Witches, Pumpkins and Black Cats Too!

Witches, Pumpkins and Black Cats Too are just some of the images from Altered Pages I have today to share with you.

But today you are in for a treat as I also share my background technique. I know you'll find it kinda neat. Its one of my favorite ways to use up the off cuts and paper scraps that I always collect when creating my other projects.

Using PVA glue stick down paper scraps to a backing paper/cardstock.

Add a few drops of Orange Paint (I have used Deco Art Fluid Acrylics) and brayer over papers.
Using a Fluid Paint allows for the designs of the papers to easily show through.

Take a wet (with water) paint brush and ensure areas where papers meet and overlap are covered with paint.
Then dry with a heat gun.

Using black paint, add further detail with a stencil.  Allow a few seconds before taking your brayer and rubbing over stenciled design.  This gives my background a more distressed look.  Once more dry with a heat gun.

Your background is now ready to cut to size.  As already mentioned above I am using this to make some ATC's.
Once cut to size I used my Rusty Hinge Distress Ink to Ink the edges.

Because Halloween Eve is very near, I decided to use this theme but do not fear, as cute is the type of imagery I am using tonight, nothing too spooky to give you a fright.

Select, cut out and decide on the images you wish to use and their placement.
  The images I have used are all from Altered Pages Collage Sheets.

Stick down and add finishing touches such as other paper strips, words and embellishments
I have added a touch of DecoArt Metallic Lustre to these ATC's.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Halloween!


I am entering my displayed ATC's into the following challenges.

ATC Around the World - #10 Halloween
Try it On Tuesdays - #Lots of Layers
Tuesday Throwdown - #268 To Cute to Spook
Crafty Boots Challenge - #Autumn and Halloween
Where the HeART is - #2 Anything Goes/Use Stencils

Tag Along with Me over At Altered Pages

Hi Everyone!  Today I invite you to tag along with me as I share my latest creations over at Altered Pages.

Having recently attended the Australia/NZ AFA Meet in Sydney I was inspired by one of my crafty friends and her Altered Tag Workshop to create some tags.  Six to be exact, with 3 different themes -Summer, Fairies and Halloween.

To see them all you will have to pop over to the Altered Pages blog, where I also share the details of the Collage Sheets and Papers I have used.

Day 4 - Five Days of Flashbacks

I got sidetracked yesterday so forgot to post my Day 4 Flashbacks from September and October so here they are now early on Day 5.

The start of September here is Fathers Days which was the perfect excuse to break out my little tool die I had brought whilst in Melbourne.  I used it with some Adhesive Aluminum Foil Tape to create the steel look for each tool.

I made a black and white with a touch of gold tag book featuring clowns as a kit for sale at Altered Pages.

At Cards in Envy we went a bit Retro and I celebrated my 42nd Birthday by giving away the blog candy I showed you a picture of yesterday.

My month was quite busy as I prepared my first issue as editor for Unruly PaperArts.  

In October I had fun playing along with a number of ATC's Swaps including a Botanical Collage Swap, A Stamp and Color Christmas and Whimsical Bird Tip in Page Swap.

I also did a bit of Halloween and Christmas Creating like this chunky ATC which was created on an ATC Art Board and some Quick and Inky Santa Christmas Cards.

I finished the month with some journal play.

So that leaves just November and December to go, I do hope you will pop back and join me.

WOYWW #228 - How's this for a Mess

Hi everyone and welcome to another weekly installment of What's on Your Workdesk or more fondly known as WOYWW!  For more information about this wonderful link up head over to our lovely host Julia's Blog here.

It's just a quick one for me today as I have just got home from a medical appointment and realized that it was Wednesday.....lol so I have taken my photo and didn't even pull the blind to let in the light.   I have been creating a bit this past week hence the mess.  My earlier posts will share some of these creations and the latest one I will share with you below.  You can read more about it over at Altered Pages a little later today.

It is a Halloween Inspired Mixed Media ATC Art Board created for Day 16 of the 31 Days of Halloween Blog Hop.  The Altered Pages Design Team is playing along with this for the whole month of October.  

This morning we said goodbye to 'A' for 10 days.  He has gone to a special camp for kids in out of home care.  10 days of hiking/canoeing and finding themselves in the wilderness.  On Saturday we also lose Mum and Dad for a week while they go on a holiday, so needless to say Rod and I are looking forward to being home alone the first time in over two years.

Wishing you all a wonderful week and Happy WOYWW!

  

Cards in Envy - Now that's Scary!

Hi Everyone, it's time for another great challenge at Cards in Envy!  This week we are moving from a little bit retro to the theme of a little bit scary with Halloween in mind.

I'm a cat lover so couldn't resist using this cute vintage image from an Altered Pages Collage Sheet of a Black Cat which is linked to lots of Halloween and everyday superstition.  The background paper was a free digi download from the Graphics Fairy.

We want to see your most thrilling, scary or fun, card for Halloween and as always it must be flat enough to fit in an envelope for mailing with no extra postage (so an A2 card (4.25"x5.5")).

For more fabulous and scary inspiration head over to the Challenge Blog.

31 Days of Halloween Blog Hop

All this month the Altered Pages Team  is playing along with the 31 Days of Halloween Blog Hop bringing you 31 days of Halloween and Day of the Dead Inspiration.

