Peonies and Paper Chains

Getting Ready for the Candy Witch!

Welcome to the October Pals Blog Hop where we are celebrating an early Halloween and Harvest season. This month we are sharing Halloween and fall projects using our wonderful Stampin’ Up! supplies.

You may just be starting the blog hop or may have come from Amy Hoptay at Inking of You!, stop #26 on the Pals Hop. If you get off track at any time, the full lineup below my signature will help you move along from blog to blog so you see all of the amazing creations.

With Halloween approaching, I knew it was time to swap out the decor on the celebrate banner that hangs in our main living area (it still had up the pinwheels that I added over the summer). And, I decided to keep things really sweet and simple:

All I did was to cut some 1" to 1-1/4" wide strips of Motley Monsters Designer Series Paper along with cardstock in Bermuda Bay and Tangerine Tango. I folded in half, made flag ends, and attached to the banner with standard clothespins. Super easy and adds a nice bright pop of color! Here's a closer look:

Again, super easy! And we are now up to 10 consecutive months that the celebrate banner from the Celebration Basics Kit has been hanging in our home. It has held up beautifully and was definitely worth every penny of the $14.95 that it cost. Giuven the sturdiness of the pennants, I think it would do well if stored and taken out on birthdays and other special occassions.

To add to the decor in the room, I also put together a little sign to greet "the candy witch" should she choose to visit us this year:

The witch was snipped from the Motley Monsters Designer Series Paper and the two sentiment stamps come from the September 2014 Paper Pumpkin Kit...Paper Pumpkin to the rescue as I am (or rather was) light on Halloween themed stamps!

This litte piece of decor is now nestled on a shelf with some other Halloween themed items that I made last year:

For those who are curious about "the candy witch", she started visiting us a couple years ago. She swoops in after Halloween and takes all the candy away while leaving behind a small gift such as a book or toy. I had seen her mentioned on a few blogs and was thrilled that she came to our home. After doing a little research I found that there was a book about a candy witch that was published by Scholastic back in the late 70s...it isn't one that was in our library at home but I suspect that this book is what inspired the whole candy witch concept.

The next stop is September Gray at septembergray.com, stop #28 on the Pals Blog Hop! Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you next month.

 

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The Pals October Blog Hop Line-Up: 

1. Candy Ford at Stamp Candy
2. Becky Gifford at The Social Stamper
3. Maggie Mata at Maggie Made Cards
4. Beth McCullough at Stamping Mom
5. Sue Becker at RnR Stamping
6. Lynn Kolcun at Stamping with Avery's Owlery
7. Amy Williams at Stamps and Spice
8. Michelle Gleeson at StampinMojo
9. Lisa Ann Bernard at Queen B Creations
10. Nicole Watt at Pixel Maven's Retreat
11. Amanda Merrill at Inkflair
12. Beth Beard at My little craft blog
13. Brian King at Stamp with Brian
14. Diane Roberts at Score at Four and a Quarter
15. Katy McGloin at Just Fun Stamping
16. Liz Gautreaux at Kind Deeds Stampin
17. Mary Fish at Stampin' Pretty
18. Natalie Bradley at Natalie Bradley Events
19. Jackie Diediker at Stampin' Jackie
20. Susan Itell at Simple Stampin
21. Amy Whelan at Amys Inklings
22. Jane Knudsen at www.seejanestamp.com
23. Debbie Mageed at Secret Stamper
24. Dawn Tidd at Tiddbits from Dawn
25. Patti MacLeith at Papercrafts By Patti
26. Amy Hoptay at Inking of You!
27. Kerry Willard Bray at Peonies and Paper Chains -- YOU ARE HERE
28. September Gray at septembergray.com
29. Sherrie Gross at Sherrie Gross at Stampin Sherrie
30. Wendy Klein at Doggone Delightful Stampin'
31. Angie Valle-Peters at Paperluxuries
32. Rae Harper-Burnet at WildWestPaperArts.com

P.S. How gorgeous is this month's badge? Nicole Watt always does an amazing job with these and this month is no exception. The hop badge has me wanting to read Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven!

Easy as can be!

 

Hello friends. Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend. Ours was good and I spent it completely computer free...that can be a good thing!

One of the things I did this weekend was to do a little Halloween decorating and it was as truly as easy and can be. I simply went into my Halloween storage box,  pulled out these goodies, and put them on the shelf above my desk:

The jack-o-lantern is a metal one that has a base designed to hold a pillar candle.

This framed art was created in minutes using the MDS Toxic Framable Designer Template. All the work was done by Stampin' Up! designers and all I had to do was to re-size the print so that it would fit my 5" x 7" frame (it otherwise prints 8-1/2" x 11").

This sweet stack was made using a mix of stamps, ink, and paper (including the Howlstooth & Scaringbone Designer Series Paper that is available as an MDS download). 

I'll be sharing some brand new Halloween projects soon!

