A "Banner" Crop of Gratitude with Tute

OK I've gone a little overboard on the banners. I think I'm done because I really need to be working on some more stuff for the craft show I'm doing later this month but I decided to do one more banner so here 'tis:

It's hard for me to get a good shot of the whole thing so here it is broken down into two parts:

Here's the tute:
Create letters of varying sizes ( you could use varying fonts too but I used the same one)

Print out on lightweight cardstock. I used cream. Cut out each letter and adhere to slightly larger black panel.
I used my Cricut (Accent Essentials cartridge) to cut out scalloped edge squares of patterned paper but you could use a large punch or decorative edge scissors to do to the same . Adhere to black cardstock:

Adhere your letters to your prepared panels using foam dots. I put every other letter at an angle because...I did ( you thought there was a plan?).

Grab some clothespins. I bought a ton when one of the Dollar Stores was going out of business. Use your patterned paper scraps to cover one side of your clothespins. Grab some embellishments. I used paper flowers, buttons, and adhesive rhinestones:

Plain clothespin, paper to fit, paper flower, button, completed pin ( OK minus rhinestone but you get the gist)

Once all of your clothespins are assembled, line them up and take a picture cause they're cute:

See, there are the rhinestones

Tulle has become my new favorite banner hanging thing. The rolls of it they sell with the wedding stuff not the kind on bolts in the fabric store. It's inexpensive, sturdy and and plus it's tulle. What's not to like?  Clip your letters to your tulle ( I roll it out as I go along so I know how much I need) and you're done! Here's a close up of one of the letters:

OK this is mostly because I am playing around w/ settings on my camera and figured out my color accent thingy

I don't know how to attach it but I did make a pdf of the letters so if you would like it, just email me.

Linking Up At:

Thanksgiving Prep..Not The Food

I'm hoping to swap out my Halloween decorations this week for Thanksgiving and have been working on a few new additions to the stuff that's still in the bins. It's really hard not to add to your decor with all the wonderful ideas and talent in the blogosphere. Since Jessica at Craftily Ever After can't stop making these great takes on the "Keep Calm  & Carry On" poster, I can't help printing them! I already framed one for my mantle but she made two more so:

I took two images from my graphics program, (corn and a turkey) converted them to black and white and chose a crackled transparent effect . You can see I didn't quite size the "cranberry" sign correctly ( even though my screen said I did!) but it'll do for now.

I've gone a little banner happy:

Created the letters in my graphics program and cut the other shapes using the Cricut Accent Essentials cart. Haven't decided if this will end up on the mantle or the banister. It's hanging on a strip of tulle with paper covered clothespins. Here's a better look at the letters:

The silver paper here looks bluish but it's really pewter in person

Added clear damask stickers to some of the letters

I've wanted to make one of those word jumble things ( is this Subway Art? I don't know) so started small and did this on a 4x4 wood plaque. Just printed the words on scrapbook paper and Mod Podged onto the wood.

 

Linking Up At:

Thanksgiving On Halloween

Very quiet Halloween here so I worked on some Thanksgiving treats. More altered candles ( did I mention that I found out you can order things from Dollar Tree's website and they'll have them delivered to your nearest store for a slight charge?)
The process is the same as the "Paris Collection" and "Lumiere".

• Plain Novena Candle
• Mod Podge
• Assorted Papers and Embellishments
• Go wild

Downloaded Oak Leaf Image From The Graphics Fairy, Changed Color and Added Text

 I had some copper tags in my stash so I got out my metal stamps and stamped "Give Thanks" on them, then fired them up with my pencil torch:

Added copper eyelets and mounted to cream cardstock.

I had some "Lion Brand" ribbon yarn left over from a previous project which I tied around the rim over the beaded thread. Embellished with buttons and adhesive rhinestones.

Hope everyone is enjoying their favorite chocolate goodie today!

Linking Up At:

 

Thanksgiving Banner With Turkey Tails (Update About Letters)

 

OK maybe they won't look like turkey tails to you, but they look like turkey tails to me! I know...Halloween's still a couple of days away and I'm already moving on to Thanksgiving decorations. Yup. Once you start making banners, there's no turning back so I can't wait until next week to change out my Halloween banner on my mantle for my Thanksgiving one. Now what does any of this have to do with turkey tails? I kind of had a rough idea of what I wanted to do (which didn't involve turkey tails) It did involve coffee filters but I wasn't sure how until I sat down with them. First I folded like this:

Then I folded it in quarters but got the idea to fold it in thirds. You can fold your half in half to make a line so you know where you will want your points ( which I'm about to show you) to line up. Fold like you're making a paper airplane:

Fold left and right sides into the middle, staple

I made one of these for each of the letters I was going to use. Computer generate letters; trim. I liked these "fan" side up and "point" side down and that's when it struck me they look like turkey tails! Adhere one letter to each "tail":

But wait! We're not done. I sound like an infomercial. "If you call now..."

