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September Tour de Freaks!!!

It's time!  The monthly Tour de Freaks is going on now brought to you by the fabulous Control Freak Swappers!  I know I'm always blown away by the swaps that I get from this group!  You've just come from Cindy Major's Blog...aren't her projects darling?  Make sure to take the entire tour…we have 11 stops this time!  The theme this month is Fall or Halloween!  I can't wait to see everyone's projects!

My first project is a Flip Card.  I haven't done one of these in years!  I've always loved interactive cards…and this one is especially fun, but pretty easy to make!  My Stamp Club will be making one of these at our meeting next week, so they are getting a little sneak peek…I haven't decided it I'll use this Halloween one or make up a different one.  Here is the front.

The base is Cajun Craze and I layered on the Nite Owl DSP from the Holiday Mini.  To give it extra strength, I adhered it to Pear Pizzazz cardstock.  You can't see it, but it does help support the sliding mechanism.  I stamped the Happy Halloween sign from Stampin' Up!'s Dark and Dreary with Black Craft ink once on Whisper White and embossed with Clear Embossing Powder, then again on Cajun Craze and punched the 31 out with the 1/2 circle punch.  The sign is layered on Cajun Craze cardstock.  I also added a few of the Black Flourish Jewels on the corners for a little bling!  I adhered a 1 1/4 punched Daffodil Delight textured cardstock  "moon" in the upper edge of the sign and stamped the Raven with Basic Black on Whisper White, then cut him out and placed him on the moon.  And the magic happens when you pull the Black Raven Lace Trim ribbon tab!

The center sign piece flips open and reveals a greeting "Trick or Treat, Scary & Sweet" from Stampin' Up!'s Grateful Greetings that I stamped in Basic Black on Cajun Craze.  Then the top where I stamped the Candlelabra from Dark & Dreary stamp set in Basic Black and watercolored with Cajun Craze, Daffodil Delight and Basic Black Stampin Write Markers and my AquaPainter.  isn't that FUN???  I was thrilled with how it turned out!  Leave me a comment if you want me to post directions after the Blog Tour is over!

OK, for my next project, I found some wire garden decorations at the nursery.  I just knew I could do something with them!  So, when I was trying to think of a 3D project (and cleaning out my back room), I found them again.  I made the Pumpkins by cutting three Ovals for each from the Scallop Oval Frame die from Pumpkin Pie cardstock.  I sponged the edges with Tangerine Tango Classic Ink and adhered them together in a trio.  I added the Chocolate Chip stem that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Impressions Folder.  I also cut a 1/4 inch strip of Old Olive cardstock, wrapped it around my stylus to make it curly.  I adhered these to the wire with glue dots.

Then I cut some fall leaves with the Leaves #2 die in Cajun Craze, More Mustard and Cherry Cobbler cardstock.  Each of them is texturized with the Perfect Polka Dots, Square Lattice or Finial Press Impressions Folders.  I added Neutral Designer Buttons that I tied with 1/8" Early Espresso Taffeta Ribbon in a knot thru the button holes.  I also punched four 1 3/8 circles from Early Espresso cardstock and added the Fall letters cut from Timeless Type Alphabet Dies and Old Olive cardstock.  I also glittered them with Versamark and Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder!  Finally, I added the Black 1 1/4 Striped Ribbon the wire between each panel.

BUT…wait…there is a surprise!!!  Flip it over and you can decorate for Halloween, too!

So, I used 3 more Ovals for EACH Jack-o-lantern on the reverse side.  I used the 1 1/4 Square Punch for the eyes, then cut a 1" square in half for the nose.  The mouth I used the Circle Scissors Plus Tool to cut the crescent shapes, and cut out the teeth areas.  I added the stems the same as the other side.  At the top, I added Basic Black 1 1/4 Circle Punches and the word Boo! behind the Fall letters on the reverse side.  So…I got TWO decorations for the price of one…pretty cool, huh???

And….here is the display as it is on top of my Cabinet in the kitchen area!  I'll be able to get a good three months of use out of it before I put up Christmas decorations after Thanksgiving!

Hope you enjoyed my Fall/Halloween projects!  Now you are in for a "TREAT" with Mary Brown's fun projects, so continue on the tour by clicking on the button below!  Enjoy!

