Halloween Altoid Tins

 Last month we had a play date to alter altoid tins using halloween as inspiration.  This is one of mine - with a vintage image of a boy and girl - but added a pointy hat and some butterfly wings.  I got little glass bottles for everyone to add potions to their tins.

 Here is another one of mine - with a plastic glow in the dark skeleton and a white rat with an orange feather tail.

 Here is D's box filled with creepy things and black netting to hold it all in.

 Here is S's box - she used a larger tin with a window - there are two sets of eyes inside.

 Here is the back of Z's with a vintage witchy image.

Here is the front of Z's- - with a shiny moon and a creature terifying a young girl.

 Here is the tin from K showing more of those cool glass bottles filled with beads.

Here is a book cover K made to enlose her tin.

L made two tins even thought she could not spend the day with us.  I have images in an email i cannot seem to attach to this blog!  Sorry L.!

Happy Halloween!

 Here are some simple collage cards i made a few weeks ago.  Instead of actually mailing them to anyone - i used them as wall art to decorate my office for the month of October.

Most of these cards were made with the Graphic 45 Halloween in Wonderland 8x8 paper collection.  Each card is an 8x8 sheet of scrapbook paper just folded in half, for a generous sized card.  The papers are also double sided - so they are just as cool on the inside!

Here is the complete paper collection!  Special thanks to my friend Karen for sharing!

Craft weekend Teaser

Here are some shots of my craftastic weekend with Karen.

Matchbox Swap - What I Received!

Here are the two matchboxes i received from the Curiosities Swap.  The top one from "jay" and the bottom one from "ell".  J's box was so charming and vintage looking with the tea stained floral fabric and gently aged floral lace applique.  L's box was more traditional halloween colouring with graphic patterned paper and nice crinkled ribbon holding a date charm.

Imagine how wonderful it is to take the first peak inside!  These babies are jammed packed with goodies!

Here are L's contents - i love the crisp colour palette especially the addition of the chartreuse.  Along with the paper medallians were some scatter sequins, two brass name plates, some creepy potion labels, spider web playing cards, black wings, feathers and beads.

I thought this was a clever way to "trade" washi tape.  Attach to a glossy card for easy removal.

Like me, both gals added some "extras" that were not inside the matchbox.  Ell included a six pack of glitter, some sparkly foam stickers, pipe cleaners, pencils, ribbons all contained in the coolest halloween goody bag!

Here are the contents of J's box - some lovely vintage lace and ribbon, a collection of shell beads, mini acorns and pumpkins, a spool of linen twine and a sweet little metal salt shaker.

J's little "extra" was not so little!  She cleverly used a charming book cover to sandwich a stack of goodies, tied with rayon seam binding and a vintage key.

Inside the bundle was an assortment of fabrics in rich tones, a cabinet card, a cool brochure and a couple of those illustrated items from Michaels - in this case some key rub-on's and a notepad with biniculars.

Thanks to both ladies for participating in this swap!  Sound like something you'd like to do?  Stay tuned to Heather's website and blog for the next Petite Inspiration Matchbox Swap!  Maybe we'll be swap partners!

Curiosities Theme Matchbox Swap

I participated once again in Heather's Petite Inspiration Matchbox Swap.  The theme was "Curiosities". 

 You could choose to do black and white, halloween, or just vintage.  I chose to do a sort of halloween steampunk collection of goodies - and used Heather's graphic as my inspiration, even included a large faux vintage key!

 I covered my box with text and images from an old Sear's catalog (reproduced) with various potions and elixers.  I added some purple and black ribbon to the edge and applied purple lace with a black button to the end of the box. 

 Here is the array of doodads i wanted to put INSIDE the box! I pulled together an assortment of cool vintage, metal and halloween themed items.

 Here is a cool idea - stamping on muslin. The spectacles and  bicycle are stamps from Michaels dollar bins.

 I purchased several containers from TAP Plastics to house the little things like buttons and metal findings.  You can see them in the middle above, little plastic vials, the clear purple box, the flat box, a square box.  And no, you are not seeing double!  I always make sure each of the two boxes contain the SAME items!  Not required - but it makes it fun to set my own restrictions!  Or else i'd never know when to stop!!

 Here are some small vintage-y images i put in a glassine envelope with a cool eye sticker.

 Here are large items that would not fit in the box - but i added along for the ride.  The vintage illustrations attached to a sheet of orange trading stamps are rub ons from Michaels.   I put them all in the black paper goodie bag with the cat's eyes.  The orange "happy halloween" is one of those foam cut outs.

 Here are more of the papers, napkins and transparencies i included.

 Here is how everything looked when it was ready to get packed up. The purple coffin is some kind of putty from CVS - more "modern" than i like - but i liked the colour matched my theme. I just love that butterfly ribbon. You can see what fit into the box, including a porcelain doll arm and some ribbons and lace.

 Here are a few more shots of my completed box.  I created a black tulle ruffle along with some purple shimmery ribbon to create a "nest" for a black raven bird from Michaels.  I made a crown out of a gold wire star, by bending it into a crown shape - then added some additional bling with sticky rhinestones.

My final touch was another muslin printed with the word SECRETS tied with a bit of ribbon and loosely draped over the bird. 
Be sure to check out examples of the other participants swaps here on flickr.
Here is my swap last year.

Happy Halloween

This is a little black cat inside the back of a stretched canvas.

This is a little black cat inside the back of a stretched canvas

I don't know why, but this week i have typed Halloween several times

(including just now), h-a-l-l-o-w-e-e-D! Must be that TV show!

Vintage postcard image turned into a shadow box collage

I am spending the day, nay the whole weekend, getting my craft room ready from Crafta-pa-looza next weeekend, when my mom, sister and niece will descend on pasadena for 5 days of creative bliss. Well, and shopping. And eating some fine food too!

So as i sort the contents of my craft room, i give you halloween collage from years past.

Mini notebook altered with a young witch

a collage on canvas board with stencilled bird

Page from an altered calendar featuring various haunted houses

Another calendar page with a Poe theme - including a hungry raven

Here is a calendar round robin page with a glitter spiderweb

Here is another calendar round robin page - where i just went with what was in the book and added a stamped bat and cat and foam letters to wish you all a happy halloweed, i mean halloWEEN!