Ombre die cutting

This beautiful die came out of a set of borders I have from spellbinders.  I am a huge fan of spellbinders and bonus their dies come detached.  I cut a 4x6 rectangle and lined it with 4 of the die cut pieces.  The flower die is a favorite of mine from a Simon Hurley Die set.  I inked the flower to give it just a little dimension as well as doing some shaping with my stylus set.  The stamped and die cut greeting is one I've had forever.  Actually, I think one of the very first sets I purchased many years ago.  The butterfly is a sticker from a set I purchased at Hobby Lobby.  Gems from my stash were added as well.  Loving the white space which is not usually my jam. This might be as clean and simple as I can be.  HA!  What do you think?  Yay or nay.

A serene birthday card

 This card was also a commissioned card.  I also knew the recipient.  I used his favorite color (yellow).  I used dies and embossing folders from my stash and did some ink swiping with distress oxide. I cut the tiny little deer using cricut DS .  The background paper is from paper rose studios.  I love their scene cardstocks.  Good for all thos masculine makes.  I stamped and  fussy cut the greeting. Those die cut trees are from a Tim Holtz set that I wanted forever and I do not regret the purchase one bit.   I think this card turned out very striking.  

Getting behind...again

 I've been so busy and don't really have holiday cards to share, but here is one of my recent cards.  It was requested by a friend, and I knew the friend it was going to so I used some butterfly layering stamps and dies from concord and 9th.  I used papers and dies from my stash and I think the cards is suited perfectly to the lady it was going to.

You know how much I love an easel card

 This card was made for my Mom to give to my niece for her birthday.  I made my favorite kind of card, an easel.  I used my favorite paper collection. (craft consortium the ink drops line) I used my current favorite flower die made by Simon Hurley sold at Spellbinders. I used what I thought was her favorite colors. I also used one of my most favorite fonts in cricut DS. I love everything about this card.  

Happy Halloween

 This card is my final 2023 Halloween card.  I saw this set demonstrated by Helen at craftymamadiaries on youtube. She has a fun channel and I enjoy her content.  I had to have this sweet set by Catherine Pooler called Happy Meowloween as well as the paper pad Helen used.  I can't wait to utilize this set next year.  It is just so purrfect.  I'm a sucker for costumes, can you tell?  Not only did I decorate the front, I used one of the stamps to coordinate the envelope.  I used my alcohol markers for coloring,  Spellbinder hemstitch square dies (one of my favorites).  I'm not in love with how the shadow turned out, but I'm no colorist, I'm just having fun and trying to brighten someone's day.  I hope you've enjoyed this walk with me through the years of Halloween cards.  I look forward to next year.

Creepy Spiders

 This card went out to my uncle.  He enjoyed it and it brightened his day.  

For my sister

 This spoookkkkeeeee card went to my sister.  I picked this set up on clearance last year and had fun creating with it.  I think it is pretty pink posh.  Colored with my Spectrum noir triblends. I stamped the sentiments with photoplay stamps.

More bats

 I absolutely love the dollar tree acetate stickers.  I've had these bats for a couple years.  I purchased the dies from Spellbinders a couple years ago on clearance.  This square card came out so cute and went to my fourth daughter and her hubby.  Papers and stickers from my stash.  

Happy Owl-o-ween

Our school is known as the Owls.  How could I not make a card with owls?  How could they not be dressed for Halloween???  This card went to one of my daughters' and my five year old grandson LOVES it.  All the cardstock is from my stash.  I think the die is pretty pink posh....the owls are cut from Cricut design space as well as the sentiment I created in design space. 

A cute shape card

 This card went to my niece.  I love the little critters in costume.  So fun.  I also made this as an arch card.  I used papers from my stash and it made for a quick and easy, FUN card.

Same but different using ALL the things

 Here are my cards for my long time friends that I meet monthly.  These girls mean so much to me.  They are always there for me and jump in at any time.   I used design space, puffy stickers, inking, a fun fold card (i love fun folds especially stepper cards) I used dollar tree stickers for their initials on the house.  The witch is confetti. I used stamps for the cobwebs.  This card is extra, extra, extra.  I am giving them to them on the day I'm writing this post.  Can't wait for them to open them.  

BATS

 This card went to my second daughter.  She saw a tiktok years ago of a little girl saying "it's frickin' bats" "i love halloween" 

She's also a fan of gnomes.  When I found this image in Cricut DS I knew I had to make a card.  I used an embossing folder from Whimsy. I used glossy accents and stickles to add shimmer and shine to the card.  Of course, I used design space to make a custom sentiment.  I loved how this turned out and she really enjoyed it too.

It's all a bunch of Hocus Pocus

 My BFF got another hocus pocus themed card this year.  Can anyone tell me these characters??  If you said Binks and Billy you'd be right.  I also colored "Book" and put it in the inside of the card.  I used Cricut glitter cardstock and spellbinders number dies to create the 31.  The background paper is a pad from Whimsy.  They have some amazing background paper pads.  This stamp set came from Kindred Stamps. They carry a wide variety of theme style stamps.

kindred stamps.  They have some amazing theme style stamp sets.

For my sisterinlaw who is really a sister

 I had colored these little guys last year and had them in my stash.  It came together quickly.  I designed the coverplate  on cricut DS . The little bats are puffy stickers I found at Target several years ago.  The stamp set, again, is an oldie from Spellbinders.

P's halloween card

 Once again, Cricut DS to the rescue and what monster isn't complete without google eyes??? So cute.

This card speaks for itself

 I think you can guess who got this card this year.  I designed it in Cricut DS and used papers and embellishments from my stash. The pumpkin is a wood veneer sticker I got at the dollar tree several years ago.  I colored it with my Spectrum noir triblends and covered it with stardust stickles.

The following posts will be my Halloween 2023 cards that have been sent out

 "eye" miss seeing you.  This was sent to a lifelong friend that I rarely see.  She enjoyed getting it.  Hopefully we will be able to connect in person soon. I designed the card in Cricut DS and used papers and embellishments from my stash.  I really love bubble cutting written sentiments.

For my little friend P

 P's Halloween card for 2022 was inspired by Tina Smith from Cards and Coffee Time on youtube.  She had made an A2 card similar to this with dies.  Having nothing similar, I went into Cricut DS and designed this card.  The candy corn spins when the card is opened.  I have a lot of fun making interactive cards as well as making cards on a larger scale.  This card is 5x7.  Papers are from my stash and the stamped sentiment too.  Of course, he must have googly eyes.  I love how it turned out.

Same but different 2022

 These cards I made in a jiffy.  October got away with me in 2022.  I actually got commissioned to make handmade personalized greeting cards for a small business in my town in September of 2022.  Since cardmaking is time consuming, most of my available time to get things done is for friends, family, and now my side job.  So, these are the cards I made for my two longtime friends that I meet once a month.  I truly, truly enjoy making cards and now my friends look forward to getting these cards each year.  So much fun!!

Gone batty

 I love love love this bat stamp set from Photoplay.  They are so stinking cute.  I enjoyed coloring them and then turning them into a card. Bonus, a shaker card.  Who doesn't love a shaker??  Not gonna lie, when I finish one I get a little distracted with the shaking😂.  Enjoy this adorable card.

Salem sisters

 This stamp set came from Kindred stamps.  My lifelong bestie loves the movie Hocus Pocus.  When I saw this stamp set, I knew I had to own it.  I colored the images with alcohol markers and fussy cut them.  I did purchase the SVG file they offered but had trouble getting it to size correctly.  I love how this card turned out and I know she enjoyed getting it.

Perfectly timed Halloween Edition 2022

 We've made it to October 1 and this will begin my 2022 cards.  I made so many cards over the course of 2021 that several of them went out the 2022 year.  I did have some new ones, though.  This card is actually still in my stash.  It was a technique I tried to modify from one of Sam Calcott's tutorials, but it didn't work quite like I wanted.  I like the finished effect, but from the back it's a hot mess.  The shaker element is also very bulky and would need hand delivered.  Maybe why I still have it.  All images were cut from Cricut DS.  

Back to 2020 Halloween Edition

 So apparently, I missed this card from 2020.  It was a "look at the scraps left on my desk and here's what I did" .  Seriously, these various die cuts were scattered on my desk and I threw them together for a pretty quick card.  

How about a franken-dog

 More cuteness...can you stand it? As you can see, I added twine to most of these cards.  One day, I just had a coloring session with these stamps and then I sat down another day and created cards.  

Two vampire dogs, Two ways

 As I said, I enjoyed coloring these costumed critters to give them different looks.  These two cards show this well.  The one that says you're fangtastic we gave to Lillian's amazing dental hygienist.  I thought I was so clever.  

Haunted Fireplace

 This fireplace die set is a spellbinders holiday die set for Christmas.  You can see I dirtied it up and combined some Whimsy dies to spook it up!  I thought it turned out so cute.  

Halloween Edition 2021 Another witchy cat

 This card went to my mom.  It is a mini slimline.  I love the change of color I did to the kitty.  Again, switching up the colors to get a different look.  

Slimline friendly ghosts

 This card uses a stamp set from Whimsy.  There's a little word play in the sentiments, and I purchased them specifically for making my uncle a card.  What I didn't realize until it arrived was one of the ghosts is making a very impolite gesture.  I couldn't help but laugh at myself...something I never would have purchased had I realized.  Pay attention to the detail's friends...LOL #buyersremorse.  I used the non-naughty ghosts and added a soft dimensional spider to the scene.  I can't remember the maker of the die set I used but I love the details in the edges.

Another spooky cute kitty.

I enjoyed coloring this cat black and white.  My mom has an affinity for black and white cats.  Cutest witchy cat ever!

 

Sickness took me down

 So sorry I got behind on my Halloween inspiration posts.  I was pretty sick for a couple weeks and when momma is that sick...stuff just doesn't get done.  Anyway, here is my next cute card from the 2021 season. Isn't he just the cutest pirate dog you've ever seen?  I used spellbinders products to make this card and I enjoyed coloring all these stamps in different ways as you'll see as the days progress.  

purrrrr-anormal

 I have really enjoyed coloring these cat and dog trick or treaters in various ways.  It is a set I purchased from spellbinders.  I love the sentiment, Purranormal cativity...so clever.  Added a glittered, wood veneer bat to finish it off.

Halloween for my Little friend P 2021

 This little card came together quickly for my sweet little friend, P.  She has a dog and I enjoy sending her cards throughout the year.  She also has a dog, so I like to send cards with dogs.  I write her very simple letters and hope she gets a kick out them.  

Halloween Edition 2021 for my long time besties

 I have two, dear friends that I meet with once a month.  They have been there for me through thick and thin.  I like to make their cards similar to each other, you'll see that in coming posts.  As I said previously, I only make cards for the same people each year.  I had picked up this very small spellbinder stamp set on clearance in my quest to build my Halloween stash (which, by the way, fits in a tiny basket in craft room).   

I heat embossed this hat several times to get a very dimensional look.  I love heat embossing; it NEVER gets old.  I used a gold, glitter paint pen to color the buckle.  I stamped and cut the candy pieces and adhered to a mini slimline card base.  In the second card, I used the hat to stamp a background and added a clay heart to finish the design.  I enjoyed how both cards turned out and I know the girls loved them.

Halloween Edition 2021

 This card was inspired by the amazing Nichol Spohr.  She is one of my favorite card designers.  I love her videos and quite a soothing voice.  Everything she makes is so detailed and beautiful.  I designed this card before 2021 and knowing I didn't have the supplies she had I went to Cricut DS to see what I could find.  I love how the card turned out and the little heart eyes and that not so scary ghost.  The sentiment was a combination of photoplay stamps and cricut .The background papers were from my small stash and I created the criss cross panel on DS.  

For my sister 2021 Halloween Edition

 This card was created in Cricut DS as well as the sentiment.  I embellished with Nuvo drops (not a huge fan of nuvo anymore since pops of color work so much better) I also added a glitter wood veneer bat from a dollar tree pack of halloween items.  My sister had recently added to black kitties to her house, so I thought this card was a good one for her! Side note, this was not a super simple image to put together...like a jig saw puzzle...and I clearly messed up one of the eyes, but hey, it's halloween, right?

A costume parade

 This card was totally designed on Cricut DS.  I used background paper from a spellbinders paper pack.  The sentiment was also from DS using the chicken scratch font.  This card went to my lifelong BFF  in 2021.  These cards turn out so cute, it's hard to let them go!

Halloween cards 2021 edition

 As I got going in 2020 on my first ever Halloween cards, I leaned heavily on Cricut DS for images simply because I didn't own anything Halloween related.  I was able to get some clearance deals through the course of 2020 and early 2021. I'd also spent time designing cards in DS throughout the months.  

I have a very sweet friend, whose mom had graciously let me go through her stash of items she was parting with, and I used several of those items to create these cute little A2 cards for my grandkids.  They really get a kick out of Nana's cards. Each envelope even got a ghost puffy sticker with each child's initial.  Such fun and easy cards to make for my babies!

How about a fall card

 This card was inspired by a pin on pinterest.  It was the layout that I liked.  I sent this card to my mom and one similar to it to another friend's mom.  I used spellbinders hemstitch square die set  and placed the focal image stickers on them.  The sunflower and scarecrow came from Hobby Lobby and the wooden leaf was something in my stash from spellbinders. It was a sticker wood veneer.  I used a Hobby lobby die to cut the sentiment. I still really like this layout.

My final halloween card of 2020

 This card went to my sister-in-law who is also a close friend to me.  All images came from DS.  I used the hemstitch ovals from spellbinders for the background die.  I embellished the cat's eyes with glossy accents so they would be shiny.  I just love that broom image...gives me Fantasia vibes. The kitty wouldn't be complete without a clay heart. The sentiment was very fiddly to work with, but all in all I was pleased with the final product!

For my little friend, P

 My friend I mentioned in my last post had her first grandchild and being that she lives a distance from me I took to sending her cards.  This was her first Halloween card.  This card did not totally please me when it was done, but I think she enjoyed it (or maybe her mom and dad more so).  Of course, I had to add google eyes to the bat.  All the images were cut from Cricut DS except the sentiments which came from the spellbinders die set I had on hand. I made a custom envelope for this card too.