TRICK*OR*TREAT Blog Hop - Day 1

Welcome to the
TRICK*OR*TREAT 
Blog Hop!
October 8-10, 2011

Crafter's Workshop and Clearsnap have teamed up for the next three days to create hauntingly inspiring projects for this Halloween season. It's all tricks, treats, and techniques so join us on a fright night jaunt to remember, hopping from blog to blog. Leave your "Trick-or-treat" comment on each blog in the hop in hopes of winning candy, blog candy that is! For every 50 comments posted on this blog we're giving away a set of inks and accessories to spook up any crafter's projects!!! We'll choose the winners from the blog comments posted on all the blogs in the Hop. 

The prize includes Smooch Spritz in Frosted Grape, Green Olive, and Carrot Cake, ColorBox Pigment InkPad in Spooktacular, Glitter in Grape Fizz, Design Adhesives in "Trick or Treat" and "Eeeeks!?", plus our new Design Foils in Lime Burst. That's alot of spook to go around!

Plus Crafter's Workshop is giving away this fabulous assortment of templates worth over $35!!!! That is some serious blog candy!!

Here's the artsy spooksters to visit along the way: 

• Clearsnap http://clearsnap.blogspot.com *** YOU ARE HERE
• Crafter's Workshop  http://www.thecraftersworkshop.com/The_Crafters_Workshop/Blog/Blog.html           *** GO HERE NEXT

• Sabrina Alery http://sabrinaalery.blogspot.com/
• Julie Fei-Fan Balzer - http://www.balzerdesigns.typepad.com/
• Charlotte Jenkins http://suepup.blogspot.com
• Mary Dawn Quirindongo - http://mypinkmexico.blogspot.com/ 
• Karen Grunberg- http://www.karenika.com/
• Jennifer Priest http://hydrangeahippo.blogspot.com
• Jen Clark - http://mycraftyfriendjen.blogspot.com/
• Daniela Dobson http://danieladobson.blogspot.com/

Receive extra entries in the Hop for following us on Twitter and Facebook and for tweeting or posting on Facebook about the Hop - just post here afterwards that you have followed us or posted about the Hop to increase your chances to win. 

The project I would like to share with you is an quick and easy altered frame using the Flower Shower template from CRAFTER'S WORKSHOP and ColorBox Premium Dye Inks by Stephanie Barnard. Templates are a great way to add fantastic designs to your projects fast! And Crafter's Workshop has tons of templates in a large variety of designs and styles - you are sure to find one --- or MORE you like!

While on a family vacation this summer, my niece, who is a friend to all things creepy-crawly, found several praying mantises on our trip. We don't see them much in Texas, but they seemed to be abundant in Arkansas.

I managed to snap a great photo of her with one of her "little friends" on her fingers. I wanted to do something special with the photo to send to my sister-in-law. One problem I had was how to bring attention to the little green guy perched on her hand. I had zoomed in close and managed to capture one of those rare natural smiles that kids usually only flash when your camera is NOT at the ready. But the praying mantis was tiny and hard to see.

So I thought about putting one of the Bubble Caps from Epiphany Crafts over the praying mantis to bring your attention to it...

 

And although this photo was taken in summer, the colors in the photo suggested FALL! But, I did want the project to have a "summery" feel. So I grabbed a template from Crafter's Workshop that featured a bouquet of fun flowers. Then I reached for my Stephanie Barnard ColorBox Premium Dye Inks; they are bright, vivid and perfect for this project. I began stenciling on the flowers in the colors reflected in the photo: Tangerine, Banana, Artichoke and Chocolate using a Stylus and Blender Tip. Moving the template as needed and placing it so that some of the flowers overlapped... 

Another small problem I had was that one of my boys was in the background of the photo, and I wanted ALL the focus to be on my niece. I cropped him out of the photo, but was then left with a pic that wouldn't fit my 4 X 6 frame. So I decided to print the photo out on the 4 X 6 paper, then fill in the space with more stenciled flowers. I used the same technique as was used to stencil the flowers on the frame, just using white cardstock instead. The flowers were cut out and the edges were distressed using the Chocolate Ink applied with the Stylus and Tips...

And to add a little more definition, I also distressed the inside and outside of the frame using Chocolate Ink applied with the Stylus and Tips. This technique is a great way to turn an inexpensive frame into something special. They are also quick and easy to make, so you can do up lot of these frames FAST! Think ahead to the holidays; these frames would make great gifts for teachers, friends, coworkers or even those all important "extra" gifts to have on hand when YOU get a surprise gift!

SUPPLIES:

Clearsnap Products:

• ColorBox Premium Dye Ink by Stephanie Barnard: Artichoke, Banana, Tangerine and Chocolate
• ColorBox Stylus & Tips: Stylus and White Blender Tips

Other Products:

• Crafter's Workshop: Flower Shower Template
• Epiphany Crafts: Bubble Caps: Clear Round 14
• Bazzill: White Cardstock
• Beacon Adhesives: Zip Dry
• 3L:Scrapbook Adhesives: 3D Foam Squares - Small - White
• Wood Frame
• Rhinestones

Please plan to join us on days 2 & 3 of the Trick*Or*Treat Blog Hop for more great projects!