Twelve Charming ( I Hope) Bracelets...

"For  the first school fund-raiser, my crazy craft-mom made for me...."
OK I seriously doubt my son will be singing that ( to the tune of the 12 Days of Christmas just in case you don't get the way my brain works). It's back to school night this week and all of the clubs and groups have tables to raise money for various events, causes etc. So I figured charm bracelets might appeal to HS girls?  They're all slightly different and intentionally off center etc.

 

Mix of silver chain (plate...Tiffany this isn't), fire polished glass and crystal beads, charms,toggle clasps, etc. 

Hopefully they'll sell! 

Linking Up At:

 

Open House Wrap Up and 300 Follower Giveaway WINNER!!!

Thanks so much to everyone who attended the September Open House Link Party! There were some amazing projects and the most linked up in the three parties I've had. It was so much fun seeing what everyone has been working on and while it's always so hard to highlight any favorites, because truly I love them all, there were a couple of things that especially caught my eye! 

First, from Meg at Mega Spooky is a wonderfully creative use of coffee filters: 

And I am in love with anything and everything black and white so these pumpkins from The Closet Crafter totally caught my eye:

There were some yummy recipes linked up and you should definitely check them out (but not on an empty stomach). Given the name of my blog, it should come as no surprise that these, from Jocelyn at Inside BruCrew Life had me at hello with these "Up In The Stars" (because she used Milky Ways!) cupcakes!

Lastly, ( or else I'd end up listing all of the links all over again!) Shannon from Posh Vinyl and Designs, has me totally wanting to make one of these:

Please feel free to grab a button! ( I'm not the best button maker):

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And now, onto the most fun part of all. The winner of the $25 Silpada Gift Certificate (thank you Cindy!) and my "Stash" prize is commenter #22:   Melissa from those northern skies 

Melissa, I'll give Cindy your email address and she'll work with you directly on the Silpada portion of the giveaway. If you'll email me your address, I'll get the rest in the mail to you! 

I hope you'll all come to next month's Open House which will be held on Friday October 15!

Stashbusting September Project #10: It's A Witch Thing

The "Open House" link party is still going on until midnight Pacific time. I've had so much fun seeing what's been linked up.

After busting open a package of wood plaques for an earlier Stashbusting project, I got an idea for a quick girlfriend gift for some friends I'm seeing this week. I also found I mean I knew I had ( I did!) a package of wood embellishments that I bought after last Halloween for like $1, if that. Forgot to take pics along the way but pretty basic.

• Wood plaques and cutouts
• Scrapbook paper scraps
• Mod Podge
• Cream acrylic paint
• Printed sentiment ( again with the Avery clear label paper)
• Wire
• Ribbon scraps

Cover plaques w/ scrapbook paper using Mod Podge. Sand edges when dry. Paint / wipe off cream acrylic paint. Edge and stipple  w/ black ink. Adhered sentiment to finished plaque

Painted wood cutouts black and dry brushed w/ cream acrylic. Went over the top of those with some  Stickles iridescent to give a glitter effect (doesn't show up great in photos).  Super glued witch hats onto plaques. Drilled holes on either side and attached wire and to the plaques and then tied ribbon scraps on. 

Oh and let no surface be unblinged....dotted the "i's with gold adhesive rhinestones!

Linking Up At:



 

 

September Holiday Open House Link Party!

 Welcome! Link up whatever you want to feature. Holiday, not holiday, home decor , cards, jewelry, decorations, apparel...if you made it, link it. No advertising or etsy stores though pretty please?

• Recipes welcome...especially chocolate! 
• Link to your specific post, not your general blog
• Link party will run from Friday to Sunday with giveaway winner selected on Monday

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!!!

In order to keep the selection of the giveaway winner simple using random.org, you MUST leave  a comment.  You don't have to link up anything, but you MUST leave a comment. Even if you link up you (say it with me ) MUST leave a comment.  Additional entries if:

• You are a follower of The Answer Is Chocolate (leave comment saying so)
• You blog / tweet / facebook about the link party and giveaway ( leave one comment for each thing you do)

Please go and visit each other's links and share some bloggy comment love!

SO Excited! Open House Tomorrow and Giveaway Details Today!!!

I'm channeling Paula Deen..."Hey Y'all".

I'm so so excited that tomorrow is my third "Open House" link party; that I get to celebrate reaching 300 followers, and a wonderful giveaway!!! So now the details.

Open House Link Party!

• Link up whatever you want to feature. Holiday, not holiday, home decor , cards, jewelry, decorations, apparel...if you made it, link it. No advertising or etsy stores though pretty please?
• Recipes welcome...especially chocolate! 
• Link to your specific post, not your general blog
• Link party will run from Friday to Sunday with giveaway winner selected on Monday

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!!!

