SPOOKY OLD HOUSE by Fran Chalmers

Happy Halloween everyone!

Today I have made a card topper/tag (I haven't decided yet!) which is a bit spooky!

First of all I blended my background with Distress Oxides in Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn and Wilted Violet.

 I then went round the edges with Element Ink in Dark Denim.

I used a moon mask and added the Dark Denim round the outside so the moon picked up the Twisted Citron underneath.  I then stamped the old house and coloured parts of it with a black pastel pencil.  I also used a bright yellow gel pen in the windows.

I added some tree branches round the edges and stamped the raven onto a piece of thick paper, and added Blueprint Sketch distress ink to the white parts (their feathers do have a bluish black tint, don't they!)

Once I had stuck the raven onto the tag, I used a Titanium White pan pastel to give the impression of mist.

As I haven't decided yet how to use this tag/topper, I didn't put any sentiment on it.  I quite like it without anything on it and I hope you do too!

Stamps Used:

Old House 19741

Raven Looking Up 20269

Weathered Tree 19467

Other Items Used:

Distress Oxides in Wilted Violet, Mowed Lawn, Twisted Citron, Blueprint Sketch

Versafine Clair in Nocturn

Elements Ink in Dark Denim

Black pastel pencil

Yellow gel pen

White Titanium pan pastel

See you next time!

Halloween night scenic Mail Art by Cocofolies

Hello Everyone !

After a little pause on the blog due to lots of things behind the scene, so sorry, I'm finally back today... very happy to share with you a cute and fun scenic stamping mail art! 

I used masking techniques mainly on this one, starting from a simple white standard envelope (mine measures 11x22 cm). Several VLVS wonderful fun stamps to give life to the scene, dye inks in natural tones for the background, and a bit of extra (soft) coloring here and there, and that's all! 

To start I stamped on the left side my dancing cat using black permament ink and next stamped it again soon on a post-it with the remaining ink. Then I fussy cut out this one to create a mask of my dancing cat, and put it over my original stamped image to adhere.  

Next, I stamped my Jack o'lantern Along Fence over the cat, and created a second mask, before stamping  my  Tree with Tire swings.

On the right side, I stamped the sign, masked if off before stamping the Stone wall. And to finish the scene, I stamped  at the bottom my little Mischievous Elf  to add a bit of fun.

Next, I colored the pumpkins and the wall with just a few Distress ink pads squeezed on my craft mat,  in Carved Pumpkin, Walnut Stain, Hickory Smoke and Gathered twigs. I roughly watercolored some parts of the background too (be careful, you have to do this really slightly, as the envelope does not tolerate much water!). I also put a bit of grey and brown shadows under all the images.

At this stage, I decided to add in the right upper corner Hanging bats.

Still using my watercolor detailed brush, I added color (Brushed Corduroy) between the branches of the tree, and arounf the bats.

Don't hesitate to heat up your paper from time to time, to make your envelope more robust! 

Time to play with a few color pencils to add some dimension to the scene and characters. I used my Derwent Coloursoft pencils in the colors you can see on the photo below. I had a wonderful time during the process. 

For the finishing touches, I used my Posca pens in Black and white, and some fine blackliner. 

Et voila! :)

Stamps used:

- Trick or Treat Dancing Cat

- Hanging bats

- Stone wall

- Tree with Tire swings

- Jack o'lantern Along Fence

- Mischievous Elf 

I hope you like this project as much as I did.

Happy Halloween!!!!

Corinne

HALLOWEEN CARDS by Fran

Hi everyone! Today I made a couple of cards for Halloween.  I'm not really a great fan of Halloween but seeing the great spooky work that others were doing, I was inspired!

 For the first card, I put a small moon mask on the top right of my piece of card and smooshed distress inks in Wilted Violet, Seedless Preserves and Chipped Sapphire with water.

I went round the moon mask with the darkest colour, then added more colour with blending brushes.

I stamped the cemetary stamp a little way up from the bottom in black.

For a bit of added interest I stamped branches across the moon and round the top and sides of the card using the top of a tree stamp.

After stamping the skeleton, I darkened the ground in front of the gravestones with black distress ink then used a white gel pen to highlight the skelly's bones, and the tops of the graves where I thought the moonlight would hit them.

And where there is light, there are shadows, so I coloured in some shadows with a black charcoal pencil.

To finish off this card, I mounted it on a white mat before putting onto a black card.

For the second card, I started by stamping the main image on white card, and also cut out a mask so that I could use Wilted Violet and Chipped Sapphire distress inks over it.

After removing the mask, I inked around the edge of the card with Carved Pumpkin distress ink, making the corners darker.

With a small brush, I infilled the bits that the mask covered that needed to be purple.

I then coloured the main image with Polychromos pencils

To finish the card off, I mounted it on a black card and drew round the edges with a black fine liner pen. I don't have any Halloween sentiments, so I had drew a spider hanging down (and actually wished I hadn't afterwards, haha!)

Hope you like these cards!  See you next time :)

Stamps Used:

Card 1:

Skeleton Dancing 10373 Plate 970

Cemetery 18907 Plates 1433 and 1004

Weathered Tree 19467 Plate 1444

Card 2:

Victorian Witch Costume Girl 20132 Plate 1492

Other items used:

Distress inks Wilted Violet, Seedless Preserves, Chipped Sapphire, Carved Pumpkin, Black Soot

Versafine Clair ink in Nocturn

White Gel Pen

Black fine liner pen

Moon mask

Polychromos pencils

Black Charcoal pencil

September Challenge

It's MONTHLY CHALLENGE time! I love September because the weather starts getting cooler.. the leaves will change.. and HALLOWEEN is right around the corner. I LOVE HALLOWEEN! 

VLVS! loves Halloween, too :) Have you seen our Halloween stamps?!

Well that brings me to this month's challenge...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 

We are jumping right into the season and would like to inspire you with words like : bones, skeletons, garden gnomes, nymphs, goblins, ghouls, bats, creatures, critters, vampires, graveyards, catacombs, dead, death, halloween, spooky, creepy, and more.

Don't forget the rules:

-Create a new project based on our inspiration board (it has to be posted this month, but you can certainly link up to other challenges as well!)

-Use at least one (but certainly more if you want) Viva Las VegaStamps! rubber stamps

(We are now allowing competitors stamps to be on your work, but please make VLVS! the focus of the project, thank you.)

-Post it to your blog with a link back to us

-Upload to our linky using your direct blog post link (You may also upload via facebook, flickr or other gallery)

You could win a Project Spotlight post on our blog + some new rubber of course.

And visit us back here for inspiration!

An InLinkz Link-up

Mail Art Monday Spooktacular

Hello again!!!

Its me Tera here with a new spooky take on our Mail Art Mondays! 

(also Happy Labor Day!)

This  time I want to share a piece to get you ready for some fun Halloween mailing!!!

(Who doesn't want to scare the mail carrier every now and again!?!)

Stamps Used:

Bell Jar 3 x 4 3/4

Caution Safety Glasses

Numbers Set 

Skeleton Diagram

Blood Dripping

Ink Drips

Ink Run

Deliver To:

Periodic Table

Thank you for stopping, Stay Inky!!

September Challenge! get spOOOOOOOOOOOOOOky

Whoooooooooa it's a new month! And that means.. a new challenge awaits you stamping friends!

We'd like to inspire you with words like lime green, halloween, spooky, POISON, labels, fruit, bad, spoiled, witch's broom, skulls, droopy, blood, black, white, heritage, grungy, spots, distressed, leaves, stems, and more.

Don't forget the rules:

-Create a new project based on our inspiration board (it has to be posted this month, but you can certainly link up to other challenges as well!)

-Use at least one (but certainly more if you want) Viva Las VegaStamps! rubber stamps

(We are now allowing competitors stamps to be on your work, but please make VLVS! the focus of the project, thank you.)

-Post it to your blog with a link back to us

-Upload to our linky using your direct blog post link (You may also upload via facebook, flickr or other gallery)

You could win a Project Spotlight post on our blog + some new rubber of course.

And visit us back here for inspiration! 

An InLinkz Link-up

Monthly Challenge - Get Your SPOOKY On

It's October... the weather is cooling off... and Halloween is around the corner! So our Monthly Challenge is taking you in a spooooooky turn.

Bring forth some of your best spooky, creepy crawly, terrifying goodness. Please feel free to enter any type of project; altered art, ATCs, cards, layouts, journal pages and more! Also, be inspired by whatever you want; the checkered background, gray, white, black, a splash of one color, kids & costumes, jack-o-lanterns & pumpkins, spiders, webs, magic, tentacles, potions and potions ingredients, you name it! Visit us this time next week for September's TWO winners! We'll now be having TWO winners. One voted winner will receive a grab bag, a badge, and a spotlight. One random winner will receive a grab bag.

Don't forget the rules:

-Create a new project based on our inspiration board

-Use at least one (but certainly more if you want) Viva Las VegaStamps! rubber stamps

(We are now allowing competitors stamps to be on your work, but please make VLVS! the focus of the project, thank you.)

-Post it to your blog with a link back to us

-Upload to our linky using your direct blog post link (You may also upload via facebook, flickr or other gallery)

You could win a Project Spotlight post on our blog + some new rubber of course.

And visit us back here tomorrow for some inspiration from Natasha Serova.

An InLinkz Link-up

The Doctor is in....

WARNING: If you are easily offended or don't like strange or creepy themes this card may not be for you

Hello again everyone!!! It's me Tera again, today I am going to share the card I created for the VLVS Shaped Halloween Card swap on the Facebook VLVS Groupies page If you are not a member I recommend joining, So much fun and inspiration going on over there!!! 

Stamps Used: 

Coffee Ring Stain 2 3/4 x 2 1/4

Radioactive 2 x 2

Skull & Crossbones 2 1/2 x 2

Dictionary Page 4 x 2 1/2

Do Not Read This 3/4 x 1 1/4

Prescription Pad 2 x 2

Doctor With Needle 2 3/4 x 3 1/4

Plate 1430

 

Other Supplies-- 
A4 card cut into a file folder shape
Ink- Archival Black, Distress ink- Frayed Burlap, scattered straw, black soot, brick red
scrap paper (for making masks)
Marker Sprayer for distressing
make-up sponge or distress tool for additional shading
Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher/stapler 

Sizzix Movers & Shapers Die - Tag & Tie 

Scraps of orange paper (for the circles on the tag)cord/string

Black marker (fine point for writing and drawing lines) 

water spritzer optional

score tool/board optional

Scissors 

File folder to trace top of (or you can wing it! lol) 

Glossy Accents (or Glue of choice) 

To Begin cut your card Base - 8.5x 5.5 score or fold at 4.5 This gives you the long and short side of your file. On the long side trace the tab of your file , then on the short side trace the inward dip (make sure they are on the same side so it looks right). Cut out your base and admire ho cute this mini file is!

I start by stamping/drawing all of my masked off images in archival black ink: the Doctor was stamped then stamped on scrap paper to create a "mask" to protect it while i work, For the Rx pad, I traced my acrylic stamping block with a black marker leaving one corner open so i could draw it to look like folded paper. (You can also trace a post it not in your size of choice and you will save yourself from cutting out a "mask" for this.) I then traced it again on scrap paper to create a mask (and just folded the corner of the mask to match what i drew rather than guessing)

Next, stamp the skull, Rx pad with the Rx label from the Rx stamp (I cup mine out, so i can use it separate and still use the cute note box on other pieces : D ), and using the Type letters from plate 1430  I stamped out the J. Kevorkian (AKA "Dr. Death" get it a Rx for death, from Dr. Death himself... hehe) The Tiny #'s are numbers from the corners of the Plates of rubber : P Also stamp the patient (aka pt.) Name that you would like... Mine is patient X1446

Now, place both of your "mask" on to cover up your focal pieces. Get out your scattered straw ink and a makeup sponge and add color over the entire front of the card (careful not to move your masks). Set this aside to dry while you do this next step...

On a separate piece of paper stamp the "Radioactive" in red , then cut it out to look like a rectangle medical sticker "chart note"... Using the black soot distress the edge so that this will pop against the background! Also While you have the red out stamp the "Do Not Read This!" on the file tab

  (After All this is a confidential patient file!) 

Attach the radioactive "sticker" using your tiny attacher/stapler

Back  to the file, Sporadically stamp the dictionary page stamp to distress the file....Remove your masks (admire your clean work...now we are going to grunge it up more!) Using your frayed burlap distress ink, ink up the coffee ring stamp (I spritzed my stamp with water at this point to give it the wet/watery coffee look but you don't have too) then stamped as if coffee had sat on the file and Rx script

Take the marker spritzer with the black soot Distress marker and add some grunge all over where you feel it's to "clean" and bright!  

Cut out the tab in plain card stock (bread tie looking thing) then 2 of the reinforcing circles in orange .  Distress the pieces with the frayed burlap, then glue the circles on the front and back to reinforce the piece to look like the "Toe Tag". Tie yours cord around it and attach with the tiny attacher

Enjoy your spooktacular work!!!
Below I have a few more views : P

Happy Halloween!!!

Hi Folks!! DeeDee here today sharing with you the outcome of our most recent swap... Halloween Themed Altoid Tins!!

I cannot tell you how much it feels like Christmas every time I get a new swap in the mail! We're always so thankful for any and all artwork that arrives at our steps here @ VLVS! -- We proudly display each and every one! This collection of tins will have customers drooling for a long time :) 

 The outside of Anne Squire's Tin

 And the INSIDE! Anne used Be Afraid, Halloween Tree Silhouette, Frightful Fun and Folly, Sugar of Lead and Hear, Speak, See no evil.

  The talented artist behind this piece is one Christina Anderson! Flip the Devilish Face around and reveal a Ruffled Collar Clown!

I created this piece! 

 I used Fly, Man in Gash Mask and Open Sign.

 This beauty is by Eileen Wood!

 She used the 31, Nevermore and Full Moon stamps.

This one is by Lyneen Jesse!

 She's used Infectious Waste, Sugar of Lead, Mason Jar, Pasteurs Death, Cemetery, and Skull and Crossbones.

 Mary Lozinak altered this spooky bit!!

 

She's used If The Broom Fits, Are you a Good Witch, Spiked Fence, Row of Jack O Lanterns and Nosy Three.

 Marilyn Hughes has put together this deliciously glittery bit!

 She's used Frightful Fun and Folly and Halloween Tree Silhouette.

 And last we have this little book covered tin by Michele Kosciolek!

 She utilized the Fly, Cemetery, Full Moon, All Hallow's Eve and Dictionary Page for her tin!!

Can you believe all the talent contained in this one blog post? Every time I see them again I just die! And isn't that the point? SPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKY! ♥

Leave these girls some love!

Interested in being in our next swap?? We're currently taking SIGN UPS for a MAIL ART swap! Join our Facebook Group here, read the rules (pinned to the top,) and let us know if you'd like to sign up!!