Peek-a-BABY Boo

Have I mentioned my love for all things Halloween?  It may be a slight obsession but really nothing to worry about.  I did grow up in a house that was haunted, but there are so many other reasons to love October 31.  The cool weather, the rustling leaves, the spookiness of darkness coming way before dinner.  The air smells crisp and fresh with just a hint of winter on the way, and the colors of nature...oh the glorious colors of nature just exploding for all the world to see. Impossibly beautiful.  I started planning my costume mid-summer while my friends were busy enjoying the heat.  I was the kid who collected for UNICEF and actually gave the money to UNICEF while friends ran out and bought more candy.  Sam Giancana (AKA Momo) was our neighbor and we scared ourselves silly trick or treating at his house. He (OK, his housekeeper) gave out FULL SIZE boxes of Cracker Jack with a QUARTER taped to the bottom of each box!  A quarter was worth about 1.3 million dollars to a ten year old way back in 1965.  Ahhh, the memories that warm the heart.  So yeah, I really do adore this time of year and "Baby Boo" is my latest creation and my homage to all hallows eve. I've included a few photos but you can check out my flickr for lots more.  I do love him/her (?) but I need to release "Baby Boo" to the universe.  Check out my shop where this Halloween treasure will soon be up for adoption.  I'm teaching this weekend at SSM (their site is STILL down so no linky love, folks) to a sold out class, so I'm off to get kits and goodies together. I'll leave you with the immortal words of the late, great Steve Jobs: "there is no reason not to follow your heart...stay hungry, stay foolish."  


Now go create some foolishness of your own.  

Baby Boo.

up close and personal

rear view mirror - ha ha

take a peek inside

lots of goodies

Linkapalooza

I haven't won any additional giveaways but I have been busy setting dates for future classes.  My teaching schedule between now and Christmas is pretty full: 10 new classes and a new store, too; in addition to C3, I'll be teaching in Mundelein at Stamp, Scrap, 'n More (SSM in Laure language).  It's a friendly place with a welcoming atmosphere that's chock full of all sorts of artistic goodness. Conrad and Peggy are the husband and wife store owners; they're super nice and really know how to make a person feel at home. I'm teaching a new LARGER paper bag album and a matchbox book ornament, and I've also added a few new classes at C3. Please check both websites for details and PLEASE support your LSS (local scrapbook store). The big box stores are great for a quick supply here and there but there's just no contest when it comes to friendly, GENUINE customer service, unique products, superb classes, and talented instructors.  Too many independents have closed in recent years and the crafting landscape has suffered from these losses. C3 and SSM are gems that deserve your patronage; if you're in the area, stop in and see what you've been missing.

Since I promised I'd show what I made with Tim's giveaway goodies, I've included a few photos of one of the Halloween paper bag albums I whipped up, soon to be looking for a new home on Etsy.  Another one is currently at C3 as a class sample.  I really like Tim's Kraft Resist Paper Stash Cardstock, which was a big surprise to me.  I hardly gave it a glance when it was introduced. Truthfully, I would never have bought it.   I'm all about color and pattern and the paper just seemed so...plain.  Boring.  Brown.  I'm happy to say I was wrong.  So very wrong. First off, the paper is sturdy and heavy, a must when making books and albums.  The texture is lovely and the resist pops with the addition of inks or stains.  I used this paper as backgrounds and added the color I so desperately  need with images and ephemera and distress inks here and there and VOILA...perfection.  I see lots more kraft resist in my future.  

"Poison Halloween"

Is that the new distress color seedless preserves on the 31?
Why yes it is.
And it's AMAZING.

BOO!

This photo really shows the resist.

On a totally different note, here's a link to a short video featuring my creatively awesome daughter Julie. She works with CLIMB Theater Company and this is just a tiny sample of a bit of what she does to make the world a better place.  Warning: only watch if you are immune to severely adorable children.  I mean besides Julie.  This is an extreme cuteness alert.  Seriously, you have been warned.  And yes, I am in competition for the coveted Most Links in a Single Post award; did I win?

Tim Holtz + Halloween = SWOON

I used to wait for a sign, she said, before I did anything. Then one night I had a dream & an angel in black tights came to me & said, you can start any time now, & then I asked is this a sign? & the angel started laughing & I woke up. Now, I think the whole world is filled with signs, but if there's no laughter, I know they're not for me.

