Halloween Treat Box - Bella BLVD Style!!

Well, it is officially Fall in the USA and nothing makes me feel it more than thinking HALLOWEEN! Check out one of my first project of the season...

I made this for my great niece's birthday gift this past weekend. I tucked a spot of cash, a bunch of Halloween pencils and a treat inside for this sweet little first grader. Wish I could be there when she goes shopping with her loot!

This cool pencil box was a gift from the kind folks at Bella BLVD. (I commented on their Facebook page during the last CHA and was the lucky winner of their giveaway.) Don't you just love this cute collection by Bella BLVD...it's called "Too Cute To Spook"?!! The cute little vampire came from the $1 bin of rubberstamps at my local Michaels store. I intended to give him a nice little Hero Arts haunted house but it ended up looking best punched and added to a spot of scalloped corrugated cardstock over some fun layers of black eyelash yarn and Cuttlebug stars and gems.

The kit I was sent was pre-cut so it took some doing to make this into my own version but I rather like the way it worked out. I colored the corners of the white cigar box with Memento tuxedo black with a little help from a black Copic marker. All the parts were antiqued with black too, black cardstock bottoms were added inside and out. I used the piece intended for the bottom on the back side (flip side with orange skulls & stripes showing) and beneath the "open at your own risk stamp. It was a challenge to make my own unique treasure with pre-cut pieces but I love the way it turned out!

Well, I'm running off to leave some love for Bella BLVD and enter my fun project in The Lily Pad's bling challenge. They say the challenge is for cards but since their DT made tags, I thought I'd give my box a go and see what happens!

Back to Reality...

Sorry about the unexplained hiatus! We've been on vacation in this household and tying up some loose ends from the end of another summer rental season as well as beginning some exciting new projects.

We had a wonderful stay at the Wyndham in the Smoky Mountain town of Sevierville! My DH, sister and 7 aunts and uncles from Ohio met for a week-long stay enjoying a great visit. Save for the long drive from Delaware everything was perfect including the weather...nothing like Fall in the mountains. We only had one day of rain and it was still warm enough to swim and enjoy the hot tub. Our resort was terrific and even had a putt-putt range. The family surprised us with a wonderful grandparent version of a baby shower...the surprise was even grander when were able to Skype the event with the expectant parents...our son, Justin and his wife, Michelle. What a terrific family we have!!

My next-door neighbor for the week was a well-equipped cardmaker judging from the bag of rubber I spied sitting on the windowsill! I had to refrain from knocking on the door to ask to join the fun :) So...if you were the party occupying room 1533...send me a hello!

Getting back home meant fullfilling a promise to my darling DIL who is expecting our first grandson next month! I have three 16" x 20" canvasses to make into a mixed media triptych of art for above the baby's crib. I'll post snippets from time to time over the next week so you can see it take shape. I hope the kids like it! I love the color scheme Michelle chose and had fun finding a few fabrics that match the baby's comforter to incorporate into my masterpiece. HA!

Have a great Sunday and stop by again soon...

Zippered Card Tutorial

Okay, so this isn't my card just yet but I thought it was such a cute idea. I just had to share a photo and a link!

The directions for this card can be found at Market Street Stamps and it looks like so much fun! I'd love to try this for a few special cards I tuck in to my never-ending box destined for OWH. It would also make a perfect Christmas money holder or giftcard holder too! I hope you'll give it a try soon.