Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween Everyone! We hope you are having a fun weekend.


Today we want to share a halloween wall hanging idea from one of our design team members, Audrey Yeager. This is how she did it...

"I made this wall hanging by take a 8x10" canvas board and covering it with pages from an old dictionary using Mod Podge. I then painted the edges black and added some glitter while the paint was still tacky. I used a piece of paper from the 6x6" Spooks pack and cut out some elements from the border strips. A ribbon on the bottom and another stapled to the back for hanging complete this simple project!"


We hope this will get you excited for next month. November we will begin featuring the projects our new design team has been busy creating for you.

More Layout Ideas

We hope you're ready for some more Spooks layouts! First up, since Halloween is right around the corner, we thought we'd show you a layout that is perfect for this time of year. Doesn't that house look like one where you would like to go trick-or-treating? We love how Pia cut around the top of the headstone to tuck in the picture. This works great when you don't want your picture to completely cover up a pretty design.


Next up we have another Spooks layout. Yes, we said Spooks! You may already know but we really love to think of different ways of using our paper collections. Those sweet little sheep baby is counting are actually beadazzleds. They iron-on to different surfaces and have a great texture and shine because of the layer of beads on the top.

Our next linky party is coming up soon. We hope you have been creating some fun layouts and projects of your own to share!

Spooky Garland + Giveaway [CLOSED]

I just love me a cute bunting/garland/banner. Whatever you like to call them. I have them for almost every season/holiday.

I made this spooky ghost garland simply by sewing through the tops of these cute sparkly ghosts with white thread on my sewing machine. Easy peasy!


I think they look pretty creepy hanging under our family silhouettes!


I have a tutorial on my blog for this autumn bunting:


They're also easy to make with paper-I used some twill tape and paper triangles for this one-from the Spooks line.

Just had to share the bunting/garland/banner love. What DO people call them?

Thanks for having me this week-I had a blast! :D
Jess

Thanks a million, Jess! You so talented and we have enjoyed having you this week. We really appreciate all of the great ideas you shared with us.


Readers, be sure to stop and visit Jess at her blog, Craftiness is not Optional for more fabulous ideas. Would you like a chance to win an assortment of some of the Spooks goodies, including the glittering ghosts Jess used? Then leave a comment on this post by Sunday, October 17th at midnight MST. All you need to do is tell us which post was your favorite this week. We will announce the winner Monday. Be sure to check back to see if you are the winner because if we don't hear from the winner within a week we will pick a new one.

Although the giveaway is now closed, you are still welcome to leave Jessica comments.

Costumes Galore

I love Halloween costumes. I love thinking of an idea, and hunting through thrift stores, my mom's attic dress up, etc for the perfect pieces to a costume. Sadly, the hubby does not get as excited-but he will still dress up as long as he's wearing "regular clothes". (so no giant crayon or whoopie cushion costumes, darn!)

I start pretty early thinking of ideas-like mid September ish. I've already got plans for this year-as long as the hubby ok's it. ;)


Last year we were a couple of cow folk and our little herd of one-my daughter Sadie. Our costumes cost a grand total of $3 or something like that. We borrowed most of the pieces, and I got her cow costume for $1. Gotta love that!


The year before that, we were a family of candy. I know, we're wearing t shirts. Give me a break-I had a new baby. lol. Sadie was a Hershey's kiss. adorable!


One of my favorite costumes to put together was this Hannah Montana outfit! I shopped around trying to find the most rock star-ish clothes I could find, and then made my hubby a I Love Hannah Montana shirt. That was his costume-he was my #1 fan! (said so on the back of his shirt)


Our first year as a married couple we went as Daphne and Fred from Scooby Doo! I made my outfit, and found some blue polyester pants for Rory. We added a stuffed Scooby Doo toy and were good to go. It only made sense as a couples costume I think though....the next year I wore it to work and people thought I was a stewardess. haha.


Whoa! Follow me back to the early 90's will ya? We had some awesome costumes growing up-sadly none I could find in my photos. I'm the one in the white dress-fairy princess I think? Anyways-the best part is my wand-made from a fly swatter, cardboard, and tinfoil. My mom gets points for creativity for that one!

Well, hope you enjoyed my little stroll through costume memory lane. Obviously I'm not above posting embarrassing pictures of myself to get a comment or two. :D

Halloween Skirt Tutorial

Want to make a cute stripey skirt? I used the SEI for Robert Kaufman Eerie Alley line for this one-love the cute Halloween colors!

So...read on for a tutorial!

