Halloween Greetings

Happy Halloween!

Above is a card that I made using ideas from

a book titled Outstanding Mini Albums by Jessica Acs.

I drew and cut out all of the elements myself,

rather than using pre-made scrapbook items.

I saw these spooky eyes on the internet

and thought they were fun! 

The negative space suggests the eyes...

just orange card stock glued onto black

with white gel pen highlights...

I drew pumpkins on orange card stock, mounted them

on patterned card stock, then glued the outside

edges onto the card to make a pocket.

The name on the card is covered by the scrap

of black, just temporarily for this post...

I am very pleased with the way the tag

turned out. Skull drawn on white card

stock, cut out & glued onto black;

 white gel pen border,

and various hole punch dots from

card stock for the polka dots.

Unfortunately I do not know the designer for these cute

Halloween sculptures.  I purchased them at a very reduced

price at a flea market.  They are probably 'seconds' or

overstock, but I love their whimsy!

Above, my Halloween boxes on top of the 

inevitable electronics.  The reproduction sculpture of

Egyptian queen Nefertiti (I had a thing for Egyptian art in college-

and it's never gone away!) has been crowned with a witch's hat.

My son-in-law thought it was really weird to have a black

sculpture of a head in the house. My daughter just said

"It's an art thing."

It was my son-in-law's idea to add the hat...

I liked it!

Some of the pincushions I've made. These are some

that look a bit "fall-ish."   I really like the

blackbirds, which I adapted from a Prairie Schooler 

pattern.  There are a lot of cross stitch pieces in my house!

The pear-shaped pincushion in the upper right came from

a free pattern on the Samplers and Santas blog.

Nefertiti looks lovely in her hat...don't you agree?!

Just had to include one art journal page...

Linking up with T Tuesday today, over at

Altered Book Lover's blog.  

And adding my 'virtual' tea mug...

♥

Thanks so much to all who visited the

Notforgotten Farm blog to vote for my 

penny rug bag! (#4) Voting ends on Halloween,

so there's still time if you haven't stopped by. There are many

wonderful primitive cross stitch designs in her shop,

and a terrific assortment of Finishes of this 

Halloween pattern!

♥

Hope you have a colorful and delightful

Halloween...watch out for chocolate!

♥ ♥ ♥

Pumpkins on T Tuesday

Stitched pumpkin pillow with wool front.

Primitive pumpkin pattern from "Threads that Bind."

The features are reverse applique'.  Which means you

cut out the shapes and sew the contrasting color behind

the opening, instead of stacking contrasting colors 

on top of each other. 

I rather like this sad pumpkin face...

Voting is still open over at Notforgotten Farm

for your favorite Finish on the cross-stitch pattern

that I used on the penny rug bag.  There are so

many lovely pieces there! Of course I would be
delighted if you vote for number four...

Below, the painted pumpkin doll that I

created several years ago. He's a rather

large fellow.

I saw a similar doll in a shop, but didn't

want to pay the high price, so I made

my own version.

Love how the dangly legs turned out!

Please visit Bluebeard and Elizabeth over

at Altered Book Lover blog for more

T Tuesday activities.

Happy Fall - T Tuesday!

Halloween Stitching on T Tuesday

Joining Bluebeard and Elizabeth for T Tuesday

over at Altered Book Lover blog.  

 Thought I'd do an art journal page with

a Halloween travel mug...wouldn't this be

a stylish way to have my coffee or tea? 

Here is a sweet pattern that 

was created by Lori, the designer of

Notforgotten Farm.

She published this wonderful Halloween

freebie on her blog, and invited her readers

to get it stitched up by October 15th.

Readers were urged to come up with an original

finished project.  I decided to make a 

'little black bag' to hold fall foliage.

It's hanging from my ladder back chair.

It would also make a nice door decoration!

  It is stitched on Natural
 48 count linen, with black and orange floss.

 The finished design is appliqued onto
 the bag with blanket stitch in black thread.
Tan felt scallops decorate the bottom of the
bag, with black felt circles, and orange buttons
for a 'penny rug' feeling.  Loosely stuff the
bag with fiberfill, and place artificial fall
foliage in the top of the bag.

♥

Lori is taking

a vote on her blog starting on 
Oct. 16th, 2013, to determine the readers' 
favorite finished project  from this pattern.

Please go to  Notforgotten Farm
blog, and place your vote.  Click on
 the number of your favorite in the right side bar.
Voting ends on Halloween!
The winner receives a
gift certificate from Lori's etsy shop.

♥

To get the free pattern from Notforgotten Farm
go here.  No stitch colors are given on the chart --
do whatever you like!  It would be very striking
stitched in all black, or all in orange on black fabric!
The challenge is over but you can still
stitch a fun Halloween decoration!
Thanks for stopping by, and 
don't forget to vote!

