Halloween Countdown Magnetic Board - Dyspeptic Acres

Tin pail with magnetic spiders

Magnetic Board Decorated for Halloween Count-up

Spiders on Magnetic Board

On Wall

While I was working on the Countdown to Halloween Activity jar posted here and here, I started thinking about a simpler countdown project.  This is the brainchild I created.

This is one of my favorite home decor items that I have made.  It was easy, and a tiny bit time consuming, but loads of fun. My husband said it really should be called a Halloween Countup rather than a countdown because the spiders are added instead of taken away. Each day a new spider is placed onto the board in numerical order. Here is a video explaining it a little bit further:

However you use it, I hope you have a good time with this project.

"Dyspeptic Acres" Magnet Board for Halloween Countdown

Artiste Cricut Cartridge

Materials and Cricut Cuts:

Red Magnetic Chalkboard

Artbooking Cricut Cartridge

Artistry Cricut Collection

Black Cardstock

Slate Cardstock

Whisper Cardstock

White Daisy Pigment Ink

Embossing Powder

Artiste page 76  Web is Accent 4 - Slate fit to page = 10 3/4

Artiste page 76 Cat is Card Shift - Black 2"

Artiste page 77 Spiders are Accent 4 Shift - Black 1 1/2" (Autofill cuts 42 pieces)

Artiste letters are Caps cut at 2 1/4" 

Artistry page 43 Bats are Shift key - Black 1" cut qty 3

Artistry page 43 Bat border is Background Shift - Black fit to page = 1"

Artbooking page 54 Owl is Border Shift - Slate fit to page = 35 1/2"

Artbooking page 54 Spiders are Overlay Shift keys - Black 6" and 7" 

Artbooking page 55 "Halloween"  is Title Shift - Black fit to page = 12 1/2"

Artbooking page 55 Rat is Overlay Shift - Black 

Artbooking page 71 Big Bat on wall is Icon Shift - Black fit to page = 38 1/2"

Artbooking page 71 Haunted House is Border Shift - Whisper fit to page = 15 1/4"

Little Monsters Stamp Set  C1630 and Etched Alphabet Set A1182 (available after September 1, 2015) stamped with archival black ink. Monsters colored/shaded with watercolor pencils. Alphabet was used to make sign for haunted house on scrap paper.

Thank you for stopping by today!

Bev

Countdown to Halloween with CTMH's Cricut Artistry - Part 2

*** This is the second of a two-part post.  The list of 50 Halloween activites is in the previous post  here. ***

It is really rewarding to make something that your kids enjoy.  My 10 year old thinks it will be fun to select one of the die-cut activity - suggestions I made with the Artistry Cricut cartridge as a countdown to Halloween. She is still at an age that it is ok to think that something is cute and fun, even if her mom had something to do with it.  

If your family isn't into doing the types of activities that were posted on the post immediately preceding this one, maybe they would enjoy having you make the die cuts into little note cards to tuck into their lunch box or place on their pillow.  You could write funny or scary Halloween jokes or quotes.  Or maybe lines from a poem; after a few days, there might be enough lines combined to recite the entire poem.  Or that same idea could be used for a Halloween song, Thriller maybe? Or you could write affirmations. Or inspiring or loving thoughts.  Or make a Halloween Tree and use them as ornaments and skip the word-part altogether.  However you use the Artistry cartridge, I know you will enjoy your creations!

Here is a video that shows a little more detail about the cuts.

The cardstock colors and cuts are as follows:
Artistry Page 43 -  Hlloween key for activity/ornament shapes

• White Daisy ghosts -  @ 3 1/2", 9 will fit on a 12 x 12 page using the autofill function

• Black bats - Shift @ 1" nets a bat with a wingspan just over 3 1/4"

• White Daisy ghost costumes for monsters - Icon 1 Shift @ 3 1/2", 6 will fit on 12 x 12 page, @ 3 1/4" 9 cuts fit on page with autofill

• Hydrangea and Citrus Leaf monsters (under ghost costumes) - Icon 1 @ 3 1/2" and @ 3 1/4" to layer under ghost costume cuts

• Canary or Buttercup pumpkin (bottom layer) of jack-o-lantern - Icon 2 @ 3 1/4", 9 will fit on a 12 x 12 page

• Orange jack-o-lantern face - Icon 2 Shift @ 3 1/4"

• Whisper and White Daisy circles - Shape @ 3 1/2", autofill = 9 cuts on 12 x 12 paper

• Eggplant EEK! - Shape Shift @ 3 1/2"

• Eggplant Bats in circle - Layer @ 3 1/2"

• White Daisy circle that looks sort of like the Underground symbol - Layer Shift @ 3 1/2"

• Eggplant banner bottom layer - Banner @ 3 1/2"

• White Daisy banner top layer - Banner Shift @ 3 1/2"

CTMH Cricut Artistry Jack O Lantern

Artistry Page 43 - Hlloween key for decorative accents

• Black bat border used to go around large vase holding "Halloween Tree" - Background Shift @ 1" which is the same as if using Fit to Page function

Artistry Page 44 - Fall  key for activity/ornament shapes

• Creme brulee pumpkin with stem - Icon 2 @ 3 1/2", 6 cuts using autofill

• Sunset top layer of pumpkin - Icon 2 Shift @ 3 1/2"

Artbooking Page 54 - U key for activity/ornament shapes

• Black spiders - Overlay Shift @ 2" and 3"

Artbooking Page 55 - I key for decorative accents

• Black rat by vase and pumpkin on left - Overlay Shift @ Fit To Page

• Orange Trick or Treat hanging on wall - Title @ 17 1/4" which is what appears on screen when using Fit To Page

Artbooking Page 70  - C key for decorative accents

• Black bird perched on Halloween Tree - Icon @ 50 1/2" which is what appears on screen when using Fit To Page

• Black spider hanging over Trick or Treat sign - Border Shift @ 39" which is what appears on screen when using Fit To Page

Artiste Page 77 - Hallween key for decorative accents

• Black spiders on top of pumpkin jar lid - Accent 4 Shift @ 1 1/2"

I hope that you enjoy this project and make lots of fun memories doing some of the activities.

Thank you so much for visiting!

Beverly

Countdown to Halloween With CTMH's-Cricut Artistry and 50 Fun Family Activities!

*** This is the first of a two-part post.  The video and Artistry measurements will be in the next post. ***

CTMH Artistry Halloween "Ornaments"

It may seem a little strange to post this in August but there is a method to my madness. Really. It isn't just madness! First up, any holiday that by its very existence encourages chocolate consumption in copious amounts is going to rank as one of the top Best Days of the Year. As a Type A Personality, I am required to plan ahead and I don't want to give short shrift to anything that may have something to do with eating yummy things... so it is either a genetic flaw or an unfounded fear of missing out on Hershey's Harvest Miniatures that must have prompted this early Halloween project.  Regardless, I can not help myself. Plus, I want to give you the entire month of September to get your Halloween mojo on. :-)

Halloween marketing has extended the Autumnal Eating Season by several extra weeks because every store has themed candy by mid-September.  Actually, Costco usually has Halloween candy in August but I am trying to avoid the center section of the store until at least the first week of September so I don't know if it is in, yet.  

And since, apparently, this post has become all about me and not so much about Halloween, there is yet another reason for this seemingly early-in-the-season post.  That bit has to do with my forgetfulness, which is getting worse as I age. It occurred to me that if I link recipes to my list of activities posted below, it will be easier for me to find them later! If I remember to look here.

Pumpkin Scones with Crystalized Ginger and Candied Pineapple

Yesterday, I made three practice batches of pumpkin scones with different add-ins. This was a taste-test kind of activity so that I can be prepared to make the 'real ones' in October, based upon which were the best received by my taste-testing-panel.  As I make things or find good references to the items below, I will link them. Check back for updated links.

Rat cut from CTMH's Artbooking Cricut Collection

Here is my list of 50 Activities to help pass the time as we "Countdown To Halloween"

Trick Or Treat Activity Center Vignette

1. Make a popcorn “hand” in a glove with candycorn fingers
2. Bob for apples
3. Carve a pumpkin
4. Make a paperbag monster
5. Make a Halloween card
6. Make a paper plate mask
7. Make and eat apple, marshmallow, peanut butter mouths
8. Make ghosts from tissues
9. Make breadstick or cookie “fingers” with almonds for nails
10. Make a tag for a small gift – such as a caramel apple
11. Make caramel apples
12. Make leaf prints
13. Bind prints into a stick and rubberband book
14. Make frozen banana “ghosts”
15. Make peeled clementines into miniature pumpkins
16. Make pipecleaner spiders
17. Make pumpkin scones - King Arthur recipe here
18. Make Babybel cheese monsters - lots of images here
19. Do temporary tattoos (Martha Stewart has some here) or face painting
20. Do the “Monster Mash” - YouTube to the rescue! 
21. Read a spooky story
22. Tell ghost stories
23. Decorate sugar cookies - favorite chocolate sugar cookie recipe here
24. Design a Halloween Coat of Arms
25. Watch a Halloween movie or show
26. Visit a graveyard – the older, the better
27. Collect pinecones
28. Rake leaves and jump in the pile
29. Have black spaghetti for supper
30. Read The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe
31. Make Pumpkin donut holes or mini donuts - recipe here
32. Make Halloween party favor candy bags
33. Make a Halloween Garland or Banner
34. Make cat and rat (or mouse) black cardstock silhouettes for placing at baseboards
35. Make a spooky gingerbread house
36. Make tootsie pop ghosts or pumpkins
37. Make dough monsters
38. Die cut or cut out bats from different papers for a “specimen” board
39. Make bats for window decorations
40. Make puff paint spiders for windows or walls
41. Make milk jug luminarias
42. Make a spiderweb watercolor resist
43. Make a spiderweb with a marble in a pie tin and white paint on black paper
44. Make mummy cupcakes
45. Make mini donut spiders
46. Make rice krispie treat monsters
47. Make paper ghost favor bags
48. Make shrunken heads from apples
49. Take a neighborhood stroll to see decorations
50. Practice evil cackles and find household items for spooky sound effects

Activity Jar For Halloween

After brainstorming ideas and doing some Google searches I typed up the list of activities. Then I printed the ideas onto regular paper, cut out each item and glued each one to a fun diecut shape from the Artistry Collection. The cute shapes were easy to assemble and fit perfectly in the cute pumpkin jar I bought last year.

Halloween Tree

The plan is that my daughter will choose either an activity (Trick?) or a candy Treat each of the first 30 days of October. If she chooses an activity, then we will take the diecut (which sort of looks like an ornament) and hang it on our old Thanksgiving Tree. Which, I guess, is now a Halloween Tree. Kind of a two-for-one decorating scheme. If you'd like more information about it, the Thanksgiving Tree post from several years ago is here.

In the next post (Part 2) I will give all of the cuts and sizes along with a quick video showing the assembled cuts.

Glass pumpkin candy dish can be found on Amazon.

Thanks for stopping by!
Beverly

CTMH Cricut Artistry Collection - Gift With Purchase!

Happy August 1st!  Yes, this is my third and final post for today!  The first one has the links to the select new CTMH products that are available one month earlier than the launch date of the new catalog. You can find that post here.  

The second one showcases the new Zoe paper packet that I used for a cute Owl Mini-Album. 

You can find that post here. 

Which brings me to the really important part of this post....  How to receive free stuff when you order the new CTMH/Cricut Artistry Cartridge Collection! (Click here to see all the images.)

CTMH Artistry Cartridge Collection

The newest cartridge includes shapes spanning a wide variety of themes, holidays, and seasons to add some visual spice to any project you create. Get back to basics with the unique font, banners, layered shapes, borders, backgrounds, and other fun icons you'll find on this cartridge. All of the designs are a must for any crafter!

Collection includes:

1 – Cartridge (700 images: Shapes, Layers, Banners, Borders, Backgrounds, and Font)

3 – My Acrylix® D-size Stamp Sets

1 – Enchantment Cardstock Combo Pack

When you place your order through my website you will also receive FREE Stuff from me! You do not need to put these items in your shopping cart because they will be sent directly to you from me in Arizona. The Artistry Cricut Collection will be shipped from CTMH in Utah.  If you wish to purchase the August SOTM or any other items from my website, please do so!  They will be shipped from CTMH with your Cricut cartridge.

CTMH August SOTM $5 with qualifying purchase

With every CTMH/Cricut Cartridge Collection purchase I will automatically send the following items to you:

1 - 2015/2016 Idea Book and Catalog ($6 value)

1 - Holiday Expressions Supplement 2015 ($1 value)

1 - Owl #1 Chipboard Book kit (8 1/2" x 5 3/4") - this post has the photos of the unfinished book, which is how it will arrive.  It has 17 pieces of kraft chipboard die-cuts for pages, covers and an owl to decorate and bind as you desire. ($4.95 value plus the postage = $10.70 value)

And for those of you who would prefer to buy the Artistry Digital Collection, I am offering the same great gift!

Cricut Artistry Digital Collection

Contains the same shapes, stamp sets, and cardstock as the cartridge collection. The only difference is the 700 images are accessed using an online code rather than a physical cartridge.*

*Available only for use with Cricut® Explore™ and Cricut® Explore Air™.

With every CTMH/Cricut Cartridge Collection purchase from my CTMH website, I will automatically send the following items to you:

1 - 2015/2016 Idea Book and Catalog ($6 value)

1 - Holiday Expressions Supplement 2015 ($1 value)

1 - Owl #1 Chipboard Book kit - this post has the photos of the unfinished book, which is how it will arrive.  It consists of a 17 piece kraft chipboard die-cut kit - pages, covers and an owl to decorate. ($4.95 value plus the postage = $10.70 value)

Any of the CTMH/Cricut Collections purchased from my website will receive this special, limited time offer.

At the beginning of the check-out process, a "Join One of Beverly's Gatherings" prompt appears.  Please Join the "Artistry Celebration" Gathering.

Thank you very much for your business. I appreciate it.

Beverly

Hip Pics Album - Lots of Photos!

This is a different kind of Pocket Scrapbooking. The mini Hip Pics kraft chipboard album from CTMH has eight white pocket pages which holds 16 - 6 x 4 pictures viewed in 3 3/4" square windows. The album is approximately 6 1/2" x 5 1/4" and is spiral bound to lie flat.

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The album is very easy to fill.  It lends itself to simply sliding photos into the pockets and making a few notes. Or one can dress it up as much as she/he wants. Click on the photos to see more detail.

Because of the small size, it is a great way to use lots of scraps of cardstock or patterned paper and stray embellishments and die cuts.

Since I don't like to put away my leftovers from other projects this was a good excuse to use them up rather than have to tidy up!

Most of the papers are from the Chalk It Up paper pack.  Some of the thick chipboard shapes are from the same collection's Complements pack.  Many of the die cuts are from the CTMH Cricut Artbooking Collection.

Some of the words are segments cut from the larger rolls in each of CTMH's washi 3-roll tape packs: Carnival and Boardwalk .  These are being retired and are "while supplies last".

I mounted most of the pictures on scrap pieces of cardstock cut at 4 1/4" wide so they wouldn't slide around in the pocket.

The picture above, on the right-hand side, was mounted on a piece of patterned paper on the outside of the pocket.

Both of the pictures above were adhered directly on the pocket pages. This makes it even easier to scrapbook because the pictures tell the story.

Even though there are no pockets on the inside covers, I used those surfaces, too.

CTMH My Creations Hip Pics Album

This is the blank cover left unadorned just to show what the album looks like prior to putting one's own personal touches to it.  I'd love to see how you decorate your album!

Thank you for visiting today!

Beverly

Cyber Monday - Just Announced! 20% Off Cricut Collections!

 

For the first time ever, Close To My Heart is offering a Cyber Monday Sale on Monday, December 1, 2014. There has never been a better time to buy Close To My Heart’s exclusive Cricut® Collections for 20% off the retail price. Whether you love scrapbooking, cardmaking, or creating 3-D projects, our four exclusive Cricut® collections make the perfect addition to any craft room! Sale starts at midnight (MST) on December 1 and ends at 11:59 pm Monday night.  Please visit my website here to take advantage of this ONE Day Only discount.

You will be able to take advantage of this special deal as long as it is submitted between 12:00 am and 11:59 pm (MST) on Monday, December 1. Enjoy extra savings on Close To My Heart's exclusive Cricut® collections this Cyber Monday!

Also, with any Cricut Collection purchase you will automatically qualify for the Deal of the Decade! C and D size stamps for $10 each!  Details about this promotion are posted below.

This year marks the 10-year anniversary of Close To My Heart’s revolutionary My Acrylix® clear polymer stamps—and we can’t wait for you to celebrate with us! With a qualifying purchase of $50 during the month of December, you will be eligible to purchase ANY C- or D-size stamps from the Annual Inspirations 2014–2015 idea book for only $10. That’s up to $7.95 USD/$9.75 CAD of savings on a single stamp set! Plus, once you achieve the qualifying order total, there is no limit to the number of eligible stamp sets you can purchase at this discounted price. A purchase of $50 will also qualify you to receive the December Stamp of the Month for only $5, so if you purchase both the discounted Stamp of the Month and additional stamps at this special campaign pricing your savings will compound! It is truly the deal of the decade.

*Deal of the Decade Offer valid December 1, 2014 (9:00 am MST)–December 31, 2014 (11:59 pm MST). Shipping/handling is calculated based on the full retail price of the discounted items (C-size stamp set: $13.95 USD/$15.25 CAD; D-size stamp set: $17.95 USD/$19.75 CAD).

Just a reminder that today is the last day of the Lucky Five Studio J Sale.

Thank you for your business.  I hope you are able to take advantage of some of the amazing discounts that CTMH is offering this holiday season.

Beverly