A Crafty Soiree #109 with Cutting Edge Stencils Giveaway!

It's the last week of our September Celebration marking one year of A Crafty Soiree and we're so glad you've joined us.  We really appreciate your support and the time you take to join us each Thursday.  This week we've teamed up with Cutting Edge Stencils to offer one of our readers a stencil of their choice, up to a $50 value!!!  Plus it will ship to the winner for free. 

Stencils are a cost effective way to give your house a beautiful custom look.  I'll be reviewing a one very soon and I'm excited to give it a try.  Before now, I had no idea there was such variety in stencils from patterns you can add to smaller items like pillows and lampshades, up to designs you can use for a whole room!  Here is a short video how-to video to help newbies, like me, get started.
Are you as excited as I am to get started?  Here's your chance to try out one for yourself!  Please use Rafflecopter below to enter. Subscribers will need to click over to see the entry form.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

We hope you've been enjoying all the fabulous giveaways this month!  Last week's winner of the $25 gift card to Sur La Table and the Jessica Steele Apron was... and the Minted gift card goes to...Jessica Hill!  Congratulations emails to the winners have been sent.

Now let's get to this week's features!  I noticed a frame theme running through several projects, but each very different from the other.  But let's start with a couple others first...

There are a plethora of awesome treat templates available at It's Always Autumn that I thought were perfect for the upcoming season when many of us might be planning to present freshly baked goodies to family, neighbors, teachers, etc.  I especially like the cupcake box.  Aren't they all lovely?  Go snag yourself the download!

Shannah at Just Us Four shares several really fun ideas for how to decorate using inexpensive Ikea lanterns, candles, ribbon, and a few other additions.  Go see how she incorporates simple garland and other filler into her designs for fall and Halloween.  Now her front porch is sure to stand out on the block.

Iuliana at Hip2Thirft made this stylish frame using a Dollar Store find and supplies she had on hand.  I think it turned out pretty great!  Chevron and banners are always a good thing!  Plus now it helps this European raised blogger get used to our American traditions!  BTW, did you know they don't celebrate Halloween in Europe?  I didn't until she mentioned it!

Lindy from Itsy Bitsy Paper Blog found these great ornate wooden frames at Michael's in the Christmas section.  I am planning to go raid my local store asap to find my own!  When Lindy got home she transformed them into magnetic frames and this one is now on her fridge.  What a great way to still put family pictures on the fridge but elevate them into something much more attractive than mine stuck on with travel souvenirs magnets. 

My last frame project is from Barb at Turtles and Tails.  It looks so fantastic I can't believe she managed to give it away!  I can imagine it being very hard to part with.  I love the combinations of layers, the greenery, burlap, and a touch of color.  I'm swooning over it.  Can you tell? 

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Party Guidelines

1.  Link up to four of your creative projects (No Etsy stores or other linky parties pretty please).  

2.  Add your link to the specific posts not the main URL.

3.  Add a "Crafty Soiree" button to your blog or posts.

4.  Please comment on the post linked up in front of you.  All partygoers love meeting new friends... don't just stop there...if you see something that catches your fancy-- stop by and say hi!

5.  Your hostesses would love it if you'd follow us. You can find Malia here.

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Daisy Girl Scout Activity: Friendship Glitter Pins

Make new friends,
but keep the old.
One is silver,
the other is gold.

A circle is round,
it has no end.
That's how long,
I will be your friend.

Many a Girl Scout has learned these words and we sing the first two verses during each Daisy Girl Scout meeting.  Last week kicked off a new year of scouting fun, my second year as a co-leader.  We welcomed three new girls into our friendship circle and to mark the occassion we made these pins.

Inspired by the song, each girl made one gold and one silver pin to represent the two types of friends.  We used a wooden disc to echo the line about a circle being round and reinforce that friendship has no end.  The idea was that each girl would make a pin with her own initial on it and one flower "Daisy" pin to give away to a friend.

I prepared the project by using my Sizzix die cuts and heavy duty double sized adhesive sheets I found at Michael's.  I don't know if an electronic machine could cut through the sheets and I wasn't willing to risk my Cricut to find out.  It was a little hard to cut through the layers with the metal die system.  I had to use my scissors to cut some parts apart.  It was time consuming but not difficult.  Next, I peeled off one side of backing and put onto the wooden disc, leaving the top layer of protective covering on.   I also hot glued on a pin backing to each.

