Spooky Wall Hanging

I am fortunate enough to be on the Design Team for Not Just Cards and up until now I have always created cards for my projects.  The theme every month is Anything Goes, so I decided to get a bit creative. My very favorite holiday, Halloween {in case you didn't know}, is around the corner so I felt it was time to share a wall hanging I made:

What I Used to Make my Wall Hanging:
Blick Canvas Panel, 5" x 7" {any brand will work}
Authentique Spirited 12" x 12" Paper Pad {retired but available}
Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch 2X Ultra Cover in Gloss Black
Foam Board {from the Dollar Tree}
Skeleton Top Hat Frame - designed by a friend; if you want info, let me know!
Vanilla Card
Stitched Rectangle Stax by Tutti Designs, #TUTTI-217
Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Gothic Cling Foam Stamps, #TH93618 {available}
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black
Stamp Platform by TimHoltz/Tonic, #1707E

This was super easy; and really, any low profile metal die will cut out the foam board.  Think of ALL the fabulous keepsakes you can make! I know this little wall hanging has my creative juices flowing and I am thinking of many more dies I can use to make wall hangings, framed decor, and so much more!  

The first step for this project was to cut the skeleton head out of the foam board.  Using spray paint to color the die cut was SO fast and so much easier than trying to use regular acrylic paints - which is what I would have done in the past.  Just ensure you have the entire cut covered; any white spots will be glaring.  After I sprayed the die a few times, letting it dry thoroughly between coats, I set it aside.  One tip I will pass along for those who aren't familiar with spray painting {personally, I hadn't sprayed anything besides gesso - which I don't recommend - in YEARS} is to wear plastic gloves on both hands.  Not only did my index finger on my right hand turn black but I forgot the item was wet and moved it with my left hand!  Additionally, if you need to stand the item up or turn it around {and you are anything like me} you will forget and both of your hands will be painted.  This stuff is NOT easy to get off, but it does eventually wear off {thank goodness!}

Meanwhile, I covered my 5" x 7" panel with spooky paper and edged around the sides with black ink to give it an aged look.  The stamping of the word took the most work, but it really wasn't as difficult as I anticipated it would be.  The particular set only has one of each letter, so to get my spacing correct, I laid out the letters S, P, O, Q, K, Y,  then I carefully removed the Q, stamped the remaining letters onto the card, and just put the O in the space provided by the Q - I was very proud of myself!  And I think the letters look perfect!  Then I die cut a stitched rectangle around the

Another Look - this one is
shiny - which do you prefer?

letters to be attached to the panel. 

The skeleton hat frame was all dry so I glued that onto the panel and then attached the words below.  Since this panel had no hanger, I used a pop top from a soda can and glued that on with E6000.  Once it was dry, I just bent the tab forward a bit and there you have a hanging decoration for Halloween or, in my house, all year round!  I hope to see your creations, whatever they may be, at the challenge at Not Just Cards.  Remember, the theme is always Anything Goes so get a bit creative and enter your projects!  You never know, you might just win! Thank you SO much for stopping by! 

I have a fabulous friend, NanaConnie {I am sure you've seen her around Blogland}, who graciously edits my posts so I sound much smarter than I really am and I'd LOVE it if you'd pop over to her blog and give her some love!  Just click Grammy's Attic and you'll be there.  She posts nearly every day and her makes are fabulous!  You won't be sorry -- but she can't edit for you, she is all booked up with ME. :)  (Editor's Note: I adore Christi and I paid her to say that! :-D NC)

Thank you so much for your continued support. ~ Fondly, Christi

I am entering my Spooky Wall Hanging in the following challenges:
The Corrosive Challenge Blog - M, #10, Anything Goes
Cut it Up -#158, Halloween Project that Includes Dies
Take it, Make it - M, Anything Goes
Dream in Darkness - M, The BEST Month of the YEAR {I SO agree!!}
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything But a Card
Die Cuttin' Divas - 3D Projects
Happy Little Stampers Mixed Media - M, Men {my skull is a guy!}

Autumn Shaker Card

It's October and at Die Cut Diva's the challenge this month is Halloween or Autumn; and to top it off, the lovely Dies R Us is sponsoring us and giving away a $10 voucher!

