Wendy's Little Inklings

Using stamping & scrapbooking supplies for a Hallowe'en costume? Why not!

Today's post is pure Hallowe'en, but with a bit of stamping included!  My daughter is going trick-or-treating as Strawberry Shortcake.  I refuse to spend tons o' cash on poorly designed costumes, so I had to come up with a suitable hat for her to wear.  This is where my stamping came in!  Stampin' Up! has a stamp set called Tart & Tangy that includes a strawberry stamp.  This is what I came up with:

 

I made a bunch of strawberries, punched them out, and attached them to the hat using brads.  How's that for using my on-hand supplies!!!

 

One last photo before I run away to hand out candy to all of the monsters that will darken my doorstep this evening... we've carved 10 pumpkins this year.  Down from last year's 13, but considering what a challenge it will be keeping them all lit this year, I'm good with that.  It's a VERY windy day, and our house faces south and west.  The ones on the south side of the porch will have a chance, but the ones on the west will likely need to be hidden behind something.

 

Happy Hallowe'en!!
 

It's almost here!

A quick card this evening, in honour of Hallowe'en tomorrow.  This was a card that one of my friends brought home from convention, and I took a picture of it back in August.  So, I'm sorry to say that I can't tell you who made it, but it's pretty cool!

 

Lots of different things happening on this card, but I think that the coolest thing of all is the spider in the upper right corner.  I LOVE how the designer used brads for the spider's body!

Tomorrow will be my last non-Christmas post for a bit as I'll begin posting Christmas items on November 1st.  What's going up tomorrow?  Pictures of my daughter's costume hat, featuring... my stamps!

Just wait for it... happy pumpkin carving!

2-Steppin' through some Greenhouse Garden flowers

Our last Stamp Club card for October still uses our Stampin' Pastels and Versamark ink.  However... we also use some regular Classic ink too!  This is a technique that you can use whenever you are using a set of 2-Step stamps where one image is the main background image, and the second image is of the defining details.  We used the Greenhouse Garden stamp set on this card, and I think that the result is a very clean and bright card.

To create this effect, simply stamp the "background" image in Versamark, and colour using your Stampin' Pastels and Sponge Daubers.  The defining features are then stamped on top using the same colour in Classic ink (ie. Yo Yo Yellow chalk will be stamped over using Yo Yo Yellow ink).  Very easy, but a great effect.

I am always on the lookout for new Stamp Club members.  We are going to be creating projects in November that feature our new Shimmer Paint in the Holiday Mini Catalogue.  If you would like to join us - as either a member or a guest, please give me a call or drop me an e-mail for more information!

Happy stamping!

A gorgeous chalked Medallion

Yesterday I posted a recent Stamp Club card that featured stamped and chalked apples on it, resulting a very nice Fall (or teacher!) thank you card.  Today I'm posting a card that was originally created by Natasha Zandbergen, and uses a very traditional chalking method with gorgeous results.

When most stampers learn how to use their Stampin' Pastels, they are taught the Poppin' Pastels technique.  The image is stamped on the cardstock using Versamark ink, and it is then coloured in using Stampin' Pastels and Sponge Daubers.  On this card, we have stamped the image using the Medallion stamp, and coloured the image using two different colours of chalk.

 

The result is a very pretty and soft effect on the card, but it's so easy to create!  The sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set, and we used the Designer Label, Curvy Label, and 1-3/8" Circle Punches to create the raised sentiment on the card.

Our last chalking card will be posted tomorrow.  Until then, happy stamping!  

Yummy Fall Applies

At my stamp clubs last week, we played with some popular chalking techniques.  Most of the ladies had not spent a lot (or any!) of time playing with their Stampin' Pastels, so we showed them some easy ways to use their chalks on their cards.  The first card that we completed was this fall apple card, using the chalkboard technique.

 

The chalkboard technique is both valuable and a "WOW" because it's so easy to do, has a great impact on your cards or scrapbook pages, AND it allows you to add colour to dark cardstock.  The last point is really important, because often you'd like to add colour to your darker colours of cardstock (ie. Basic Black or Chocolate Chip) but can't because the ink simply disappears when you stamp it on the cardstock. 

How easy is it?  This easy!  Stamp your images using Whisper White Craft ink, pick up some chalk from your Stampin' Pastels using a Sponge Dauber, and then rub it over the ink.  Voila!  The chalk sticks to the Craft ink, and you have colour on your cardstock.  

We used the apple stamp from the Tart and Tangy stamp set, and the "thank you" comes from the Enjoy Every Moment stamp set. 

Tomorrow I'll post another chalking example from last week's stamp clubs.  Until then, happy stamping!

Week 4 Deal of the Week - It's the last one!

