Paper Pumpkins

Hello! I am so excited to be a member of Betty's Bee hive! 

Today I am sharing with you these cute paper pumpkins. 

I got the idea from Linda and told Betty about it. Betty made some two years ago for Halloween here and now I am making them! :)

Recipe:

Paper: My Mind's Eye: Blackbird "Argyle", "Crows", "Trick-or-Treaters", "Neighborhood", "Costumes", and "Spiders"

Embossing: Cuttlebug™ Oh My Crafts Exclusive Everyday Bundle: Checkerboard ™, Swiss Dots™

Ribbon from my stash - recycled from wedding gifts received over 2 years ago! haha

Instructions:

Small Pumpkin

1. Cut 12 6"x1" strips of paper (In my case 2 designs of 6 strips)
2. Use Crop-a-Dile™ to punch 1/8" holes about a quarter inch from each end of the strips. I just put them in a pile and made one cut of each stack.
3. Link 3" of string between two brads. Put the brads through the holes with the top of the brad on the wrong side of the paper. Spread the prongs on the right side of the paper. 
4. Starting from the bottom piece of paper, spread them around to form the pumpkin.
5. I free-hand cut a stem on the pumpkin and adhered it to the pumpkin with hot glue. I did the same with the ribbon.

Bigger Pumpkin

Do the same thing as above except cut 18 strips at 9"x7/8". 

This also qualifies for Kim's Off the Wall Craftiness challenge colors of orange, black, and white. 

Weekly Circle Challenge Post

This is going to be a quick post and I will enter in the recipe information later. I have to make dinner for my husband and my co-parents (in-laws) and so I wanted to get this in before the deadline. :)

Be Inspired Wednesday #107- Cauldron Card!

Good Wednesday morning and welcome to Be Inpsired #107 - A color challenge! Our challenge this week was to use the colors black, orange, green, purple, and a pop of red! I had so much fun with this and you should join in the challenge too!

I love this Haunted line from MME. At first I was a little worried about how I would use it, but it is gorgeous! For those of you that love kraft like me, you will love the versatility of this line. I am in love with this Harlequin Paper™! The flocking on it is gorgeous and precise. 

Recipe:

Cartridge: October 31st™

Gypsy™

Paper: My Mind’s Eye Haunted “Harlequin” Paper™, MME Blackbird “Trick-or-Treaters” Paper™, MME Blackbird “Halloween Words” Paper™, Core’dinations Nostalgia line

Embossing: Swiss Dots™

Sentiment: MME Blackbird Stamps™

Pink Paislee™ Pixie Stix in black

Glossy Accents

Hero Arts Gems

Adhesive: Glue Arts Glue Glider Pro with Perma-Tac™

Instructions: 

1. Weld two cauldrons together on the Gypsy and hide all contours to make the base.
2. Cut out base and another regular cauldron to put on the front
3. Cut two sets of eyes from the October 31st Cartridge™ - one with the contours hidden again.
4. Run the top layer of the eyes through the Cuttlebug™ using the A2 Swiss Dots Folder™.
5. Attach layers together popping the eyes.
6. Use glossy accents to draw a line around the contours of the cauldron. Apply Pixie Stix black glitter and shake off excess. 
7. Stamp sentiment on the inside of the card.
8. Apply Glossy Accents to the spooky eyes.
9. Add Hero Arts self-adhesive gems (that’s how I got my red in there!). 
10. Let dry

I made another card that is being put on the website! This one is a little more simple and fun! :)

Recipe:

Paper: Paper Trey Ink White Card Stock™, My Mind's Eye Blackbird Costumes Paper™ (Front side is shown, back side is the black with white polka dots) 

Embossing powder: a la mode: Black™

Stamps: My Mind's Eye Blackbird Stamps™

Coloriser by EK Success heat embossing tool

Hero Arts™ Adhesive gems

I am still learning how to heat emboss so sorry about the little black spots - I didn't notice them before I used the heat embosser so they are on there for good! But I am having a great time learning and it is definitely my new favorite thing to do to cards! :)

Now hop on over to the Passionately Artistic blog (the new name for the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog) and see what the other ladies have created! 

