Mocha Memories

Owl-fully Cute Treat Bag

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I am sure you are wanting to know more about my next Halloween treat bag.  So here it is....

There are several different renditions of this owl candy topper, so I thought that I would join in on the fun.  SU! Punches, a medium cellophane bag and the Top Note Die are all it takes to create this sad little fellow!

Try your hand with this little guy and make someone smile!

Be Inspired by Life,

 

• Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie (105117), Whisper White (100730), Chocolate Chip (102128), Close to Cocoa (101341) 
• Accessories: Medium Flat Cellophane Bag (102757), Scallop Circle Punch (109043), 1 3/8" Circle Punch (104401), 1" Circle Punch (109046), 3/4" Circle Punch (107217), 5-Petal Flower Punch (109041),Top Note Die (113463), Big Shot (113439)

Big Shot Boo Too!

If I used my Big Shot for Thanksgiving, I really needed to step back a holiday and give you a simple treat idea for Halloween! No gluing, no ink, no cutting!

I can't take credit for this idea as it has been floating around SCS, but it was too simple to pass up.  Simply use your Big Shot and the Scallop Envelope Die to cut out some Ghostly Greeting designer paper.  Place a Ghiradelli Chocolate inside and tie it up with a ribbon.  No need to tape the sides.  EASY PEASY!!!

Treats this cute deserve a special treat container.  I found this adorable trifle bowl at Wal-mart and knew that I would need it for a project.  I had a few Chills & Thrills rub-ons left so I decided that this would be the perfect project to combine the two. 

I knew that I wanted to use black cardstock around the top, but my cardstock was not long enough to fit all the way around.  Instead, I cut the cardstock in half and used it as the perfect opportunity to add some ribbon.  As the bowl is slightly slanted in, I only used mini glue dots along the top edge of the cardstock to adhere it to the bowl. 

Add some rub-ons to the bowl itself, more ribbon, chocolate treats, and you have the perfect little center piece for a small table next to your front door.  If you like treats, check out some owl-fully cute treat holders on Wednesday.  Until then....

Be Inspired by Life,

Stipple Brushes Meet my Halloween Spirit

I was inspired by SCS this week to get out my Stipple brushes.  These little babies had never been used due to sheer ignorance of what I could do with them.  After being inspired by a simple tutorial on stipple basics, I decided to give it a try on a Halloween card that I had been wanting to work on for awhile.

I love long cards and had not created one in awhile.  The finished card here is 3 1/4" by 6 1/2" so that it will fit into SU!'s small open-ended envelopes.  The focal image was stamped onto Whisper White cardstock with Basic Black ink.  I used my SU! ticket corner punch to give the image more interest.  I then used my Basic Grey to stipple the background on the white cardstock.  (Definitely play with this technique on a scratch piece of paper before trying it on your finished product.)  This helps to tone down the starkness of the white against the gray DSP.

I also wanted to mask my moon so that I could sponge the color on instead of using markers.  I am sure that I am not the only one that HATES to cut things out, but I figured that there was no way around it on this one.   THEN.....  I noticed that the 1 3/8" circle punch was the exact size of the moon.  NO CUTTING!!  I just punched my circle out of a post-it note and placed it over the moon.  Then I began to sponge away. 

Using some ribbon and some more of my Chills & Thrills rub-ons, I completed my spooky sentiment!  Have fun with this technique!

Be Inspired by Life,

 

Stamps:  House of Haunts (111574)

Cardstock: Whisper White (100730), Basic Black (102851), Ghostly Greetings DSP (112463) 

Ink: So Saffron (105213), Tangerine Tango (111834), Basic Black (101179), Basic Gray (109120) 

Accessories: So Saffron Twill (111364), Tangerine Tango Striped Ribbon (112371), Chills & Thrills  Rub-ons (111806), Ticket Corner Punch (107214), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Stipple Brush (101399)

Pumpkin Pot - 3D Thursday #10

I think that it is time for 3D Thursday to take a trip back to Halloween.  So with this candy-filled holiday in mind, I have been looking for some 'different' treat holder ideas. 

As I walked down the craft aisle at a local craft store, I noticed these small pots and grabbed a few knowing that I could certainly use them for something!  With my leftover Chills & Thrills rub-ons in hand, I knew that I needed to transform this pot into a chocolate-filled pumpkin.  I started by adding the rub-ons.  At one point, my wording around the rim of the pot became 'wonky', 'lop-sided', whatever you would like to call it - A MESS!  I began to worry as the rub-ons did not want to scratch off of the porous surface.  Then I remembered someone mentioning that the SU! Adhesive Remover works wonders when removing rub-ons.  I held my breath, rubbed a few times and off it came. 

TIP: So don't fret if you misplace a rub-on on your card.  The card is not lost!  Just get out your Adhesive Remover and it will be rub-on free in no time.

To give it a more true pumpkin feel, I also curled some black cardstock around a toothpick to create the vines.  I then simply tucked these into the ribbon.  With a few rub-ons and some ribbon, I had a pumpkin pot that was easy and fun to create.  So get creating with some spooky inspiration!

Be Inspired by Life,

  

Cardstock: Basic Black (102851) 

Accessories: Black Gingham Ribbon (104832), Kiwi Kiss Satin Ribbon (111879), Kiwi Kiss Striped Ribbon (111372), Chills & Thriills Rub-ons (111806), Flower Pot, Plastic Candy Bag, Sticky Strip (104294) 

Redecorate with Rubons - 3D Thursday #8

I love holidays, but I hate having to change out my decorations every 30 days this time of year.  I found an easy way to decorate with the same pieces all year round.

These tea light candle holders are the perfect center piece for my hall table.  This year I don't have to put them away as October approaches.  Using some of the Chills & Thrills rub-ons, ribbon and cardstock, I can convert these elegant candle holders to the perfect spooky spectacles. 

Since I wanted these to be temporary decorations, I did not waste my Sticky Strip on adhering the cardstock and ribbon as my Snail adhesive worked just fine.  As soon as the calendar whispers November, I will simply scrape the rub-ons off and redecorate for Thanksgiving. 

With these projects less is more - less to put away and more room for.......STAMPS!!!!

Be Inspired by Life,

BOO to You and Yours!

Well, it has been quite a week in the Hopps household!  I can't believe that it has been over a week since I posted last and even missed the SACRED 3D Thursday.  There has been so much going on with SU! and my family that I have barely been able to keep up.  Shame on me!

I can't pass up on a 3D project so my first post this week will have to be devoted to my passion, GIFTS!  Have you heard of people being 'BOOed' during Halloween?  NO?  The basics are to create a treat container that the recipient can place on their desk (at work) or on their door (at home) to show that they have been 'booed'.  Fill the container with candy or treats and secretly deliver it to a friend or two that has not been 'booed' already.  The lucky recipients will then repeat the process with a friend or two so that the holiday spirit spreads. 

The first container is one that I created last year with some now retired SU! designer paper and stamps.  I had such fun creating this little jar the first time that I decided to recreate it using some of our current Ghostly Greetings paper and Chills & Thrills rub-ons.

Simply start out with an empty spaghetti sauce jar.  Create the handle with some 'picture-hanging' wire wrapped around the top of the jar several times.  The main image for my updated version is created with Chills & Thrills rub-ons on vellum cardstock.  To mute the colors, I used my markers on the back of the vellum while filling in the 'boo!' rub-on.  I adhered the vellum to the jar using my Sticky Strip.

To make the vellum stand out, I cut strips of Ghostly Greetings DSP and layered them over the edges of the vellum.  As usual, ribbon is a must.  I tied several pieces of coordinating ribbon onto the bottom of the handle.  Now it is ready for you to fill and pass on the fun! 

Here is the poem that I include with my jars:

The air is cool, the season Fall

Soon Halloween will come to all

Your friends are after things to do

In fact, a friend brought this to you

On your front door is where it hangs

It wards off Winter’s icy pangs

The things that came with coupled note

Are yours to keep, enjoy them both

The fun begins when friends like you

Will copy this and make it TWO

The others here among our friends

Will give Halloween treats that will not end

Don’t forget a nifty treat

Like something cute or something sweet

Please join the fun, let’s really hear it

And spread some Halloween spirit!

I have converted the above poem as well as direction card into a pdf file for you to include with each container you create: 

Download booing_poem.pdf

Until next time....

Be Inspired by Life,

• Cardstock:  Vellum Cardstock(101856), Ghostly Greetings DSP(112463)
• Ink:  Pumpkin Pie Marker(105115), Old Olive Marker(100079)
• Accessories:  Sticky Strip(104294), Chills & Thrills Rub-ons(111806), Pumpkin Pie Grosgrain(109030), Basic Black Grosgrain(109027), Black Gingham(104832), Kiwi Kiss Satin Ribbon(111879), Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon(109064)