The Funkie JunkieBoutique Challenge #21- Treats Not Tricks.... Goodie Treaters

   October is a favorite month of mine; simply because I was born on Sweetest Day (October 18th) in 1965. I'm not shy about my age because I can wear it like a crown- as a Memaw! Halloween is a favorite holiday for all our kids & while our boys were growing up, we kept it fun for them with weenie roasts and camping. When they were young, we'd have three or more of their Cousins around and things often happened: The Amish Werewolf, trips back to the cemetery here on our ridgeline, and changing our name from Larimore to Scarimore. On the flip side- less scary side- we were usually involved in our church's Trunk or Treat, and it has grown from 100 people to well over 800 attending. Try serving 800 people in 3 hours... HamnBeans, chili, hotdogs, and at least one prize per kid. Not to mention the candy and activities- the blowups are the fave. This year, we cut it down to just serving hotdogs and chips, because it takes days to make that much soup & we always end up running out around the 700th person- with hotdogs left over. The kids love the hotdogs best, of course, and we're trying to see if serving will go faster this way. Of course, the smell of those soups next to the corn fields is an awesome experience! 
        Since the T or T always takes place the third Sunday of the month, we still get to have Trick or Treaters at home, too. While our boys were growing up, we celebrated on both nights of the 30th and 31st- one at home and one 'away". Our door always had two tons of Trick or Treaters come knock on it. I always had to start buying bags of candy ( chocolate bars; aka "the good stuff") at least 2 months in advance. Each grocery day, I'd stick two more bags into the freezer. We'd easily go through ten bags in one night. The ChiefHubby would walk up and down the neighborhood with his late Cousin-in-law, Roy (married to my Bestie/his Cousin, Cindy), both sets of boys, plus the rest of the kids their age out here , and gather bags full of goodies that included cans of pop and brownies or bags of chips to munch on along the way. I'd stay at the door and pass out the treats while trying to guess the Tricksters! Then on the other night, we'd take our boys around to all the Grandparents' homes or others who asked to see their costumes. There were always parties in between and hay rides with friends. In more recent years, we've sadly had little to NONE coming to Trick or Treat at our door. The generation our kids grew with, all moved away. By the time our boys were in the HS marching band, I had begged for my trees out front to get T-papered, but other parents thought that was mean of their kids to do to me. I wouldn't have minded one bit! I'd have made them clean it up, but it would've been an honor to have our house- which basically was 'the neighborhood house' for all the kids to gather- with T-paper in the front yard. I don't ask, nor hope, for that anymore though. My time passed and now it's up to my GRANDKIDS to have it done to their parents' house. This old woman has enough to do, nowadays. And now the neighborhood is once again growing small kids whom I've loaded up on the candy for. If they don't come get it; I may gain back some of that so-far-27-pounds-lost-with-16-more-pounds-to-go-says-my-Doctor. My MOUTH won't mind, but my SCALE will.
   So yeah, it's safe to say that we enjoy Halloween. It's all about the KIDS and the CANDY!! And,
there's a little kid inside each of us- ready to snag a bite out of our little ones' "Boo Bag". The theme for my deadline to the The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge Blog calls for making some kind of container to hold candy for a Trick or Treater; leaving the tricks behind and concentrating on a cute way to present the candy prizes. This was right up my path because I already had a plan for making some for my Grandbabies, as well as some for my Sunday PreSchoolers. The 'trick' was to make something that was Haloweeny, but not exactly scary for smaller kids. 

                     Let's take a look where my Muse led me...

My choices were not just limited to those shown here,

but it seemed like a good start!

(FYI: I am still on the lookout for a good deal on the Tim Holtz Alterations Die; Pumpkin Parts!)

I didn't get to Tim's new Paper Stash in time for this, plus;

with kids ages 2 years to 5 years... it needed to be as simple as possible.

"Cute" was just expected to show itself as I went along.

While the burlap 12x12 pages were easy-peasy to cut and manipulate, 

I learned one thing NOT to try with it; punchers just don't fit.

But Tim Holtz Tonic Scissors worked VERY well!

Just a tiny snip and I was able to put the twined ribbon in both sides easily. 

The TH Alterations Die Pillow Box is a Movers/Shapers die, so any M/S smaller dies

will make any of their shapes you wish to add as a window on the box.

With small kids... keeping it simple will save this Teacher's sanity! 

