Thursday 30 August 2012

Spook-tag-stic

... I know, I know, it is only August but... Hallowe'en is fast approaching... and those brand new Tim Holtz Hallowe'en stamps are fab. I know we Brits don't go for Hallowe'en as much as our American cousins do but I can't help getting just a smidge excited by the whole spooky festival. When I was a kid, I used to get a swede and hollow it out (scoffing the hollowed out bits, I lurves swede - I know, strange child) I used to use a grapefruit spoon.... do they still make those? You know, like a teaspoon with a jaggedy edge on the pointy bit? Well, I used one of those and then chopped out the eyes and mouth (usually injuring myself in the process lol) and then a little stubby candle (the same one every year) and some string to make a handle. I was set then to go out and annoy the neighbours with my BFF Elaine - we had very angelic faces though and always came back with some booty.



Anyways, the reason for all that reminiscing is because I have been playing with those brand new Tim Holtz Collection Hallowe'en stamps. I have all of Tim's Hallowe'en stamps, collecting them over the years... I love the whole skelington, crow, skull thing. And now, even better, there's an owl! Yipyah and thrice, I do love owls and this little fella is especially cute. The sets I used are the Hallowe'en Cut Outs and the Apothecary sets - with a spidey and a border from the Mini Hallowe'en set.


The background was one of the tags that I made last week using the "mist with water and spray" Dylusions technique. The colours are the most gorgeous Squeezed Orange and Black Marble. I love how the sprays have dried into a swooshy effect.


An oft asked question I get asked is... "how do you get the stamping layers?" So, I thought that I would show you an inbetweeny stage, background dried and stamping started. The stamping was all done with Jet Black Archival Ink. I love Archival Ink because it is permanent and when set (with a smidge of heat) it is waterproof, so you can stamp first and then apply paints, inks, watery things over the top and it won't budge. You also get a really nice crisp image. As a rule of thumb I always heat set anything I have stamped using Archival. This is a good habit to get into - stamping onto normal card sometimes won't warrant a zap with the heat tool but you can guarantee that the time you don't set it, you will get a smudgy inky fingerprint. Best safe than sorry eh?


Anyways... back to the tag: the spiders were stamped onto one of my favest products: Clearly For Art from the fair hand of Wendy Vecchi's Studio 490. This stuff is fab, I used the clear flavour to stamp the spiders (again using Archival Ink and heat setting) Once dried I cut them out and then gave them another zap with the heat tool. Clearly For Art is heat reactive but doesn't shrink so you can mould it into lots of different shapes, very versatile. The finishing touches are some bits of ribbon (seriously, I bought about 20 sets of ribbon, all different colour families, about 103 years ago and I found it the other day, still unused lol) I added a Wire Pin and a gorgeous Idea-ology Owl, isn't he just goooooorgeous?!


Right, I had better get myself moving. I had a rotten night sleep so am feeling a bit like a zombie today - I think a little play with some paint and ink might perk me up though. Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

27 comments:

nwilliams6 said...

Wow, the splattery ink colors and designs on this are wonderful as are those new Tim images. Wonderful done and frightly fun. Enjoyed the story from your childhood too!

Gabbi said...

This is just SO great. Thank you for the inspiration.

Craftychris said...

Spookily fabulous! The owl stamp is so cool! Loved reading your halloween memories xx

Planetsusie said...

Hi Hels - I do love the backgrounds that you make. They are so impressive and always different of course. The stamps are really quirky and look good - apart from the 'eight-legged beastie' (can't even say it or write it) I am totally phobic and have been known to be sick on sight of one. I know I am a saddo!

Hugs to you Sue P xxx

Inkypinkycraft said...

A wonderful tag, I love the new halloweeny stamps...must get me some...love your layers , trace x

Rita said...

Not a big Halloween fan I have to say, but the kids always enjoyed it. I do love your tag though and I really appreciate the bit about inks too. Hope you get some shuteye Hels as I know what its like to go without sleep. Hugs Rita xxx

Unknown said...

Magnifique fond de tag, bravo

Sarah said...

Amazing tag Hels. I love the new stamps and I love Halloween. Great inspiration.

Sarah x

ps:- Yes they still do grapefruit spoons my MIL has one.

Redanne said...

Oh I am with you on the bad night last night Hels - horrible. I grew up in Canada and we used to get enough sweets on Halloween to last about 2 months, it was great fun. Love your tag and that owl from Tim is brilliant. Crafty hugs, Anne x

Deborah said...

Fab tag Hels - and thanks for the tip on heat setting archival. Did not know that.

Aquarius said...

Hope you've managed to work through the zombie stage with some more inky stuff!!
I don't normally 'do' halloween but might just have to make an exception this year especially with the great stamps and the Owl - love 'em.

Mary said...

This is so cool! I'm all set to do some Halloween crafting as well, even though it's not even September. =P Especially after seeing this great inspiration! TFS! =)

EmmaT said...

Hiya Hels
I love TH stamps as they stamp perfectly every time, i love this owl and can see it being used on not spooky projects! Always use archival ink, its the best as ive now found you can heat emboss with it too!
Emma
p.s yes they still make grapefruit spoons!!

Helen said...

Love the tag, the colour is gorgeous, and I kind of need some Halloween stamps, too!

Keren Howell said...

Hallowe'en, my favourite! (I liked raw swed when I was little as well, nothing strange about that!) Tag is fabulous!

Jenny Marples said...

Loving those misted background colours and the various Halloween stamps. The spiders are also ace - great idea to put them on Clearly for Art. Here's hoping you get a good nights rest. Hugs, Buttons x

Marleine said...

Hi Hels,
Not into halloween myself, but I love owls and spiders. Spritz background is brill. X

Words and Pictures said...

Glorious background to a fabulous tag! Great step by step stuff too, thank you...
Alison x
Oh and grapefruit spoons absolutely do still exist... I use one all the time (but on grapefruit, not swede!!)
Alison x

Karenliz Henderson said...

Fantastic tag! I love Halloween but it might be because my daughter was born on Halloween. As for grapefruit spoons they are hard to find. I only have a few! The only way to eat grapefruit or it makes wonderful designs in modeling paste, paints, inks, etc.!!!!

TonyR said...

gowguss colours!
haloween perfection!
hope you sleeping better my lovely xx

Karen Petitt said...

Stunning tag Hels. Wish my creations were that good after a bad night!
My back muscles spasm a lot most nights. The good thing is that most of my best 'creating' has come from the sleepless nights lol! hugs Karen

Patricia Howarth said...

Morning Hels, I love this tag, I like all the spooky things too, I'm absolutely loving the row of people at the bottom too. Beautiful. Hope you are feeling better now. Lots of love from Patricia xx

gwen70 said...

Great card hels, lots of fun, love the owl

Mandy Chilvers said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mandy Chilvers said...

i had to delete the above post sorry. it sounded like i wanted you to send me your stamps! lol

i just love what you've done with this set of stamps. i can't wait to get it.

love the tag, it's my birthday in october (hint hint) i did a similar message above but sounded like i wanted the stamps not the tag! lol why is it when i got to write october i always end up writing octopode! lol

Michelle Webb said...

Mmmmm this is very yummy, I love it xx

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Love this...is cute as all get out!!! Fab background!!!

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