31 Days of Halloween - Day 31

And here we are - the last day in the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge 2015.  We survived!  Before I go off for an evening of magical mayhem, let me say for one last time that, if you've been working your way around the blogs in order, then you've reached here from Sarah’s blog.  If you're hopelessly lost, then the blog roll is there on the right.

This is my favourite project of the hop, so I saved it for last.  

I used the into-the-frame die cutting technique to make it look as if the skeleton was staring in from of the apart.  masked off the big skellie with clear embossing powder, and the smaller one with a bit of post-it note.  The aperture is from a retired Stampin' Up! set and I was sad when they retired it, because it is such a beautiful shape.  This one is staying out after Halloween is over because I LOVE the way it turned out.    

I hope you've enjoyed visiting me throughout the month.  I have really, really enjoyed reading your comments and it's been lots of fun getting back into the darker side of crafting.  So now, for the last time in this hop, might I trouble you to move along to Lisa F’s blog .

Happy Halloween,

XXX

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 30

Here we are on the penultimate day of Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  If you've been a Horrifying Hopper and have been working your way round all the Wicked Blogs every day, I salute you - it's been a real marathon - but now the finishing line is in sight.  

With luck, you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog - or maybe you've been randomly rocking around the blog roll (on the right).

As you maybe know by now, I do love my action cards. Pull the tab at the top of this card and - 

Cont Dracula rises again!

I couldn't resist this set of dies!  For the rest of it - the bat and sentiment are from Cheer All Year.  The set has stamps for autumn and Christmas as well as Halloween--I must start playing with them soon..

And now, please go and see what Lisa F has been up to on her blog.  I'll see you - for the last time in this blog hop - tomorrow.

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 29

Hello everyone, and here we are at day 29 of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  With any luck, you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog - the blog roll is over there on the right if you want to see who else is playing.

 Today's tag is dedicated to a friend and colleague who is being plagued by spiders right now - so Dave F, this one is for you.

I rubbed Castaway ink over the back of a stencil and then pressed it onto the background.  You never really know what you're going to get with Castaway.  I think I used every spider stamp I own on this tag...and couldn't resist the spider web doilies.  With a bit of careful cutting, I only used the one so I still have plenty left from the pack of 25.


And now, might I trouble you to proceed to Lisa F’s blog, and I will see you back here tomorrow.

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 28

Here we are on day 28 of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge and THE day is nearly here!  If you've been a Horrifying Hopper and working your way through all the blogs, then you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog - but the blog roll is over there on the right so you can find your way home if you've become blog-bewildered. 

This card is so simple, I'm almost embarrassed.  I die-cut the card with the largest of the Perfect Pennants dies (from Stamping' Up!), positioning the die so that I was just missing the folded edge.  The eyes are a stamp from the Among the Branches stamp set - but they were too close together for my card.  It's a photopolymer set so it was very easy to cut between them and move them further apart on the block.  I used chalk ink to stamp, and then added in the whiskers with a chalk marker.

After that all I had to do was stamp the sentiment (from an old Docrafts set) on a scrap of Tangelo Twist card and make a bow with the thick bakers' twine.  Job done!

So off you go now to  Lisa F’s blog, and I'll be back again tomorrow!

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 27

We're in the last few days of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  It's likely that you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog, but the fukk blog roll is over on the right.

Tuesday tutorial day today.  

When I was a child, one of my favourite treats on a hot summer day was a Jubbly. A Jubbly came in a  wrapper that was shaped like these treat bags, only bigger, and it was a lump of orange-flavoured ice.  With care, a Jubbly could keep a child refreshed all afternoon...

Here's the video ... no talking on this one, just some nice, spooky music.

 On to Lisa F’s blog

31 Days of Halloween - Day 26

Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge

you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog

It’s a treat box today.  

Open the drawer and...BOO!

I made one like this (only not as spooky) earlier this year – here’s the tutorial.

For this version I used Cucumber Crush and Basic Black card, with paper from the Happy Haunting DSP set  and stamps from Among the Branches.  Frankie is a treat-sized bar of chocolate wrapped in cotton paper and decorated in much the same way as the treat bag on Day19

So now, please proceed to Lisa F’s blog and I'll be back here tomorrow.

