October Wacky Watercooler Blog Hop - Celebrates Fall

Hi everyone!  Welcome to the Wacky Watercooler October Blog Hop that runs from October 20th to 22nd.   We're celebrating Fall colours and occasions and I think you're really going to enjoy the projects by our eight design team artists. 

Because this blog hop is circular it doesn't matter where you start, you'll eventually wind up where you started from. If you've come here from Marie Green's  wonderful blog, I bet you were super impressed with her great projects.  Marie is always so creative.  When you've finished with my post you'll find some icons at the bottom of the page to move along either to the next or previous blogs, or you can go right to the beginning.  
 
So let's get started. Since Thanksgiving has already been and gone in Canada, I decided to focus my projects on Halloween.  It's one of my favourite festive times of the year and I really enjoyed making these cards to share with you. 

Project Number One:  Jar of Haunts
I've created a fun Halloween Easel card using the Jar of Haunts stamp set. I fell in love with the "Mummy" jar the moment I saw it. 

Here's My Halloween Easel Card:

 This is a side view.  You can see the easel part with it's Mountain fold. 

 Here's the back of the card.  Do you recognize this Designer Series Paper?  It's from the Go Wild Designer Series Paper Pack.  I didn't have any current Halloween paper, so when I looked at the design I thought it worked perfectly with the Pumpkin Pie Glimmer Paper.
 

The inside really says it all! The Trick or Treat image is from last year's Howl-o-ween Treat stamp set.  I love how big and bold this image is so couldn't resist using it.

When the card is folded flat it measures 4 1/2 x 4 1/2". 

The sentiment is from a retired stamp set called Seasonal Sayings.  I fussy cut it out and then mounted it on Glimmer Paper and then mounted it with dimmensionals across the Mummy Jar.   I coloured the tops of the bandage strips with a Sahara Sand marker.

Project Number Two:  Bite Me
 Once again I took advantage of the Clearance Rack and purchased the "Bite Me" photopolymer stamp set which was on for 50 % off.  Honestly, I wanted to get it last year, but you know how it is, I kept putting it off.    So when I visited the Clearance Rack a couple of weeks ago and saw that awesome web and black cat, there was no hesitation. It's an awesome little set. 

Here's  My Card:
WARNING!!!  SPIDER ALERT...........SPIDER ALERT..........  If you don't like spiders I'd suggest you move on to the next card, but if you do like them then ignore this warning and check out this cool web and it's long legged occupants! 

A spider's world always seems kind of gloomy to me, so I chose to do this card with darker colours rather than the traditional oranges, greens and purples you so often see.  Here's what I used:

1.  The card base is cut from Smokey Slate card stock and measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's a side fold card so the score line is at 4 1/2". 
2.  1st Layer - 5 1/4 x 4" Whisper White 
3.  2nd Layer - 5 1/8 x 3 7/8" Basic Black
4.  3rd Layer - 5 x 3 3/4" Smokey Slate stamped with the Spider Web from Bite Me stamp set and embossed with the retired Spider Web EF.
5.  Bite Me image was stamped on Smokey Slate and punched out with a 1" punch and mounted on a 1 1/4" circle punched from Basic Black with dimensionals.  The completed circle was mounted on a piece of Smokey Slate that was cut with a framelit and sponged with Basic Gray ink. 
6.  The card face was splattered with Basic Black and Basic Gray marker inks and random splotches were stamped in Tuxedo Black ink.   Random Basic Rhinestones were adhered to the splotches.  They were coloured black with Sharpie Markers. 
7.  The inside panel is 5 1/4" x 4" Whisper White.  It was stamped with the Trick or Treat Sentiment and the large spider image.  

 

I love the Bite Me stamp!  I've added a couple of basic rhinestones coloured with a black sharpie to the backs of this little spiders on this image.  I stamped the web in Tuxedo Black ink and then embossed this panel with SU's retired Spider Web Embossing Folder.  It looks like a web within a web.

