Fall, Pumpkins, PanPastels...OH MY

I confess, I am a fall-o-holic! I love any and all things having to do with Autumn. The colors are awesome, the air is getting cooler here in the mid-west and it is time for friends and bonfires!

So I decided to start a scrapbook page for me to fill in later. I used a great stencil from Dreamweaver...and I am enjoying them more today than I did the first time I used them.

Both of these designs were on one stencil. I placed the stencil in the bottom left corner and started layering on the color. I used the PanPastels by Colorfin for the rich deep colors. Rather than using the sponge applicators used in fine art I chose a regular small stencil brush.

These pastels really have rich pigment so a little dab goes a very long way. I just applied one color until it was all absorbed into the paper and then went back for a color to shade with or to change color. I then blended and went back over the image until I got the desired affect. I love starting with a softer color and building on top. These pastels are so smooth, that when you are done it almost looks like a painted image.

Next, I shifted the stencil to the top corner and started the process again. The result was this stunning leaf/acorn pattern in the corner. I could have done more, and I may go back in ad stencil some more once I get the photos added. But for now, I am very pleased with the look.

I did use a spray workable fixative to set the pastels. If you happen to have some stray dust...just erase it away!

Every time I use these products I am just happy! Jump on over to my blog where you can add a comment and become a follower for a chance to win a stencil.

If you liked my necklaces...when I reach 50 followers, I will do a drawing with random.org to give away one of my original wire wrapped creations. Check it all out http://www.kristiscreativecafe.blogspot.com/! Only about 3 more people to go to award the prize! Happy Creating!

Kristi

Fall, Pumpkins, PanPastels...OH MY

Boo To you with a wonderful weekly menu

Hi Everyone,
This year you will never know it, but I'VE NEVER celebrated Halloween before. I had a few assignments that requires a Halloween theme.

This was very easy to create using the Happy Haunting Cricut Cartridge.

1.Once you have cut the images, ink all the edges using fluid chalk, assemble all the layers and add rhinestones to the eyes of the bats.
2.Create the rosette by cutting a strip pf paper at 1.25", score using scor-it at .25". ink the edges, fold accordion style, glue he two ends to create a circle, mount on the ribbon using Provo Craft Terrifically tacky glue adhesive .
3. Use Provo Craft Terrifically tacky glue adhesive to adhere the ribbon to the bats and rosette lenghtwise.
4.Cut 6 scallop circles for the word boo, ink the edges, sandwich the ribbon between the circles, adhere the letters for boo on top of the circles.
Voila you are done!
Supplies:
Happy Haunting Cricut Cartridge, Terrifically tacky tape, Gypsy from  Provo Craft, K & Company Halloween pad, Mambi rhinestones, Colorbox fluid chalk, May Arts ribbon.

WEEKLY MENU

This week menu is very easy, everything is practically baked 1 pot meal.

Last week there were a huge sale of Campbell's soups, they were $1.00 each, so I took advantage and brought 50 cans, yep you read right 50 cans, plus I had 20 coupons for buy 2 save 50 cents..

yep I paid $20.00 plus spend $25.00 in groceries and get $5.00 off.

This week great buy which is the lowest price I've seen in 6 years. Target has the Betty Crocker brownies on sale for $.73cents just in time for Thanksgiving, Bananas for .19 cents a lb..

Banana bread anyone?

All images below are from the campbell's site.

Monday

Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole

 

 

Tuesday

Southwestern Grilled Chicken Salad

 

Wednesday

Easy Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas

 

Thursday

Monday's left over :)

Friday

Eggplant lasagna instead of pasta use eggplants instead  with fresh mozzarella and basil...yum..

Saturday

French Onion Burgers

 What's on your menu this week? 

 

Hobby Lobby coupon'

Have a fabulous week,

Maggie

Boo To you with a wonderful weekly menu

Jewelry with Wire Wrapping

I have recently started this wonderful adventure of wire wrapping cool stones. It is a learning process and takes time. I am used to instant gratification with cards and scrapbook pages. This is very much something that takes time and practice to get it right. I am still a work in progress. I am going to share with you one of my first pieces...

I used a couple of different colors of wired to add more interest. I love multi tone jewelry. I experimented with some designs on the front of the stone. I think it came out pretty well. Then I played some more.

The next two pieces I am sharing I did last night VERY late/early! LOL One is my first attempt at a different kind of bail. Then the second attempt went a little better. If I ever get it figured out I will share an AWESOME piece!

This piece was done on a purchased at a gem/bead/mineral show then I added the leaf by using stencil paste and a Dreamweaver Stencil! Again I used a multi-tone look on the wire.

I picked this stone for the rich colors and then just added simple wrapping to really show off the stone. This is my first real attempt at a fully wrapped bail...As I said, a work in progress! Hope you have enjoyed the venture into jewelry today! I love trying new things and love to explore creativity in all areas of my life!

Pop on over to my blog and become a follower! Once I reach 100 member I will random choose someone for a great blog candy prize!!! http://kristiscreativecafe.blogspot.com/



Happy Creating!

Kristi

Jewelry with Wire Wrapping

Happy Halloween Countdown!

Happy Halloween Everyone,

I don't celebrate Halloween so creating an item like this was quite a challenge..This week Inspiration at Passionately Artistic is Halloween..

Creating a Halloween Home Decor is just a few cuts away using the Gypsy, Cricut, Cuttlebug!

How to:
1.Cut Bats at 6.5”, 5.5”, 4”, 3” , Cat 9.5” , BOO 4”, tombstones 4”, Beware 8”
2.Cut Frames at 4.5”
3.Coffins 3.5”, Skeletons 3”, Ticks, Spiders 4.25”, Spider web 4”, Skulls at 4”, 3.5”
Ink the edges of all the cuts, add rhinestones to the eyes. Embossed the leaves with any Cuttlebug folders, adhere to the pumpkins.
String the phrase boo on silver jute, adhere to the skulls.
Spray a Christmas wreath black and let dry. Adhere Cat, Spiders.
Add rhinestone to the phrase beware and adhere to the wreath.
Supplies:
October 31st Cricut Cartridge, Happy Haunting Cricut Cartridge, Pumpkin Carving Cricut Cartridge,Gypsy wondering, Rock Princess Cricut Cartridge. Krylon Glossy Spray black, Christmas wreath, Mambi rhinestone, Beacon Adhesive, Ornament balls. Cricut Expression, Cuttlebug Machine.

                                   

I am on a journey to have 1500 followers by end of the month..

I need your help to spread the word about this blog.

One  existing  and new  follower will received Happy Haunting,  Another Just Because Cricut Cartridges.

How to enter:

1.Follow the blog, leave comments.

2.Twitter, facebook, tell your friends.

Winner will be announced on November 1st if reached 1500 followers..

Have a fabulous week,

Maggie

PS $25.00 GC still going on  HERE

Happy Halloween Countdown!

necklace time! Bead Fun

Hi Everyone,
Here's a fun necklace you can create in a jiffy, using your stash..

I have been beading, stamping, die cutting and trying to keep the house together. The house ALWAYS loses in this event! I want to thank my dear hubby who puts up with me and the mess. Hoping when my room gets done it will cut down on the clutter. I just need my creative space organized!

I am working on getting matching containers to help be organized. I want a ton of shelves! All of my beads are sort of ok, I have them all in one place at least. So my quest the next couple of weeks will be to finish the room, get organized, get the laundry caught up and my house really clean!!!

Who needs to sleep any way!

Check out my blog and become a follower for a chance at blog candy! kristiscreativecafe.blogpot.com

Don't forget the Restaurant Gift Certificate HERE

Happy creating! Kristi

necklace time! Bead Fun

A Simple Sinful taste of Chocolate

Happy Monday,
I'm excited for today, as I focus on my menu planning this week. I've thought of nothing but scents of Chocolate.
I'm the type of gal the darker the better, I luv to use pure cocoa, pure Cocoa is not sweet, it's bitter and have this incredible oil that is wonderful for the skin.
Pure cocoa is wonderful in a bath, great for getting rid of bags under the eye.

Give me pure Cocoa any day over Godiva, they only use 35% or less Cocoa at most.  Hereshey's less than 5% Cocoa.
Did you know white chocolate is made of pure sugar and a few drops of simulated Cocoa oil?

If you want pure Cocoa, find a Spanish bodega near you, or ask a friend.
This week instead of an entree menu, I'm going to concentrate on dessert to assuage my thirst for Chocolate..

Monday

Almond and Chocolate Cakes
 

Wednesday

Chocolate Hazelnut

Saturday

Coconut Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse

What is your sinful taste for this week?

Your coupons for the Week!

Have a fabulous week,
Maggie

PS don't forget the giveaway of 2 $25.00 GC.. HERE 

A Simple Sinful taste of Chocolate

Come away with me to the 37th Annual Winter Park Art Festival!

Did you know this Festival is the only one to feature Florida Artist Exclusively? I kid you not. it's true.
Here is an excerpt from the Orlando Sentinel!

About the Festival
The Autumn Art Festival is a community-oriented sidewalk show that features work by outstanding Florida artists.  In addition to presenting quality visual art, the festival provides entertainment and participatory events for the enjoyment of visitors and artists.  The festival is held at beautiful Central Park located along Park Avenue in downtown Winter Park.  
 

About the Artists
The Winter Park Autumn Art Festival is the only festival to feature Florida artists exclusively.  This year, attendees will enjoy work from 150 outstanding Florida artists who were selected by a panel of judges from a pool of more than 360 applicants.

Art categories include: Painting (all media), Ceramics, Fine Crafts, Drawing & Graphics, Fibers, Sculpture, Jewelry and Photography.

I'm going to share with you some of the magnificent Art that can be found at this Festival and it is a Juried Festival.

Sorry about the pics, it was bright and sunny and so much glare...
Some Artist didn't want their work photographed, I had permission for a few for you..:)

This is a photograph of wildlife,  not a painting

This one is using spoons, forks, knives, Sieve to create Art.

Beautiful flowers..

I wish I had the talent to sculpt..

I live you with the most amazing mix media, this has paint, and beads to create the wings of the butterfly. Simply amazing..

Do you have an Art Festival in your town? leave me a comment to let me know what you like in the Art Festival?

Have a great week,
Maggie

PS don't forget the giveaway of 2 $25.00 GC.. HERE

Come away with me to the 37th Annual Winter Park Art Festival!

Memory Expo by Midland Care..Topeka, KS

TOPEKA OR BUST!!!

Here is a picture of the ladies that I spent last weekend with... the talent theses ladies have is out of this world! From left to right: Brooke Smith, Associate Editor of CardMaker magazine, Heidi Blankenship crafter/teacher, Nikki Sivils, Owner of Niki Sivils Designs, Kristi Van Doren (me), Trudy Sjolander, crafter/teacher, Karen Taylor, crafter/teacher, and last but not least, Tanya Fox, Editor of CardMaker

What an exciting time we had at the Memory Expo! This was the 2nd annual crop for Midland Care. It has a huge focus on Hospice and reaches out to so many families. They touch so many lives and I am thrilled to have been part of this event for the second year! I look forward to September 30 and October 1, 2011, for the next Memory Expo!


They allowed a table for us to display all our "stuff"! I have many cards, magazines and altered art objects!



Trying to teach is a challenge when you have someone obsessed with getting glitter on every soul there! I think it was perfect! We were making the cool folded books using the Score-It-All tool. I had the ones used in class and sold each one! What a great tool for folding and designing!

Trudy with her AWESOME watercolor creations! One is featured below! She is an amazing artist and also designs stamps for Clear Dollar Stamps!

This was my last demo of the day done more for the vendors rather than the croppers. Seated are Joe, Joe & Carole of Create & Craft. What a fun group! I learned much and developed new friendships that will last for years.

Look at all the very nicely scored papers! The Score-It-All is amazing!

Nikki Sivils with some of her BOO-tiful creations. She had some great samples and taught a couple of really good classes! She did so while suffering from food poisoning! Crafters are a die hard group! She is a delight to talk to!

I hope you all enjoyed a venture into my Expo trip !

For more check out my blog at

http:/www.kristiscreativecafe.blogspot.com

Don't forget the 2 $25.00 Gift Certificate to a restaurant near giveaway here

Happy Creating!

Memory Expo by Midland Care..Topeka, KS

Let's do Lunch-Red Lobster Restaurant (GC Giveaway)

 

Hi Everyone,
Today start our new feature "Let's do Lunch". I am excited to start this with a great giveaway, see below!

I was drafting a post last week, when DH said, can you take sometimes off? It turned out he wanted to do Lunch.
I started thinking it's been a while since we have gone out for lunch.
We head out to Red Lobster which is a restaurant I've not been to in 6 years.

While perusing the menu I couldn't believe how expensive it had gotten for lunch,what ever happened to the $5-6 dishes? the only economical choice was the $9.95 combo.
 I whispered to dh do you think we can do this under $25.00 including tip?
At this point it became a challenge for us to have a good lunch under $25.00.
I had the Clam chowder, seafood combo of shrimp scampi, and scallop. for 11.95, my dh had the catfish for $8.25, with taxes it came to $21.04, with tips to 26.04, so we were just $1 over our target.

Here's the deal since it's my birthday next week, I want to send  (2)  $25.00 GC to you to help me celebrate my birthday at a chosen restaurant near you..

How to enter?

1.leave comments on all the posts until October 23rd, 2010, leave your city, and zip code.

2.Sign up to be a follower, add my blinkie to your blog.
3.Facebook and Twitter about this giveaway! 

The 2 winners will be announced Oct 26th.

Thank you,

Maggie

Let's do Lunch-Red Lobster Restaurant (GC Giveaway)