Pumpkin

This week at As You Like It Challenge we're asking if you prefer Halloween or Fairies. I'm not a huge fan of fairies, and although I don't technically celebrate Halloween, I do love the decorations.  We usually get dozens of Trick or Treaters visit the house because we live very close to one of the largest schools in our town, so there are a lot of kiddies (and not so little ghouls) who dress up to ring the doorbell demanding treats.

Rather than make a card, which I don't tend to send for this holiday, I'm sharing some home decor in the form of a crocheted pumpkin that I've made using some fluffy chenille wool.

The pattern is from YouTube, chenille yarn from Aldi, and the stalks were from Amazon.

Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Trick or Treat Bear

I've made this Trick or Treat Halloween sign with some gorgeous purple plain and pearl card with some white and yello accents.  The little bear has been watercoloured and fussy cut to complete the decoration.

Designed for:

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs 
• Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Wilted Violet

Project Recipe:

• Holly Bear from Amanda Jayne Designs
• Extraordinary Chaos Trick Or Treat Cut File
  
  

Papermill Direct:

• Powder Purple Pure Pearl Card 300gsm
• Dark Violet Plain Card 240gsm
• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Black Plain Card 240gsm

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Far too Cute to Spook

I've made this Trick or Treat Halloween gift-set using some adorably cute digi papers from Amanda Jayne Designs printed onto smooth white cardstock.

I created the trigangular box and teeny pillow boxes using my Silhouette and decorated them with the digi papers.  I've tried to get as many whole charactrers onto the panels as possible, so they're not all dismembered!  

The tags are cut using a Crealies XXL die and I've added a 'Trick or Treat' die cut which I've layered by creating an outline using my Silhouette so that they show up a little more clearly on the patterned paper underneath.

Designed for:
Amanda Jayne Designs

Papermill Direct

Project Recipe:

• Hocus Pocus Digi Paper set by Amanda Jayne Designs
• Gift Box Silhouette File by Tanya Batrak
• Crealies Crea-Nest-Lies XXL Tag No.12 (with stitching)
• MFT Stitched Basic Edges 2
• MFT Stitched Scalloped Basic Edges 2
• Impression Obsession "Trick or Treat" die
• 6mm Satin Ribbon

Papermill Direct:

• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Violet Plain Card 290gsm

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Trick or Treat

I've made another Hallowe'en decoration using one of the cute Chloe images from Amanda Jayne Designs.  Similar to the last decoration, I've created the text using my Silhouette machine and a spooky font called Kricky. This time I've embossed the top layer of lettering and layered alternating orange, black and green.  

Designed for:
Amanda Jayne Designs

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Cow: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
• Hat: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Broom: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain, Tea Dye, Vintage Photo, Ground Coffee

Card Recipe:

• Halloween Cutie by Amanda Jayne Designs
• Embossing folder with linen embossing effect
• Font used on cardbase 'Kricky'

Papermill Direct:

• Intensive Orange 210gsm Plain Card
• Apple Green 240gsm Plain Card
• Black 240gsm Plain Card

I've been inspired by:

• Country View Challenges - Halloween or Harvest

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Too Cute To Spook

I've created a 'Too Cute To Spook' Hallowe'en decoration using a spooky font in my Silhouette machine in layers of Apple Green, Grey and Black card.

I've watercoloured one of the new Chloe Halloween images from Amanda Jayne Designs and merged her into my design to complete the decoration.

Designed for:

Amanda Jayne Designs

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Chloe: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Hat: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Oranges: Carved Pumpkin, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge, Tea Dye

Card Recipe:

• Halloween Bundle from Amanda Jayne Designs
• Font used to create the base shape 'Kricky'

Papermill Direct:

• Apple Green 240 gsm Plain Card
• Antracite Sirio 290gsm Grey Card
• Plain Black 240 gsm Card

I've been inspired by:

• Country View Crafts - Halloween / Harvest

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

The Witching Hour

This Hallowe'en card is a really simple design which I've created by laying a cobweb frame over my watercoloured image. I have masked the image and created an inky background with my DI ink pads and some blending brushes.  Simples.

