Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Just in time for Halloween

I'm still not feeling well, so I decided to celebrate Halloween in the only way I can think of.  I believe everyone who was supposed to receive these cards has now received them.  I'm sure some of you saw the envelopes I sewed, using pages from an old Somerset Magazine Halloween edition.

I made all of them using the same five stamps, one punch, a bit of tape, old book pages, wallpaper, paint chips, and three colors of craft paint.

I recognize the one on the bottom left as having gone to Spyder.  To keep the weight down, I didn't use a paint chip, but a spritzed paper background.

One of the things I learned was stamping over paint doesn't always work well.  It worked better with the black cat and pumpkin than with the crow, witch, and Halloween stamps.  The cat and pumpkin were foam stamps I bought at either Michael's or JoAnn's (big box US craft stores) on clearance years ago, and I think that's why ink on top of paint worked better for them.

BTW, I now know that the focal card on the left went to Patty, because she showed it on her T post this week.

The other three are mounted red rubber stamps and they didn't like the paint at all.

The only other one I can actually identify its owner, is the one I sent the farthest.  It also didn't look quite like the rest, since I didn't use paint chips, but yellow spritzed paper for a background. Once again, I was trying to keep the weight of the package down because I sent it on a special journey.

I'm not sure which, but one went to my neighbor Sally, the rest to other art friends.

The back of each was decorated the same.  You can see Bleubeard isn't any better at stamping than I (grin).

I also made two tip-ins, one of which (on the right) you might have seen on Halle's blog recently, although it actually looked better after I added the ink to the left edge before I sent it.  It never hurts to see the flaws through the lens of your camera.  It was good I saw this flaw before I sent the tip-in.  Unfortunately, the other recipient hasn't received hers yet, so I'm hoping it didn't get lost in the mail.

The backs of the tip-ins were quite plain, even though I actually did a bit of stamping there, too. 

The irony of these cards and tip-ins?  Each person I sent one to is a seamstress in her own right.  And it's been obvious from the first stitch I ever took right up to this latest batch of sewed goodies, I couldn't sew a straight line if my life depended on it!!

I hope each of you has a great Halloween tomorrow.

And don't forget, tomorrow also starts Art Every Day Month (AEDM).  I post each evening, because I'm in a different time zone from Leah, our host, and her day starts earlier than mine!

15 thoughtful remarks:

~*~Patty S said...

It was such a delight to receive your card in the mail...
I had to control myself and wait until I got in the house where I could use a letter opener as to not rip that cool envelope!
Everything about the card you created had me taking notice...
Love the flocked green paper and cannot help but 'touch' it!
I was quite impressed with how you stamped the witch on the peach colored paint as it has a great look!
Then your sewing machine stitching really pulled it all together...

Thank you SO very much for making me one of the lucky ones to receive one of your creations E ...

If I could only channel the ideas and inspiration stuck in my head to actually creating something...

AND it's almost November already = ack!

Hope you are feeling much better...

Happy Halloween ♥
oxo

Unknown said...

I so hope you are feeling better soon! xxoo

Craftymoose Crafts said...

The envelopes are look like good spooky Halloween fun & I am sure they will be enjoyed!

Hope you are feeling better soon!

dawn said...

Hello and Happy early Halloween! I love the happy mail you sent out, so fun and perfect for Halloween. I would love to get some happy mail from you, how lucky these ladies are.
Too bad you won't be up to any treats tomorrow, maybe soon I hope.
I am ready for AEDM, might do mine in the evening or early morning. Can't wait to see what your sharing.
HUGS!!

Krisha said...

Great cards Elizabeth! Love the signatures on the back of the cards....LOL very cool that Bluebeard gets into the act too.
Happy Halloween!!

Linda said...

Really clever. happy halloween.

Anonymous said...

Swet stitching. I am sure everyone who received something from you was charmed by your wabi sabi stitching. Feel better. xox

Darla said...

The cards are great and I'm sure appreciated. I don't have the knack of stamping. Never comes out crisp and clear like I see it elsewhere.

Happy Halloween to you and Bleubeard.

Darla

Eliza said...

I do hope you are feeling better soon, love your Halloween cards, they are so different but brilliant too.

Hugs Eliza

Anonymous said...

Well they are all just special and went to special people as well.
Happy Halloween~ I sure hope you are feeling up to your better self soon! it's time to shake off the nasties and face the wind and howl!!
much love
~Dawn

Divers and Sundry said...

happy halloween! i loved the witches & crows especially.

dawn said...

Hello, hope you are feeling good today. The kids are all out doing their own thing for Halloween so I'm home alone. It worked out nice though so I could do my first post for AEDM. Have to admit to being a little nervous, was this with your T Time post for the first time too. Can't wait to see yours!
Well, just wanted to say hello and good night. See you tomorrow.

Dianne said...

Hope you are feeling better...I love my card and the envelope! i didn't want to show them on my blog until I asked you if it is ok? and am currently out of state so not near my home computer...but want to share it next week if it's ok with you. I am not much of a stamper either, but I often stamp with black acrylic paint rather than ink. It's so much darker and avoids the problem of not being able to stamp over other acrylics. just brush out an even flat layer of black on a paper plate or other palette, and stamp away. feel better dear!

Halle said...

Bummer that you are still not feeling well.
I love my tip-in! I especially loved the paw print from Bleubeard. ;)
Hope your Halloween wasn't to scary.

Sacred Ordinary Moments said...

Very cool!!! Lucky recipients! I'm sure everyone was delighted to find and open such pretty cards in the mail. Great sewn envelopes, too. LOVE Somerset Studios. It was a magical day when I first discovered that gem of a magazine, so many years ago ('99) and I've amassed quite a collections, since. A tsunami of inspiration!