During the meeting the girls just had to take off the remaining backing and put their pin face down into the plastic containers of fine glitter.  Give it a few taps to knock off excess and then we each had our own glittery new accessories.  The only draw back was that the girls liked them so much they didn't want to give their flower pin away.  We had them, write their name on the back of their flower pin, and then had them exchange amongst each other instead.

This idea originated at Oh, Hello Friend.

Football is Like Life Clipboard

Are you ready for football season?  Yeah, me neither.  Actually I don't know a thing about the sport and usually consider college football a bit of a nusiance because we live by a big university town where the pig skin is a big deal.  You can forget about going anywhere in town on game day. 

Okay, back the main point.  This post is actually about the clipboard I made for my friend's husband.  His daughters and wife all have a fancy clipboard and he was feeling a bit left out.  Or so I like to think.  The usual flowers would not do, but he is a huge and I do mean huge football fan.  He even has a ginormous trophy for winning his fantasy football league last season.

His wife Margaret helped me find the perfect papers at Archivers.  I used them along with a $2 unfinished clipboard from Staples, my Alphalicious Cricut cartridge to use the name, and a Doodlebug Design Inc. paper frill border to make this ultra manly version of a decoupaged clipboard.

More footballs on the backside and a since the clipboard is just a wee bit over 12 inches I printed out a football quote I found online and added it.  I kinda like how it breaks things up from all that brown.  It can be tough to figure out masculine ways to use my papercrafting skills.  I'm really pleased by how this venture turned out and I'm told Eric really liked it too.

A Crafty Soiree #108 with Sur La Table, Jessie Steele, and Minted...Oh MY!

We're continuing our September Celebration and so glad to have you back for another week of crafty goodness.  So many of you love being creative in the kitchen, and you are all gonna love today's REALLY YUMMY giveaway package, that includes a twenty-five to spend at Sur La Table...

AND... a brand spankin' new cream and green damask apron from Jessie Steele!

Now you can whip up something delish in the kitchen and look fabulous doing it!  Here is the Rafflecopter entry box to enter for a chance to win this awesome baker's dream!  (Please note subscribers may need to click over to enter.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We've got something extra special for you this week!  We've SUPERSIZED the giveaways this week! 

You can also win a $50 gift certificate to Minted for beautiful cards, journals, gift tags, and even art prints!  You can see some of my favorite picks on my Minted Inspiration Boards like this one:

My Favorites board by Katie, featuring Minted

Please use Rafflecopter to enter!  Subscribers, click on over to see the entry box.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

And here is the winner of last week's giveaway for a 3 pattern pack from You Can Make This...is #138 Linda Piekkola.  Congratulations Linda.  An email has been sent to you.

Whew, that's a lot of really cool stuff for you to win!  We're so excited to share all these opportunities with you.  Crafty Soiree folks are the bestest!  Now onto your fabulousness.  Link 'er up below and check out this week's features.  I've found some really great fall projects to inspire you.

 Fall Acorn Wreath from The Real Housewives of Riverton

 Stick Ball Pumkins from Delicate Construction

 Pinecone Door Arrangement from Marty's Musings

 Felt and Yarn Halloween Trees from Happy Tree Life

Paper Candy Corn Bunting from One Creative Mommy

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Party Guidelines

1.  Link up to four of your creative projects (No Etsy stores or other linky parties pretty please).  

2.  Add your link to the specific posts not the main URL.

3.  Add a "Crafty Soiree" button to your blog or posts.

4.  Please comment on the post linked up in front of you.  All partygoers love meeting new friends... don't just stop there...if you see something that catches your fancy-- stop by and say hi!

5.  Your hostesses would love it if you'd follow us. You can find Malia here.

<a href="http://www.katiesnestingspot.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img width="150" border="0" alt="Katie's Nesting Spot" src="http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv157/KTnestingspot/Blog%20Buttons/KatiesNestingSpotButtoncopy.jpg" /></a>Let's Party!

Up for Auction: Halloween Pocket & Tag Coil Bound Mini Book

I'm taking part in The Children's Tumor Foundation Auction on my friend Blythe's The Desperate Craftwives Facebook Page. Our goal is to raise awareness and funds to help find a cure for Neurofibromatosis.  Blythe's good friend's little girl has it and is currently battling a tumor on her brain stem.  An eight year old third grader is way too young to have to battle anything like that!  You can learn a little bit more about Kaitlyn on her donation pledge page.

I made this beautiful mini book especially for the online auction, this is how it works.  Each day one of Blythe's amazing sponsors is featured on The Desperate Craftwive's Facebook Page.  Bidders post their bid in a comment on the annoucement.  You can see a full list of the sponsors on Blythe's blog.  My Halloween Mini Book will be up for auction on or around September 24th and I'll ship it right away so the winner can have it to use next month.   I hope you'll consider bidding on and the other auction items and help a good cause. 

This one of a kind mini book is approximately 6 inches wide by 7 inches tall, has paper covered chipboard covers, and is coil bound.  It features premium double sided archival quality papers, including some glittered and one flocked used for the cover. 

Inside you will find:

6 6X7 inch large stitched pockets

6 5.5X6.5 inch double sided tags

4 5X4 inch stitched small pockets

4 4.25X3.5 inch tags

1 4.5X4 inch stitched small pocket

1 3.75X3.5 inch tag

2 transparency sheets with vinyl

Each page, pocket, and tag has been embellished by me using premium archival quality papercrafting supplies such as:

machine stitched details

washi tape

inked paper edges

colorful die cuts

glittery die cuts

embossed stickers

dimentional stickers

This Halloween Pocket and Tag Coil Bound Mini Book is ready for pictures of your favorite trick-or-treater and journaling.  Document one of the most spooktacular months of the year.  I had so much fun assembling it and hope you enjoy the pictures below.

First Page Spread

Detail of Die Cuts and Embossed Sticker

First Large Tag, Inside of Jack-o-Lantern Pocket

Record your memories on the ghost side and add a picture to the photo mat on the reverse side.  Or add a picture at the top of the lined paper and use the remaining lines for your journaling.

Second Page Spread

Mini Pocket and Embellished Tag

Die cuts and stamped spider on one side, perfect for journaling.  The other side has been left blank for you to add a picture.

Transparency Sheet with Vinyl.

Vinyl on Transparency

Second Large Tag, Inside of Witch and the Moon Pocket

Front with space for either a photo or journaling and the back featuring a large monster die cut.

Third Page Spread

Second Mini Tag with Die Cut and Embossed Sticker, Back Side Blank

Third Tag, Inside of Spooky Tree Pocket

Front with area for a photo and layer sticker and lined back.

Fourth Page Spread

Aren't the owls cute?  I think this would be a great spot to use letter stickers (not included) to spell out a quote for your kid/grandchild, or perhaps even you or a favorite Halloween movie.  The mini pocket has a dimentional sticker and glittery orange swirls on the paper.

Tag inside of mini pocket with multiple die cuts and inked paper edges.

Fourth Tag Inside of Multi-Colored Polka Dot Pocket

Front with die cut paper tape and rub on "thrills" and back with paper tape and stickers.

Fifth Page Spread

Tag inside of Mini Pocket with Die Cuts and Sticker

Second Transparency Sheet with Vinyl

This is supposed to be a Shakespeare quote but I didn't realize it's supposed to be "Double, double, toil, and trouble," until after I had already cut out the vinyl and attached it.  If the winner of the auction wants to remove this page, it can be cut out easily.

Fifth Tag, Inside the Witch Pocket

I affectionately call this the skeleton tag.  Lined front with sticker and back with glittery border and rub one "beware".

Sixth Page Spread: The witch paper is glittery :)

Tag inside of Mini Tag with Die Cut and Stamped "Trick or Treat"

Last Tag, Inside of Candy Corn Pocket

Space for a photo underneath the witch and for writing on the lined side.

Seventh Page Spread

Featuring a large ghost die cut and embossed stickers.  Orange paper has glittery swirls.

Back Cover: Titles on gravestones are raised with flock-liked texture.

There you have it, I know there were a lot of pictures but I wanted bidders to be able to really see all the detail that went into making this fabulous Halloween Mini Book!  I enjoyed sharing it with you, now...get ready, set, bid!  I'll see you on The Desperate Craftwives Facebook Page!