Halloween Shadow Box

Happy Halloween!!!!! Be safe out there tonight! Or.. just stay in and craft.. and make this. :)

So the inspiration around this project was the phrase: true love will haunt you forever. My husband and I just celebrated 6 years of marriage, 10 years of dating, and 17 years of knowing each other. We are more in love than ever. So I wanted to make a funny little wall decor for Halloween to have fun with that. I'm the witch and he's the Frankenstein. :) Our tiny humans are the mouse and the owl. :) And there you have it - our little haunted family.

 It's easier to see without the glass. :)

I started out with the spooky house idea and then wanted to add some flare to the roof... Fancy frills to the rescue!! I simply layered them like shingles - SO easy as they are already sticky-backed. I peeled them up with my fingertips and added some flour to the back (I didn't have baby powder in the house... I know. I have two babies... and no baby powder. {hangs head}).

I had to get a mini clothespin in there. I LOVE them! I added some doodle twine and put a star on it. Now, doodlebug is amazing and both frankie (doodle-pop) and the witch (doodle-pop) came with extra doodle-pops: a star and a moon each (AND frankie came with a mouse too!). I used one of the stars on the clothespin and the other star and moon in the sky - top left of picture. :)

Speaking of that little witch, have you seen the dimension on her?! I don't know if you have ever looked at a doodle-pop from the side, but if you are a dimension lover (like me!) then you will LOVE them! The packaging pics never do them justice. They are SO cute!

I had originally added a candy corn as the door knob... and I loved it.. until the end... BUT I used the sprinkles dots that are a bonus on the halloween treat sprinkles shapes sheet as my bubbles coming up from my cauldron of love. And I replaced the candy corn with one of the sparkle sprinkles!

Umm... look at this itsy bitsy spider.. now, let me say.. I am not a big spider fan, but look at how cute this one is!!?! I anchored him with a mini clothespin. :)

This was my first time using doodlebug rub-ons. They are super easy to use! Excuse my little hiccup. I had a 7 month old squirmer in my arms while I was doing this! :) But these letters are super small which was uber fun! I wanted the phrase bubbling out of the cauldron. :) 

I added a little owl doodle-pop and called it done! :) Emmaline (age 2) actually picked out the color and was adamant that I put the orange one on. :)

I have never really cared for Halloween home decor because it has been too spooky! I LOVE the cutesy and now want to decorate my whole house in it! :) Oh! And did you know that doodlebug makes these awesome 8x8 shadow box frames (also in 12x12)?!? Yep, it's doodlebug too! 

bugs used:
doodlebug: ghouls and goodies: spooky sprinkles (4319)
doodlebug: ghouls and goodies: midnight magic (4316)
doodlebug: happy camper: chowtime (4483)
doodlebug: ghouls and goodies: spook alley (4315)
doodlebug: sugar coated chevron: beetle black (4089)
doodlebug: beetle black cardstock
doodlebug: ghouls and goodies: mini clothespins: halloween (4435)
doodlebug: ghouls and goodies: doodle-pops: franky (4424)
doodlebug: ghouls and goodies: doodle-pops: wee witch (4423)
doodlebug: ghouls and goodies: mini doodle-pops: lil' owls (4421)
doodlebug: ghouls and goodies: mini doodle-pops: itsy bity spiders (4420)
doodlebug: ghouls and goodies: sprinkles shapes: halloween treats (4396)
doodlebug: ghouls and goodies: sprinkles: halloween (4395)
doodlebug: ghouls and goodies: washi tape: trick or treat (4403)
doodlebug: twine: beetle black (2994)
doodlebug: fancy frills: ghouls and goodies (4368)
doodlebug: lily white candy shoppe mini rub-ons (2169)
doodlebug: 8x8 black shadow box frame

Adorable Frosty Friends project on the Doodlebug Blog!

Go see it! Go win some goodies!!!

3-D Advent Calendar - Doodlebug Style

I have a thing for advent calendars. My parents worked their bums off and most of the time my advent calendar was the highlight of my year (presents-wise). Sometimes I had a piece of See's Candy in a box and other times I had bobby pins or rubber bands. My dad even would put comics in a few of the boxes. Sometimes there would be a pair of earrings or a small necklace in the 25 box! I loved it and I want to bring that magic to our kids as well! 

When I saw Santa Express I knew that I wanted to use this collection to make an advent calendar that would last me years and years. So without holding back, I dove in!

As pictured above, the advent calendar is made up of 5 "houses". This is the first. It holds the first 11 boxes and stands 12 inches tall. The papers are a mix of 12x12 and the 6x6 pad. The solids are also doodlebug! They just released a whole solids line to match their cardstock! LOVE it! 

The whole first house was inspired by "gumdrops". I loved this ginger babies paper! I used doodlebug chunky sugar coating over the top of my solid to give it a glistening look. I also ran the little white shutters through my Xyron and covered them with the regular sugar coating that doodlebug makes. And... they already make glittered alpha/numbers so I used a bunch of those all over my project.

