New Distress Spritz!

Hello friends,

Today we are celebrating 12 new colors of Distress Spritz! 

I think Distress Spritz always looks best when sprayed over the matching Distress Ink color so that is what I have done here, creating a card using 5 of the new colors over matching Distress Ink.

1. Cut a piece of Distress Watercolor Cardstock for the card front.

2. Use Distress Texture Paste Opaque and the new Christmas stencil, "Sparkle Fade" to add texture to the front of the card. Set aside to dry.

3. Gather the matching Distress Ink pad for each color you will be adding to your card front.

4. Once the Texture Paste is fully dry, use a Blending Toll to add ink to the card front. In my card, Kitsch Flamingo is on the bottom left, Saltwater Taffy on the right. Crushed Olive (acting as a yellow tone here)

is is the middle and reaches across the card. Then Cracked Pistachio is on the top right, with Tumbled Glass on the top left. All five colors work together to create this great rainbow of sorts.

5. Once the Distress Ink has been added, Shake the Spritz up and splatter over the matching color. Add enough so the colors can mix on the edges and blend with the next.  Dry with a heat tool.

6. For the focal point, I cut a large postage stamp using the die that came with the Tim Holtz STAMPtember release (sold out). If you don't have that set, cut a piece of Watercolor Cardstock 1 3/4 x 2". Mask off the edges and color the center with Antique Linen Distress Ink. While still masked off, spray over the ink with Antique Linen Spritz and dry with a heat tool. Remove tape from the edges to reveal the small white edge of the Cardstock.

7. Add die cut letters, Love You. NOTE: Mine are 3/4" letters from the old Sizzix Alphanumeric die set. Add the letters to the Cardstock with Collage Medium. When secure, add more Collage Medium over the top of each letter and sprinkle Distress Rock Candy over the top. Shake off the excess. Add thin foam squares to the back of the word block (for use later).

8. Repeat the Rock Candy over the Skeleton Leaves.

9. Paint a small Salvaged Heart with Speckled Egg Distress Paint. Let dry completely. Spray with Tumbled Glass Spritz, leaving a bit of of puddle in the center. Use a heat tool to start the drying process, then set aside to dry completely. The Spritz will dry over the surface of the Salvaged Heart.

10. Wrap a thin sting around the card front and tie a bow. Add the word block (with thin foam squares), then tuck the leaves under the raised word block. Add Salvaged Heart.

It is hard to see the great shine that the Spritz brings to the card front (the pictures sure do not do it justice), but you can see how the colors meld together in and around the texture paste. I love that part. These 12 new colors are a fun addition to the 12 that were released earlier in the year. I look forward to using them in more things I create...especially thinking of using them in fall makes coming in October and November.

Now carry on,

paula

Halloween Card File

Hello friends! 

I love making idea-ology Halloween Card Files each year (this is probably my 3 or 4th one!). This year's Card File is a bit different, in that I was inspired by two Stampers Anonymous stamp sets: Deconstructed (CMS489) and Tidbits (CMS488) that came to market mid summer. I was absolutely intrigued by the idea of a very freeform card file with ripped Halloween Collage Paper and ink that was loose and watery. 

Starting on Monday, October 7th I will be sharing instructions and

images of the cards that make up this Halloween Card File.

There are seven types of cards and pockets in the file. Each type has three examples. In this series of daily posts, we will go over all 21 cards that fill the Card File. Prep day will start on Monday the 7th and we will continue daily from there. If you don't want to follow along, you can come back to the blog at your leisure to see the entire series, then work at your own pace.

Here is a preview of many of the cards you can make. You can use what you have on hand or you can use the list and links below to grab a few things you might need. 

The only thing I can think of that is not on the list below is the 1/4" rayon ribbon. I buy it on Etsy from RibbonsByZipperstop and dye it myself with Distress Ink. The ribbon (or really any other product) can always be substituted for another of a similar size.

Here is a list of what I used to create my card file. You are welcome use whatever product or stamps you have on hand. 

