Happy Halloween

Hi everyone!  Today is Halloween here in the States and I have to admit I am a bit sad.  Gone are the days of big pre-Trick or Treating parties.  When Brighton and Mackenzie were younger we had a big group of families that we would go out with after a soup supper.  The children always had a great time, as did the adults.  Many of the families had children Brighton's age and now that these children are 17 and up....


 Well, needless to say, these children aren't so much children and now we don't trick-or-treat together.  sigh

Poor Ainsley is left as the only one who is still interested in begging for candy and so we are looking for a new group to hang with.

OK, well...enough of my wistful yearnings for the children to be young again.   How about a project to share?  I made a couple of little treat bags for my niece and sister to celebrate this fun holiday.

I cut the bag out of some Tim Holtz Kraft Core cardstock with my Cricut machine and then embossed it using my Big Shot.  A couple of vintage digital images accented with stickles,  bits of seam binding dyed with Glimmer Mist, and of course some simple Prima Wildflowers and a doily finished my bags.

If only I had time to make 100 or so more I could give them out to all the trick-or-treaters tonight.  Yeah...right!  lol

OK, well.....back to work around here.  Thanks for dropping by.

Hugs.

Nancy

Fall Fun - The Sampler

Hi everyone!  Today I want to share with you another layout I made with the Warm kit from the Sampler kit club.  I have really loved the kit this month.  And it was perfect for this photo I took of the children at a little farm down the street this last weekend.  Trying to get some "Senior" photos of Brighton...sigh...they grow so fast.  And you know I couldn't resist snapping a few of the girls as well.

 (sorry about the funky lighting in the photo...don't know what is going on these days.  I bought I light box, but haven't had much success with it.  I need to keep trying tho as with the winter rains coming.....)

Well, lots of gorgeous motifs to fussy cut in this kit and the colors are just gorgeous.  I  love the mix of patterns this month and I know you will as well.  With the help of the October 26th Sketch from Stuck on You Sketches, I was able to complete this layout in no time at all!

There is still lots of time to play along with us at the monthly sketch and card challenges.  You don't need to purchase a kit to play and you have a chance of winning some great prizes!  Be sure and check it out.

Hugs.

Nancy

Leftovers

Hi everyone!  Well, it is Monday and let me just tell you...it came way to early for me.  The weekend was a whirlwind of work with Phil and Brighton being gone for a good chunk of it. Anyway, I hope those of you on the East Coast stay safe with Sandy on its way.  Lots of hugs and prayers going out to you all.

Today, I wanted to share with you a couple of projects I made with last month's (September) kit from The Sampler.  These kits are so packed with goodies that I always have quite a few things leftover when I am done with the bulk of my kit.  What to do with all those scraps is always the question.  This month, I decided to break out the Bind it All and...well...bind it!  lol

The first little book was done using the little mini that was included in the kit.  I inked the cover to bring out a bit more of the texture and then covered it with some goodies I had lying on my desk.

For this mini, I bound some of the scraps in the kit with my Bind it All and then used a trusty cover-all (also from Zutter) to ensure the books sturdiness   I love these covers so much.  It makes it so easy to build your mini quickly.

Well, lots to do around here today so I best get going.....

Hugs.

Nancy

Ainsley is Crashing

Hi everyone, this is Ainsley, Nancy's youngest daughter, and I am crashing the Sampler blog and here today with a mini album I made with this month's kit, Warm.  Holly was super nice and gave me some of the papers and trim to play with and I took full advantage.

I cut lots of cute shapes and patterns out of the papers and added them to a mini album that I had....

 and used lots of foam dots for texture and snagged some of my mom's Thickers and chipboards.

I love quilling and couldn't resist adding bits of it here and there.  Did you see the card I made last week?  I really like quilling (thank you Heather for the tools)

 My friend Lizzy and I are passing an orange...that was a weird game.  I can't believe my mom made us play that at swim team.

 More punches and quilling for this photo of Crystal and my crazy hair.

And how cute was I when I was 3.  I loved swimming even then...and I love the custom dyed seam binding in this kit.

This kit was so fun to play with and I had a lot of fun.  I love the papers and the mist with the mask on the back side of my pages can fill the album till I add more photos.  Everyone should share their kit (or buy one special) for their children so they can play too.  I made all this and I am only 11.

Well, I should give my mom back her computer now.

Ainsley

You Light Me Up - Your Memories Here

Hi everyone!  Today I wanted to share with you a bit of home decor for Halloween.  I have had a little night light lamp for years, and although I love the shabby chic shade it came with, I felt the need to do something more festive for Halloween.  Of course, having some old chandelier shades lying around the house and some gorgeous goodies from my Your Memories Here grab bag didn't have anything to do with this spark of creativity.  lol

 

I began with the old chandelier shade that I misted with a bit of Glimmer Mist in Pumpkin Spice to change the color and add a bit of sparkle.  I then added bits of lace and trim as well as some beautiful Prima blossoms and bit of bling.

Do not use hot glue for this project!  I know it seems like it would be the perfect adhesive, but when the lamp heats up the glue will soften and your beautiful goodies may fall off.  I really like Helmar Quick Dry for these types of projects.

Well, everyone here just loves this shade and I hope you do to.  Now Ainsley is encouraging me to make one for each holiday.  Good thing these types of shades come in packs of 5.  hee hee

Thanks for dropping by.

Hugs.

Nancy

Croquet Anyone? - the Sampler

Hi everyone!  Today I want to share with you another project I made with the Warm kit from the Sampler kit club.  I have been enjoying the non-traditional fall colors in this kit so much.  While they have the warm feel of fall, they don't scream pumpkins and Halloween, which is nice since not all my photos have to do with those types of events.  You wouldn't believe what it takes for me to get the children to the pumpkin patch these days.  What we do have in the fall?...croquet in the backyard.

(I swear these papers are straight in real life...just can't seem to get a good photo with the rainy weather)
Yes, that is what fall looks like here where I live!  Croquet in the yard was quite an adventure.  Lots of hazards to be had; the dog chasing the balls, uneven grass and leaves falling.  lol

Anyway...a new set of challenges, both card and sketch are up and you don't need to purchase a kit to play along!  International participants are welcome, so be sure to check it out.

Hugs.

Nancy

Rainy Days and Mondays

Hi everyone!  Yep, it is a rainy Monday here...which is especially not good being that we had a crazy, swim filled weekend.  Last year some of the meets were getting so large that they weren't ending each day till 5:00 p.m. or later...which makes for an extremely long day when you are there at 7:30 a.m.  So this year they are trying to encourage the older swimmers, seniors (yep...anyone over the age of 14 is considered a senior, lol) to swim at different meets.  This last weekend that was the case.  Two meets in two different cities about an hour apart.  One for the older two, and one for my youngest...needless to say, not a lot of family time.  Sigh....

Anyway....enough about my crazy swim life.  Today I wanted to share with you that there is a new challenge up over at the Sampler!   There is both a card challenge as well as a sketch challenge and your odds of winning are usually pretty good.

Anyway....Here is the sketch...

And my take....

Love that dotted cardstock from this month's kit!  And the colors, the "do it yourself" Thickers, the chipboards and of course the sequins.....love!!!!

Anyway, be sure to pop over to the Sampler blog to check out the cards and the other layouts!  You won't be sorry.  And come play along with us!  You could win a great prize and you don't have to use a kit!

Hugs.

Nancy