Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog we highlight cards we see using Tiddly Inks images throughout blogland as well as those from the Tiddly Inkers. We also announce the winner from the previous challenge so of course you wanna go see, don't you? Although it wasn't my team's turn to do the Goodbye Summer Challenge for Tiddly Tuesday, I couldn't help but do a Fall card. It's my favorite season.

I immediately thought of the sweet Colorful World, an older image that resides in the Tiddly Inks Basement. Remember, that's your spot for things you may not find in the new Tiddly Inks Shop. Many of the images in the basement are discounted as well. WooHoo! You can snag her for a mere $2.00! She's colored with Copics, and glossy Accents added to her brush, fussy cut, then popped on a Nesties Mega Oval.

The leaves were cut and embossed with a Cuttlebug die and folder. I used the trees from the huge Harmony at Home Mega Pack for the patterned paper by resizing and printing each in a different color, using my Printmaster Platinum Program, then cutting the leaves out of the tree tops. Brushed Corduroy Distress was used to bring out the embossing.

To add a little interest, I wound a fiber through the popped leaves. I kind of thought it gave a feeling of movement and allows me to enter it in The Ribbon Carousel Anything Goes Challenge this week. Some gold adhesive beads were added for a little shine. There's still plenty of time to enter our Goodbye Summer-Hello Fall challenge so I hope to see you there and wait until you see the fabulous inspiration from our Wow Ya Wednesday Guest Kate from The Kathryn Wheel. Seriously, art journaling at it's FINEST! And pop over to Christy's Blog and see the adorable new Little Miss Sunshine image, just released Tuesday. There is always something fun going on at Tiddly Inks.

I'm also entering this in the Craft Us Crazy Autumn Colors and/or Favorite Embellishments Challenge (adhesive beads, here).

A Super Quickie for Bah! Humbug!

Yikes! My little anniversary trip threw me all out of whack for my fave weekly challenges so here I'm am scrambling to sneak this week's Bah!Humbug! Xmas Sentiments/Text Challenge. I actually had a much more elaborate card in mind, but at this late hour, there is no way I'd be able to finish it so I pulled out my trusty Cuttlebug, embossed with the Joy and Cheer folder (that I've had FOREVER, but never used), stamped a Hero Arts sentiment with Blazing Red StazOn, cut a scalloped rectangle in the mat with my Nesties, popped them both and there ya go! Don't even know if I'm technically under the wire, VERY CAS, but it's done! I apologize for the pic. Hard to photograph when it's still dark out. LOL

A Special Baby Card

Well, I'm away on our anniversary trip enjoying the lovely accomodations and idyllic setting at Nick's Cove, but I do have something new to show you. I can now reveal a commissioned baby card. I've actually never done a commission before, but out of the blue, I got a phone call from the Mom of one of my followers who wanted to surprise her daughter with a card from ME! I was flattered and shocked that this sweet Mom would track me down and make her request and the date seemed soo far away (at the time) that I just couldn't refuse.

What I didn't realize is how I would feel about the huge resonsibility it is to try to capture someone else's vision and it made me pretty nervous. The nursery is done in navy (yeah, that's navy on the card, not black) and lime green with an alligator motif. I threw out about a bazillion designs before I came up with something I liked. I had pix of the bedding and stuff and I found the PERFECT alligator on Zooballoo. The baby blocks are from New Arrival and the pond and grass is from Create a Critter. It's all welded in DS to a rounded rectangle from George into a shaped front card (big surprise!) The design still bothered me until I added a banner from a Stampin'Up Treat Cone Die (the shadow for that was hand cut) with an Alpha Bead sentiment.

Inside I added another pond, directly under the one on the front, so it didn't show through when the card was closed, for writing a personal note and another teeny alligator. Isn't he cute? He's embossed with the Mesh Texture Cuttlebug folder, rather than the Tiny Mosaic that his big brother is embossed with, which seemed more to scale. The pond paper is Bo Bunny which is already textured and the blocks were embossed with Swiss Dots.

As you can see, it is FAT and required a custom envie. I often use the Crayon Box from TBBM for these which I decorated to match but I was in such a hurry to get this mailed to Louisianna that I forgot to take pix. BUMMER! I sure hope Jennifer liked it and was happy and surprised.

BBTB2 Rock Princess Flying Dripping Heart Challenge

Happy Labor Day! Hope everyone is enjoying their looong weekend. Mine is just starting as we're off to Nick's Cove for a couple of days to celebrate our 36th anniversary on Tuesday. I'm looking forward to a little break from crafting and some relaxation on Tomales Bay.

Our challenge this week at BBTB2 was chosen by our fabulous Team Leader Heather. I couldn't help but make a Halloween card using the heart, as well as the font from Rock Princess, all welded together in DS. The colors were dictated by the batty DP from Basic Grey. It all still looks a little jarring to me, even though I tried to tone down the lettering with inking and embossing. Trust me, I tried about a bazillion different color combos and this turned out to be the best but... I do love the bat wings, though. They were embossed with the Tim Holtz Spider Web folder and inked with Alabaster Chalk Ink. OOOOH, SPOOKY! The heart was glittered by running it through my Xyron and sprinkling it with gorgeous purple Doodlebug Sugar coating. Yummy!

It's a shaped front card, but I bet you already assumed that. LOL Couldn't help but add some bling. the interior swirls and small gems on "Batty" are by Recollections from M's and the large purple hearts (honestly they ARE purple but insist on photographing more BLUE for some reason) are by Darice.

