Halloween Vignette Tray - A Strange Thing Happened

Hello Friends!

I'm back today with another idea-ology Halloween project! Today’s project is a Halloween Vignette Tray filled with idea-ology goodness. To divide up the space and create unique little display niches, I added three smaller Vignette Boxes inside the main tray. See if you can spot them: the harlequin box featuring the number 31, the bottom-right box framing the boys, and the smallest box on the left piled high with skulls. Vignette boxes are perfect for breaking up a large space and giving you multiple places to tell your story.

Here is the basic plan to build the tray with any theme. Well, maybe you don't always need step 6 and 7, but all the other steps work with any theme or season.

1. Paper on the tray (inside and out).
2. Add the Design Tape (Trims) on the lip edge with Collage Medium. I did wipe black paint randomly over some of the tape to disguise some of the numbers.
3. Paint the Vignette Boxes black, then add paper to the background.
4. Glue the boxes into the tray.
5. Start decorating!
6. Once done, add the Baseboard planks with Tack Nails.
7. Use thread (dyed with Gathered Twigs Ink) as a spider web and wind between the nails. 

Let's get started!

The entire tray (outside and inside) was covered with Collage Strips. Collage Strips are so easy to use because they mix and match. They make it look like you have done so much work collaging the images, when in reality it's all be done for you. 

You can also see the battery pack for the Tiny Lights. I drilled the hole through the tray for the lights once I knew where the cat would it would sit on the front.

Once the box with the 31 is secure, you can add the BIG Baseboard piece at the top. I added wood blocks to the back so the piece sits out from the background. Of course I added the Portrait and spiral to the background before adding the Baseboard with the added shattered window Transparency.

The fringe was added with Collage Medium. Then I added a little nest of sorts in the "shattered window" of the Transparency. NOTE: the skulls have added Mushroom Alcohol Ink that I added by dripping the ink over the top and moving it around with a cotton swab - a great way to get the ink into the eye sockets.

The box with the 31 is a fun one. I love the harlequin paper in the background which goes perfectly with the Fringe above, making it more whimsical that scary. The box is filled with a small Woodland Tree (sprayed black and rolled in Rock Candy), two Drippy Candles, and a Tiny Vial laying on it's side. The 31 is from the Layers pack and has been added with thin Foam Squares. 

You can see inside the box a little bit better in this shot. There are some melted wings on the right (more on those later on).

The Trick or Treat cat fit perfectly in the niche created between the boxes.  I filled the cat with purple Tiny lights and bones I previously rolled in black paint.

Here he is with the lights on! Magic!

The smallest box has skulls stacked inside with a ephemera piece, "keep in refrigerator". 

The spiderweb Transparency was cut and attached to the box with Scor-tape. You honestly can't tell the tape is even there! 

The niche that was created under the box is filled with tiny book and moss and an urn that I painted black. Don't forget to use Clippings from the Sticker Book on the spines of the books to make them look realistic.  

I filled the urn with small Bubbles I colored with Alcohol Pearls Envy.  So, so easy!

The last box is the floating boys. I use them over and over because they are just my favorite set since they can be sitting on something or floating. Here I added a 1/2 wood block to the bock so they float in the middle of the window.

I wanted to fill the bottom box with something, but I wasn't sure what. Then I remembered a project that I did quite a while ago and I decide to use the idea again. I took small butterflies from the Transparent Butterflies pack and melted them with an embossing tool. I used a wooden skewer to hold the butterfly in place when I was melting so they wouldn't shoot across the table. I also used a small paintbrush to add Mushroom Alcohol Ink over some of the butterflies (very random) so make them fit the theme. That small added detail made them look even better.

Just a view from the top!

I added a Tack Nail to the side to hang the broom from some added string.

It looks good with the lights off...

and on!

I'll see you tomorrow with yet another Halloween Vignette project...a little smaller, but just a fun!

Now carry on,

paula

Do All the Good You Can

Hello friends,

Stopping by with another Vignette project this week. I dug out an old SKU called Baseboard Junk Drawer for this one. I have always loved that SKU but only used pieces here and there over the years. Well today is different because I have use 7 pieces from the pack! Can you find them all before we get started?

Cover the small Vignette Tray with Palette Neutral Paper. This is one of my favorite packs because I truely love all the prints that come in the pack. I chose the Collage paper and the Map paper for the inside of the Tray. 

NOTE: the tape on the lip edge is from Design Tape Trims.

I chose the black gears paper for the sides and most of the back.

I created my own patchwork on the back to show off some of the other prints.

Once the Collage Medium over the paper was dry, I was able to add Walnut Stain Crayon over the seams between the paper inside the Tray.

I also painted two Vignette Boxes in Black Soot. At this point I wasn't sure how I would use them so I just painted the entire box. NOTE: these are the two smallest boxes from the Vignette Boxes pack.

Then sanded the edges with a Blending Tool with an added Sanding Disk.

So now that I have had some thinking time, I decided to add paper to the inside of the larger box and the "back" of the smaller box.