Just needed a second link to Off the Wall Craftiness

Since I am submitting both cards to the challenge, I needed two links, so instead of telling you all the details again, scroll down for that and here is the second card again. :)

Off the Wall Craftiness Challenge #30

These are a couple of quick thank you cards that I made using my new Paper Trey Ink supplies that I ordered while in London! I love the name "ripe avocado". Being from California, we get a lot of avocados, but we still eat them ALL the time because we love them so much! However, this color does not look like a ripe avocado on the inside or the outside, but I still like it!

Recipe:

Card stock: Ripe Avocado™, "White"

Ribbon: Dark Chocolate Classic Grosgrain Ribbon™

Embossing Powder: A la Mode: White, Filigree: Gold (from Paper Trey Ink™)

Hero Arts Adhesive Gems

Colorizer from EK Success Heat Tool™

Stamps: My Pink Stamper: Everyday Occasions™, Hero Arts CL272™, Inkadinkado 97626™

These two cards are for the Off the Wall Craftiness Challenge of green, brown, and white. Looking on the color swatches now, my green is a bit off. I used my favorite - olive green. I hope it's okay! :) Here is the inspiration photo and balloon color swatches:

I have some spooky cards coming up for you tomorrow for Be Inspired Wednesday at Passionately Artistic (the new name for the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog).

Autumn Banner!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALAKAI!!!! WE LOVE YOU! It's our Godson's 1st birthday today and I can't wait to get back and celebrate him in style!
---
I have to say that I don’t make a home decor project unless I intend on putting it up in our home. However, with 450 square feet total (we live in a studio in San Francisco), my wall space is precious and whatever I put up everyone sees. I actually have already hung this up and am very excited about it.

Originally I had planned on hanging it left to right and putting it on the front door. However, I was video chatting with my best friend’s Kourtni and Phil and Phil said, “that is going to look great straight up and down.” (I showed it to him before I added the ribbon when the leaves were just laying on the table) I thought that was a FABULOUS idea so the creative genius to hang it straight up and down entirely belongs to Mr. Phil! Thanks, friend! 

SORRY! OUT FOR PUBLICATION!

I have to tell you, the success of this project was based on the awesomeness of Glue Arts. I put all the leaves together in a jiffy with the Perma-Tac Glue Glider Pro and then used their Glue Arts Extreme Adhesive Squares™ and put ONE square on the ribbon and pressed the leaf down into it. Those leaves aren’t going anywhere. They really have made some amazing products. 

And, I wasn't sure what I thought about the Cosmo Cricket Nutmeg line, but when it is all together, how cute is it!?! 

Recipe:

Cartridges: Designer’s Calendar™ (leaves), Cake Basics™ (letters)

Embossing: Victoria Emboss Folder™, D'vine Swirls Emboss Folder™

Paper: Cosmo Cricket Nutmeg Collection: “Cinnamon” (red with spots and salmon color), “Autumn” (red wood grain + letters), “Acorn” (green leaves and blue shadow), “Maple” (brown woodgrain), “Falling Down” (stripes)

Cuttlebug™

Glue Glider Pro Perma Tac™

Glue Arts Extreme Adhesive Squares™

SORRY! Out for publication!

Wee Memories Challenges!

Bonjour! Oui, Je sui en Paris (I know that's not right - but I did try!)!

I am headed back to day and quite sad about it - with a quick stop in London. But I have been missing my craft room, friends, and our little dog Spoon! I wish I could just take them all with me!

Just a quick post to say hello and to tell you about an awesome challenge. I loved Jenny's creations at Wee Memories the minute I saw them. She is incredibly talented and more than that - incredibly sweet. She answered all of my questions about blogging and crafts via email and it helped SO much. It's something I strive to do now for others as I still learn myself. 

Join her weekly challenges and you could win some great things! The entries are judged so make them good! :) I was honored to serve as a Guest DT member for August which was really fun.

Also, I'm so sorry I haven't been able to make it around to your blogs while here to say thanks for all the encouraging comments! But I have been getting them and it means the world to me. 

