Unseen Magic

Hello!! I'm back with one more Halloween project. I am itching to jump into Christmas creating but wanted to sneak in one more spooky project. I've had a paper mache witch's hat sitting on my table waiting for inspiration to strike. When I found some witch boots that I had cut from Tim Holtz's Ice Skate die and knew just where this hat was going to go. 

I began by painting the paper mache hat with black acrylic paint and let dry. I wanted a worn and vintage look so started playing with different inks and mediums until I achieved the look I wanted. I randomly sprayed Black Soot Distress Oxide Spray around the hat and lightly spritzed with water. Once dry I blended in Walnut Stain Distress Crayon and smudged with a damp finger. With a soft brush, I blended in umber artisan powder. 

Around the bottom of the hat, I added a band of 3D Mini Scallop Impresslits cut from aluminum tape and painted black. 

I then painted and distressed one of the larger bases from the Vignette Finial Set the same as the hat. I had previously planned to use this base in another project and had glued a wooden piece to it. I used Distress Collage Medium and let me tell you that stuff sticks!! There was no getting the two pieces apart once dry!! 

Here is the finished base with the Quote Token attached using distressed Craft Thread. 

I then altered one of the larger sized Corked Vials. I began by pouncing on Mushroom and Smolder Alcohol Inks. Once those were dry I used my finger to randomly apply Distress Collage Medium and blended in some artisan powder to give it a dusty look. 

I finished it off with a bit of the leftover Craft Thread and added a poison label from the Halloween Ephemera set. 

I then altered a couple of Mini Pumpkins with Mushroom and Smolder Alcohol Inks. 

The witch of the hour is from last year's Framed Portraits Halloween. I took her out of the black frame and layered her under one of this year's Baseboards and Layers frames and topped it off with a Baroque frame. 

Now for my favorite part!! 

To make your boot begin by cutting out one or more of the Ice Skates. 

Cut along the white lines, adding a notch in the heel for extra detail. 

Cover boots with a layer of Distress Crazing Medium and allow to air dry. Once dry distress boots using Walnut Stain Distress Crayon and umber artisan powder. 

Cut a length of Craft Thread and distress using the Walnut Stain Distress Crayon. 

To thread the boots I like to start at the back pull needle thru until even lengths are on front and back. Then thread thru every other hole and leave the remaining tail at the top of the boot. Move the needle to the other end of the thread and thread the remaining holes. Tie a bow in the remaining tails at the top of the boot. 

I also added a bit of brown lace to the top of this boot. 

To help the text pop on the Quote Tokens add some Picket Fence Distress Crayon to the debossed areas, wipe away the excess crayon using a paper towel. 

the handle of the Broomstick has a length of distressed Craft Thread wrapped around it. 

To finish off your witch's hat adhere all pieces to the brim. I added a bit of dried moss to mine as filler. Or who knows maybe it's a secret witchy ingredient? Oh and I topped the hat off with a Bitty Bat. 

I had a lot of fun making this witchy headwear.

I am linking up to Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. 

What Halloween and Fall projects are you working on? Or have you jumped headfirst into Christmas?

Happy Creating ~ Jennalee 

A Graveyard Visit

Hello!! Can you believe Halloween is just over 2 weeks away? Where has October gone? 

I'm sharing the last of my 3 projects made for Tim Holtz's Halloween Ideaology Facebook Live. This piece is a little spookier than my usual Halloween style but I think it was my favorite of the 3 projects I made. 

I wonder are the sisters visiting the graveyard or paying a visit to a guest who has wandered across their home? 

The base is a Vignette Box covered in various patterns from the Abandoned Paper Stash. This small graveyard is protected on all edges by Metal Gates. 

The Paper Doll sisters are standing in front of a backlit gravestone topped off with the owl from the Halloween Accents Adornments. The owl was altered with Mushroom Alcohol Ink and Walnut Stain Distress Crayon. Adornment Stars anchor the side of the gravestone, and were also altered with the above colors. Three Bitty Bats hover over the graveyard. To make the Bitty Bats fly adhere the bats to a piece of craft wire and cover the end of the wire with a piece of felt to finish the back. Attach the wire to the scene, with a puddle of hot glue then cover the hot glue with moss. 

The sister on the left is holding a ghostly bouquet colored with Distress Spray. And the sister on the right holds a Story Stick that carries a warning for those who may cross their path.

The headstones from the Cryptic pack fit perfectly on the Vignette Box. The Halloween Remnant Rubs really take the headstones up a notch. 

  

The front of the Vignette Box is adorned with the amazingly detailed bat from the Halloween Accents Adornment pack. The Quote Chip appears to be stitched onto the box. I peeled the top few layers of the Quote Chip from the chipboard piece and added stitching with Craft Thread distressed with Vintage Photo Distress Crayon. I then adhered the stitched piece back to the rest of the chipboard layer.

The light-up gravestone was a lot of fun to make and super easy. I began by cutting out 12 Stacked Archway pieces cut from mixed media paper. The window is created by centering the smaller of the Archway dies in the larger. I used washi tape to support the two pieces and keep them the same position for all cuts. Glue together 11 of the 12 layers and use clips to keep pieces from shifting while drying. 

Cover one piece of the Archway with Grit Paste and set aside to dry. 

I used a battery operated tea light for this piece so I created a little wall to go around the back of the piece to hide the candle. But now Tim has those really amazing Tiny Lights that would be absolutely perfect for this project. I attached the little wall to one side of the stacked archways. I covered the back of the piece with Grit Paste as well and let air dry. 

While the Grit Paste was drying I created the screen of the gravestone using Plain Collage Paper. I began by spraying the Collage Paper with Pumice Stone Distress Oxide Spray and lightly sprayed with water and dried. I wanted it to be a little darker so I blended in some Black Soot Distress Oxide. Once I was happy with the color I die cut using only the largest size of Archway die. You don't want a window in this piece. 

Once the Grit Paste pieces have dried I added color using the products shown in the next photo. To finish assembling the gravestone sandwich the Collage Paper piece between the stacked arch pieces and the single arch that will go on top of the Collage Paper piece. 

Here it is all lit up in a darkened corner. I really enjoyed this project. 

Although it hit me the other day that I should have added an epitaph to Plain Collage Paper. 

What are you making this Halloween season? 

Happy Creating ~ Jennalee