Halloween Apothecary - Part One

Okay.... here it is.... a project I've been working on for weeks now! Because there is a LOT to show you, I will break it up into numerous posts.

It all started quite simply - it didn't end that way though.

After completing my Mini Apothecary book, I knew I wanted to make a larger version for permanent display in my Studio - because after Christmas, Halloween is my favorite holiday. I watched Laura Carson's video tutorials at Artfully Musing numerous times and was inspired to do my own take, but not a direct copy of, her wonderful creations.

I decided to use mini bottles again to keep it from getting too large, so I got out all the antique teenie tiny bottles I had and used 40% off Michael's coupons to buy a few packages of Tim Holtz' bottle sets. I also found two sizes of mini glass bottles with corks at the Dollar Store, so I brought home a few packages of six each.

I also discovered some wooden shelves there that I thought would be the perfect size to display my potions; they were divided into nine square sections so I bought three to make a display that would fit in a corner, thinking I would hinge them together. I removed some of the dividers to create sections for larger bottles to stand.

When I got them home though, I realized the shelves were not deep enough, so back I went and bought another three. I pulled the back off one set and glued them two deep to create my base unit. I then added four wooden stands; two for the center section and one under each side panel to add varying heights for interest. I also applied wooden scrolls from the Dollar Store to the tops and sides, as well as brads and wooden skewers for more detail. Then everything was painted flat black.

I picked up some mini Halloween lights at Michael's and punched holes into each section so they would poke through. Then I cut background papers from Graphic 45's Steampunk Spells paper, glued them to the back of each section, and inserted the lights from behind. I made two sections different from all the others; in one I placed four matchboxes for a set of drawers with pulls, and in another, I would add a "leaded glass" door to the front (er, to be truthful, it's simply a transparency with a brad for a handle attached with two brass hinges).

Then I started with the potions... it took weeks to research, fill, decorate and label about 40 bottles...

But I won't keep you waiting for a pic of the finished project. Here it is:

I'll explain how I did each section with close-ups of most of the potions with their contents (oh yes, each one is different!) and a few hand-made accessories I created from whatever I could find in my stash (and on hubby's workbench - shhhhh!) and even a couple that are hand-sculpted.

Oh and for those Harry Potter fans like me, you will find more than a few references in here too!

Part Two can be found HERE.


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Sympathy Card

Unfortunately, a co-worker lost her brother recently, so I was asked to make a card to add to a gift we are sending her. I have been watching Christina Griffith's YouTube videos and she has done such beautiful work with layered cards using a new Spellbinder's die for a lattice effect.

Since I don't have this die, I searched my Cricut cartridge books and found an Arglye pattern I re-sized to fit inside an oval Spellbinder frame.

I popped up that black frame on some foam dimensionals over top gray paper stamped with Ranger's Iced Spruce Distress ink and Inkadinkadoo floral stamps.

That layer was placed on embossed white cardstock which was matted with black and gray sheets and inked on the edges.

The ribbon was stamped with the sentiment using Stazon ink and a white double-bow added with Glossy Accents.

The flowers and Martha Stewart fern punched leaves were also adhered with Glossy Accents.

A better view showing the lattice raised up above the stamped background.
 
Christina has such nice videos; I really love trying new ideas and like the effect this one gives to a card. 

Distress Markers

When daughter and I were in the US over the summer, I made sure to stop by Hobby Lobby with a few 40% coupons so I could stock up on Tim Holtz' Distress Markers. I love his Distress Inks and Stains, so I thought I'd like to try his markers as well, especially after seeing him demo them on YouTube. They are completely different from the alcohol Copic markers - these are water-based. I waited to purchase them in the States as a pack of five is a ridiculous $27.99 here in Canada! The same set at Hobby Lobby is $14.99 regular price, but with my 40% coupon, came to under $10 a pack. 

So far I have 17 of his 37 colours; three sets of five and the two-pack of Black Soot and Picket Fence (white). Today I finally found some time to try them out. First, however, I took the advice of another YouTuber and created my own colour swatch on watercolour paper. It's a great reference since the pens' cap colours are not reflective of their true hues.

After making that, I decided to try my hand at a quick sample to practice blending. Instead of a water brush, I used my regular paintbrushes and a bowl of water (after shooing away two cats attempting to drink from it...) and created a small landscape on a scrap of 90lb Beinfang Watercolour paper I have had for years but rarely used - I never really got the hang of watercolour painting, preferring oils instead.

I LOVE the way it blends on this paper. After painting, I went back and used the same markers to create more details. The only one I could not get the greatest result from was the Picket Fence (white) marker. It is made to write on dark paper, so I am not surprised I didn't get the opaqueness I needed - I should have been more patient and waited for the piece to dry completely first. Instead I pulled out some white acrylic to do the sea foam. Otherwise, everything else on this piece is Distress Marker.

