Merry Christmas

It was the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring...well except for the crazy Momma on the computer! Yup I should totally be going to bed now as I am sure it will be an early morning, but I meant to post this all day...just would feel weird to post Christmas cards after Christmas (knowing that there is no way I am getting any computer time tomorrow as my whole family is coming to my house for Christmas!). So since it is so late I am not going to get the typical details that I normally do.

I have two cards for you. The first is one of my favorites from the November Release from Paper Makeup Stamps. Using the Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #134 for my layout, it uses the Dr. Seuss sentiment in Old Olive ink and then paper from the Kraft Christmas collection form Jillibean Soup. This quote brings up the fact that I think I have totally scared my kids off from the Grinch Who Stole Christmas. This is a great movie (cartoon or Jim Carrey version), but I will admit I totally forgot how scary the Grinch can be in the Jim Carrey version...and of course I introduced my kids to it first. My son immediately had me turn it off after the first appearance of the Grinch and my daughter did after awhile on another occasion. Then I tried the cartoon version and since I had traumatized them from the other version, they refused to watch much of the cartoon either. Funniest part is my son knows the book and knows what happens, but apparently the Grinch is just too scary! Maybe next year...

My second card is the original version of my Christmas card this year. I think I still like this one the best, but my husband preferred the Santa to be in brown instead of white, so that is what I went for when making 70 of these bad boys! Can you tell I like the Jillibean Soup Christmas Kraft Collection? Yup used it again here. The Santa comes from the Holiday Filigree Stamp set from Inkadinkado. For this card, I used the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #160 turned 90 degrees. And yeah, I made 70 of these...amazingly it was in 4-5 days that I did it too! I forgot to take a picture of the brown santa version (I actually used them all up), so I can't show the difference. The white is cool, but it is hard to see in some lighting.

So now let me leave you with my kids wishing you a very Merry Christmas! I got a new camera so I have been totally torturing them with it! Anyway, God bless you this day and may you an a peaceful (among the chaos sometimes) and wondrous Christmas! Thanks as always for checking out my kind of engineering!

A Slice of Published Cake

Ok I have to pause in my massive cleaning efforts (Christmas is at my house this year) to gush just a little bit! My latest project that was selected for publication just came out! So be sure to open up the January/February 2011 Issue of Paper Crafts to page 49 and check-out my cake slice box (with my name in print!!). You can download the patterns for the box HERE (follow the link and then scroll down). It looks like the flower on top shifted some in shipping, so my pic above shows how the flower was meant to be. Either way...I am so excited!!!

Hoping to get one last Christmas card related post in before Christmas and then I get to prepare for hosting Christmas...and then a New Year'e Eve party too! Until then, thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

Spinning Some Warm Winter Wishes

Well look at me...I am the Hostess with the Mostess for the Makeup 4 the Weekend Challenge #53 ...and what a hostess I am...I am totally late with my post! Wow...late...the story of my life this time of year...remember all of those November birthdays and anniversaries that I have been celebrating in December?! So my apologies for being late with my post...thankfully I got my card to Christi in time to be posted on the PMS Blog.

So onto the challenge for the week. I apologize in advance (wow a lot of apologies today!) for this challenge...it sounded like such a fun challenge when I submitted it months ago. But now that it is here and it is a week away from Christmas, this seems like a tough challenge! Anyway my challenge is to create a Spinner Card! They are so fun and totally addicting once you start playing with it! Really it isn't too hard, especially if you follow the tutorial on SCS.

For my spinner card, I chose to use the Snow Happy set from Paper Makeup Stamps. OH.My.Goodness is this set so cute...I just adore the snowmen! The snowman was stamped about three times...once on the blue base, once for the colored parts, and once for the main snowman body. The colored parts were colored with a blender pen and ink pads. I stamped the different parts of the "Warm Winter Wishes" sentiment in the spinner area and then by the snowman. Not sure if you can tell but I stamped two of the snowflakes randomly on the blue base with white craft ink. Final touch was the stickle border on my snow and a clear rhinestone in my spinner snowflake.

