Til Death Do Us Part - Ideaology Coffin 1

 

Til Death Do Us Part was inspired by the attic scene in Disneyland's Haunted Mansion. The story is of Constance Hatchaway, a ghost bride who basically murders all of her husbands. The attic is filled with mementos and wedding photos of all of them, ending with the ghost of Constance holding an axe and repeating her wedding vows ...until death....

In order to do the story justice, I decided I needed to use both sides of the new Idea-ology Coffin Vignette to show both sides of Constance’s story. This piece was a sample for the newest Halloween Idea-ology release from Tim Holtz. 

 To begin, I covered the Coffin Vignette. To do this I needed a template of the inside and back side of the shape so that I could cut the paper to fit. I started by laying cardstock across the front of the vignette and rubbing a bone folder or something like it across the front edges.

 You should end up with something that looks like this. You will want to cut along the inside lines.

 If you want to check to see if it fits before you cut it, just fold the sides in and check first.

I used my Tonic Trimmer to get straight sides when I cut along the lines.

To get a template for the back of the coffin, just draw around the outside edge. Once you have the templates, draw around the templates on the paper or wallpaper you want to use. I used paper from the Departed stack and some of the Halloween wallpaper, then used my scissors and trimmer and cut them out. Adhere the papers to the wooden vignette with Distress Collage Medium. Brush on a thin but even layer, then lay the paper in place and use something to press the paper down all over so that there are no air bubbles or raised areas. You will need to measure the sides, both height and width, and then cut pieces to cover the sides. I'll talk about the papers I chose later on.

I also wanted to make a base for the coffin so I could expand my attic story area. I covered the large and second largest Vignette Panels with some paper from the Departed paper pad after I painted the edges of each panel black. Then I adhered the smaller one on top in the larger panel in the very center. Gather four of the Metal Corners and four of the Idea=ology Mini Foundations.

Once the paper is adhered to the panels and they are secure, attach the Metal Corners to each corner of the largest panel. I even had to slip the edges under the corners of the smaller panel just a little bit as I worked. Then I squeezed the sides to make sure they were secure.

When the corners are secure, drill four small holes (I used a Dremmel) and then, as seen above, pound a Vignette Hardware nail into each hole to hold the coffin securely in place.

I covered the back of the coffin with this amazing architectural piece of paper from the Departed pad. Then I went through all of my Clippings and Chit Chat stickers to find all the words I wanted to be able to tell the story. It was tough but I managed to find all the words I wanted.  This is to be a bit of foreshadowing as to what is to come....

I added the Lace Baseboard Frame around one of the new Halloween Vellum scenes to hint at the Haunted Mansion. Also I picked this bride and groom from the Halloween Paper Dolls.

At the top of the lace frame I added this ribbon adornment but wanted it to feel a little more like a wedding ribbon.

So I put some white Picket Fence Distress Crayon on it and rubbed it in with my finger. That softened the darker color of the ribbon to go with the wedding feel.

I wanted this side view to show you the two different sides to the story, but also to show you that I covered the outside of the coffin with this wallpaper. I sanded it to bring out the texture. Once I adhered it I went over the sides with Distress Vintage Collage Medium to age it a little.

For the wedding flower arrangement, I took one of the Garden Relic urns, painted it with Distress Paint in Hickory Smoke and then aged it slightly with a little watered down Walnut Stain Distress Paint. Once I brushed it on wet, I wiped it off quickly.

The plant that goes in the Grave Relic can be made with die cuts or whatever, but I wanted to use the same products for both the front and the back of my coffin to give the same items a very different feel depending on which side of the altar you are looking at. So for the wedding side I wanted it a little green. I took one of the Broomsticks from last year's Halloween release and pulled the handle out, then scrunched it all up into a ball and sprayed it green with some green colors of Distress Oxide Sprays.

Once it is dry, put some hot glue in the holder of the Grave Relic and then push the Broomstick plant down into the glue.

For my floral arrangement I added some moss around the base and then attached a few flowers from Bouquet and some Beaded Berries from last year's Christmas Idea-ology release. I LOVE the Beaded Berries and am so sorry that last year was the last release, so hopefully you have some on hand or can find someone who still has them in their inventory.

The Idea-ology Metal Gates were perfect for this scene. They allow the design to have a church altar feel.