~ Brian Andreas

I can't believe I've won 2 Halloween give aways in 2 weeks.  I didn't do anything spectacular or creative or amazing.  I simply left a comment on a blog and just happened to be the lucky winner of Red Lead's box of Halloween awesomeness.  And then I did the same thing again on Tim's blog.  And I won. Again.  If it makes you feel any better please remember I haven't been able to 'win' a job for the past 14 months.  I wish I could leave a comment somewhere and get lucky on the employment front but for now I'll gladly take these Halloween wins as lovely signs from the universe to hang in and keep the faith. At the very least it's a big old super dee duper positive event (or two) and I'm gonna enjoy the good mojo for as long as I can.  Here's a glimpse of the goodies received:

winner winner chicken dinner!

LOVE the paper stash.  Can't wait to whip up a few albums!

Halloween tokens.  Stains.  Perfect Pearls.  Texture Fades.  *sigh*

Seasonal stickers and halloween adornments.  
Oh yes, they will be put to good use.

The Man himself.  Thanks, Tim!

Me and Tim, 2005.

Ah, signs from the universe.  I own the Brian Andreas print that opened this post.  I adore his art and his words and I do believe that signs are everywhere, everyday.  I met the angel in the black tights years ago and just like it says, if there's no laughter, I know they're not for me.  Always go for the laughter, even if you're laughing alone.  I wish you a creative and sign filled day.

Red Lead + Halloween = SWOON

I entered a random drawing contest on the fabulous Red Lead blog.  I enter a lot of contests because I figure someone's gotta win, right?  Well, someone does gotta win and this time that someone was ME.  Oh happy day.  Did I mention I LOVE Halloween? And Red Lead?  Love, love, LOVE their rubber stamps and just about everything else they sell.  They're less than 6 hours from my house and I've never been, but I will eventually get there.  Someday.  Let's just say they're on my list of places to go for an art weekend if I ever become gainfully employed, as well as being on my dream list of places to teach.  So I won and I've spent a whole week remembering I won at odd little times of the day and night and then smiling big, happy, Halloween smiles.  People stare and back away at times but hey, I'm used to that.  So imagine my screams smiles when I found my package in today's mail.  

I actually restrained myself from tearing into the envelope until I got my camera and THEN I tore it open and went crazy.  Here's what I found:

OK, I'm an artist.  Presentation is everything, whether in gifts or words or dress or food - really anything.  When people buy something from Little Joys Studio, I wrap it beautifully and lovingly; it's like getting a present before the actual present.  So I was thrilled to find this lovely box and pad of Halloween paper festooned in yummy fibers!  So inviting, so sweet.  That extra touch that makes you feel oh so special.  To all you impatient people out there (you know who you are) yes, I did eventually open it and here's what I found waiting inside:

But you want a closer look, don't you?  I don't blame you one little bit:

Stamps and charms and chipboard, oh my! Buttons and glitter.  Have I mentioned just how much I adore buttons and glitter?  I could write a whole post on my obsession with buttons and all things sparkly.  Fibers and paper and tags and baubles, and a big plastic spider thrown in for good measure. Thank you Chris and Sharon for offering this awesome giveaway, and thank you to my own lucky stars for being in alignment when the winner was chosen.  

I'll leave you with a sneak peak of a new Little Joys creation that will be landing on Etsy.  Hopefully soon.

IF I can stop playing with my new goodies.   

"Oz Baby" Altered Art Block

BOO!

I am SO over summer.  I'm definitely a cool weather kinda girl, always have been.  My earliest memory of hating the heat was age 4.  It was summer and my mother was pregnant and probably in need of some down time, so she told me to play in the back yard. I was hot and miserable and since she firmly told me to STAY OUTSIDE, I stripped naked except for my double knotted PF Flyers that I couldn't get untied, and rode my red tricycle to my grandparent's house (three blocks away) naked and free and COOL. My grandpa came to the door and while I don't speak Italian I do have a universal understanding of anger.  Luckily the anger wasn't directed at me.  He scooped me up in a scratchy wool blanket (excuse me, I'm HOT) and carried me back home while dragging my trike behind him.  Oh my, I remember Grandpa's face being SO red as he "talked" to my Mom, his daughter-in-law.  My mother didn't speak Italian either, but she seemed to understand the general theme of the conversation. You can see that my dislike for heat goes way far back.

Anyway, in an effort to trick my mind into thinking it's beautiful fall weather, I've been working madly on halloween art for my Etsy shop.  I love halloween and I love creating halloween art.  Here's a sneak peek of a few pieces that will land on Etsy soon.  Stay cool and imagine falling leaves and crisp breezes and apple cider.  I'm gonna go see if my bike tires have air.

Whee!!!!!!!!!!