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 25

It's downhill all the way now we've got to day 25 of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  You’ve probably  arrived from Sarah’s blog - but the blog roll is over there on the right in case you're lost.

  Here's today's project - 

I got this little wooden birdhouse in the Children’s Craft section of the Range (always worth a look as prices tend to be a bit lower).  The stamping on this piece isn’t terribly clear in the picture – it’s actually on the roof (from the Lighthearted Leaves set from Stampin’ Up!) 

Rather than bore you with long descriptions, I've made a video of how I did it...

OK, now off you go to Lisa F’s blog and I'll be here again tomorrow.

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 24

Here we are at day 24 of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  The blog roll is over ther on the right, but if you're working your way through in order, then you’ve arrived here from Sarah’s blog.

Here’s today’s contribution.  

I've found this card under a number of different names – shutter card, peekaboo card, but I first came across it as a Magic Marquee card.   I went to town a bit and used stamps from three different sets on this card - "Spooky" on the front is from XXXX, the big spider and the sentiment are from Cheer All Year, and the little spiders on the Tangelo Twist background are from A Little Something.    I've also used Happy 

  Earlier this year I made a tutorial on how to construct one of these cards - here it is - 

The measurements I used on this version of the card are a bit different from those in the video.  The card is 8 ½ by 5 ½ inches, scored at 2 1/8 inches from either end to make a gatefold card.   The finished card measures 4 ¼ by 5 ½.The inner panel is 3 ¼ by 5 ½ and I used the 1 ¾ inch circle punch to cut the aperture.

I cut ½ inch off the end of the die-cut banner framelits from Stampin’ Up! (it’s the 4^th one counting from smallest to largest) and then scored and folded at ½ inch from the end.

On to Lisa F’s blog

31 Days of Halloween - Day 23

Hello there, and thanks for joining in the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  If you've been working your way around the blogs in order, then you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog.  However, if you're a free spirit and like to do your own thing, the blog roll is over there on the right.

Today I've made an ATC

It's based on a small canvas board coloured with acrylics - I did the stamping on tissue paper and glued it on with Pledge Multi surface wax.  Yes, the stuff you put on your floors.

The stamps are from De Stempelwinkel, and the I added some die-cuts.  Simples!

So that's today's project.  On to Lisa F’s blog now, and I'll see you again tomorrow.

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 22

Hello bloggers, and welcome to my bit of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  The blog roll is over on the right, and if you've been working your way through in order you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog.

It's a tag today.  The phrase "The ghost in the Machine" has always fascinated me. so I decided to do my own interpretation.

I used stamps from IndigoBlu and one of my ultra-useful Dovecraft alphabets along with die-cut gears and ghosts cut from vellum.  I'm rather pleased with the way it came out.

So now, please move on to Lisa F’s blog.  And I'll see you tomorrow!

XXX

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 21

Day 21 of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge already!  If you're a Horrifying Hopper, it's likely that you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog.  The blog roll is over there on the right , though, so you can easily get your bearings if you need to.

A quick project today.

I made this using the Gift Bag punch board.  Mine is the WMRK version – Stampin’ Up! have it in our catalogue now, but I’d already bought mine .  It’s a medium- sized bag and the sentiment is from the “A little something” stamp set. 

This time of year I stock up on “spooky” decorations. I use the skulls from small plastic skeletons quite a bit.  This leaves me with a lot of left-over body parts, so I was happy to find a use for some of them!

So now, onward to Lisa F’s blog, and I'll be back tomorrow!

Crafty hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 20

Hello blogging peeps, welcome to today’s offering in the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  If all has gone well, you've arrived from Sarah’s blog - but  if you've wandered in halfway through the proceedings the blog roll is over there on the right so you can get yourself pointing the right way.

Today is Tuesday, which is the day I share a tutorial on my YouTube channel – and also simul-blog with my goody-goody other self on Tuppence Coloured

Today I made this Explosion box.

The tutorial is here.

