Watch Out for Unicorn Sightings

It's National Unicorn Day, so I'm assuming it's the day when all the unicorns gather and frolic to celebrate. Well, it ought to be! Instead I thought I'd share some valuable unicorn information.

In Medieval times, Narwhal horns were sold as unicorn horns. Unicorns were symbols of grace and purity and I became obsessed with them in 5th grade. I was invited to join a young writer's conference and one of the speakers liked unicorns so I jumped on board. When I was 16, my boyfriend gave me a pearl and gold unicorn necklace and a unicorn music box. I kept them because, well, he turned into my husband and they were sweet gifts. Although I'm not obsessed anymore, I still enjoy adding them to crafty projects. I need to get this little Poppy Stamps die asap.

And I love Mama Elephant stamps and this set is no exception. They have the cutest stamps at ME.

If you want a free unicorn digital stamp, you can head to Useless Trinkets and pick up this one (that I used on a package awhile ago) and a lot more stamps for FREE! If you like your unicorns naughty, they even have zombie unicorns.

If you're really feeling unicorn day, why not make these little unicorn marshmallows from Wilton, with or without the cupcakes? I mean, the cupcake makes it better, but maybe you don't have the time.

You could head to Michael's or the grocery and pick up the ready made unicorn candies for your cupcakes too...way faster and just as cute!

You can join Alyce over at Kit and Clowder for a free unicorn coloring class (and more free classes) here. You get the unicorn stamp for free as well.

And if you're looking to wear your unicorns, you can get these earrings on Etsy for just $5! Enjoy National Unicorn Day in your own way and let me know if you catch them frolicking. 😆

Happy Friday!

Chark

 

A Haunting We Will Go

Happy Halloween! Tomorrow's the big day and even though things are weird this year (thanks, Covid), it still needs to be celebrated with scary stuff. I'm actually a big baby and will do about anything to avoid scary movies—including seeing another movie by myself at a theater or making up chores at my sister's house. I avoided Pet Semetary and Silence of the Lambs in these ways, respectively. I prefer the cute Halloween stuff usually...like this free digi I drew a couple of years ago. You can right click and save and use or see her colored up on this post.

However, I do like being mildly scared. Like, I can actually watch the original Halloween because there's very little mayhem and blood. And I loved reading The Shining, though I literally took the book outside to sit in the sun to read when it got too scary. Oh, and I love a good vampire story/movie. But zombies freak me out and when my hubby and son watch The Walking Dead, I'm usually sitting at the computer, watching YouTube crafters. There are entirely too many squishing sounds on that show, btw.

Here's a mildly scary project I did for Halloween decor. I used two mdf gravestones from my stash, you can find similar ones here at Alpha Stamps to paint. I added creepy kid photos I found online.

And here's a cute little scene I colored with Prismacolors that I made with free digis from Useless Trinkets. You can head there to pick up some free digis, including coffee monster and chonky unicorns. Sooo cute! Thought about smoothing out the pencil marks but I actually like the look.

Lastly, I'm sharing my librarian daughter and the 5th grade teacher team as they dressed this year. What's better at Halloween than Scooby and the gang? My kid is the ghost...which we decided was a great Covid-year costume. Plenty of cover!

If you're in the mood for a YA graveyard audio book, I found Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book at my library and it's a great listen...it's also a great read. I did both! You can buy it here if you want.

A spookier YA novel is Frozen Charlotte, which I enjoyed, and even scarier, The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall. These books were fun and scary, which is my favorite kind of Halloween read. 

I'll leave you with this Halloween treat idea, because I love me some cake. Just make or buy a pound cake, add white frosting in criss-cross shape and add some M&M or candy eyes. Fast and fun! You can get the coffin template and a recipe here at Woman's Day.

Happy Halloween!

Chark

Halloween Is Looming

We're less than two weeks from Halloween and so I thought I'd share some cute Halloween images today. I love the spooky crafty stuff too and I'll share some of that next Friday. I found Useless Trinkets awhile ago (online) and love her free digi stamps, I've used lots of them. They're adorable and she gives matching sentiments too. These pumpkins are just so cute!

This monster is adorable and I added the Monster Hugs sentiment inside...he could be a birthday card on this paper that I stamped and watercolored, but I haven't decided yet.

This card uses no stamps, digi or otherwise. Just leaf outline stickers, glitter paper and paper scraps. I watched Jennifer McGuire use her scraps and got inspired. I added some metal red dots and called it a day!

Hope you have a great weekend, it's feeling like fall today here in Ohio and we're heading to Fear Fest at Kings Island this week...might be too scary for me, but we'll see!

Happy Friday!

Chark

Freebie Friday, Friends

Today I have a unicorn digi stamp to share with you. I saw a mug that had a picture of a unicorn and this saying on it and since my daughter will often say, "she is beauty, she is grace" when she drops something or trips, I had to make a card for her with this saying.

