A Tribute to Ground Espresso...

While I was away teaching over the weekend, the new Distress color Ground Espresso was delivered to my door.  After a few test swatches, I decided to create an entire project around it because quite honestly...I'm in love.  What a wonderfully rich, warm brown color to add to the color palette!  If your saying why do I need another brown? think again, you do...and this post will prove it!

I'm using one of my favorite 6.5 x 9" wood boards from Michaels for this project.  I find I use decor projects for Halloween more than cards, so I'm going that route today.   I added paper from the new Regions Beyond paper stash to the wood surface using Multi Medium.  I did add a layer of Multi Medium over the top of the paper to seal it.

Once dry, I swiped Ground Espresso Distress Paint on the edges of the surface, then wiped away as much as needed with a wet wipe.

I added bits of the Design Tape to the surface in random locations.  I covered it with Multi Medium to secure to the torn edges.  Then I went back and added more Ground Espresso paint over the bright tape.

I want to use a dark Texture Paste through a stencil (you'll see why in a minute) so dripped a small amount of Ground Espresso reinker into the Texture Paste.  I made about twice as much paste as I needed for this project.  Lesson learned.

I gave it a good stir with my palette knife.  At this point I felt like I needed to go make some cupcakes because it really looked like frosting! (not so good tasting though) Remember that time I almost ate Multi Medium thinking it was my morning yogurt? 

I'm using the Tim Holtz "Batground" stencil over the wood surface to add little bats (coolest name for a stencil ever).

If you refer to the picture above, it's hard to get really random bats using just the stencil.  So I let the paste sit for 3 or 4 minutes and then started using a small blade and then a wet q-tip to remove certain bats.  Because I added the reinker to the texture paste, it leave a "ghost bat" when the paste is removed.  The longer you leave the bat in place, the darker the ink...but remember the reason I love Ranger Texture Paste is that it dries quickly, so start removing bats at the 3 or 4 minute mark and you should have a good 10-15 minute window to get the pattern you want.

While the paste is drying lets move on to the focal point, the Mini Cabinet Card.  Sand the card with a Sanding Grip and ink with... what else? ...Ground Espresso!
NOTE: it's important that some of the ink gets onto the white center of the card.

Use the new Distress Sprayer to dribble big drops of water onto the card face.

 Then remove the droplets with a paper towel.  Heat dry.

Use the tiny droplets of Ground Espresso that were left on your craft sheet to add another layer of dark color.  I went back and forth between the craft sheet, a paper towel, and a heat tool quite a few times to get all the subtle layers.
NOTE: did you notice what happened to the excess ink that was on the white center?  It now looks like it is part of the card.

Cut one of the "photos" from the Regions Beyond paper stash.  Not only did I cut it out, but I cut away the paper above her shoulders.  I added the image with Multi Medium and then used my fingertip to add MM over the entire center to seal that cool background. Let dry.

Since the background is sealed, I can use the Ground Espresso Distress Marker to add a drop shadow and really integrate her into the background.  It already looks like she belongs.

But I want to kick it up a notch by using Distress Spray Stain to color a small piece of cheesecloth (I know it looks like a Halloween moustache).  Heat dry.

I took the cheesecloth and cut a dip in the front to make her a dress of sorts.  She looks more like a witch now.  I added the witch hat, the spider and the fig.133 from the Halloween Remnant Rubs.  I also added a drop shadow around the hat so she is now totally part of the background, rather than just sitting above it.  Ground Espresso you haven't failed me yet!

So here she is on the foundation.  I love the way it looks so far!

The Halloween Ephemera pack is awesome.  We have never done Halloween ephemera so I super happy it turned out so well.  Tim did a great job making sure there were lots of sizes and colors to choose from.

I'm just going to use a few pieces to create some layers.  Foam squares are a must in the layering process.

 I also used Distress Paint to color some wire.

 Then I used a few tack nails to secure the wire in place.

 Now a few Tiny Tattered Florals cut from black Kraft-Core.

The Tiny Tattered Florals come with the Quilling tool to create the flowers.  The tool has a small slit in the end to grab onto to the paper.

 I like to add small drops of glossy accents on the edge to secure the flower as I am rolling.

 

 Once you get to the end you pull the tool out and add glue to the bottom.  A hot glue gun is my favorite way to end because you don't have to wait for it to dry.

 And your done.

 I used Distress Stain in Ground Espresso and Fossilized Amber to color crinkle ribbon

Then made a very simple bow with wire to secure the center.

I added both the Tiny Tattered Florals and the ribbon with a hot glue gun.

A few more ephemera labels (beware covers up the tack nail) and a large Timepiece with Game Spinner hands.  Guess what?  I painted it with Ground Espresso paint!

I had some fine steel wool on my desk from sanding the Timepiece and decided to use it as spider webbing. 

It worked like a charm, but now my arms feel a little itchy so beware the steel wool...maybe wear long sleeves and gloves if you are going to try it!  And wash your hands right away!

So here she is all done...witchy woman herself!  This was a fun project to do.  I love the "ghost bats" and the whole process of making the witch in the frame...love layering so this is my kind of project.

Funny, it looks like there is a band on her hat and as you can see from the previous picture, the Remnant Rub is solid black.  Maybe she really is a witch!

Hope you like my tribute to Ground Espresso...looking forward to pairing it with something crazy like Twisted Citron or Abandoned Coral...plenty of time to try out all the new colors.  At least until the new Sept color is released! 

now carry on,
paula

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