Ding Dong The Witch is Dead!

... but her hat survives! (Sorry for the blurry picture.) I found this cute little idea surfing some blogs tonight. It was somebodys' last year's idea - how could I have missed it for a whole year?!

So, it's a 3 1/2" circle, cut in half. Then put some Sticky Strip around the half circle rounded edge. Peel and stick that to the edge of a Miniature Reeses peanut butter cup. That makes the cone top part...

Then put a couple Dimensionals on the Peanut butter cup and stick it to a Black Punched Scallop Circle - Tie a Pumpkin Pie Grosgrain ribbon for the brim - and you have a Witches Hat!

Cute, huh?!! I used a scrap piece from the Cast-A-Spell Designer Series Papers for the hat, but you could use anything. By the way, I used the New Circle Scissors Cutter to make my 3 1/2" circle - really starting to like it, especially now that I know how to use it!! You can bet we'll be using it soon in a class!

Hope you had a good Monday,

Julie

A Cool Target Find!

Today I had a couple quick things to get at Target, and I saw these extra-miniature tin buckets in the dollar section, 2 for $1. That silly dollar section is so tempting - "Oh, it's just a dollar - I'm sure there's something cool I can make out of this!!" So when I got home, I sized up the Halloween rub-ons - and they're a perfect fit! I made a pretty simple little tag to hang from the handle with punches and a Happy Haunting stamped pumpkin. Then I added another rub-on to the tag (I'm determined to use them all up before Halloween!). Of course, some Halloween M&M's in a small cello bag finishes it off just right!

Hope you had a nice weekend! Thanks for stopping by,

Julie

Little Boo "on the Halloween Roll!"

Just a quick post tonight, cause I'm in the middle of mass producing Halloween Class parts! Gotta love the Big Shot - otherwise some things would just not be able to be reproduced - or at least not for this years' holidays! Anyway, I'm still on the Halloween roll! I even put out my Halloween decorations at home. It's always a major haul from the attic and back, but I love all the little guys and stuff!

Anyway, while in the midst of all my Halloween class stuff and Halloween stuff at the house, I stamped a quick "Little Boo" in Elegant Eggplant, colored in his little jack-o-lantern and punched him out with a 1 1/4" circle punch. Then I layered that onto a 1 3/8" circle punch in Pumpkin Pie. Then I layered all that onto a "sandwich" of Elegant Eggplant scalloped circle punches and a yummy Peppermint Patty inside!

A super simple little treat to give a friend! And the stamp is a bargain Halloween investment at only $6.95! Little Boo is at the back of the catalog in the Single Stamp section!

Hope to see you Friday for some more Halloween crafting fun!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie

Pumpkin Tote!

I found this cute little idea from a blog, The Queen's Scene. She is the queen for figuring this one out! The tote is made from three Pillow Box Dies from the Big Shot. Then the bottom is held together with three 1" x 4" strips of cardstock stuck from tab to tab. And a 4" circle is set inside the bottom to keep the bottom closed up. The handle is a 1" x 11" strip of Old Olive held on to the sides with black brads. And, the face was created with punches - 1" circles for eyes and pieces of small ovals for the center of the eyes; the mouth is from three small pieces of the corner punch all stuck together. The nose is just a free-handed triangle!

It makes a pretty good-sized tote holder for treats. I used quite a bit of filler in the bottom before putting the cello of candy corns in it. But, it could be a good project when you want to give lots of treats!

Hope you're having a great weekend,

Julie

A Quick Fancy Favor for Halloween!

I made this quick little Fancy Favor Box with the Big Shot tonight. This seriously took me all of about 5 minutes total to make this. I used the Batty For You set with the 1", 1 3/8" and Scalloped circle punches. I dimensionaled that onto the box front with a strip of Cast a Spell Designer Series Paper around it, dropped in a cello of Candy corn, and Wah-Lah!

I really like working with the new 1 1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon. At first I thought it was a little bulky looking, but now I really like it. It's especially light weight which makes it easy to work with!

I hope you're having a great week! Thanks for stopping by,

Julie

My Digital Studio - Lookie What I Did!

Today I decided to try out the New My Digital Studio software. Wow!! I thought stamping was addicting, but I think this may be a whole other addiction! I downloaded the discs, and I actually made a couple simple pages, but this one is a "custom" designed page - I would have never thought I could "custom" design a page right out of the shoot!

Once the software is downloaded, you pretty much just click on things and drag them where you want them. The pre-designed pages are SO super easy! You pick a layout design, click on a picture (which some sort of magic thing in the program finds all the folders and pictures that are on your computer - even ones I didn't know were there - my crazy kids!), and the program actually sizes the picture to fit into the layout (this is amazing to me!). I know that was a long sentence, but the point was that this program made the set up so easy that I actually decided to make a custom page to start!

Anyway, this is a little preview. But I know I'll show you more stuff soon. And, the scoop on all this is that it will be available for purchase on October 1st! So far, I have played a little, saved and emailed some of the creations, but we will have professional print services available when you are able to order the software. So, printing will be all ready to go for your projects when you order in October - even Christmas gifts (or cards, or calendars... there will be so many possibilities!).

Have a great day.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie

Upcoming Halloween Class!

Hi Stampin' Friends,

Next Friday, September 25th I will be having a Halloween Giftables and Decor Class! So, I wanted to show you what we'll be making at the class. Scroll down through the pictures for details about RSVPing for the class!

We will be making these 5 projects. At the top is a Happy Halloween Doorhanger. Then, across the middle is a M&M Matchbook Treat, a Rub-On Votive Holder, and a Chest of Candy-Filled Drawers. Along the bottom is a BOO Banner.

The Happy Halloween Doorhanger is made from chipboard pieces and Cast-A-Spell Designer Series papers. We'll also use some Chunky Black Glitter to spook up the edges! (Thanks to my Stampin' Friend, Liz for the inspiration on this one!)

The BOO Banner can be easily strung from a mantle or shelf by setting something on top of the Black Grosgrain tails on either end. Again, we'll use lots of chipboard pieces (all cut for you by me!) and Cast-A-Spell Designer Series papers.

Another view of the BOO Banner hanging from a shelf!

For a little Giftable treat, we'll also make this "Chest of Drawers," really made from three Matchbox Dies from the Big Shot (and pre-punched by me!).

Inside the drawers you'll wrap 12 nugget candies in Cast-A-Spell Designer Series papers to coordinate with the box!

Then we'll make a super-fast Votive Candle Holder with a Rub-on from the Spooky Treats Rub-ons, and tie a ribbon around it. The candle is included too!

We'll also make this quick little M&M treat holder from cardstock and Designer Series Papers - an easy to replicate idea that you can use with other treats at home!

More candy included!

So, the class will be next Friday, September 25th, and it is limited to 10 people for each time slot. It will be at 10:00am - 1:30pm, and then again from 6:00pm to 9:30pm. I would like RSVP's by Sunday, September 20th so I can order supplies.

The class fee for all of the projects will be $25. Part of your supplies will be a half a pack of the Cast-A-Spell Designer Series Papers. I will be cutting these to size for your projects (along with all the other cardstocks and materials), but you will receive the Cast-A-Spell "left-overs" shown below for making more quick giftables at home!

I hope you will come by for some Halloween fun and crafting next Friday! Please remember to RSVP by Sunday, September 20th so I will have materials cut and ready for you.

Happy Stamping,

Julie

Sneak Peek For Friday's Class!

Here's a sneak peek for Friday's class this week. This is the Wiper Card Technique. It's a pattern that is super easy to do. And, the reason it's called a Wiper Card is because it makes a "windshield wiper" movement when you open it. You pull from both sides, and you get this....

Kind of a fun little card! The stamp set is an oldie, but a goodie, called Enjoy Every Moment. We'll use the Tall Tales Designer Series Papers for the background, and then accent with Rose Red and So Saffron cardstocks. And, the cool parts are the Filigree Designer Brads and Rich Regals (So Saffron) Brads in it's center that accent the center of the "O" in enjoy.

I hope you'll be there on Friday to make this fun card. If you're there, you'll see that the mechanics of this pattern are super easy to make.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie

A Pumpkin Patch Halloween!

Wow, maybe the big "cool down" in the weather has gotten me thinking Halloween again! Sheesh, it was a chilly 83 degrees this afternoon, and I almost had to put a sweatshirt on! Just kidding, boy it was nice to not have the high 90's today! But I am feeling the Halloween mood sneaking up on me. I keep thinking I should take out my Halloween decorations. But maybe I'll at least wait till the Labor Day weekend is over?!

Anyway, I made this card using the new set, Pumpkin Patch. I love the little happy faces for these guys! The set is in the new Holiday Mini Catalog (by the way, you should be receiving this in the mail if you're on my mailing list - but I know they were delayed in shipping from Stampin' Up! For now though, you can go to my website, http://www.juliebeltramo.stampinup.net/ and click on Promotions to see it online).

I used some scrap pieces of Designer Series Papers from Thoroughly Modern and Cottage Wall. I layered that with pieces of Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, and Soft Suede. I also added some Olive brads up in the corner. Pretty simple!

I hope you have a great Labor Day weekend!

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie

Lots of Family Birthdays!

I think I'm finally catching up on all our August family birthdays. We had lots!! Anyway, this was a card I made for my brother-in-law. I used the New Autumn Splendor set from the Holiday Mini catalog; and I used the good old On Your Birthday word set for the greeting. The greeting is punched with all the Oval punches - small, large and scallop.

For the cardstock, I used Bermuda Bay, Whisper White, Sahara Sand and Soft Suede. I also used the Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Papers. And, the ribbon is the Soft Suede Polka Dot ribbon (even though the dots aren't showing - I like that about the ribbon, you can twist it around to use the side you want!).

Hope your week is going well!

Happy Stamping,

Julie

Sweet Centers Embossed in Black!

Today is the first day of the Holiday Mini Catalog sales period!! We can finally order and show the cool new stuff that Stampin' Up! has in store for the holidays! So, you did get to see this set in one of my previous posts, a sneak peek. But now it is available for purchase. I think I mentioned before how versatile the set is. It covers a lot of seasons/occasions.

But I LOVE this little Halloween stamp. Here it's embossed in black (which I think gives it a great sleek finish! - and easy to color in). Then, it's all trimmed up and layered on Old Olive and Pumpkin Pie. The strip of coordinating colors is from the Cast-A-Spell Designer Series Papers - Love those a lot for tying it all together! The new 5/8" Grosgrain ribbon is knotted around the DSP. And, the 1 3/4" circle that was punched out the center is what I used to "tag" it on the front. Also, there's a scrap of Eggplant Grosgrain mini glue dotted on the tag - there's always a place for those scraps of papers and ribbons.

And, of course, the coolest thing is the little Sweet Treat Cups that hold the Jelly bellies - it's all about the candies! Those little cups make it sooo cool!

If you're coming to my September 11th Technique class we'll be using this set, but I'll be changing up the design.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie