Thinking Christmas?

by | Nov 29, 2019

The Neighborhood Is Buzzing With Excitement …

Getting the Christmas lights up and all the associated decorations … I’m not aware that it’s an official neighborhood competition, but it does seem to be with some … 

I’m not part of that group … It’s not that I have anything against Christmas or Christmas lights … It’s just that I don’t necessarily like following what others are doing. When I’m ready and have the notion to do so, I’ll put up my Christmas lights and lawn decorations … Until then I’m not going to be all lit up …

Plus I Did Not Give The Neighbors The Satisfaction Of Taking Pictures And Giving Compliments

Just call me Scrooge … 

Quite a few years ago I wrote a post about making a Christmas tree using books. This was exciting!! You could use old books you had on hand or gather up some from a thrift shop or used book store. Just add lights and you have a very interesting conversation piece …

You could use whatever else you have handy … CDs or DVDs … Perhaps add those with hardcover and paperback books … Perhaps you do jigsaw puzzles and would like to have a stack of those along with other items to make your unique Christmas tree … I’m wondering about using Tarot Decks … That may prove to be interesting.

We have hobbies and collections of things that may lend themselves to a very original display in the shape of a tree … Weave in the Christmas lights and you have a homemade Christmas tree … 

This could be a fun family project … I wonder how favorite toys would work … Or collectables … You tree could have a very unique shape … This may make it more unique and an expression of your family … Make it yours …

It’s Always Fun To See An Idea — A Christmas Tree Made Out Of Books And Create One Of Your Own To Express Your Interests Or Those Of Your Family

Include them in your project and it will bring more meaning to the holiday season …

I love tradition, but I’m all into creativity and imagination. 

I was thinking about food containers, too — different boxes of favorite foods … tins, too … My goodness, you could use just about everything … On your next shopping trip for groceries, you may just be thinking about this post and the book tree …

Thanks for stopping by!

Sharon

Thanksgiving Week 2019

by | Nov 26, 2019

It’s Cold And Windy … May Be Bringing In Some Rain Clouds …

I’m truly excited that autumn is here!! There is truly something exciting about colder weather that gets me motivated to accomplish so very much more … It seems to be an exellent time for creativity in whatever form that takes …

Years ago I made an autumn tree … it was a artificial Christmas tree … I put it in a colander and decorated it with fall items … Decorate it with things of the season … spooky Halloween stuff … Thanksgiving items … things to do with baking and being harvest … also being thankful …

It may be worthwhile to create one for all seasons … Or include them all together in one tree … I’m sure you’ll find your interests blend quite well together from season to season …

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It’s Always Fun To Be A Kid Again And Play In A Pile Of Leaves …

And excellent opportunity for you to go around the neighborhood and see how many families are working together raking leaves and kids playing in them …

This is a good time to get out in nature and see all the abundance around us … We are very fortunate … If we would only look around …

That’s the beauty of having a smart phone, you can always take pictures or videos … As well as reaching out to family and friends. 

Update: Thursday, November 28, 2019 — Happy Thanksgiving

We’re experiencing rain and in the higher elevations snow … It’s all quite exciting!! 

I’m not out playing in the leaves … I’m cozy and warm inside with my precious Yorkie … It’s a nice day to sit with family and friends telling a few tall tales or even some ghost stories … I encourage you to visit my new website CryptKickers.com where you’ll find some interesting ghost stories and paranormal investigatiI’mons … I’m finding many are using their smart phones to capture apparitions and paranormal activity … They find it much handier to work with along with their ghost hunting equipment. I find it all quite interesting that a smart phone has all the bells and whistles to do several tasks to make life so much easier.

I do hope everyone is having a delightful Thanksgiving!! Hopefully, no one is stuck on the roads … This is a busy traffic day to get to friends and family … Be safe!!

Many of you may be looking forward to the Black Friday sales … I do a lot of shopping online … It’s a great way to upgrade your cell phone … and to get a bit of a headstart on your Christmas shopping … maybe for some December birthdays, too.

I Love Holidays And The Seasons …

Life is to be enjoyed and shared … At one time I thought all of this social media was a waste of time … But it truly is a way to connect with friends and family and meet new people with shared interests …

I was watching a Live YouTube presentation a few days ago and the woman asked about everyone’s Thaniksgiving plans … Then said, “please don’t tell me you’re going to be alone … That makes me sad …” Well, it doesn’t have to be sad … Sometimes things don’t work out … We can’t get to our loved ones … But we can reach out to them … It doesn’t have to be physical contact … The internet connects us quite nicely …

We create our happiness … We share it online with friends, family and strangers … This could be a good thing … Many YouTubers do what they do to reach out to others … They share parts of their lives … and if we care we follow them or subscribe to them … Look for the positve … don’t get bogged down in the drama of others … 

Have a great Thanksgiving … enjoy this week and the following weeks closing out 2019 and welcoming in a new year …

Thanks for stopping by and upgrading your cell phone … it is greatly appreciated 🙂

Sharon

It’s Never Too Early To Begin Planning For Halloween

by | May 3, 2019

And These Coffin Treat Boxes Are Great For Your Ghost Hunting Friends.

They’re not just for Halloween … but if that is your plan, it is best to begin early — you’ll need to make dozens and dozens of these.

I received a comment from a Grandmother who said her granddaughter would love these!! I agree!! She will probably want her grandmother to make up a lot of them so she can fill them with sweet treats and hand out to her friends … or depending upon her age, she and her friends can make their own …

My friend Ray O’Bannon over at Ravensblight has a whole selection of coffins from which to choose to make any spooky celebration special.

You may find some other items of interest you’d like to make from his Toy Shop — they’re all Haunted Paper Toys you can make. Just print them on your printer using cardstock, follow Ray O’Bannon’s instructions with illustrations and you’ll have some great haunted items to display at your Halloween Party or decorate your house or buffet table …

Just click the images on the page and you’ll be taken to the Ravensblight website to select which of the coffins you’d like to print out.

Here are the links if you’re a bit impatient:

This will give you quite a lovely selection of boxes to have around to decorate your home … or to hide some special sweet treats. I do like them all and have used those with a more square shape for other occasions when I needed an interesting treat box. A footlocker type of box is excellent for kids going to camp or college students going off to school … And, of course, all the ghost hunters who love spending time in cemeteries …

I’m a great fan of the haunted houses. Ray has quite a selection of these and even a grave yard … You can have some fun making a lot of his paper toys. I thought I saw a new one … The Gothic Chapel. It even has a hidden chamber …

I do need to check it out … and you can, too. Click Here.

Sorry … I got a bit distracted. This always happens when I take a stroll on over to RavensBlight and look around. It definitely feeds my imagination and reminds me of Real Ghost Stories I’ve heard and collected over the years … Let me see if I have one that will go along with coffins, grave yards … and a Gothic Chapel … That definitely seems like a tall order … 

It seems that just about every place is haunted or has a haunted history … or ghost hunters or urban explorers spook themselves when they go out exploring and doing their 3 o’clock in the morning challenges. I know I can get a bit creeped out just walking around my backyard during the wee hours of the morning — I sometimes hear strange sounds I can’t identify and wonder if they’re paranormal in nature …

Here are two videos One by Patty of the G Team and the other by Stacy of Misguided Road Trips on a very scary adventure they had at The Shadow Cemetery out in the woods — far away from anywhere …

Patty of The G Team Paranormal Video:

 

Stacy’s Video That Same Night …

 

Oh My Goodness!!

Cemeteries are definitely a bit creepy day or night, but for Patty and Stacy to go out there … what were they thinking??!!

They had experienced shadow figures before. Could it have been a bear … or a person … or a ghost ?

It is good we have so very many ghost hunters who go out to known haunted places to capture video evidence of the paranormal. To prove that there is another realm that enteracts with us … All is fine when these “spirits” are friendly and mean no harm … I honestly can’t say that what both women experienced was harmless … 

Grabbing Stacy’s shirt and pulling her back … draining her of her energy … 

Knocking Patty down … that was scary!!

They were leaving … They meant no harm … I’ve heard that shadow people are mean and they will physically attack. I’ve been very fortunate that the shadow people I’ve seen out of the corner of my eye are scampering away … 

It does make you wonder what is going on …

I hope you enjoyed this post. It did go a bit all over the place … I do like to give you a bit of variety 🙂

Thanks for stopping by!

Sharon

Sizzix 660425 Big Shot Cutting/Embossing Machine with Extended Multipurpose Platform, White/Gray

by | May 5, 2018

I do love my Sizzix Big Shot Cutting/Embossing Machine with the Extended Multipurpose Platform.

What I especially like about this machine is that it is portable and it needs no electrical outlet, no batteries and not plugged into an electronic device.

It is completely portable with a hand crank. I can set it on a work surface to do my die cutting and embossing in my craft room, on the patio, in my dining room, anywhere I choose to work. 

  • Portable shape-cutting and embossing roller-style machine.
  • Create your own greeting cards, invitations, gift bags, boxes, scrapbook pages, home decor items, etc.
  • Included with the Big Shot are a pair of Standard Cutting Pads and the adjustable Extended Multipurpose Platform
  • Measures 14-1/4″ x 12-3/8″ x 6-5/8″

I’ve had mine for 2 years and I have absolutely no complaints.

The extended platform comes in handy for larger dies and an assortment of smaller ones to get the die cutting done quickly, easily and efficiently.

This along with my Silhouette Cameo allows me to take my paper crafting to a new level.

Every craftroom should have a Sizzix Big Shot Cutting/Embossing Machine — the Extended Multipurpose Platform is a definite bonus!!

You may also like to purchase:

Thanks for stopping by!

Sharon

Happy New Year 2018!!

by | Jan 1, 2018

It is always amazing to me how quickly 365 days can go by . . . It is now 2018!!

You may be anticipating Valentine’s Day. Or maybe St. Patrick’s Day. How about Easter? Maybe, you’re thinking about Halloween . . . I know it isn’t for a long long time . . .

The thing is, it is never too early to get started on a Father’s Day project . . . or one that would be excellent for Halloween . . . perhaps both, if the “father” is a fan of the old TV series The Munsters.

Yet, this is a free printable template of the Munster’s family car . . . 

She is quite lovely and may take some time to complete. So, it is best to begin now . . .

It’s not the putting together that seems to be the issue, but the cutting out of all the pieces that takes the time . . . but you have plenty!!

And, you may want to make more than one of these beauties.

I do love 3D models of various items from TV Series to Movies to templates for card fronts . . .

You may not believe this, but I was looking up a template for a castle . . . I just wanted the basic design . . . nothing fancy. It was for a card front . . . and then this Munster Koach caught my eye.

Just click the image to the right and you’ll be taken to place where you can download the PDF of the parts and the instructions. It would also be nice to give a donation for this classic card as a thank you for the grand wokmanship.

I have to get to work on my castle . . .

Thanks for stopping by!

Sharon

Halloween Is In The Air

by | Oct 8, 2017

October is scooting by quickly.

We had some cooler temperatures . . . and then it got warm again . . . Anticipating cooler temperatures again.

There is something about autumn and getting ready for Halloween.

I found this image and just had to use it. It is a bit spookier than I like, but as you look closely, there isn’t a skull moon, but it is made from the tree branches. I think this is quite clever along with the children walking along in their pursuit of candy.

Initially I didn’t see the children walking. My focus was captured on the moon.

That may have been the whole point, but once we begin to look around, it needed to be more of an All Hollows Eve picture . . .

This is something I need to keep in mind when I’m doing my paper crafts. It is great to draw the eye into the card initially, but there does have to be a complete “picture” once one decides to look around.

This reminds me to get your Halloween Treat Boxes together and ready to fill with delicious treats.

Remember our friend Ray O’Bannon over at Ravensblight Paper Toys . . . 

Remember all of his great treat box coffins?

This year I’m favoring the weathered crate for my Halloween Treat Box. I can decorate it with pumpkins and may have a spooky cat or a witch . . . maybe her feet sticking out of it or at least have her hat on the crate.

The weathered crate can be made spooky by having a skeleton trying to get out . . .

What’s great is that all of Ray’s paper toys are free to download and assemble — he has excellent instructions.

I do love Ray’s Haunted Houses.

I especially like The Ghost House.

It has a secret chamber under the house that is a great place to put some treasures.

If you’re into building a paper craft Haunted Ship, Ray O’Bannon has a collection of them along with cars and trucks and even a train. You can have some great fun exploring everything he has available to download, print out and assemble.

Click the image of the Ghost House to the right to be taken to the PDF and click here for the assembling instructions.

It would be best for you to begin right away with the Ghost House or one of the ships — this will take some time to assemble.

Depending upon the number of “coffin” treat boxes you have to make, time is of the essence.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sharon