Halloween B and H Collection ATC Matchbox - by Kim

 You'll have plenty of time to get this done for Halloween!

Construction:

First, build your ATC matchbox and drawer (see previous posts for construction if necessary). 

We need to make a space for our skeleton, a hidden layer! For this I used leftover greyboard, about 85x105mm, and some coffee stirrers. 
I cut a coffin shaped hole in the main board and built up the edges with coffee stirrers, I used clothes pegs to hold it all in place until the glue had set. 

Paint everything black. When dry paint the skeleton onto the box top so that it will appear to be laying in the coffin. I used some pumpkins from the Minis - Mixed Halloween set to add extra scariness. After painting I glued them so they appear to be coming out of the coffin.

When it's done, glue the coffin layer on the box top so that the skeleton is revealed behind the pumpkins.

Next, I needed the graveyard scene to go on top. I used another piece of leftover greyboard for the ground, same size as the coffin layer, and a smaller piece for the gravestone. The 'freshly dug' mound is made of texture paste - this will take quite a while to cure properly as it is a thick layer. The spade is a piece if bamboo stick from one of those room smelly jars with a piece of greyboard for the blade. As the texture paste dried a crack appeared just the right size for the spade, but otherwise use a craft knife to cut a slot. The cat was leftover from a Casa Bonita project.

I used ribbon as a hinge for the graveyard scene.

Painting:

I used Forest Green and Foliage Green for the grass, the mound is Burnt Umber with a light beige dry brushed on to the raised detail. The gravestone was painted Zinc grey with random streaks of black, Green Gold and Quinacridone Gold Fluid acrylics, and light beige. The inscriptions are in light beige. 
The cat is black with Tangerine eyes,

Underneath, the coffin layer is Burnt Umber, Forest Green edging, and black surround to the hole - all drybrushed on to blend with each other.

The bat dangles from a piece of narrow ribbon and 'appears' from the coffin when the grave is opened. It is from the Minis - Mixed Halloween set.

The matchbox is black inside and out.

ATC cards and coins:

I just had to make the cards in to mini gravestones. Trim the top to a suitable shape, base coat in Zinc grey, add an inscription in light beige, then add colours as per the gravestone on the lid.

The coins are decorated to look like pumpkins. Basecoat in Burnt Orange, add dark stripes with Burnt Umber - use this colour to round-off the bottom of the segments to give it a pumpkin shape. Drybrush Burnt Umber as shadow around the bottom. Use light beige to add highlights to the tops. Finish with a green stalk.

Add a suitable title for your collection of ATCs and ...

... that's it.

If you don't have large enough pieces of greyboard hanging around for the coffin and graveyard, heavy cardboard or art board will work. Paint colours are not too important, any greens, browns, beige, and orange will do.

I hope you enjoy putting this spooky project together for Halloween - post yours on the Tando Creative Zone on Facebook!

(Why Burke and Hare? - Link to their Wikipedia page)

Products:

ATC Matchbox with cards and coins
Tando Minis - Mixed Halloween
150g Greyboard Offcuts - useful for projects
Coffee stirrers or similar

DecoArt Americana Paints
I used Lamp Black, Forest Green, Foliage Green, Burnt Umber, Burnt Orange, Oyster Beige.
Green Gold and Quinacridone Gold are DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics.

Puzzled? - by Kim

 I had plans for Tando's Jigsaw Puzzle kit - I was going to use photographs and ephemera and antiquing techniques ... but it didn't happen as I hoped, so I did this instead.

First, I wanted to have some 3D effects in the jigsaw for added interest. I put the puzzle together then separated it in to four sections of five pieces. I glued the sections to thick cardboard to get varying thicknesses. One had no extra cardboard, the next 1 layer, the next 2 layers, and the last 3 layers.

The backboard would normally frame the puzzle, but I spread the sections out to the corners leaving a space in the middle. I marked this space on the backboard. 

My idea was to be looking through the puzzle to a dark forest scene behind, so I painted the visible area (no point painting the rest) with Lamp Black, Burnt Orange, and White in a scumbled, blended manner. Then I painted on the bare tree branches in Lamp Black, highlighted with Zinc grey where the light catches them.

The puzzle sections are painted to look like falling autumnal leaves. I set out Lamp Black, Burnt Orange, Tangerine, and Primary Yellow on my pallet and used a slip-slop technique to create the effect. I started with the lighter colours near the centre, getting darker towards the corners.

Before I stuck the sections to the backboard I painted the edges black, and accentuated the joins in the puzzle pieces with black, too.

As a super contrast I used a set of Tando's Leaf Branch, Cut Out Leaves. I cut each leaf from the branch with a craft knife (very carefully!). 

I painted the front with Indian Turquoise, and the edges with black. I arranged them on the project and when I was pleased with the layout I stuck them on.