The TH Thinlits Die, Layered Jack-O-Lantern has 10 pieces to each pumpkin head,

but the effects are worth it. I made an extra one with my originally-planned pop dots

for a future project. But, after some thought that these will be for 6 certain Grandchildren...

4 of them being aged 2 years and younger (one is due November 18th)…

my Annoying Muse said "ditch the pop dots from these", and I obeyed.

Using Velcro "tabs" from the label part of the TH Pillow Die, I was able to make it

stay secure for the traveling to the homes the combined 3 sets of grandkids live in.

The black cardstock I used, closes with Velcro and looks like "chalkboard" 

after adding the names to them with TH Distress Crayon in Picket Fence!

2 of the burlap boxes will have Baby Mummums (rice crackers) in them since one baby

will be just under 7 months and the other not even born yet as of Halloween.

And here's the FUN part I remember so well from 9 years of being a Room Mother;

FILL 'EM FULL!!

I used green ribbon and regular plastic treat bags to keep the candy fresh and

easy for Mom and Grammy Fasha to pull it out of the boxes.

And this is the result...

The burlap Treaters are soft and yet firm,

while the pillow box Treaters are easier to open by little fingers.

Names on the pillow boxes will happen after the kids show up to Sunday School

that morning, since not all are 'regular' and we may have guests, too.

There's more coming up in this month, and I've been working my booty off to get it all

done! I was able to finally decide on a couple of new dies- THANKS to

The Funkie Junkie Boutique

having just what I wanted- AND their generous SPONSORING of

a $25 Gift Certificate won from the random drawing 

(Challenge Winners)

with my entry

TFJB Challenge #18 Let's Do It Again!

THANKS! to all readers: for taking the time to check in on my posts,

and for the AWESOMELY SWEET comments!!

I really do LOVE you all!! REALLY!!

I hope to see some NEW CHALLNGERS take the plunge,

and enter their projects - no matter what YOU think of your talent...

and I really think you will amaze yourself with what you can do...

it's all about SHARING!!

Till next time;

Be Safe &

HAPPY BLOGGING!

                                          

Frilly and Funkie Challenge #9; Re-Purpose, Re-Use, Re-Cycle..."Oh, We're Goin' For A Ride!"

     April is always a busy month because it usually includes an important holiday (Easter) as well as another birthday (Younger Son up in Red Wing). And that meant we took the weekend to go up to Minnesota to be with the Younger Set of Kids for a first-time visit since Thanksgiving. The weather there is about three weeks behind Indiana's, but it was unexpectedly warm and sunny while we were there! There were still the piles of die-hard snow, but not as noticeable since they were melting pretty fast, and covered with black dirt and rocks from months of plowing up. But since that last 16 inches of snow was just a couple of weeks ago; impressive! Even more impressive was being able to get a start on the yard work with the kids; helping move the pile of wood and finish cleanup of the Willow tree that crashed down (nearly to the backdoor) during a tornado last fall. (Holli had been alone, taking cover in the bathtub with the pups,and Brett at work, but everyone turned out ok, and now the yard is, too!) I really had hoped to get this posted and out before we left, but here I am- typing up as usual, at the last minute. *giggles*…*hut-hum*...Right. Aaaaanywaaay.
               The The Frilly and Funkie Challenge Blog has been really putting some CHALLENGE into these Challenges; this time is all about the Three Rs. No, not Reading, Writing, and Arithmatic...it's about helping our Earth: Re-Purpose, Re-Use, and Re-Cycle. Very fitting theme considering yesterday (April 22nd) was Earth Day. I am a firm believer in The Bible and a Creator GOD, so taking care of HIS Creation is very important to me. We have recycled as much as possible here, and we have passed that habit on to our kids. Picking out the packaging that can still be used for crafts is now a thing the ChiefHubby joins in with me on- always asking if I can use it before he puts it to the "Burn Pile" or the "Recycle Pile". I save up all my paper/craft trash into small piles used to start campfires or burning cut/fallen branches and leaves. So anytime I am cutting, I am also thinking ahead on how to best use those leftovers...down to the very last bit. My mind went straight away on this theme to a Re-Purpose; with something that just came into our home the very week before and the ChiefHubby started saving them for me, asking what I could make from them! Perfect timing!

            Before we look at my project, I must show you where the idea came from...  