So.. here is a funny story... I didn't want to cut out all the little numbers... and doodlebug had glittered alphas. So I just made the cuts and held up my candy shoppe doodlebug alphas - and they fit!! PERFECTLY! Check it out! :) And isn't that tree doodle-pop darling?! Those sprinkles on his front are so much more scrumptious in real life!

Well HELLO there gingerbread man!!!! I wanted one peeking out from behind a door because I thought my girls would think that was funny. So I put baby powder on the back to de-stickify my little man (thanks to Wendy Sue-Anderson for that tip!) and then adhesive on his front bottom of his body and stuck him to the door. It's SO weird to put adhesive on the front! It feels like you are doing something wrong! 

Just showing you how big the boxes are. They are really sizable! Those bottom boxes (10 and 11) can easily hold little race cars.

Here comes box 12. I loved that little girl reindeer and who doesn't love candy canes!? I finished it off with some teensy type alphas in ladybug for the numbers. 

I added a little sugar sprinkle to her bow. Every girl needs a little sparkle. :)

This is one of those times where you are going to have to trust me. This is so much cuter in person! It didn't photograph well, but it's almost edible! Some of the close-ups will give you a better idea, but trust me: Hansel and Gretel totally want to live here. :)

The peppermint striped corner sticker is from the santa express this and that stickers. 

Have you seen this "twine" font!?! So perfect for Christmas and Valentines' Day especially! :) 

Here is a close up of the sugar coated doors and the little paper clip with the gumdrop. "Not my buttons! Not my gumdrop buttons!" (the gingerbread man in Shrek.. anyone? Anyone? Bueller?)

I had to get that cute santa paper in there somewhere! But the boy and girl reindeer paper on door 15 and 21 is probably my favorite. 

This little scene ended up being so much fun. On box 22 are 4 stickers: well, three stickers and a mini doodle-pop. Don't you just want to get on that train!? I may have a sweet-tooth problem right now. I blame doodlebug. tee hee! :) 

I was worried I was being too mono-chromatic with this box and then it ended up being my favorite. I actually re-cut the door. I had a different pattern on it, but I LOVED this blue Christmas word print and wanted to make sure it got showcased. It was a great decision to re-cut it! :) 

I just had to incorporate this lamppost from the icons somewhere. I loved it from the first! I wanted a bold number on this box so I whipped out my bon bon chippers and voila! 

Did you all see these holly berries sprinkles shapes!?! LOVE them!!! hoarding them. Polka dots. On the leaves. Oh my goodness. 

Hi! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs! And doodlebug! :) My father-in-law 3-d printed and painted this Olaf for Emmaline. He fit perfectly in the 24 box! :) 

Okay, I may have lied earlier.. this patchwork paper and the train papers may by my favorite. Maybe I should just stop trying to find favorites. :) 

The cut came with a clock, but I liked the idea of stamping my own on there and using the big sugared sprinkle shaped arrows that doodlebug makes to emphasize that it was after midnight and Santa might come at any time!

This little scene was the first that I did. I just HAD to use Mrs. Claus and that gingerbread house on the icon stickers sheet! 6 stickers make up this little scene and I left just enough room to finish it off with the ladybug chippers to emphasize Christmas day!

The 25 box is huge! Here it is with some of Emmaline's musical instruments!

Well, if you have hung out with me this long, THANK YOU! If you have ANY questions about the project, I am so happy to answer them! You can email me at CourtsCraftsBlog@gmail.com. 

I used almost every paper in the collection, 9 different types of alphas, almost all the sticker sheets and a whole bottle of glitter - and I love it. I hope you do too and this inspires you to create something that you will have for years to enjoy and doodlebug just makes it that much more fun! 

bugs used:
doodlebug: sugar coating assortment (1476)
doodlebug: chunky sugar coating assortment (2049)
doodlebug: ladybug doodle twine alphabet sticker (3121)
doodlebug: Christmas mini paperclips (4493)
doodlebug: santa express icon sticker (4373)
doodlebug: holly berries sprinkles shapes (4400)
doodlebug: bon bon chippers (4511)
doodlebug: lily white candy shoppe cs sticker (2050)
doodlebug: merry tree doodlepop (4433)
doodlebug: teensy type alphas in ladybug (3428)
doodlebug: christmas sprinkles (4399)
doodlebug: santa express this and that stickers (4365)
doodlebug: santa express: jolly gingerbread mini doodle-pops (4431)
doodlebug: bon bon hopscotch cs sticker (1740)
doodlebug: gold arrow sprinkles (4221)
doodlebug: ladybug chippers (4512)
paper:
doodlebug: santa express: sweet santas (4341)
doodlebug: santa express: ginger babies: (4339)
doodlebug: santa express: baby deer (4342)
doodlebug: santa express: merry mistletoe (4340)
doodlebug: santa express: very merry (4337)
doodlebug: santa express: christmas confetti (4343)
doodlebug: santa express: season's greetings (4338)
doodlebug: santa express: holiday treats (4344)
doodlebug: santa express: gift giving (4346)
doodlebug: santa express: evergreens (4347)
doodlebug: santa express: 6x6 pad (4385)
SVG cut used:
3-D Advent Calendar
Xyron Used:
9" Creative Station with Permanent Adhesive
1.5" Sticker Maker
Xyron Mega Runner

