My blog is called "Creative Smiles" because my designs are the result of incorporating mistakes. With fumble fingers that drop whatever they are holding - repeatedly, it takes a lot of giggles, smiles and creative patience during my crafting process. xx

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Autumn Inspirations Blog Hop - Celebrating Fall's Colors

Welcome to the Sparkle N Sprinkle Autumn Inspirations Blog Hop celebrating Fall’s Robust Colors and its Holidays!
If you hopped here by way of the very talented Shona Erlenborn, then you are in the right spot. But if you just happened here as your first stop, you may wish to start at the SNS Home Blog Page to become eligible for six prizes!
My inspiration comes from the muted cries emitting from the stamping closet's closed doors. You know, that place where all the "older" stuff gets put? Upon opening the doors, the muted cries became loud whines! My older tools and art supplies were feeling left out and wanted to come out for some play time. 

Having only made one other Halloweenie card in my stamping lifetime, I decided to try some of those images. 

First comes "Spooky Night", an EASY A2 size card using household bleach, black detail embossing powder, and Pearlescent Watercolors (mica paints). Here in rural Florida, it is common to enjoy a full moon, ribbons of fog or stringy clouds, and bats. (Bats are great for keeping the flying insects at bay!)
 Spooky Willow, Hocus Pocus, and a nickel were used to create this landscape.

Next is "My Haunt or Yours"? Those pesky Acrylic Paints were REALLY whining to be used. Drizzle paint on glossy card stock, and smoosh with another piece of glossy. Open the sandwich quickly from a single corner, and the result is a cool background. I used other neglected art supplies like pastels and colored pencils, two ribbons in a layer, and even old brads! LOL

Of course, I couldn't make cards without my Spellbinders Grand Callibur. Even here I used the oldest of my Spellbinders dies (the Petite ovals 140 & 141) BUT the new Grand Labels One created the shape of this card. (there had to be one new thing in play, after all!)

Your final destination is the SNS Blog! To become eligible for the prizes, please leave a comment on my blog below and return to the SNS blog and answer the following question. There are no right or wrong answers LOL
What styles of Autumn, Halloween and Thanksgiving stamps are you looking for? (ie: scenes, cute sayings, children, harvest time items, detailed stamps, simple images, elegant etc). We value knowing what you most like. (Not a difficult question at all, is it?) Answering that question back on the SNS Home Blog helps us, and makes you eligible for the Grand Prize!

hugs always,

41 comments:

Unknown said...

Donna, these are great cards and I love what you did with the backgrounds! I'm glad you heard all those cries and moans coming from your closet!! lol

Karin said...

Donna, you are sooo funny! These are amazing and the background in the first card looks so eerie! Perfect technique for this! Hope you were able to quiet the closet cries by giving the products some love :) :) :)

pjw said...

Donna, I love what you did with the acrylic paints background. So "hauntingly beautiful"

Barbara Bruder said...

The backgrounds you chose are perfect for Halloween cards. WOW they make the cards come alive. Oh that could be scary!! LOL

Shona Erlenborn said...

Are you a good witch, or a bad witch....? Love all the old products you put into your cauldron - and what you cooked up!! Both cards are amazing!!

Linda Rapacki said...

Love the smooshed background...very creative!

creativearts said...

OMG! Those backgrounds are amazing! What other things are whinning in your closet? Would you like for me to come down and help you get those things out and then you can show me how to make some amazing cards?! Gorgeous!

Linda Loew said...

Donna, what magnificent cards. The first one gives me an eerie feeling, great background..fog on the eve of Hallow. I love the back ground on the second card. I see all the beautiful colors. Nice shape too. You never know who or what will come out of the closet.

NWFlamingo said...

Great cards. Love the spooky background.

Sharon from FL said...

I loved your cards, but I especially loved one with the paint background.

Anonymous said...

Spooky, spooky, spooky!!! The backgrounds and "frontgrounds" LOL are awesome. Brenda S

Anonymous said...

I love your cards. Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year.

Denise B

Beth T said...

Awesome backgrounds!!

Donna Ellis said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
NanaConnie said...

De, Can you give us a complete tutorial on "smooshing"? LOL Love the background effect it creates. You first card is wonderfully haunting. Great blog hop! Thanks so much for all the inspiration. PC

Joni said...

Great background for Hallween cards.

Anonymous said...

The colours in these cards are wonderful, and now I have a use for all the acrylic paints in the drawer. Thanks. Barb P.

Kristin said...

Love them all! Love the paint on glossy paper background. Very cool effect.

Karalee Ingram said...

Donna, what great backgrounds and the colors are perfect to set the mood for Halloween.

Anita Braddock said...

Wow what great cards. the backgrown is so cool and eeri! never have seen this before the colors look so cool this way. you can just hear the moans and cries. thanks for a soo Eeri card hop. thanks for sharing and for the chance to win some very cool prizes.
abbraddock@msn.com

McStamper said...

Great cards. Love your ideas.

Sandy (Cheesy) said...

Eeeek! You should clean out that closet more often! Two really interesting techniques giving us two stunning cards. I've never smooched (?), but it looks like fun! What paper did you use for the bleaching? Very hallow-eerie. You need to make more cards from the dark side.......hehehe
Cheesy

Verna Angerhofer said...

Spooky and full of humor...what a great combination. I love both of the cards you created and you are inspiring me to get into making fall cards myself. I always love the colors of autumn.

April said...

Love your "spooky" cards. Great background on the second one.

Linda said...

I loved all of your cards, especially the third card with the multi-colored background.

Anonymous said...

It is great to dig our some of our older supplies that have been neglected - love what you did with them - especially the paint background on the black paper. Thanks for sharing.

Karen A. Jones

Dawn said...

I was going to use that stamp too!!! I used Createx paints before but not acrylic paints. I will have to try them too.

Anonymous said...

The drizzly acrylic paint gives a neat spooky touch. I'll try it. Halloween cards are fun, don't you think?
Jan
janhobbs@bryrus.net

Aileen Freeman said...

I absolutely loved the background on the haunted house! I use alcohol inks, but I have not tried your techniques with them. I love multi-faceted, multicolored backgrounds, and yours is just too cool. Thanks.

Lisa said...

What great use of all your crafting goodies! Great Halloween cards, I love them both. Things should quiet down in the craft room for a bit! :-)

carrie said...

Lovely backgrounds ...... lovely cards. Really like the acrylic background where you smooched the colors together. How fun to create with things out of your closet!!!

slbela59 said...

Loved the cards they are great!! thank you for sharing and giving us the chance to win!

Kim Jaime said...

This is a great cards. Great technique with the acrylic background.

Anonymous said...

Spooky, Spooky, Spooky, true meaning of halloween. Great cards.
Pat

Kathy Vogel said...

I particularly like the look you achieved when you smooshed the acrylic paint between two sheets of glossy paper.

Kelly said...

I absolutely love that second card! The background is spectacular and the coloring on the image was beautiful. WOW!

ShersL84bed said...

oh my goodness these cards are awesome. I love that acryllic paint technique. I doubt mine would turn out anything like that though. lol

Smiles Sher
ShersL84bed@aol.com

Julie Z said...

Donna, these cards are so great! And the backgrounds are just awesome! They really set off the stamps so well. And I love your little story about the muted cries from the unused supplies - hysterical, so creative, just loved that!!!

E. Marie said...

Donna, you are so creative. Great use of your "stash" and love the backgrounds. Fantastic cards.

Frann said...

I love what you did with the bleach and embossing powder on the first card. Your drizzled and smooshed paint background on the second one is wonderful!

Shirley said...

What a treat! You really have some great techniques here! Love both cards!!