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Welcome

I love answering your questions. If you ask them in the comment section, I have no way to answer you (if you haven't heard from me, that is why). If you use the "EMAIL ME" in the left column of this page, I will be able to respond to you. You can also use it if you want to be added to my newsletter. Laura

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Coffin Apothecary with Raven Doors – NEW Collage Sheet & Digital Image Set – VIDEO TUTORIAL

Oh how I love apothecaries!  This year I’m ratcheting up the creep factor with a coffin shaped apothecary that has ravens for doors.  The project includes a video tutorial where I demonstrate how to assemble the coffin using a free coffin template that you’ll find below.  There are also some free images that I used in my apothecary as well as a new Potion Bottles Silhouette collage sheet and a digital image set.
This sheet is filled with potion bottle silhouettes.  Several of the images are sized to fit the coffin apothecary.
The digital image set contains 54 bottle images.  27 bottles have labels (the same as on the collage sheet) and 27 are blank.  Add your own labels to the blank ones, or use them for a different purpose such as perfume bottles, or as a template to cut-out a piece of chipboard.
TUTORIAL
COFFIN TEMPLATE AND IMAGES
To download the template and images, click on the image to expand it, right-click and select Save As.
If you wish to enlarge the template beyond what will fit on a single 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper, download the separate template images.


Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Festive Halloween Votives and Candles – NEW Collage Sheet & Digital Image Set

To kick off the Halloween crafty season, how about decorating Votives and candles for your Halloween displays.  
When I created the Pretty Potions & PoisonsApothecary two years ago, you may have noticed that I used decorated candles as part of the overall display.  To decorate the candles I used rub-ons from my stash.  Unfortunately I’ve had a hard time finding good Halloween rub-ons.  Since Alpha Stamps can produce their own sticker sheets from any of the collage sheets they carry, I decided to make a Halloween Silhouette collage sheet that would be east to cut-out and work great for decorating things like Votives, candles, bottles and as backgrounds for layered artwork.  And in case you want to take the images in some other direction or scale them up for really large projects I have also created a digital image set of the images.


NEW Collage Sheet & Digital Image Set
This sheet is filled with spooky silhouettes.  Many of the images are sized to fit the Votives. 
The digital image set contains all the images from the collage sheet plus 4 more images (cat, coffin, spider & a different tombstone).
The Details
For all of the samples I used the sticker sheet version of the collage sheet.  Cut the image out from the sheet and carefully separate the sticker from the backing as to not damage the ink on the image.  Apply the sticker and smooth to remove any bubbles.

You’ll notice all the Votives are on stands as I think it dresses them up and it looks more interesting for them to be at different heights..
The bone trim around the bottom of the green Votive is from a Gothic Lace Border set of stickers.  The image of the bones is raised from the transparency to give it dimension.  The base of the votive is made from a wooden egg cup.
On the purple votive, I have used black lace to trim the bottom and a wood candlestick holder as a base.  The holder is trimmed with beaded fringe and another of the gothic lace borders.
For the orange Votive, I trimmed the bottom in sweeper fringe.   The base is made from gluing a wooden knob into the grove of an egg cup.  The knob fits perfectly into the grove.
Another option for the sticker version of the sheet is to apply them to candles.  I used the ghost images on the tall candle and a couple of the tombstones at the bottom.  I tied black tulle around the base of the candle holders.  For the larger candle, I used glitter bat stickers in addition to the images from the collage sheet.  I used a box top as a stand decorated with paper and pumpkin pods.

Monday, September 1, 2014

Over the Summer Sea

To wrap up the summer, and before I start throwing Halloween projects your way, I have a collage piece to share with you. 

The red netting is made from cheesecloth died with Red Pepper Alcohol inks.  The silver leaves were originally part of a huge green spray of leaves I purchased at the craft store.  The leaves are very tiny so I thought they would be a perfect size for small projects.  I spray painted the leaves silver and added blue Microbeads. 

Other embellishments include paper leaves, real seashells, and brass fish from my stash.  I also added blue mulberry paper tulips and white foam stamen.

Collage Sheet and Digital Images I Used:
BeachBabes – Sea Gulls
The Sea Calls to Me – Victorian Woman
The Deep Blue Sea – Coral and Sea Shell
Frames & Borders – Weathered Blue Frame