Friday, October 7, 2016

Swimming by with Halloween--Wait, What?


Halloween stamps are the ones I have the absolute least of--it's such a specific holiday. BUT, I also have multiple nieces and nephews of trick or treating age so there's no way I could get away with not sending them Halloween cards.  What kind of aunt would I be?  I'd be that aunt and no one wants to be her.  So I thought about the sets I have and how they could Halloweened up.  This is the result!

I started by coloring the background using Distress Inks.  I used a lot of ink to get this level of saturation so the paper needed to dry overnight before I cut it using the coverplate.  Next I colored up the mermaid who would normally be seated on a rock but instead I perched her on the trident that comes with the LF set.  I extended the length using a Copic multiliner.  I found her hat as clipart online.  I printed the hat, masked it, then stamped her beneath.  I then had my Scan n Cut 2 cut out the lot.  I colored her up and added Wink of Stella for shine.


Next came the haunted aquarium house.  Notice the "tree"?  I replaced the regular tree with coral! Oh, I'm having fun now!  I also added a Chibi light to make the house light up.  To do that, I added a piece of vellum to the back of the house and colored it a dark yellow orange.  This tones down the brilliant white of the light and makes it a bit spookier imo.  I also cut out openings in the card front beneath the house windows so the light would shine as much as possible. I've added pics of the mechanism below.
  1. On my card base I penciled in where the house and mermaid were so I would know where to place the light and battery.
  2. I created a box of sorts for the battery using scrap paper I had scored.
  3. I laid down the copper tape.  I used to cut the copper tape in half to save it then realized I have a 55 yards of the stuff so I won't be running out any time soon.  LOL.
  4. What you can't see because the Chibi light is covering it, is the gap between the positive and negative copper lines.  They must not touch.
  5. Note that I have only used one Chibi light centered between the lights.  This proved sufficient to light the windows during testing.
  1. You can see the light at work.  The first pic in this post is also animated so you can see the light in action.
  2. Note the positive side of the copper tape wraps up and over the battery box.  This way the light will only activate when the box is pushed down and the positive tape makes contact with the battery. 
  1. I cut openings for the battery box and Chibi light through two layers of sticky back fun foam.
  2. I also cut a channel through one layer of the foam to accommodate the tab that prevents the light from being activated in transit and wasting the battery.
  3. I attached the foam to the card base only along the edges.  I thought the adhesive of the foam might interfere with the conduction of the copper tape if I used all of the fun foam sticky backing.  Just an untested idea.
  4. The next step is adding the tab and card front then lots of testing of the light because it's fun!

I'm entering this in Fab 'n' Funky #321 Include the Word Happy, Naughty or Nice #32 Spooky Sistahs and Wild, Wild Women, Stamp Ink Paper #68 Card Maker's Choice

The Details:  Lawn Fawn Mermaid for You and Booyah, Ranger Round Ink Applicator and Multi Medium Matte, VersaFine Onyx Black, Wink of Stella, Impression Obsession Halloween Hill die, Taylored Expressions Build a Scene - Underwater dies, Simon Says Stitched Whirl Background die, Distress Inks, Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampendous Detail Fine White embossing powder, VersaFine


10 comments:

  1. Ok, this was totally a 'mouth open' moment when I spotted the lights in the house! This is a gorgeous card even without the Chibi circuit. Awesome sauce, Toni. Thanks for linking to us at Naughty or Nice Challenges, Jo x

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  2. Your card is hilarious! Awesome putting the mermaid on a broom and creating an underwater Halloween scene :D

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  3. OH W-O-W!!! I love your spooky house with the flashing lights, and your night sky is a stunner! Thanks for playing with us at Naughty or Nice :)

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  4. A great card, and I love that image, which you have coloured brilliantly. I love the flashing lights too!

    Thanks for joining us at our Fab nFunky 'happy' challenge this week.

    Sharon x

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  5. What a fun and clever card!! And I love the deep color you achieved with your background. Thank you for joining us at Stamp,Ink, Paper this week!!

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  6. Love this! Your merwitch is brilliant, and the light up aquarium house is the perfect touch. Thanks for joining us at Naughty or Nice Challenges!

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  7. Super cute!!! Thank you for joining us at Naughty or Nice, good luck!!! Amy DT

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  8. That is adorable, a mermaid witch under the sea. Wow. Thanks for joining us this week at Stamp Ink Paper. Carolyn xx

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  9. Awesome card Toni. Wonderful background for this cutie and love the light. Thanks for the tutorial and Thanks for playing along with us at Fab'n'Funky. Pat K x

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Thanks so much for your comments. I really enjoy and appreciate them all!