As some of our Design Team Members are Halloween Junkies they have signed up individually as well  for the 31 Days so I can assure you there is going to be a wonderful array of spooky creations to admire and inspire throughout this fabulously fun hop.

We don't really celebrate Halloween here in Australia so I was in need of some inspiration, and found it on a poster on 'Alex's wall which reads 'Stay Calm and Kill More Zombies'

I got to use a left over piece from a Gelli Print, my tombstone die and a few other supplies from Altered Pages combined with the Anatomy Hand 101 Digi Stamp from Smeared Ink.

To view my full creation you will have to head over to the Altered Pages Blog and while you are there be sure to check our new Design Team Member Melodee's adorable Voodoo Dolls Project from yesterday.

Thanks for stopping by today!

PTT#91 Trick or Treat!

Hi Everyone! It's Party Time again!  This week our theme is Trick or Treat, so we want to see those Halloween Inspired Creations!

My card uses a sentiment/image from Stitchy Bear and papers from The Robin's Nest both of whom are our sponsors this week!

Our full list of sponsors are:-

The party planners have some wonderful inspiration for you, which you can see over on the PTT Blog.

Also if you are interested in becoming a Party Planner yourself, be sure to check out the current DT Call and Sponsor Coordinator Call Post at the Top of the PTT Blog.  This call ends mid November and is open to U.S. Applicants only!

Magical Monday - Orange and Purple

Hi Everyone!  Today it was my turn to choose the theme for this fortnight's Challenge over at Paper Cupcakes, There's Magic in the Air Challenge Blog.  With Halloween just around the corner Nina has a fabulously fun image (What Characters) and a few sentiments which you can download for free to play along and which the DT has featured.  So my choice of theme was easy and I made it simply to use the colors Orange and Purple on your card.

For my card I have combined these two colors on a elongated purple card base.  Using some orange corrugated Cardstock and some other bits from my scrap hoard.  The night sky and my sentiment background I have done using my new Gelatos and a Water Brush, whilst the characters, moon and the tree branch have all been colored with my Tria Markers.

Be sure to pop over to the TIMITA site to check out all the DT's creations using this fun image and don't forget if you play along using any Paper Cupcake image you get two entries into the random prize draw.

The Poodles Parlour - Halloween Challenge

Hi I'm back again for the second time today to kick off the start of a new Challenge over at The Poodles Parlour.  This fortnight we want to see all things spooky with creations for Halloween.

This very cute image is from Bugaboo Stamps who are our sponsors this week and is called Cat + Peeker

I have teamed it up with some Basic Grey Papers, an Elegant Eggplant Card Base (Dark Purple) a spiders web cutting file and some Dew Drops from the Robin's Nest.  This very cute image isn't too scary but it sure looks like he's a scare-dy cat.  I have colored him with my Tria Markers.

I do hope you will play along too at The Poodles Parlour this fortnight.  For more frightfully scary projects or to link up your creation simply head over to The Poodles Parlour Blog.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-

Creative Card Crew - Challenge #20 Purple
Through the Craft Room Door - Challenge #38 - Always Anything Goes
Craft Us Crazy - #27 Halloween/Anything Goes
Moving Along with the Times - In the Dark!
Southern Girls Challenges - Show Us your Spots or Stripes 

PTT#88 Frightfully Scary Projects or Cards!

It's Tuesday so that can only mean one thing!  Its time for a new Challenge over at Party Time Tuesdays.

This week we want to see your Frightfully Scary Creations for Halloween.

This week we are joined by The Robin's Nest, The Paper Shelter and Elisabeth Bell as Sponsors.

My card is made using the Halloween Spirit Image from the Paper Shelter and Halloween Stripe, Glitter Leaf  Papers and Mango Cardstock from the Robin's Nest.

Be sure to pop over to the PTT blog and check out all the other Party Planners Creations for some more spooky inspiration and all the details of this weeks Challenge.  I can't wait to see what you create!

Platypus Creek Digitals - Challenge #14 Lets Get Spooky!

Hi Everyone! Following last weeks release of Vampire Noah and his friends it makes perfect sense for the new challenge at Platypus Creek Digitals this week to be a Spooky One.

For my card today I am using the Digi Image called Legs! and have kept my card to the dark colors of the night when all witches come out to play.

The spiders web and bats are all elements I have cut from the some of the wonderful Halloween Cutting Files you will also find at Platypus Creek!

So if you have a card that will scare our pants off, or simply just for Halloween Fun we loved to see it!

Platypus Creek Digitals - New Release Cutting Files

Hi Everyone!  Today it's another new release day over at Platypus Creek.

You will have lots of spooky fun with the any of these great cutting files which will have all your halloween projects covered!  There is a Coffin Treat Box, A Coffin Card (which I used for my tag today) and what would Halloween be without a Haunted House.

Be sure to pop over to the Platypus Creek Site and check these out!

Cute Kids Halloween Release Day 2

Hi Everyone!  I'm back this morning with my card for Day 2 of the Cute Kids Halloween Release over at Platypus Creek Digitals.

My card is using the image Vampire Noah.  And for todays release he is being joined over on the site by his good friend Witch Josie so be sure to head over and take a look at all the cards featuring both of these cute kids from the DT.

Also whilst over there you may like to grab yourself the freebie Ghost Frame cutting file which Tracey is being so kind to share with you all for your Halloween Creating.  It's as they say Spooktacular!