Lots of layers again, this one sort of took on a mind of it's own. The second layer of wings were left free to fly. Now don't panic if you don't have this cart. We'd love you to play along with any heart, or thing with wings, or drippy thing (Hmmm...I'm not going there) on a new creation and link it up mentioning the BBTB2 challenge and linking it back to our site so everyone can get in on the fun. Now go take a look at what the rest of the DT has come up with for this challenge and be inspired.

Macabre Monday P.M.S Challenge

This week our challenge at Haunted Design House is P.M.S. Heck, what do I know about PMS. It's been 10 years since I've ridden the crimson wave, but hot flashes? Yeah, I'm your GAL! Actually P.M.S stands for Psychotic Miss Silver. Your project should feature a whacked out chick and the color silver. No problem! I found my fabulous images on the web by Googling "Woman Screaming" and "Bloody Knife". Yeah, Baby! I'm particularly fond of the woman screaming. LOVE that perspective, and haven't we all been stressed enough that we even screamed through our eyes? But finish off my chocolate and you're taking you life in your hands. My silver is foil and I've crunched it to look like a chocolate wrapper beneath the sentiment and as a mat.

I cut the image with my Nesties Wonky Rectangles and backed it with additional cuts and popped them for dimension. Lots of fun, this one. The rest of the Minions had a blast with this as well. Please check them out HERE and don't forget Creepy Glo's post on Wretched Wednesday for mid week treat. I know this is a subject familiar (if not dear) to every woman's heart, so I can't wait to see your interpretation of the theme. Don't forget to link your project back to our challenge so EVERYONE can play along. I'm also adding it to The Corrosive Challenge Blog Funny or Punny Challenge (I think it's funny!)

The Altered Alice Chapter 7 : Text as Nonsense

Alice didn't dare to argue the point, but went on: `-- and I thought I'd try and find my way to the top of that hill -- '

`When you say "hill,"' the Queen interrupted, `I could show you hills, in comparison with which you'd call that a valley.'

`No, I shouldn't,' said Alice, surprised into contradicting her at last: `a hill can't be a valley, you know. That would be nonsense --

' The Red Queen shook her head, `You may call it "nonsense" if you like,' she said, ` but I've heard nonsense, compared with which that would be as sensible as a dictionary!'

-- Chapter 2, Through The Looking Glass and What Alice Found There

Welcome again to another monthly challenge at The Altered Alice. Using text as pattern is a trend right now that I really love. Your challenge is to use text as nonsense - not to read but as pattern on your project! Of course you can still have words or sentiments, but we also need to see text used in a non-reading way. We are sponsored this month by Stamp Attack, a British Company well known for (among other things) their fabulous Alice stamp plates. The winner will receive a voucher to purchase a stamp plate of their choice.

I guess you could call my project an "art piece" as it is way too large for a card (11"x 11") and an inch thick. I was having a hard time deciding what to do until I looked at my Tiddly Inks card for this week and thought to expand upon the book cut I used there. The book is a Cricut cut from My Community. I cut the shadow, blackout, and 6 of the regular cuts (stretched a bit in Design Studio) which I trimmed and popped for the pages. I used George to cut the descending concentric circles at different depths to represent the fall down the rabbit hole.

The fabulous DP is Out of Print Tapestry by Basic Grey which is the perfect nonsensical text and whimsical pattern for this challenge. Subsequent pages are stamped with the Large Elegant Word Background Stamp by Heartfelt Creations and all are inked with Distress.

All of the fabulous Alice characters are from the Adventures of Alice Plate from our sponsor, Stamp Attack.

Each was colored with Copics and cut and popped in and around the openings.

I used minimal embellishments because, let's face it, there's a lot going on here. LOL I did use a vertical sentiment stamp by Sweet Pea on the twill bookmark. I was a bit afraid to do it, but the Perfect Printing Pouch by ScraPerfect (see the CHA video HERE with my interview, LOL) honestly made it come out perfectly. (and you all know me and stamping.) I was AMAZED!

Be sure to visit The Altered Alice to see the fabulous first week inspiration by the DT HERE. Our challenges come out the first Sunday of the month and run through the Friday before the last Sunday, with weekly inspiration postings by more of the DT that you won't want to miss. Winners are announced the last Sunday of the month.

Please remember that ALL art forms are welcomed, Atc's, Cards, Scrap layouts, Altered items and whatever you could possibly think of, as long as they fit the challenge (which this week is using text as nonsense, in case you forgot after this unbelievably long post.) They don't technically even have to be "Alice" related, but of course those that do get preferential treatment. LOL So I wanna see some of my blogging buddies join in this month, okay? See ya there!

And the Winner IS!!!!

Sorry guys! I'm always late in putting up the winners because I was hoping to have a card to post today, but its just not happening. Maybe later, but don't hold your breath. LOL Still have DT stuff to crank out. I will have a fab post tomorrow for the new Altered Alice Challenge, though, so stay tuned.

So, now, without further ado, what you've all been waiting for... the winner of the $40.00 gift certificate to Custom Crops is #48, CHLOE!!!!!!!! who wrote:

WOOHOO! Congrats Chloe! Please email me to arrange for your prize. Thanks you all for participating and please check out the sale and new products at my fab sponsor, Custom Crops .