4 Happy Halloween!!

Today we're putting the last touches on Katie's Halloween costume. She wanted to be Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas. 

She's 12 now, going on 13 this year, so its a perfect time to foray into the world of sewing. We're starting with a T-shirt base for the dress and adding the patchwork. Its 90% her and 10% me ;) Hopefully she'll have fond memories of this Halloween!

Have a wonderful and safe night!

3 A Joyful Season is upon us

Fall and Christmas are my favorite times of year. I love the chilly weather, the baking, the decorations, the many reasons and occasions for the family to come together....it is a joyful time!

"Joyful Seasons" is my Christmas mini album this year. We will be creating this book 100% from scratch using chipboard, paper,the Bind It All, and book binding tape. We'll also be machine sewing vintage book diecuts, gilding everything in Metallic Kim Gold (my fave paint color) and layering lots of embellies, diecuts, and goodies. If you have a favorite book or holiday sheet music you would like to use, bring it to class. I will also have on hand some pages from vintage books you can use as well. 

"Joyful Seasons"

A mini album class

November 5, 2011 * 2-5pm

Collective Journey, Redlands, CA

Ph: 909-793-2200

December 4, 2011 * 1-4pm

Scrapbooking Made Simple, Santa Clarita, CA

Ph: 661-298-1112

December 10, 2011 * 10am-1pm

Cool Scrapbook Stuff, Poway, CA

Ph: 858-679-9100

December 17, 2011 *  1-4pm

Pages From the Heart, Monrovia, CA

Ph: 626-358-5334

Create a festive Christmas mini album using the latest papers and embellishments from Authentique Paper. Warm greens and rich reds are complimented by miniature ornaments, vintage style trims, and unique ink applications. We'll use the Bind It All to bring it all together into a fabulous handmade album.

Please bring the following to class: Bind It All if you have one, scissors, trimmer, 3D Foam Dots, Glue Dots, Scrappy Glue or strong liquid glue, Foam Paint Brush, Vintage Book Pages or Sheet Music to use in the book (optional).

To sign up for the class, just contact the store nearest you using the phone numbers listed above. If you are not local to Southern California please feel free to contact me about a kit via my etsy shop: hydrangeahippo.etsy.com. 

Happy Creating!

0 Spark - Day One

There is just so much that went on, happened, etc. Let's just look at some pretty photos, k? And next year, come along so you can BE there instead of just looking at my pics :P

Really. I am serious. 

You would love it. I mean LOVE it. 


Sign-ups usually start in April. That's like $50 a month. Maybe $40 a month if you wait until May to sign up.

They handmade our name tags. Handmade! They had a huge table full of all different kinds and we chose the one was wanted and added our name. Love that.

Anyways...here's some eye candy :) Here's what it looked like when we walked in...

Fabric covered handmade letters everywhere!

Everyone got a box and journal from PaperCoterie:

Mindy Gledhill Concert opened the event up:

Everyone recording....

  

 Rubberstamp Carving Class with April Meeker:

Amy Tangerine T-Shirt Altering Class -- so fun!!

The Market was awesome. Crowded and for good reason. I got some awesome goodies for myself, the kids, Christmas, and more!

I totally want one of these!

The line was KARAZY. But I actually was able to check out several times and they let us put stuff on hold if we did not want to wait in line. 

Working with Pan Pastels in Donna Downey's class:

This pic is for tammy ;)

I got some of these earrings!

These handmade wreaths were all over the place! Each one was unique :)

The night ended with make n takes and organic sodas and yummy goodies. Stephenie Hamen of Fiskars was there with a cute mnt:

And that was Day One. Yeah, just one day! LOL

1 After Spark - Dear Lizzie

Dear Lizzie is the shop and bistro where Spark was hatched and continues to be a source of inspiration for the event. We were lucky enough to be able to attend an exclusive after-Spark Soiree at Dear Lizzie. Wow. This store is amazing!! They were gracious enough to allow us to take photos, which they don't normally do, so that was a real treat!! I'll let the pics speak for themselves.

I got some awesome hangers that I plan to use on my wall with some layouts -- soon!!

More Spark is coming your way this weekend. Thanks for following along! Right now I am at CKU in San Diego so when I get back, I will be sharing those pics as well!

2 Blog Hoppin' with Two Faves

Clearsnap and Epiphany Crafts are partnering up this week to share LOADS of fabulously spooky Halloween decor, gift, and scrapbooking ideas. Two awesome companies!!! Here is a home decor project I did earlier this month for the Epiphany Crafts blog using LOTS of Clearsnap goodness:

 

Halloween Centerpiece

Supplies:

• Epiphany Crafts: Round 14 Shape Studio, Round 14 Bubble Caps, Round 20 Button Studio, Round 20 Buttons, Square 25 Shape Studio, Square 25 Bubble Caps, Metal Charm Settings, Cabana Vintage Settings. 
• Blue Mood Beads Jump Rings
• Hydrangea Hippo Triple Pearl Stick Pins, Round Top Stick Pins, Faceted White Bead, Lace, Ribbon
• Cosmo Cricket Haunted Halloween Ribbon & Acrylic Stamp Set
• May Arts Ribbon, Pom Trim
• Pink Paislee Decorative Tape
• Patterned Paper by Bo Bunny Press, Cosmo Cricket, October Afternoon
• American Crafts Foil Metallic Cardstock
• Clearsnap Design Adhesives, Glitter in Charcoal, ColorBox Archival Dye Ink in Wicked Black, Smooch Spritz in Silver Foil, Carrot Cake, and Black Velvet
• Faux Pumpkins by Michael's Crafts Stores, Dollar Tree, Target Stores
• Darice Googly Eyes
• Dollar Tree Faux Black Netting
• Martha Stewart Starburst Punch
• Bombay Company Candlesticks
• Parylite Candles
• Crate & Barrel Round Placemats

I created this centerpiece for my dining room table using faux pumpkins purchased at Dollar Tree, the $1 bin at Target and two from Michael's on sale. I embellished them with buttons, charms, and Vintage Settings created with Epiphany Crafts Shape and Button Studios and scraps of paper. This entire centerpiece cost under $20!! I repurposed some household decor items to add to the look and those were not included in the cost. 

Instructions: 

Apply Design Adhesives and glitter to the two largest pumpkins for a design element. Then spray the tops of the medium pumpkins with Smooch Spritz spray ink and allow it to drip.

Next, layer ribbons, tulle, and trims to make bows to adorn the tops of the pumpkins.  Add stick pins with decorative tape flags and starburst circle shapes.

Stamp bats and eyeballs onto scraps of paper and made them into epoxy embellishments using the Epiphany Crafts Round 14 Shape Studio and coordinating Bubble Caps. Then create buttons from Orange patterned paper scraps using the Epiphany Crafts Round 20 Buttons Studio and coordinating Buttons. Mount the epoxies to the tops of the buttons for a dimensional embellishments to add to the flags and stick pins I stuck in the tops of some of the pumpkins.

I created two eyeball charms using the Epiphany Crafts Charm Settings and the eyeballs I created with the Epiphany Crafts Round 14 Shape Studio. I attached these to the pumpkins using jump rings.

I then created black and white Buttons and Shapes using the Epiphany Crafts Round 14 Shape Studio and Round 20 Button Studio and added them in clusters to the large white pumpkin. I then stamped bats onto patterned paper and created Square 25 Epoxies using the Epiphany Crafts Square 25 Shape Studio. I aligned the bats so they would be diagonal in the square, creating a diamond, and then mounted these to the white pumpkin as well.

I added several Cabana Vintage Settings by Epiphany Crafts to the pumpkins, adding googly eyes to the centers.

Place three round placemats along the center of the table and spread a piece of black spooky netting over top. Add candlesticks from my bookcase and then arranged the decorated pumpkins among the candlesticks. Fill in any in the gaps with mini pumpkins for a beautiful table top decoration!

There is some MAJOR blog candy up for grabs from both companies so get on over there and take part in the Hop. Pretty snazzy selection if I do say so myself (teehee):

There's even some brand new product in there!!! BRAND NEW!!! 

The Hop started on October 24 and continues through October 29. Comment on each post every day for more chances to win! Start on the Clearsnap blog for all the info on how and where to enter. 

Happy Hopping!!

0 Wielding the Mighty Stick Pin

I think crafting and my life and intertwined so tightly that things like this happen. 

Case in point: Matthew's new "swords" for his "guys".

They're fighting if you can't tell.  I thought they were skiiing at first. My only advice at this point is to be careful not to poke your eye out!