Interactive ATCs

I finally finished my ATCs for the interactive swap I joined with the ACP girls. I changed my design about three times, before deciding on a "pull" type ATC. Next decision was a "theme" and I was drawing a blank. I finally decided to go with a "friendship" quote that popped up, but I wasn’t real happy with that decision, but that was all that was coming to me.

I took the interactive elements to Scrapbook U to finish while I helped Kelle, Marilyn and Linda work on my Home for the Holidays kit, but I just wasn’t feeling inspired with my friendship quote decision, so I had a hard time finishing them up. Then Kathie O. came to the store, I showed her my interactive ATC design and she told me she was in a ATC "house" themed swap, and that she was going to "borrow" my interactive design. Suddenly, I felt inspired too — and told her I was going to "borrow" her theme and make mine houses too! How did I not think of that idea myself? I’ve only been working on this...

my Home for the Holidays book for the past week...the book whose cover is a house...yet, the thought never crossed my mind to make my ATCs a house. So, thanks again Kathie O. for continuing to inspire me!

Here are my interactive ATCs...

When you open the front door, you see Santa working. At the bottom of the ATC, you can see the bells and snowman charm I attached to the pull string.

And when you pull the charms, here's the Santa image that comes out of the top of the house. I hope the ACP girls like them!

Charming Broomsticks

Last weekend, Kathie and I took a Williams & Sonoma cooking technique class, and afterwards, as you usual, we explored downtown Los Gatos for a little bit. On this trip, we discovered a wonderful little store called Vintages of Los Gatos. I love that store...they had lots of wonderful things! I even found a couple of very old photo albums – one was from the 1800s and came from Paris. I’ll be doing some sort of altered art with those–eventually.

Another little purchase I made there was the cutest little broomstick that was made by the owner — a very simple design with a "happy halloween" tag attached to it. Adorable! And, it was the last one. It was so cute, I decided to make more of my own to give to the ladies that attended my class this weekend.

Last month, when I taught the halloween haunted house class, Kathryn made some fabulous pumpkin cupcakes for me to bring for everyone in class. They were yummy! Unfortunately for me, Kathryn has been very busy with homecoming this week—so no cupcakes for this weekend’s classes.
Instead, the ladies got broomsticks!
For Saturday’s class, the "charming" broomsticks were a bit on the larger size so you can do various things with them -- maybe hang a small halloween sign or vertical banner. I also thought the larger broomstick would look nice on the haunted house we were making, and a couple of ladies, did incorporate the broom onto their house. I wish I had my camera with me - it was cute!

For today’s class, I made candy-pull wrappers, put a chocolate bar inside, and decorated the top with a vintage halloween image, attached a witch charm from ACharmingplace, and attached the broomstick. Not as yummy as the cupcakes, but still cute!

A simple card...

Wow, another post in the same month! Nothing fancy, just a card for a friend using scraps of paper from my dream banner class, some Rock Candy Stickles, and a filigree charm from ACharmingplace. I made the little flower from some seam binding.

Tomorrow, I'll post some "charming" broomsticks I've made for the ladies that are taking my Eerie Halloween House/Album tomorrow.

An Altered Box

I know–it’s been a while...I’m a bad blogger...
Wanted to share an altered box I made for a box swap I was in. Our little "drama queen" group drew names for this swap, and I drew Kathie O’s name. I was happy to have pulled her name because I thought it would be a little easier to figure out what she likes since we often go on "inspiration journeys" together. I know Kathie will like everything I put on her box...I know this because we both were drawn to and bought the same things while on these inspiration journeys! But I’ll bet Kathie’s shells are sitting in a box somewhere in her craft room...my shells are in a box too...one made for Ms. Kathie.
I altered a magnetic box from Michael’s like this one (although the one I altered was bigger)

and turned it into this shadow box...I hope Kathie likes it.

A couple of close ups...I added a 7 Gypsies knob...

Here's the "shadow box" portion. I made it with foam core and covered the ugly edges of it with ribbon.

When it comes to boxes...Kathie has a "foot" fettish so I had to add some feet to it (thanks Michelle for confirmation of the "foot" fettish) which are really drawer knobs...

I added a Basic Grey rubon and used Glimmer Mists and embossing powder for the background. And I just love those seahorses, but...

my absolute favorite part has to be the octopus! It makes me giggle every time I look at it. I bought the octopus (and the majority of the other shells too) from Tangerines in Dublin. Gina Gabriell, the owner of Tangerines, also makes beautiful art dolls — she even makes the eyes and sells them! I think they are amazing! I bought one of the smallest pairs she had and attached them to the octopus...Kathie loves body parts...I think eyes qualify.

"Before" and "After" Pictures of My "Thong"

Remember this "before" picture of "my thong"? You know, the "weird stuff" that was sent to me for the "thong" challenge I posted about HERE?
Well, here’s the "After" picture of what I made from the "weird stuff." The industrial green and red wires, mica, tag, ball chain, wooden circles, and resistors were all incorporated into this layout.



When we do these challenges, everyone tries to disguise their "style" and anything else (like backgrounds) that might give your entry away. I haven't made a "12x12" layout in forever, so I thought now would be a good time. And it was so hard not to add distress ink to anything--which is something I always do. I also didn't want to use a picture of my own kids, so, a big thank you to my friend Ruth for letting me use the picture of her beautiful grandchildren for this challenge!

I used everything that was sent to me...and here’s what I did to the stuff.

I twisted the industrial red and green wires together and then put them through my paper crimper. They were still ugly so I colored them with alcohol ink and a gold Krylon pen and used it as a frame for the picture.

I painted the ball chain pink, formed an "L" with it and adhered it with Glossy Accents to one of the mica pieces, which I had peeled and split into three pieces.


For three of the resistors, I formed a circle with them and placed it on top of one of the wooden disks. Both disks were added to the bunch of flowers.
I added my own junk to the layout...the metal flower center is from a pair of earrings I got at an estate sale for $1.00.

I sandwiched the typed words "at first sight" between the remaining two pieces of mica and layed it on top of the tag that was sent.

The other three tan resisters were used to hang three painted baby charms from ACharmingPlace.com from the loops of that big ol’ button I received. I covered part of the button with printed twill because it was kinda ugly!

And here’s what the eleven other creative ladies did with their "thong" — so fun and so much creativity!

Sweet 16...

It seems like just yesterday when my youngest was born (the one being kissed by Joey in this picture).

But my baby girl turned
Sweet 16 today.

Time sure flies!




Kathryn went from wanting a big "Lazertag" party at the beginning of the year, to wanting just three of her closest friends over for a sleep-over. They had a great time together!

Happy Birthday Kathryn!

WICKED!

Kathryn and I had some WICKED fun last night with 18 other "crafty" ladies from Scrapbook U!
Monica, the owner of Scrapbook U, arranged for all of us to have dinner, then travel on BART (which was right across the street from the theater!) to see Wicked at The Orpheum Theater. It was an awesome show, and to see it with friends was especially nice. I’m ready to see it again! I doubt I will ever catch up to Monica, who has seen it eight times now!