So would you like to join me? Would you like to win some free rubbah? Join me in my spinner card challenge, use a PMS stamp, and link it to the PMS Blog and you just might win the single stamp of your choice! So come on and get inky with me! In the meantime, thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Snow Happy (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Basic White (Papertrey Ink), Night of Navy, Bashful Blue (SU!); Ink - Real Red, Night of Navy, Whisper White Craft (SU!), Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko); Accessories - Word Window Punch (SU!), Stardust Stickles (Ranger), Clear Rhinestone (Darice), Blender Pen, Dimensionals, scissors, pennies

A Trio of Man Cards

Why oh why do I insist on waiting to start my Christmas cards right about...now...ok tomorrow...or maybe on Friday. I have the supplies...so that is something right? Seriously I tell myself every year I am going to get started early and then I NEVER do! Oh well...I see some Christmas movie marathons while making Christmas cards in my future!

In my continual attempt to make up for all of the November (and now some in December) events that I missed sending cards for, I went for the Verve Project Parade Triple Play Challenge again, but this time in the form of a trio of "Man" cards! It felt good to get these done...I always find "man" cards to be one of the hardest to make!

Like last time I went through my stash of saved sketches and found some that would work (shown below). The main design elements that I kept between the cards were the colors and paper, the star image, the copper embossing and brads, the Labels 14 die shape, and almost the black cording (didn't quite make it in the last one).

The paper I used was from the Granola Paper Pad by Basic Grey plus Always Artichoke and Bordering Blue cardstock from Stampin' Up!. I of course didn't have any copper brads, so I made my own! Yup I took some pewter ones, pressed them to the Versamark pad, dipped it in copper embossing powder, and heated it (in case you want to try it, make sure you are holding the brad with some tweezers so you don't burn yourself!). Not sure there is much more to say on the cards...or maybe I am just tired and thinking about those darn Christmas cards!

So while I check out, let me thank you for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Seeing Stars, Starlight Starbright (Verve Stamps); Paper - Always Artichoke, Bordering Blue (SU!), Granola Paper Pad (Basic Grey); Ink - Versamark; Accessories - Labels 14 Die (Spellbinders), Pewter Brads (SU!), Copper Embossing Powder (I forget!), Word Window Punch (SU!), Edge Distresser (Tim Holtz), black cording, dimensionals

December Fan Club Blog Hop - Holiday Style

So this is the beginning of a fun new event for Paper Makeup Stamps. Since Katie, the owner, decided to switch to every other month releases, she decided that we just cannot let a month go by without a Blog Hop. The catch is that it is not just the design team, but some of the PMS Fans as well! How fun! So you should be arriving to my blog from Michelle McDaniel's Blog (awesome huh?!). If not, make sure you start at the beginning at the PMS Blog so you don't miss anything! As a precaution you can use the Link List below if there are any issues. While you are hopping, be sure to leave comments along the way...one lucky commenter will receive a grab bag of stamping goodies (speaking of grab bags, don't forget about all of the amazing grab bags that are being offered...I got mine)! I am the final stop on the Hop, so sit back and stay awhile!

For my card, I used the Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #85 for my layout. I used the Moody for Presents (by PMS of course) and stamped her in Whisper White craft ink and embossed it with Crystal Clear embossing powder on Crumb Cake cardstock. Then I colored her with Bravo Burgundy, Chocolate Chip, Blush Blossom, and Whisper White ink and an aquabrush. Had a heck of time with he eyes...the white outline or something was just not making it easy on me...so sorry they suck a little!

She was cut out with Oval Nestabilities and layered on top of a Labels 16 die cut of Chocolate Chip cardstock. The pattern paper is from the Christmas Chestnut Soup on Kraft Collection by Jillibean Soup. The final details were some sponging, paper piercing, the white taffeta ribbon, and a couple of snowflakes.