Preview Week 2 – Spooky Things

It's Preview Week #2 over on Create with Connie and Mary...the last week before the Holiday Edition becomes available to subscribers only!  Don't miss out on your opportunity to save $5 with our Early Bird Special of $34.95!  This week we are featuring Fang-tastic stamp set, Spooky Things Decor Elements and Midnight Raven single stamp.  We have some very special projects that I know you'll love AND more chances to win a FREE subscription to Create with Connie and Mary with some Blog Candy! 

Our Guest Designer, Jenn Picard, is offering her Blog Candy today!  Check it out on Create!

Mary has hit another home run with her Spooky Things Decor Elements…I'm hoping she'll give them to me to decorate my home!  lol!

Aren't these darling?  Look how she colored the 31 on the tin…and that floating frame!  Fabulous!  But, the candle really stands out as a WOW…that spider looks real!  Check out Create with Connie and Mary for her FREE TUTORIAL on how she used the Decor Elements to decorate these home decor items.  If you haven't tried them yet, you won't believe how easy they are to place!  Hmmm, now I need to go look for some items to put mine on!

Stamping 411 – Daisy Die Sunflower

Another sketch challenge from Stamping 411!  This was fun, but almost NO stamping on it!  See what the other Stamping 411 Operators did with it this week!

And here is my card!

When I saw the large focal point, I knew I wanted to do a flower.  As I was driving down my street, I saw the sunflower plant that my neighbors' children planted in the front flower bed!  I used two of the largest flowers in the Daisy Die and cut 3 of each one from Daffodil Delight cardstock.  I sponged the edges with Pumpkin Pie.  In the center, I punched a 1 3/4 circle from Early Espresso cardstock and ran it thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder, then I sponged Early Espresso ink around the edges and across the texture.  I think it looks pretty realistic!

The base card is Pear Pizzazz and I layered on a piece of Greenhouse Gala Designer Paper.  Under that layer, I placed a strip of Early Espresso textured with the Perfect Polka Dots folder again.  Then for a fun twist, I punched the Curly Label Punch three times with Daffodil Delight, cut them in half and placed them like a border under the Early Espresso strip.  I stamped Thanks Big Time from Stampin' Up!'s A Word for You in Early Espresso Classic Ink.  I wrapped two strips of Old Olive 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon around to the back of the Greenhouse Gala DSP, then tied a knot around both of them with more ribbon.  Finally, I punched two Wide Ovals from the green print Greenhouse Gala DSP, and trimmed the sides slightly with my Paper Snips to make the leaves pointed.  I sponged Pear Pizzazz ink around the edges.

I love how this turned out!  Why don't you play along this week with the Stamping 411 sketch and upload your card over on Stamping 411!

Another Paisley Prints Preview Project

To get the FREE DETAILED STEP-BY-STEP TUTORIAL…go to Create with Connie and Mary.  And while you are there…remember we are offering our Early Bird Special pricing of $34.95…so why not join now while you can save $5 off the regular $39.95 price!  That saving is only available until September 25 @ 11:55 PM!

Create with Connie and Mary Thursday Challenge

Today's Create with Connie and Mary Thursday Challenge is another sketch!  Yeah!  It went together really quickly!  I'm switching gears a little going from Halloween to Christmas.  This sketch just seemed to be calling out for Stampin' Up!'s "A Cute Christmas" set in the Holiday Mini!   Make sure to check out to see what the rest of the Challenge Team did this week with the sketch, then create your own and upload it over on the Create website!  Make sure to use CCMC116  in your post.  We love to see your creations!

And here is my "A Cute Christmas" card!  Lots of dots going on here!

This new Candy Cane Christmas Specialty Designer Paper is going to be a FAVORITE of mine, I can tell!  It has new and updated colors for Christmas AND it glitters!  I think Christmas is ALL about the glitter!  (And you knew it was probably Mary and my favorite because we have it on the Create with Connie and Julie website, right???)

Anyway, back to the card.  I started with a base of Poppy Parade and layered on Whisper White.  Then I added Baja Breeze that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder.  I took my color scheme from the Glitter Dot Designer paper on the right side and layered that on Poppy Parade.  Then I stamped the mitten image from A Cute Christmas in Basic Black and colored it with Baja Breeze and Poppy Parade Stampin' Write Markers.  One of the mittens has a beautiful Rhinestone Jewel on it for some added sparkle. 

I wanted to do something a little different for the ribbon treatment, so I used the Dotted Ribbon Punch and did some stitch sewing with the Linen Thread to make Xs in the holes.  I stamped the greeting on Whisper White, then punched with the Small Oval and layered on the Baja Breeze Large Oval and finally the Scallop Oval in Poppy Parade.  I punched out three of the dots from the Designer Paper and added them for "faux brads" on top of the stamped image with Mini Glue Dots!  I think it made a FUN card! 

Again, check out what the other Challenge Team Designers on Create with Connie and Mary did this week!  I'm sure they are FABULOUS!  And…don't forget…Early Bird Special price of $34.95 going on now!  Save $5 off the regular price!

Wicked Cool

OK…another Halloween card!  You know…Stampin' Up! just keeps coming up with the neatest Halloween sets!  They told us at Convention that is is the biggest growing holiday for home decor…billion dollar industry!  I can believe it!  I started pulling out a few of my Halloween decorations today!

I just had to use Stampin' Up!'s Wicked Cool stamp set again.  I paired it with Technostampers Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge….it was just a FUN sketch to use!

I used a base of Old Olive cardstock and stamped the bats in the upper left corner a couple times.  I cut some strips of 1 x 2 inch Wicked Fun Designer Paper (this sketch is a GREAT way to use up scraps!) and layered it on Basic Black.  I punched a Scallop Circle from Tangerine Tango, and added the Black Flourish Jewels to each of the scallops AND along the top right…it is very sparkly in person!  I stamped Spooky with Basic Black in the lower right corner and the Witches Shoes on scrap Whisper White cardstock, then cut them out.  I added jewels to the laces and colored the socks with Old Olive and Tangerine Tango Stampin' Write Markers.  A fun, quick card!

Designer Paper and Ribbon Shares going on now!  Find more information HERE!

Create with Connie & Mary Preview Week 1

It's my turn to show you one of the projects I made for Create with Connie and Mary's Preview Week 1…this week we are featuring the stamp set Paisley Prints and Paisley Party Wheel!  I have a FREE downloadable Project Sheet over on Create for you to print and and use to make this project.  This is one of the NEW things we are doing this edition on Create with Connie and Mary to make it easier for you to duplicate our projects!  Remember, we are having an Early Bird Subscription Savings of $5 off the regular price of $39.95, so you can JOIN US now for $34.95 but only until Saturday, September 25 @ 11:55 PM ET.

I thought Stampin' Up!'s set, Paisley Prints, was so much fun because of the seasons it represented.  Seasons made me think of calendars…and I can ALWAYS use a calendar on my desk…especially a pretty, handmade one!  Wouldn't it make a nice gift for someone special?  I made this Easel Calendar from large size rectangular coasters (4 x 5 1/2) and the Top Note Die (isn't that the most useful die???)

You may notice that I didn't follow the traditional calendar quarters, I went with a more seasonal theme when designing the months.  (Of course, you COULD make a new coaster for every month…a total of six back to back)  However, I only did 2 coasters back to back for the 4 seasons!  I placed three months of the calendar together and held them with the Mini Library Clips.

Each of the seasonal coaster sides were covered with In-Color Patterns Designer Paper.  Then I cut a Top Note in the coordinating cardstock color.  I ran the Top Note thru the Big Shot again with the Square Lattice Impressions Folder.  What is fun about this is the easel part that helps the calendar stand on its own.  I didn't adhere the bottom of the Top Notes, so the 2 1/2 x 4" easel fits up underneath the Top Note on the inside decorated piece, that way it doesn't show from the front.  If you need to flip the calendar month, you slip out the easel, turn the calendar, slide the easel back in under the Top Note and you are ready to go.  See the side view picture for a visual of what I mean. 

The FREE downloadable Project Sheet over on Create with Connie and Mary has more detailed directions and a supply list.  Check it out!

 BLOG CANDY!   Check out the Create with Connie and Mary site every day and over the next two Preview weeks we will be telling you who to visit to have a chance to win…it won’t be every day…but we are giving away a total of 7 FREE subscriptions over the next 2 weeks.  If you check in every day on Create with Connie and Mary…you’ll be able to see who is doing the give away and be able to visit their blog!  And, while you are there, take a moment to subscribe to the Holiday Edition while the Early Bird Special savings is still going on!

Paisley Prints

If you would…say a quick prayer for my youngest son…he started a new full-time job today and I know he is nervous.  He is so personable, I know he will do well…but change is always hard!  He has worked at the Golf Club for  7 years and loved it, but Ohio weather doesn't allow for playing golf in the winter!  lol!  So, he really needed a year-round position and benefits! 

