Spells 50c - mixed media with Prismacolour pencils, embossing, and wood cut

Halloween is my favourite time of year!

This project is my design team inspiration for Through the CraftRoom Door's challenge for 24 Oct to 30 Oct. The sponsor is Crafty Sentiments (isn't that witch just so adorable) and the prize for the challenge is 3 digital images. Come play with us!

Crafty Sentiments Designs started back in 2009 by myself Suzette the owner, Me and my artist brings you cute whimsical and fun characters, to create unique and exciting handmade gifts and projects. We also carry our own brand of exclusive Rubber stamps, Digital stamps, Sentiments and cutting dies, CD Roms that is perfect for all your scrapbooking and card making needs, there is always something new each month as we release new images each month. Crafty Sentiments Designs is now having live shows on Hochanda.TV a UK base craft channel. Visit the website at www.craftysentimentsdesigns.co.uk for lots of products.

Putting It Together

I rarely have an idea for a total creation when I start. On this one, I coloured up the image thinking I was going to make a card until I found the frame on clearance sale at a local scrapbooking shop and.. it was no longer going to be a card.

I had originally thought about watercolouring the image so I had printed it on light weight (90lb) watercolour paper. My printer sometimes doesn't want to print on the heavier cardstocks but rarely complains about the student weight watercolour paper. I have an HP 1510 ink jet printer and the ink doesn't run or smear with water or alcohol medium without any extra treatment. I got this printer last year at a jumble sale for charity. I lucked out that the ink is good for digis.

I decided to experiment with Prismacolour pencils on the watercolour paper and was very pleased with the result. That little nose and the freckles are so cute! I fell in love with this image while I was colouring it. 

I decided on purple for her outfit partly because I don't have any grey pencils and even more so because purple is one of my favourite colours.

I decided to leave her hair fuzzy without any smothing.

And.. I finished the colouring.  I set her aside without any thought on how to finish her and put her in a card.

 I went to one of my local scrapbooking stores (there are 2 across the street from each other in Langley, about 30 mins away) and found this Kasiercraft hexagon frame on clearance. I got the "spells 50 cent" wood cut with the intent to pair it with a completely different image but it was just perfect for this. I dry fit a lot as I am designing as I go.

 I fussy cut the image with a narrow margin. Sometimes an image just wants a little border.

I dry fit the trimmed image to make sure it still fit well.

I decided to use embossing on the woodcut to colour it. I used Thanksgiving embossing powder from Emerald Creek. I use a coffee filter when I am embossing to contain the mess and make it easy to pour the over flow back into the bottle.

I love the Thanksgiving colour. It's orangey-brown with flecks of yellow and black and browns. Really pretty. I did a few layers to build up an enameled look. I used post it masking to keep the orange off the cauldron. I used glow-in-the-dark embossing powder from Wow on the steam and liquid in the cauldron.

I added shiny black embossing from Emerald Creek to the cauldron and handle also building up layers for an enameled look.

I dry fit the image frame and wood cut together and added a wobbler behind the image. The wobbler will give more dimension than foam tape and a bit of fun, too.

I used Hannukah embossing from Emerald Creek on the frame. I love the speckles, almost like twilight. I also used Chipped Sapphire Distress stain on the inside edge of the frame. The colour was almost exactly the same as the Hannukah's blue.

And.. I dry fit. At this point I was stumped for the background but had to put things aside due to other commitments.

While pondering the background, I saw someone used the ghostie paper that I have in my stash from last year. A bell chimed in my head and I realised it was the last thing I was looking for. I used the frame on the back to mark with a pencil so I could cut a panel bigger than the inside edge but smaller than the outside edge.

I dry fit and, even thought the ghosts were upside down, I knew it would be perfect.

I adhered the paper to the frame and then added adhesive tape to cover the edge to adhere there base. To make sure the corners were adhered well, I lifted up each edge to put the next tape strip on.

I used Distress stain Chipped Sapphire to the outside of the frame and then attached the wobbler to the image.

I plopped the image on her wobbler in the frame slightly high of centre and made sure the ghosties were upright. The light watercolour paper curls slightly on the free edges but I think that's  actually just perfect for this project. The image bo-oings when you tap her, it's so cute.

To get the adhesive in the right place on the wood cut, I held it where I wanted it and flipped everything over and used a pencil to mark where the frame crosses the wood cut.

I added thin adhesive to the wood cut inside the lines...

and put it place.

I added a pair of screw eyes and a short coppery chain.

Challenges

Emerald Creek Dares: Freaky Fun

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday: Photo Inspiration

Crafty Gals Corner: Halloween Colours

Scrapping 4 Fun: Autumn Colours

Aurora Wings: Darkness Falls

Ching-Chau Kuik: Halloween/Fright Night

Creative Moments: Add Some Purple

Love to Scrap: Frightfully Fun

Crafty Friends: Cute

Ribbon Girls: Any Image

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper: Anything Goes