The large spider image was fussy cut out - no easy task but it really looked better than using a circle punch to cut it out.  I added glossy accents (R) to the spider's back so its really shiny and makes him stand out. 

I also really like the "splotch" image.  It's a bit like one from Gorgeous Grunge, however it's smaller and really adds a gritty look to the card.  I also splattered black and basic gray marker ink over the back ground. 

Finally for the inside of the card I just added the "Trick or Treat" sentiment and re-stamped the spider in the lower corner.  A few more splatters and the card was finished.  I'm quite pleased with it.  This card could also double as a birthday card for those friends who happen to be Halloween babies......I have a few of those.

Project Number Three:  Cookie Cutter Halloween 

Although all of the images in the Cookie Cutter Halloween stamp set are cute, the two characters who really stood out for me were the skeleton and the mummy.  Both are adorable and I simply couldn't resist featuring both of them on this next Halloween card.  Because these images are the same size and are along the same theme I decided to make a Peek-a-Boo card. If you've been following my posts you remember this Peek-a-Boo card I made for the April blog hop this year.   I found a very good tutorial by Norma Lee on Split Coast Stampers which shows in great detail how to assemble this card.  

Here's My Peek-A-Boo Halloween Card:
 

When you're looking at the front of the card you see the Mummy who's surrounded by little floating ghosts.  I was able to use the Pumpkin Pie Glimmer paper on this card front to give it a real pop of colour and glam.  Love the "Happy Halloween" font.  This image is from the Jar of Haunts set.

This is the inside panel of the card.  The background DSP which is from the Botanical Designer Series Paper has been stamped with the spider webs and BOO sentiment from Bite Me.  The spider webs were stamped in Classic White ink so they'd show up against the dark paper.  

This is the last panel or back of the card.  The image is stamped with the retired Happy Scenes stamp set. 

This little skeleton just cracks me up.  I used the Stampin' Up Googlie Eyes (R) on him so he'd look like he was frightened.  He's surrounded by tiny little bats courtesy of the Holiday Homes Stamp set (R). 

I used the Sahara Sand marker to colour the tops of the bandages on this little Mummy.  He's so cute.  The ghosts are stamped in Classic White ink and are from the Holiday Homes stamp set.

This is how it looks when you open it up from the front panel. 

 

 One last look.

 
Well that's it for my projects for the October Hop.  I hope you've enjoyed them.  Let me know what your favourite Halloween projects are, I'd love to hear about them.

Thanks for dropping by and if you're going forward in the hop just click on the "Next" Watercooler icon below to go see Christine Guida's great projects..... have fun!   

If you're going backwards on the hop you'll want to go to Marie Green's blog by clicking on the "Previous" Watercooler.

Marie Green

And if you want to start at the beginning of the hop just click on the "Home" icon below and you can start at the beginning.  
 

http://wackywatercoolerstamping.blogspot.com

Happy Stamping!
Penny Tokens Stampin' Spot!

  

WWC86 Gail's Simply Stamping Challenge - FALL

Whew, what a weather change over the weekend! We went from sunshine and warmth to gray skies and rain!  Not to be deterred, my friend and I decided to go to the wonderful Fall Country Fair in Mt. Lehman and see what they had to offer.  Normally when I've gone the the sun is shining, there's that cool crisp feel in the air.  Not today!  The poor vendors and visitors were subjected to Monsoon type rain.  

And, as if the weather wasn't enough a transformer or something blew and all the inside venues were in the dark.  Outside it was absolutely pouring cats and dogs, so folks were huddled under tents or running from one event to another.  I saw a lot of smiles though, so people were enjoying themselves.

When we were leaving we had to run a half a block from the hall to the car.  I had water dripping down my neck, hair plastered to my head, and squishy runners. What fun, I felt like I was six years old as I ran through the puddles.

When I got home all I wanted to do was dry off, grab a mug of hot chocolate, and spend the rest of the afternoon in my stamp room by the fireplace. It actually worked out great because it put me in the mood to work on Gail's WWC86 Fall Simply Stamping Challenge.  

