A Bit East-coast

so long halloween 2012.

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Oops, I totally forgot that I had this post scheduled to go live this morning! With the time change I fell asleep by 8(last night) and since the girls have today (& tomorrow) off from school-I slept in longer.

Today-I plan on packing up Fred and the gang-it will be so hard! I love having them hanging out on the sofa and seeing the crows here & there around the house. The house looks so empty when it is all put away, but I must move on to Thanksgiving...and then Christmas! It all comes and goes too fast...

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I made these butterflies & mask freehand with some sculpey, something I definitely want to do again next year.

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Heaven said:

Hope you came through the storm ok. Up here in Maine it got bad depending on where you live. The coast (where I am) took a beating, but we're fine. Hope you and yours are as well. Love the cards, gorgeous as always!

Reply | Edit | View | 6 days ago on three cards.

 

 

Hi Heaven, so glad to hear that you and your family are doing well after Sandy. It was sad to see how bad the storm had been for so many people on the east coast. We lost power for 24hrs-so we can't complain. I was stunned to see how bad it was in NY & NJ on Wednesday.

let the haunting begin.

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Last week I was thrilled to start pulling out all the crows, Fred the skeleton(I made him a sign), and his buddies for Halloween 2012! I am still working on placing things and need to stop at the local farmers stands for a few white pumpkins. I was so excited to see that this year two of the stands I pass have loads of white pumpkins-love the competition between the two farmers!

I also have ideas swirling around in my head of stuff I want to make-but where is the time? This weekend I felt like I was all over the place-drove to Cindy's house for her Thirty-One party on Saturday. Sunday I took Mira and a couple of her friends to the mall for Homecoming dress shopping-by the way, did I ever mention she now has her driver's permit...and she has a certain amount of driving hours to achieve before getting her license. The 20 mins we spent driving through the neighborhood was super fun;-)

Today-I am staying HOME! In my studio...I hope to finish a couple of layouts I started last week and doing some Halloween stuff. And maybe do some cleaning-Lulu's hair is everywhere!

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Q & A

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D said:

I have been wanting to leave a comment for the last month or two when I came across your blog through Making Memories. Quickly I added you to my "favorites". I simply love your blog and style. Everything you post from crafts to photography is chic, elegant, simple and beautiful. It not only shows in your craft but design, decorating and home. I LOVE popping in to see what other marvelous project has been posted. This is truely one sight I never get tired of looking through and spend sooo much time looking at photographs for ideas, inspiration or to simply look at pretty things like I would a favorite magazine. Your so blessed to be very talented. Thank you for taking the time to post all these pictures and share all the lovely things in your life. Looking forward to all your future post. -Jasmin : >

Reply | Edit | View | 2 days ago on halloween mini.

Hi Jasmin...well, I just don't know how to thank you enough for taking the time to leave such great compliments. It's always wonderful to hear what people think and I always hope that everyone enjoys each visit. I love it when I go to a site and it makes me want to make something right away...or makes me go rearrange the decorations in a better way somewhere in my house-a site that makes me feel inspired makes my day...and then makes me want to also inspire those who come here to my blog. I am thankful when I read a comment like yours(or any comment left)-thank you Jasmine & all others who may feel the same way!!

Melinda Wharton said:

Keisha, I love this - it's beautiful. Just love how your photography blends so nicely with the album. Good work! I have the same questionsas those above! Melinda Wharton at scrapkit studio

Reply | Edit | View | 4 days ago on halloween mini.

Melinda, I'll answer below for you!!!

Heaven said:

Awesome!! This is fabulous! How big is this album? :)

Reply | Edit | View | 5 days ago on halloween mini.

Hey Heaven...it's a 4x4-perfectly mini mini, lol!!

Tammie Eberhart said:

You are so darn creative!!! Patty said it best - "SPOOKTACULAR"! What adhesive do you prefer for adhering the pages of your mini album?

Reply | Edit | View | 6 days ago on halloween mini.

Tammie, I really like to stock up on Tombow permanent tape or Scotch double stick tape.

Joan Fowler said:

Keisha, I love this mini album. I recognise the skeleton stamp from My Mind's Eye but what company or companies is the paper from? Also those labels (Spider Fangs, Deadly morsels)are amazing but have no idea what line they are from either. I would love to use something similar for a mini album for my granddaughter if you could provide some company names for me.

Reply | Edit | View | 6 days ago on halloween mini.

Joan...Lots of old stash stuff with a bit of new stuff! Ok, the Deadly Morsels is Martha Stewart from 2 or 3 seasons ago-look on Ebay for those stickers. All the other stickers( SpiderFangs, Hemlock, Trick or Treat and Oct 31) are new K&Co sticker set I grabbed from Michaels-the witch sticker too. The papers are all from My Minds Eye-a mix of two lines. One is their Halloween line and a line of black & white papers called Meadow Lark...I love doing Halloween in blk/wht with bits of orange. Yep, the stamps are My Minds Eye...and the skeleton at the end(or the first photo on black cardstock) is a Michael's stamp. Lots of old Making Memories stickers(letters/numbers and word stickers) & some Jenni Bowlin bingo cards and journaling cards. Studio Calico stamps(2006)...te glittery spider might be Jolee's...some black sequence...OMGosh, I am just noticing that there are a couple pages missing, lol. 

 

halloween mini.

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Finally, done! I have been working on this just about everyday for the past month?! Last week LaVaughn & I think we had a bit of the flu-I am just now really feeling better. This album is really simple-and the simplest of things seem to take me forever! 

This album has photos of the girls from past Halloween 06-09. I want to do another mini for 2010-11 soon. Right now I am just glad that this one is done!! I posted it from end to beginning and I am to ticked to reload the photos!!

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multi-tasker or distracted?

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I am not sure which I am-so lets just say both with a hint of being all over the place. I am still working on the Halloween mini album, but I saw an idea in Matthew Mead's new Halloween magazine I had to replicate. He had this large glass case with faux spiders in it-this is my take on that idea. I bought one of those unfinished glass boxes from JoAnn's and painted it black-I added some glittered spiders & moss-viola!

I also was flipping through a BHG Halloween issue and saw a Scupley ad-which then lead me to wanting to make my own mini pumpkins & a witch's hat. Forgive me-this is my first time playing with clay in YEARS!! I wanted to make white pumpkins and had to go with black since they were out of the white. This was a learning experiment for me(not the greatest, but not too bad for my first try)...and I am now eager to try making more this weekend...

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First day of school TODAY!! Mikiela started 4th grade and Amira is a sophomore...it was nice to have the house stay clean for most of the day!! Not looking forward to when they come home, lol.

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Heaven said:

Oh wow!! I love love LOVE this!! I simply adore mini albums. Have you ever considered doing a video of "start to finish" type of project? I'd like to watch how you come up with these sleek, clean albums/layouts.. :)

Reply | Edit | View | 5 days ago on things mini.

Heaven, my friend!! I think about this A LOT. I want to and I am super scared of the idea. I *think* a few other blog vistors would enjoy it if I did some videos-I just need to figure out how to do it myself. I love joining in on classes taught by others-because they do the hard work of putting the classes together. The easy part for me is making the project-the other stuff is what scares me. But I might surprise you one day!!

 

 

Elena Chamberlain said:

I am absolutely blown away by this mini album. Your designs on the pages are absolutely beautiful. Not over-done...it makes me think of all the people I would love to make one for. I am so GLAD I found your site. I've only been following you a couple of weeks and I love your work.

Welcome Elena, I am always thrilled to have a new visitor/follower. Thank you so much

 

 

 

Angela M said:

Keisha...I am getting excited for the fast approaching Autums season and this project makes me even more excited. Love it! Thanks for sharing!

Reply | Edit | View | 2 days ago on teaser: halloween m…

Angela, I have been stalking stores watching all the new *stuff* come out and planning on what to get!! I am so ready to decorate for Halloween NOW.

 

homemade decorations, by me...

------------------------------------------*Over the weekend I made these boxes & the witch hat, using Making Memories papers & stickers...and my Slice to cut the masks! I love Wendy Addison & Nicol Sayre's work so much, and they were in my head as I did these.

too many fun ideas...

--------------------------------------------------*---Too many fun ideas-I can't seem to stop! I bought this black wreath last year for an idea I thought would work-it didn't!! Now that I am on this accordion flower kick, this year I had an idea-that worked. I used all Making Memories papers for the wreath & garland-most of  the papers are from Toil & Trouble line. I just love decorating for holidays-I even have 8 more accordion flowers on my studio room floor I have to figure out what to do with. I might need a bigger house! Enjoy...

 

happy haunting...

-------------------------------------------*Today I made my first fan/accordion flowers-using some papers & stickers from Making Memories. I've only just begun with this!!! I wish the light had been better-the photos are a bit grainy, sorry.

 

a layout & some projects...

 This page was done with MM new Paper Reverie line, that I so love.

products: MM-butterfly pp, floral pp, stickers; new Martha Stewart punch

 For the pumpkins I bought some precut wood shapes(from Michael's) & covered them with MM Toil & Trouble papers.

products: MM-web pp, zigzag pp, stickers, ribbon, rhinestones



 I did this Boo banner & pp covered vase for the JBS blog.

happy weekend,

keisha

October is almost over...

 I am just not ready for the month to be over! I am not ready to take down the Halloween decor-I LOVE the black crows & the white pumpkins. I loved the way the spray painted gold & silver pumpkins came out-now I am addicted to spray painting things. Thank goodness that I can keep most things up through Thanksgiving. Most things were bought at either Michael's or JoAnn's...the crows were from M's(always on sale at 40 or 50% off) and a few of the small ones from Party City for $1.99. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I have been obsessed with decor blogs-especially those that are shabby-french-swedish-modern-country, lol. I LOVE a white room. This blog inspired me to add Fred to my Halloween madness. I just love how simple she kept her Halloween decor. 

 

Last week I had to straighten up my closet a bit...it's generally this neat. My hangers were not in color order, nor were my tops, lol. That drives my crazy. Plus, I would like to redo the whole closet slowly over time. I want to find an amoire for that spot where the framed cork board is and add a round table in the center. And rearrange the shelves-maybe invest in Elfa. I have a dream to fulfill, lol!!

We are hoping that this helps with my serious back aches, it came today-woohoo. Don't ever buy a mattress from Sam's Club. Our pillow top fell within months of buying it. My sleep number is 35 and I can't wait to go to bed tonight!

Next post:

Last Sunday we spent the day at a great farm not to far from home-the corn maze was simpler than we thought it would be. Kiela & Kendal seemed to have had a good time.

October means this...

 ghostly fun! More iphone photos. It's been just over 2 wks since I have had this phone-and 90% of my apps are photo apps!

 

LisaSoares said:

Very cool! I might have to check that out. Do you have any other suggestions for photo apps and any other fun apps...I don't use my iPhone as much as I should. Thanks!

Reply | Edit | View | 5 days ago on a few fall touches.…

So Lisa...I have 

Lo Mob-*****my top fave 

ClassicINSTA-*****love this one

Retro Camera

Pocketbooth

IncrediBooth

Polarize

MoreLomo

ClassicToy-*****super fun

CameraBag-*****another winner for me

ShakeIt

Hipstamatic

MoreBeauty

VintageMaker-*****love this!

TiltShiftGen-*****this is too cool

Photomation

Photogene

Lomora 2

MoreBeaute

Format126

 

 

Sandra Fletcher said:

Recently signed up to receive the JBS project kits--after seeing your inspirational pages today, I'm so glad I did! Your work is fabulous. Thanks--

Reply | Edit | View | 4 days ago on a few fall touches.…

Wow Sandra, thanks!! The kits are so worth it and I find to stop once I get going!!

katie squires said:

Aren't white pumpkins the best! I bought some last year and my freind thought I spray painted it! LOL.

Reply | Edit | View | 5 days ago on a few fall touches.…

Omg Katie, I LOVE them. I bought both faux & real-the real are just the best!! But I have been addicted to gold & silver spray paint for some of mine!!!