A Hero Arts Spooky Labels Halloween

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know I'm not exactly a huge fan of digital stamps.  My discomfort working with digital stamps was a big reason I applied for the Design Team at a2z Scrapbooking; they are THE source for Hero Arts Digital Stamps.  You can't buy them anywhere else!

Following this month's theme of "Frightfully Fun," I used the digital set from Hero Arts called Spooky Labels. Here is my card:

What I Used to Make my Card:
Lime Green Card Base
Hero Arts Spooky Halloween Labels Digital Set, #DK110
Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Seventeen, #S5-025
Carta Bella Haunted House Paper Pad, #CBHH71015
White Card
Glitter Bat Sticker {Dollar Store}

For this card, I also broke out of my comfort zone with color.  Typically, for me, Halloween means black and orange; it's only been a few years since I've been able to incorporate purple!  Using this lime green card base is completely different for me.  But I figure why not go all the way out of my comfort zone; why just go out a little?

The first step for me was using Word to open the digital stamps.  A team mate of mine at a2z Scrapbooking shared a fabulous tutorial she found on how to use digi stamps in Word.  I followed that and I came up with my image.  I even isolated the spider web, which has more to it in the set, and got it to peek out of the corner of my label.  I probably won't ever be able to do it again!  I changed the color of the striped design and my sentiment, then printed the design on regular white card.

Another View

I set to work looking for the perfect background paper, which I found in an old set from Carta Bella.  Next I went through all my shapes dies {and I have a LOT of them} and found the Spellbinders set that I used to cut out the digital stamp and the background paper.  After I put all the elements together, the card still looked plain to me.  What do cardmakers do when something looks plain?  We add glitter; well, in this case, I added a glittery bat sticker.  I think the bat definitely makes this card better!  I've decided that if I want to continue playing with digital stamps, I need to invest in a better printer.  I need one that will print in waterproof ink and I've heard that laser printers work the best.  What do you think?  Do you use digital stamps?  I'd rather hear from you than a bunch of reviewers that I don't know.

You still have a few days to play at the a2z Scrapbooking October Challenge and

Sparkly Bat

if you use a Hero Arts and/or Sugar Tree product and get chosen as the winner, you'll receive a $20 gift certificate to the store!  You don't have to use Hero Arts and/or Sugar Tree, but why not?  If you don't have any Hero Arts {which I can't even imagine!} or Sugar Tree products, you can get a 15% discount at the a2z Scrapbooking store by using code CHRISTI15.  It's a win-win if you ask me. So drag out those Halloween stamps, or open up those digis, and get creating! We'd love to see you there! 

If this is your first time here, why not subscribe so you don't miss one of my spectacularly funny and informative posts?  You can even follow me on multiple social media platforms; all the info and links are on the right hand side.  I appreciate your visit and read every one of the comments left for me.  I'm terrible at commenting on comments, but I'd love to visit your blog and leave you your own bloggy love! Have a very Happy Halloween!

I am entering my Spooky Labels card in the following challenges:
Brown Sugar - M, Halloween or Autumn
My Time to Craft - Halloween and/or Cats
Crafty Catz - Halloween
Daring Cardmakers - Go Glitter {the bat is VERY glittery!}
Try it On Tuesday - Halloween
Crafty Gals Challenges - M, Halloween
Cardz for Galz - Let's go Digital

If the Broom Fits. . .

I am so sad that Halloween is over for another year, but, I take heart in knowing I can create Halloween stuff all year round!  Don't be surprised if you see a card or a project pop up here on occasion. So, here is my last hurrah for Halloween 2015:

How I Made this Card:
Square (5 1/4 x 5 1/4) Card Base
Tim Holtz Bird Crazy Stamps
Tim Holtz Sizzix Bird Crazy Dies, 660954
Tim Holtz Crazy Things Stamps
Graphic 45 Rare Oddities Paper
Carta Bella All Hallows Eve, 6 x 6 pad
DCWV Dark Romance Paper Stack (discontinued?)
Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Small Talk, Occasions
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black
Distress Markers
Purple Paper
Brown Paper (for the broom)
Pop Dots

This tutorial is going to be a bit different. Since this card is busier than my typical creation, I am going to move from the focal point, the bird, out.  So, I stamped the bird from Bird Crazy using Jet Black ink and colored it in using Distress Markers and a watercolor brush. Unfortunately, I made this bird so long ago, I can't remember which colors I used and I didn't make note of them. In fact, I didn't even like the way this bird came out and wasn't going to use it at all.  But, she hung around my desk and grew on me.  And once I added the witches hat and broom, well, I fell in love with image.  I made her when I first got the Bird Crazy die set, so I pop dotted the wings, since I could. I fussy cut the hat and the broom before the Crazy Things die set even came out, so that gives you a sense of how long ago I made the bird. And, note to Santa, I still need the Crazy Things Die Set - got my eyes peeled for a good bargain.

I cut the frame the bird rests on out of Rare Oddities Paper (the hat also was cut out of this paper) and then backed the frame with paper from All Hallows Eve from Carta Bella.  I had originally put the bird and the frame on a dark purple card, but the next day realized it was completely crooked - that's what I get for trying to create in the dark! So the purple card was turned into another layer.  I made my square card out of a paper from Dark Romance (which I could not find on DCWV's website, but it is available in ton's of places), and I edged the card using Ripe Permission Distress Marker 'cause the inside of the card is white and I hate those white edges!

Lastly, I used a Small Talk Sticker, from the Occasions set, as my sentiment.  I lightly colored the sticker with Shaded Lilac Distress Ink; smushed a bit on my

craft mat and watered it down to death, I didn't want the purple ink to overwhelm the saying. I almost had to use another sticker since this one got so wet, but I salvaged it, who doesn't like distressed a bit more distressed? Since it's difficult to read in most of the card pictures, here is a close up of the sentiment sticker.

I hope this tutorial was easy to understand. I couldn't think of a better way to write it up for you and I am under a time crunch as I will be away when this posts.  Please, feel free to ask me any questions by leaving a comment or using the contact me form on the side. Thanks for flying stopping by and I hope you have a frightfully fantastic All Hallow's Eve! Fondly, Christi

Another Look

I am entering my "If the Broom Fits" card in the following challenges:
Fussy & Fancy Challenge - (October) #150, Orange, Black and/or Purple
Morgan's Art World - #10, Halloween
Vintage Stamping (Flonzcraft) - #37, Use a Die/Dies
Fusion Card Challenge - All Hallow's Eve (used photo inspiration)

Deep Ocean Challenges - Halloween

Eureka Stamps - Halloween

Lawnscaping Challenge - Too Cute to Spook

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Monster Mash

Animal Friends Challenge - (October) Halloween - 2nd Entry

That's Crafty! - Haunted Halloween