In order to keep the selection of the giveaway winner simple using random.org, you MUST leave  a comment.  You don't have to link up anything, but you MUST leave a comment. Even if you link up you (say it with me ) MUST leave a comment.  Additional entries if:

• You are a follower of The Answer Is Chocolate (leave comment saying so)
• You blog / tweet / facebook about the link party and giveaway ( leave one comment for each thing you do)

Now on to the good stuff!!! The giveaway will consist of two fun things! My friend Cindy, whom I have known since our kids started first grade together (and now they're HS Seniors yikes!), is an Independent Rep for Silpada Sterling Silver Jewelry and has kindly offered as a giveaway a $25 gift certificate!!! If you are not familiar with Silpada , their jewelry is gorgeous and I love that they provide entrepreneurial opportunities for women!  Look at some of their gorgeous stuff!

 

 

 

You can browse through their current catalog at Cindy's site here

But wait, that's not all! I've been so delighted with the wonderful feedback you've given me on my Stashbusting projects, so I thought it might be fun to share a few things from the closet of magical mystery! So in addition to getting to shop for some jewelry, the winner will also receive some "stash"!

This collection includes the owl and raven images ( from The Graphics Fairy) printed on clear label paper; a sheet of the vinyl I used on my upcycled cabinet door; a package of Magenta peel offs; a paper mache star like the one from my Witch Wand,  and other misc embellishments.

Thanks again for making this one of the most fun experiences I've had, ever! See you tomorrow!

Stashbusting September Project #9: Nevermore and MORE!

After a day that started off rather stressful at work and seemed headed for worse, I am excited to head towards the end of the day on much brighter notes. First, I'm happy with the way something I made tonight turned out ( arent we all our own harshest critics?) and second, I got a note from Michelle at Someday Crafts that she was featuring my "Witchy Boots", and third and very exciting....I reached 300 Followers today!!!! Woo-hoo!!! Thank you all you wonderful chocoholics out there who have decided to follow my chocolate fueled ramblings. I will announce a fun giveaway tomorrow, and don't forget to link up to my Open House on Friday!!!

Since I was in an unpleasant mood when I started this project, I didn't take pix along the way. The steps are the same as the Owl project from last night. I love Edgar Allen Poe and wanted to do something for Halloween based on "The Raven". Of course The Graphics Fairy didn't disappoint but I also found some cool skulls at The Vintage Moth. So here 'tis. 

"Quoth the Raven, Nevermore"

Materials:

• Canvas Art Board
• Burlap design scrapbook paper
• Scrapbook paper scrap
• Black stamping ink
• Cream acrylic paint
• Avery clear label paper
• K&Co adhesive borders
• Mod Podge

I mounted the skulls on some scrap cardstock, trimmed, and adhered with foam dots for more dimension:

And I just wouldn't be me w/out some bling. Shouldn't skully eyes glisten?!

The birdcage is also from The Graphics Fairy. Off to find some chocolate!

Linking Up At:

 

 

Stashbusting September Project #8: Owl Scare You

This was a relatively quick project...the longest thing was waiting for the Mod Podge to dry and I probably never wait as long as I'm supposed to. The minute it's touchable, I'm back messing with it. This started out as something else which I still plan to do so I'm not saying what. But then Karen, the wonderfully sparkly and generous Graphics Fairy ( I think she really does have wings) put this up, and that was that!

I'd already started with this:

Canvas Art Board, Scrapbook Paper

and Mod Podged the paper to the canvas board. It was too "clean" so I stippled some black stamping ink around the edges and then wiped some cream acrylic paint on and off.

Still needed something so I plopped on some gold paint ( I just use my wadded up paper towel from having rinsed my Mod Podge brush).  And it still needed something else, so I went to the Bin o Scraps and added a paper scrap. Then I imported / resized the pic from The Graphics Fairy and printed on to Avery clear label paper. On a BSB ( Before Stash Busting) trip to Michaels ( I'll be back...I promise...wait for me!) I'd picked up a vinyl embellishment on clearance and it screamed at me "pick me..pick me" so I did. I trimmed around the graphic and I was ready to put it all together:

 

Ready to put it all together but never finished without some bling! So Mr. Owl needed some gold rhinetones for his eyes, and his perch needed some clear ones ( they just don't show up well in the pic) and I had some Magenta Peel offs I added to the corners. Oh and a "BOO" leftover from another project. Thank you Graphics Fairy! 

Linking Up At: