Stampin' Up! © Cutest Halloween Cards

 

Today I am showing a trio of Halloween cards using products from the Cute Halloween Suite.  This Suite is in the current July-December (Holiday) Mini Catalog.  See all items in the Suite.

I also want to show a water coloring technique I used as a background for the characters.  If you are familiar with the popular alcohol+blenders technique that's been trending, this is similar.  But instead of using alcohol + Stampin' Blends (which are alcohol-based ink pens), I used water and the Classic Ink Pads.   

Let's start with these backgrounds, what you need, & how I did them.  Then I'll talk about the card papers, measurements & assembly.   For a list of all products, go HERE.

Background water color technique

What you need to do this watercolor technique:

• Classic Ink Pads - I used Pumpkin Pie & Highland Heather 
• Acrylic Block - I used the "D" block (118485).  Use a larger block if you want a larger background piece.  The D block was perfect for the Halloween cards I'm sharing, today.
• Fluid Watercolor Paper (149612)
• Stampin' Spritzer (126185)

Open up the ink pads and directly apply ink to the acrylic block.

Use the Stampin' Spritzer (first filling it with water), to lightly mist the ink on the block.  I put a paper towel under the block for this step, to catch any mist over-spray.

Now stamp the wet inks onto the Watercolor Paper.  Set aside to dry completely.

Each time you do this, you will get a slightly different look; no two backgrounds will be exactly the same. As you can see in the photo above. Try playing with this, using different amounts of color, and different amounts of water.  I have found I like the look best when I don't mist too much water.  

Once the piece is dry, you can trim it down, as I'll talk about as we make the card.   

Card Details for the HEY, BOO! Ghost card:  

• Card base:  Highland Heather CS, 8 1/2" x 4 1/4", fold at 4 1/4".
• DSP layer:  Cute Halloween DSP, 4" x 4".  Glue this to the card base.
• Water color piece (from technique above):  trim the piece, approximately 2 3/4" x 2 3/4" .
• Black Glitter paper:  cut this to be 1/4" larger, all around, than the water color background piece (3" x 3").  Glue the water colored piece to this glitter paper.
• Punch the ghost out of the Cute Halloween DSP using the Halloween Punch.
• Stamp the sentiment from Cutest Halloween stamp set using Memento Black Ink on to a piece of white card stock, then trim it and glue it to the background.
• Cut a length of Black & White 1/4" Gingham Ribbon approximately 4 1/4".  Position it under the sentiment, wrap one end to the back, and use adhesive to secure it on the back of the glitter paper.  Use glue dots to adhere it to the front of the water colored piece, leaving one end free.  Trim this free end.
• Glue the Glitter Paper-Water color piece to the card front.  
• Add the Ghost that you had already punched out, using Stampin' Dimensionals.
• Add some Cute Stars Adhesive-Backed Sequins (I used the black ones).

There you have it!

Here is another ghost card on which I stamped the sentiment directly on the water colored piece.  And as you can see, the backgrounds are slightly different.

For the inside of these cards, I used basic white CS 4" x 4", glued a piece of DSP 4" x 3/4" and stamped greeting from Frightfully Cute stamp set.

I made two more versions, that are the same card size.  Card base 8 1/2" x 4 1/4", fold at 4 1/4".  Layer of DSP 4" x 4".

Smiley Faces card:

• Water coloring:  I used these inks - Pumpkin Pie, Highland Heather, & just a little Memento Black. 
• Spritz lightly with water; stamp onto Watercoloring Paper.  Let thoroughly dry, and trim.
• Layer of Basic Black CS behind the water colored piece.
• A second, smaller piece of water colored background 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" - (I had some left over) that I stamped the sentiment from Cutest Halloween set.
• Punch out the cat and the pumpkin faces from the Cute Halloween DSP.

Fussy cut the skull face from the DSP.

Use a strip of left-over Black Glitter Paper along the bottom of the focal piece.

Add Cute Stars Sequins - I used the orange ones on this card.

And the last card,

Bat card:

• Same card base (Highland Heather), same size, 8 1/2" x 4 1/4", fold at 4 1/4".
• Layer of Cute Halloween DSP, the striped pattern, 4" x 4".   Wrap a piece of the Black & White Gingham Ribbon around, near the bottom edge; then adhere it to the card front.
• Water coloring:  this time I used Polished Pink ink pad and Highland Heather ink.
• For the Bat:  Use Layering Circles Dies to cut the bat image from Cute Halloween DSP.  Then flip the DSP over, (the back side of the Bats is a blackish piece) & cut another circle, one size larger.  Glue the bat image to the black circle.

• Use this same DSP, the black side, to cut a square to back the water colored piece, approx. 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" (or 1/4" larger all around than the water colored piece).  Glue water color piece to this black piece.
• Glue the bat piece onto the water color piece.
• Stamp the sentiment from Cutest Halloween stamp set in Memento Black ink onto a strip of basic white CS.  Trim ends as a banner.  Add to card front with Stampin' Dimensionals.
• Add Cute Stars Sequins - I used the purple on this card.

As you can see, you can mix any of the images from either the stamps or the Cute Halloween DSP with any of the background layers to create any number of cute Halloween cards.

I hope you found some inspiration here, today.  Do you have a favorite from these cards?  They are so fun to make, and even more fun to send & share.  I hope you will do that!  

If there's anything you need, supplies for today's cards, or anything else for your crafting projects, visit my online STORE to shop.  Also, don't forget to check CLEARANCE.

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As you know if you follow my blog, we are in the final weeks of Sale-a-Bration.  Stampin' Up! has had two SAB periods this year; this is the final one of the year.  Click the Brochure, top right panel, to view the products.  As we are getting near the end of the promotion, items are beginning to sell-out.  

JOIN during SALE-A-BRATION - CHOOSE A FREE BUNDLE

Also, we are having a Joining Special during this Sale-a-Bration period.  Choose a FREE BUNDLE when you join my team.  That's in addition to the $125 of products you choose as part of your Starter Kit, and free shipping of everything, for the price of $99 to join.   Let me know if you have any questions or are interested in being a Demonstrator.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog, today.  Stop by again, soon.

Take care!  ~JULIE ❤