BFF Open House

 

Happy Friday Eve once again (already!) Creative Peeps! I hope everyone's had a good week and, most of all, a creative one! We're just a little over a week out from Halloween; EEK! 🦇 After that, the pace quickens and we're full steam ahead into the remaining holidays for the year. Is it just me, or does this time of year go faster and faster every year? 

I've been stalking Dollar Trees because I keep seeing some cute things online, but I think things must release in the East first. So, I'll continue hunting like Elmer Fudd. We're about the same height! 

This week I shared: 

Sugar Skull Number TWO (because of the thief!)

Halloween Cards for Family and Friends 

Let's take a look at some ideas there's still time to do! 

This Candy Corn Banner from Me and My Inklings is adorable, inexpensive, and easy to make! 

Our Grand Lives shared a wonderful collection of Halloween Recipes and Ideas if you haven't finalized a Halloween menu or party yet! 

Master Pieces of My Life shared yet another way to use the Dollar Tree Faux Tin Tiles by making this Fabulous Bat! 

Finally, love Pizelles? Love chocolate? Then you'll want to check out these Chocolate Pizelles from Walking on Sunshine. 

Thanks to everyone who linked up, and can't wait to see what you have to share this week! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Papercrafting: Layered Skull Halloween Cards

 

Finished and sent off this year's Halloween cards to family and friends! Went with a layered skull image through my subscription to Creative Fabrica for my focal image. 

Supplies: 

• 110lb Cardstock (Recollections)
• Halloween Scrapbook Paper 
• Focal Image 
• Cutting Machine
• Embellishments 
• Adhesive Tape Runner 

I resisted the urge to buy new Halloween papers this year because as you can see, I have a collection from years past! So I gathered them up and used sheets from different stacks. 

Then I grabbed different colors of metallic cardstock, 

and some glitter cardstock, and went to work! 

I decided to keep things simple and only used two layers of the layered design. I uploaded the image to Cricut Design Space and sized accordingly, then deleted the layers I wasn't going to use. I used a small tape runner (Dollar Tree) to attach the detail layer to the background layer. 

I usually make my cards 5x7 which is the size I used here. I cut a metallic panel to 4.75x6.75 and then the scrapbook papers to 4.5x6.5. Layered those using my ATG Tape Runner, and then used the same to attach to the completed panels, and then the card base. 

To finish, I grabbed my stash of self-adhesive rhinestones and went around the eyes as shown, with a few others as accents. 

Boo!

Dia de los Muertos Crafting: Mounted Sugar Skull

 

As I mentioned in this post, Mr. Chocolate claimed the first one of these I made for himself. Thief! No worries. I always buy spare supplies. For this one, I went on to the next step I planned for the one he stole, mounted it atop a candleholder, and added silk flowers around the "neck". 

Supplies:

• Plastic Skull (Dollar Tree)
• Multi-Surface Acrylic Paint and Acrylic Paint Pens
• Tissue Paper for Flowers
• Rhinestones and Gems
• Silk Flowers
• E-6000 Glue and Hot Glue/Gun

This is the skull. Dollar Tree has them every year. I used Folk Art multi-surface paint in Titanium White and a sponge applicator to cover the skull. 

Once the skull was painted, I outlined the cracks, nose, and teeth with a gold paint pen, and punched two flowers from a black paper scrap. 

I made tissue paper flowers for the crown, as described in the earlier post. 

I attached these across the skull to form a crown. Once that was done, it was time to play so I grabbed acrylic paint pens and rhinestones from my stash and went to town!

I went around the eye sockets with a black pen, then added dots with pink. 

I grabbed some acrylic flowers from my stash to add to the eyes, and then added various self-adhesive rhinestones (with a dab of glue to reinforce adhesion). 

I drew some flowers freehand using acrylic paint pens and added some rhinestones. 

I used some of these Creatology (Michaels) gems to go around the jawline and outside of the eyes..no plan...just kinda rolled with it.

Once I was good with my skull, I grabbed a floral disc thingy from Dollar Tree and a small candlestick (also DT) and glued the skull to the floral foam. I cut down floral stems (DT) and went around the floral foam, creating a collar. 

I used two different styles of flowers and started with placing the larger ones. Then I filled in any gaps with the smaller blooms. Once that was all done, I used a combo of E-6000 and hot glue to attach to the candleholder.

And now, I have the gift I planned all ready to give and safe from the thief! 

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BFF Open House

 

Happy Friday Eve, and mid-October, Creative Peeps! I hope you've had a good week, and if you've been in the path of hurricanes, you're safe and dry. Temps continue to cool down in the desert. As I mentioned last week, this is when our market season really takes off, and there are too many to choose from! I love it because that means that there is that much creativity out there, and the world needs it! Dia de los Muertos is celebrated widely here in Southern Arizona with many events. 

So this week, I shared: 

DIY Sugar Skull 

Currently working on another one for reasons explained in the post! 

Now, let's take a look at some of the fun ideas shared at last week's party! 

Crazy Little Lovebirds shared these adorable Mini Halloween Chalkboards. These would be great for classmates, friends, as gift tags for Boo Baskets, or so many possibilities! 

Petticoat Junktion shared this AMAZING Natural Fall Wreath that can last all season. Rustic, simple, beautiful. 

Got cardboard? And who doesn't, from shipping boxes?! Bluesky At Home has a BEAUTIFUL way to transform it into Faux Ceramic Tiles. 

Finally, a fun treat for dessert tables, goodie bags, parties. Oreo Spiders from Rose Bakes! 

Thanks to all who shared, and let's see what you've been up to this week! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Dia de Muertos Crafting: DIY Sugar Skull

 

Or, as I almost titled  "This Man Stole My Skull!" 

Lemme explain. I made this as part of a gift planned for our local Mexican restaurant, owned by a family in our neighborhood, and from which we get takeout every Friday. When I showed it to Mr. Chocolate, he loved it, and as he has done a few times, he declared it was his, and then gave me a pouty face. So yes, I'm making another one, which works out because I can take some more in process pictures. Still...THIEF!

Supplies:

• Plastic Skull (Dollar Tree)
• Multi-Surface Acrylic Paint and Paint Pens
• Tissue Paper (Dollar Tree)
• Rhinestones
• Dimensional and/or Tacky Glue

For example, I didn't take a picture of my supplies. Ooops/ But this is one of the plastic skulls that Dollar Tree has every year. I painted it with multi-surface Apple Barrel Titanium White. I went over the cracks with a gold paint pen and punched two flowers from scrap paper, which I glued into the eye sockets. Then I added some resin flowers I had in my stash. 

I wanted to get the crown done first to use as a guide for the other elements. For these, I did simple paper flowers cut from tissue paper. Used a small bowl as a guide to trace my circles, then cut them out. I folded the tissue paper in fourths and used two sets of circles to make each flower.

Staple in the middle, then starting with the top layer, pull up and scrunch each layer into a flower. Glue in place using hot glue, dimensional glue, or as I did, Aleene's Clear Gel Tacky Glue. 

For the pink and yellow flowers shown, I used crepe paper streamers from Dollar Tree. I'll show how I made these when I do the next tutorial because, did I mention? Mr. Chocolate STOLE the first one?! 

Also not shown I went around the eyes, nose, and teeth with acrylic paint pens. 

I grabbed a bunch of self-adhesive rhinestones from my stash and then played with embellishing.

I just eyeballed and placed them as shown. 

NOTE: While the rhinestones are self-adhesive, just to be safe, I added dots of Glossy Accents dimensional glue to make extra sure! 

So now I'll be working on the replacement because again, I live with a thief! 

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