I hope that you enjoyed the Blog Hop! Remember you have until December 14 to comment at all of the stops along the hop in order to have a chance to win the grab bag of stamping goodies! Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Moody for Presents (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip (SU!), Sweet Chestnuts and Whole Cloves from Christmas Chestnut Soup on Kraft Collection (Jillibean Soup); Ink - Bravo Burgundy, Chocolate Chip, Blush Blossom, Whisper White (SU!); Accessories - White Taffeta Ribbon (SU!), Snowflake Punch (Martha Stewart), Button from Button Latte Collection (SU!), Oval Nestabilities and Labels 16 Dies (Spellbinders), hemp twine, dimensionals, paper piercer, sponge

A Trio of Anniversaries

I am finally getting the chance to be crafty again. Had to get through Thanksgiving and a 90th Birthday party (not mine of course) and finally (hopefully!) getting over a sickness and getting Christmas decorations up (almost done!).

My cards-to-be-made list is very long and covers a lot of missed occasions, so I was pretty happy to knock three of them out with the latest Verve Challenge. The Verve Project Parade Triple Play Challenge is to create a trio of coordinating projects...whether that be a combination of a card, bag, and tag or three cards, boxes, etc. Since I was very behind on my November cards, I was in need of three Anniversary cards...so I went for a trio of cards using the same supplies, but with different looks. To help me out even more, I grabbed three of the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenges from past weeks to give me three different layouts to work with....love me some sketches!

I used The Most Beautiful Thing Wordart by Paper Makeup Stamps...inked it up with markers and stamped it on Whisper White paper. I cut it and a black mat out with Oval Nestabilities. The Black mat was then distressed. The pattern paper is from the Olivia Collection by BoBunny. Each card has some Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain ribbon from Stampin' Up! and some black rhinestones from Bazzill Basics.

This was a great challenge for me and I love how the cards turned out...similar but definitely not the same! And since I need 3 masculine birthday cards, you will probably be seeing this again!

In other news...and this is awesome, so listen up...Paper Makeup Stamps is having an incredible sale during December. Since I don't want to get anything wrong, I am basically copying this from the PMS Blog:

For the first time ever, PMS is having a grab bag sale! Whats a grab bag? Well a grab bag is filled with goodies... you just dont know whats going to be in it!

There are lots of different types of grab bags available!

The Fairy Grab Bag - $10

For only $10, you'll get 3 fairy stamps! That makes them each only $3.33!!

The Moody Grab Bag - $10

For only $10, you'll get 3 stamps from the Moody Girls collection! That makes them each only $3.33!!

The Monster Grab Bag - $7.50

For only $7.50 you'll get 3 of our beloved monster stamps! That makes them only $2.50 each!

Sentiments and Wordart Grab Bag - $10

For only $10, you will get a mixture of wordart and simple sentiments at a minimum value of $20!!!!!

The Cutie Critter Grab Bag - $8.50

For only $8.50, you will get 3 stamps from our Cutie Critter collection, makign them $2.83 each!

The PMS lover & newbie grabbag - $40

This grab bag was designed for someone who either loves PMS and wants to beef up their collection OR want to share their love of PMS with someone who might not yet have much in their stamp collection. This grab bag will include a mixture of stamps and/or sets from the entire PMS inventory. This grab bag is sure to please having goodies retailing over $80!!!!!

Oh wait, and we're not done! We are also GIVING AWAY SHIPPING this month! Thats right, free shipping to anyone in the US and a reduction of $3 to shipping outside of the US. Please use USDECEMBER as your voucher if you are in the US or 3OFF for those outside of the US.

And the even better bonus, this voucher will work with all other vouchers!!!!

Quantities of grab bags may be limited to stock on hand. Free Shipping will last the entire month. No requests on the grab bags, please.

So make sure you quickly take advantage of this awesome sale! I already ordered three grab bags myself...so excited to see what I get! Until I can come back with some more card eye candy, thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - The Most Beautiful Thing Wordart (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Old Olive, Basic Black, Really Rust, Whisper White (SU!), Olivia Ambrosia and Olivia Stripe from the Olivia Collection (BoBunny); Ink - Old Olive marker, Really Rust marker, Bravo Burgundy marker; Accessories - 5/8" Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon (SU!), Upper Crest Border Punch (Friskars), Black Rhinestones (Bazzill Basics), Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), distresser (Tim Holtz), dimensionals

A Krafty Kind of Christmas

Oh it has been a little while! Sorry about that! I got sick last week (yup there went the exercise program..but I am back on track this week) and then we were away for the weekend. Plus Thanksgiving is coming and I volunteered to make some table decorations...ok it was suppose to be me and my son, but he keeps finding reasons not to help me! Then my husband's grandmother will be celebrating her 90th birthday this weekend and I have been busy getting the kids to make her things and put together a photo board. So crazy how many memories 90 years can hold! So those are all of my excuses...I think. But I am getting back on track and I owe a lot of cards for birthdays and anniversaries I am late on...so hopefully I can be productive now!

So for my first card back, I pulled out some of the new Holiday collection cardstock by Jillibean Soup...totally love the colors on kraft...just makes me happy. This one also combined up the Clean and Simple Challenge #94 (this week: sponging) and the Clean and Simple Challenge #93 (last week: sketch). This is definitely clean and simple for me and I like it...don't know if I can do it all of the time, but it felt good.

I stamped the Moody for Presents from Paper Makeup Stamps in Chocolate Chip ink on Kraft cardstock. Then I used an aquabrush to color in just the hat and sweater with Bravo Burgundy and Whisper White ink. See the Moodies don't have to be completely colored! And oh how I love how that white ink went onto the kraft cardstock...just perfect! After I cut her out I sponged around the edges with some Chocolate Chip ink. Then I used a strip of the Jillibean Soup White Sugar from the Christmas Chestnut Soup on Kraft collection and some colored twine I had on hand. The greeting is the FREEbie sentiment from Paper Makeup Stamps from any order during November. I also sponged around the entire base card too.

The other cards I made I don't think I will be showing for awhile...one is my Christmas card this year and the other I may submit for publication...so we shall see. Well that is all for me. Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Moody for Presents, Season's Greeting FREEbie sentiment (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Kraft (SU!), White Sugar from Christmas Chestnut Soup on Kraft Collection (Jillibean Soup); Ink - Chocolate Chip, Bravo Burgundy, Whisper White Craft (SU!); Accessories - Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), red twine (unknown), aquabrush, dimensionals, sponge

A Baby Shower Blog Hop & Makeup Challenge

Today is a very special day...yes it is special because it is a Friday and my husband is taking the day off to spend some time with the family...and it is special because it is Friday and that means it is time for another Makeup 4 the Weekend Challenge (it is a sketch this week!)...but more importantly it is special because we are doing a Blog Hop in honor of one the fellow Makeup Artists, Ginger. See, her and her husband are adopting a baby boy...in fact a baby boy that will be born very soon! So we wanted to help her celebrate this amazing time in true card-maker fashion with a Blog hop! I am the first stop, but make sure you check out PMS Blog to hear all about what is truly special about today!

Ginger did an amazing job decorating the baby's room and she did it with a circle motif. If you didn't see it, then you need to check out this POST to see the pics. Anyway, I was sort of inspired by that for my card for her. Plus, like I mentioned today is also the Makeup 4 the Weekend #49, so I used that sketch for my layout. The Jamie Fairy from Paper Makeup Stamps was stamped on Very Vanilla cardstock in Basic Black ink and then paper pieced with some paper from the Granola Paper Pad by Basic Grey. I colored a little bit of it with a Brocade Blue marker and colored his hair with a Creamy Caramel marker.

I layered the image over a Bordering Blue Lacey Circle. All of the pattern paper is from the Granola Paper pad from Basic Grey. The hardware is from an old Hodge Podge Hardware kit from Stampin' Up!. The metal "baby" is an old set of metal words from Making Memories.

