Halloween Vignette

Hello friends,

I'm back with one more Halloween project. This one is pretty straightforward and could be done in a day if you have all your Halloween supplies gathered together. I keep all mine in one bin so they are easily accessible throughout the season.

I wanted to make something using the new bay window that comes in the Halloween Baseboard Pack. It creates such a fun 3D optical illusion! I added my favorite boys to the top compartment, along with lots of bones and the flashcard, curious. The bottom portion is just a scene that goes with the title, Dearly Departed. I love the faux daguerrotype images found in the 2025 Halloween Sticker Book. I thought this was the perfect place to use one! She looks perfectly spooky with the added web! Well enough talking about the project, lets move on to the 'how to make it' part!

Structure:

I used two Square Vignette Boxes for the project. There are 3 squares in a package - I did not use the largest size. I also added a base to my project. I made the base using two pieces of wood I found in my drawer. I glued them together to get the right thickness. I also covered the base with Backdrop Paper so it just blends into the project. If you don't have a base, the project can still be made without one. 

Directions:

1. Paint the inside walls of both boxes black.
2. Add Halloween Backdrop paper to the outside of both boxes, the background and the bottom.
3. Add the portrait sticker to a piece of heavy chipboard. Add a double stack of foam squares on the back so the bug will be able to slip behind it.
4. Add black Design Tape to the lip edge of the box. Use your fingertip to randomly smear black paint, covering some of the numbers. Let dry.
5. Cut a spiderweb Transparency so it fits over the portrait. Adhere with 1/8" Scor-Tape on the right...and a touch of glue on the small ends.
6. Add the portrait to the back of the box.
7. Cut small pieces of heavy chipboard for bases of Toadstools.
8. Hot glue Toadstools to the base. Hold in upright position until glue is set.
9. Trim off bases so Toadstools can stand close together.
10. Paint Toadstools red. 
11. After the red paint is dry, add white polka dots. I use the tip of a heavy wire to add the dots, but you could use the end of a small paintbrush. Let dry.

Add Toadstools and gravestone to the scene. You can see that I raised the Toadstool on the left with a bingo chip. A flower (Adornments Sweetheart) was added to the gravestone, then the entire piece was painted black.

Color a bug with Alcohol Pearls Envy. It's an easy way to get a great green color!

Add the bug behind the portrait. 

Shred Mummy Cloth into strings (Mummy Cloth was previously dyed with Walnut Stain Distress Ink). Use a paint brush to add Collage Medium to the base so the Mummy Cloth can be added around the Toadstools and the gravestone to hide all the mechanics. In the end, I also added some natural moss (not green) to have another texture to the scene. You can see it in the finial photos at the end. Let dry.

Add a Layers scene to the small Vignette.

Drill a hole for Tiny Lights.

Add the lights around the box, using hot glue to secure to the box itself.

Add the Paper Dolls in the center.

Add the broken widow transparency to the window so the boys are looking through one of the holes. 

Add the bones to the bottom of the box. I used Collage Medium and just waited for it to dry, but hot glue could be used if you want to move faster.

Adhere the window to the box with Collage Medium to encase the boys and the bones.

Add the window to the bottom box with Collage Medium.

Here you can see the natural moss mixed with the Mummy Cloth. I also added a skull that I had painted black just for fun. 

Don't forget to make the back look it's best. I added some ephemera over the backdrop paper with Cello Tape to top it off.

Now carry on,

paula

Halloween Tags with Simon Says Stamp

Hello friends,

I'm happy to be here today sharing a few fun Halloween tags I created for the Simon Says Stamp Blog.  Once again, Palette Halloween fabric makes the perfect foundation for each little scene. The stitching is easy and a great place to try adding stitching to your makes. Lots of details were added with idea-ology Halloween Layers and Paper Dolls, Ephemera and Halloween Transparencies. There is even some added Chunky Rock Candy Glitter for a little sparkle! And even better...the #8 tags fit perfectly into a Simon Says Stamp Mini Slimline Envelope which makes them perfect for mailing a little Halloween cheer in the form of a gift card hidden on the back!

I hope you'll stop by to see all the details! And be sure to scroll to the end of the  Simon Says Stamp post where there are up-close photos of the tags!

Now carry on,

paula

Christmas Joy Kit

Hello Friends,

This post is to introduce my first Christmas kit for 2025 to those who may not be on my email list for kits.

With its vintage-inspired aesthetic, the 'Christmas Joy' altered Pocket Folio (4 1/2 x 6”) is more than meets the eye. Unfold the zigzag, revealing the heart of the folio - six unique sections with added inserts and tags, each with something unique.

