We have Ghosts

I've slowed down on the card making.. well that's not 100% correct. Actually I've decided to enter a card into a publication. I haven't finished it yet, it's not due until the 1st. So I've been going slow and playing with different ideas. From everything I've read one must submit their very best work which is why I'm taking my time. The sad thing is once it's done and entered I can't upload a pic until it's been decided. You'll just have to come over to see it. :D Once it's either been accepted or rejected I can and will post a picture of it. Until then all I can say is it will have butterfly's.

I'm also hoping to get an entry into a Copic Contest.... the winner will be put on next years catalog. I know it's pie in the sky however I have to start somewhere. So no cards for you today. But I do have something really cool that I did make a few years back. As I stated previously I adore decorating. I don't get to do for all the seasons, I do have a life. But I make time for Halloween and of course Christmas. Like always I can't just tell you what I've done I have to tell you the story behind it.

Picture it Costa Mesa September 2007 it had been pouring rain all morning. The clouds broke around 2 to give us a stunning blue sky with some patchy white cotton ball like clouds with storm clouds in the distance. The trees were bright green just after their bath. Inside the hall was lit up with 200ft of various sized paper lanterns. Becky, my newly acquired cousin, took a 50ft isle runner cut it in half and painted huge Chinese words which lined the back wall. Fresh Orchids where on every table. Frank Sintra filled the air. The atmosphere was upbeat and happy or at least we were. You can imagine the occasion. :D

We were left with hundreds of paper lanterns. We side towards the Asian design, its the one design style Dk and I can agree on. To our surprise a few years back we found orange jack-o-lantern paper lanterns and at 1.69 each we had to get some. We have a cute 8 x12 ft porch right by the front gate of our complex. Since we already owned the lights for paper lanterns it was a perfect fit. The problem was we only had 3 pumpkin lanterns and 5 lights needed to be filled. What to fill it....plain white lanterns would be boring next to the pumpkins so I took some white tissue paper and glued it to the lantern. I cut up the bottom end in strips. In word I filled in some ovals with black ink printed them, cut them out and glued them on. Ta da.. ghost paper lanterns.

I had Dk take some close up photos. He has a degree in photography plus his arms are much longer than mine :D These are brand new pumpkin lanterns. After being in the California sun our old lanterns were quite faded. Last year we went to buy some new ones however we were out of luck.. they didn't have any. However they had some this year. :D I had Dk buy 6 so we'll have them for years to come.

The Ghost:

I adore how a light breeze will bring this guy to life. I used super 77 for glue. For those of you who know a few things about craft glue this glue runs circles around glossy accents. It makes a huge huge sticky mess and can only be used outside but it works. This ghost lantern is 3 years old it's been outside 24/7 for 12 weeks or so and folded up in the garage the rest of it's lifetime. It's been through Santa Ana winds, rain, fog and summer like heat. That paper is not coming off.

This looks awesome at night and with some haunted mansion music playing it makes for a great Halloween evening.

Only 3 weeks to go. :D

Katie