♥

Sketch of Halloween Decor

Sketch for a project I am working on...

Check back on Tuesday to see photos.

We'll see if you can spot the

differences between my sketch

and the actual finished project.

Things never turn out exactly the way you planned...

T Tuesday: Coffee, Pumpkins and Cats

Linking up with Bluebeard and Elizabeth today
for "T Tuesday" at Altered Book Lover.
My tall ceramic mug holds the mocha coffee that I love.
Continuing the Halloween theme for October...

The painted boxes are just the paper mache' boxes
that you can purchase from the discount or craft store.
I painted them with acrylics, using vintage-
inspired Halloween designs.  These boxes
 come out every year!  

The black cat mug coaster was a gift from
my daughter-in-law's mom.  It was a cute fall
decoration from her shower.

The white art journal was created from an old book
purchased at the Salvation Army.  The book block
was removed and pages with a variety of papers 
were bound in.  I learned to do this in Mary Ann Moss'
Full Tilt Boogie on-line class.  I enjoyed the class
very much, and love how this journal turned out!
(I believe Mary Ann is having a sale on her classes
right now. Visit Dispatch From LA for info)

I really like the gold and white cover. 
 The book was 'Sacraments of the Church.'
 I added the black felt, beading, and
 an antique button on the cover.
Still working inside the journal...

'Fraidy Cats Welcome'  - below -
for a Haunted House swap in 2011...
old twisted trees are a favorite thing to draw!

Pumpkin head doll -- below --
made from cardboard recycled from
cereal boxes and painted with
acrylic paints.  This guy could be
decorated in a lot of ways.  His
'brother' wears a ghost costume,
but he was unable to appear here today.
--Out haunting I believe!

Recycled cardboard again...
background of gessoed newsprint, stamped
curlicues, various Halloween images that
I drew and painted are collaged onto
the background.  Charcoal darkens the
outside edges.  The old quote reads:

"From ghoulies and ghosties
and long leggity beasties
and other things that go
bump in the night,
good Lord deliver us."

May you be delivered from any 
hauntings of the scary variety, and
be blessed with a colorful, cozy Fall!

Artist Trading Cards - Halloween Edition

Artist Trading Cards from past years...

'Murder of Crows'  -- 2012.

I think this may be my favorite --

'Old Crow'  -- 2008.

I see a theme emerging...  From year to year,

a vintage-style pumpkin is featured in them all.

Above, a tri-fold atc.

Inside the tri-fold.

Another version of the Goblin Queen.

2008

Above, vintage-style pumpkin with

witch's hat -- 2007.

Above, 'Jolly Halloween' -- 2006

Above, another 'Jolly Halloween' -- 2008.

I drew and painted the pumpkin with

watercolors. Background is scrapbook paper.

Button 'moon' and sequin leaves dangle

from embroidery thread.

I love old vintage-style Halloween decorations.

Do you decorate for Halloween?

Do you like vintage, cute or scary?

T Tuesday: Tutorial

Black and white Halloween postcard

 collage on 4" x 6" cardboard.

Start by cutting scrap cardboard to 4" x 6".

Tear old book pages into strips.

Glue strips of text to the printed side of the cardboard.

I used Aileene's Tacky Glue, staggering the pages for

extra interest.

Trim around the edge of the postcard with scissors.

Paint over the text with gesso.  You can wipe off some

of the gesso with a paper napkin so more of the text

shows through. 

Use some paper scraps for the collage in colors that

you would like to use. I was going for a black and white

theme, so I used a limited palette. Scrapbook papers, 

painted papers, (as below) the inside of security envelopes,

and Dover clip art are all good choices for 

black and white designs.

The leaf on the right was from a Dover clip art book,

but you could draw or stamp one too.

I used a hair dryer to quickly dry the gesso.  I begin laying

out collage elements and moving them around to make

a pleasing arrangement.

I drew the vintage-style pumpkin myself.  These features

are pretty easy to imitate...

Notice the square of security envelope got moved up

to the top right corner, and more pieces of the painted 

paper were added to it.  It is usually a good idea to

repeat some motifs or shapes within the composition.

The leaf on the diagonal top left serves to lead your eye

into the composition.

Detail of the vintage style pumpkin, above.

"Jolly Halloween" was hand-written onto black

card stock in white gel pen.  You could certainly

stamp letters on strips of white paper and glue to 

black card stock, or even print them from

your computer.  To finish, I usually add some

pen work. Here I've added pen strokes behind

the pumpkin and behind the leaf.  I also added

an outline with a few curlicues around the 

outside edge of the card.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial with your 

tea (or beverage of choice) today.  Visit

Bluebeard and Elizabeth at 

Altered Book Lover, for Tuesday 'T.'

Stop by again soon for more

Halloween inspired fun!