Stampin' Up!'s Deals of the Week promotion is almost over.  This week we're featuring the Princess and Pirate party kits at almost 40% off!!  

Both kits are currently $13.99 (reg. $21.95) but only until 10pm on Hallowe'en.  If you'd like one of these kits, please e-mail me at wendy@wendyslittleinklings.com or give me a call at 905-655-9347 before noon on Saturday, October 31st and I'll make sure that you get one. 

Happy stamping!

Hallowe'en Lollies

This afternoon was the last of this month's Hallowe'en stamping classes.  Lots of kids made lots of projects, and then ate lots of candy.  Isn't that the way that it's supposed to be at this time of year???  Absolutely!

The final project that they created was this lollipop holder.  It's different than the one posted last week, but it's just as cute, and just as easy!

To create this masterpiece, cut a piece of Basic Black paper 8-1/2" x 3".  Score at 1", 4-1/4", and 7-1/2".  Fold all of the score lines under, and overlap the two 1" pieces to create a triangle (see below).  I have decorated the top of the holder using some Cast a Spell Designer Series Paper, and the cute bird from the Twick or Tweet set.  Punch a hole in the two flaps, and stick your lollipop through.  Ta-da!  You're done! 

This is another one of those projects that's perfect for kids because it's so easy.  With a bit of imagination though, you could create a very interesting Lollipop Holder. 

Tomorrow is Glass Etching Day.  I have a stack of plates on my kitchen counter that I need to de-glue, and wash before everyone comes tomorrow morning.  So, until tomorrow, Happy Stamping (and candy munching)!

Sweet Treats - where kids can actually get the treats!

The Sweet Treat cups are very popular right now.  They are great for adding treats to a card or other project.  However, some are concerned that when the recipient (alright, kids) get their hands on the card, the card is destroyed while they are trying to access the treat.

This is the second project that the kids will be completing at my Mom & Me Hallowe'en class this weekend - Treat cards that actually open!

 

I created a small treat card that has the fun image from Sweet Centres on the front.  It's easy to stamp, easy to punch, and kids love the spookiness of it.  I have also cut an additional piece of Cast a Spell Designer Series Paper and wrapped it around the back.

When cutting the Perfect Plum piece for the front of the card, I cut a second piece as well that's just slightly narrower than the front piece.  Adding a tab to the top, this piece now covers the back of the Sweet Treat cup, and easily slides up, allowing access to the treats.  Sneaky.

Just a couple of Hallowe'en treats to go, and then we're moving on to something else.  Starting in November I will post a different Christmas card everyday to help inspire you in your Christmas stamping. 

Until tomorrow, happy stamping!

Build-a-Bear Trick or Treat Bags

Did you like to Trick or Treat when you were a kid?  Do you wish you could go Trick or Treating now?  This is truly one of those times when I get to live vicariously through my kids.  I have always loved Hallowe'en, and I truly enjoy taking them out or staying home to hand out candy.  The neighbourhood kids are so cute!

At my Mom & Me Hallowe'en class this weekend we are making Treat Bags with the kids.  Each child will be able to decorate a kraft paper shopping bag with their choice of Hallowe'en outfits - a jack o' lantern or witch.

These cute bags were created using the Big Shot Build-a-Bear dies currently available in the Holiday Mini Catalogue.  The dies used on this project were the Stampin' Up! Bear, Stampin' Up! Kooky Spooky, and Stampin' Up! Beary Essentials.  Once punched out, the pieces were easily assembled and glued, and each child will take their other Hallowe'en projects home in a bag. 

 

Also making an appearance on these bags is the awesome Cast a Spell Designer Series Paper.  Okay, this post is making me hungry!  Need to raid the Hallowe'en candy...

Happy stamping!

Tis' the season for Creepy Crawlies - as long as they're contained

This isn't a secret to anyone who knows me but... I'm arachnaphobic.  I really don't like spiders.  At all.  Even when they're behind glass cases.  If I see them I run screaming from the room.  If my husband's home he takes care of them.  If he's not, my Dyson does.  It's very satisfying to hear them being sucked down the hose.

If you like spiders, I apologize for my diatribe :)

Anyhow, my son went to a birthday party recently and needed a card.  We had some plastic spider rings lying around, so I cut the back off of one of them and we stuck it inside of a Sweet Treat cup using a Pop-up Glue Dot.  I took out my Cast a Spell DSP, offered some choices up to him, and he chose the paper that has the bats & spiders on it.  

 

A little bit of stamping, a little bit of punching, some gluing and we were all ready to go.  Chris designed the layout of the card himself.

Just another way to use those mighty-cute Sweet Treat Cups!

Tonight is stamp club, and my Hallowe'en Mom & Me class is on Sunday afternoon, so I'd better start chopping paper.  Happy stamping!