I will tell you - my favorite project I have scheduled for tomorrow... :)

The other thing is, our Godson is turning 1 today (California time ~ 9:15pm) but he was born in Ohio so it was 12:15am .... therefore... tomorrow so you will see a huge happy birthday posted to him on both days because I think that's special and I want to celebrate both! :)

Round Spiderweb

I really enjoyed making this simple card. I hope you like it too! :) 

Recipe:

Cartridges: Wild Card™ (web and base) and October 31st™ (spider)

Embossing: Swiss Dots™

Paper: MME Meadowlark “Dawn” Circles Paper™ (spider)

MME Meadowlark “Dawn” Baroque Paper™ (web)

MME Blackbird “Spiders” Paper™ (base)

Sentiment: Haunted Stamps (Spooky)™

Ink: ColorBox™ Black

Glossy Accents™ 

Pixee Stix by Pink Paislee™

Instructions: 

1. Cut a round card base from Wild Card™

2. Cut a spider web sized to fit

3. Cut a spider

4. Use Glossy Accents™ to coat the spider web and apply plenty of Pixie Stix black glitter.

5. Let dry

6. Glossy Accents will cause the web to curl so just glue it down where you want it to be down. I did not glue all of it down as I wanted a 3D effect.

7. Add spider using pop dots on the web.

8. Give the spider some eyes. 

9. Cover the spider with glossy accents. 

10. Use the Haunted stamps to apply the word “Spooky”. (bottom left)

Be Inspired Wednesday #106 - Halloween 3D!

Once upon a time, there was a girl --- who WON A CRICUT CAKE! Long before I was asked to be a part of the Cuttlebug Challenge Design Team, they had a wedding week celebration and all you had to do was leave comments on all the posts. I couldn't believe it, but I won the Cake machine! I received the Cake machine a few weeks ago and did some preliminary cuts (see below). This was my first cupcake project and I have been waiting for this challenge. Because I received the Cricut Cake from the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog, I thought it was only right to say thank you by doing a project for THEM! :)

So while you can tell that I am a horrible cupcake decorator, at least you can tell that the Cricut Cake makes up for my lack of ability!!!

Let me tell you, I LOVE the Cricut Cake! I will definitely be baking more for sure. It cut fondant like it cuts paper. Sometimes it looks like the objects smoosh, but you can just straighten them back out. Obviously, you can't cut anything too small, but other than that, it was really impressive!

I used Wilton pre-made fondant that I got at Michaels. I just added the Wilton icing coloring to it.

I did choose the drippy goo looking frosting. It was REALLY hard to work with! It felt like glue!

If there are any marks on the fondant, that's from my handling and not the cake. I was a little rough on it and my nails hit it on more than one occasion.

Recipe: 

Cricut Cake™

Cartridges: Wild Card™, October 31st™

Now head on over to the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog and see what the other ladies have done for their 3D projects! 

I will be home from Europe on the 25th and I'm sure I will have plenty of stories to go in my blog posts! 

Greetings from Paris!

I arrived in Paris late last night and we are off to explore the city now! I just wanted to check in and say I had a fabulous time in London and can't wait to see what Paris holds. It is raining today which is perfect. 

Have any of you seen the old version of Sabrina with Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn? Remember what it says? "Always order rain on the first day and never an umbrella..." I hoped for this and am very excited it is coming true. :) I love all things Audrey Hepburn. 

Well I hope you have liked the projects that I have set up so far when I was gone, but I have to admit, I saved the best for last. 

Late tonight/early tomorrow morning is our Be Inspired Wednesday post - I will warn you - mine is SWEET. :) And there are three more posts before I get home. Two Halloween ones and one autumn one that is my favorite of the bunch.

Okay, I'm off to get a *real* hot chocolate and a chocolate croissant apparently. I am already anticipating the sugar high. 

I hope you all find something today that brings you joy, happiness, and peace and maybe even chocolate! 

Au revoir! 

Boo! Treat Bag

I made this to fill with candy and send to work with my husband. He already likes the bag so I am sure he will like it more with cookies or candy inside along with a love note. :)

Recipe:

Cartridge: October 31st™

My Mind’s Eye Haunted Flocked Vinyl Embellishment Stickers™ (Boo!)

My Mind’s Eye Haunted Accessories Sheet™ (tag)

Paper: MME Blackbird “Argyle” Paper™ and MME Blackbird “Halloween Words” Paper™

Hero Arts gems

Paper stringy things that I won on Penny’s blog

Happy Hauntings Gate Card :)

I am having a fabulous time in London Town! Thank you for all the well wishes on my vacation! :) It keeps reminding me that I need to take pictures! :) I hope you all are having a fabulous week as well. It's finally Friday! 


I liked the irony of making a gate style card out of a gate. I’m a bit of a dork like that. So when I saw this gate on October 31st, I was excited to make it into something great.

Recipe:

Cartridge: October 31st™

Gypsy™

Paper: My Mind’s Eye Blackbird line: “Costumes”, “Crows”, “Argyle”, and “Halloween Words”™

Glitter Glue from Studio G™

Glossy Accents™

This card was not easy to make. If anyone wants the Gypsy file, I am happy to send it to them as it took me quite a while to figure out just what I needed to do to make this work. 

Instructions:

Gypsy: 

1. Select the gate 4 times. 

2. Make them the size that you want.

3. Put three next to each other in a row and the 4th gate on a separate layer.

1. Hide the far right portion of the far right gate and the far left portion of the far left gate.
2. Hide all contours of all three gates making a solid feature. 
3. Weld them together.
4. You will notice that there are spaces in between the two sides of the card. I selected a rectangle shape three times from Gypsy Wanderings™ and shrank it to fit my needs in the three areas that needed it. Then I welded those to the gate card base made up of the “3 gates”.
5. Cut all pieces. 

1. Select “happy hauntings sign” twice from the October 31st cartridge™.
2. Place one of them on it’s own layer.
3. Hide all contours on one of the selections.
4. Cut out both signs.

Rest of the card:

1. Adhere gate front to the card base.
2. Use Glossy Accents™ over the spider web gate front.
3. Adhere front of happy hauntings gate to the base with the hidden contours.
4. Once Glossy Accents™ is dry, then adhere only half of the sign to the left side of the gate.
5. Apply Studio G™ Glitter Glue (or whatever you have around) to the Happy Hauntings words in the middle of the sign.
6. Apply Glossy Accents™ to the small contours and cover with black Pixie Stix sparkle from Pink Paislee™.
7. Enjoy your work and give it to someone who will like this spooky card. :)

Winner of the stamps giveaway! :)

Check out my screen shot I just learned how to do! Oh yeah!

Leigh is the winner! What a lucky ducky! She won one of my prizes from the last giveaway. For a second, I'll admit that I thought about re-drawing, but then I thought, if it were me and I won twice wouldn't I want both prizes?!? So sorry that we have such a lucky lady in the group, but I'm so excited for you Leigh! 

I still have your address so no need to contact me (unless you want to of course)! :) Everyone, have a fabulous Friday, enjoy your weekend and a little birdie is letting you know that I am doing two more blog hops... coming up... you know what that means! 

Thank you to Pumpkin Spice for sponsoring this giveaway! 

There is something else she has sent as well that I have desperately wanted to open, but she sent it for one of you to win! The more you support our sponsor, the more she will want to giveaway so head on over to Pumpkin Spice to check out her great deals and fabulous shipping! :)  

Giveaway and I got published! :)

This post should stay at the top until Friday. Scroll down for all other posts! :)

To celebrate getting published AND going on vacation, I am doing a giveaway! 

You can win these:

This giveaway is sponsored by Pumpkin Spice! Thank you!

You can also check out my card and the magazine it was published in: ScrapStreet Magazine! Thank you Sherri for publishing my card! :) 

Click on "current issue" and then "Card Corner" (second down on the left) and then hit "next page" on the bottom right. Mine is the 3rd card down! :) 

Leave a comment on this post by Thursday night. I will choose a random winner whenever I have internet connection! Haha. Sorry that it has to be that way, but I will be overseas! :) Be sure to leave your contact information and I will email you that you won! Sorry, this has to be USA residents only giveaway.

Thanks again to Pumpkin Spice for donating these awesome stamps for the giveaway!

EAD Designs Color Challenge!

