Hello and happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend. The Husband and I went to a crab feast Sunday. Love love love the taste of Maryland blue crab but don't feel the same about crab picking.

This week the Beary Scrap design team is showing a few more samples for our current "Happy Fall Y'All" challenge. This has been a fun one for us! In this final stretch, the DT's extra "challenge" is to add glitter to our projects. Oh yea, this is a stretch! Haha - just kidding! Really, the challenge should have been to abstain from the glitter.... hmm... that gives me an idea for future challenges. *grin*

I'm still on my Halloween kick. This week I pulled out the My Mind's Eye Haunted papers with the delicious velvety texture.

The bat lady illustration is from the magical internet. I truly appreciate sites like The Graphics Fairy which share vintage and antique images. The flocked background is MME's "Harlequin" paper and the while swirl layer is found on the B-side of "Halloween Checklist". [Yes, I'm showing my age...]. Other layers are made from Bazzill Basics.

The bat background was stamped with Distress Ink in Black Soot, then each bat was covered with Rock Candy Stickles. This is one of those cards that looks much better in person - the bats are pretty cool if I do say so myself! *ahem* I used a blend of Dusty Concord and Black Soot Distress Inks on the edges, then sewed them together. All embellishments are from my stash, including really cool web ribbon that Patricia sent as a RAK last year. I've been hoarding it with 12" left for the next project!

Thanks for visiting today! You still have a ton of time to enter your fall-themed project in our challenge. You could win $20 from The Beary Scrap!

Cheers,
Susan

TBS DT: Halloween Kitty

Hiya crafty folks! Happy Monday to you. i don't know about *your* neck o' the woods, but Autumn has arrive here in the Mid-Atlantic region of the States. Along with this blissful season comes fruit flies. *sigh* But we won't talk about that...

This week the Beary Scrap design team is sharing samples using our new theme challenge "Happy Fall Y'All!" We're adding a little extra challenge to use buttons on our projects. I'm not a button user, I'm a button hoarder. I love vintage buttons and managed to force myself to use three vintage glass beauties.

The paper is Authentique's Blissful 6x6 layered on Bazzill Basics orange and ivory. The vintage image is printed on textured paper and enhanced with Glossy Accents on the wording and Rock Candy Distress Stickles on a bit of the pumpkin. Sorry it's not easily seen in these photos; the sun was setting and working against me. The black rhinestone swirl (ooh, could that be a kitty tail?) is Prima Say it in Crystals Black.

 Luckily for my vintage button fetish, I have three cards of these black beauties. : )

Thanks for visiting today. I hope you get a chance to enter our Fall-themed challenge before September 30th. There's plenty of time to play with us!

Cheers,
Susan

TBS DT: Snake-Oil Salesman on Halloween (Updated Photo)

Hi folks! Happy Monday to you. I hope you had a nice weekend. Husband and I took a train up to NewYork to see a Broadway show. I love New York and all the hustle and bustle. I'm not going to take up your crafty time talking about the 9/11 anniversary, but I want to share one little experience with you.

As we sat in Penn Station to come home Sunday morning we could hear a pipe and drum band marching by outside. It was 8:35am and up until that moment the Amtrak station was full of the normal buzz. One by one, I could see the recognition of that sound dawn on my fellow travelers. I don't believe there is a sound more profound than a bagpipe, and a band can tear at the fibers of your heart while celebrating life, love and liberty. (Ok, I'm Scottish... can you tell?) The train station fell silent for a bit as we listened. It was a rare, truly poignant moment.

So this week the Beary Scrap design team is wrapping up our September sketch challenge and introducing an oh-so-timely theme challenge. As a way to spice up our final sketch samples Gini, Patricia and I are including our favorite embellishments. How easy is that?

[Update: I added the black swirls.]

I've used 3 favorites on today's card: lace, sewing and decorative pins! Haha - why chose just one when there are so many? The papers are from Authentique's "Glowing" 6x6 pad, and the image is one of my favorite vintage finds. The skeleton is a bit of a snake-oil salesman, isn't he? I have a whole collection of these Antikamnia Chemical Company calendar images (in full-color; black & white seemed perfect for this card, though). They really are quite amazing!

Card Recipe

• Image - vintage Antikamnia Calendar skeleton printed twice and layered
• Paper - Authentique's Glowing 6x6 pad; Bazzill Basics in orange and black; Canson Mi-Tiente white
• Medium - Ranger Distress Ink in Rusty Hinge and Vintage Photo; Ranger Stickles in Black Diamond
• Embellishments - Prima Say It In Crystals Borders Black; handmade decorative pin set; lace and flowers from stash
• Tools/Adhesives -border punch; corner punch; Scor-Pal; Scor-Tape; Fabri-Tac

Thanks so much for visiting today! There is still plenty of time to get your September sketch challenge project entered (by midnight EDT Wednesday) - you might win a $20 gift voucher to The Beary Scrap!

Cheers,
Susan

TBS DT: Spooky September Sketch

Hello hello my pretties... It's Monday and time for another project from me! Happy Labor Day to all my US friends. I hope you can relax today!

This week the design team is continuing with samples --and perhaps a little inspiration! -- for our brand spankin' new Beary Sweet sketch challenge. I got a little witchy with Authentique's "Glowing" 6x6 pad.

I used 4 different designs from the pack, including the polka dot spider. I stamped the sentiment onto scraps created by one of the layers. The stamps are individual letters that I laid out askew for a fun, messy effect. Actually, that's a lot about this that's distressing, including the chewed edges, sewing lines all over the place and pulled edges of the lace and tulle.

I have to give big props to Lori for inspiring me to make my own rosette for the very first time! Her card last week featured a rosette and I whined a bit about not having a rosette die. She pshaw'd me and showed me the way with a strip of paper and a handy dandy Scor-Pal. We don't need no stinkin' rosette dies! Thanks, Lori! We'll share a tutorial on it soon. :)

I was thinking of just using "tea party" and reveling in the double entendre, but decided to steer it in a less *ahem* political direction. The off-white threads behind the top text is a bit of cheese cloth.

Inside includes a ton of space for a spooky sentiment as well as more lace and a fun diamond pattern design from the stack. 

Card Recipe

• Image: vintage image found online and spiced up for a lush print
• Paper: Authentique "Glowing" 6x6 paper pad; vintage witches printed on ivory Canson Mi-Tiente paper (I love the texture for vintage images); Bazzill basics in black and orange; Rosette is made from a random strip of paper found in my stash
• Medium: Stickles Diamond on spider; Ranger Distress Ink in black and vintage photo on edges
• Embellishments: Hand made rosette; Kaisercraft black pearls; lace, cheese cloth and mirrored bird from stash
• Adhesives: Scor-Tape and Fabri-Tac 

Thanks so much for visiting today! We'd love to see what you can create using our September sketch - you could win a $20 gift voucher from The Beary Scrap!

Cheers,
Susan

TBS DT: Tilda Jumps for Joy!

Hello crafty friends! It's Monday after a busy gardening weekend, which means I'm feeling achy but good after all that weeding. Phew! Who knew some weeds just don't die over the winter? I've got this wicked grassy stuff that sends out runners and .... oh my, you don't need to hear about my herb bed woes. Let's take a look at this week's Beary Scrap Design Team card, then! *So* much more fun.

We have a new sketch challenge for you, and I was inspired to color up a Magnolia stamp. I *know*! It's been a long time, but Tilda doesn't seem to be bothered - she's jumping for joy!

I layered her up and used copious amounts of Star Dust Stickles. The papers are the fun and springy Old World Cabbage Stew from Jillibean Soup. The butterflies are vintage images printed and cut out - I added wire antennae and Stickles for a little more detail. The pins are homemade.

Our Beary Sweet Sketch challenge goes on through May 14 - we'd love to see your entries based on this sketch. C'mon over and play!

Card Recipe

• Stamp - Magnolia
• Paper - Jillibean Soup Old World Cabbage Stew; Bazzill Basics in Mud Pie and Guacamole
• Medium - Copic for skin tones; Prismacolor pencils blended with OMS for the rest of Tilda; Stickles Star Dust; Distress Ink in Vintage Photo on the paper and flower edges
• Embellishments - 16mm Mulberry Paper Rose (white); Kaisercraft Pearls in snow; all others from stash
• Tools - Scor-Pal; Ranger Blending Tool; Honey Bee Scissors; trusty sewing machine
• Adhesives - Scor-Tape 1/4"; Fabri-Tac; EK Success 3D Dots 1/8"

Challenges, Please [Wow! I haven't been able to enter so many in AGES! Thanks for your consideration!]

• The Artistic Stamper (5/31) - Lovely Ladies and Gorgeous Girls
• Magnolia Down Under #94 (5/7) - Lace and ribbon
• Magnolia Stamp Lovers (5/7) - Flowers
• Totally Tilda #21 (5/7) - Paper Piecing
• Totally Gorjuss #78 (5/6) - 1-2-3 [1 - Neglected Magnolia, happy to see ink!; 2 - handmade stick pins; 3 - pretty pearls]
• If The Shoe Fits #77 (5/5) - Things with Wings 
• Stamp Something (5/5) - Things with Wings
• Fussy and Fancy (5/5) - Springtime [See how happy Tilda is for Spring flowers?]

Thanks for visiting me today! I hope you enjoyed my Tilda, too.

Cheers,
Susan

TBS DT: Dracula Edwin

Hello hello! It's Monday, and you know what *that* means... It's my day to show you a Beary Sweet Challenge-inspired sample. Our BSC #12 challenge is to use misting on your project, and I've Glimmer Mist'd the heck outta Dracula Edwin and his lair. No, it's not garlic-flavored Glimmer Mist! I'd like to keep this little cutie around for a while, but he's already spoken for. *sigh*

I did "the usual" with pearl Glimmer Mist - spritzed the flowers (except the velvet Petaloo), black branches and vintage vampire fang tag. The best part of my misting, though, is the dry-embossed coffin - I dipped a teeny tiny paint brush into the Glimmer Mist bottle and painted the embossing! How cool is that?! I also painted Edwin's bow tie, purple cape trim and shoe strings. I really like the effect and definitely plan to use it with other mist colors.

Here is a glimpse of the easel flap. Inside is a panel for Happy Halloween greetings.

Card Recipe

• Stamp: Magnolia
• Paper: Bazzill Basics* Raven, Guacamole and Orange; Cosmo Cricket Haunted, available in-store; Neenah - vintage tag printout
• Medium: Glimmer Mist Pearl; Stickles Black Diamond; Color Box Fluid Chalk in Charcoal; Copics for skin; Prismacolor pencils 
• Embellishments: Petaloo velvet flower and leaves; Prima flowers from the little baggie Kimm sends out with online orders;Bazzill tulle; Robin's Nest Dew Drops; RAK black webbing ribbon from Patricia; Swarovski crystals (on flowers) from stash
• Tools/Adhesive: Cuttlebug embossing folders; Scor-Tape 

Thanks for stopping in today! All week you'll find inspiration for our current Beary Sweet Challenge on "Misting". You can use any kind of misting embellishments - even handmade ones. Come join us for your chance at a $20 gift voucher to The Beary Scrap!

Cheers,

Susan

Baby Boy Baptism - Aww!

Hello dear friends! I'm here on a rare Thursday to share a card made for a friend. I dearly love this card (um...er... is that bad?). The baby is a vintage image I found poking around the internet. I loves me some Google!

Challenges

• Sentimental Sundays #15 (8/14): Anything Goes plus a sentiment
• Cupcake Craft #103 (8/15): Lace
• Papertake Weekly (8/15): Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed Something Blue
• Colour Create #51 (8/25): Ivory, Duck Egg Blue and one other color
• Stamp Man #2 (8/13): Take 2 Colors (blue and ivory)
• ABC Challenge (8/15): A is for August 
• Bunny Zoe's #3 (9/13): Vintage

Card Recipe

• Image: vintage
• Paper: DCWV "Be Mine" stack
• Embellishments: pearls, crochet lace, charm, pins from stash
• Medium: Stickles Diamond; Color Box Fluid Chalk Ink
• Tools: Spellbinders tags
• Adhesive: Scor-Tape 

Thanks for stopping in!

Cheers,

Susan