If you’re eagle-eyed, you might have spotted that I got stuck the DSP down with the lines up and down for two of the panels and side to side for the others...It’s a design choice, but after I filmed it the pattern was making my brain unhappy so I went in with some lighter fluid (US crafters can get something called Un-Du, but we Brits can’t get it over here) and un-stuck the offending panels so I could put them back the right way.  I felt better after that.

Confession is good for the soul!

I'll be back tomorrow, but meanwhile. please move along on to Lisa F’s blog

Crafty hugs.

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 19

Hello bloggers! We're well into the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge and if you're working your way around in order, you've arrived from Sarah’s blog.  If you're lost, keep calm and get your bearings using the blog roll over there on the right.

This treat bag is made using Stampin’ Up! cotton paper in Cucumber Crush.  Cotton paper has  has been described as – well, weird.  It’s very smooth and lightweight and you’d think it would be quite delicate and translucent.  In fact, it’s surprisingly robust. 

The bag is just big enough to hold a small treat - mmm...chocolate buttons....

I cut the bag using the SU mini treat bag die (but it wouldn't be too hard to make something similar with a score board and a craft trimmer.)   The eyes are punched circles of whisper white and basic black and I cut Frankie’s fringe (basic black again) with my fringe scissors. His eyelids are a punched circle of Cucumber Crush card cut into halves.

The treat holder inside is just a piece of Cucumber Crush card, cut with a Lots of Labels framelit (I do love this shape, it’s so elegant) and stamped with the “Boo” from the Cheer all Year set using – guess what ? – Cucumber Crush ink.

Apart from that. I just drew his features with a fine marker and he’s ready for Trick or Treating! 

So now, it's on to Lisa F’s blog to continue the hop.  I'll be back here tomorrow - see you then!

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 18

Hello Horrifying Hoppers, and thank you for joining me on Day 18 of  the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  If you're doing as  expected, then you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog - but the blog roll is on the right if you've lost your bearings.

Today I'm showing this bauble.

I started by painting the inside of one half of the bauble with blue and purple glass paints, then I die-cut the house (and the gravestones in front of it - not very visible in the picture, but they are there!) from black shrink plastic and stuck them into the bauble with Milliput - I threw some Flower Soft and black flock powder over it while it was setting. 

I stamped "Happy Halloween" (I think it came from De Stempelwinkel) in white Staz-On ink onto  a strip cut from a shrink wrap bag ( I got mine from Amazon, originally for wrapping soap - they were very inexpensive) and then held it in place around the bauble while I heated it with a hairdryer.   Finally I tied a length of thick Bakers' Twine to the top so I could hang the bauble from the stand.

So now, proceed, if you would,  to Lisa F’s blog to continue the hop and I'll be back tomorrow.

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 17

Hello there and thank you for visiting my bit of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog then you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog, but fear not if you're lost - the blog roll is over there, on the right.

It's a simple card today.

I used the Wondrous Wreath die and stamp bundle in halloweeny colours instead of the normal Christmassy colours.  The "Boo" is from Cheer All Year and the paper is from the Happy Haunting set (LOVE those papers!) 

So now, if you would be so kind, it's time to move on to Lisa F’s blog.  I'll be back tomorrow - hope you will be as well!

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 16

Hello, peeps and that you for visiting my bit of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  If you're working your way through the Wicked Blogs, then you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog.  If you're hopelessly lost don't panic, the blog roll is over there on the right.

It's another incarnation of a card made from a sketch.  This time I've softened the scheme a bit by using grey instead of black.  

The stamp is by Stamping' Up! In fact, the whole card is made with SU! products - but some of the papers and the embossing folder are retired, and have been resurrected for this project.

Here's a reminder of the sketch again - 

So now, to continue, please hop on to Lisa F’s blog, and I will be back tomorrow!

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 15

Hello my lovely blog friends, and than you for joining me for Day15 of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  If you've been working you way around the blogs in order, then you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog.  If you're a billets, fear not- you can get your bearings from the blog roll over there on the right.

Today I'm showing you this tag -

I used stamps from Tim Holtz (bats) and Clarity (trees), a bit of Gorgeous Grunge from SU for the stars and a Lovecraft alphabet (excellent value at £1 for the set!).

The witch, flying past the masked - out moon, is a Alterations die from several years ago and is one I get a lot of use from - and in this case, I cut it out of craft foam and then I shrunk it to fit on the tag.  Yes, that's right, I used my heat gun to shrink it, just like shrink plastic.  The reduction in size isn't as dramatic as with shrink plastic but  it's enough to make witchy-poo just the right size!

So now, if you're a Horrifying Hopper, please move on to Lisa F’s blog - and I'll be back tomorrow!

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 14

Hello bloggers, and thank you for joining me on the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  If all has gone as planned, then you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog - but the blog roll is over there on the right if you've jumped in to the middle of things!

I do love my pop-ups and kinetic cards.  Open this one, and inside - here's the skeleton in the closet!

The skeleton - from a Tim Holtz stamp set - is suspended from some beading elastic threaded between the two sides of the card - isn't it fun?

Anyway, please now move on to Lisa F’s blog to continue the hop, and I'll be back tomorrow!

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 13

Hello everyone, welcome to my contribution to the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  If you're playing along, then you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog - but you can find the blog roll over there on the right.

I'm simul-blogging with my un-evil twin over on Tuppence Coloured today,  because it's the day I share a video tutorial.  Today I've been making these coffin boxes - they're a variation of the self-closing box that's been so popular lately.

Here are the measurements -

Here's the video - (with a personal appearance from Mysti the cat at the end!)

So now, on to Lisa F’s blog to continue the hop - and I'll see you tomorrow!

31 Days of Halloween - Day 12

Hello bloggers, thanks for visiting my little bit of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  If you've been playing along with the challenge, then you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog.  If you're lost, don't worry - the blog roll is over there on the right.

Today's offering is a tunnel card, made with DoCrafts dies and decorated with Tim Holtz Bat stamps. I love this spooky churchyard scene!

So now, to continue the blog hop, please move on to Lisa F’s blog - and I'll see you tomorrow for the next thrilling instalment!

xxx

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 11

Hello blog fiends - I mean, friends!  Thank you for joining in the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  If you're working your way around the blogs in order, then you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog;  but if not, and you'd like to visit the other blogs in the hop, the roll is over there on the right.  It's an altered tin today.

It originally contained smoked almonds (mmm...almonds...) The lid was a good fit for the dome, which is half of a clear plastic bauble and covers the skully, which iIve antiqued with paint.   The base of the tin features a graveyard courtesy of a Tim Holtz On The Edge die, some texture paste and paint, plus a paper moon with a stamped raven (another  Timmy stamp) and stamped "stars" (SU's Gorgeous Grunge, as it  happens).  

So now, if you're working your way around the blog hop, it's on to Lisa F’s blog.  See you tomorrow!

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 10

Hello there!  Thank you for joining me in my little bit of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  If you've been working your way through the blog roll in order, then you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog.  If you've got lost, don't worry - the blog roll is over there on the right.

Today's little card is covered with some of the Happy Haunting DSP and features a pop-up  insert - which is from the Tim Hotly Halloween set.  Plenty of room to put a spooky message!

It's based on a card I made a few months ago - here's how I did it!

So now, proceed in an orderly fashion on to Lisa F’s blog.  Hope you enjoy the rest of the hop and I'll see you tomorrow!

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 9

Day 9 of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge and thank you for sticking with me.  If you've been following the plan, you've arrived from Sarah’s blog  If not, the blog roll is over there on the right - start anywhere you choose!

Today's contribution is a little box suitable for a treat - or perhaps there could be a nasty surprise inside, if you're planning on playing a trick!  It's also a Rave from the Grave, because the paper is from a retired Stampin' Up! paper set.

The box was made using a Thinlits treat box die and the stamps are from the Cheer All Year set by Stampin' Up! (I told you that you'd be seeing more of this set!)  

Anyway. that's it for today, so on to Lisa F’s blog and I'll see you again tomorrow!

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

31 Days o f Halloween - Day 8

Hello blog fiends - I mean, blog friends!  Welcome to my bit of the  Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  If you're working your way through in order, you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog.  if you're lost, the blog roll is over on the right.
Week 2 already, can you believe it?  Anyway, today I'm showing you this Haunted House tag.

Confession time - I actually made the background of the tag for last year's challenge...and then I lost it and had to recreate it for the project I was doing at the time.  I  stamped and masked the skellies (from De Stempelwinkel) and spent ages going over them with DI's... I was not happy when it disappeared.  Of course, it turned up at the beginning of November!  I'm glad I got to use it at last .

So now, if you're working your way through the hop, it's on to Lisa F’s blog.

See you tomorrow!

XXX Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 7

Hello bloggers and welcome to my bit of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  If you've been working your way in the way suggested, you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog.  Today it's a pull-the-flap card.

When you pull the tag at the top of the card, it reveals the message -

The sentiment is from the Stampin' Up! Cheer All Year set, which I am getting a lot of use from - you'll be seeing more of it as the month goes on.  Meanwhile, for today, proceed on to Lisa F’s blog - and I'll see you tomorrow.

Crafty hugs,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 6

Welcome to day 6 of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  With any luck, you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog

Today it's two-fer Tuesday, because today I am simultaneously blogging with my other self (Tuppence Coloured).  Here's today's card - 

I do so love an action card!  The tutorial's here -

Now proceed, if you would, On to Lisa F’s blog 

31 Days of Halloween - Day 5

Here we are on day 5 Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge already.  If you're proceeding in an orderly manner through the blogs taking part, you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog.  If not, just keep calm and follow the blog roll.

Today I've made a Halloween version of a hidden flap card.  I used stamps from Stampin' Up  (Cheer all Year and A Little Something)

If you'd like to see how I made the card, you can see my version here -

Now on to Lisa F’s blog - and I'll be back tomorrow with another post.

Keep crafting,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 4

Hello everyone, and welcome to day 4 of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge, and, if all has gone according to plan, you've arrived from Sarah’s blog.  If it hasn't, and you're horribly lost, find your bearings by using the blog roll over there on the right.

It wouldn't be me if there wasn't an altered art project or two, would it?  The little bottle is  antiqued using techniques I learned from Andy Skinner's Evil Elixir Mixer.  The label is from the TIm Holtz Halloween set, and I've punched it out using the Stampin' Up! tag topper punch.

The skull on top is from a Halloween decoration, pained up to look antique (another on of Andy's techniques)

So now, onward  to Lisa F’s blog, and I'll be back tomorrow with another post!

Keep crafting!

Keren

31 Days of Halloween - Day 3

Hello everyone, and thank you for joining me on day 3 of the Smeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  If you've been hopping around the blogs in order, then you’ve arrived from Sarah’s blog.  If not, the blog roll is over there on the right --------->

On Saturdays I usually share a picture of a card I've made with Stampin' Up! products on my other blog so today I am simul-blogging.  This is a CASE (that's Copy And Share Everything) of one I did earlier, in a different colour scheme- a halloweeny one, of course1

I love the Bohemian Borders - the stamps are photopolymer so you can see exactly where you're stamping them.  Here's the sketch it's based on.

Now on to Lisa F’s blog - and I'll see you tomorrow!

Keep crafting,

Keren

31 Days of Halloween- Day 2

Hello bloggers and welcome to  day 2 ofSmeared Ink 31 days of Halloween Blog Challenge.  If you're working your way around the challenge in order, then hopefully,you've arrived from Sarah’s blog.  If not, the blog roll is over there ------->

Here's today's project - just right for holding a treat - or perhaps a trick!

I cut this with my Cameo - but there are dies out there to allow you to cut the curvy keepsake box, although they won't do the Jack O'Lantern face (it's not really visible in the picture, but there is a battery-operated tealight inside the box).  I stamped the box with the Hardwood stamp from Stampin' Up! to get the woody texture on the pumpkin.

So, if you're working your way around the blog hop, please proceed in an orderly fashion  to Lisa F’s blog, and I'll see you timorrow!

Happy crafting

Keren