Designed for:
Lili of the Valley

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
• Skirt: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint
• Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Wilted Violet
• Moon: Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge
• Hat: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot

Shading enhanced with Derwent Inktense Pencils

Card Recipe:

• Cute Witches from Lili of the Valley
• Web Frame Silhouette Cut File by Rivka Wilkins

Papermill Direct:

• Ardesia Materica 250gsm Card
• Nude Sirio Colour 290gsm Card
• Cream Hemp Cardbase

I've been inspired by:

• Country view Challenges - Halloween

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Halloween Hexagon Pop Up

For my Polkadoodles Digi Choosday project today I've created a hexagon pop-up Halloween decoration using Winnie Witch and Cat and some orange papers from the Winnie Celebrations 3 paper bundle. 

As usual I've watercoloured my image using Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers.  

The hexagon shaped cardbase is a Silhouette design by Lori Whitlock.

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Halloween / Spooky

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Haunted House

For my Polkadoodles / Digi Choosday card this week I've used Winnie Wednesday Witch & Cat to create a spooky house shaped Hallowe'en card using my Silhouette machine.  I've lined the windows with orange card.  As usual my image is water-coloured using Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers.

Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Hair: Twisted Citron, Peeled Paint
• Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Broom: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
• Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord
• Pumpkins: Mustard Seed, Fossilised Amber, Rusty Hinge
• Cat: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Jasper the Halloween Kitty

For my Polkadoodles Digi Choosday project this fortnight, I've been making some little treat baggies for the ghosts and ghouls who visit on Hallowe'en this year.  My little treat bag is decorated with a cropped Jasper Kitty, and a sentiment from the Halloween Trick or Treat bundle. As always, my image is watercoloured using Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers.

I've been inspired by:

• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Witch

This sweet little witch is one of the new releases from Lili of the Valley.  I've used her to decorate October from my decorated 2021 planner (original post).  

Card Recipe:

• Broomstick & Magical Bundle from Lili of the Valley
• MFT Stitched Rectangle

I've been inspired by:

• Country View Crafts - Halloween

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Winnie the Witch

This is my first project as a noobie designer at Digi Choosday for Polkadoodles. I've made a start on my Halloween projects using Winnie Wednesday Witch & Cat on a large tag to match my trick-or-treat bag.  I really loved colouring Winnie's hair in green, and the purple / green / orange combo is perfect for Halloween.

I overlaid the purple digi papers that accompany the free Lou the Teacher Digi bundle before printing them so that I could place the lid of my box die over the digital 'join'.  

Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Hair: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss 
• Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
• Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord
• Oranges: Scattered Straw. Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge
• Kitty: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot

I've been inspired by:

• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything but Square
• Allsorts - Hand Coloured Image
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• Crafty Calendar - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Happy Halloween

I don't 'do' spooky so I've made some cute Halloween bunting using a couple of Gerda Steiner stamp sets.  I've inked the backgrounds then die cut them into banners and strung them together with some purple ribbon. Simples!

Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Cat/Dog/Owl: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
• Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Wilted Violet
• Moon: Antique Linen
• Spider/Bat: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
• Oranges: Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Carved Pumpkin, Rusty Hinge

Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

• Gerda Steiner Where's the Candy?
• Gerda Steiner Bats
• Versafine Ink Pad
• Bunting Dies

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Take Flight
• That's Crafty! - Spookalicious
• Gerda Steiner - Share your designs
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Halloween Kitty

Halloween's almost here so I've dug out this adorable little kitty from Purple Onion Designs.  He's stamped onto a small tent fold card made using a banner die.  I really liked him when I'd finished and was a little sad to part with him!

Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
• Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord
• Pumpkin: Wild Honey, Carved Pumpkin

Card Recipe:

• Midnight from Purple Onion Designs
• Versafine Ink Pad
• Lawn Fawn Stitched Party Banner die
• Purple gems

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Halloween / Spooky
• That's Crafty! - Spookalicious

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Halloween Flags

We want to know your favourite Halloween colours at As You Like It Challenge this week.  I love purple for Halloween and am not usually a fan of orange, but I love it combined with the purple for these backgrounds for a pop of bright colour. 

I've used a banner die to create the flags and used some twigs from the garden through some punched holes to make little flags.

Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Dog/Cat/Owl: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
• Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Wilted Violet
• Oranges: Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Carved Pumpkin, Rusty Hinge
• Sheets: Pumice Stone

Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

• Gerda Steiner Where's the Candy Stamp Set
• Versafine Ink Pad
• Bunting Dies

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Halloween / Spooky (using Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers)
• That's Crafty! - Spookalicious
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Halloween / Spooky (using Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers)
• Gerda Steiner - October Share Your Design

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

A Halloween Hello

I 'cased' a card by Tara following her fabulously easy tutorial for a night sky background using my DI pads and a dauber.  I did get quite inky fingers though, and only the finger with the dauber seemed to escape!  

I stamped the bat and then masked it.  The moon was a simple circle which further masked the card. I then used my dauber to ink from the edges inwards getting lighter as I moved inwards.  When the masks are removed the moon looks like it really 'glows'. I added a bit of shading to the moon itself, coloured the bat and stamped a sentiment.

Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Moon: Antique Linen, Pumice Stone
• Bat: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot, Victorian Velvet, Bundled Sage
• Night Sky: Victorian Velvet, Wilted Violet, Seedless Preserves, Black Soot

Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

• Gerda Steiner Bats
• MFT Witch Way is the Candy (new release set has same sentiment but in different font)
• Versafine Ink Pad
• Lawn Fawn Stitched Border Dies

I've been inspired by:

• Gerda Steiner - Share Your Designs
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
• That's Crafty - Get your Spook on
• Simon's Monday Challenge - Monochrome

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Witch way is the Candy?

Halloween is creeping up on us and I've created a little topical card for Dies to Die For using and MFT set called Witch Way is the Candy.   I stamped and masked a circle and my characters before inking the whole cardbase with DI using some daubers and then watercoloured my image, adding some creamy yellow and a spot of pale grey to the moon for texture.  I sprinkled some water over the background to resemble a starry galaxy sky and matted the whole panel on black card. 

I was really pleased with how it turned out.  Even though I don't really 'celebrate' Halloween, I still really enjoy making cards and themed decorations for it.

Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Moon: Antique Linen, Pumice Stone 
• Skin: Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick, Tea Dye
• Greens: Shabby Shutters, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord
• Bat: Victorian Velvet, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
• Hat:  Hickory Smoke, Black Soot, Scattered Straw
• Broom: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
• Background: Victorian Velvet, WIlted Violet, Black Soot

Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

• Witch Way is the Candy from MFT
• Versafine Ink Pad
• Black Card

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Halloween inspiration

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Batty

I usually make some little treat pouches for the ghosts and ghouls who visit us on Halloween. Living near a couple of schools we tend to get a fair amount of the little beasts treasures at our door.  This year I've made some very simple pillow boxes with bat wings and spooky cute faces. 

They're quite large so should be adequate for a couple of snack sizes chocolate bars.  I thought they would be quite quick to make, but after taking about 3 hours to make 20 I withhold my opinion on that! 

After the 20 pouches are handed out on the night, we'll be closing the curtains and turning off the lights!

Project Recipe:

• Silhouette Bat Pillow Box
• Black card
• White card
• Kraft card
• Patience!

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Not a card
• Inky Chicks - Not Square
• Creatalicious - Halloween

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Happy Halloween

Considering I don't like spiders, bats, zombies, supernatural or other spooky scary stuff (and get a teeny bit freaked out by some of the various ghosties and ghouls who come begging Trick or Treating after dusk) I do actually make an effort with the Halloween preparations!