A great autumnal and Halloween picture to get you started on spooky season. I hope you enjoyed the project. Let us know how you get on.

Thanks for dropping by!

Products:

Tando Creative Jigsaw Puzzle Kit

Tando Creative Cut Out Leaves

DecoArt Americana various colours

Woo! Halloween - by Kim

 Well, what a time to be creating my first piece for Tando Creative! Halloween!

The Gothic Arch with all its natural spookiness was an ideal place to start. I removed all the cut out panels and set them aside. To enhance its 3D-ness I staggered the layers to give it that down-in-the-dungeons look. Each layer was about 5mm higher than the one before. (My first idea was to make stones around the arch - hence the lines - they were not used)

I decided that every decent dungeon has a door, so I used one of the cutouts. To make the planks of the door I started from the centre line and measured 10mm spaces and marked pencil lines. Using the edge of a ruler I ran a small embossing stylus along the pencil line until I was happy with the line.

This was the time that I marked and cut out the coffin shaped window using a sharp craft knife - BE CAREFUL if you intend to do a window as the greyboard is tough and not easy to cut and craft knives are very sharp - this bit is not important and can be left out if you are not confident.

Next, I painted everything black and let it dry while I prepared the bits for inside.

From the Minis Halloween Mix pack I used the eyes from the pumpkins. while they were still in the frame (because they are easier to hold) I painted them with yellow then added a little Scarlet red to make them a little fierce. 

From the same pack I took the spider webs and painted them white. One I cut to fit the curve of the arch and the other was glued across the window in the door.

One of the small bats was painted black and lightly edged in white, with dotty eyes in Scarlet.

From Tando Creative Spiders Grab Bag I took the small spider, base coated in black, a little Burnt Orange over the top and some dots to make her pretty. 

 Before I glued the pieces in I painted the inside of the arches by lightly dry brushing, first Burnt Umber, then Burnt Orange.

The spooky mist is from a cotton face pad.

I then turned my attention to the outside. I needed to add a hinge to the door, this had to be done before the finishings. I used a strip of brown packing tape, but painters masking tape would work.

To hide the tape I applied Texture Sand Paste to the door frame (which is why I didn’t need the lines from earlier). This made a super, rocky surround. Make sure it is thoroughly dry before you carry on.

I re-basecoated the frame and hinge on the door with black before lightly brushing the frame texture with Burnt Umber, Burnt Orange, then very lightly with True Ochre.

I added nails to the door with Liquid Glass - these take quite a while to dry, too. But make sure they are properly cured before you continue.

I found a small key in my ephemera stash, drilled a tiny hole and glued it in. Then using True Ochre and Black Plum lightly dry brushed to texture the door, allowing the True Ochre to highlight the nails. 

I used a pumpkin from the Halloween Mix, painted in Tangerine with Scarlet stripes to finish the door.

Note: Before you glue on the door hinge, make sure the door fits the hole and opens easily because after it has been painted it might need adjusting! And don’t get bogged down with colours - whichever you have that is similar will do.)

I hope you are inspired to be spooky for Halloween!

I used these products:

Tando Creative:

    Gothic Arch

    Minis Halloween Mix

    Spiders Grab Bag

DecoArt Media:

    Texture Sand Paste

    Liquid Glass

DecoArt Colours as in the text

Halloween Week- Nevermore- Fiona Randall

 

Morning all it's Halloween Week here on the Tando Blog.

Rather than the Traditional Halloween of Scary withches, Pumpkins, Skeletons and Bats I decided to go Dark and Gothic With a Poe themed project.

I started with a Tando Gothic Arch Layered frame and glued together all the frame pieces and then gave it a coat of DecoArt Chalky Finish in Carbon. Then added a couple of coats of DecoArt Ultra Matte Varnish to seal. I then decided to create my background Paper using a gothic Halloween Stamp from Tim Holtz. I used the old technique of stamping with versamark ink adding embossing powder and heat set. Next I inked all over with black soot distress ink. I then covered with a piece of paper and applied a hot iron all over to remove the embossing powder leaving me with a grungy distressed background. I  then cut a piece of Tando greyboard to the desired size and added the background paper and then inked the edges with a Black Archival Ink Pad. I then cut another panel of grey board to size used an edger die to achieve the Ornate edge at the top. I then gave this the same treatment as the frame. The gothic layered fram comes with arch shaped inner pieces and I applied the left over background paper to this also. I then glued the frame to the arch base and inserted the paper covered inner piece. A tando bookplate was then painted and a stamped image of Poe attached. this was then glued to the inner frame. Some Tando Harlequin extra thins were given the same embossing treatment as the background paper. A raven and the title were then stamped and fussy cut. Finally all the layers were applied to the base layered up with off cuts of grey board to give depth and dimension. The title and the raven added to complete.

I hope you have enjoyed this short little tutorial. Do stop by the rest of the week to see what the other Team Members have in store for you.

Thanks for stopping by today

Stay Safe

Hugs Fiona.

PRODUCTS USED.

Tando Gothic Arch Layered Frame

Tando Extra Thins- Harlequin

Tando Small Bookplates

Tando Grey Board Sheets

DecoArt Chalky Finish- Carbon

DecoArt Media Ultra Matte Varnish

Other Products

Archival Ink- Black

Tim Holtz Distress Embossing Glaze Hickory Smoke

Tim Holtz Distress Ink- Black Soot

Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Halloween Background Stamps.

Poe and Raven Stamps- Discontinued from my own stash.

Spooky & Creepy by Nikki

Hi everyone,

It's Spooky and Creepy week here at Tando, and I've just got a tag to share with you that I made for Di's recent Hochanda shows, but it didn't get seen as I was poorly, so I thought I'd share with you now.

The tags were designed by my lovely teamie Fiona Randall, and brought to life by Tando.  This is just one way you could decorate yours if you were lucky to get them on Hochanda last week.

I started by putting modelling paste through a stencil, and then painting the whole tag black, front and back pieces.  They were then glued straight together, making sure I glued around the keyhole well so it was a sealed 'bezel'.

I used Pebeo Paint in Fantasy Prism, and carefully used a lolly stick to spoon paint all the way into the key shape.  When this dries it does mad things and creates fab patterns in the paint.

I painted a  spider in black, and a cobweb, and adhered to the tag.  Finally I dry brushed the whole thing with silver, to pick out the detail.

Hope you like it, don't forget to check out the rest of the team's Spooky and Creepy makes this week. x

Best Wishes,

Nikki K
xxx

Products Used:
Tando:
Spiders Grab Bag
Layered Tags
Haunted House stencil (bats)

DecoArt Media Line:
Metallic Silver
Black Gesso

Other:
Pebeo Fantasy Prisme paint.

Halloween thrills with Tando Supplies - Brenda

Hi Everyone. 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

As it's an Anything Goes week I thought I would pop in with a project and some photos of a class I taught recently at Country View Crafts using lots of Tando greyboard embellishments and their fabulous media boards.

This was my sample, a Halloween Triptych with three media boards held together with a back panel and lots of grungy techniques and images.

Several people had said they would love to do the project but were not fans of Halloween so I made a nature inspired autumnal board to use as inspiration fo those who wanted to mix it up a bit.

I took a stamp platform with me to show how to get clear stamped words on textured paper.

We had a fabulous group of ladies join us - some who had been to my workshops before and some new to CVC.

As always there were moments of fun and laughter .....

... and some of focussed concentration.

It was not long before people were designing their boards and choosing the fabulous chipboards from Tando to add to their projects.

Then we started to see different colour combinations ......

.... and the different compositions shine through.

We also saw how the DecoArt media paints and metallic lustres could combine to create some fabulous effects .....

... and how some splattering added another dimension.

You can see the mix of flowers and leaves, combined with cobwebs and spiders worked well for the Autumn boards ......

.... and how the skulls, cogs and bats could be added into the mix for the Halloween designs.

It's when all of this design and composition work is happening that I start to get excited to see how my original ideas and the techniques I used on my project get applied in different ways to create some really fabulous and unique work.

Each set of three boards were individual and personal to each participant as I encouraged them to follow their own muse and instincts putting their own personal stamp on their work.

Once the boards had come together and people were happy with the stories they were telling, we spent time on the finishing details ......

.... and everyone's projects together looked amazing. 

What do you think?

 The raven and the pumpkin are not chipboards but were created using stamps and embossing powders - they added some great textures to the pieces.

Thanks for taking time to scroll through and see the finished projects.

hugs Brenda xxx

Halloween weekend

Welcome to Halloween Saturday, it's Brenda with you today and I have a media board to show you, not the usual size you find in the shop but one cut for me by Di as I love easel boards and I have made my own stand for it too. If you are attending the Ministry of Mixology Retreat in Coventry in a couple of weeks time you will see me using them for my Demo and Make and Take sessions.

This is quite a dark piece of art but spiders live in the cracks and crevices of our buildings and under the floorboards so I wanted it to be a bit more eerie and slightly foreboding.

We have plenty of webs and a small skull .......

..... a bat hovering around ......

.... there's texture and crackle, a small metal skull and some remnant rubs to evoke that scary mood....

and both a huge and a couple of small spiders situated around the frame.

Here you can see the back and how it stands.

Thanks for popping by and if you'd like to see the process steps in further detail and with more photos please join me at Bumblebees and Butterflies.

Happy Halloween.

hugs Brenda xxx

Products from Tando

Media Board - If you are going to Mixology in a couple of weeks time I will be using one for my Make and Take.

A large rectangle frame

A spider

A bat

Cobwebs
White lined Greyboard
Greyboard

DecoArt media paints and metallic lustres