Well friends, we are well more than half way through the month already! Is October the 'fastest' month of the year, or is it just me?
My sister has a bad case of the shingles, and I thought I would send her a card to cheer up her days. She's a retired 3rd grade teacher, but she still subs every chance she gets. She is truly a teacher who loves to teach, and her students are 'her' kids. She's not at all into Halloween, but she wants kids to be kids, so costumes were acceptable in her classroom. Having the shingles, she is quarantined from the little ones, and will miss the festivities as a substitute this year. I chose this group of what I would believe to be school children dressed for Halloween from Tim Holtz Halloween Paper Dolls as a focal image for her card.
I love that the kiddos have fun costumes; no scary (just sweet) witches, zombies, skulls or walking dead in this group. My sister will appreciate that.
I used Stitched Ovals dies to cut black card and some of Tim's older Region's Beyond paper stash to frame the photo. I love how well Tim's papers work together from year to year, and this one pairs nicely with the plaid from this year's Halloween Paper Stash. I cut the scalloped edge that comes with the ovals for the kids to sit on. A flash card (a nod to my sister's teaching) from the Halloween ephemera pack works perfectly as a fall greeting along with 'Happy' from Tim's Tiny Text Remnant Rubs. I colored the card with Distress Oxide inks: Hickory Smoke, Frayed Burlap and Ripe Persimmon. I edged with Ground Espresso ink.
Some strings that pulled out of a piece of Mummy Cloth I used for
my Bone Collector Vignette dyed in Hickory Smoke oxide, some Nature's Wonder stamped and water colored leaves I had sitting on my desk, and a couple of Skeleton Leaves add some autumn color. Everything is adhered with Distress Collage Medium Matte.
I stamped a black panel with Ornate from Tim's Ornate and Lace set in Black Soot Distress ink and clear embossed. I scribbled over the embossing with Hickory Smoke crayon, then adhered the focal panel to it this panel.
I wanted to write my sister a nice long encouraging letter, so instead of a standard card, I made a pocket on the reverse to tuck the letter in. I chose design papers from Regions Beyond and Halloween Paper Stashes and added splashes of Hickory Smoke and Ground Espresso oxides to them and edged in ink. I adhered the top panel completely, punched the bottom panel with a circle punch and adhered only on three sides to form a pocket.
I hope this project reminds you that your Tim Holtz Halloween products can be used for more than just Halloween. Happy crafting!
Sara Emily
These products were used and can be purchased at
The Funkie Junkie Boutique:
