Stashbusting September Project #12: Quick Banner

But first, it's still not too late ( but almost!) to enter a lovely giveaway sponsored by Terrell @ Frou Frou Decor. Details here.

I'm still gearing up to decorate for Halloween which I'll do next weekend. But I made one more quick thing that is now hanging up in our bedroom. This was SUPER fast so I almost forgot to take pictures.

Designed the word "SPOOKY" in my graphics program :

Forgot to take a pic of the printout, so luckily this was still on my screen

Cut around the circles and cut out backgrounds on my Cricut. You could do this same project with decorative edge scissors or punches. Mounted the letters to the background and went around the edges with green "Stickles" glitter glue:

Glitter glue doesn't show up great but it's an acidy green

 Punched holes, strung on black organza ribbon, and hung it up:

This paper was double sided so you can see the orange reflecting in the mirror which also looks like a drop shadow

Once I get the actual Halloween bins out, I'm going to put the pull apart spider web stuff around it.

Fabulous Friday Surprise!!! Giveaway from Frou Frou Decor !

Happy Friday all. I am so excited because my sweet friend Terrell from Frou Frou Decor , in addition to hosting a wonderfully fun ( and fabulous) Friday link party each week ( which you should totally add to your list of link parties!) has opened an Etsy shop!!! So as if that wasn't enough to make me as happy as if I'd gotten locked in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, she is offering one of my wonderful readers a chance to win a frame from her brand spankin' new Etsy shop! Now how fabulous is that?!

Here are the details:

• Leave a comment on this post

Seriously, can it be more simple than that? Of course if you want additional chances to win, you can:

• Become a follower of The Answer Is Chocolate if you aren't already. Leave a comment on this post.
• Visit Terrell's Etsy shop here, and leave a comment on this post stating which frame you'd choose if you won
• Become a follower of Frou Frou Decor. Leave a comment on this post.
• Blog / Facebook / Tweet about this giveaway. Leave a comment (one for each thing you do) on this post.

This giveaway will run through Sunday September 26 and the winner will be selected using random.org on Monday September 27. What are you waiting for? GO!!

Stashbusting September Project#11: Crafting Chicks Inspired Banner

This is more like "Six Degrees of A Project" because it was inspired by my daily visit ( OK make that one of my daily visits!) to One Pretty Thing which led me to The Crafting Chicks to this project Trick or Treat Banner

which led me to the inspiration to make my own. Whew! Still with me?

Since I'm still stash busting (DAY 23 and though they taunt me, I haven't been to visit my friends Michael or JoAnn) I had to use what was on hand ( because that's SUCH a problem!). I adapted Jamie's idea and created the words "TRICK OR TREAT" in my graphics program and pulled some coordinating papers from my stash:

I cut out the letters ( putting a border around the letters helped me cut them out easily) and I cut starbursty thingies to go in back of them using my Cricut. Cut triangles from the polka dot paper and using coordinating scraps, tore pieces to go along the top of each triangle. I mounted the letters to the triangles using foam dots, strung (why does that look weird?) on twine, and tied cream and black ribbon between the letters:

Hard to get a good picture that fits the whole thing in

I haven't done my mantel yet but put this up temporarily to get pics.

Now go on over to The Crafting Chicks because they have the coolest SPOOKY banner up today!

Linking Up At:

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):

Copy and Paste Code

<a href="http://answerischocolate.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff511/AnswerIsChoco/FeaturedButton.jpg" /></a>

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!