Today I used Technostamper's Monday Lunchtime Sketch to make my card!  It looks simple…ha…I struggled with it!  lol!  It was too plain for me without a printed background and when I added some designer paper for the background, it looked too busy!  So…I compromised and made my own background using the leaf from Stampin' Up!'s Paisley Prints stamp set.  And I used Paisley Prints because we are featuring this stamp set and wheel over on Create with Connie and Mary's Preview Week 1!  Make sure to stop by and see what we have in store for you the next two weeks…tomorrow I have another project to post on Create with Connie and Mary using this set, with a downloadable Project Sheet!  You aren't going to want to miss it, trust me!!!  We still have the Early Bird Special Savings going on, too!

I knew I wanted the 3D Pumpkin for my focal point…in fact, I made that first.  I stamped the Paisley Print Pumpkin three times with the Rock n Roll technique and the colors of Tangerine Tango and Cajun Craze on Very Vanilla cardstock and cut them out.  I left off the stem and vine.  I scored and folded them in half and adhered one side of each together, then adhered it to the Wide Oval punch of Early Espresso.  I handcut the stem from Old Olive and a tiny sliver of cardstock, I curled around my scoring tool so I had a curly vine.

I used a base card of Cajun Craze (my new favorite fall color!) and layered on the stamped Very Vanilla cardstock.  I stamped the leaves in Cajun Craze, Old Olive and More Mustard, used the sponge dauber and Early Espresso around the edges, then used the Early Espresso Stampin' Write Marker and the Color Spritzer to added some speckles!  I cut the panels of colors in Very Vanilla, Cajun Craze, Old Olive and More Mustard (1 x 2), and layered them on Early Espresso.  I decided it looked too plain, so I ran the entire thing thru the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Impressions Folder…gave it a lot of nice texture!  I placed it on the front, then added the 3D pumpkin piece with Stampin' Dimensionals.  I added Happy Thanksgiving by stamping it in Early Espresso on Very Vanilla, punching with the Word Window and then punched the Modern Label from Early Espresso.  i added two little half-back adhesive Pearls to each side for a little bling.  Love them!

Again, make sure to check out Create with Connie and Mary this week for several awesome projects and chances to win FREE subscriptions.

Create with Connie & Mary Preview Week 1

To get the FREE DETAILED DOWNLOADABLE PROJECT SHEET…go to Create with Connie and Mary.  And while you are there…remember we are offering our Early Bird Special pricing of $34.95…so why not join now while you can save $5 off the regular $39.95 price!  That saving is only available until September 25 @ 11:55 PM!

BLOG CANDY.  Leave a comment today, Sunday, September 12th on MARY'S BLOG and you will be entered to win a free subscription to Create with Connie and Mary (winner will be announced Saturday, September 25th at 12 noon).  But you will have MORE CHANCES to win…check out the Create with Connie and Mary site everyday and over the next two weeks we will be telling you who to visit to have a chance to win…it won’t be everyday…but we are giving away a total of 7 free subscriptions over the next 2 weeks.  If you check in every day on Create with Connie and Mary…you’ll be able to see who is doing the give away and be able to visit their blog!

Love Letters DSP

Another week has FLOWN by and it is Saturday and time for the Stamping 411 sketch challenge.  After STRETCHING with last week's sketch, Selene gave us an easy one this week!  Or…at least it came together for me really quickly!  Make sure to stop by the Stamping 411 Operators and then make your own creation and upload to the website.

 And here is my card!

I had made this Black Satin Ribbon flower the other day and had it laying on my desk.  When I looked at the sketch and saw the focal element, I thought the flower would be perfect!  I decided to use some of the new Love Letters Designer Paper to go with the black flower and chose this polka dot pattern with fleur.  One of the other patterns had the Riding Hood Red checked design, so I used that as a basis for my color scheme! 

The base card is Riding Hood Red and I layered on Basic  Black cardstock with the Love Letters Designer Paper on top.  I distressed the edges with my Cutter Kit distressing tool and used a sponge dauber around the edges with Basic  Black Classic Ink.

I added Old Olive Satin Ribbon leaves to the flower and the largest sized half-backed Pearls to the center of the ribbon flower.  I stamped Thinking of You from Stampin' Up!'s Teeny Tiny Wishes in Basic Black on Very Vanilla and punched with the Word Window, then punched Red Riding Hood cardstock with the Modern Label Punch.  Finally, I added a couple swirls of the Black Jewels from the Holiday Mini to the front of the card…LOVE all the sparkle…and I still have a TON of them left to use on other projects!