Will you be decorating for Halloween? If so, what are your favorite decorations?

Have a creative day!

 

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PPA 220: Double the Fun!

Within about two hours of the September Paper Pumpkin kit arriving at my home, I was busy creating with it! While I have yet to assemble the entire kit, the first little bag I put together was for The new Pals Paper Arts sketch challenge (PPA222):

Here's what I created:

The lil' tag was created based on the sketch and as I assembled the complete project, I could not help but think that the entire project itself is a take off on this week's great sketch! So consider this project to double the fun from the design!

Be sure to visit the Pals Paper Arts to see all the inspiration from the design team!

Have a creative day!

 

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P.S. I can't wait to use the rest of this fun Paper Pumpkin kit...as someone who loves Halloween, I'm finding it is my favorite kit yet!

Motley Monsters + Gift Box Punch Board = Halloween Happiness

The Halloween preparations are underway at my house! Today I am sharing one of the first projects of the year with you. A big welcome to those of you who have just stopped over from Mary Fish's Stampin' Pretty blog...thank you, Mary, for having me as your guest today!

We have 4 nephews and 2 nieces scattered across the US and I love to send them a little something for Halloween. Today you get to see the first Halloween box that I created using the amazing new Gift Box Punch Board. I can see getting lots and lots of use out of this tool!

To jazz up the box, I used some of the Motley Monsters Designer Series Paper and some Chevron Ribbon in Crushed Curry. And a tag...

that was created using the Tag a Bag Accessory Kit, Freaky Friends stamps, and a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes. Without a doubt, Teeny Tiny Wishes is the most versatile sentiment set in my collection...there is a stamp for just about every occassion!

 

Care to take a guess?

 

 

What would you love to see inside this box?

 

 

Ready or not, here it is...

 

Stampin' Up! Filter Paper was used for the ghost and I could not leave the inside of the box bare. The sweet little bat and the ghost eyes are part of the Freaky Friends stamp set. It also seemed fitting to repeat the sentiment inside -- it was stamped directly onto a piece of the Motley Monsters Designer Series Paper. I think that the little "Frankenstein" is adorable!

Here's what I did to make the ghost:

You cannot see in the photo, however I used Whisper White Baker's Twine to secure the ghost to the lollipop.

Time to tuck in a few more treats and send off the goodies by mid-October!

The box features my latest Five On Friday color combo. Several of the colors come direct from the Motley Monsters paper and I think the Blackberry Bliss works incredibly well with the palette:

 

 

Wishing you a creative day!

 

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Five on Friday...a peek!

You've just seen a peek at the project that I'll be sharing on Sunday...yes, I said Sunday. These days I do not often publish on the weekends, however, I'll be the guest stamper over on Mary Fish's Stampin' Pretty blog that day so I am making an exception.

The project you'll see on Sunday features today's Five on Friday color combo:

Hope this combo inspires you to get creating!

The ultimate Stampin' Up! kit is is the starter kit and you can select up to $125 in products for just $99 plus local tax! There's no requirement to host a workshop or even to place another order, however you will be eligible for discounts on every purchase you place until the end of January 2015! I love a good deal..what about you?  Learn more about the perks of purchasing a kit.

 

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Frightful!

When I first flipped through the Stampin' Up! Holiday catalog at the Inspire.Create.Share. event in July, one of the kits that instantly stood out to me was the Frightful Wreath Simply Created Kit. I love Halloween and I love wreaths...this was the perfect kit in my book!

Before I show you a few more pics, I will tell you that I put my own little spin on the wreath. This next image was snapped out in Salt Lake City and gives you a sense for the plans in the kit:

The spider web goes all the way around the wreath and the jumbo rosette fills the middle of the wreath. Apparently I managed not to photograph the entire wreath so you do have to use your imagination today!

Here are some more images of my take on the wreath:

I wanted some pops of color around the wreath and used the Tangelo Twist ribbon that comes with the kit and a bit of Black Chevron ribbon to do so. I simply folded the ribbons and attached to the wreath using T-pins.

Since I did not love seeing the shiny T-pins, I used Glue Dots to add buttons over the pins.

One of these days I will find just the right spot for taking wreath photos...as much I love making them and they look great in person, the lighting is not always ideal for taking pics of them.

If you and a group of friends love Halloween, these wreaths would be fun to make together! Start to finish the wreath (including making the beaded spider) takes less than an hour to assemble...if that is your sole focus! Add in a bit more time for some chatting and snacking with friends. 

Should you need a wish list to keep track of what you'd like to order from the holiday catalog (it goes live on Aug. 28), click here to find a printable one!

When it comes to kits, are you apt to follow the instructions precisely or veer off in a different direction?

The ultimate Stampin' Up! kit is is the starter kit and until August 28 only, you can select up to $150 in products for just $99 plus local tax! This is $25 more in products than usual and the kit ships free. There's no requirement to host a workshop or even to place another order, however you will be eligible for discounts on every purchase you place until the end of January 2015! Learn more about the perks of purchasing a kit.

