Wishing you a Halloween full of treats and screams! 

I wanted to share a couple of Halloween treats (actually the packaging) I put together, last minute.  Very last minute!  The request came from my youngest daughter.  Last night she asked if I would make "something" Halloween for a few of her friends.  Our dialogue went something like this: "Honey, Halloween is tomorrow"!  "Ya mom, I know".   At that point, I knew anything else I might have said was pointless!  My daughter is 16...!

So, feeling really good about her request, I went to work.  All stamps and die cuts are Reverse Confetti.  They quickly became my inspiration, as most of the items were still on my work table from previous projects!      

Clear pillow boxes are something I keep on hand.  I find them useful for package anything from gift cards, to jewelry, to candy. Really anything small.  I purchased these from Etsy.

I hope this post will be helpful the next time you have to put together some pretty packaging, even if you have little to no notice. 

I hope you'll stop by next week for a Thanksgiving project I've been working on.

More Halloween Cards and a Question

Do you ever feel like you are cheating when you've made a card with no stamping?  I actually thought that as I was finishing up these cards.  When I came to my senses, I realized these cards came together quickly, and I was pleased with the results. So, what more could I possibly want?  In the end, I just needed a few more cards to hand deliver to a few neighbors (along with some goodies, of course).  I achieved that. 

My thoughts: not every card has to be labor intensive, loaded with layers and bling, or hand stamped. There is a place for cards that can be assembled easily.  For example, if you are making more than three or four cards, that’s mass production (in my opinion).  You need a design that comes together quickly.  No frills!

So what are your thoughts on "non-stamped" cards?  How often do you create them?

The trick or treat dies are from a 2013 Papertrey Ink release.  They're not retired, thank goodness! Last Halloween I used these dies to create some cute packaging. 

With the second card, I did some spatter on the inside.  I wish I would have taken a picture to show you.  It was just around the edges to decorate the inside.  I hope the spatter trend sticks around for awhile.  I'm having fun with it.

A New Look ... And Some Cards

Welcome to "A Paperie Journey's" new look!  For those of us old gals, a facelift.  I was looking for something clean and simple but stylish.  I feel I've achieved that look.  What do you think?

Okay, on with the show...  I have a few Halloween cards to share with you. 

First, let me tell you I've fallen in love with Cast A Spell stamp set by Reverse Confetti .  All three cards are from that set.

 

 

I've been wanting to experiment with spatter and I finally did with the card above   So much fun!  Since I was working with regular cardstock and not watercolor paper, I decided to use acrylic paint (watered down a bit) and a narrow paintbrush.   

 



For this card, my inspiration came from HERE, the Reverse Confetti blog.  I'm not even sure I can say "inspiration".  I CASE'D it (copy and steal everything)!   I loved the card.  It was clean and simple and ... just adorable! 

I'm planning a regular post each month (the last week of the month), One Set-Three Ways.  I hope this monthly segment will help you optimize your stamp sets.

Thanks for stopping by.
 

Mojo Monday #316

Hi!  Since it's Wednesday you may be here looking the One-Layer Wednesday (OLW) challenge.  Karen is our host this week.  You find her challenge here.

On to today's post. 

I'm trying to squeak out a few more Halloween cards, and this week's Mojo Monday challenge caught my eye.

I started out by misting a white doily with Tattered Angles Glimmer Mist, Lavender Fields.  Then on to my die cutting machine for the Spider web.  With a 6 x 6 pad of patterned paper, a few embellishments, and a great sketch a girl can make some cards! 

A girl can make some pretty awesome envelopes too, with the We R Memory Keepers Envelope Punch Board!  In case you're wondering, I'm not a paid representative for We R Memory Keepers,
although I wish I were.....!  I love my envelope maker.

I'm also joining the 4 Crafty Chicks challenge (Layers).

Thanks for stopping by!

Packaging...

I love pretty packaging. I'm always on the lookout for pretty packaging ideas (Hello Pinterest)!  When I discovered a die cut for a pillow box, I did a little happy dance. Using up my supplies and pretty packaging all in one easy step.

Recently, I sent my daughter, her roommate and two other freshman (in my daughter's dorm) a Halloween care package.  Included were these pillow boxes filled with candy. 

 

Pin It

These were all made from the same die cut along with various embellishments and designer paper.  The die cut I used is from Papertrey Ink.  I know My Favorite Things also has a pillow die cut that's square, and a bit smaller.  I'm thinking I probably need both, right?  Now, I'm sure there are other pillow dies out there, however these are the two that I'm familiar with.