This month at EAD Designs they are using some of my favorite colors (my favorite color is olive green)! I had to get this done before I left so I emailed Emily (thank you!) and she sent me the challenge! :) 

So this one will get linked up hopefully while I am away, but I am posting it tonight!

Aren't the colors gorgeous? 

Luckily in my last order, I bought the best EAD Stickerz to go with it. This set is called Fall Harvest. I think it is definitely one of my favorites.

Recipe:

Cartridge: Thanksgiving Seasonal Cartridge™

Embossing: A2 Leafy Branch Emboss Folder™

Paper: Cosmo Cricket Nutmeg Collection: "Falling Down" and "Maple" Paper

Hero Arts Adhesive Gems

Buttons

Today is also the last day of Denine's super deal over at Pumpkin Spice. This is the deal she is offering!

3 days only!

Priority Broom Stick

 

All Orders of $50 and more with at least 1 Halloween Product......

 

Priority shipping is FREE!!

 

Valid 10/11/10 - 10/13/10

Coupon Code: BroomStick

This is so great! Go take advantage of her already awesome prices! She carries My Pink Stamper too and you know how I feel about those stamps! LOVE them!

2 Challenges in honor of breast cancer awareness

This week Love4Stamps and the Cricut Circle blog are having challenges that involve raising awareness of breast cancer and support of those going though the battle. 

I made a card a few weeks ago that hit directly on it and gave it to someone fighting the pink fight. 

I made this card to remind someone that they are BEAUTIFUL no matter what they are going through and how they are feeling as a result of this terrible disease. 

Recipe:

Cartridge: Wild Card™

Paper: My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Line: Madison Avenue - "Sisters" Boutique™ and "Pretty" Polka Paper™

Brads: MME Lost and Found Line: Madison Avenue "Happily Ever After" Brads™

Die Cut: MME Lost and Found Line: Madison Avenue "Girlfriends" Dimensional Die Cut™

Stickers: MME Lost and Found Line: Madison Avenue "Pretty" Layered Stickers™

Also, Denine at Pumpkin Spice is having a free shipping extravaganza! Isn't her name for the sale just the cutest? I love it. Go on over and check out her merchandise! I used it all on this card! :) 

3 days only!

Priority Broom Stick

 

All Orders of $50 and more with at least 1 Halloween Product......

 

Priority shipping is FREE!!

 

Valid 10/11/10 - 10/13/10

Coupon Code: BroomStick

Have a wonderful Tuesday everyone! 

Winner of the Cosmo Cricket Matilda Mini-deck!

Drum roll please.......

Kelly said...

Congrats on the sponser! This is a really great card.

Thre are 14 items under the Blackbird collection and my favorite is the costume paper!

Kelly, please contact me with your address as soon as you can! Email me at CourtsCraftsBlog@gmail.com and I will get that right out to you in time to do Halloween projects!!! 

Thank you SO much to Pumpkin Spice for sponsoring this prize!!! Here is the link to the Matilda Mini Deck just in case you liked it so much you can pick one up for yourself! :) 

Circle Challenge Card

This week's challenge over at the Cricut Circle Blog (open for all people to join until the 10th or 11th I think) is to use two cuts from the French Manor Cartridge (Cricut Circle Exclusive). 

So I made this card quickly last night to slide it in under the deadline. I made the bird cage into a shaped card - you know how I feel about shape cards by now :)

Recipe:
Cartridge: French Manor™
Paper: MME Lost and Found Madison Avenue Line: "Happily Ever After"™ (both sides for the off white stripes and the darker pink), MME Lost and Found Madison Avenue Line: "Pretty" Polka Paper™ (back side of the polka dots for the lighter pink)
Stamps: MME Lost and Found Madison Avenue Line: "Pretty" Stamps™ (the stamp behind the bird), My Pink Stamper: Family and Friends™ (Believe)
MME Lost and Found Madison Avenue Line: "Happily Ever After" Decorative Brads™ 
Doodling
Glossy Accents
Swarovski Crystal

This picture did not do this paper justice. It is a gorgeous romantic raspberry paper. I am definitely in love with this line.

Have a wonderful Thursday! :)

Click here for the Halloween Blog Hop winners and here for another giveaway!