Using Leftover Packaging to Make Halloween Decor

This will be my last Halloween project.  I spent Saturday creating Christmas cards for an upcoming local class and it was so exciting to play with all of it!  If you are in the Pittsburgh, PA area, I invite you to the 5 Cards of Christmas at the Sewickley Public Library on November 12.  Event details are found here.  I am IN LOVE with the cards we're making!

When I opened my package of Coffin Treat Boxes to make this treat holder, I was impressed with the sturdiness of the chipboard backing.  I saved it, knowing I wanted to make something out of it.  This is that something!  

It's quirky, it's weird, but I adore it!  The images were cut from a sheet of the Monster Bash Designer Series Paper and added with Stampin' Dimensionals.  This particular sheet stumped me when it came to cards, but it was perfect for this project.  I randomly sponged Memento Tuxedo Black ink on the tissue paper.  Follow along with the photo tutorial as I show you how to create the foundation.

Gather your supplies - Mod Podge, foam brush, chipboard piece, and tissue paper.  Start with tissue much larger than the chipboard piece, but there are no exact measurements for this.

Using the foam brush, cover the chipboard with Mod Podge.

Lay the tissue paper on the Mod Podged side of the chipboard.  Gently scrunch to create wrinkles.  If it accidentally tears, push more tissue paper over that spot.

Flip the chipboard over and add Tear 'N Tape along all four sides.

Trim the tissue paper and clip the corners on a diagonal (this makes for neater folded corners).  Remove the Tear 'N Tape liner.

Fold over the tissue paper edges and press onto the adhesive.

Punch some holes in the finished piece and run Basic Black Scalloped Ribbon through them, knotting it at the top, to create a hanger.

I made a second decor piece using the same process.  I accidentally deleted the photo of it but I do have the side-view close-ups. 

For this one, I die-cut a bunch of frames from the Ornate Frames dies set and added them with Stampin' Dimensionals.  Some images were stamped (from Spooktacular Bash), colored with Stampin' Blends, then trimmed with Paper Snips.  I added some retired Pumpkin Pie Glimmer Paper and stuck on the crows from the Monster Bash Enamel Shapes pack.  You can make any color glimmer paper by using a sponge dauber and ink pad to add color to Sparkle Glimmer Paper.

It's great when we can make decorative pieces from things we would ordinarily toss.  I have a weakness for sturdy chipboard.  Here are two other fun uses:

• Make a mini album - of a vacation, senior portraits, school pictures, Christmas through the years, your baby month-by-month.....there are tons of ideas!
• Run it through a Xyron with a magnet cartridge for homemade die storage

You'll find the supplies for these projects in my online store.  Just click on the link and it will take you straight to it.  I appreciate your business!

Coffin Treat Boxes

Basic Black Scalloped Ribbon

Spooktacular Bash Bundle (10% discount)

Monster Bash Designer Series Paper

Monster Bash Enamel Shapes

White Chalk Marker

Stampin' Blends

Stampin' Dimensionals

Sweet 'N Simple Monthly Card Class

Local live teaching (Pittsburgh, PA area)

Event details here

Spooktacular Bash In Sparkly Purple

I've REALLY gotten into Halloween this year.  I think it's because my kids no longer trick-or-treat.  My creative energy no longer goes into making costumes for them.  Check out the baker's rack I keep in our living room.

I found the black tree at Tuesday Morning several years ago and it's one of my favorite decorations!  I made a bunch of diaper fold pouches to tuck in candy and they'll hang from this tree on trick-or-treat night.  It'll be a fun way to pass out the goodies!  And that sock bat! *sigh*  My 17-year-old made it in kindergarten.  

Now it's time to check out this week's Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge.

In keeping with my obsession, I made a Halloween card.

The Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather, and Basic Black are making my Halloween-loving heart go pitter-pat!  I layered a piece of DSP from the Monster Bash pack on to a Basic Gray card base.

I used 3 of the dies from the Ornate Frames die set to cut the Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather, Basic Black, and Basic Gray cardstock pieces and layered them.  The jars were stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink, colored with Stampin' Blends alcohol markers and fussy cut.  I love layering card pieces and tucking elements around those layers!  

The multi-colored greeting adds another bit of interest to this card.  Use a sponge dauber to add Highland Heather ink to the top half of the stamp and Old Olive to the bottom half.  Easy wow!

Two more easy extra touches: 

 ~Wink of Stella on the 4 Gorgeous Grape die-cut pieces.  This photo shows the beautiful sparkle!  Wink of Stella has a paintbrush tip and the sparkly solution is in the pen barrel, so all you do is brush it on the cardstock.  

 ~I used a Dark Basic Black Stampin' Blend to color the Polka-Dot Tulle Ribbon.  I did this same technique with a Dark Granny Apple Green Stampin' Blend on this celebration card here.  Use the brush tip of the Blend.  You won't damage it because you will barely have to touch the ribbon.  Because it's alcohol ink, it flows right out the minute you touch tip to ribbon.

  

Don't forget to stamp the inside of your card.  We want to keep the fun going for the card recipient!  Speaking of recipients, this one is getting mailed to a home-bound woman I write to monthly.  We began our correspondence over 5 years ago through my church.  I love writing and creating cards, she loves getting them and reading my ramblings - it's a win/win!

Monster Bash Designer Series Paper

Spooktacular Bash Bundle

Monster Bash Enamel Shapes

Stampin' Blends (Ivory, Dark Granny Apple Green, and Dark Basic Black used)

Polka-Dot Tulle Ribbon

Shop my online store here

Two Come To Gather card kits with any size order in October.

My gift to you!

Use Host Code GZU4ASKR (no exceptions, please).

I don't like rushing holidays, but I know many like to start now on Christmas cards.  I'll have three on Friday's blog post, each featuring a different coloring technique (one being my first attempt)! 

Hershey Nugget Cakes - Facebook Live Video

It's a tradition for me to make Hershey Nugget Cakes for each of my three girls to take into school.  They pull them out at lunch time and their friends go crazy!  Instant popularity.  Friends bought.  Mission accomplished.  

That was a joke - I am not trying to buy friends for my girls!  I just need an excuse to buy Hershey nuggets and making these cakes is it.

Emma's cake 

Alaina's cake

Caitlin's cake

There's no need for me to write a tutorial - I'll link you to the one I followed.  

Nugget Cake

My rings for the cake tiers are 1" wide strips cut from cereal boxes.  I cut three: 10", 8", and 6" in length.  Each was formed into a circle with the ends stapled together.  I fit 6 nuggets on the top tier, 8 on the middle tier, and 10 on the bottom tier.  It depends on how you staple the ends together, though.  You may fit 7, 9, and 11 on your tiers.

The top uses the Spooktacular Bash bundle of stamps and dies plus Monster Bash Enamel Shapes and Basic Black Scalloped Ribbon.  I colored in the images with Stampin' Blends alcohol markers.  That little ghost makes me smile every time - he's SO CUTE!

To get the images to stay standing, I taped toothpicks to the backs of the ghost and Dracula pieces.  The sentiment has a paper "easel" glued to its back.

There were gaps in my tiers where I couldn't fit another nugget but the cardboard ring was exposed.  To hide that, I added some frames and stamped images from the Spooktacular Bash Bundle.  The images were colored with Stampin' Blends alcohol markers, too.

Tear 'N Tape and lots of hot glue were used to hold these cakes together.  LOTS of hot glue!  In some of the photos you can see the hot glue.  I don't aim for perfection when I make something - I aim for joy!  Joy in the making, joy in the giving, and joy in the receiving!

I did a Facebook Live last week showing off all my Halloween projects (more than just these cakes).  Every project I show in my Live has a printable tutorial for you.  They are on my blog here.  My excitement in the video is a little over-the-top but I REALLY love this stuff!



As always, I am grateful for you choosing me as your demonstrator.  My aim is for you to have the BEST stamping experience - it's a job I absolutely love!  Thank you for ordering with me!

Spooktacular Bash bundle (10% discount)

Monster Bash Enamel Shapes

Monster Bash Designer Series Paper

Basic Black Scalloped Ribbon

Stampin' Blends alcohol markers

Shop with me here

Catalogs at no charge!  Email me

6 Days of Halloween - Day 6

It's the final day of the 6 Days of Halloween.  Have you liked this?  Did you find at least one project you'd love to make?  If so, please let me know in the comments.  It's wonderful to hear from blog readers!  If you missed the previous 5 Days' projects, here they are:

Day 1 - Spooktacular Mini Treat Bag
Day 2 - Snack Size Candy Holder
Day 3 - Coffin Box of Treats
Day 4 - Monster Bash Candy Bar Wrapper
Day 5 - Ghostly Diaper Fold Candy Pouch

Day 6 is an Open If You Dare Mini Shipping Box

These mini shipping boxes hold a good-sized amount of candy or gum!  They are a hidden gem in the annual catalog on the bottom right of page 172 (item#149492).  

Can you find the other surprise element?  It's the Shimmer Detailed Laser-Cut Specialty Paper (item #149611 pg 169)!  I snipped a few "sprigs" from a 12" x 12" sheet of it and used a sponge dauber and Memento Tuxedo Black Ink to color the shimmery side.  

The Basic Black Scalloped Edge Ribbon from the Holiday Catalog (item #150449 pg 54) is incredibly soft and it drapes beautifully (notice how it lies on the box above).  It also ties into a bow easily and is pretty, too.  My roll is almost empty because I've used it on so many projects (I was pretty generous with it on my Halloween Coffin Wreath here).

Click below to get the free tutorial for today's project.

You can find today's project supplies in my online store.  Click below to shop now!

Halloween Coffin Wreath Tutorial

Details here.

Use Host Code RCRTAFKX

Designer Series Paper Sale-Buy 3, Get 1 Free!

Use Host Code RCRTAFKX for Bird Ballad tutorial.

Click the image to see all the options

Thank you for playing along with my 6 Days of Halloween blog series!  If you'd like to see other blog series like this, please let me know in the comments.  It is a blessing to interact with you!

6 Days of Halloween - Day 5

It's day 5 of the 6 Days of Halloween!  This has been a dangerous series to create - there are chocolate hazards all over my craft room!  I'm pretty disciplined in most areas of my life, but NOT when it comes to sweets!  Here are the first 4 days in case you missed them:

Day 1 - Spooktacular Mini Treat Bag
Day 2 - Snack Size Candy Holder
Day 3 - Coffin Box of Treats
Day 4 - Monster Bash Candy Bar Wrapper

Day 5 is a Ghostly Diaper Fold Candy Pouch

Isn't that ghost peeking out so adorable?  He looks like he's mischievously eyeing the candy, plotting a way to grab it and run.  This diaper fold has been around for awhile and for great reasons:

• it's easy and quick so a lot can be made in a short amount of time
• it's easily adaptable for any occasion 
• it holds affordably-sized gifts/treats
• it uses a 6" x 6" piece of paper so there are zero scraps from a 12" x 12" sheet

Click below for the free tutorial for this project.

You can find today's project supplies in my online store.  Click below to shop now!

Halloween Coffin Wreath Tutorial

Details here.

Use Host Code RCRTAFKX

Designer Series Paper Sale-Buy 3, Get 1 Free!

Use Host Code RCRTAFKX for Bird Ballad tutorial.

Click the image to see all the options

Thank you for coming by and stop back tomorrow for Day 6's Halloween project, the final one in this series.

6 Days of Halloween - Day 4

Welcome back!  It has been SO hot this week in Southwestern PA and I don't tolerate heat well.  Winter is my favorite season because I love the cold and snow.  Maybe I should be making Christmas cards this week instead of Halloween projects, just to pretend it's an icy wonderland outside!  My husband would be horrified to see that statement - he dreads winter and relishes every minute of heat and sun we get.  I suspect he's in the majority and I'm a wee bit out of the Normal Box!

We are on Day 4 of the 6 Days of Halloween!  If you missed the other 3 days, here they are:

Day 1 - Spooktacular Mini Treat Bag
Day 2 - Snack Size Candy Holder
Day 3 - Coffin Box of Treats

Day 4 - Monster Bash Candy Bar Wrapper

My husband and daughters always love finding a surprise like this in their lunch boxes.  It's also a great Halloween party favor.  And if you're THAT house that gives out full-size candy bars, it's an easy but unique way to pass them out (that was the Million Dollar Jackpot on trick-or-treat night when I was little!).

Wrap a piece of Monster Bash DSP around the candy bar and tie it off with Basic Black Scalloped Edge Ribbon and Whisper White Baker's Twine, die-cut and stamp a few frames from the Spooktacular Bash Bundle.  Add a couple Monster Bash Enamel Shapes and it's done and oh-so-fun!

Click the image below to download a free pdf tutorial.

If you need the supplies to make today's project, click below to shop my online store.  

Halloween Coffin Wreath Tutorial

Details here.

Use Host Code RCRTAFKX

Designer Series Paper Sale-Buy 3, Get 1 Free!

Use Host Code RCRTAFKX for Bird Ballad tutorial.

Click the image to see all the options

Thank you for coming by and stop back tomorrow for Day 5's Halloween project!

6 Days of Halloween - Day 3

It's Day 3 of my 6 Days of Halloween Blog Series!  If you missed the first two days, you can find the projects and free tutorials here:

Day 1 - Mini Treat Bag
Day 2 - Snack Size Candy Holder

The coffin treat boxes in our new Holiday Catalog are adorable!  They hold a just-right amount of candy or gum to give a special something to someone special.  They also could hold chapstick tubes or gummy fangs.

Day 3 - Coffin Box Treat Holder

I won't say how many bags of Riesen I had to buy to fill this one box!  Check out the embossing on the coffin - I used the scrollwork mask from the Basic Pattern Decorative Masks package and a Versamark ink pad to emboss that with clear powder.  I used this technique on a fall card in my blog post here.

Click image below for Coffin Box Treat Holder tutorial.

A clever idea I saw on page 53 of the Holiday Catalog is to line the coffin box with the Real Red Ruched Ribbon.  Isn't that so creative?

  I hope you are enjoying this blog series.  If so, please share it on Facebook!  I so appreciate you, friend, and these tutorials are meant to show my gratitude.  You can shop for the supplies for these blog series projects in my online store here.

Last Day to Sign Up for the Perfectly Plaid Christmas Card Class!

Details here.  

Through September 30

Details here.

6 Days of Halloween - Day 2

Welcome back, friends!  Did you like yesterday's Mini Treat Bag tutorial?  Let me know!  To show my gratitude to my frequent blog readers, customers, and commenters (that's you!) I am having a 6-day blog series that's all about Halloween treat holders.  Each day I'll show a project and give you a free tutorial that has photos and detailed steps so you can make them, too!  They're FUN!

We're on Day 2 and it's a Snack Size Candy Holder.

I put a Kit-Kat in mine but other brands work (Nestle, Milky Way, etc.).  These holders were a HIT when I passed them out to trick-or-treaters a couple years ago.  They also are quick to make, so if you have many to make this is a perfect project.  I love how the Ornate Frames dies show off Mr. Dracula here (he's from the Spooktacular Bash set).  There is a ghost in the set that would work just as well here if you want a cuter look (anyone remember Casper The Friendly Ghost?).  

Click the image below for the Snack Size Candy Holder tutorial.

This is the BEST crafting season of the year!  Click the catalog below to see all our gorgeous new offerings for the holidays, or ask me for your own catalog package!

Tomorrow is the Last Day to Sign Up for the Perfectly Plaid Christmas Card Class.

Details here.

Today is the Last Day to Sign Up for Bone Appetit, the special edition Paper Pumpkin monthly kit.

Click here for Paper Pumpkin details and to subscribe.