I'm travelling into a new way of working, a new country, a new language, and a new hobby which I'm passionate about. Come with me for some of the journey...

Tuesday 15 October 2013

Touchy feely spooky creepy




Hello all, and thanks so much for stopping by.  I really will be quick today, since we're at crunch point with the move.  

And you don't need details from me, because this isn't just my Design Team piece for Julia's fabulous Textured Halloween Tag challenge over at Our Creative Corner, though it is here to offer you the usual mid-month nudge of inspiration.

No, it's also my offering for Tim's October tag, so you can get most of the "making-of" details straight from the man himself, as well as checking out his amazing inspiration tag here.

My Halloween colours tend towards the twilight spooky blues rather than the classic purple/black/orange, and I'm always happy at any opportunity to get out one of my favourite stamps, the Tim Holtz skull from the Apothecary set. 





Since Julia's challenge calls for some surface texture on the tag itself, I added some dry embossing to my Distress Paint marbled background.


I inked it with some Black Soot Distress Ink for extra definition.







I had a ball with the Rock Candy Dry Glitter.  I only have that (non-) colour, but by only partially inking my clock and new little bottle with Black Soot, I got lovely colour variation underneath.














And, as Tim says, you can use Distress Inks over the top of the Glitter, so I added some Chipped Sapphire shading to the mix.












I also wanted to have a play with my layering stencils.  

Having signed up for CC102, I haven't yet had time to do any of it, but I did see there was a Distress paint marbling technique, and a stencilling day, so this was one way to join in a little! 









So as well as the die-cut clock, there are some ghostly clocks haunting the background. 

I was quite tickled with the idea of positioning the clock so that the centre is right over the hole at the top of the tag! 











And of course the hands are set for just before midnight: the witching hour approaches...










The fabulous skull is mounted on padded tape, to give him a 3D effect - he's emerging from the frame to come and get you!












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And I've shaded the hollows of the skull with Sapphire Treasure Gold.












The tiny skull and crossbones has also had a touch of Sapphire Treasure Gold...













... as has the embossed texture.  

I rather like the slightly queasy shade of greeny turquoise it gives it all, as well of course as the shimmer.










And the bat had some Distress Paint before also getting a hint of Treasure Gold.













I added the little label from the Apothecary set too.



The Happy Halloween is from the same set, and is covered with a layer of Rock Candy Crackle Paint and some more Treasure Gold around the edges.












Okay, I just can't keep it quick, can I?  But it's nice to take a brief break from the box-shifting, and I do type quickly!  

Do hop over to Our Creative Corner to see what the rest of the team have been up to, and we hope you'll be able to join in... you still have until 28th October to get touchy, feely, textured and spooky on a tag!

'Tis now the very witching time of night,
When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out
Contagion to this world.
From Hamlet, by William Shakespeare

Hold on, man.  We don't go anywhere with "scary," "spooky," "haunted," or "forbidden" in the title.
Shaggy from Scooby-Doo

I'd like to enter this as my October tag in Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of 2013
And I'd also like to enter this (belatedly) into the Something Spooky challenge at Country View Challenges 








Oh, and just in case you missed it before... my rusty barn is over at Artistic Outpost today.

Happy Crafting all, and I should be back on full-scale visiting capability soon!

45 comments:

Claudia N. said...

LOVE your tag, Alison!

Hugs,
Claudia x

Kath Stewart said...

in a word spooky-fantabulous...OK that's maybe two words hence the inclusion of the hyphen...hugs kath xxx

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Great spooky tag Alson. Love the weathered clock at the top and great eery colours too. Love the texture and backdrop. Tracy x

Julie Lee said...

Wow! Alison, this is terrific!!! How do you do it with your move and everything?! I am stunned by this tag, which would be amazing under any circumstances! I love the many textures and layers - so much to look at!I bet if the Prince of Denmark had seen this it would have spurred him into action!!! Julie Ann xx

Astrid Maclean said...

Fabulous tag Alison and I love your spooky Halloween colours! That skull (even though I sadly don't own it), does it for me every time I see it used, and this tag is no exception, fabulous tag all round!

Redanne said...

I absolutely love your fabulous spooky tag, the skull does it for me too every time, I adore it. The clock looks great positioned at the top and the bat is creepily good. I do love your chosen colours too. Hugs, Anne x

Anonymous said...

I love the smokey appearance to the tag itself and then that wonderful skull (I've been playing with skulls myself, not literaly!!!!!) and that bottle is wonderful.
Wishes
Lynne

Janny Jager said...

Amazing great and spooky tag Alison

Greetings Janny

Deborah said...

You can't go wrong with a skull IMO. I love the smokey blues and glittery effect - a different take on Halloween.

cathylynn said...

Amazing Alison! Love the unique colors, textures and ghostly shadows. Another fabulous tag!
Hugs, Cathy-Lynn

Kelly said...

Loving the tag!! The spooky colors like mist in the air colors is so pretty. I love the poison bottle with the soul and the texture, this is really neat Alison!!
Have a spooktacular day, Kelly

Gio said...

Wow, It's spook-tacular, Alison!! Love the shade you used, not the usual ones, and the details of the bottle and the clock! Ok, I love it!

Gio said...