I cheated on K&CO because I fell in LOVE with DCWV's ( Die Cuts With a View) "The Natural Stack" pad when Jo-Jo's ( JoAnn's) had all of their paper pads 40 or 50% off. OK when don't they? Anyway...it's got a mix of matte and metallics with lots of copper...perfect for this time of year! Pulled out some coordinating sheets and cut them in approx 6" banner shapes and matted those on black. Then put my "turkey tails" on top and :

My mantle is otherwise occupied so my wall had to do for now

My camera ( OK my photography skills) doesn't capture the brilliance of the colors or the metallics but this paper is almost as yummy as chocolate.

UPDATE: 

I've had a few inquiries about how I did the letters so I'm posting here since not everyone has their email enabled. I did mine in the graphics program I use the most which is Broderbund's Printshop Deluxe. I'm sure other graphics programs have similar functionality....this has an "initial cap" option which is what I used and chose a circle graphic but would think you could just do large capital letters. The font I used is called Almeria and I did a drop shadow option. Hope that helps!!

UPDATE 2:

I created a PDF file with the letters so if you would like, just email me through my profile and I'll send.

Linking Up At: 

  

 

Giving Thanks

I know Thanksgiving is next month, but it's certainly not the only time when we should express our gratitude. Without making myself sound like some sort of saint ( cause I "ain't") I do try to have an attitude of gratitude always. Lately, I have been really honored to have had some lovely things happen and come my way and I wanted to say thanks to some wonderful bloggers who are responsible for that.

Today, Tracy at Tracy's Trinkets and Treasures has featured my blog as her blog of the week. Tracy started this series as a way to "pay it forward" and recognize and promote a new blog each week. One thing I absolutely love about blogging is the way that bloggers look out for each other. Stay tuned for my own "pay it forward" series starting next week. In the meantime, please go visit Tracy's wonderful blog. She never ceases to amaze me with her creations and talent.  Like her painted fall color:

Thank you Tracy!

Last week, the hysterically funny and talented Suzy, of Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom with ever present green room guest Tom Selleck, made me her guest of the week. Suzy is both witty and crafty. For example: 

Suzy has a tute on how she made this beautiful quilled monogram. Go visit!

I've been really fortunate to win a couple of things lately. I get absolutely giddy when that happens don't you? Jacqueline at Purple Chocolat Home recently had a drawing for a CSN gift card and I was the lucky winner! A new Cuisinart 9 Speed Hand Mixer is on it's way to help me make lots of chocolate concoctions for the holidays. Jacqueline has some amazing projects that are so elegant and beautiful beyond words. I mean look at her island for Halloween entertaining:

Swoon!

And I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Elmer's XACTO giveaway I was doing a happy dance when I learned I'd won from Craft eNVy.  Nicholette and Vanessa ( see how creative they are to use their initials in their blog name!)  have got all kinds of crafty goodness at their place and of course the weekly "Saturday Spotlight" link party they host. Go visit for some inspiration and tutorials.

I'm also grateful ( and amazed) to those who have featured my projects and for the continued support of my followers. This has been such a great experience and little did I ever think that almost 400 people would follow my kookiness but I'm getting close to that.

So stay tuned for a new feature starting next Friday and for another giveaway when I hit 400! In the meantime, thanks everyone and wishing everyone a happy, fun, and safe Halloween!

I Knew I Bought That Orange Frame For A Reason

While he loves to tease me about my trips to Michaels, JoAnn's etc., Mr. Chocolate also knows that I know when and where the sales are. As I was heading out one day in the Summer, he asked if I would frame something for him which gave me the perfect excuse reason to go to Aaron Brothers Art & Frame who just happened to be having their semi-annual  $.01 sale. We all have to make sacrifices right, so I made an additional stop.

Got there, found a frame for him which was a brushed metallic red .  Perfect for what he needed. But I wasn't going to pass up the chance to buy another "of equal or lesser value" for a PENNY was I? You know the answer. The same frame I bought him in red also came in a cool orange. I am not normally an orange person but there was something about that orange and did I mention it would cost me a PENNY?

You would think I'd have used it in my Halloween decorating. Temporary amnesia. Cured of that, and getting ready for Thanksgiving decorating, it all came together when Jessica at Craftily Ever After read my mind and made up a Thanksgiving themed printable!!! (Which she's sharing on her site...be nice and follow if you download it ). This is a horrible pic because I'm not ready to put it on my mantle yet and took it at a weird angle to avoid the glare :

I printed it on cream cardstock. I like the cream and brown with the white mat and the orange. And did I mention the metallic organza tulle ribbon I found at Joann's yesterday? No? There's an orange that matches the frame along with a copper, and a deep brown and yes, I got all the colors.