Here's My Card:

Gail's challenge photo inspired me to grab my Fall colours and one of my new stamp sets Jar of Haunts to create a colourful Pumpkin patch. 

Jar of Haunts Photopolymer Stamp set Coordinates with the Everyday Jars Framelit Set

Unfortunately my enthusiasm and creativity ground to a halt fairly quickly.  Why?  Well this is a "simply stamping" or "clean and simple" only challenge, and I had to really think about what I was making.
I don't know about you, but I find "simply stamping" a real challenge because it means there are no additional layers or card stock, other than the one you're stamping on.  And, it also means no die cuts, no bling, no ribbon and/or additional accessories allowed on the card.  Once again, "simply stamping".  

Supplies:
Stamp Sets:  Jar of Haunts, Thoughtful Branches, Thankful Forest Friends (R), Itty Bitty Stamp set
Ink:  Early Espresso, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron, Tangerine Tango
Card Stock:  Always Artichoke, Ivory Flecked Specialty Card Stock (R)
Accessories:  Trimmer, Tom Bow Adhesive, Wink of Stella, Blender Pen, Aqua Painter.

Assembly:
1.  An Always Artichoke card base was cut to measure 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and scored at 4 1/4" for a side fold card.

2.  A 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Ivory Flecked Specialty card stock was used for the watercolour layer. I love this card stock even though it's been retired for a while, and kept a huge stock on hand.  Its rough texture and porous nature make it work with water colouring techniques as long as you don't saturate the paper.  

3. The pumpkin images were created using a mask.  To make the mask  I simply stamped a pumpkin image onto a Post It Note then fussy cut around it, retaining some of the sticky part.  I stamped the first pumpkin in Early Espresso ink and then applied the mask then stamped the second pumpkin.  I repeated this for the third pumpkin.  Note:  Early Espresso is a classic ink and not really made for water colouring.  A better choice would have been brown Staz on Ink or Black Archival ink.   

4.  Place the mask over each pumpkin before stamping the pumpkin handle and tendril leaves. The leaves were stamped in Old Olive and a blender pen was used to move the colour around.  An aqua painter and sponge dauber were used to colour the pumpkins, again in Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango and So Saffron.  Parts of the pumpkins were shaded with Old Olive ink. 

5.  I added a grass texture with a stamp from the Thoughtful Branches stamp set in Always Artichoke and Old Olive.  I sponged the bottom of the card with Old Olive to build up the grass.

This stamp set is still available in my On Line store.  It was the August special. 

6. Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango, So Saffron, and Old olive inks were sponged around the top and sides of the card face.  Note:  Always begin your  blending from off the card stock moving towards the center, so you don't get harsh ink marks.

Originally I planned to create a tree trunk and branch starting from the bottom left of the card face and overhanging the pumpkins.  I began by using a stencil with diamond shapes on the upper half of the card, in hopes of creating a leaf bower effect.  Well that didn't turn out as planned, so rather than scrap the card face I blended out the diamond shapes with a sponge dauber.I created a much denser sponging than I had anticipated but it worked to mask off the diamond leaf effect.

7. The sentiment "Give Thanks" from the Thankful Forest Friends retired stamp set was stamped in the upper left corner in Early Espresso Ink.

8.  I cut and adhered a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Ivory Flecked DSP to the inside of the card and left it blank. 

9.  To finish the card I used a small dotted texturizing stamp from the retired Itty Bitty stamp set to add tiny dots in Old Olive and Early Espresso ink across the face of the card. The pumpkin tendrils and outlines of the Pumpkins were traced with Wink of Stella.

Despite my initial hesitation and grumbling, I finished this card in record time and really enjoyed how it turned out.  I hope you like it too!  Leave me a comment.  I hope you'll check out the rest of the Watercooler Wednesday design artists and that you'll try out our "WWC86 - Simply Stamping" Challenge.  We'd love to have you come and join us this week. 

Happy Stamping!
Penny Tokens Stampin Spot

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