Wow, It's spook-tacular, Alison!! Love the shade you used, not the usual ones, and the details of the bottle and the clock! Ok, I love it!

Sophie said...

Oh mein Gott, Alison...
der Totenkopf sieht so schrecklich echt aus.
Richtig schön gruselig :-)
Herrlich spooky.

Sophie xx

Jenny Marples said...

Love the embossed background and glittered elements in particular on this Alison. Jenny x

pearshapedcrafting said...

Certainly living up to the title of your post! What a great tag - who'd have thought that such dreamy colours could make such a creation! (Well, you - obviously!!)
Off to see what else I've been missing, forgive me if I don't comment! Chrisx

Paper Profusion said...

Fantastic tag Alison - love all the techniques and elements. Good Luck! Nicola x

Olga Siedlecka said...

Both spooky and amazing!

Terry said...

I love spooky and creepy and this tag is all and more! Love that background for the skull! Hugs!

barbarayaya62 said...

Alison i'm in love with this tag! love all all all! FAbulous!!!! BArbarayaya

sam21ski said...

Fabulous, love the embossing and the chipped sapphire works really well.

Sam xxx

Helen said...

Brilliant tag, love the colour and I wish I could get the skull on it's own... great glitter!

Nan G said...

Fabulous touchy, feel-ly, scary, spooky tag!

maj. said...

Totally stunning tag, such an amazing beautiful background!!!

May said...

Stunning work Alison... The texture & design is amazing...Hugs May x x x

Julia S-W said...

It has been too long since I visited you Alison - please accept my apologies.
I really love your take on my challenge. A perfectly textured tag surface with your gorgeous twilight shades really is a joy. I adore that stamp set and have been playing with it this evening but with a very different result - so versatile!
A textural delight Alison! Thank you so much for your perfect DT piece for my challenge.
Juliaxx

Cocofolies said...

hahaha, I think you're a bit like me Alison, not really able to do quick posts! But we much easier forgive you as you delight us so often with your fabulous projects, even spooky like this AWESOME tag Ooooh!!!! How much I LOVE it !!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing all the details, especially when you are certainly overbooked with your move and packages ! Hugs, Coco xx

Hettie said...

Spooktabulous Alison! Love it and the colours are brilliant!
xx

Anonymous said...

Wonderful Tag Alison. I love everything about it. Karen.x

Michelle said...

Wow! This is amazing! I LOVE glitter. And I really liked the look of how you shaded it. So cool! I love seeing your projects. The details are so inspiring.

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Spooky cool!!!!

Kezzy said...

Wow wow wow absolutely stunningly spooky, I love the colours and I am so needing that distress glitter. Hope the move goes ok. Hugs :-) Kezzy xxx

Brenda Brown said...

Absolutely superb Alison, a feast for the eyes with all the wonderful techniques you have used.
Have been thinking about you and wondering how you were getting on.
hugs {brenda} x0x

Anonymous said...

Wow, gorgeous tag. I love the background & the colours are fab.

Silvia(Barnie) said...

So cool, that's breathtaking.

Mrs.B said...

Fabulous tag Alison - so dark and spooky.
Avril xx

toni said...

Beautiful take on the challenge! Gorgeous colouring and love how you've done the bottle and clock fabulous Alison.x

hazel said...

A fabulously spooky tag - love everything about it.
xxx Hazel.

Dianne said...

Hello Miss Alison, WOW, the tag is SPOOKTACULAR,love the colors instead of the usual ones, much more ghostly, all that texture, the glitter, the sparkle, just gorgeous, thanks for sharing in all your busy move..

Von said...

Looks spooktacular Alison :)
Von ♥

Bärbel said...

Das Tag ist großartig! Ich liebe die Gestaltung und die Farben, toll, liebe Alison!
Liebe Grüße, Bärbel

Sandy said...

Touchy, feely, creepy, crawly the time is almost nigh. My cats are ready, my broom is in hand, it's almost time to fly. Your tag beckons me to England this year. I have not spent the night in the tower of London in a very, very long time. Meet me there sweet lady? You have nothing to fear but fear itself.
Sandy

Gabrielle said...

Love, love, love this project - very haunting! Thanks for joining in with our Spooky Country View Crafts Challenge!

Marjie Kemper said...

Oh my gosh, Alison, the texture on the bottle is amazing!

Mary Elizabeth said...

Whew! I think I made it to the last post I missed during my hiatus. What a fun one to end with:) Seriously great example of media arts ... Scooby Doo!! I own all of the original series on DVD:)

That skull ... Wow!! I know you are enamored with him ... but he is at his best on this tag!!! Love the color on him and how the "queasy shade of green turquoise" from the tag's Sapphire Treasure Gold around him just makes him pop. Fabulously eerie setting. The cracked sapphire inking over the Rock Candy glitter is amazing. But your background is truly my favorite part of this project. Your marbled effect with the Distress Paints was sooooooo cool. And then you added the ghost clocks at the top with the Layering Stencils ... Wow!! When you get time to play with the CC102 techniques, please share your tags. Can't wait to see your sample tags! Love the Happy Halloween sign on the tag ... crackle is awesome!! Hope this is at winner on Tim's blog:) Fabulous make Alison!! -- Mary Elizabeth