Okay, in an effort to provide full disclosure, I do not work for, or receive gifts from either company, however a girl can wish!

As I mentioned, these pillow boxes were filled with Halloween candy, but just think of the possibilities.  You can use these for any holiday, birthday or gift giving occasion, and aside from packaging for a small gift, they can be used as gift card holders too. 

I hope you don't mind if I share one other item in the Halloween care package.

The girls needed something "Halloween" in their dorm so I made these pillowcases.

I hope you'll visit again because I have a "gift card packaging" series planned for early November.
 

So Many Sketch Challenges, Oh My!

If you're here for the OLW challenge this week, please click here.
 
Okay, my card was inspired by this week's Mojo Monday sketch.  What a great sketch.  It's so versatile. I'm thinking Christmas, Birthday, Thank You.... I could go on.
 

Here's my card, A Spooky Halloween.

Have you noticed how many great sketch challenges there are?  Wow!  Recently, I decided to compile a list.  This is not a complete list by any means.  These are just a some challenge sites that I've found, and like.  If you have some favorites, please let me know and I will add them to the list and post them.

Sketch Challenge Blogs:

Case This Sketch:  http://casethissketch.blogspot.ca/

Freshly Made Sketches:  http://freshlymadesketches.blogspot.com/

Retro Sketches:  http://retrosketches.blogspot.in/

Seize The Sketch:  http://seizethesketch.blogspot.com/

Unscripted Sketches:  http://unscriptedsketches.com/

Mojo Monday:  http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/

The Sweet Stop:  http://sweetstopsketches.blogspot.com/

A sketch is always a great way to jump start your card project!  Or, if you've lost your mojo (from time to time, we all do), start with a sketch and see where it takes you. 

I hope you find these sketch blogs helpful.


Supplies: Stamps: Image-Inkadinkado, Sentiment- Hero Arts  Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black  Paper: Authentique, Card Base-Stampin' Up  Accessories:   Bling, Sequins, Buttons and Seam Binding

An Update And Another Use For Washi Tape

Earlier this week I told you about a wonderful charity, Cards For Hospitalized Kids.  You can see my post here.

I'm happy to report I reached my goal.  I made twenty five Halloween cards with envelopes for Cards For Hospitalized Kids. I thought I would share a few of them with you.  They are all simple in design due to the number I wanted to make and time restraints.

I decorated the inside of each card with stamps and Washi Tape.  I don't know why I haven't thought of using my "collection" of  Washi Tape to embellish the inside of cards before.  I love using Washi Tape, instead of just collecting it!  I'm sure some of you can relate.

Here's a peek at the inside of two cards.

I hope you'll consider sending some of your cards to Cards For Hospitalized Kids too!

Have a wonderful week.

Seize The Sketch & Cards For Hospitalized Kids

Lack of creativity?  Pretty much.  For a good cause, absolutely! 

I was wandering around blogland this weekend and discovered Card For Hospitalized Kids.  This charity distributes cards to kids that are hospitalized and/or seriously ill. What could be better than to make a card for a sick child?

When my oldest daughter was born she was very ill, and was hospitalized for several weeks.  It was a devastating time for our family.  As you can imagine, this charity hit a nerve within me.  Fast forward to today; my daughter defied all odds!  She just started college and is happy and healthy.  To look at her you would never know she had such a difficult start in life.  

When I saw this Seize The Sketch this morning, I knew it was the perfect sketch to use for making multiple Halloween cards in a short amount of time.

Here's my card.  As you can see, I used the sketch exactly.  I will be able to duplicate this easily.  My goal is to make 25-30 cards and get them in the mail by Friday (for Cards For Hospitalized Kids).  I can do this! 

I made the coordinating envelope and added some designer paper to the inside for a little added excitement.

I hope you'll consider sending some of your cards to Cards For Hospitalized Kids.

Supplies:  Stamps: Tim Holtz Exclusive Halloween Kit for Archivers  Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black  Paper:  Card Base Stampin' Up Whisper White, Teresa Collins 6x6 Pad Masquerade Party  Accessories: Twine and a Button

Crazy 4 Challenges ~ A Sketch

Lately, I’ve been pinning sketches to my card sketch board on Pinterest, for those times when I need a little extra inspiration.  I recently pinned this sketch from Crazy for Challenges.  I love this sketch!

Here's the end result.  I wanted happy and fun as this is for a little guy.  No scary stuff here.

