Happy Halloween, and Cute little Witch Card

Thank you Marianne for sending me this darling witch Halloween card. 

So cute!!!!

Love the swirls of stitching in the corner. 

Also love the way you decorated the inside! 

Awesome idea to use a tag! 

Happy Halloween everyone! 

Lets be safe out there! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Painted File Folder

This is a painted file folder I made for a swap with my crafty buddy

Kathleen. She received her box so I can post this now. 

Never painted a file folder before, but it worked. 

View from above so you can see how it folds out. 

Closer look. Some of the sections have pockets, and

both sides of the file folder have been decorated. 

Filled the pockets with some goodies for Kathleen. 

I'll be posting pics of the folder she made me tomorrow. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Thanksgiving ATC

Got a jump start on my November artist trading card swap. 

Was crafting with Betty on Friday, and made 12 of these. 

Love the colors. Use distress ink, and blending tool to cover

the ivory cardstock. 

October is almost over. I've been planning my Thanksgiving menu, 

as I will be making dinner for the family. 

Think I'm going to be utilizing the pressure cooker for some of the meal.

My daughter in law loves mac and cheese, and I found a recipe to make

it in the pressure cooker. Going to test it sometime before Thanksgiving.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Stamping trails

Karen 

Cheeseburger, Coffee, Paper Pads and Stamps

Now here is an odd combo. 

National cheeseburger day artist trading card. 

Made with different punches. Added the greeting at the 

bottom using my dymo label maker. 

The coffee themed one on the right is also a 

trading card, but is called a coin because of its shape. 

These have been already mailed out to my partner. 

Did more running around yesterday then I normally do. 

First went to Marc's and did some grocery shopping. 

Next to Joann's and Hobby Lobby. 

Came home had lunch then took a walk around the lake. 

After that hubby wanted me to go to Auto Zone, and because

he got to go to Auto Zone I had him take me to Michael's. 

Found some the Christmas hot buy paper packs. Picked up three of 

them. I never realized that they make matching stamp sets for 

some of those paper. packs. I got Miss Claus paper pack, and the

stamp set that goes with it is called Christmas made by Recollections. 

It is really cool as it has matching dies with the stamps. 

Learn something new everyday! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Happy Haunting Owls

Now I need more Halloween stamps like I need a hole in my head, but

I couldn't resist buying two more stamps when I stopped at Tuesday Morning on

Sunday. (Betty you were suppose to stop me!)

First I masked with a circle for the moon. 

Next I sponged with different colors of distress oxides. 

I removed the masked and sponged yellow for the moon.

After stamping the owl image I colored it in with prisma pencils, and

a green gel pen for the tree branch. 

For the finishing touch I splattered on some pearl glimmer mist. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Pumpkin and Black Cat ATC

I've been working on some artist trading card swaps. 

This pumpkin was stamped on a page from a 1902 Sears and Roebuck catalog. 

The image was colored with prisma pencils. Background was done using

a cloud stencil I got at the craft show I went to in September. 

Black cat, and moon was stamped on a white layer then masked. 

Background made with different colors of distress oxides. 

Love the new star die set I got by Tim Hotlz. 

After the die was used I layered the completed piece over silver cardstock. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Scrap Card, and Written by Spider

This card was made out of scraps I had left after my

Halloween card making binge. 

The pumpkin in the front was from a box I cut apart. 

Amazing what you can use as embellishments. 

A very long time ago my friend Connie sent this stamp to me. 

Thought it was pretty cool so I've been using it to stamp the back

of all the Halloween cards. 

Thought I misplaced this in the move to the new space, but I found it hiding

in a small basket of loose wooden stamps I have. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Witchy Poo, and a Very Large Spider Story

So the other night I had a bad dream. So bad in fact that

it woke me up in a cold sweat. 

I dreamed that I was moving a box in my craft room, and

a giant hairy spider was behind the box. 

My cat Cherokee who hates spiders even more than

I do jumped up at the spider caught it, and started eating it.

There were hairy legs hanging out of her mouth, and 

that is when I woke up. 

So here I find myself crafting a Halloween card with what else, but

a large spider on the front! I'm trying to face my phobia using "baby steps"

Cute Witch Doll is from Julie Nutting called "witchy poo". The

pattern paper I got at Michael's called Pink-a-Boo. It is so cute!

Someone is getting this card in their mailbox, and I'm hoping they

won't be afraid of the spider with flowers on it's butt! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Halloween Napkin Cards

Trying my hand at using napkins on  card fronts again. 

I picked up several different packages from Marc's. They

were 2 for .99 cents. 

I made an extra cat for this one. Fussy cut it, and popped it over

the cat on the main layer. 

This napkin had two backgrounds orange, and black. 

I added some wink of stella around the words, and silver sequin stars on the background. The

bat is popped up on this one. 

Cherokee was my crafting buddy yesterday. Isn't she

cute up on the sewing desk? Sitting pretty kitty! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Trick or Treat You're so Sweet

Still making more Halloween cards. 

Love to make cards for this "spooky" holiday. 

I used Tim Holtz worn wallpaper for the top half of the card. 

Die cuts were used for the main image. 

and since I added a banner on the front that reads trick or treat

I added you're sweet greeting on the inside. 

Love how this one turned out! 

We had lots of rain yesterday and temps in the low 50's.

It was a perfect time to make spaghetti sauce using the last of the garden 

tomatoes. 

I used a total of 5 pounds of tomatoes. Added tsp basil, 1/4 tsp oregano, 

minced garlic clove, 1/4 cup olive oil, tsp parsley, pinch red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. 

Froze half of the batch for later. Used the other half of the sauce with cheese tortellini, and 

ground Italian sausage. It was so good! 

So I'm going to say my first attempt at making spaghetti sauce was a hit. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Halloween Kids

This card was fun to make. 

The spider web background was made using cardstock weight velum. 

Cut with a Darice spiderweb die. The 

only place the velum is attached is in the center. The children

layer covers up the glue used to attach it. 

The little children is a die cut by Tim Hotlz that someone sent

to me with a swap. I wish I had that die. I have the matching

stamp set just not the die. 

I believe the star is also a die from Tim Holtz. 

Boo was stenciled on the layer. 

Made tomato dumplings yesterday using some of the last 

harvest from our garden. Today I'll be making some homemade

spaghetti sauce. That should finish up all the tomatoes. 

The garden is ready to come down for the year, and I'm 

ready for it to be over. Love the garden, but it is a lot of work! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Waste not Want not Halloween Cards

Here are two more Halloween cards I made this past week. 

Used a spider web embossing folder on the white layer. 

Other elements are die cuts. 

The greeting was stamped on white with ranger archival jet black ink. 

I then added color to it with distress ink. 

Since I have a lot of cardstock scraps I have been trying to use

it all. To be honest sometimes I just throw away small strips like

the ones I stamped the greeting on, but I see that I really should make

use of them. 

Even the smallest scrap can be used on a card, or other project. 

What was that old adage? "Waste not want not". 

I'll be back tomorrow with some more "not so spooky" cards 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Halloween Cards

Spent some time yesterday afternoon making Halloween cards. 

I just used some die cuts, and paper scraps to create these. 

One on the left features Tim Hotlz wallpaper, and spooky branch die. 

Card on the right used die cuts, and a spider web embossing folder. 

Halloween crafts are just so much fun! 

Made 10 different cards yesterday, so I'll be posting a few

more tomorrow. 

Special thanks to Emily's mom Anne who gave me

the white basket that was used to hold all the bottles of bubbles for the 

wedding. I'm using it now to hold some rolls of fabric in my Stamping Chateau. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Trekking through Autumn Hikes Complete

Me and hubby completed the Trekking though Autumn challenge that

was sponsored by the Medina County parks. 

So happy I earned my backpack! Next year when we finish the hikes we 

will earn a pin. 

Had to hike through 8 Medina county parks nature trails. Some

of which were pretty hard. Lots of steep slopes, and rough terrain. 

Most of the parks I didn't know existed, and I've lived in Medina for over 20 years. 

If you are in the area and want to try the hikes you can find the info

here

Wolf Creek Environmental Center was the last hike which

is also the place that awards the backpacks. They 

have this historical tree grove which is really awesome! 

Hard to make this photo out, but it reads George Washington Tulip Poplar. 

This tree is a offspring of the tulip poplar George planted 

at the Mount Vernon Estate in 1785. 

There was a school field trip underway when we visited the center. 

Lots to see and do. 

There are 13 parks in all on the trek, and we plan to visit and hike more of them. 

Hiking trails

Karen  

Paris Themed K Decoration

Love, love, love this Paris theme letter K that my

friend Connie made me for my birthday.

The decoration has everything I love, pink, black, flowers, Eiffel tower, and a little

doll standing in front. Super cute! 

Thanks Connie! 

Fall has finally arrived here in Medina. 

This was taken on one of our nature hikes. Lots of leaves

on the trail. Temps are wonderful! Sweater weather in the morning

and in the 70's by the afternoon. Couldn't ask for anything better! 

We have one more hike to take for the Trekking though Autumn challenge. 

Should be able to do that sometime this week. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Milk Cartons and Carrier

My latest creation 

Four milk cartons with carrier. 

The cartons were made on the gift bag punch board by

We R Memory Keepers. 

Trimmed the finished boxes with strings of pearls and decorated clothes pins. 

View a milk carton open and the clip. 

The clip was trimmed with lace, pearls, gold ribbon, and paper roses. 

Side view of the clip. 

I'm still working on Halloween cards, and putting out decorations in the house. 

I normally run Fall and Halloween decor at the same time. When Halloween

is over I take the "spooky" stuff down and leave the Fall out till Thanksgiving. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Halloween Decor

I've been busy putting up some Halloween decorations. 

This is at the front entry. I have Sarah's old cloak from 

a costume she made. The witch hat from one of my old costumes. 

The purple cat was added this year. Picked it up at Walmart. 

The little witch in the corner was made by my friends Connie, and Lisa. 

They used a tomato cage for the base of the witch. Really cute! 

Thanks again girls! 

Happy Monday to all. 

We went from 90 degree weather to 55. It was just

like speeding on the freeway then suddenly seeing a cop car, and

hitting the brakes fast to slow down! 

I'm not complaining as I like the cooler temps, and was

able to make my first batch of pumpkin muffins of the Fall season. 

 Of course I made them on Friday, and they are gone! Don't last

long in my house! I also made a big pot of chili yesterday using

fresh garden tomatoes. It was so good! Going to be having some more for lunch today. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Paris Paper Napkin

Would you believe this lovely card layer was made using a paper napkin?

My friend Kathleen sent me a package of beautiful Paris paper napkins

in our last swap, and I had to try out a new technique using them.

All you have to do is remove the two other paper plies from the

the top printed one. Then cut a piece of cardstock to the size layer you want. 

In the sample I used 3 3/4 x 5 vanilla cardstock. 

Next I took a glue stick and covered the entire surface of the cardstock. 

You have to make sure you get all the edges really well with the glue stick. 

Then take the napkin print side up and place on the cardstock. Smooth

it down and press well to get good adhesion. 

Then I turned the cardstock over and trimmed the extending napkin to match the cardstock layer. 

I tried cutting the napkin to size first but had trouble with it tearing. 

After that I used a white gel pen on the napkin to add some dots on the flowers, and 

finished it off with clear Wink of Stella. 

I really love this technique. Going to head up to Dollar Tree tomorrow and

check out their napkins as I know they have some pretty printed ones. 

Stamping trails

Karen