The Wacky Watercooler October Holiday Round-Up

Here we go again! Last month's Wacky Watercooler Stamping blog hop "Let's Mix It Up", was such a super success, we’ve  decided to do it again with our October Holiday Round-up.   What fun..... it's a "free for all".  Holidays, Holidays, Holidays!  

This blog hop which lasts from tonight through Saturday night, will feature products from both the Holiday and Annual catalogues.  You're bound to see lots of Thanksgiving (US), Halloween, and Christmas Holiday projects, so grab a cup of coffee or whatever's your pleasure, and make sure you visit all the sites on the hop.

If you started at the beginning of the blog hop you'll have arrived here from the very talented Jean Fitch's blog.  Aren't her projects awesome?  I always love reading her posts as they are so funny and informative. 

For your entertainment this month, I've completed two spooky Halloween Projects and a Christmas card project with a twist, which I hope you'll enjoy.  

My First Project:
My first project is a spooky OWL Halloween card that was inspired by this poem:

A great big OWL

in a great big TREE

on a night so DARK

you could hardly SEE

was watching the LIGHTS

in the deep RAVINE

where the WITCHES danced

on HALLOWEEN 

Okay, so I know there isn't a ravine or any witches in my card, but you have to admit that OWL with the great big eyes is pretty spooky. 

I saw a card made with a double window frame die cut on either Pinterest or Youtube and that inspiration, was the beginning of this card.  With a little bit of trial and error I was able to place the cutting mats just so and run the Hearth and Home framelit through the Big Shot twice to create this enlarged window frame.  Then, I turned the window frame on it's side and adhered it with dimensionals to the card front. 

 

Can't you just hear those wings batting against the window pane and the WHOO!  WHOO! of the owl as he struggles to see what's going on inside the haunted house? 

Supplies: 
Stamp Sets:  Howl-o-ween Treat
Card Stock: Tangelo Twist, Very Vanilla, Happy Haunting DSP
Ink: Rich Razzleberry
Accessories: Hearth and Home Thinlet Dies, Boo To You Framelit Dies, Dazzling Details, Basic Big Shot, Trimmer, Large Google Eyes (Non- SU)

My Second Project:


Halloween is such a great holiday occasion! Even though our years of having lots of trick or treaters, making costumes, going to Halloween parties have dwindled away, I still get caught up in the spookiness of the season.  I love hauling out my precious collection of Halloween decor to set the stage for that special night. 

I've wanted to make a Halloween Banner for my fireplace for some time now, so when I saw the Howl-o-Ween Treat stamp set, I knew a banner was in the making!  I had so much fun pulling this together, and hope you enjoy it too.  

Unfortunately I couldn't get an adequate picture showing how great this banner really looks strung out across the mantle.  I think I've reached the point where i need to replace my camera with one that captures a panorama view.

 

 

 

The banner consists of these four elements repeating across the length of the banner.  It measured 5 feet in length.

I absolutely love the Howl-o-ween Treat Stamp set.  It's one of the best Halloween sets I've ever owned.

This is the reverse side of the banner. I finish it off with strips of cardstock laid over the string and secured with the hot glue gun.  This ensures the individual banners will not droop or fall off. 

Supplies:
Stamp Sets:  Howl-o-ween Treat, Dictionary Background Stamp
Card Stock: Tangelo Twist, Very Vanilla, Crushed Curry, Happy Haunting DSP
Black Glimmer Paper
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Momento Tuxedo Black, 
Accessories:Trimmer, Big Shot, Crop-o-dile and Large Silver Eyelets, Boo To You Framelit Dies, Lots of Layers Framelit Dies, Dazzling Details, Basic Rhinestones, Spider Web TIEF (R), Large Polka Dot TIEF, SERIF Essentials Alphabet Dies (R), Glue Gun, Dazzling Details

My Third Project:
I'm not a big scrapbooker, but I have been making great use of the Project Life Card Collections, so for my third and final project, I wanted to share an alternative way to use the Project Life Hello December 2015 Photopolymer Bundle   If you are pressed for time this kit is a perfect option for getting all your Christmas cards, tags or scrapbook pages finished in a jiffy.  

I'm always looking for small hostess gifts so when I saw the Card Pouch tutorial by Cindy Lawrence on Split Coast Stampers, I was inspired to make one of my own.  I changed up Cindy's measurements and will be doing a tutorial on this project with all the details later this month.

Here is the front of the cad pouch.  I used a full sized card from the Project Life set and cut it down to size for the front of the holder. 

This is the inside of the pouch

This side of the pouch holds the 4 note cards.  The note cards are blank on the inside so they can be used for a thank you or just a note.

This side of the pouch holds the envelopes.  Although I haven't included a picture here, I made the individual envelopes with my Envelope Punch board and the Real Red Envelope Paper.

 

These cards are so simple to make.  For these four I used the smallest cards from the Project Life Card Collection and matched the colouring and pictures for a set.  They are mounted on layers of Mint Macaron and Real Red cardstock and the card base is Very Vanilla.  I used dazzling diamonds on the pine bows and trees to add just a hint of sparkle.

 

 

 

 

Supplies:
Stamp Sets:  Wonderland, Project Life Hello December 2015 Photopolymer
Card Stock:  Mint Macaron, Real Red, Very Vanilla, Real Red Envelope Paper
Ink:  Real Red, Mint Macaron
Accessories:  Project Life Hello December 2015Card Collection (from the Photopolymer Bundle), Dazzling Details, Trimmer, Big Shot, Real Red Ribbon, Envelope Punch Board

The End:
I hope you're having fun on the blog hop today and that my creations have been an inspiration for you.  Let me know if you have any questions about the projects I made, I'd be happy to respond.

Now it's time to jump over to Debbie Spano's amazing blog where I know she'll enchant you with her great creations.  You can either click on her name or on the Next button below to connect with her. 

 Happy Stamping!
Penny Tokens Stamping Spot 

WWC36 -- Special 3-D Challenge

The challenge over at the Watercooler Wednesday challenge site this week is all about 3-D.  I hope you'll take some time to go and check out all the entries from the design team and participants because they are simply awesome! 

We were meeting our nephew and his new bride for lunch today and I needed to make a card and gift holder for the cheque we were giving them.  

With the 3-D challenge in mind, I decided to make a floral gift bag using the Mini Treat Bag Thinlet Dies and a matching card.  

Here is what I made:

This is the Mini Treat Bag and the reverse side of the insert card. Unfortunately because of the black surface I took the pictures on, you can't see the outline of the insert card, but trust me it's there. 

I had to slip a piece of cardstock over the middle of this note card as I'd already written on it prior to remembering to take a picture.  The Whisper White note card measures 3 3/4 by 4 and is attached to a piece of basic black cardstock measuring 4" x 4 1/4.  When you turn this card over to the black side I've  attached a  3"x3"' envelope to hold the cheque (see above pictures).  

Although it's difficult to see in the above picture, I've layered tulle in between the DSP flower layers for some added sparkle.  The "for you" was cut out in Black Glimmer paper.  The mini treat bag and leaves were run through the Big Shot with the Lovely and Lacy TIEF for some dimension. 

Here is the matching card that went with this gift:

Supplies:

Stamp Sets:  Teeny Tiny Wishes, For The New Two Clear-Mount Stamp Set

Ink:  Momento Tuxedo Black

Card Stock:  Basic Black, Whisper White, Always Artichoke, Black Glimmer Paper, Retired SU DSP

Accessories:  Trimmer, Big Shot, Glue Gun, White Sparkly Tulle, Silver Sequins, Tom Bow Glue, Silver Accent piece.  Flower Frenzy Bigz Die (R)

Happy Stamping!

Penny Tokens Stampin Spot