Dish Mats

 Making dish mats is such a great joy for me. I really love mixing and matching fabrics and sewing them together all higgly-piggly. So, when the need arose to send a present, I knew just what to make.

This is the first time I've used colored thread and I loved the effect of the teal zig-zags.

This one is more scrappy:

The wrinkle ribbon looked so cute that I didn't fuss with the packaging at all. It's always great when one spectacular detail carries the weight of making something look special.

Halloween Neighbor Gifts

After making cards today, I thought it would be fun to use my scraps to decorate the treat bags in my Candy Corn CupCards {To Go} kit. It was a great chance to play with the included stamps... and eat candy corn :-)

Each bag took just a couple of minutes and now I can brighten someone's day.

Did you see my wrinkle ribbon? I just love the stuff! I'll be adding some yardage to my Etsy shop so if you're interested in a specific color or color group let me know.

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Something Completely Different and CupCards {to go}

The current challenge at Something Completely Different is Black and Orange. This gorgeous paper from my Candy Corn CupCards {to go} kit was just perfect. I love mixing dots with fancy flourishes.

The card itself was a plain stark white so I warmed it up with Spiced Marmalade (orange) Distress Ink applied with a foam applicator. I just love orange ink and use it nearly as often as black.

As always, click on the picture to see it full sized.

Papercraft Star Challenge 18 & CupCards {To Go}

I was excited to find a new challenge called Papercraft Star and loved their Friday Challenge this week. You were instructed to use this picture for inspiration:

The picture reminded me of the cute papers in my Cupcards {To Go} kit that I took a rather literal approach. Don't the Halloween trees looked look like hanging lanterns? That sort of thing always amuses the heck out of me :-)

Here's my card:

And a close-up:

Thanks so much for popping by. 

Happy Mail: CupCards {To Go}

WOOO-HOOOO!

My dear sweet friend Sonda sent me one of her delicious CupCards {To-Go} kits and I have to tell you; it's like Christmas around here... well, actually, Halloween! *SQUEAL*

First off, it comes in this cute box with a tuck-in lid so instead of having to shake your new treasures free you get this:

What a pretty present! As a huge fan of tissue paper, I'm already excited about using the packaging in a project. And did you see the cute tag? Click on the picture to get a closer look.

When I carefully pulled back the tissue I saw this:

*Jaw drop*

Is that stamps I see :-)

Here's the contents of this super-packed kit:

To see more, click here.

Included:

6x6" papers
1 Basic Grey june bug-apron
1 Basic Grey june bug-corsage
1 Black River Designs-old red pin cushion
1 Bo Bunny whooligans-batty
1 Bo Bunny whooligans-dot
1 Bo Bunny whooligans-grrr
1 Bo Bunny whooligans-stripes
1 GCD spring-orange dots
1 GCD margarita-bird paradise
1 MME blackbird-big dots
1 MME blackbird-costumes
1 MME blackbird-halloween words
1 MME blackbird-pumpkins
1 MME blackbird-spiders
1 UPSY DAISY-lyric
5.5x4.25" Cards
10 Basis-white
Envelopes
10 Basis-white
Embellishments:
-FLATS
1 sheet Black River Designs sentiment rubons
3 clear treat bags
-GOODIES
1 Basic Grey wheat bling-curry
4 CBX splendid treasures-ruby (assorted)
3 Jillibean Soup sprouts-orange
1 black photo corner
1 bright orange flower
2 orange foam balls
1 Ranger grungeboard circle
4 google eyes (these are sticky backed...just peel and stick)
2 shipping tags
1 EK Success glitter leaf sticker
2 Jenni Bowlin chipboard buttons
3 MME blackbird glazed brads
3 My Little Korner sentiment tags
1 purple shell bead
May Arts satin pumpkins
Queen & Co. clear rhinestones
hand dyed buttons
Stamp:
1 Unity-candy corn tree + 3 sentiments
Ribbons/Trims:
1/2 yd. May Arts sheer squares-orange
1/2 yd. American Crafts-black gingham
1/2 yd. Maya Road-black sequins
1/2 yd. cream ricrak braid
1/2 yd. purple sheer w/white dots
1/2 yd. red grosgrain
1/2 yd. lime green sheer
1/2 yd. orange satin
1 yd. kraft hemp cord

So... yeah...I guess you all know what I'm going to be doing the next few night - getting crafty!

Watercolor on Canvas

Julie Fei-Fan Balzer is one of my favorite artists and I record Scrapbook Memories to see her segments.  While laid up this week with spinal headaches, back spasms and irregular heart beat (yes, I've had a TON of fun the past few days) I entertained myself with catching up on Tivoed episodes of Work of Art, Quilting Arts and Scrapbook Memories. They were all inspiring, but Julie's project got me off the couch and playing with paint. Here it is:

(click to see it bigger)

Here's a close up:

I didn't stray far from her step by step instructions except that when I realized how water reactive the paint was I splattered water all over the finished product to make white splotches as well as the black paint ones. 

Question: What paint pens do you like? I have both Sharpie ones and Elmer's Painters. Neither is very opaque. The silver DecoColor ones (which I loved writing all over my binders with as a kid) are very wet and opaque but the white ones turn a lighter shade of the paint color underneath within a few minutes.

You can see Julie's instructions HERE. 

Have a great weekend everyone :-)

Linked up with Tatertots and Jello

'Tis the Season: Calacas

Most readers of this blog know that Day of the Dead is a popular holiday at Casa Maki. We all enjoy making meals that remind us of our loved ones who have passed away and the cheerfully macabre decor.

(As always, click to see the pictures close-up)

The most recent issue of Cloth Paper Scissors (my favorite magazine in the world!) included a feature article by the ridiculously talented Michael Demeng on making calacas. Of course I had to try.

The way you make these is to take Dollar Store figurines or wedding cake toppers (expensive!) and lop off their heads. I know - rather violent, no? I used a chisel, hammer and safety goggles and it was easy peasy.

Then I replaced their missing heads with skeleton heads torn from a garland, also from the Dollar Store. 

Next, you cover the whole thing with modeling paste (which is like working with tartar control toothpaste - not fun but very textured) and decorate and paint them as you like. Using a paint pen was easier for fine details like the eye sockets and mouth.

For me, having a very tactile finished project is important so I glued lace to the dress and added dimensional flowers and added a veil turning my "pretty girl" into a "winsome bride".

The veil was one of my favorite parts as I sprayed it with yellow, brown and a bit of blue homemade glimmer mist and then burned the edges to make it curl after I attached it. The effect added a lot of age and movement to the figure. I used the same colors to dye the lace. 

For the platform she's standing on I used a piece of scrap wood from our etagere that Brayden lit on fire back in May. I know those pieces would come in handy! The back (tall) piece is balsa wood, I love how it warps a little from the paint and gel medium and that adds a little bit more movement too.

After the wood glue dried, I covered the whole stage in modeling paste, waited for it to dry and then added painted book pages and acrylic paint. To finish I embellished the piece with wrinkle ribbon and blue Prima flowers.

You can see last year's shrines here.

This is my entry in the Mixed Media Monday "Shrines" challenge and the ethereal, non-corporeal, magic or supernatural challenge at Alter-it Monthly. 

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