To help the Metal Gate fit in the wedding feel, I rubbed some Picket Fence Distress Paint over it and let it dry.

Then I adhered it to the bottom level of the Vignette Panel base with some Distress Collage Medium. To add to the wedding feel, I draped Mummy cloth over the Gate, doing my best to keep it from fraying so it felt more like tulle. Then I decorated it with some Heirloom Florals.

I wanted the Heirloom Florals to have a little something more than just the cream color, so I wet them and then brushed Perfect Pearls over them. I had to do this application a couple of times to get this to look like a pearl finish, but I was successful and pleased with the final outcome. At this point, I mixed some perfect pearls in a little water on my Glass Mat and then brushed it on the Mummy Cloth, the flowers and the lace frame to add even more of the pearl sheen to this side.

Here you can barely see the pearl shine of the florals and the Mummy Cloth.

As with the foreshadowing in the wording at the top on this side, I added a little foreshadowing here as well by adding a Black Widow Spider from the Halloween Adornments pack.

I love just that little hint on the lovely wedding flower, that the bride might be who she seems.

That does it for the wedding side of the Halloween Coffin Vignette. Message me through the link at the side if you have any questions about something I described above of something on this side that I didn't cover. 

Thank you for sticking with me through this long post. I hope it was interesting and helpful.

Tami

I am an affiliate with Simon Says Stamp and Scrapbook.com so the links below send you to one of those stores depending on which logo you choose.  If you wish to purchase something from either store and use one of my links below, I get a small percentage of your order, at no additional cost to you. This helps me to defray the costs of this blog, the time, the ideas and tutorials I post here. Your help is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Rock Candy and Sugared Eyeballs - Halloween Candy Store

Alright! Another candy tutorial. Today we are going to cook up some rock candy and sugared eyeballs.

We begin by coloring Distress Mica Flakes with Alcohol Ink. I put a small amount of mica flakes in a condiment cup I got at Smart and Final, I also have on hand a piece of a wooden or bamboo coffee stirrer.

Put several drops of your chosen color of Alcohol Ink onto the Distress Mica Flakes.

Use the wooden stirrer to begin stirring the Alcohol ink into the Distress Mica Flakes. The Alcohol Ink doesn't mix in immediately. I think this one looks like pesto shaved ice at this stage.

If you stick with it, the Distress Mica Flakes will eventurally even out and have a nice colored crystal look to them.

I made three colors (pretend flavors) for my rock candy sticks. orange, green apple and grape.

To make the sticks you will need a toothpick, Distress Collage Medium and one color of Distress Mica Flakes.

Dip the toothpick into the Distress Collage Medium. You want nice coverage.

Then roll the toothpick into the mica flakes.

Try to get some of the flakes to adhere on all sides of the toothpick.

I had some floral foam left over from a project, so you will want to find something like this before you start, but stick the candy stick into the foam and let it dry.

I put the rock candy sticks into an apothecary jar. Don't they look tasty?

Last year I made an insane Eyemagination vignette inspired by these little cuties. Well, they are back this year and I was thinking about what I could do with them this year and it dawned on me that they could be a Halloween treat. One year our neighbor brought over some candy eyeballs to give out to trick or treaters.  We were like, "Are kids going to like that?" and as the ToTers started to arrive we quickly found out that they were a huge hit! So I decided to add them to my candy shoppe. 

So I originally was going to just rub some Rock Candy Distress Stickles onto the eyeballs and call it good, but they weren't sugared enough for me, so I rubbed the Rock Candy Stickles on them and then dusted them with Distress Rock Candy Glitter from a Glitter Duster and that was perfect.

Mmmmmmm good enough to eat!

In order to get them to show in the jar, but not be to garish, I brushed a clear apothecary jar with a smal amount of Distress Collage Medium and the that dry.  It makes the glass look frosted. Then I added one eye at a time into the jar with a bit of Distress Collage Medium on it and then let it dry while I was working on other parts of the shoppe. This takes forever to do it one eye at a time, but if you don't do that you won't be able to see the eyes. They pile up and look like wafers not eyes.

I added a few on the side of the top of the box for interest.

 Add a label to the faux frosted apothecary jar and add it to the right side on the top of the box.

Tomorrow we will finish up this project and move on to a few other Halloween makes. Thank you so much for stopping by. Thank you very much for your comments and support!

