A few Halloween projects

I was supposed to get the inside Halloween decorating done this weekend.  I got about 2% of it done.  :0\  But... part of that 2% was putting together some new decorations.  The first one was super easy... just a new insert for my seasonal framed piece that I change out for most holidays.  I've been doing this for about 2 or 3 years now but didn't have one yet for Halloween (how is that even so?).  I'm kind of glad I waited because Stampin Up! released an MDS Subway Art template for Halloween.  I did some editing to it (increased & shifted about 30 elements on it one-by-one), added an additional background, added some shadows on a few of the words and changed some of the colors [changed anything that was either peach parfait or calypso coral (they didn't seem to go well with the rest of the colors) to elegant eggplant].  It took me about an hour or so but I'm really happy with the results.  Since I've made my sisters identical framed art, I'm going to need to scale these down to 5x7 for each of them now!  I've gotta figure out how to do that in MDS!  But in the meantime... my subway art is displayed....

Please pardon the dust.  oy!  The 3 candles are new this year; they made me laugh so I had 

to get them.  They're a little hard to see but they're a frankenstein, a ghost, and a witch.  

A tip for anyone who may read this and start making a framed piece that you'll switch out 

each holiday or season.... I keep all of them tucked inside the frame.  I simply open up the 

back and rotate them accordingly.  Simple storage that keeps them safe from damage, too.

Products used (everything is from SU! unless otherwise noted):

Cardstock: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie;

Digital Elements: MDS Software, Toxic Frameable Designer Template, First Edition DSP

 Other:   frame (unknown)

My second project was crazy easy.  I actually laughed after I was done making it because it was THAT crazy easy.  I saw the idea on a blog somewhere and now I can't find it (could have sworn I pinned it).  But since I just spent more time trying to find the original pin on Pinterest than it actually took me to make this, it's time I give up on finding the source and just get to it.  This project is to simply take a placemat & turn it into a pillow.  You have to make sure you pick a placemat that has two layers (a front & back).

          Step 1:  carefully undo about 5 or 6" along the bottom seam.
          Step 2:  stuff with batting.
          Step 3:  sew the seam shut.
          Step 4:  laugh at how easy that was (this step is not optional).

No lie... this took me about 8 minutes to make.  Would have taken 7 if I didn't have to wind a bobbin in the right color. 

I've made a few of them but for this post, I'm showing you the one I made for Halloween.  I found the placemat at Target in the Halloween section.  It was $2.99.  Right next to it was a Halloween pillow (not out of this design but still...) for $14.99.  I laughed.  Then I went home and made my own pillow with my new placemat and about a dollar's worth of batting.  I can rest my head easily.  ha!  I know that I could have spiffed it up a little bit but decided to keep this one simple.  I have another one planned in my head that will incorporate some extra decoration on the front.  If you're looking for placemats, both Target & Joann's have great ones for this purpose.  Just resist the urge to use it as a placemat after you turn it into the pillow.  :)

Now to get the rest of the decorating done before it gets too late and I cop out with the "well why bother now" attitude.  :)

Hope you had a great weekend!  Thanks for stopping in for a bit.

Colleen