I've made quite a few shakers cards and I have to admit, this is one of my very favorites.  The entire card was easy, there were no mistakes or mess ups, and I am so happy with how the front of the card looks.  To me, this card has all the elements of a fabulous card; it's a long tutorial, so you may want to go to the bathroom and grab a drink, maybe even a snack. :)  Without further ado, here is my card and how I made it:

What I Used to Make my Card
White Card Base
Handmade Alcohol Ink Paper
Tutti Designs Maple Vine Frame, #TUTTI-139
Light Gold Paper
Craft Foam Board {Dollar Tree or local dollar store} Called Readi-Board
Tutti Designs Stitched Nested Rectangles, #TUTTI-217
Embossing Powder - Not So Rusted Penny by the Powder Keg (bought by PK                                    Glitz, then purchased by Stamp On It!)
Hero Arts My Monthly Hero Kit, September, 2018, sentiment
Simon Says Stamp Embossing/Watermark Pad
Sequins
Acetate {you can use packaging, projector sheets, or the stuff they sell especially for shaker cards}
Red Double Stick Tape

I began this card by making the alcohol ink paper first.  I used glossy paper and various alcohol inks, some from Ranger, some from Jacquard  {specifically the Piñata Colors} and some very old Pantone inks, which are the refills for the Letraset Tria markers {which are now known as ProMarker, and has been

purchased by Winsor & Newton.}  I did not keep track of the colors I used; I just chose the ones that looked the most like fall and autumn colors to me.  I did, however, make the marks I made with the inks purposely small.  I didn't want the die to cut out a hunk of one color and none of the other.  Another item I used was the Gold Mixative by Tim Holtz and Ranger.  A little dab of that goes a long way and it gave the paper a golden sheen, if the light catches it correctly.  I made a bunch of backgrounds while playing with my inks, as I typically do, and I'm going to be trying the Alcohol Lift Ink soon to see if it works with glossy paper as well as it does when it's used with YUPO paper.  I do have a small bit of YUPO but I always forget about it when I'm playing with my alcohol inks.  OK, enough about the inks, let's carry on! 

Once the paper I'd made was fully dry, I used the Maple Vine Frame to cut out some of the paper.  I was SO tickled that it came out as beautifully as it did and I really feel the key was using small dabs of the ink.  Once I had the frame cut, I put it aside.  I adhered the light gold paper to my craft foam board, figured out which rectangle die fit it the best and, once the glue was dry, proceeded to cut a gold frame.  I had tried to make the frame by cutting the craft foam, then cutting the paper, and then tried to match it up.  Even though I taped my dies together, I could NOT get the two pieces to play nicely.  That's why I glued the paper onto the craft foam board.  The Maple Vine cut out is attached to this frame so I have the walls for the shaker.  I glued the acetate to the top of the gold frame and attached the Maple Vine to that.  I set that aside, under the tile on my desk, for overnight to ensure there was a good solid connection - I know acetate can be stubborn when you use a wet adhesive.

The Readi Board Label

The next day I took a white card base and added the sentiment, which I embossed with a fabulous powder called Not So Rusted Penny.  It's a perfect fall color; bits of brown, rust, and flecks of gold; the pictures do not do it justice!  Once the sentiment was done and cooled, I got the bright idea to use double stick red tape to put the frame onto the card.  I pinched a bunch of sequins and piled them on top of the sentiment; attached the red tape to my frame, managed to get it as straight as I could, and attached it.  It was all fine and dandy, but I had forgotten that some of the tape would be sticking out, where it didn't quite have the frame cover it all.  So, with my first shake a billion sequins got stuck on the tape.  Fortunately, there were {and are} still some loose sequins so the card can be shaken, but I can tell you I won't be making THAT mistake again.

All in all, I am very proud of the card.  When I look at the alcohol ink paper I

Here is a sparkly pictuer

made, and then at the frame, it's hard to believe that the paper made that frame!  This is one of the first times I've been happy with an alcohol ink background the first try.  I usually mess up the colors and they don't cut as nicely as I see it in my head, but this was successful!  Of course, having all the sequins bobbing about in the card would have been nice, but that's the charm of handmade, right?!?  Yes, I say that a lot.  It makes me feel better.  Well, I hope you enjoyed my tutorial.  You can see more examples of my shaker cards here and here.  I've used both craft foam and craft board and I can't see a difference in the final outcome of the card; the foam board is much cheaper, so I'll be sticking with that for a while.  I'd love to see your Halloween or Autumn makes in the challenge; just link up here at Die Cut Diva's! And don't forget, our sponsor, Dies R Us carries SO much more than just dies! Take good care and thank you for stopping by! Fondly, Christi

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Die Cuttin' Divas - #390, 3D projects
Papercraft Challenges - M, #22, Dies and/or Punches
{PIN}spirational - #226, Photo Inspiration (see below)

Unicorn Challenge - M, #37, Autumn or Halloween
Addicted to Stamps - M, #167, Autumnal Colors
Creative Friday - #215, Shaker Card
Simply Create Too - M, #143, Make a Shaker Card
Moving Along with the Times - M, #81, Autumn/Fall
DL Art - Thankful Thursday - #236, Fall Colors

{PIN}spirational