New Stamps!

To know me is to know that I simply cannot resist buying new stamps! I have 1000s of stamps. Hundreds of sets. Wood mount, foam mount, unmounted, clear, cling, foam. The list is ENDLESS. And yet, I buy more and bring them home. I order them from online stores and from Stampin' Up or Close to My Heart! Sometimes...it takes me a while to even put ink on the newbies! GASP! {Hello, my name is Gloria and I am a stamp-a-holic!} But please do NOT cure me! I love new stamps! I am now starting a collection of digital stamps! Oh, the horror!

Last Saturday a few new sets managed to tumble into my shopping basket. One was this super cute set from Crafty Secrets Clear Art Stamps, called Halloween Fun. I have a few of their sets and think they are adorable! I stamped the little witch and colored her with Copics.

I used some Basic Grey Oliver paper (from my August LSS kit) and a sheet of Cosmo Cricket from the new Matilda 6x6 pad. Another new purchase! (Like I need any more paper, either!) The little black cat was also part of the Crafty Secrets stamp set. I stamped him and then used a Spellbinders circle and then an inverted circle die to make a "bottle cap" embellishment.

Because I am a convert to decorating the INSIDE of cards, here is a shot of the inside. I used more of the Basic Grey and Cosmo Cricket papers.

I stamped a greeting (from the Hero Arts Happy Halloween set - another new purchase). The spiderweb is from the Crafty Secrets set, but the tiny spider is from the Hero Arts set. I drew in his web string with a black glitter pen.

Do you love it?! I like that this card has a vintage feel, but is not over the top vintage. It puts me in mind of those old Halloween postcards from the 1920s. I am entering this in the Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge this week, which is LAYERS. I know this card is not as "vintage-y" as they get on that site, but it does have layers! And a vintage feel...so maybe they'll let me play!

I am not a fan of "modern Halloween" with all the gore and occult and creepy stuff. But I do love vintage Halloween images. To me, Halloween is about playing dress-up and getting free chocolate. It's about one night a year when our neighborhood is out in force, sharing fellowship and fun. It's about hot apple cider and fresh donuts and face paint and making a costume out of Thrift Store clothes. So, enjoy...and pass me the chocolate before those cute kids eat it all!