A little bit of this... A little bit of that!

Hey there gang!!!! Hope everyone is ready for Halloween!!! I've brought you a 

"spooky" page to get you inspired as well as a few others :-)

First on the list is a layout I completed for a few different challenges.  I combined sketches from our weekly Guest Designer Camilla Ekman over at Colorful Creations as well as the monthly sketch over at C'est Magnifique.  

These are the sketches to work with...                            

They were so close that I was thankfully able to create a layout for them both!!!! Here is what I came up with...

This is Maya's first time with "piggy tails".  Isn't she just the cutest thing?!?

I started by using papers by Cloud9 Design for everything you see here.  I thought this collections was perfect for this photo!  Then I made some paper flowers with the same paper using various techniques.  The first one I used to make some flowers was by rolling tiny strips of paper tightly, then letting them go and glueing them to your paper.  Here's a closer look..

Then, I made some paper rosettes by simply cutting circles in different sizes, distressing the edges, and adding a brad to the center to keep it all together.  Here's what they look like:

The brad in the red flower is by Studio G and the one in the right is by Recollections.  All the embellies are also by Cloud9 design as I purchased the coordinating die-cuts! 

To capture the swirls behind the photo you see in the second sketch I used some stamps by Inkadinkadoo and Grungeboard by Tim Holtz.  I stamped some flourishes using Staz On Ink in Timber and also some dotted circles by Fiskars.  For the Grungeboard, I used distress stain in Victirian Velvet, then stamped right on top using my Walnut Stain Distress Ink pad to bring out the embossed areas on the board.  I topped it off with tiny rhinestones to create the bling effect you also see in the sketch.  The final look is pretty awesome!!!!!

Another page I created for Colorful Creations was for Rachael's Recipe challenge.  I also combined this with the weekly sketch over at Sketch Inspiration.  Here is their sketch...

My best friend Brandi and I attended the annual Howl O Scream at Busch Gardens in Tampa.  Every year, they "dress up" the park with spooky decor and zombies chase you around with chain saws and such!!! It's truly a blast!!!! Any who, here is my layout...

We decided on purchasing these goofy hats to take on the evening!!! So, for Rachael's challenge, our recipe was to use the following items on your page:

• Halloween Theme
• The color orange
• Minimum two photos
• Use the word spooky, creepy scary, etc.
• Create your own element
• Tearing or ripping

I was able to combine all these ingredients for one "creepy" page!  I started with coordinations black cardstock and added a spider web circle die-cut with green glitter paper by DCWV.  I achieved this by using a Martha Stewart spider web corner punch and punched around the circle.  Then, I cut another circle using Recollections Signature Halloween paper and a two-inch border cut using the same paper collections.  I added a little distress ink atop the purple paper to add to the effect.  

I double matted all the photos using the same papers then started dressing it up!  The borders on top and bottom of the paper, as well ate the chipboard black cat in the bottom corner are all by Martha Stewart.  The 3-d black glittered embellishments are by Recollections.  The rest are by K&Company, aside from the title which is Echo Park.  I also used a Martha Stewart roller stamp with cobwebs and rolled over all the photos with black archival ink. To finish off the photos, I tore some K&Company paper, inked it in black, then bordered it along them. The metal piece is made by The Girls Paperie and I just love it!!! Here's a close up:

Finally, we were asked to handmake an embellishment.  I made this witch by using a technique called paper piecing.  This is a die-cut from a Martha Stewart punch that I used on various sheets of paper, then added them all together in pieces, until I got the look I wanted.  Isn't she "scary"?!?!?

Here is a page using pictures from my honeymoon.  This was the first time my husband and I went on a cruise and he was absolutely amazed!!! I shot these photos of him in his glory :-)  I followed a sketch from our Guest Designer last week Samantha Hauzer.  Here was her sketch challenge:

I decided on rotating the sketch a quarter turn clockwise.  Instead of three various pattern papers at the top, I chose to make three banners!  The papers are by Momenta, and the embellies are from K&Company, Basic Grey, and Jolees.  The clear title stickers are from Me and My Big Ideas and I LOVE them!!!! They are by far the best ones I have found!!! So here's the layout...

Isn't he so handsome?!?! 

Alright, I'm almost done!!!! Just a couple more and then I'll leave you alone :-)  The next page was for my Scraplifter's Challenge over at Colorful Creations.  This is my mid-month challenge where you "steal" your inspiration from other's work.  Of course, always giving credit where credit is due :-)

This month, I decided to have the girls lift from their own work!!!! A lot easier said then done!!! I chose to lift from a previous page I made for my Mother's stepfather Norman titled "A Stitch in Time".  Here is that page:

I wanted to stay with the overall "vintage" theme and I had just the right photos to use!  These were taken of my oldest daughter last year at her school.  They dressed them up in vintage attire and used old time props to set the stage!  

I started this page by using paper from Tim Holtz Lost and Found Paper Stash.  I used some corrugated board from 7Gypsies behind the photo.  The photos have been matted on K&Company paper and the embellies are a mixture of Tim Holtz and DCWV paper stacks.  Flowers are by Prima, as are the resist canvas pieces that I am in LOVE with!!! I dyed them using distress stain in Victorian Velvet and Bundled Sage.  She looks AMAZING doesn't she?

Last on the list are some cards I made for some of the strongest people I know.  Two of them I made for our soldiers, fighting for our country, giving their lives for us, so that we may have freedom.  The other is for those who are fighting the battle of Breast Cancer. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a perfect time to get this done.  

Here are the cards I made for our troops:

Very simple, but to the point.  A simple thank you is nowhere near enough to show the gratitude my family and I have for them, but just maybe it will bring them a small sense of joy knowing that we are grateful for all that they do.  

And here is my final one... A card to show my sympathy for all those who lost the struggle to beat this cancer, and to all the survivors for all their hard work.  

Well, it's been a treat and I thank you for stopping in.  Have a LUCKY day :-)