The musings and offerings of a burgeoning greetings master

Friday, August 26, 2011

My Take On Halloween Colors, Cards, and My Bizarre Humor

Ok, so there's a big difference between Autumn colors and Halloween colors.  Think about it.  Halloween: Black and Orange (real Cadmium Orange).  Throw in some acid green, moonlight yellow, and purple. Oh, and a nice bloody red, if you want!
However!  Unless you're doing a really vintage looking Halloween project, BROWN just doesn't cut it, just like rusty orange, dusty blue and maroon really don't make it either.   I love autumnal colors. Save those for all the beautiful Autumn and Thanksgiving cards.

One man's opinion.  I'd love to see some projects where you prove me wrong, btw!!

How do I come to this conclusion, you ask?  Well, I pulled out my paper collection, which includes a beautiful pad of autumn papers from Me and My Big Ideas that my DSIL Jan gave me for my birthday.  LOVE these papers, but...yeah, not for Halloween.  Had to go to this cute collection of papers I picked up at Target's dollar bins.  This thing has no label.  Seriously.  Love to give credit where it's due, but...anyway.  Great papers.

I used them to make this--

This on GinaK Designs Ivory card stock.  The b&w swiss dot and striped paper is also GinaK Designs.  The stamps are from Studio G, and I have 4 little Halloween sets from them.  One dollar at AC Moore, these things.  Can't go wrong, and the all go together really well!    The moon was punched and detailed with copics, and white gel pen, and just about everything was sponged with Memento tuxedo black ink to age it all; Stamped everything with the same ink.  Ribbon is from AC Moore, as is the brad.  I used mounting tape to pop up the orage framed image, and a foam adhesive square to pop up the moon.  The label die is Sizzix for SU, the lots of labels set.  I did the swirls by hand with gel pen, and I really went for a non specific, hand-done look there. 
The inside and envelope look like this-

I really LOVE how creepy all these spiders are!  The label here is done with Spellbinders Nestabilities grommet tag dies, and again the stamps are Studio G.  I have just begun to decorate my envelopes!  Missed a lot of great  creative opportunities there in the past!  I like giving the recipient a hint of what's to come!

I decided to enter this into The Rubber Cafe's  Spellbinders challenge.  Check it out!!

Since I was in the swing of things, I made this too--

With this inside--
I had such a hoot making this one.  I giggled like an idiot at some moments here.  Don't you love the spiders on the ribbon? 
I started by making the pumpkins with my cuttlebug and Nestabilities small ovals dies.  I used scraps from the Target paper, some SU designer paper, and just orange cs from The paper company (my value pack).  I cut the stems by hand and I have a tiny oak leaf punch from somewhere and used scraps to make the green part.  I popped it off the base with mounting tape.

The letters are done from scraps with Sizzix wallflower letter dies and the cuttlebug.  These are so pretty, but some of them are rather persnickety, and take several passes and various pieces of cardstock in the machine.  I think they are worth the effort, though. 

The card base is GinaK Designs Kraft.  I used Versamark and more Studio G stamps to make the webs on the base, did the spiders in Memento Tuxedo Black and I used white gel pen to decorate and highlight things, including the spider eyes, the letters, and the faux stitching.  I also used glitter pen to highlight just about everything.  Hello, my name is Richard and I am a glitter pen junky.....

Since I made a ton of letters, and lots of ovals, not to mention a weird sense of humor, I also made this....Parents, avert your child's eyes--

I find this incredibly funny.  I am weird that way.  I did try to visually "bleep" some of the letters, but you get the idea. 
This isn't even a card yet.  Just the pumpkin.  This is a sort of family joke, so I apologize if it offends anyone.  It makes me giggle, though...


I have one more, but I'll save it for next time.  Leave 'em wanting more, they say...
And I hope you do.

Thanks for stopping by. 
All Best!
Richard

11 comments:

  1. Aren't Halloween cards some of the most fun to make?? I rarely send but love to make 'em!! really fun details on thee, love the popped up moon the way you distressed that orange die cut grommet tag, creeepy, and all the spiders, love spiders! totally fun stamped all over the envelope1
    yes, i can just hear you saying the last greeting, i know it's in love!

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  2. LOL! I LOVE Halloween! I tend to pull out a lot of black. The other colors come in and out, but I need my black at Halloween! LOL! Your cards are great!

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  3. So, now you know that sometime you MUST tell us all the story of the last card! How funny! I agree with Melanie - I really don't send out very many Halloween cards, but goodness, they are fun to make! I think my favorite is the first card - love the inside, and the envie - even tho I hate spiders!!! Isn't it funny how things that creep us out so badly in real life make us smile on our cards? Go figure! Great job, as always, Mr. Cardmaker!!! Have a good weekend :)

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  4. Richard, I enjoyed reading your post! And your halloween cards. They are awesome and so fun. Love how you decorated them on the inside too (I'm always too lazy to do that..{smiles}). We don't celebrate Halloween where I live, so I've never made them before ;) Have a great weekend!!

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  5. Just so you know, I am a freak for Halloween and Autumn. It is my MOST favorite time of the year. I am my happiest this time of the year. Your cards are fabulous! Love the first with the spider interior, your pumpkin is awesome on the second, and I laughed out loud on the last one! You are a hoot! So glad I found you. We have lots in common I think! Best, Curt

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  6. Just so's ya know..you'll never have to apologize for a warped sense of humor with me. I say, "bring it!" LOVE the cards, Richard.
    Ahh, the humor...so refreshing!
    Thanks for the great card layout ideas too. The bugs gave me the willies, but ooohhh so cool!
    Lisa xx

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  7. Great designs, all of them, but I love love LOVE your spiders. Love them!! And I totally agree with your assessment about Halloween vs. autumnal colors. You hit the nail squarely on the head.

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  8. WOW!! These are so awesome.. Love them.. hugs, Linda

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  9. Hee... so much fun, Richard, and I think we must share the same bizarre sense of humor! Maybe we're related?! ;)

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  10. *love* it!
    every one needs a little humor in their lives!! :)

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  11. Richard! You are the winner. Please contact us at marketing@therubbercafe.com so that we can send you a $20 gift certificate to the store! Thanks so much for participating in our challenge. Excellent job btw! :)

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