I actually had to ask her to send me a phone pic of the card since I forgot to take my own. I wanted a unicorn dancing but couldn't find one, so I drew one. I think it turned out pretty well, so I have one here for you to download if you wanna use it for cards. Just right click on the image and download to your computer. 

And here's a Halloween image from a real digi artist for free...it's from Useless Trinkets, I love her stuff. So cute! She has a unicorn too, along with monsters with coffee cups. Check it out!

If you're more vintage-y than cute, here's a great site where you can get these printable images and the instructions on how to make the garland. Free!

Happy Friday!

Chark

Happy Birthday, Party Animal

I used this adorable free digi from Useless Trinkets to make a birthday card for a nephew. I used the Sugartree Stamps Party Animal digi for the sentiment inside the card, "Happy Birthday, party animal." Not sure if he's an animal, but it seemed a good sentiment for him.

I used my Prismacolor pencils and used the black one to shade the edges of the stamp. I added white highlights with a uniball pen and then used the Clear Nuvo drops for his eyes and teeth and party hat spots.

Head to Useless Trinkets to see all the freebies and head to this post of mine to see this little guy in green and here to see him in Ombre.

Happy Friday!

Chark

Freebies for Friends

I wanted to share some freebies I've come across lately, in case you're looking for some cool images. This site, Old Book Illustrations, has a lot of art for free. I was thinking Valentine's Day, so this illustration from a Robert Burns work caught my eye.

And if you're looking for cuter illustrations, this panda from Useless Trinkets is adorable and comes with sentiments...and you can find free monsters and unicorns and more here.

These baby animals are free from Buddly Crafts and come already colored, so you just print and use.

And if you like doodled images, but not drawing them, you can color these heart tiles from about.com

Before I end, my original Coffee Lovers bloghop winner for the Lawn Fawn fairy stamps and dies didn't contact me before the end of the year and left no contact info...so I did a redraw and the winner is Bunny!I'll contact you by email and once I have your address, I'll send out your prize!

Happy Friday!
Chark

p.s. If you like crafty goodies, you can hop over to DLArt where Diana is doing a generous giveaway on her blog!

Cutie Monster Card

I got this digi free from Useless Trinkets and you can too! She offers a lot of free cute images, including this little guy holding a coffee cup that I used in this post. You can also download free Halloween images and an adorable chubby unicorn...and there are some matching sentiments too!

This is for a first birthday card for my great nephew, Charlie. I'd like to say he was named for me (though he wasn't) because c'mon, Char/Charlie. Close enuf! :) 

I am also fooling around with watermarks for my pics. I'm using the cute shark image since Chark sounds just like it. Haven't decided yet if that's what I'm going with, but it was really easy in Pic Monkey...and free!

Oh and because it's National Cookie Month, I'm including the link on how to make these cute Cookie Monster cookies. I love both cookies and Cookie Monster, so maybe I'll actually make these. You use a flower cookie cutter for the base, and m&m and white chocolate disc eyes (the Wilton candy melts). Katrina uses shortening in her frosting, but I prefer butter or margarine in my icing. But, who are we kidding? I'd totally eat these anyway!

Here's Cookie doing his own Elmo's World show.

Happy Wednesday!
Chark

Monster Freebies

This cute little coffee guy comes free from Useless Trinkets and I had to save him for the fall coffee hop. Jessa has a ton of cute little freebies and sentiments! I had to scoop them all up and save them to color later.

I colored him with fall colors and put a bunch of Halloween papers behind him. He's got a little glimmer with Nuvo Silver Glitter drops in random spots.

Happy Monday!
Chark

Summer Coffee Lovers Hop

I love this group of people who love coffee and crafts...now, granted I'm not a coffee drinker, so you might wonder why I'm part of the group. Because they don't discriminate and tea and cocoa drinkers are welcome too! I couldn't get by without my tea. Gotta have a cup in the morning to get started and then during lunch and then one at night (decaf of course) to finish out the day.

So, here's my entry using free digis from Useless Trinkets here. Jessa Feig provides both images and sayings to go with them and I heart them so much! This unicorn comes with a coffee cup, a donut and a couple of other little things.

I colored him and fussy cut him out and then adhered him to a little bag. I think it'd be a great way to give a coffee gift card. I used my Prismacolor pencils to make the scene for him. Here's a close up to see the Stickles on his horn and mane.

BLOG CANDY ALERT!! Leave me a comment and you can be entered to win this very cool coffee cup stencil from Stamplorations...and maybe something else fun! Open to everyone! Winner chosen after
Friday, June 12th @ 11:59 pm pacific.

And, for another chance to win a different stencil (of your choice from a2z Scrapbooking Supplies), see this post.

Happy Hopping!
Chark