Vignette Card File

File Cards 

File Cards 2

Halloween Collage Strips Large

Halloween Collage Paper

Halloween Ephemera Pack

Halloween Layers and Paper Dolls

Halloween Backdrops

Halloween Sticker Book

Halloween Word Plaques and Tags

Halloween Transparencies

Keys Adornments

Mini Paper Clips

Cello Tape Stickers

Tiny Clips

Stampers Anonymous Tidbits

Stampers Anonymous Deconstructed

Distress Ink Gathered Twigs and Scorched Timber

Mixed Media Heavystock (extra cards)

black paint

I hope you will join along as we work through all the ideas to make Halloween cards!
Now carry on,
paula

Curious Things

Hello friends,

I'm sharing my Curious Things Vignette Tray today. One of my favorite projects I made for the Halloween release. I'm going to show the finished project before I show some of the step-out photos because I think it might make more sense that way. 

This project is hard to photograph because as you view it here, it looks like the small boxes are flat against the Vignette Tray, but they are not. The boxes are purposefully askew, just the way I wanted for this Halloween make. I also kept the boxes quite simple compared to most Vignettes I make. But that was also done on purpose, to show off the details of the "flooring" and to balance the wheel on the left.

I started with a large Vignette Tray + 3 Vignette Boxes (I have a plethora in numerous sizes). I used 2 of the smallest size + one of the second largest box. I was playing around with the boxes and I decided to knock the back off the larger box at the bottom. You will be able to see it later in the photos because it appears here as if it has the back, but in reality where you see the spider, is really the back of the tray.

While I was working on this small box, I thought I might use the smallest Bubbles to mimic larva of the bug that I had already added to the box. I colored the Bubbles with Lettuce Alcohol Ink before adding them to the box with College Medium.

If you are going to have a bug, then you need a web. I decided to use nails and string to mimic the web.

The cauldron is filled with white Tiny Lights + Bubbles that have been colored purple and yellow Alcohol Ink (you will be able to see the color once it lights up). 

I purposefully stretched the hot glue across the Bubbles so it looks as if the spider in the background has walked back and forth over the Cauldron.

The Layers piece was the catalyst for the idea for the spinning wheel. It just looks like it should spin, right? I wish we would have had a sticker that said, "you are getting very sleepy..." but we don't! So I used, "things are not what they seem".

The painted red Hitch Fastener helps you to spin the wheel!

I used Fossilized Amber Spritz on the wheel and the giant moth transparency. It really does bring a great glow to the wheel.

I ordered the 4" lazy susan on Amazon. I chose this one because it was small and plastic (so lightweight). The lazy susan is clear but in the photo I have added double stick tape in one of my test runs to add it to the box. In the end I added the lazy susan with Collage Medium. That way I could adjust the placement before the glue set. If I had used the tape, it would have been a one shot deal. Collage Medium was the way to go. Here is the link for the lazy susan.

Back of the tray with Backdrop paper, ephemera and Cello Tape Stickers.

I hid the Tiny Light battery Pack with a Matchbox that I cut down then covered with paper.

BEHIND THE SCENES TIPS

The large box has to be put in place first:

I just painted the Toadstools with black paint, then used steel wool to sand off some of the paint. My trick with the Toadstools is to use hot glue to secure them to a small square of chipboard. Then I used Collage Medium to secure the chipboard to the box (I trust CM more than hot glue).

I used the box without a back so I could add the "flooring" at an angle. Can you see how it sticks out the back of the box? The slats I used for the "flooring" are from the Halloween Baseboard pack. I used an awl to poke holes in the slats for the nails. 

Then I just nailed the slats into place. 

I added the box to the tray with Collage Medium. You can see how the slats that I added push the box out on the right end.

Next goes in the bug box.

You can see that the bug box goes in at an angle.

Then the Curious Things box. I wiped black paint on the Typography letters, then sanded away the paint with steel wool. I love the look of the letters.

I wanted the box to stick out from the tray so I needed to fill in the depth of the box on the left side. 

(from the top, looking down)

You can see how I added the chipboard to the left side.

Here you can see the side of the box that was extended with chipboard so it covered space all the way to the back of the tray.

Now lets go back to the bottom box to talk about the cauldron. 

*please note that I have the tray sitting on top of a box just so can see better.

A hole was drilled through the tray (remember the box has no back). I threaded the Tiny Lights through the tray and up into the Cauldron.

Wind the up the Tiny Lights so they fit into the Cauldron.

Add Collage Medium to the legs of the Collage Medium (it dries clear).

Once the Cauldron was secure, I added a few things under the Cauldron. What I love about this box is that the Toadstools look like they are growing out of the floorboards.

Love how it looks when the lights are turned on!

I hope you like this one as much as I do! Thanks so much for stopping by! 

I sure appreciate it!

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