Plus it's the one day of the year I can pretend the cobwebs on the ceiling are part of the decorations!

I've blu-tac'd a trail of spiders on the front door leading to the doorbell (although they're a right b*gger to pull off the next day as the blu-tac seems to weld itself to the plastic door overnight!), I've strung up the dinky lanterns that I made last year in green, orange and purple felt and taped some pumpkin fairy lights to the windows.  And of course not forgetting my trick or treat pouches (see my pouch post here).

I have also sent a couple of Halloween cards.

And when I say 'couple', I actually do mean 'couple'.

Literally.

I blogged the first one, featuring Willow the Witch, a few weeks ago, and I'm sharing the other one today.

But I liked this little kitty so much that I made one for myself too! :0)

So here's Midnight the kitty with his cute little hat and pumpkin.

Isn't he adorable!

If you're interested, here's a quick pic of my front door with its spider trail and pumpkin lights!

Here's the inside of the porch, which to be fair, only me and hubby can see because I keep the light off so that the pumpkin lights show up through the glass (and then I have to fumble for the door handle and box of treat pouches in the dark when the doorbell rings!!!)

Card Recipe:

• Image - Midnight from Purple Onion Designs
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Impression Obsession Trick or Treat die

I've been inspired by:

• Deep Ocean - Halloween
• Inky Chicks - Too Cute to Spook
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
• Country View Crafts - All Things Spooky (I buy my reinkers from CVC)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Trick or Treat

I've finally finished my "Trick or Treat" boxes for this year. There are 22 because we had just over 20 ghouls visiting us last year.  (the curtains will be drawn and the lights will be going off after 22 this year!)

My 2016 Halloween boxes are a little less adventurous than in previous years, but I wanted to use some of my under-used box dies.   I've made a selection of 3 different box styles from black card; all embossed with one of two different designs, and each decorated with thin orange satin ribbon and an orange 'trick or treat' die cut.

I've filled each one with three miniature bite-sized chocolate bars.  Funnily enough, there were a couple left over which just happened to be my favourites!  Coincidence, huh?

Nice and simples!

If you're interested, links to previous years' boxes are below:
     2015 - Monsters
     2014 - Black Magic
     2013 - Candy Boxes here and here
     2012 - Wizard pouches here and here
     2011 - Candy Pouches

Project Recipe:

• Lawn Fawn Milk Carton Die
• Lawn Fawn Candy Box Die
• Lawn Fawn Pillow Box die
• Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls Embossing Folder
• Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder
• 3mm Satin Ribbon
• Impression Obsession Trick or Treat die
• Black card (lots!)

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Treat Bag/Box
• Deep Ocean Challenge - Halloween
• Creative Inspirations - Halloween

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Willow the Witch

As a certain observant pal reminded me yesterday, for someone who doesn't 'do' Halloween, I'm spending a fair amount of effort on it!

Today's card is a 'challenging' image (for me) of Willow the Witch. She was challenging because I usually manage to freak out at this amount of fuss on an image (both the hat and the dress made me twitch) but I persevered and this is the result!  I even added a bit of sparkle to the frilly bits.

I used a Simon Says Stamp Die (Stars Parade) as a stencil and used various shades of purple chalk to create the starry backdrop.  I then stitched around the image before mounting it onto a simple black base card.

Here is the die cut with my chalky outlines!  I kept the outside of the die intact as much as possible to stop excess chalk getting on my base card, but it was easy to remove any little smudges with a tiny pencil eraser.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Tiny Townie Willow the Witch from Stamping Bella
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stars - Dovecraft chalks
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Simon Says Stamp Stars Parade

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Stamp It (using SSS Products)
• Bellarific Fridays - Create your own background (stencil and chalk)
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• Simon's Monday Challenge - Stamp It (using SSS products)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx