Halloween Hanging Panel

Hello friends,

Just a quick check in today since my Halloween project is super simple. This one could easily be done in an afternoon and be hanging in your house by dinner time. 

I started with a awesome piece of Backdrop paper. I left the paper exactly the size it is, right out the package (6 x 10") because it was perfect as is. I cut a piece of heavy chipboard the exact same size and adhered it to the back of the paper with Scor-Tape. Why Scor-Tape instead of Collage Medium? I find that using Scor-Tape instead of any wet medium will give you a flat surface. Adding a wet medium on chipboard has tendency to bow. If you are going to use a wet medium, place a heavy book on the surface while it is drying to limit any bending or bowing of the chipboard.

After the surface was ready, I just started adding ephemera from the Halloween Ephemera pack. I used both 3D foam squares and thin Foam Squares for different levels of thickness over the surface. For instance the band that runs horizontally has 3D Foam Squares so the smaller pieces of ephemera can be slipped underneath the band. They each have thin Foam Squares so the layers of the paper could be built up. 

The black "web" piece was cut out from the ephemera and I added Rock Candy glitter to give it a bit of shine. Thin Foam Square were added to the back and it was placed on the surface. The portrait is from the Layers + Paper Dolls pack. I colored her dress with an Uncharted Mariner Distress crayon. 3D Foam Squares were added to her head and shoulders so the Portrait hovers over the black web.

I used the ink technique of wiping Collage Medium over the paper ephemera, then quickly dipping it into a puddle of Gathered Twigs Distress Ink and drying with a heat tool. Its easy and gives you a great aged finish to the ephemera.

I also slipped a metal tag (13) onto a piece of string and tied a knot to keep it in place. Then I slipped one end of the string under the horizontal band and tied a bow. The Tiny Clip holds the string in place.

I punched two holes at the top with my Crop-A-Dile for the ribbon hanger. Super easy and I can hang it up right away!

More to come this week!

Now carry on,

paula

Troublesome Endings

Hello Friends,

Popping back on the blog today to share a quick Halloween inspired Mini Etcetera Tag. This is easily a one afternoon project that would be great for anyone. 

The background of the Mini Etcetera tag is covered with one of the fantastic 2024 Halloween Backdrop papers. I cut it to size, stitched around the edge a few times, then added it to the Etcetera Tag with Collage Medium. Once secure, I splattered it with Rusty Hinge Distress Spritz and dried it with a heat tool.

The windows and planks come in the Baseboards pack, but they do not match. I wanted them to be similar to each other, so I decided to use a easy technique to make that happen. 

Paint over the Baseboard (window or plank) with black paint. I used some black craft paint that was already on my desk (craft paint dries quick too). 

Dry with heat tool.

Once the paint was dry, I sanded the Baseboards with my sanding block, removing some of the paint.

Then I took my Distress Ink pad in Gathered Twigs and rubbed the pad over the entire Baseboard. 

Now both the window and the planks look like they go together.

Use Collage Medium to add Screw Heads to the ends of each plank. The Screw Heads make the planks look like they are screwed to the window frame. I also added a bit of black paint to the top of each Screw Head so they look age appropriate.

The curtain in the background is from the Halloween Layers pack and has been colored with Distress Crayons (Crackling Campfire and Villainous Potion) before being glued to the Tag.

I added a "broken glass" Transparency to the window before adhering the window to the Tag with a double stack of 3D Foam Squares.

The Paper Doll was colored with Black Soot (jacket) and Villainous Potion (vest and tie) Distress Crayons.

Hard to tell in the photos, but the Entomology Bugs were colored with Wilderness Alcohol Ink. It's a nice dark green color. Perfect for bugs. I adhered the bugs to the Tag with Collage Medium.

I think the metal elements really make this piece look realistic. The Screw Heads are small but they add so much!

The Optic Frame was painted with white paint, then Mushroom Alcohol Ink was added in several layers. The words are of course from the Clipping Sticker Book.

You can also see the use of Cello Tape Stickers on the edge of the paper and in the Optic Frame. Because I can't imagine a Halloween project without using Cello Tape!

One thing I really love about this piece is the dimension. Using double stacks of 3D Foam Squares allowed me to not only place the bug under the Transparency, but it also gave so much depth to the piece. Something very satisfying about all the layers.

This was a quick tutorial today! I will be back next week with another Halloween project. This time a spooky Display Panel using more Baseboard pieces.

Now Carry On,
paula

Halloween Manor

Hello Friends,

Today I am sharing one of my favorite makes from the idea-ology Halloween live, the Halloween Manor! This is not a exact step by step tutorial (it's very hard to stop and think about taking photos in the middle of the process). However, I will share some photos and explain some of the details you might have missed in the live. You can also go back and watch the replay on Tim's YouTube channel to see him talk about this and other samples. 

If I turn the stack of boxes around, you can see all the Vignette Boxes. The center is a Divided Drawer + complete set of Vignette boxes (the 4 smaller boxes). You can also see where a hole has been drilled for the lights to come into the box with the boys. You also might notice the black crackle square on the left. That is Backdrop paper glued to the back of the door with the lady in green. If I would have had more time I would have added more Backdrop paper to the back or maybe used black Texture paste through a stencil...but the clock was ticking and I had more projects to make before moving on to something else. I will note that everything here was glued with Collage Medium, because its the best glue medium for  both paper and 3D objects. Just give it time to dry overnight and its like cement.

Like I said, I have very few process photos but this one I thought was important. You can see where the drilled hole is and how I added the Tiny Lights. I did use hot glue on the wire to keep it in place. Of course this was done before I started stacking the boxes.

I'll talk about the interior before I circle back to the lights.

I used Distress Crayon to color the boys sweaters, then added skulls from the Halloween Sicker Book. I built the scene below by coloring bottles with Alcohol Pearls (Villainous, Sublime, Scorch). Then I made a nest of shredded Mummy Cloth and added the Tiny Vials, and Bones (all with Collage Medium). I added bingo chips to the back of the boys so they could float over the nest.

So here is the basic lighting. I was not sure where the concept was going at this point so I just took a chance of lighting the boxes how I thought they should go together. In the end I turned the box on the bottom right around to make the graveyard. 

The green dots represent where a hole needs to be drilled for the lights. Keep in mind that the boxes are all different depths, but the entire piece should be able to lay flat on the table (at least till the battery pack is added to the back). 

The wire comes in from the back (1), through the hole with the scene in the background. Then two more holes are drilled so the wire can go up to the top box (2). The wire then runs up and through the next set of holes (3) and into the top compartment of the Divided Drawer where it ends. 

Hopefully the green dots are helpful to see approximately where to drill the holes. When my husband drilled the holes for me, I had not glued the boxes together yet. I get the boxes in place (flush on the backside) and he clamps them together, then drills the holes (so they always match up perfectly). The wire is hidden by the Baseboard windows and stone facade.

Even though I did not add the Baseboard facade till the end, I created it now.

The web transparency was easily added with Scor-tape.

Then I made the sign using Halloween Collage Paper. You would never know that lettering was not printed at the factory! I also added the Mini Fastener at the top to look like the sign was nailed together.

In all honesty, I kept the sign and the doorway separate till I had all the boxes together because the doorway and the gate need to be secure BEFORE the sign is put in place.

You can also see why the boys needed to be floating up, over the nest below.

Lets talk about the window above the doorway. I worked on the window frame on the table, then added it once I finished with the inside. 

This was my first make using the new planks that come in the Baseboard pack. Again I used Mini Fasteners to appear as if the planks were screwed shut. I used an awl to make a hole in the plank for each Fastener. Once I had placed all the planks, I added the shattered window transparency (these are now colored with a grungy color finish - which I love).

You might want to see what is inside the compartment?? I painted Collage Medium over the spider card, then added bits of shredded cheesecloth. Once dry, I added it to the back of box.

Then added the window over the front.

I'm quite sure that little moth has flown right out the window...or maybe he is looking for a place to get in?

So lets talk about the bottom half of the Divided Drawer. Meant to be the centerpiece of the story, about a Dr who passed away in mysterious circumstances.

Marbled paper from the Halloween backdrop pack was added + Ephemera and Collage Paper. Black Design Tape was added around the box. The numbers looked too pristine so I smeared a bit of black paint over parts of it.

To make the centerpiece for the mausoleum, I glued two pieces (urn and pedestal) together. Then brushed on a wash of black paint to "marry" the two pieces.

I made another nest of Mummy Cloth in the urn then added dyed Bouquet flowers to the urn. Flowers were dyed with Hickory Smoke Distress Spray Stain.

I added the urn to the box, then added the word "farewell" that can be found in the Halloween sticker book. I wiped Collage Medium on both sides of the word sticker so I could bend the sticker to the shape I wanted. Once the Collage Medium dries it will keep its shape!

As for the gates to the mausoleum (I did not add these till the very end). 

The gates have been rubbed with Crypt Grit Paste and left to dry overnight. When you do add the gates, use Collage Medium and glue to each side and along the bottom.

For the top box above the mausoleum, I altered the "theater stage front" from the Ephemera Layers pack. The piece was trimmed to fit the window that will go in front of it and colored with Distress Crayons. I added small books that I made, 2 of the new skulls and a Mini Dome filled with bones I previously covered in Crypt Grit Paste (just make sure they are dry before adding them to the dome). All the other pieces are from the Ephemera pack.

TAKE NOTE: the Tiny lights are hidden by the curtain!

Here is what it looks like with the window and with the lights on.

In the Baseboard pack there is a window with 3 openings...I chose that one and just cut off the window on the right side to make it fit perfectly on the box. I also washed it with black paint to make it spookier! The window was added with Scor-tape so it is secure on all sides. The nails are just for show.

The bottom right box is my version of a graveyard. 

The frame is in the Layers pack - It fits the medium Vignette Box perfectly!!

The flower card comes from the Ephemera pack. Ephemera is not coated, so I painted it with Collage Medium to seal the paper. The flowers were colored with Distress Crayons.

I also added one of the new gravestones and a couple Drippy Candles and more flowers.

And the very last box...

I added the door to the smallest Vignette Box. A great way to balance the project.

The Paper Doll comes in the Layers pack. She was colored with Peeled Paint Distress Crayon. I scribbled the crayon directly on the image and just rubbed the crayon with my fingertip to smooth it out.  TIP: Use a damp cotton swab to wipe away an excess crayon that might get on her hands,

The bugs are a card found in the Layers pack. I laid the Shattered transparency over the bugs (secured with tape on the edges), then using a cutting knife, I cut out the shattered portion leaving a hole. I added the eye (from Ephemera) to the hole. One last step is to cover the back with Backdrop Paper (since the door is taller than the box it is glued to. Reference earlier photo of the back of the project.

I sewed the chain to the paper doll before she was put in place.

Detail Photos

The one thing I will leave you with is that if this project seems daunting, think of it as 5 individual boxes. You could only make your favorite as a stand alone piece or make one box a week and be done before October! Either way, use the inspiration as the catalyst for other projects.

I have been asked if I'm making a kit for this project, but I am not. I don't have the time right now to put such a large kit together during our making season (we are all working on Christmas now). I may do something smaller, but it just depend on time. If you are on my mailing list, you will get notice of all available kits when they are ready for shipping.

Now carry on,
paula