Halloween Count Down Calendar

Today I want to share with you two projects I recently made just for fun.  First is my Halloween Count Down Calendar.  This colorful calendar is built on the Magnetic Memo Board from Canvas Corp (which at $14.99 is a real steal).  The magnetic memo board slips out of the wooden frame at the top so it is easily covered with decorative paper.  For this project I didn’t even adhere the paper to the board so it can be removed and another calendar can be inserted.  Of course you might want to repaint the frame.  FYI:  The frame comes unpainted and I painted it with Claudine Helmuth’s purple palette.

I drew the calendar (7 boxes across and 6 down, each is 1½” square) and mounted it on black cardstock which I cut with pinking scissors for a decorative border.  Once the calendar was taped to the decorative background paper (Memory Box), I stamped the days of the week (7 Gypsies calendar stamp set) and mounted them on punched out paper and cardstock.  The letters were die cut using the Tim Holtz Vintage alphabet.  The word “Halloween” (Magenta) is self adhesive on one side so I removed the liner and glittered it in orange and black.

Then the fun began!  I dove into my Halloween goody box and found lots of cool ghosts, goblins and ghouls.  I created the magnets and adhered die cut numbers (Spellbinders alpha’s discontinued) to each.  My final touches were to add a “drippy goo” (blood!) border to the top and a graveyard border to the bottom (both Martha Stewart edge punches).  Wouldn’t any kid have a ball adding a new magnet to this fun calendar each day?  One note:  be sure to use very powerful magnets.

Home Sweet Home

As many of you know, I love fall and I have had such fun recently decorating my house with pumpkins and leaves in all the rich colors of fall.  I noticed that there were a couple places that could use some artwork so I decided to create a shadowbox that incorporated my love of mu home and fall.  I am totally hooked on decorating 7 Gypsies printer trays and I was inspired by a sample that Sharon Harnist created recently.  I started by cutting decorative paper (Basic Grey and Bo Bunny) to fit each of the six 4” x 6” openings then I just let my imagination wander.  I love all things pumpkins so I die cut one large and several small pumpkins (Spellbinders), distressed them with memento inks and mounted them in the first opening.  I strung a “gratitude” Senti-metal tag (Lasting Impressions) on brown twine and tied it to the large pumpkin.  Next I added a few tiny “pumpkins” that are really seed pods from South America – I picked them up in a wonderful little potpourri store in Cloudcroft over Labor Day.

The next opening depicts a house with a white picket fence which is what every little girl my age dreamed about having one day.  My house is constructed from some very architectural paper (Graphic 45) and it is red which is my favorite color.  When I was house shopping, I told my realtor I only wanted to look at red brick homes – quite a challenge in El Paso where most are beige stucco!  I added house numbers distressed with Distress inks and a pennant banner above held in place with die cut fall leaves (Spellbinders).  A little bird sings happily on the ledge!

The next opening is an homage to my home being my nest.  Credit for the “nesting” metaphor goes to Gail Boone, a talented stained glass artist who made two pieces for my master bath.  Gail helped me decorate my home after the remodel; she called it “nesting” and the idea of building a warm, cozy nest in your home really hit home.  I was reminded of Gail’s comments recently when my friend Denise Daniel told me she called her new vacation home in Ruidoso her “nest.”  The stickers I used for this part of the collage (7Gypsies) really express my feelings.

The next opening expresses the “sweet” part of the home (and the old saying).  I mounted some very old alpha stickers and a key to a die cut heart (Spellbinders) then added a ribbon and a flower to symbolize the garden.  The next part opening is devoted to journaling so the “Nest” tag pulls out.  The mini bingo card (Jenni Bowlin) is a perfect background.  Finally I had to add a tree because in my home I have many references to trees in art and handmade tiles.  I added a metal vine symbolizing growth and some autumn flower soft at the base of the tree.

Keep watching for more Printer Tray art – I have a wonderful project in mind for a class soon.  In the meantime, dive into your stash of goodies and see what you can create with a little imagination!

Tim Holtz Halloween Class – Sat, Oct 9 and Tue, October 12

Join us for this very fun class – choose either Sat or Tuesday!  You will make 4 cards and learn some new techniques!  Loads of fun and creativity – and who doesn’t love Tim Holtz products and Halloween!!! 

 

 

 

 

I look forward to seeing you soon.  Please shop locally!

Comments

[Denise Daniel]

Polly, I love the Fall Shadowbox. So cute. Thanks for sharing. xoxo