Pin It

Thanks for stopping by.


Supplies: Stamp: Penny Black  Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black  Paper: Cryogen White (great for Copics) Card Base Stampin' Up Whisper White  Designer Paper: Jillibean Soup and K & Company  Accessories: Twine, Sequins, Copic Markers, Button and Spellbinders Oval Die Cut

A Sketch Challenge

I love the simplicity of this weeks sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch .



 

After everyone went to bed last night I decided to stay up and play.  The end result is this five inch square card, complete with matching envelope.  Speaking of envelopes, have you tried the new Envelope Punch Board, by We R Memory Keepers?   Envelope making is a snap with this awesome tool.   

 



 

Here's a peek at the inside.

Supplies:

Stamps: Hero Arts & Rubbernecker
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Paper: Kraft, White & Designer Paper - Paper Studio
Accessories: Sequins, Bat Die Cut (Michaels)

Have a wonderful week!

One-Layer Wednesday ~ Halloween (OLW109)

Welcome to this weeks One-Layer Wednesday. This week your challenge is to make a one-layer card with a Halloween theme.  Can you believe Halloween is three weeks away?

The card size is 3 x 6.

I can't wait to see all of your creations!

OLW109 Rules

1. A one-layer card is defined as a single layer of card stock folded in half. No other layers allowed.

2. Make a one-layer card with a Halloween theme.

3. Post your cards online and link to them using the InLinkz button at the end of this post.  If you link  to your blog, be sure to link to the specific post, not just your blog's main page.

4. HAVE FUN!

Supplies:

Stamps: Unity Stamp Company, Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Paper: Stampin'Up Whisper White, Accessories: Prisma Pencils, Gamsol, Blending Stump, Baker's Twine, Stampin'Up Stamp-A-Ma-Gig

Happy Halloween

After trying this sweet Fall/Halloween treat, I had to share it with you.  It's so good, it's hard to eat just one piece!  I found the recipe on Lindsay's blog.  I hope you give it a try.

Happy Halloween,

Last Minute Halloween

Hi!  Thanks for stopping by.  Today's card is for the Less is More Polka Dots Challenge. Last night I discovered I needed a few more Halloween cards so the Less is More challenge was the perfect inspiration.

I also wanted to show you my Halloween hair pin.

I've been playing with singed flowers for a few months.  They're all over Bloggland.  I just love them.  You can find several tutorials for these flowers, but this one at Restorative Living also shows you different ways to use these beautiful creations.  I hope you'll give them a try.

Supply List (card)
Stamps: CTMH
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Bella Blvd, A Unity Co-Company, Stampin' Up Whisper White
Accessories: Tulle, Button, Twine

For a supply list for Singed Flowers, please check out Restorative Living.  She has a complete list of supplies needed for the project.

Happy Halloween...

Halloween Cards

I have a couple of Halloween cards for you today.  The first one is for the Clean and Simple challenge (CAS141) at SplitcoastStampers.  This is a sketch challenge inspired by Patricia's card.

Here's my card:

I was having so much fun, I made another card.

I hope I've inspired you to whip up a few Halloween cards.  You still have 6 days!  Thanks for stopping by.



Supplies
Pumpkin
Stamps: Rubbernecker
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Kraft, Memory Box Halloween
Accessories: Martha Stewart Pumpkin Punch, Stiff White Felt

Tree
Stamps: Hero Arts (image) A Muse (sentiment)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Kraft, Memory Box Halloween
Accessories: Bling

Halloween Week 1 ~ Another Post Today

Today's Free For All challenge at SplitcoastStampers was to create your own background.  I couldn't pass up this challenge. 

The background was created using Ranger distress inks.  You can see the tutorial here. 

Supplies: Stamps: Close to My Heart (image) PaperTrey Ink (sentiment)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Ranger Distress Inks
Paper: Shipping Tag
Accessories: Bling, Twine, My Favorite Things Rolled Rose Die, Cuttlebug Leaves Die and Shimmer Spritz-Gold

Halloween Week 1 ~ A Card

Hi!  Today I have a Halloween card for you.  I used this weeks Sketch Challenge at SplitcoastStampers. Don't you just love this adorable image from Penny Black?  This card is for a little person, so I didn't want it too scary.

Recently, I discovered Memory Box card stock at my local stamp store.  It comes in an assortment of amazing colors and the backside is white.  It's perfect for using as a card base.  Call me crazy, but I really prefer my cards to have a white inside (better for writing)!  Below is a look at the inside of the card.