Yep, I can see myself getting more of these; they are wonderful to work with, and I am sure they'll be a breeze to colour in stamps with too (just have to make sure I use StazOn ink or emboss the ink before attempting to add water to blend colours).

I'll have to try that next.

RIP HP & Back To It All

Hi there... remember me? My name is Maureen and I used to blog.

And do some artsy / craftsy things too.

But when my dear 8 year old HP laptop died about 10 days ago, I was forced to make a huge decision.

Replace it with another PC or finally bite the bullet and go Apple? I love my iPhone and iPad, but since I have quite a bit of Windows-based imaging and web-building software, I decided to hunt down a new PC laptop. When I got to the store however, I learned that I could run BOTH Windows and Apple on a MacBook Pro.

My dream come true!

I have always wanted a Mac, so because I am a University faculty member and since Apple is running a special offer for the beginning of the school year, I finagled a deal for over $200 off a new MacBook! (I know, I am bad and/or damn lucky - it never hurts to ask!).

Needless to say, since I brought it home, I have been on a steep learning curve (oh and he talks - WITH an English accent thankyouverymuch). He, erm, IT is wonderful... everything is running great; I have my old Windows programs back, new software to learn with a $150 App Store credit and because I am vigilant in backing up, I didn't lose anything when my ex-HP bit the dust (may it Rest In Peace).

It is so wonderful to be back.

Oh and before my Crises Of The Expired Laptop occurred, I was busy every night on a rather large Halloween project that I will be revealing when I get back to completing it.

I did however, finish a smaller project I am ready to share today though:

A domino book! I have seen these on many Pinterest boards, on Laura's website and on YouTube. Using 1" x 2" sized dominoes, you create a book using accordion-folded paper, ribbon and whatever you fancy to decorate it.

Mine is all about birds...

Using a dimensional sticker from Jolee's, I replaced the ribbon with a length of chain at the top and attached it to the front of my book. I then stamped some Inkadinkado birds, coloured them all in black (some were just outlines) cut them out individually and added them to each page. The last page features an empty birdcage with open door - it's a charm that I dyed with black alcohol ink. The background was created with Ranger Distress inks and rub-ons from Basic Grey.

The edges of the dominoes were painted black with a Copic marker. The ribbon is silvery seam binding. Here's a shot of the back with patterned paper, distress inked edges and another rub-on.

I really love how alcohol inks react on smooth non-porous surfaces. I inked both dominoes with black and white ink and added some Alcohol Blending Solution to create this great mottled effect:

A fun little project I have wanted to try for some time now!

Mini-Book First Try

While working on my Mini Matchbook cabinet, I was intrigued by Laura Carson's Apothecary Tutorial from last Halloween. I thought I might like to make one, especially after finding some tiny glass bottles at the local Dollar Store.

This weekend I tried my hand at one of the mini-books she demonstrated. Using everything else I hand in my stash, here's my first attempt. The book's front and back covers are created first using heavy chipboard, wrapped in patterned paper. Then the spine is made from a double thickness of paper and I thought it would look even better by inserting two pieces of thick cord in between them to create some authentic spine ridges. After gluing I used my bone folder to define those ridges.

Here's the front of my book, with Spellbinder's die-cut chipboard embellishments, along with an old key, spider charm and tassel (inked and distressed with alcohol inks and Distress Stain).

A closer look at the spine, with more chipboard embellishments cut on my Cuttlebug and painted with Tim Holtz's pewter Distress Stain.

The back of the book, with the same paper as the front and a charm used to hold the ribbon closure.

A peek inside....

Oh, yeah, it's not really a book! It's a mini-apothecary! Since I didn't have an Altoids tin, I used a square tin I had on hand (that staples came in).

Okay, enough teasing, here's what's inside:

My mini-witches' potion book! And I mean mini - it measures a mere 4.5" tall and 4" wide; the bottles range from 1.5" to 2" tall. The first bottle has a black candle with wax dripping down the sides. The second bottle is filled with a fine white glitter, the skull and crossbones bottle was dyed with yellow alcohol ink and the last tall bottle was dyed with purple alcohol ink (all by Ranger) and has some rub-on swirls decorating the front. (I hand drew the cat and poison symbols since I didn't have tiny labels.)

A black crow sits on top with an old scroll (potion recipes, I guess) tied with a ribbon. Looks like the set hasn't been used in awhile; there's a spider in that web! (Made with some wire and a dot of Glossy Accents for the body).

Before attaching the tin to the back cover, I stained it with more alcohol inks (green and purple) and lined the sides (inside and out) with lace again dyed to match. The back of the tin has some patterned paper of skulls that has a wash of pewter Distress Stain, so depending on what angle you look at it, the skulls seem to appear and disappear.

This sure was a lot of fun to make; now I need to get a few things together to make something like Laura's large Pretty Potions and Poisons Apothecary shelf... at least I already have the black cat!

Thank you again Laura, for the great tutorials and inspiration!