A Blank Canvas

This canvas has been hanging in our tv room, just like this, for over a year. I have meant to get around to putting vinyl lettering on it, or maybe a chandelier, or maybe a cute subway art of our family" favorite movies.... My problem is I can't seem to make up my mind. So here it has hung, blank, for so long that I don't even notice it anymore. That is until someone points to it and asks "what's up with that?" Then I have crafter's guilt. Again. Until I forget. Again. Blank. No excuses.

Well, I got out the cricut and told myself that vinyl is removable so no long term commitment need apply! Lyrical Letter cartridge has a cool spider. So I cut it out of black vinyl, used the transfer sheet and....

here it is. I added a little extra web to make her hang a bit lower than the image cut out.

When Halloween is over, I can remove her and hopefully put up something else in her place. Diana

Dollar Store Halloween Boxes

First of all, sorry about the pics but it is a little cloudy today so no natural light! I picked up some little cardboard boxes at the Dollar Store the other day. One is slightly smaller than the other so they reminded me of the stacking boxes I've seen in catalogs lately. So for $2.oo and a little paper and paint, I made this cute little set. First I painted the boxes white and the lids black. Two coats was plenty cuz I knew I would be distressing them. Then I mod podged the pumpkins and cat faces on all four sides.

The images are available for free at http://www.matthewmeadstyle.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=254&Itemid=146 Don't you love his Halloween books!

Then I inked the edges in brown and black. After that dried I splattered orange and black paint on all the sides, including the lids, with an old tooth brush. A nice coat of sealer, let dry overnight and it is finished....at a cost that is hard to resists. I've seen these for over $25.00 ! Love a deal! Diana

Falling Leaves

I guess I am sooo ready for fall since I have already put up the Halloween decorations. And even though we are still having summer like heat, there is a wind picking up the fallen leaves in the yard and whirling them around in the air. So to help bring fall here quicker, I made this towel with leaves tumbling in the wind.

After looking at this, I think I need a sweater! Diana

Boo to You!

I had a sad looking display down stairs that was lacking "something". I remembered a cute banner that the Graphics Fairy had a bit ago and decided it would do very nicely. Here it is attached to a photo shelf.

The girls looked a little sweet next to all the halloween stuff so I added a couple witches hats! Diana

Owl Towel

Look whooo I made. Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Machine applicae is the best thing ever! No cutting tiny pieces, no pinning, no wax paper. And no zig zag till you want to croak! I made this cute little owl towel after overdosing on skulls the last few days. Something silly was in order.

I think this looks so fall-ish and cheerful. And I figured out a problem I had been having with my machined tension. Can you say operator error. Diana

Featured on The Answer is Chocolate!

Remember the black and white pumpkins a few days back? Well they have been featured on http://answerischocolate.blogspot.com/2010/09/open-house-wrap-up-and-300-follower.html and I am so excited cuz I LOVE this blog. Check it out and become a follower! Diana

Skull One Use Soap

Don't you love it when something comes out just how you imagined it. No hassles, no flubs, just happy happy crafting. That is how it has been today! So far anyway.One use soaps. So cool. And it makes soooo much sense too. Pretty little soaps, one sudsing and then they are gone! No icky bar making a mess in my soap dish. No worries about nasty little germs. I printed up these skulls from The Graphics Fairy on water soluble paper and cut them out leaving a small tab to hang on to. Then I dipped in clear scented soap about three times, letting harden in between dipping. Wax paper allows them to cool and not stick to the counter.

After you are done dipping the final time, trim off the tab and any excess soap around the edges and that's it.

It makes the thinnest sliver of soap perfect for a single washing!

I thought these would make great little gifts so I printed up these little bag toppers, again from the Graphics Fairy. The plastic bags are clear and about 3x4.

And just in case you don't know what these transparent little skulls are for, I put One Use Hand Soaps in a Gothic font on the back of the toppers. Didn't I tell you it was a great day! Diana

Glow in the Dark Skull Soap

Tiny, tiny soap skulls!!! And they glow in the dark! They would be great as is but I thought maybe a few could be made into full size bars.