Gratefully, 

Tami

Caramel Apple Tutorial - Halloween Idea-ology Candy Shoppe

I just love all of the 2020 Halloween Idea-ology releases don't you? So much fun! As I looked over all of it I was trying to decide what I wanted to do, and surprise, I found myself again inspired by one of my favorite places, Disneyland.  If you have ever visited Disneyland at Halloween you know that they go all out and decorate everything. One of the most colorful, delightful places of all is Marcelline's candy shop in Downtown Disney followed closely by the Candy Palace on Main Street in Disneyand Park. I visit them often during the season not just to purchase candy, but to get inspiration for my home decor.  So naturally I decided to create my own fun, colorful Halloween Candy Shoppe.

Today I'm going to just do a tutorial on my favorite Disney snack from the candy stores, the caramel apple. I've take one home on almost every trip for the last 15+ years. So let's start there.

I wanted something beautiful to display my pièce de résistance, so I made a little silver tray out of one of the Ideaology Deco Frames and a piece of Ideaology Mirror Sheet. 

 I cut a piece of the Mirrored Sheet to fit the back of the deco frame. Then peeled off the protective plastic sheeting. The back of the Mirrored Sheet has adhesive on it, but you can peel it off and stick it to some cardstock and then trim it before adhering it to the back of the Deco Frame with Distress Collage Medium. I put it face down and then attached four Ideaology Hitch Fasteners to the back corners of the frame with Distress Collage Medium to serve as feet for the tray. Set this aside to dry.

Next take two of the smallest pumpkins. I painted mine green with Peeled Paint Distress Paint and let dry. 

Then I drilled a tiny hole in the center top of the pumpkin with my Dremmel (I was inspired by Zoe Hillman to get a Dremmel for drilling holes in my Idea-ology projects myelf so I don't have to wait for my husband. It was a great decision!)  

Ok, so once the hole was drilled I cut down a toothpick and glued it into the hole with Distress Collage Medium. Let dry.

Once it is dry, hold the pumpkin apple by the stick and dip it into Vintage Collage Medium like it was a tub of yummy caramel! You want to dip it pretty far up the side of the apple.

Edited in 2024 to add: Vintage Collage Medium has been discontinued. However Tim said that you can tint your own by using a few drops of Distress Ink Reinker. Ranger used Antique Linen. I would stick to something close to that if you want caramel color. If you want chocolate covered you could try a darker brown. Or a red if you were making candy apples. Have fun experimenting!!

Slowly pull it out of the Vintage Collage Medium making sure it is well covered.

Set them on a non-stick mat to dry. This takes a long time so you need to be sure this is off to the side somewhere so you don’t bump it, or do this just before you go to bed. 

Once dry, you will notice that the very inside bottom of the caramel is probably still wet when you pick it up. It's ok. You will probably be dipping them a second time to make sure they look nice and caramelly. So repeat the last step and let them dry again.

Once they look the way you want, I tied a piece of the new black twine from the Halloween Trimmings around the top of each. These pieces were already separated from the original cut. If you unwind the twine you can get three thinner pieces. Each of the thinner pieces are made of three threads. Then carefully lift them off the nonstick mat and you will probably find that the bottom is still a little wet. That is ok, just place them on the tray where you want them and let them dry. They will adhere to the tray that way.

 Originally I made three red caramel apples from the medium sized pumpkins. They look cool, but didn't fit with the color scheme of my candy shoppe, so I set them aside and made the green ones. Don't be surprised if you see them make their way into another project sometime.

I thought it would be really fun to show you how a different color and different size looks.

The only thing different here is the size of the pumpkin and the color of the paint I used. The rest of the technique is exactly the same.

Make sure that you dip the apple in far enough that most of the apple is covered.

You can see how the Collage Medium clings to the pumpkin. You might need to scrape some off the bottom as you take it out by scraping it on the inside of the container. Not too much, just a little.

They look awesome wet,  but because the red is dark, as the Collage Medium dries, the caramel turns almost a chocolae color.

I think I dipped the red ones at least three times. They are super cute, but just didn't fit this project. 

I hope that tutorial was clear enough that you can make your own caramel apples for your projects. 

Have fun and please tag me if you make some so I can see yours.

Tami

I am an affiliate with Simon Says Stamp and Scrapbook.com so the links below send you to one of those stores depending on which logo you choose.  If you wish to purchase something from either stappreciated! Thank you!