I can post Swap Items now. =)

Cupcake Swap

Here is the Cupcake Pin Cushion and Banner that I made for Heidi over on Foxgloves, Fabric, and Folly. What a lovely lady and new friend. We have enjoyed getting to know one another. I am also in her Very Vintage Halloween Swap. The 3rd pic shows how the banner was wrapped in the box I decoupaged, and the 2ND pic is the cupcake pin cushion wrapped. The cupcake pin cushion was made out of felt, and beads, and placed into a plastic cupcake holder. The banner is a demo curtain from Wal-Mart that I used to add the cupcake with Heidi's name on it, beads and buttons with lime green pompom trim. On each tab I had crocheted flowers, they are sewn on with a button on each one. On the bottom corners there are Yo-Yo's with buttons. It also says YUM sewn on with tiny buttons.



Cupcake tags with different size cupcakes on them in her favorite colors: blue, brown, and white.
I also made her some Halloween Tags, some with candles, some without. The rick rack on the Halloween Tags, All Cupcakes, and Tags were cutout on my Cricut. (Hey Paula, I have a Cricut. secret joke. ha ha) There is single cupcakes, cupcakes with candles, and border cupcakes.

I cut the die cut out on my Cricut, and then used chipboard letters for her name, that has stickles on them, then they were added to a envelope. I cut the Cupcake and candle with the Cricut. The One Candle on the card that I made represents that she was my FIRST Swap Partner.

I hope Heidi enjoyed her swap items as much as I enjoyed making them.

Blooming Apron's Beat the Heat Halloween/Fall Apron Swap

This is the front view of the apron I made for Annie over at AnnieOakleaves . She has a really awesome blog, she is a very sweet lady and another new friend. I love making new friends through these swaps.

Closer view of the bottom half of apron.

Close up of the embroidery on the front and the beads that I embellished with. Below is the apron wrapped and ready to go. I crocheted the Orange flower, and made the 2 Halloween tags.

Here are the 2 fall hot pads that I made for Annie. I made them out of Halloween fabric, quilted them, and trimmed them with vintage seam binding. Below are the hot pads wrapped and ready to go.


The card I made for Annie.

I hope you enjoyed your swap items Annie, I enjoyed making them for you.

Thanks for stopping by, have a WONDERFUL 3 day weekend!!!

Love,

Deb

Promise Yourself

I love visiting Kathy's site she always has such wonderful art projects that she has made. They are so beautiful. She had posted these words from a site she visited, they had touched her, and now have touched me. I need to try to live by these words daily. If only everyone did, what a better place this world would be. Thanks Kathy!!



Promise Yourself-
To be strong so that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

Oh what wonderful words to promise ourselves.

Love,
Debxx

From Crepe Paper To Halloween Wands

We have searched high and low and cannot find the orange and black or black and white crepe paper garland. So I decided I was going to try to make my own. As you can see in the following pictures I was successful, it actually was fun making it.

Here are my takes on the Cat Wands for Tutorial #4 for the Sweet and Sinister Halloween Swap hosted by ArtsyMama. We have had some awesome projects to put together for Halloween this year. Jennifer Lee of Outrageous Afternoon has a wonderful tutorial for us to make this adorable vintage black cat wand. Be sure and visit her blog and etsy shop for more Halloween goodies.


I used printed paper cut into 2 circles outlined with silver glitter, glued the Black cat with his Black glittered witches hat on, added the paper ribbon banner with Happy Halloween. Placed him onto a white painted dowel rod tying ribbon around the dowel and pushed upward under the banner. The ribbon has black and orange beads on the tips of the ribbon.My 2ND Wand I decided to add a Witches face, stickled her had and ribbon paper. I used an old ribbon spool, added old beads inside of spool, gluing paper onto the spool and making a shaker, then assembled as the above Wand. I used the black and while crepe paper garland that I made around the empty ribbon spool to fill it in.

I used another Cat face to make my 3rd Wand. I used the black and white crepe paper garland on the cats' hat and then around another empty ribbon spool. With ribbon tied around the dowel rod and under the banner. Click on the pics and you can see a close up of each pic.

Thank you for stopping by,

Debxx

Even Tri-County Outages couldn't stop me from crafting

I was wanting to work on projects for the Sweet and Sinister Halloween Swap today. About the time I get my things together the power goes out. Storms have hit Southern Illinois for the past two days. Well I am not wanting to go back to bed, I was to CREATE.

So I start going around the house gathering candles. I have 5 on my table that I am working on, and 4 others around the room, pulled the curtains open. And a crafting I go. =) I almost had my Vintage banner completed when the power came back on 2.5 hours later. Shows, "that when there is a will, there is away!!!!" Pictures will follow as soon as I have completed the banner.

Thanks for stopping by,

Debxx

Sneak peaks of swap items

I received my Halloween Apron from Annie. I had entered Booming Apron's "Beat the heat July Halloween Apron Swap." We had to make a Halloween or Fall themed apron and embellish it.

She had it folded so cute and wrapped in seam binding. Her cute card with her info..such a cute softie she had made on the picture, her info is on the back. And the cute card she sent me.

Orange side of apron. I love it!!!

The Halloween side of the apron. It is so cute...My 19 yo old son was so sweet to wear my apron so that I could get some good pictures of it. THANKS ANNIE!!!! I love it.

Here is the card that I sent to Annie.

This is the apron that I made her wrapped up. I can't show to you yet, I haven't heard if she has it yet. She should, but I don't wanna ruin the surprise. =) Also 2 Halloween tags that I made and added to the wrapped gift. I made the crocheted flower that is tied in the center of the package also.

I also made her some potholders. But the same thing, can't show it yet.