Please vote for me! :)

Hello!!! I am a top 50 finalist for the Cricut I Made It contest! I would love it if you would vote for me! You can vote once per day through the 26th. 

I showcased a bunch of Doodlebug, a lot of Xyron and a ton of love. 

HERE IS THE LINK: http://us.cricut.com/home/make/i-made-it

Apparently I cannot link directly to it, so you are clicking vote on this pic:

Advent Calendar on the doodlebug blog!

Check. It. Out. This is the biggest project I have done in a while AND you could win some of this fabby collection!!!

NEW!!! Friendly Forest by Doodlebug: 3 Projects

HELLOOOOOO out there! Are you LOVING Friendly Forest!?!? This is definitely one of my favorite collections of the year! I couldn't stop making things with it!!!

I used it for a card, a garland, and cable identification! Yep, 3 projects - one post! Enjoy! :) 

Project 1: Fall Family Card

This is a legal sized card as I wanted the height of the tree and the falling leaves to be the overall feeling. 

 I wanted to get a "sentiment" in there even though the background is full of words. I anchored it in the pile of leaves with a paperclip as well as the acorn from the icons. Check out the polka dots on the brown sprinkled shape leaf at the bottom... Lovin' that leaf. 

Okay, I admit it... This fat-headed owl was part of the Ghouls and Goodies collection... but he was just TOO darling!!! 

Ummm... HELLOOO sprinkled shapes!!!! These little leaves are so yummy!! And the pics of them don't do their mini-prints justice so I thought I would get you a few close-ups. Aren't the checkers on the orange one SO darling!?! 

Polka dots on the purple ones? Yes, indeedy. And just in case you thought the gloss was something I added, it's not! They come that way! Glossy goodness.

 Grab some. You will LOVE them! Spoiler alert: they came out with both of the Christmas lines too!!! :) 

Project 2: Leaf Garland

Isn't this so super pretty? And you know what?! It took absolutely. no. work. 

Here is the product that I simply pulled out of their die cut edges and sewed in a line... seriously. It retails for $3.99 and took all of 5 minutes to make. My kind of home decor!  

See those stitched lines around the edges of the leaves? They come printed on. love. it.

Here is how large it is all sewn together! Emmaline wants it for her door but we'll see... Mommy wants to put it on the mantle! 

Another close up!

Project 3: Okay... I know I got carried away... Cable Identification.

So.... do any of you have husbands that steal your power cords, etc.? Ugh. Mine. Steals. Mine. All. The. Time... It drives me nuts! Whenever your phone is fully charged there are chargers everywhere and the minute you need one - cannot be found!

Well, my husband claims he never takes mine... now we'll know!

I added this simple touch of washi tape to give it some fall flair! I LOVE IT!!! I am totally going to change these out for the seasons and do different designs on them! So fun and SO fast!

Earbuds: cute-ified. Love.

I had a thicker band on the computer charger so I decided to use a wider one. Aren't the polka dots cute!?

So... One of the best things about doodlebug washi tape is the different widths! You can see them all in perspective here. The bands at the top of the tags let you know how thick they are and what the washi tape looks on a white background. :)

Close up of the cuteness. :) They are so happy! :) My mom already asked if I could do hers so I brought some washi tape over and put it around hers too! :)

So... I just got the new iPhone6 and found this case... in classic doodlebug color: swimming pool blue.. :) Of course I had to pick that one! Now... I can match the washi tape to my phone!!! :)

Fall Family Card
bugs used:
doodlebug: friendly forest: fun with fall (4336)
doodlebug: friendly forest: fall forest (4330)
doodlebug: friendly forest: forest friends (4335)
doodlebug: friendly forest: sprinkles shapes: falling leaves (4398)
doodlebug: ghouls and goodies: mini doodle-pops: lil' owls (4421)
doodlebug: friendly forest: this and that (4364)
doodlebug: friendly forest: icons (4370)
doodlebug: friendly forest: mini paperclips: fall (4492)

Leaf Garland
bugs used:
doodlebug: friendly forest: mini leaves and acorns (4360)

Cable Identification
bugs used:
doodlebug: friendly forest: washi tape: autumn stripe (4410)
doodlebug: friendly forest: washi tape: colors of fall (4408)