So now you are to continue on the Hop to Tina's Blog. Make sure you also create your own card using the sketch and link it up to the Makeup 4 the Weekend Challenge post to be entered for a chance to win a free stamp! Enjoy the baby-filled hop, leave some love for Ginger, and thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Jamie Fairy (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Bordering Blue, Very Vanilla (SU!), Granola Paper pad (Basic Grey); Ink - Basic Black, Brocade Blue marker, Creamy Caramel marker (SU!); Accessories - Metal Words (Making Memories), Pewter Hardware (SU!), Lacey Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), dimensionals

A Moody Review

So I have to first tell you how proud I am of myself...so far! The scale started tipping far too much recently, so I decided I needed to figure out an exercise program to lose some pounds. I have lots of exercise tapes/DVDs and most recently bought some Jillian Michaels workout DVDs, but didn't feel like doing just one tape and just wanted more direction. So I found the 30 Day Slimdown using three of Jillian's DVDs. I am on Day 10 and I have stuck with is thus far...a pretty big challenge as any Stay-at-Home Mom can attest too...especially if you don't have a gym membership. So to avoid having to workout with my son (always fun huffing and puffing while he is asking me questions and trying to talk to me), I have been doing morning workouts...and since I have early risers (around 6:30 am), I have been doing some very early mornings! But I am doing it and will hopefully continue!

Ok now that I am done telling you about my new focus, did you see the New Release from Paper Makeup Stamps?! It is a great one this month and the new Moody for Presents is one of my favorites...and I will tell you why. This Moody reminds me of me. See on Christmas, I am never seen without my Santa hat...and of course carrying lots of presents...plus you add in the wavy/curly hair...this Moody is totally me! Ok so lots of people could claim this same statement, but this is my story and I am stickin' to it!

Anyway, I stamped her (myself...hehe) in Brilliance Graphite Black and watercolored her with an aquabrush and ink pads. I added some red glitter pen to the red parts around her. The layout is from the current Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #164 and the sentiment is the FREEbie sentiment this month with any Paper Makeup Stamps order. The paper I used is from the retired Merry Moments (I think that is the name!) from Stampin' Up!.

So did you hear the other Paper Makeup Stamps News? We are switching to an every other month release schedule, which means there will not be another release in December, BUT there will be a Blog Hop on the 7th and we want you to join us!!! You have to use some sort of winter/Christmas stamp/digi from Paper Makeup Stamps to participate...so if you are interested you need to email Katie (the owner) at katie@papermakeup.com with the subject of December Fan Blog Hop by December 3rd! We hope you will join us for some fun!!! Until then (well actually earlier since I will be back tomorrow!), thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Moody for Presents, Season's Greetings FREEbie Sentiment (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Garden Green, Very Vanilla, Merry Moments DSP (SU!), watercolor paper; Ink - Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), Real Red, Old Olive, Garden Green, Chocolate Chip (SU!); Accessories - Circle and Large Scallop Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Chocolate Single Faced Satin Ribbon (Offray), Red Glitter Pen (Sakura), dimensionals, aquabrush

A Christmasy Blog Hop

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...ok not really here, but this Blog Hop may put you more in the Christmas mood! I will say working on some Christmas related cards has made me start thinking about my Christmas cards a whole lot sooner than I normally do...which is totally needed since I usually am scrambling to finish them around mid-December!

So hopefully the Paper Makeup Stamps Blog Hop is getting you Christmas mojo going...you should be arriving from Tina's Blog (love that new Moody for Presents!). If you didn't start at the beginning, then make sure you jump back to the PMS Blog to collect all of your letters for your 15% Off code! I am totally lovin' all of the Word Arts this time and I have to say that this Dr. Seuss one is my favorite! How classic is that line...totally love reading that book and seeing the movie every year! Since it was a Dr. Seuss quote, I tried to go for a whimsical look, which turned out to be a little basic, but I think it worked.

Anyway I started with the current Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #163. The quote was inked up with markers and stamped on the back side of the Joyful Multi Stripe pattern paper by KI Memories...it was a nice shimmery white and since the presents were cut from the same piece of pattern paper it matched nicely. Then it was cut with part of the Labels 16 Nestabilities die. As I said before the presents were cut out of the Joyful Multi Stripe pattern paper and then popped up with some dimensionals. The large Kiwi Kiss panel was embossed with the Spots and Dots embossing folder. The final touch was some 7/8" red satin ribbon and three red rhinestones.

Now it is time to hop on over to Danni's Blog to see what she created with an adorable Christmas tree! Oh and here is my letter before you leave me:

Have fun hopping along and getting some Christmas inspiration. Don't forget the Release Party is tonight at 9 pm in the PMS Forum. Be ready for lots of chatter and some fun...plus you will get to find out if you won any stamps! Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering.

The Engineering Details

Stamps - What if Christmas Wordart (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Garden Green, Kiwi Kiss, Pink Passion (SU!), Joyful Multi Stripe Pattern paper (KI Memories); Ink - Garden Green marker, Real Red marker, Pink Passion marker, Kiwi Kiss (SU!); Accessories - 7/8" red satin ribbon (Offray), Red Rhinestone Stickers (Me & My Big Ideas), Spots and Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder (Provo), Labels 16 Die (Spellbinders), dimensionals, scissors

Blinged Out Sneak Peak

Whew...did you all have a great Halloween? Ours was a blast. We realized that this was my daughter's (2 yrs old) first time Trick-or-Treating. She was sick last year so she didn't go out with her brother and the year before she was a baby and obviously didn't do much but look cute. She was hilarious the whole time...so into it and determined to walk (or run) the whole way and to carry her bag herself! It wasn't until it got dark that she started getting scared of going up to the houses...guess once it got dark, everything looked a whole lot scarier because she wouldn't even go up to people that weren't dressed up. You can check out the costumes at the bottom of this post...the feathers may have been a pain in-the-you-know-where (de-feathered two boas and then glued each one on individually!), but they looked great.

Now onto the real reason for the post today...that is right, Paper Makeup Stamps is embarking on another release and today is "Fairy Day"! If you missed the first peek, make sure you check out this POST...by leaving a comment you could win all of the stamps peeked that day! I have the honor of showing you the Celest Fairy. She was previously released in a Makeup Kit, but now is available all by her beautiful self. I used the Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #132 for my layout. I stamped the Celest Fairy in Brilliance Graphite Black ink on watercolor paper and colored her with ink pads and an aquabrush. She was cut-out completely...she is not quite a true circle so I was having a hard time using my circle nesties....but you can't tell too much when there is a large border around her (at least that is what I think!).

She was layered over top of a Lacey Circle by Spellbinders and the pattern paper was a Bashful Blue pattern paper from an old Hostess Pack. I blinged out the card with some rhinestone flourishes and some larger rhinetsones around the Lacey Circle. Definitely more bling than I normally use (it is hard to convince myself to use those flourishes...but honestly why I am just buying them and not using them!). The sentiment, which got nicely framed by the rhinestone flourish I might add, is from the Little Moments sentiment set by Paper Makeup Stamps.

Make sure you check out the PMS Blog for all of the peak posts and leave a comment to win the stamps for that day...nothin' better than free stamps! On November 7, we will be having a fun-filled Blog Hop and finish it off with a Release Party at 9 pm in the PMS Forum. So make sure to come on by for some fun! Until then, thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

Oh and here are my kids costumes and our costumes...theirs were definitely much better than ours, but it was fun being trees for our little birdies to perch in! My Mom came up with the design of the costumes and did any sewing needed...I feathered and leafed.

My two Birdies!

The Birdies perched in their "trees"

Showing off her feathers!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Celest Fairy, Little Moments Sentiments (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Night of Navy, So Saffron, Creamy Caramel, Bashful Blue Pattern Paper (SU!), Ink - Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, So Saffron, Creamy Caramel (SU!), Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko); Accessories - Lacey Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Rhinestone Flourishes (Best Occasion), Rhinestone Stickers (Darice), aquabrush, dimensionals

Trick-or-Treat Makeup Challenge

Well Happy early Halloween to all of you! I hope that everyone has a fantastic weekend filled with way too much candy! My kids are both dressing as birds...I de-feathered two boas and individually glued on each feather to their costumes that my Mom put together. It was a whole lot of feathers and a whole lotta time...don't worry I will share pics after the weekend! My husband and I will be dressing as Trees for our two little birdies. Our costumes are not nearly as cute as my kids, but they should work!

Well to celebrate in Halloween style, the Makeup 4 the Weekend Challenge #48 this week has both a Trick and a Treat. The Trick is to include the color Chocolate into your creation and the Treat is to make a treat holder/box/bag. Well considering I like to give my son's teachers a little gift on Halloween, this was right up my alley. I don't have any true Halloween stamps from Paper Makeup Stamps, so I pulled out the newly released Moody for Chocolate...Halloween is about the candy right?! I stamped her on watercolor paper in Brilliance Graphite Black ink. The I watercolored (with an aquabrush and ink pads) her in Chocolate, Plum, and Orange to give it a Halloween feel...even made her hair purple...kinda diggin' it! Then I paper pieced her sweater with some orange patterned paper from SU's Halloween paper from last year. She was then cut out using the Labels 16 die and framed with some black patterned paper from the same collection. The "Treat Yourself" sentiment is the FREEbie that you get this month if you place an order at Paper Makeup Stamps.

The bag/box that I made was made-up on the spot based on the size I wanted it to be. It is 5" tall, 4" wide, and 1.25" deep. I filled a bag with some of the Hershey Bliss chocolates and tied a plum satin ribbon at the top. Hopefully the teachers like chocolate!

So now it is your turn! Join us in the Makeup 4 the Weekend Challenge #48 and use PMS stamps and you will be entered to win a free single image stamp of your choice! How cool is that?! Have fun getting inky and have a fun and happy Halloween! Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Moody for Chocolate, Treat Yourself sentiment - freebie (Paper Makeup Stamps); Ink - Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), Chocolate Chip, Perfect Plum, Pumpkin Pie (SU!); Paper - Chocolate Chip, Perfect Plum, Cast-A-Spell DSP (SU!), watercolor paper; Accessories - Fire Circle Rhinestone Brads (SU!), Labels 14, Labels 16 Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Plum Satin Ribbon (Offray), dimensionals, aquabrush

Double Take

Well happy Friday to you! We have a busy weekend ahead of us. First date night for Hubby and I...my parents are in town, so we get the night off! What good movies are out right now? I literally have no idea! Then Saturday will bring us Kindergarten soccer, finding the perfect pumpkin, and then my son's gymnastics performance..haven't been able to watch him in awhile, so we are really excited for this! Then a birthday party for my Mother-in-Law on Sunday in which my son designed a cake for her (picture to come later...didn't feel like getting the camera out)...I executed, but I let him tell me how he wanted it done. He cracks me up sometimes! So I hope that all of you enjoy your upcoming weekend as well!

Now onto what we are really here for...the Makeup 4 The Weekend Challenge #47. The challenge is to make a card in any shape but a square or rectangle. I don't make non-rectangle cards much, so this was a fun challenge. I needed some more masculine cards, so I pulled out the newly released Leif Monster from Paper Makeup Stamps. I got my color combo for the first version from the SCS Color Challenge #293...Cherry Cobbler, Crushed Concord, and Old Olive...I only have one of the colors, so I went with Old Olive, Ruby Red, and Elegant Eggplant. Leif was stamped in Black Stazon ink on watercolor paper and colored with an aquabrush and ink pads. In my typical masculine fashion, I distressed some edges and added some hemp twine. The sentiment was stamped with a dollar aisle alphabet stamp set...the inside reads "from your birthday".

Since I liked how the first card turned out and I needed more masculine cards (slew of male birthdays right now!) I found the Color Throwdown Challenge #115 had a good color scheme...So Saffron, Dusty Durango, Perfect Plum...so I made the same card in these colors. Not sure which one I like better...think the first one. What do you think?

So now it is your turn to make a card...make sure that it is not a square or rectangle...and use a stamp from Paper Makeup Stamps to have a chance to win some free rubbah! Make sure to link it up to the Makeup 4 The Weekend Challenge post. Have fun getting inky and thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Leif Monster (Paper Makeup Stamps), Small Alphabet (unknown); Paper - Elegant Eggplant, Ruby Red, Old Olive (SU!), watercolor paper; Ink - Black Stazon, Elegant Eggplant, Ruby Red, Old Olive (SU!); Accessories - Large Scallop and Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), hemp twine, scissors, dimensionals