Those of you fellow Baby Boomers will recognize this song.

And, new Grandparents like me, are probably singing this song

to their Grandbabies during any trip.

Wittle Peanut Grandson, Cole, absolutely LOVES cars and trucks, so this is "our song"

as well as my inspiration for this entire project!

Now, let's get to the project itself!

The ChiefHubby thrives on chewing gum. His favorite brand went from little 5 stick paper packs,

to larger 18 stick paper packs, to these new plastic containers. The plastic itself is much more

recyclable than the dozens of little brand-name-printed little papers that get tossed.

I was thinking of the song above and wondered what I could transform this into.... 

I began with cuts....and cuts....and cuts... and MORE cuts!

Using the Sizzix Doll Die and some older Sizzix Mini Doll Dies, I cut enough

MatBoard bases and enough regular Vanilla Cardstock to form a 2-sided body,

as well as all the Granddogs and our own Hunni Pi, for each member of our family.

Using Glossy Accents, I glued each half together to form very sturdy chip people.

The FRONT SIDES of each 'skin' was left out- that would come up next...

I then got onto my computer and found all the most recent photos taken of each person.

We are OVERDUE for a new full-family shot, and we'll likely get to that 

during our get-together at Mackinac Island in a rental house this summer!

I cropped and edited each photo until I got what I wanted to print onto my 

Dolls Template created file I use just for printed faces or funny faces for dolls.

Here is a printed sheet from my Doll Template- it allows me to match up a ready-cut-doll

and use it to help line up the face for a perfect matching cut from the Doll Die.

Be careful not to burn yourself on the lightbulb of your Studio desk lamp!

Here's all the Kids and Grandkids...in their Birthday Suits!! Hahaha!!

And here is what I did with them...

This is US!! Each Doll has been seal-coated in Glossy Accents (which lasts thru baby

*mumming* & chewing- already tested on a prior project).

The ChiefHubby and I with the (Older Set of Kids) Grandbabies, our HunniPi and a toy truck... 

...and the BACKSIDE of us.

The Older Set of Kids..with their kids and pups... FRONT SIDES...

...and BACKSIDES,

The Younger Set of kids and their pups...

...and the BACKSIDES.

So, you ask, what was REPURPOSED?

THIS!!

I was first going to use my Cricut to copy both sets of kids' travel-together vehicles,

but that got too complicated to make each set look the same.

Then it hit on me to make them look like my Grandpa Raymer's 1931 Durant

( Hemming's Classic Car magazine, April 2006, Volume 2,  Issue 7)

CLICK HERE

which was his pride and joy! He'd purchased it the year I was born in 1965 and that car

was pretty much a 'staple' in our lives: parades, car shows, etc.

The Tim Holtz Alterations Die Old Jalopy comes as close to this fond memory

that our own Sons remember very well! My choice fit perfectly- on the boxes also!!

I used black and white vinyl since I don't have a perfect COLOR match for that car.

And the doll sets fit into each 'car' for a game of "We're Goin' For A Ride!"

each set of us will get their own car, and mine will have each Grandchild in with us.

(And there's always time to make more whenever we get any more!! Hehe!)

This entire project was a bit time-consuming as far as cutting and sealing went.

But it will be totally worth it- just to see the look on Wittle Peanut's face when

he looks at his own doll! As new Princess Pistachio gets biggeer; she will be able

to recognize herself as well. *huge smiles*

I can see Cole 'running' his 'car' along the window- the safety of the smooth plastic

will keep the Parents' REAL CAR pretty untouched- Bonus!

I'll end this post with some shouts of "THANKS!" to:

1) All the WONDERFULLY SWEET Comments left to me from the

 (Alice in Wonderland- "Follow The White Rabbit") last Challenge.

The Younger English Edu Daughter loved it, as I was able to take it to her

over the past weekend- another perfect timer thing! And,

2) As always- The Funkie Junkie Boutique as the Sponsor of these Challenges-

Linda always seems to have what everyone needs, and I try to peek in

at least once a week to make plans for my next order & keep up with 

the latest TIM HOLTZ products coming out!

The PRIZE DRAWING for each Challenge: SO FUN to see a WINNER!!

3) YOU; MY READERS!! For taking the time to pop in and take a LOOKIE!

   PLEASE...

BE SAFE &

HAPPY BLOGGING!!