The Christmas Joy kit includes everything you need to create the book, including the Pocket Folio substrate + Folio Folders, pre-cut paper + full packages of Christmas Collage Strips, Collage Paper, Layers & Paper Dolls, and a Sticker Book. Kit comes with written instructions, 5 pages of color step-out photos and supply list. As always, the kit comes delightfully packaged.

The total cost for the kit is $90.00 + $10 shipping (US domestic only).

Kit will ship immediately 

KIT IS SOLD OUT

There is one more Christmas kit coming next month!

Now carry on,

paula

PS: If you are not on my email for kits and you want to be, just send an email to paula@oneluckyday.net and say 'I want to be on the list'. I usually send out 3-4 emails a year.

Halloween Book

Hello friends,

I hope you are ready for more Halloween! I know I am!

I created this book for the idea-ology Halloween Live last month and I thought I better share it since it is already Oct 15th! I have a hard time even believing that!

Palette Halloween fabric with the moths was absolutely perfect for the cover of the small book... and it was very easy to add to the cover using Collage Medium. 

This new gothic window is from the 2025 Halloween Baseboard Pack. I added paper and a spiderweb transparency to the background, with a Halloween Portrait sandwiched between the two. Kinda creepy!

The large moth and clipping sticker were also added and then the window was added to the cover.

The book itself was made using the Booklet Folio as the base. When you open the package, there is a cover, two signatures, some twill and some string. We are only using the two signatures, everything else can be discarded or put away for another time.

The two signatures will be combined in the center of the book. To do that, I placed the signatures next to each other like this. Cut 1" off each page (so the last page of signature 1 and the first page of signature 2). These two shortened pages will be combined into a pocket in the next step.

I decided to take this shot after the pages have the first layers of Collage Medium and Collage Paper and ink so you can really see the difference in the pages. You can see I did not add any embellishment to the center cut pages so they could be put together to create the pocket using Scor-tape.

Here is the center "shortened" page (that is really a pocket now).

I added a large card from the Layers pack as the insert for the pocket.

Now lets talk about the pages of the book. I started by stamping the Exquisite floral (CMS453) on some of the pages (starting on page 5).  Then I used Collage Medium to add the Collage Paper Halloween. I also used a stencil from the Multi Shifter Harlequin set (three sizes of harlequin stencils come in one pack) to add Distress Ink Gathered Twigs. 

It would be easier to add the stenciling before you add the Collage Paper since the Collage Medium (once dry) becomes a sealer and it will not allow the ink to become permanent on the page. So on the page below, the glue really dictated where I could add the stenciling (but it worked out really well).

Pages 1 and 2

Three Ephemera pieces + Cello Tape

I always add a layer of Collage Medium over Ephemera - once dry, I use Walnut Stain Crayon to build up the grunge around the tape.

On page two, I used Scor-tape to add the transparent web, then stapled the bug at the top.

Peeled Paint Distress Crayon was rubbed over all the faces in the book. I used a wet wipe to remove some the crayon to give them a spooky feel. I NEVER tint the eyes but I just couldn't help it with this guy.

Pages 3 and 4

Just some large numbers from the Layers Pack + Cello Tape.

This is a much bigger frame but I didn't want to cover the background so I just cut out the oval shape for the people to sit in.

Pages 5 and 6

There is that Stampers Anonymous Exquisite stamp in the background.

Gosh he is my favorite! The crazy coloring turned out so good. 

We've made it to the center.
I added a strip from the Sticker Book along the edge to emphasize that it's a pocket.

I also added an eyelet with a Loop Pin and metal tags to the insert card, along with the phrase "there are others" (Sticker Book).

Pages 7 and 8

On the other side of the pocket, I kept it very simple with just a piece of ephemera.

On page 8 I had this idea to add transparent moths - I thought, adding them on a string so they can move back and forth was fun. 

Again, the build up of distress Crayon over the tape at the top is my favorite detail. (there is collage medium underneath from adding the collage paper).

I also love using the Clipping Stickers to add the words at the bottom. Cello tape really makes it look old and haphazard.  

Pages 9 and 10

I had a left over piece of a transparency that I just has to use up. I decided to make it a flip up window of sorts. I used the black label at the lower edge (sticker book) as a tab to lift the window and reveal the rest of the skull.

On page 10 I just wanted to have some fun by adding a mother as a hat! The words are perfect here!

There is that Exquisite stamp again.

Page 11 and 12 (last one!)

I just added the card with a Mini Paper Clip and some Clipping Stickers on page 11.

Then on the last page I added a flap (because I could). I just cut it from Mixed Media Heavystock, scored one edge and added it to the back of the book (with Scor-tape) so that it folds over to the inside.

Here you can see it opened up to reveal the man that has lost the only thing he has ever loved (or at least that is what his sign says!).

I hope you liked this one. It sure was fun to make and the fabric cover was so easy at the end. Just glue and go!

Now carry on,

paula