The Dollar Store had these ice cube trays the other day and I thought SOAP! I added a little glow in the dark powder to white soap base. After they were popped out, I poured a layer of clear soap into the gothic looking mold and inserted the skulls face down.Then I poured some sea foam green tinted soap on top of the clear and....

Here is the results. I don't even mind the air trapped around the skull cuz it seems to add to the effect! Diana

A Mirror Cracked

Check out http://answerischocolate.blogspot.com/2010/09/stashbusting-september-project-5-skully.html for the inspiration for this project! She did a plate but I decided to go big and do a picture/mirror. That is silver leaf behind the skull. A layer of black paint really gives the "mirror" an aged and crackly appearance. The skull is from The Graphics Fairy and I have really worn out my printer making copies of it! Love it!

Just thought I'd throw in a picture of this jar of skulls and moss.

I am thinking of using this mirror as a dry erase board in the dining room for a creepy menu board. What do you think.... Diana

Skull Redo

I have definitely got a thing for skulls this year. Creepy I know but over the next few days you will be seeing a lot of skulls so man up. Here is the downstairs desk display with the skull I repainted.

This is what it looked like straight from Target. Scary but not quite right.

With a coat of white paint and some aging on the teeth, it now looks better. I also sprayed it with a matte finish. How would you like to see this thing staring at you while you watched TV. Diana

Black and White Pumpkins

I saw something similar to these at http://fivewhites.blogspot.com/2010/08/modge-podge-pumpkins.html and she has a good step by step. I bought white pumpkins at Michaels and the napkins on line but Target has some very close to these. First peel the napkin layers apart and tear the printed layer into strips. Then modge podge the pieces onto the pumpkins. After they dry, apply another layer of modge podge and you are done!

I did find that you can't over work the modge podge or the napkin will fall apart. So go over it once only! And they do take a long time to dry so be patient! Diana

Simple Life Card

Just a simple card celebrating the country pleasures all around us. The cut is from Country Life Cricut cartridge. Easy and oh so cute. Diana

Ghostly Visitor

I think I have scared myself this time. I mean, who makes stuff like this. To have in their house. Where they sleep. In the dark. He started off cute enough. A clay over foam head and muslin wrapped around stuffing, wire and dowel body.

I painted it all white and then cheesecloth dipped in modge podge draped over the whole thing.

Creepy.

Seriously. Creepy. Diana

Featured!

So excited! My soap was featured on http://www.katiesnestingspot.com/2010/09/crafty-soiree-2.html today! Check out all the great ideas crafters are posting on her site. Diana

Glow in the Dark Soap

It is a cloudy day so these pictures are a little blurry! I made some soap that actually glows in the dark. Downloaded images from graphics fairy (bottom two) and the net (scary doll). I made these pouring a clear layer of soap, sliding in the image and then another clear layer of soap.

The final layer is white base with both fragrance and glow in the dark power added. The powder is available from Bramble Berry Soap Supplies.

I had a lot of trouble with the doll image. Lesson learned- don't spray water soluble paper with alcohol- duh. But because she is kind of creepy the smearing looks even weirder.

This picture is terrible but I wanted to show them glowing in the dark. Diana

Halloween Kitchen Towels

Holiday inspired items can be a little pricey (unless you wait until the after holiday sales...but what's the fun in that). I picked up these kitchen towels at Walmart for a few dollars.... And downloaded some free designs for my embroidery machine off the net....

This haunted house is scary but not too scary!

The bats go well with the haunted house. These were so easy to do and will look great in the kitchen! Diana

Cupcakes For Friends

Tonight I am going to a party and am bringing dessert. I made chocolate devil's food cupcakes! They have a dark raspberry filling and simple vanilla butter cream frosting.

I sprinkled some chocolate jimmies on top and stuck in a mint tube cookie on the top. Hope these taste as good as they look! Diana