Halloween Treat Bags... little paper backpacks!

I love making these treat bag holders.  Last time, I made them for Christmas.  The tutorial is on Split Coast Stampers.   The tutorial can be found HERE.

I stopped by my local Stamping Store:  STAMP FEVER and got to pick up some nifty stamps. So excited to use them.  They're for Halloween but that's ok.  Better late than never.  One of the ladies saw my Doggie-Themed baseball cap.  Here is where you can find it.    http://www.purrfectwear.net


Amuse-bouche:
Here is a picture I picked up in Seattle, featuring my 'dream dog...'  A GREAT DANE!
The sentiment is hilarious and so appropriate at my house.

And this was a cute acrylic painting that an artist made.  So simple but so cute!

A wedding at a Japanese Tea Garden...

I attended a friend's wedding today (see below). Here is my gift card holder, presented in an exploding box format.

And here are photos from the wedding... Congrats to the lovely bride and my dear friend, The Groom!!!!

Split Coast Stampers sketch

I struggle with card design... so I went fishing on the Split Coast Stampers site and found this neat sketch.   I had to make a birthday card for a dear friend of mine so I thought I'd use the sketch.  I have pasted it below but if you want to hop on over to the Split Coast Stampers site and join, click on the link above-- it's a great place to learn things...

  

Here it is...

I used a 1999 Stampin Up stamp set for the hats and animals. I used Copics and stickles to color the images and embellishments.  The Sentiment is from Lawn Fawn.    I had purchased the ribbon at Michael's a while ago.  Oddly enough, it was perfect for the challenge.   (...she says a little too quickly--  Ugh, I didn't see that little border at the bottom of the sketch. DOH!!!  Oh well...)

This sentiment is from a Hero Arts stamp set and I used a clear embossing powder on it. Then I took a white gel pen (Uniball pen) and made my version of a Kristina Werner handwritten swirl.

LOL

PS:  I've been watching some great Copics videos-- specifically Sandy Allnock and Suzanne Dean and Christygetscrafty  (all on YOUTUBE).   I'm trying to practice more with my Cryogen paper...  Stay tuned...  :)

Working with Distress Pens-- ugh! and photos from a Howl-O-Ween party

Simply put,... I need to watch more Distress Pen videos.
It's got to be easier than this.
I used this stamped image with Distress Pens (Barn Door and Worn Lipstick).  The color didn't come out right so I ended up taking Worn Lipstick Distress Stain and just BLOBBING it in the middle out of sheer desperation. The paper I used is "Georgia Pacific" so the quality of the paper wasn't the best for misting.  I did use some clear gel sparkle to bling it up. The paper is from DCWV.  The pink stripes were glued by hand.

Amuse-Bouche:
Today was our annual Howl-O-Ween Party (through the dog trainer that my boys go to training with).

Here are some of the fabulous costumes!!!

This little girl is the sweetest!!! Sider.

Here is T with SamUL.

The Santa and his elf-ette were hilarious.  And then came Alice in Wonderland...

"Chippen-DOG"-- Note the $1 in the g-string

Our friend Barney-- er, I mean GUMBY!!! 

The Pirates!!!

The dinosaurs!

Super Dog and his side-kick, Hot Dog

T with his dog, Colt!!!

Lawn Fawn is having a 'technique' challenge

This was the perfect challenge to get me to try my new Distress Pens.  Unfortunately, I could only use 1 of them... "Barn Door."  I had to make due with Distress Stains.

Let me explain...  I wanted to create a red, white and blue card for the Presidential Debates on Tuesday.  I used a Sassy Cheryl's image that I had gotten a while ago and colored it with Copics as well as my Sakura glitter/gel pen.

For the background, I took a piece of watercolor paper and embossed it with white embossing powder and a 'star' stamp from Stampin' Up.  I used my Distress Ink pen and colored in red diagonal lines starting at the top right corner.  I then blended in "Worn Lipstick" Distress Stain.  I left a diagonal blank area and then started with "Faded Jeans" Distress Stain.  I then sprayed the paper with a mist of water.  You can see the difference between the "stain" and the "pen.'  The "Barn Door" pen is bolder and has striations in it.  I tried to add more water to blend it more but I didn't want to mess with the paper too much for fear it would get too moist.
I dried it with my heat- embossing gun. I added some Scrappy Mom's Baker's Twine with some blue embossing thread from Michaels. The bling is assorted colors from Michael's Reflections package.
I cut out the Sassy Cheryl's image and put it on pop-dots.

This was made with a circle cutter and a Scrappy Mom's sentiment stamp and a Paper Trey Ink Penguin (iced with Glossy Accents and colored with Copics).

Enjoy!!!


Amuse-bouche:
I'm taking a photography class and as a result, downloaded a free app called HDRtist.
It's kinda like Photo-shop and super easy.
I took a photo of Sam that has WAY too much light and altered it using the program.
Check it out....
I'm sure I could make it better but I... surprise surprise... haven't read the online manual...

Nifty!

Here's one with my Seattle Squirrel that was too dark....And so I tried to lighten it.

It's your birthday, take a ride... and more photos from Seattle

I colored this Pink Cat Studios image using Copics and Glossy Accents with brads for hubcaps.  I used my clear gel pen on the balloon.  The frame is from Spellbinders.  The sentiment and banner is from Lawn Fawn.  I used a lot of Distress Ink (Spice Marmalade and Frayed Burlap).  Voila!


More photos from Seattle....

We went to Dahlia's Bakery for their homemade donuts and mascarpone cream with homemade jam

Approaching Bainbridge Island on the ferry

A street on Bainbridge Island....

Fabulous Fish and Chips at this pub...

Yummy Fish and Chips!

 

Beecher's Cheese (across the street from Pike Place) These girls offered to pose with Dwight. Their specialty cheese was Flagship.  It was awesome (they have a website... if you google Beecher's cheese)

We bought a Flagship sandwich (grilled cheese and veggies- yummy)and their homemade Mac&Cheese. Apparently you can order it (ship to home).  So worth it!

This is a store that sold Piroshky.  I had to try one.  I tried the cheese, onion, potato one.  

Here's how they prep the Piroshky

This is what I ate.... It was like a soft bagel with stuff (cheese, potato and onion).

I bought my dad some chocolate here but look at the beautiful display of chocolates!

This is the chocolate store that I was at  (the "Chocolate Box.")  I bought my dad this Bacon bar.