I hope you'll stop by tomorrow with another Halloween project!

Supplies: Stamps:Penny Black (image) Michaels $ Bin (sentiment)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Memory box
Accessories: Copics, Ribbon

Halloween Week 1 ~ Tags

Today I'm here with the second Halloween project for the week.  I've planned five projects a week for my  3 Weeks of Halloween.  Now, not  all of these project will be cards, but they will be items you can make with all of your cardmaking/scrapbooking supplies you already have.  My first project fell into the Anything But a Card category.  Some of the other categories will be, but not limited too, Cards, Wearable Art, Packaging and Gifts.    

For today's category, I have Tags!  These tags are all made with dies (QuicKutz & Spellbinders). The possibilities are endless when we use our die-cutting tools.  I love tags because they are quick and easy, and so versatile. It's nice to have a few extras on hand for those unexpected times.

Supplies:
 
Mr. Skeleton Tag:
Stamps: Inkadinkado (image) Stamps Happen (sentiment)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Bazzill, Making Memories
Accessories: Twine, Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon, pom pom fringe, Spider Punch (Martha Stewart), Small Circle punch, Hole Punch, Sakura Gelly Roll Pen (to add shimmer to sentiment) and QuicKutz Die, Sewing Machine (I finally stitched on a card! Love it!)

Owl Tag:
Stamps: Rubbernecker Halloween Set 1
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, london Fog and Tangelo
Paper: Bazzill, Stampin' Up Whisper White
Accessories: Ribbon, Spellbinders Label Three

Pumpkin Tag:
Stamps: Memory Box (image), Hero Arts (sentiment)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Kraft, Memory Makers, Karen Foster, The Paper Studio, Bazzill, Cryogen White (for coloring with Copics)
Accessories: Twine, Copics, Spellbinders, QuicKutz, Sewing Machine

I hope I've inspired you to make some Halloween tags.  Please stop by later in the week for another Halloween project.

Cheryl

Halloween Week 1 ~ Anything But a Card

It's October and that means Halloween, right?  Well, that's what my daughters think!

I have some Halloween projects to share with you for the next couple of weeks.  I hope these projects will inspire you to create some Halloween fun!  My project today was inspired by something I saw in a small shop in Carmel, California this Summer. It was a collection of three old paperback books stacked one on top of each other with the covers and binding removed, tied up with twine and embellished with seashells.  Immediately, I filed this under "future projects".  After returning from vacation, I was on a mission to find some old hard back books. I thought hard back books would give this project more of a vintage feel.

Here's my Halloween version of the book display I saw in California:

When I found these books they were headed for the trash.  The pages were falling out, some even torn, and the covers were awful.

This project took no time at all once I found the books.  I used black tulle to tie them together and a Halloween pick from Michaels.  How easy is that?  I plan to reuse these books for Thanksgiving  and Christmas as well. 

I'm also linking my project to:

Itsy Bitsy Paper

Embellishing Life

Simply Designing


I hope you'll stop back by to see the rest of the Halloween projects I have planned this week and next.

Cheryl 

Sketch Challenge

Where did September go?  I can't believe it's almost October.  To me, October means Fall colors, sweatshirts, hot apple cider, and  of course, Halloween.  

Today my card is for the Less is More challenge.  The gals at Less is More have a sketch challenge this week.  I decided it was time to dig out the Halloween stamps.

Sketch:
 

Here's mine:

I used a Halloween Set from Rubbernecker Stamp Company.  I just love this set!  It has so many darling images and lots of sentiments!  Just in case you were wondering, No, I'm not on their design team. LOL!

Supplies: 
Stamps: Rubbernecker
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Tangelo
Paper: Stampin' Up Whisper White
Accessories: Ribbon, Ruler,Black Marker, Post-It Note and Circle Punch

I'm glad you stopped by.

Cheryl

Trick or Treat Mini Card (Love Note Size)

I just discovered a "new to me" challege tonight, CAS-ual Fridays. This weeks challenge is to create a mini card no larger than 4x4. If you've followed my blog at all, you know I love 3x3's or what I call Love Notes. I just love this size because they are perfect for slipping into a backpack, lunchbox, or even a briefcase. They are also the perfect gift enclosure.

This is my mini card and envelope:

Supplies:
Stamps: Michael's $ Bin (don't laugh)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Gina K Designs Pure Luxry Ivory, Pebbles, Inc. and Bo-Bunny
Accessories: Spellbinders and Spider Ring

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheryl