Thursday, October 23, 2014

Getting Spooked with Dreamweaver Stencils


Not into witches at all, but this made me...errr... laugh....  :o

"What intenseness of desire
In her upward eye of fire."
                                         ----------------William Wordsworth

Hi, Friends.......

I am here today with a ghostly Halloween card.  Since I am pretty tame when it comes to Halloween, this is about as spooky as you will see coming from me.  Ha.

I was super-inspired by the Smeared and Smudged 31 Days of Halloween extravaganza that Dreamweaver Stencils is participating in over at their Dream it Up! blog.  Did I mention they are having *daily* giveaways, too??  Yowza!!  Dreamweaver also is sponsoring a Happy Hallowthanksmas challenge this month, so I just had to unearth my autumn and Halloween DW stencils to see what I could make.
WARNING: If you are a stencil expert and especially if you are visiting here from Dreamweaver, you are going to be aghast at my terrible technique with this lovely stencil. I tend toward messy procedures with embossing powder and lack the amazing finesse I see on the Dream it Up! blog. Just giving you a heads-up, so don't say I didn't warn you!!! Eeeek!


For this card, I started with Coredinations rusty brown cardstock and my DW Fall Borders stencil. This particular stencil has two parts and they are probably supposed to be used separately, but I wasn't thinking about that and Versamarked all over the whole thing onto my cardstock.  

I did a sloppy job of it since I was only holding the stencil down with my fingers and my Versamark pad was very juicy!!!  Result:  oozing under the stencil.  (sigh)  Oh, well!  Out came my trusty copper embossing powder which I poured all over my gooped up cardstock and zapped it with my heat gun.  Yep, gooped up was right.  But it sort of had a cool look, too....all molten and coppery.


I wondered what it would look like if I Versamarked over the copper (gently this time) and added a different color of embossing powder.  So I replaced the stencil and holding it down with my fingers again, I put more of the Versamark on....not as sloppily as the first time.  Then I dusted it with black metallic embossing powder this time. After zapping it again, I got this shadowy effect which I really love!!!  
(That horrible screaming sound you hear is the lovely Lynell from Dreamweaver going into a hysterical fit over my awful technique!!! ARRRRGGGHHH!!!)


Next I took my Black Soot Distress Ink mini and inked all over the cardstock in haphazard fashion to enhance the shadowy look, wiping off the excess ink from the embossed portions with a baby wipe.  Funny thing......I had originally intended this to be merely an autumn card, but the specter of a Halloween card was rising from the darkness.  Yikes!!  I knew it needed a ghost.  Yes, a ghost coming from the gal who only does cutesy Halloween things!!  Eeek!!

I grabbed my Kiwi Lane Designs little ghost template from the Tiny Holiday Accessories set and cut out a vellum ghost.  The vellum spook was a little bit too white for these colors, so I sponged Antique Linen Distress Ink over the back of the vellum that would be next to the cardstock.  I like the pale beige a lot better.  

As you probably know, inks don't dry on vellum very fast.  Being the impatient crafter that I am Only having a limited amount of time for crafting, I went ahead and placed the moist ghost on the background.  It reacted with the black ink in a most ghoulish manner.....but perfect for this card.  I think the slight mottling makes the ghost look even more translucent and spooky.  I used a Sakura Glaze gel pen for the eyes.  Eeeek!!....even trying to do simple eyes free-hand gives me the willies!!    =:o

I finished off the card with a "fence" made from my Spellbinders Lace Doily Accents die set.  Don't you think this black DCWV paper makes a nice ornate iron fence border?  What I love about the fence is how it transformed a 2-D card into what looks like a 3-D scene.  I can see this ghost drifting down a path between the pumpkins on the left and the arbor on the right behind the fence.  What do you think?

Thanks for bearing with me during my lengthy description.  Even though this card changed directions on me a time or two, I really had fun making it and sharing the process with you.  I love how it turned out.

***********************************************
Ding Ding Ding:  New Follower Introduction Time!!!!!
***********************************************
Brenda "Disney Girl" of Disney Girl Crafts and other fun things!  is follower #63.  Hooray!!!!  Brenda has a lifelong love of all things Disney and her blog is like going to Disneyland!!  You will definitely have a smile on your face after seeing her adorable and fun projects!!!  She also is on the DT for Scrapbook Blessings Club 
where she saw one of my projects.  Thanks so much, Brenda, for becoming a follower!!  I appreciate your support and encouragement!  This ginormous smile is all yours:
 :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Thank you to everyone for visiting and commenting. I hope your day is beautiful, even if the weather outside is blustery like it is here!  

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Dreamweaver Stencils Happy Hallowthankmas October Challenge

28 comments:

  1. This is what I like so much about your process Janis.... you have no fear! You try it, and see what happens...lol! First of all, I love that vellum ghost and you're absolutely right about the still-wet inking on the back giving it even more of a ghostly appearance. I also really like all the layering of EP and ink...which gives it all a nice vintage feel. Even the softened edges of the stenciled image adds to the antiqued look, and to the ethereal other-worldly atmosphere. The only thing missing is the sound effects! Great Halloween card!!

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    1. LOL....I figure taking gambles with my craft supplies doesn't hold near the risks that other kinds of gambles do, so why not? Not to mention that many of my try-it-and-see-what-happens techniques are borne out of a desperate attempt to salvage a crafting misstep!!! Ha!!! Most times it ends up here on my blog whether or not it looks like I intended. :)

      Thanks for such nice comments on my spook and my embossing!! I really love the atmosphere this card ended up with!!

      <3
      Janis

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  2. Forgot to say that your Witch quote up top is too hilarious! And yes, it made me laugh too...rather maniacally!

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  3. This is such a fun and beautiful card. Love the pretty embossing on the background. Thank you so much for sharing with us at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge.

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    1. Thank you so much for your sweet comments!!

      <3
      Janis

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  4. Wow, this is quite amazing, thanks for joining us at Allsorts, xxxx

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    1. Ha...I never quite know what to think when someone says the card is amazing or it is interesting. :D Thanks so much for stopping in and for your nice comment!!

      <3
      Janis

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  5. Thank you so much for participating in our embossing challenge at Allsorts this week!

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    1. And thank you very much for taking the time to visit and to comment!!!

      <3
      Janis

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  6. Absolutely 'spooktacular' (sorry--couldn't resist!) You did an amazing job!!!
    Thanks for joining us over at HIMCR!!

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    1. Thanks for your eerie-sistably nice comment!!!

      <3
      Janis

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  7. **giggle** "Impatient crafter"??? Nope, never heard of one! LOL I just LOVE this card (and post). The card is "spooktacular" . . . and the post, well, let's just say it made me smile. :) I really LOVE how your embossing turned out even though you say you "were short on time". lol Thanks for joining us over at HIMCR this week for our "Embossing" challenge. Hope to see you again next week!

    Kathy - HIMCR DT
    UpintheNightwithKat.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks for your super-sweet comments!!! I appreciate your visit so much. Please come again, soon!

      <3
      Janis

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  8. Hi Janis! Wow I love how this one turned out. You have inspired me! I am also *aninpatientcrafter* a crafter limited on time. ^.~ Thank you for sharing on this weeks Artistry Challenge! Be sure to come back Saturday or Sunday to vote for your favorite two crafts. :)
    Melissa - Vandicrafts

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    1. Thanks so much, Melissa!!! Your kind words are always appreciated!! I am always inspired by your creations. I am so glad you started your challenge blog so I could get acquainted with you!!!

      <3
      Janis

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  9. First of all - what a crazy witchy sentiment! LOL Really great and I love it - thanks for the chuckle, Janis! Secondly, WOWOWOWOW! What a fabulous technique with this pretty spooktacular card, Janis! I love the look you have achieved and all the inking afterward to make it look really great! hugs, de

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    1. Donna, you are so sweet and enthusiastic!! I learn so much from your techniques and am so honored when you have the time to comment on mine!!!

      <3
      Janis

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  10. Beauty and spook, who knew it was the perfect combination?! This is a great card!

    Thanks for joining us this week at HIMCR!

    Hiding in My Craft Room
    ~Laurie

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    1. Thank you so much, Laurie!! I appreciate your visit!!

      <3
      Janis

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  11. Love that Ghost - what a cool effect you got with the embossing! Fun card. Hugz

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    1. Thanks!!! It was fun playing around with my embossing powders and I was really pleased with how my ghost turned out, too!

      <3
      Janis

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  12. LOve this little ghostie...and I think the soft edges of the background stencils add to an eerie look for Happy HallowThanksMas...thanks for joining our challenge this month!

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    1. Thank you, Lynell!! I LOVE the Dream it Up! blog and really study all the techniques your team members do.....although you'd never know it! Ha. I appreciate you taking the time to visit and leave such a sweet comment.

      <3
      Janis

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  13. FANTASTIC Janis...love that wonderful embossing, and your awesome card has just the right amount of spookiness to it. Thank you so much for your lovely comment on my blog, and for opening up the way you did. It's encouraging to know that others understand, and that everyone is going through "somethinig" in their lives that challenges them to become better people. Your thoughts are so very welcome and I just wanted to say "thanks!".

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    1. Lynn,
      Your lovely comment made my day!! You are so right abt these challenges serving to help us become better people....if we let them!! I want to have that kind of positive outlook on difficulties!!! (even though it is hard, sometimes!!) Papercrafting and blogging is a great outlet. Blessings on you!!!

      <3
      Janis

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  14. This is fab!! I love the spookiness about this. Also the BG is stunning

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    1. Thanks so much, Deepti!! I appreciate your visit and your sweet comment!!!

      <3
      Janis

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THANK YOU so much for taking the time to leave a comment. Your kind words encourage me so very much!!!

Have a lovely day!
<3
Janis