I used Collage Medium to glue the Vignette Boxes into the Tray. There are more way you could add them but this seemed like a good configuration for my purposes. Set aside to dry.

This little by will be my focal point. He is from the Photobooth pack.

I added the boy to a piece from the Baseboards Junk Drawer pack that fit nicely inside the larger box. A Clippings sticker was added to the bottom. 

Before I placed him in the Vignette Box, I added a bingo chip to the back so he sits forward in the box.

Now let me show you how I added all the other elements that make up this piece. There are SEVEN pieces from the Baseboards Junk Drawer pack (including the piece behind the boy). The others are: the elephant, the universal dominos, 65 tag, the black ruler piece, red star in a circle and the pencil case. 

I had the idea to have the elephant look as if he is turning the wheel with his head to raise the chain to bring the star up to him. I hope you can visualize it too!

Another pack that I used three pieces is: Odds and Ends. That includes the wheel, the porthole at the bottom and the metal Transfer Button on the Dominos Baseboard piece.

The 65 tag was added with Collage Medium then two Screw Heads were added to appear as if the tag is screwed into the box.

The strip of paper is from the snippets pack - Number Strips. I added some Cello Tape to the top of the strip.

The star is painted Candied Apple and is from the first Figure Stands pack. Again, the wheel that I painted bloc is from the Odds and Ends pack.

The bottom half is simple.

The jumble in the right corner is just that, a jumble. I cut the pencil case shorter so it would fit in the box. The key was just scribbled on with Distress Crayon and the string wrapped multiple times around the neck and tied in a bow. I glued the red star to the metal "porthole" that also had scribbled on with crayon. Then with decent amount of Collage Medium I piled everything together and just let it dry. Could not be any easier than that!

For the little boy I added the ruler at the back and some paper at the bottom for more interest. I might go back an add something else here, but for now I can't seem to thing of what. Maybe something from my vintage stash? I guess it's going to the be a work in progress.

Now Carry on,

paula

 

The Art of Thinking

Hello friends,

I have a fun project to share today! I’m diving back into a classic with The Inspector stamp set, but giving it a major upgrade using the brand-new matching Wafer Dies.

The Inspector has always been a fan favorite, but Simon Says Stamp has officially upped the game. These all-new wafer dies are designed specifically for this set, meaning no more fussy cutting—just perfectly crisp edges that take your projects from 'handmade' to 'pro' in seconds. To show them off, I’ve used the largest Vignette Square Box to create a dimensional scene that really lets The Inspector shine.

As you can see on the right, the die set cuts many of the basic pieces. It also has added dies to cut out several layers like his googles, the ring and clocks on the gauge, and the body of the lamp.

To get started on the Vignette Box structure, I added neutral paper from the Backdrops #4 paper pack. This is a small box so you can cover the inside with one sheet of Backdrop paper. I also added Collage Medium over the top of the paper to seal it. Now, you could set the box aside to dry naturally... but if you’re impatient like me, a heat tool is your best friend. 

You might use Design Tape to cover the lip edge of the square Vignette, but I decided to just paint it for a rustic look. If you get any paint on the inside, just wipe it off. NOTE: Since the paper is sealed with Collage Medium so you can easily wipe any excess paint away with a wet wipe.

Once the paint is dry, sand the painted edge with a sanding block to give it an aged appearance.

For the outside of the Vignette, I chose the stamp print from the 8x8 Palette Red paper pack. Adhere it just as you did on the inside, Collage Medium under to adhere and over the top to seal.

For the inside:

I stamped the images from The Inspector with Archival ink. The Inspector was stamped with Black Soot and the gauge with Hickory Smoke. I also re-stamped the gauge with Embossing ink and embossed with Ranger Superfine Embossing Powder (gold). That gave me the layering pieces for the gauge.  

All the coloring was done with Distress Crayons and fat brush (that can hold water) from the Ranger Paint Brush set. Hickory Smoke and Stormy Sky Distress Crayon were used on the gauge.

His glasses are Fossilized Amber and the jacket and hat are Uncharted Mariner. Much easier to see the layering in this shot!

I also wanted to use a few Industrial Gears in the background so I added Long Fasteners to the center of each gear, then smashed it with the Texture Hammer. I painted the gears with Speckled Egg Distress Paint and let dry. Then I rubbed Black Soot Distress Paint over the top of the Speckled Egg. The last step was to sand a bit with some steel wool to bring back some of the metal.

Everything I cut out or worked on was added to the Vignette Box using Foam Squares and small wood blocks to raise the inspector from the Vignette.

I added the Clippings sticker, "the Art of Thinking" to the Inspector, as well as Sprocket Gears and string to the bottom of the box.

I also added a Figure Stand that I painted in black and white + a little Mushroom Alcohol Ink.

I also added the die cut piece, "Strictly Hand Made", to the top of the box after coloring it in with Lumberjack Plaid Distress Crayon. I think it makes the perfect finish.

The new Simon Says Stamp Wafer Dies are a total dream to use. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate skipping the fussy cutting! It made creating this fun, layered effect so much faster and gave the whole project such a polished look.

Now carry on,
Paula