Scrap Our Stash October Sketch Challenge "BOO!"

 Hi everyone - it is time to share the October Sketch Challenge from the Scrap Our Stash Blog!  This month the rest of the Design Team and I challenge you to use our sketch as your inspiration and be sure to include FALL or HALLOWEEN patterned paper and - Mixed Alphas.

I don't have many Halloween photos, and thinking back as to why, I guess it is because I love Halloween and I am usually too busy enjoying the moments, 

and having fun instead of taking pictures!
It also seems that I do not have much Halloween stuff in my stash so this too was a challenge for me! But, I was able to find these precious photos of my sons from 1996 and thought they would work perfectly for the challenge.
I decided to rotate the sketch one turn to the left to accommodate my vertical 4x6 photos and cropped the 3rd photo I had to make it fit.
I hope you like it!

Since Halloween paper is in short supply in my stash - I made the background paper by dabbing different color Ranger Distress Stains on a plastic bag that paper collections come in and then spritzing it with some water - and then laying the white cardstock down on it and letting it get "kissed" with color!  I really like how it turned out. I only had a small amount of that purple patterned paper -so those are small pieces that I tuck under the papers behind it - and the strip of the little bats was less than 12" long so it too was cut and pieced to fit.  I sure did use my "stash" on this layout!

I also used 2 different kinds of Alphas - one yellow and one purple for that part of the challenge!

My oldest son Nick who was 7 1/2 at the time, was a character from Goosebumps - we bought the mask and I painted the skeleton on a sweatsuit for him
- including a creepy heart and some creepy bugs!!

My youngest son Jake was 2 and made the cutest Batman!

Here are a few close ups for you:

I created a tag and made a pocket with 3D foam tape behind the bottom photo, so that I could include journaling about the photos and my memories.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Please be sure to check out the Scrap Our Stash Blog for complete Challenge and Prize info - Check out lots more inspiration from our other designers - and Link up your layout!! I hope you can play along with us this month and I can't wait to see what you create!

Stay Safe and Be Well and PLEASE WEAR A MASK!

((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Items used:

Fisker - Heidi Grace Designs "Halloween Spiders"

Bazzill Basic Paper - Arsenic & Lace, and Countdown

Ranger Distress Stains: Carved Pumpkin, Ripe Persimmon, Spiced Marmalade, Black Soot, Picket Fence

Thickers: Sunny and Fantastic

Jolee's Boutique -Glitter Spiders

Tattered Angels Raven Glimmer Mist

Smooch Spritz

Doodle Bug Design Chunky Brads "Spooky Town"

The Memory Nest March Sketch #36 - Meeting Jack

Hello everyone!   It is time for the second Sketch Challenge 

for March from The Memory Nest Blog.

This sketch was created by Crystal Schneider. I really like the "blockiness" of it - is that a word? - I don't think so, but hey, take a look at the sketch below and you'll  know what I mean!

First off - even though we as DT Members are given the sketch the month before, in this case February, I just wasn't "feelin'" the HEARTS at the time - Soooo - you know me (- I NEVER Scrap in chronological order -)  I decided to take you back a few months, oh, and a few years too 
- back to October of 2012!!

I really "scrapped my stash" here! I used a piece of Black Bazzill Cardstock for the base page.  The 2 strips of Halloween Pattern Paper have been hanging around FOREVER! as well as many of the embellishments too!  

The photos were taking in October 2012, on our first trip to Disneyland.  We are BIG Jack Skellington fans - (well, I am a BIG Jack Skellington fan, my hubby just follows my lead!) and I was SO excited to get to "meet him!"  We were there during Mickey's Halloween Party and LOVED all of the Halloween decorations throughout the park, especially how they change The Haunted Mansion Ride to 
"The Nightmare Before Christmas!"

You can see lots of embellies here.  In place of the hearts I used Mickey heads, chipboard swirls, spiders and even Mickey himself!  When printing the 2 vertical photos through Shutterfly, I selected the Halloween overlays that they offer.  I LOVED the look of the white zig-zag line, so I took my White Gel pen and used it to make my own lines on the black cardstock, all along the perimeters, to mimic the look on the photos. I also added Disneyland and the date in the lower right hand corner.  I LOVE how it turned out!

I thought this little Mickey Sticker was perfect for the photo of Jack!  Here you can also see a close-up of the lines that came on the photo, and the ones that I added to the layout.

If you've visited my blog before, you know that I love to make hidden pockets by adding my photo mats with with 3D Foam Dots on 3 sides, the slipping a tag with journaling about the photos on the layout inside.  This tag was inked with orange and black distress stains, and I added some Washi Tape, a bug sticker and some fun fibers to it too!  ( Now scroll back to the top of the post and see how it looks tucked in behind the lower left hand photo)

In keeping with the Haunted Mansion theme, these cute little tombstone 3D stickers came in the same pack with the frightened Mickey sticker  - ( yes I did replace the hearts in the sketch with tombstones!! LOL!!)  The little ghost was actual cut from a small length of ghost ribbon that I had in my stash too!

Well, there you have it - I thank you for stopping by, and hope you will play along with us on our 2nd Make it Monday Sketch for March - or Sketch #36.  I can't wait to see what you all come up with !!

((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Happy Halloween!!

Hi Everyone -  Tonight is "Goosey Night" here in my little neck of Northern NJ. I don't know many places around the country/world that call it that. Some say "Cabbage Night" or "Mischief Night" -but it is Goosey Night where I live!


Since tomorrow is Halloween - I want to share a "SPOOKY" kind of layout I made for a class I taught at a FUN scrap weekend, last week.  I will also be teaching the Water Distress/Tearing Technique at Scrap-a-Doodle Doo's's weekend event THIS weekend - and they will have KITS for sale at the event - and ON LINE - while supplies last!!!

I JUST LOVE Graphic 45's SteamPunk Spells, and I think the Water Distress/Tearing Technique helps to make this layout and the colors of the papers POP!

I also used Punchinella, Ranger Distress Stains, Feathers, and Chipboard Gears which I made SPARKLE with  Zig's Wink of Stella Brush Glitter in Clear - this stuff is SO HOT!!  LUV IT!!

I hope you like it!  Call the store 201-818-7060 if you want a KIT  $25.00 +shipping - while they last!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!


Thanks for stopping by!
((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Oct 26th Steampunk Spells 2 page Layout Class - New Windsor, NY

Hi Everyone!   I will have the opportunity to attend a CROP in New Windsor, NY, for the first time, with a new bunch of ladies next month ( Oct 26-27,) and have been asked to be a guest designer / teacher while there!!  I am very excited to meet this group, and to be teaching this class!!

It will feature Graphic 45's HOT NEW "Steampunk Spells" Collection, (just in time for Halloween)  and it will be filled with lots of FUN techniques! This 2 page layout (SNEAK PEEK below,) also features, Flowers, Feathers, Gears, Gems, Punchinella, even a Spider and a Metal Key!!
  
Students will learn: Water Distressing, Paper Tearing, Edge Distressing (with Ranger's Distress Stains,) Stamping, paper layering, and how to get the most out of your patterned papers. All techniques that you can use over and over on future projects too!
 
Class / Kits are LIMITED to 12 - Many components will be pre-cut. Complete Instructions will be included! 
  

I LOVE the colors in this G45 paper line and I'm happy with how this 2 page layout turned out!

If you are in the area, and are interested in attending - you do not need to attend the crop.  Just contact the organizer through the Meet Up Link to see if seating is still available.

PS - If any of you are attending Scrap-a-Doodle Doo's November 1-3rd Weekend Crop - I will be teaching this class there too!

Thanks for stopping by!
~ Sherri

Happy Halloween!

Just wanted to stop in and wish everyone a very

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

It was a CRAZY weekend here in NEW JERSEY - we had a HUGE Snow Storm on Saturday - I don't ever remember it snowing in October - and I believe I heard on the news that it has ONLY snowed in Central Park (NYC -@ 25 mins from me) for a total of 4 times, since THE CIVIL WAR!!  So it was kind of  a "FREAK" occurrence - which I guess is a great description around this time of year!

The trees in our area still have their leaves on them - and this made it a very dangerous situation, as they helped to hold onto the heavy wet snow, which caused many many trees and power lines to go down.  Many people - and quite a few of my good scrappy friends are still without power and heat - and I hope it is restored VERY SOON - as it is quite chilly outside.  I heard that over 3 million people were without power at one point!   I personally feel lucky and blessed that we only suffered a few downed tree branches in our yard, while many others were not so lucky.

I did have a great time on Saturday during the storm -as I was lucky enough to be able to spend it at THE DOO with some of my scrappin' buddies!   Throughout the day - many of us had phone calls from home, warning us of the treacherous situation outside - but since we were safe and warm in our favorite Local Scrap Store - we stayed put for most of the day and night - and only ventured out for home - near midnight- when the snow had slowed down somewhat  - and the streets were plowed and less crowded.  I think this was a good decision, although, I must say that the ride home was VERY SCARY !!!  I felt like Alice in WONDERLAND - Kind of like I had arrived in a dark, gloomy and treacherous world that was still hauntingly familiar.  I am so thankful that my 22yr old son was still awake - and was able to "talk" his old Mom home - through streets with VERY LOW hanging tree limbs - not just branches - covered with snow, and a few downed electrical lines - not to mention very few street and traffic lights!!  I was so afraid one of many leaning/hanging trees would come crashing down on my car, and had wished I had taken the longer, highway route home, but am very thankful that I made it home safely.

Well - it wouldn't be a complete post, if I didn't include atleast one photo  ......AND.....
It wouldn't be Halloween, if I didn't dress up - or put on some kind of a costume!!  I am usually the only one in my office who does - and they are use to my strangeness by now - so here you go!

Green Hair, Halloween Eyelashes, orange jewelry and my Halloween jacket -  BOO!!

I hope I didn't scare you all too much!! LOL!!  SO that was my TRICK - now here is a TREAT - check out these AWESOME Cupcakes made by my LOVELY Niece Danielle - (who is simply AMAZING!)

MUMMY Cupcakes!!



The Skeletons are made out of white chocolate covered pretzels -with Marshmellow heads!!


HAPPY HAUNTING - I hope you ALL get lots of candy!!

TWIX Bars are my favorites-  What's yours?  Leave me a comment - I'd love to know and appreciate the suggestions!! LOL!

Be safe and warm,
Sherri