Annie, I hope you like your gifts as much as I did mine. I love my apron, can't wait for Halloween to get here so that I can start wearing it. WOO HOO.

I also entered the Cupcake Swap over on Sharon's blog also. I posted awhile back what I received from Heidi over on Foxgloves, Fabrics and Folly!!

I am very pleased with the way her card and envelope turned out. I put one candle on top of the cupcake. And on the inside I wrote (well typed on computer) that the one candle signifies that she was my first swap partner. I cut the die cut with my Cricut added her name and then uses stickles on both her name and the die cut. The paper is from Making Memories, and both are glittery. Some of the wonderful paper that I received from the wonderful Wilna.

Part of Heidi's swap items is wrapped in this box... I hope she likes it. I had a blast putting it together.

Her cupcake pincushion is wrapped in this tissue paper and tulle . First one that I made, but it was fun.Then I made her several cupcake tags. Her favorite colors are blue, white, and brown. So I made some cupcakes in those colors. I also made some with the Halloween theme. Of course I used my lovely Cricut to cut everything out. Such a lovely machine.

As soon as I get confirmation that these ladies have received their goodies, I will show pictures of everything.

Thanks for stopping by,

Debxx

Having fun making Halloween ATC's and Tags

ATC's

I have had so much fun making these ATC's for Halloween. I used the idea from the Halloween Banner. I painted the white polka dots on the ATC's then added various Halloween characters.
1. Every witch has her black cat. I added the pumpkins and the Black Cat. I applied black glitter to the cat to give him texture.
2. This young Warlord is dreaming how the young Witch will respond when he gives his gift of a new black kitten...oh young love....
3.I had so much fun with this card. I drew the picket finch and painted it onto the black card stock. Then drew in the details to make it look realistic. I added the picture of the flying witch, cat, and pumpkins. Making a Halloween Night scene. Using black glitter around the outside edge of the ATC.
4. This little witch and her cats are sending you Halloween Greetings. I also glittered the glue dots behind her.
5. This Witch is telling you to "Come here my Dear!" Beware of the spell she may cast on you.

You may recognize these 2 ATC's I had used these as a prompt on Hel's sight for a Halloween prompt early this spring.
1. I added the black glitter dots around the young man going trick or treating.
2. I also added glitter to the little witch and her friends.

TAGS

I made these tags to send with my Swaps.I sent one of each with the apron and potholders I made for Annie for the Halloween/Fall Apron Swap. Shhhhh don't say anything, I haven't heard if she has received it yet. These tags are printed on fabric and then glued to card stock tags, then ribbons added to the top.I cut out these tags, cupcakes, and candles using my Cricut machine. I love that machine, making more and more things with it all the time. These were made for Heidi for the Cupcake Swap. I made these in Halloween theme, just in case she had parties to go to this October. But again Shhhhhhh, I haven't heard from her yet either. Also the one candle represents that she was my First Swap and Partner.

These tags, cupcakes, and rickrack were cut using my Cricut. I also sent these to Heidi.

I will post more on the items I sent to the swap partners at a later date, I do not want to give away all the secrets.

Thanks for stopping by,
Love,
Debxx

Resale Halloween and Craft items

On Thursday I went to the Resale shops and I found some goodies to use for Halloween and other crafts this fall. If you click on these pictures you can see them better.
These items I will be using for the Sweet and Sinister Swap that ArtsyMama is hosting on a private blog. I am going to paint the little house black and see a haunted house. I love the 3 candle sconce, might paint it black add crystals how "sweet and sinister" would that be? I see a black spider web being made also. The orange box and basket I know will turn into something really awesome, I am sure.



I love the pumpkin bowl, I think I might clean it up and use it as a candy dish. The candle holder I can see a little guy sneaking through the house scared to death of seeing a Goblin in a dark corner or chasing him down that hall. Some old orange crepe paper, a jingle bell, and match box. The tiles will have something painted or rubbed on them.

A close up of the "spider web" doily, and a pumpkin garland. The black cord runs through the stem on each pumpkin.Look at these cool vintage doll heads, body, and arms. With a little make-up and a softie body I am thinking of a Witch or two. Some of these came from the old Ben Franklin store that use to be in town here. That store hasn't been open since I was a young girl, I believe I was still in grade school. I found these craft items, I am not sure what I am going to make yet, but I will use them on something.I love these Vintage Alphabet cards.

I fell in love with these orange mushroom Macrame beads.

I have been searching for the right book to use for my Halloween journal. I have it now I seen this photo album, its sorta ratty and torn in places, the color has faded. All of that adds to the character of the album. I know it will make an awesome Halloween journal.

Thank you for stopping by and looking at my finds, I had a wonderful time finding them. I couldn't believe I found it all for under $10.00. I love going shopping, coming home with 3 bags full of items and only spending a little.

Have a Great Weekend,

Hugs,

Debxx

I love receiving gifts!!!

I received my RAK from Paula from Paula's Palace of AltAred Art. What a cute bag of goodies I received. I opened the "decorated"box to find a bag of candies, some cards to make ATC's with or to use on altered art projects. The "bag" that my candies were in was decorated with a
Halloween theme, so cute...and had mini-pompoms on it.

When I opened the box this is what I found in it.....


I love the goodies box with the crow, moonlight, and mini-pompoms. Along with all the fibers and ribbons, with a cute Halloween tag. Then I finally opened the goodies box and found some yummy candy inside of it.You must click on this picture and look at the cards. I love the vintage card with the two women on it. It says "We're not old, we're Vintage"....isn't that great!!

Thanks Paula, what a wonderful RAK my friend.

Love,
Debxx