BFF Open House LInk Party #174

Happy Friday eve all and happy SEPTEMBER if you can believe it. I'm still trying to digest the fact that College Boy started his senior year of college this week. I remember writing about when we first dropped him off. Yikes!

Hope you all had a nice Labor Day weekend and those of you kids off to school this week ( little or big, kindergarten or college) did so w/out too much anxiety. 

Fun ideas from last week's party: 

I know how excited a lot of people are about the early return of Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks. So this one's for you pumpkin fans...if you want to save but still want the PSL experience, visit Crafty Lumberjacks for their super fast recipe. 

Alayna's Creations shared a two in one holiday project that will get you through from Halloween to Thanksgiving. Double sided wood blocks! Genius. 

Speaking of two in one projects this week's chocolate feature is paired with another great fall idea. How cute are these football themed snack bags? Only made better with the Snickers Pretzel Snack mix that goes inside. Who needs game day?

Visit Upstate Ramblings for the details on both!

Now on to this week's party!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Halloween Archive : Vintage Witch Hats and Spooktacular Giveaway

This is a re-post of a popular project I shared last year, inspired by the  Three Witches from Macbeth. Supplies I used last year were from Oriental Trading Company.Project idea 100% mine.


One reason I thought to re-post this is because to get ready for Halloween this year, they're having a spooktacular giveaway that you definitely want to enter: 

The Grand Prize is $500 worth of stuff ( $500!!) but they're also giving away a $25 gift card to their site EVERY DAY until 10/18! Who wouldn't want to enter to win?

If you're not familiar with Oriental Trading Company or haven't been there in a while, in addition to a great selection of party supplies and project kids that are great for kids, they have really really expanded their crafting supply section. I was able to go through the ordering process which was straightforward and easy, and my shipment arrived quickly.

The hats themselves are not actually hats. They started out as these:

Plain paper mache cones. I covered them using torn and twisted kraft colored butcher paper and Mod Podge  and glued them to a cardboard circle base.

Since I knew I wanted them to be old looking, I wasn’t precise and just kind of went over the form until it looked like a witch’s hat. When dry, painted with black paint. Now for the fun stuff!

I chose some of the Halloween papers from Oriental Trading Company along with epoxy poison labels. I used the papers to make layered flowers that I scrunched and crumbled. After all, the witches from Macbeth would not be seen in pristine new hats.

Using some of the die cuts and stickers I also received, I made accessories for my hats, keeping with a poison potion theme.

Waste not want not, so I used from of the scraps of paper to embellish the hats going around one of the cones, and one of the brims.

BFF Open House Link Party #173

How in the heck did it get to be the end of August already? I was in Michaels briefly last night and Halloween was everywhere. Hopefully I'll find some time to work in the ideas that came to mind as I wandered around the store. 

Here are some features from last week's party: 

I love Wall Art with special meanings. Dates, names, places etc. This is a new twist I haven't seen before using the latitude and longitude of your home! Visit Home Made Interest for the how to. 

Another great book page craft: Paper Hydrangeas. They might take a little time but well worth the result. Visit Muslin and Merlot to see how.

I really do wish I had a "Go Pro" camera feed from Mich in LA. Because the things she comes up with to use in her jewelry making never cease to amaze me. When I say you'll never guess what she used in her pendant, I mean it. 

I love the story behind this week's chocolate feature  from Pickled Okra as much as I love the looks of this yummy dessert: Mocha Turtle Trifle. 

This week's party! 

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

BFF Open House Link Party #172

Hi everyone. Let's just say it's been a week and leave it at that. Creativity feeds the soul so here are some inspiring ideas from last week's party. 

Let's start with this fun Frosted Vinyl mirror from Home Made Interest. I have not played with frosted vinyl but can see infinite possibilities! 

How well would a frosted mirror go with a chalk painted concrete floor? This is a masterpiece from Heather at Woods of Bell Trees. 

I am in love with the colors, texture, and depth of this gorgeous card from Paper Seedlings. 

And this week's chocolate feature includes an ingredient you will never believe (and I'm not telling...you have to go to the link !)  Via a guest post from This Silly Girls Life, from Mom Loves Baking: 

Now on to this week's party!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

BFF Open House Link Party #171

Happy Friday eve everyone. Gonna get right to it with features from last week's party. 

Loving this DIY chevron wall art from Cherished Bliss. You could do as part of a gallery wall or as a standalone piece. 

Speaking of Chevron, how about this sewing storage chest with a chevron top from Make Thrift Love Life. Would you believe this is Gayle's first furniture upcycle? 

It's hard to believe it's back to school time already. What a great way to start the new school year with a yummy teacher gift. Love this idea from Being Bianca. 

This week's chocolate feature is a summer classic. Is there anything better than a chocolate ice cream cone? How about one made with an easy homemade ice cream recipe?

Yum! Visit CulinaryFlavors for the recipe. 

Now for this week's party: 

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Happy Accident: Silver and White Wedding and Thank You Cards

I didn’t set out to use papers and embellishments from one company but that’s how these worked out. I needed to make a few cards and it wasn’t until after I’d chosen the papers and coordinating embellishments that I realized they were all Recollections from Michaels. Some might say that I spend too much time at a certain craft store because these were not all purchased together.

I used a silver polka dot glitter paper, a silver cardstock weight paper and a silver and white swirl. All papers are 12x12. Cards are all 5x7.

For the wedding card, layered the papers as shown and tied silver ribbon around the corners of the panels.

For the Thank You cards, I used a package of die cuts and unfinished wood embellishments, randomly placed.

Finished up some of the cards with dots of Liquid Pearls.

BFF Open House LInk Party #170

Yikes! It's already that time again. I've done absolutely nothing creative this week so I am anxious to see what you've all been up to. Last week's party had some fabtastic ideas and here are just a few!

I always find something to drool over at Rena's blog Jewelry Making Journal and these Boho Steampunk Earrings are no exceptions. Not only so much fun but what a great stash busting project!

Just like when you look better you feel better, I think our creative tools might work better when they look glamtastic! Check out this cool tool makeover from the DIY Homegirl. 

You can use your glam'd up tools to make this No Sew Slipcover Headboard with Drop Cloth Rosettes. Visit DIY Fun Ideas for the details.

This week's chocolate feature is from Some of This and That combining three essential food groups: Chocolate. Peanut Butter. Cheesecake. You're welcome!

Let's party!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up