Halloween Silhouettes

 Hi friends! I have fun tag tutorial to share with you, using glossy paper.

Please note: this post has affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

I really like glossy paper, and particularly the effect of dye ink on glossy paper, so I was happy to see that Simon Says Stamp now sells glossy cardstock. You can do so many techniques on glossy cardstock and you'll often get a different result than you would on ordinary cardstock. Here I created an easy Halloween scene, but the background would work well for any winter project, if you just remove the bats.

Start by cutting or die cutting a tag from the glossy paper. Ink with various shades of Distress Ink. When I ink on glossy paper, I always start with the lightest ink first, which almost acts as a conditioner and makes it easier to get a smooth application of the darker inks. You can also use the lightest ink to blend the darker inks.

Mist with water and add water droplets. Dabb with a paper towel.

Stamp trees from Simon Says Stamp All Seasons Tree, with Archival Night ink. The stamp them again with Cobalt ink. The Night ink is a very dark blue, almost black, while the Cobalt is lighter, creating a sense of distance. In case you don't have the Night ink, you can use Jet Black instead.

Stamp the ground area with the Simon Says Stamp Crackle Background and Watering Can ink. You can stamp it more than once if you want more texture. Stamp bats and sentiments with black ink.

The stars were added with a white gel pen. 

This design of funny trick or treaters is one of my favorites among Tim Holtz's Halloween designs. It comes in a stamp form too, but here I used the die from Halloween Vault Series. Die cut from heavystock paper. Ink with Black Soot and then add embossing powder in several layers. I used clear, Gunmetal, Mixed Media Hammered and Mixed Media Sea powder. Be very careful when using a heat tool and never ever touch the melted powder until it has cooled down completely.

Inks don't always act the same way on glossy cardstock. You can see that the Cobalt ink has almost 'melted' into the cardstock, while the Night ink sits more on top. This adds to the effect of creating distance.

I scribbled a border and a shadow with a black pen.

Die cut the design from black cardstock too, and offset slightly for a shadow effect.

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by here today!

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

* Please note: the links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

Dry embossed color blocks

Hi friends! The leaves are falling and it gets darker a little earlier every evening. The reduced amount of daylight is my least favorite part of winter, but it might make you appreciate the light during the rest of the year more.

Please note: this post has affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

This week we have a 'Thinking of you' theme at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. I hope you will join us! Don't miss the last project by our October guest designer Lyla aka A Chief’s Wife’s Heart’s A Fire.

I made a thinking of you card this week, with a dry embossed color blocked background. It's a fun and easy technique. You can skip the distressing if you want a cleaner look.

Start by adhering Tim Holtz Warm kraft stock papers to a piece of kraft cardstock. It is better to let them overlap a little, which I forgot.

Emboss in the Simon Says Stamp Magnetic folder. The reasons for why it is better to let the papers overlap slightly is that the 3-D embossing folders emboss so deeply that you might get a small gap in between the panels otherwise, which I got in a a few places. Since I distressed the papers, it doesn't really show in the end, but to avoid the gap, it is better to overlap the papers.

Sand and ink the papers.

Stamp the 'Record of books used' stamp from Simon Says Stamp Document It on a Tim Holtz Journal Card, with brown ink.

Stamp a sentiment from Simon Says Stamp So Talkative and ink with Spiced Marmalade and Vintage Photo.

Die cut leaves with the Simon Says Stamp Tender Leaves die, sand and ink slightly. Shape with a ball embossing tool to give them life.

The main panel was mounted on a piece of burlap that I found on my desk. I also used a Tim Holtz Quote Flair button.

The card was finished some sequins and pearls.

I hope you will join us this week in our Thinking of you challenge. You have a chance to win a $25 gift voucher to do some fun shopping at Simon Says Stamp. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in.

Do you use Instagram? If so please add #sssmchallenge so we can see your entries there too.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog today! 

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

* Please note: the links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

Halloween Village Tutorial

Hi friends! I hope you are well! Today I have a fun home decor Halloween tutorial to share with you. I made a new addition to my little village.

Please note: this post has affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

I have a paper village on a large shelf above the TV, with a whole lot of houses that I made through the years. Some are there all the time, some are seasonal. I wanted to add a new Halloween-themed item and made this homestead, on a wood disc base. It has lots of fun little details.

Start by die cutting two of the houses from Tim Holtz Paper Village, using heavystock paper.

Ink with Distress Ink. I wanted an old, warm wooden look.

Stamp with Simon Says Stamp Wood Planks background, to create wooden houses. I used both Watering Can and Jet Black ink.

Distress by stamping with the texture stamp from Simon Says Stamp All Seasons Tree. 

I covered the windows with modeling film and inked with Latte and Teakwood alcohol ink. Add some curtains/spider web with mummy cloth.

Assemble the houses and add roofs die cut from black kraft stock paper.

Die cut about five of each of the gravestones from Tim's Halloween Vault set. Glue them together with matte medium.

Cover them with Grit-Paste on all sides and edges. Let dry.

When dry, paint with Hickory Smoke and dry brush with Black Soot and Peeled Paint until you get the look of rough old stones.

Die cut the fence from Halloween Vault series and emboss on both sides with Gunmetal powder. Always be very careful when using a heat tool and never touch the melted powder until it has cooled down completely.

Dye Tim Holtz Mica Flakes with alcohol ink, so that you have an orange/yellow, red and green batch. 

I forgot to take a photo of the next step. Mix a little black paint into texture paste and smear a thick layer on top of the wooden disc. You can also use a different type of base. 

Press the houses, gravestones, a twig, a skull and two pumpkins into the paste, which will act as a glue. Sprinkle mica flakes on top and press lightly.

These pumpkins are so cute.

I wrote initials, RIP and a date on the three gravestones, with black paint. The texture on these is pretty cool.

The mica flakes are meant to look like leaves. They look nice against that black gooey ground.

I added a Curiosities Clippings Sticker number to the main house and left the door ajar.

The tall house is leaning slightly, as are the gravestones.

I glued the fence pieces around the back.

The embossing powder makes the fence almost look like real metal.

I found a twig outdoors which worked well as a spooky tree.

The third gravestone is placed behind the houses and might be hard to see.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! I have another two homesteads done on wooden disc, namely the Winter Village and Spring Village.

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by here today! I'll see you again tomorrow.

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

* Please note: the links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.