Tim Holtz Distress Halloween Vignette by Paula Cheney

Get into the spooky spirit with Paula Cheney's hauntingly beautiful Halloween Vignette! Crafted with the latest Distress Mica Stains, Pastes, Idea-ology and more, this project is brimming with eerie details. Perfect for kicking off the scary season!

Instructions

Step 1: Use Black Soot Distress Paint to paint the inside and the outside of an idea-ology Square Vignette Box (5.5 x 5.5”). 

Step 2: Once the paint is dry, use a Palette Knife and stencil to add a random pattern of Distress Texture Paste Black Opaque to three sides of the wood box (you don’t need Texture Paste on the bottom of the box).  
TIP: wash the stencil immediately or place in a water bath till you can wash it properly. 

Step 3: Once the Texture Paste is dry, spray with Phantom Mist Mica Stain. Add a light mist of water using the Distress Sprayer so the Mica Stain pools just a bit. 

Step 4: Then lightly brush across the texture with a wet wipe. This will remove some of the Mica Stain on the high points. Dry with a Heat It Craft Tool. 

Step 5: Spray the interior walls of the box with more Phantom Mist. Set aside to dry. 


Step 6: Cut Watercolor Cardstock 5 1/8 x 5 1/8”. Use a stamp (like the new web from the Stampers Anonymous set Boo Crazy) to make a background pattern. Stamp with Black Soot Archival Ink, then stamp it again with Distress Embossing Ink. Move card to a scrap paper and pour black Super Fine Embossing Powder over the top. Shake off the excess powder and slide it back into the jar. Heat the image with an Embossing Gun till the powder melts. 
Step 7: Spray the card with Distress Mica Sprays, Bubbling Cauldron and a bit of Phantom Mist. Add a few light sprays of water to help the Mica Stain wick. 

Step 8: Add a few drips of Flickering Candle. This is one of my favorite colors of Mica Stain. It’s true color is hard to read in a photo, but in person it’s a beautiful gold. The metallic shine is spectacular! 


Step 9: Use a Tiny Blending tool to add Pumice Stone Distress Ink around the edges of the card. 

Step 10: Cut out a large house from the 2024 Halloween Ephemera Pack. Once it is cut out, cut the house in half. Discard the excess pieces of paper. 


Step 11: Use Collage Medium to add the background card to the Vignette Box. Adhere the two cut pieces of the house with 3D foam squares. 
 
Step 12: Use 3D foam squares to add a second piece of ephemera (from the same pack) that has also been split. 


Step 13: Choose an image from the 2024 Halloween Layers + Paper Dolls pack to be the centerpiece. Tint the cheeks with Distress crayon Aged Mahogany and a cotton swab. Just scribble the crayon on the craft mat. Rub the tip of the cotton swab into the crayon, then rub over cheeks. If you get too much, rub with a clean cotton swab (a wet cotton swab won't remove the crayon). 
Use Collage Medium to add a butterfly (ephemera pack) to the lapel. Fill the background of the metal 31 tag with Seedless Preserves Distress Crayon and smooth out with a fingertip. Pierce a hole just above the butterfly. Use an idea-ology Tiny Fastener to secure the tag to the card. 

Step 14: Use Collage Medium to add two 1/2” risers. I used 1/2” wood blocks, but you could also use two stacked bingo chips or stacks of 3D foam squares. Set side to dry before adding them to the project. 
Step 15: Add Collage Medium to the wood blocks, then add to the scene so the portrait covers the split in the ephemera. Make a puddle of ink (Mica Stain Fallen Acorn and water). Shred Mummy Cloth and dip into ink. Dry with a Heat it tool. Brush Collage Medium into the Vignette. Add shredded Mummy Cloth around the image (do not press down, just lay it into the Collage Medium to dry). 
Step 16: Spray Bouquet flowers with Distress Mica Stain in Fallen Acorn and Ominous Twilight. Once dry, spritz just a bit of Flickering Candle. 

Step 17: Cut the flowers apart, leaving some of the stem. Set aside. 


Step 18: Use Black Soot Distress Paint to wash over the urn from the idea-ology Conservatory pack. Add a bit of moss or string to fill the urn. 


Step 19: Repeat the paint wash over the tombstone from idea-ology Graveyard pack. Once paint is dry, use your fingertip to add Distress Grit Paste - Crypt over parts of the tombstone.


Step 20: Add a clippings sticker from the Halloween Sticker book. You might need to add some Collage Medium to the back of the sticker because of the Grit Paste texture. I made some watery ink, then used my finger to rub the sticker with the ink to age it. Dry with a Heat It Tool. 


Step 21: Drip Mushroom Alcohol Ink over an idea-ology Skull. Dab off an excess, then dry with a Heat It Tool. 


Step 22: Use Collage Medium to add the urn, the flowers and the skull to the Vignette. 


Step 23: Add the tombstone to the right side with Collage Medium. 


Step 24: Adhere Design Tape Trim to the lip edge of the wood box. Because the edge has been sprayed with Mica Spray, I decided to add Collage Medium to the wood before adding the Design Tape. I also added another clippings sticker to the top. 


Step 25: To finish off this piece, I randomly rubbed black paint over parts of the tape so the numbers were not so bright. 

 

 

 

paula cheneyI have been a “maker” all my life. Sewing, stamping, paper arts, I love it all. Creating and teaching is a passion for me, whether it is in the classroom or on my blog, One Lucky Day.. I have worked in the scrapbooking/mixed media field since 2005 and  for the last 7 years have been the Creative Coordinator for Tim Holtz Brands, a dream job if there ever was one. On a personal note, I live on the Central Coast of California with my husband, Jay. I love to travel to new places to look for old junk and am willing to pack a bag at a moment’s notice. On an ordinary day you can find me working away in my craft room with the windows wide open and music playing in the background. Follow Paula on instagram @luckyday

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