You'll need:

material-how much of each print depends on the size of your skirt-or your preference
3/4 inch non roll elastic
matching thread
sewing stuff (machine, scissors, rotary cutter is handy, etc...)


First, cut your strips-Mine were 13 inches long by 3 inches wide. You can make them longer or shorter or wider...depending on your preference and child. I ended up using 16 panels. Lay them out to figure out your pattern. Ignore that mine aren't lined up, please!


Sew all your pieces, right sides together, until you have a fabric tube, and press seams with an iron.


Now hem one side by ironing the edge over 1/4 inch...


and then 1/2 inch.


Sew around the bottom for your hem.


Now measure how wide your tube is, add 1/2 inch to that measurement, and cut out a piece of fabric that long by 3 inches for your waistband.


sew the short ends together.


make sure it fits your fabric tube, adjusting if needed.


now, pin the right side of your waistband to the WRONG side of your skirt piece.


sew around the edge with 1/4 inch seam.


now flip it up like so and press with iron.


press the top edge under 1/4 inch, and then fold over the seam on your skirt, like so..


tada all nicely pressed.


now sew along the edge, leaving an 1 1/2 inch space for the elastic.


cut your elastic to fit your child, then thread it through with a safety pin.


I like to secure the other end with a pin so it doesn't slip through. That's annoying!


sew the ends together, overlapping a little bit, with a zig zag stitch.


Sew the opening shut, and you're done!


pair it with a cute witch shirt-and you're in business!


I made this CA-UTE little witch shirt using the iron ons from SEI. They're insanely easy, you peel off the feature (eyes, legs, cauldron...) you'd like, and iron on a shirt-or bag-or whatever. You have to be gentle when you peel them off, but other than that they're super fun and easy to use! I chose to make a cute one instead of scary for Sadie cause I'm a wuss when it comes to scary things.

Even iron-on witches.

Spooky Layouts

Ready to start thinking about spooky costumes? We are! Halloween is one our favorite holidays. Don't forget to take plenty of pictures!


These layouts were made using the Spooks collection. The crossword paper we used to make the "witch costume" text is so fun. You can cut words out for your projects or use it as a place setting for a special party. While your guests are waiting for their snack, see how many words they can find.


One of the best things about this line is the great variety of patterns. There are plenty of fun themed papers like the ghost we used for this layout or the haunted house. However, there are also great accent papers and little all-over patterns that go well for different occasions.

What have you been doing to get ready for Halloween?

Halloween Card and Spooky Shirts!

It feels much like Fall here in Michigan! It makes me want to pull out all of my Halloween decorations, find warm apple cider, and pick pumpkins and apples! I still have a couple more weeks so to hold me over until then, I have been playing with the Spooks collection from SEI!


Supplies:
Pattern Paper: Spooks Collection (SEI)
Cardstock: Black (Recollections)
Sticker: Spooks Collection Cardstock Stickers (SEI)
Border: Spooks Collection - Stars (SEI)
Ink: Charcoal (Cat's Eye Chalk Ink)
Punch: The Paper Studio
Stamp: Studio G
Misc: Twine

And you know what else I have been playing with? More Monsterville! Did you know that SEI has iron-ons? Did you know that they have them in the MONSTERVILLE collection!?


Seriously...you can build your own monster on your own shirt! You get to pick the monster arms, eyes, mouths, and more, it just doesn't get better than that in my book! Here are my monsters, wearing their monsters! :)


I'll be back tomorrow with another Monsterville project!

keep creating...Jamie

We make a good pair + Giveaway

I don't know if you've heard but we do fabric too! Robert Kaufman sells some of our favorite designs in the prettiest fabrics that you'll just love cutting up and making new things with.

A few weeks ago they featured the Eerie Alley fabrics on their blog, the Swatch & Stitch. We thought we ought to do the same!


Maria made an adorable Halloween trick-or-treating bag complete with a puffy spider on the front! How cute is he? The eyes are monster iron-ons. We also think you should personalize yours! That way no fussy kids about whose bag is whose.

I made pumpkins following this fabulous tutorial. They would be great to stack high by a door or make lots of little ones for a table display. Treats around the projects are all embellishments from Eerie Alley. Candy not included, sorry!

I know you want to make projects out of this too! Well, the fine folks over at RK sent over one-yard cuts for two lucky winners! To enter the giveaway, leave a comment telling us what you would do with your frightening fabrics if you won. This giveaway will close on Saturday, June 26th at 11:59 pm. We'll announce the two winners Monday when we show you even more fabric projects.