New Look, Spooky Tree, and a Gizmo Thing

Monday, September 5, 2011

Hello Friends! I hope you had a great weekend (here in the U.S., it may still be a weekend for you for the Labor Day holiday, so continue to enjoy)! I haven't posted anything in a couple of days because I spent the weekend changing the look of my blog and also celebrating my 12th anniversary with my husband.  

When I first began my blog, I designed my background and banner myself, and I was really pleased with it. I still liked how it looked, but lately it had started to feel a little crowded with all the stuff that was on it, and I wanted to widen my posting area anyway, so I decided this was a great time to make a change. When I'm visiting other blogs, my favorites, esthetically, are the ones that have "calmer" backgrounds. My new look is moderately calm. ;)  I hope you like the "new me."

My husband and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary this past weekend. We had dinner at the Atlanta Fish Market. If you're in the Atlanta area and haven't been there, it is quite a treat. Thanks for your suggestions on which anniversary card I should give him. I went with the leafy card and he loved it. I showed him all three cards and he said he liked the leafy card best because it was more masculine, but he also liked the grungier card, which is actually my personal favorite.

I talk about making cards all the time, and in one of those conversations I must have mentioned to my husband that I might want to eventually get a Copic airbrush system. Apparently, he was paying attention because he tried to find one at Michael's. He said he described it to them as something that paints and has brushes on it and costs $99. He said no one knew what he was talking about. I don't think I'd have known from that description, either. :D  Well, he finally gave up and when I opened my anniversary card, this fell out:

I was very touched, and I almost don't want to spend the money. I'd like to keep it just like it is. But, of course, I will spend it. I wouldn't want him to think I didn't appreciate the gift! ;~D

Now, on to my card. I was going to make another Christmas card, but since Halloween is just around the corner, I thought I'd try my hand at a "spooky" card. I used the September Sketch For You to Try and played the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #133 Bingo challenge, using the center vertical row of piercing, pearls, and ribbon. I like how it turned out--a kind of "grown- up" Halloween card.

I stamped the tree with Staz-On ink, then sponged Vintage Photo, Wild Honey, and Faded Jeans inks around it. I used Pumice Stone ink around the inside edge of the circle and Black Soot on the outside edge of the paper. I typed "Happy Halloween" in Word, printed a mirror image onto a transparency and rubbed it onto the tag. The pearls started out as a coppery brown color, but I colored them with a black Copic.

I love the blue and gold strip on the inside of the card. It's the same paper as on the front of the card, but the gold looks metallic here. 

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week!


 
Stamps: Haunted Tree (Inkadinkadoo)
Paper: Plentiful-digital paper & Dinner Party-digital paper (Shabby Princess); Vintage Wallpaper-digital paper (Lost and Taken); Best of K&Co; Darice; Recollections
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink; Staz-on; Copic markers
Dies: Std Circles Lg; Nested Lacey Pennants; Curved Rectangles (Spellbinders)
Accessories: Bird Call embossing folder (Cuttlebug); ribbon (Joann); pearls-colored with Copic marker (Studio 112); Corner Chomper; piercing tool; sentiment created in computer, printed on transparency and rubbed on
Size: A2 (4.25" 5.5")
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14 comments :

Holly AKA KopyKat said...

Love the card and the sketch, that is a nice "grown up" halloween card. Your husband is so great! That was so sweet of him.....buy the airbrush but keep the sticky note. You can take a pic of both of them together to scrapbook later. Love your new look, it is calm and colorful all at the same time.....thank you for not choosing black, that hurts my eyes. lol.

Silke Ledlow said...

WOW Cheryl...this is one fabulous card! Love all the fabbo bingo details you've added! Thank you so much for joining in the fun!

Also *Happy Anniversary* to you all...sounds like you guys had a fun one!!! BTW, did you know I live in Statesboro, GA??? I definitely have to check out the Fish Market one day :) !!! Hugs ~S~

Anne Tussing said...

Awesome texture on your card! I LOVE the look:)

Jessica H said...

How sweet of Lamar to actually take a trip to Michael's and attempt to buy your gizmo thingy!!! Sounds like the time that I sent Mike to get hair dye to cover up my hairdresser's screw up on color. He handed the sales person his cell phone for me to describe what I needed. It is soooo the thought and attempt that counts :) Glad you enjoyed your anniversary! Sounds like you've been busy. LOVE the Halloween card!!!

Cindy Haffner said...

Cheryl how FABULOUS is this, I love the feel of it!!~

Theresa said...

Cheryl, this is fabulous. Love your layout and the total look and feel of your card. Your are one amazing artist!! How wonderful your hubby is - giving you the "gizmo." Which card did you end up giving him?? Love the new blog look too!!

TLI74 said...

absolutely Love this card!!!

NikkiM said...

So much texture and tone, STUNNING! And gender neutral to boot! This is my number one fave card for 2011!! I wish I had a trophy for you ;)

Bernie said...

I've never cared much for Halloween cards but I must say this one is really fantastic! I really like it a lot!

Happy Anniversary! I love your gizmo story. My husband is ill and can't shop so he did pretty much the same thing for my B-day, only mine said ‘go to get that bug thing‘. Meaning Cuttlebug. Since I brought it home he has been calling it that green lunch box. Gotta love 'em.
Blessings Bernie

Jan Hunnicutt said...

This is gorgeous, I saw it on FB too! You inspired me to make a card using the sketch but it isn't as wonderful as yours :)

Beate said...

Wow! Gorgeous card, Cheryl.
Hugs and smiles

Maria said...

A very lovely card with so many details! It makes for a fabulous Halloween card...great job! Take care!!:-)) Happy Anniversary!

Lola G. said...

I just found this card on Pinterest, and all I could think of to say was, "Wow." Definitely not a poetic response, but heartfelt! I'm off to peruse what I'm sure will be your wonderful blog.

All the best, and here's to crafting adventures!

Daria said...

Wonderful card! I love everything about it. TFS.