 

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A Toilet Paper Banner!

Hello friends. If you think you'll catch me stringing toilet paper across the house, you're wrong! However, you do get to see a banner that I created using toilet paper rolls, Designer Series Paper, and a bit of cardstock! Not including the time it takes to save all the toilet paper rolls, this is a project you can complete in about an hour! I'm a fan of quick and easy projects...how about you? 

Here's the banner:

 

click image to enlarge

 

Pretty certain that this will be the last Halloween project I make this year -- ending with a fun one!

Good to Know - Stampgoodness Tips:

• You'll need pieces of Designer Series Paper that measure 4" x 6" to cover most toilet paper rolls. 
• Add three glue dots (evenly spaced) to each end a piece of Designer Series Paper (the side you do not want showing) and then adhere to the roll.
• Use a hole punch or Crop-o-dile to punch two holes in each roll so that you can thread in the twine or ribbon that you are using.
• Step It Up! Tie on pieces of ribbon, emboss the letters, and/or add a little sparkle with some rhinestones.

Here's what you need to replicate this project: Toilet paper rolls, Witches Brew Designer Series Paper, Cardstock in Pumpkin Pie and Early Espresso, Ink in Early Espresso, Morning Post Alphabet stamp set, Circle Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Glue Dots, Stampin' Dimensionals, Twine.

SET THE STAGE FOR THANKSGIVING! Print, cut, and embellish a "grateful" banner to display in your home all November long. Details here.

Many thanks for stopping by today! See you tomorrow!

Good wishes,

Kerry

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Saturday Share: The BEST Packages Ever!

The idea I am sharing today is not my own...it is one that I saw back in the 90's when I worked at a small college in Virginia. One week a student was celebrating his birthday and his mom sent what I consider the best package ever. A soda bottle filled with birthday goodies. So fun, so unique! And boy, did it catch everyone's attention! I have used this idea many times since seeing that first bottle!

These bottles are headed to our nieces & nephews. The girls had lots of fun helping me put these together for their cousins!

And, yes, you can in fact mail these just the way they are...no need to put them in a box. So long as you can label it and affix postage, the post office will send it!

Happy Saturday, friends! Thanks for stopping by!

Kerry

From Plain to Pretty!

Today's project is all about taking something that is entirely plain and making it pretty! Stampin' Up! products enable me transform a plain white cotton tote into a fun and pretty treat bag in about an hour! Remeber you can click the image above to see it larger.

I'm thinking up lots of others ways to put this technique to use and hopefully I will get your wheels churning today! Be sure to leave a comment letting me know what sort of design you would add to a tote bag...perhaps you see it here on Stampgoodness in the future!

Here's what you do to create a similar project:

• Take MDS and put together a design that you like.
• Group together all the objects on the page and then mirror them.
• Save your document.
• Print onto iron on transfer paper (available at most office supply and craft store).
• Using the manufacturer's instructions, transfer onto your tote bag, t-shirt, Stampin' Up! Mini Muslin Bag, etc.
• Enjoy your project!

Good to Know - Stampgoodness Tips:

• Carefully review the instructions for your iron transfer paper and what materials it can be used on -- this is important for achieving optimal results!
• Add some ribbon, buttons, or other embellishments to add a special finishing touch to your project.

Today's project was inspired by two challenges! The color scheme came from Dynamic Duos (DD375):

The Tangerine Tango and Basic Black are a fabulous and bright option for Halloween!

And the layout of the design came from the Pixel Maven's Digi-Challenge (PMDC-30):

FINAL DAY! Save on your holiday card making, gift making, and gift wrapping supplies when your purchase a $25 starter kit today! There's no obligation to hold a single workshop or sell a thing! You'll enjoy 20% off all your Stampin' Up! supplies until April 2014 AND you can receive 30% off your first order of $150+ if placed within the next 45 days! Get all the info here.

Many thanks for stopping by today! See you again soon!

Good wishes,

Kerry

Sign-up for the Stampgoodness newsletter - exclusive color combos and project ideas in every issue!

Click here to place your Stampin' Up! order now!

 

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Saturday Share: A Paper Wreath!

 

click to enlarge image

Today's paper wreath was made in about 1 hour! I'll share more details this week, however the basics for creating such a wreath are this: cut 6 pieces of Designer Series Paper into 1/2 strips, curl the strips using your bone folder, tie on a ribbon for hanging the wreath, and then attach the paper strips to a 10 or 12 inch green floral wreath using T pins. Embellish with rosettes if you like...mine are from the Halloween banner kit that I decided to use for this instead! See my Halloween banner here.

You could make a similar wreath for almost any occasion...can't wait to make a Christmas one! Please tell me -- what Designer Series Paper would you use for creating a wreath?

Thanks for visiting and have a fabulous day! Please be sure to stop by tomorrow -- I have a special post in store for you!

Kerry

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