Monday 14 October 2013

A Haunted Tower

Welcome to Magpieheaven...but, before you step inside, I have to check that you are not of a nervous disposition. You see, Halloween fever seems to have hit Crafty Blogland with ghouls and ghosts everywhere! I have to confess for a while I resisted the temptation to go 'spooky' because that's not really me! Then I saw the Artistic Outpost Haunted Halloween stamps and I wanted to play! I should like to enter my project for Country View Crafts 'Something Spooky' challenge and Artistic Outpost's October Referral. Anything Goes!

 I had a Retro Cafe Art Gallery exploding box, which reminded me a little of a Gothic tower so I decided to decorate it. My children are long past the 'Trick or Treat' stage, but we still have troupes of little witches, demons, vampires and ghouls who appear out of the mist and come knocking on October 31st - with spookily dressed parents in tow - so I thought I'd keep their chocolate pumpkins in a scary box this year! I began by giving the layers of the box a good couple of coats of Snowflake Fresco paint. Then I went for a blending of Butternut, Pumpkin Soup and Smoked Paprika on one layer and  London Night, Eggplant and Pansy on the other. I also coloured some Grunge Paste with Pansy and pushed this through a mesh Crafters' Workshop stencil. I blended in some Butternut when the Pansy was dry and edged the Butternut and Smoked Paprika layer with Blood Orange.
I used my Artistic Outpost stamps to create a flurry of bats on the roof by stamping and heat-setting the bats onto a layer of napkin tissue and then sticking this carefully in place with Claudine Hellmuth Multi Medium. I stamped the ravens straight onto the box and with the witch, the Gothic house and the skeleton I stamped onto shrink plastic die-cut ovals, heated and then glazed with Glossy Accents. I wanted them to look like portraits hanging around the ghostly tower!
Here is the box assembled. The window is a die-cut by Spell-binders, Crackle-glazed and painted with Fresco 'Tinned Peas' and edged with Green Amber Treasure Gold. The Dresden trim was gold, but I toned it down with some Green Amber Treasure Gold too. I dusted a little Treasure Gold White Fire on the lid to make the bats appear to be in the moonlight. My railing is a Tim Holtz On the Edge die. I also added a little spider web at the window from the Artistic Outpost stamps.
In this view of the outside you can see the Artistic Outpost raven and a tattered pine cone rose which I edged with Ice Stickles. There are some black, crackled leaves on the roof too.
And then the spooky surprise! At the top of the tower the Lady waits! I formed her from wire, tissue and a little RCAG 'Day of the Dead' skull and crown. She is sitting on a little golden chair with a scattering of fallen October leaves that have probably found their way in through a hole in the rickety tower!
My daughter says she's scary, but I think she's just sad; a bride jilted on her wedding day, a little like Miss Havisham in 'Great Expectations'. Her veil is tissue decorated with White Lace Stickles and she has pearl earrings to match her pearly white teeth.

Perhaps this is the beautiful young witch she once was! It's a long time since I made anything for Halloween, but this has been fun and I can't wait to fill this box with some treats.

 Thank you so much for stopping by Magpieheaven today. Happy Halloween and I hope you're not too terrified to pay another visit soon!


15 comments:

  1. This is fantastic, Julie Ann!

    Lucy x

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  2. Great make and love your bride, she looks fabulous!!

    Sam xx

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  3. That is wonderful, I love it!

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  4. Lots of work, spookily eerie and i can see Miss Haversham so clearly :-) x

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  5. Great job Julie Ann. I wouldn't like to be in that tower. Karen.x

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  6. Thank you Julie Ann for your lovely comments. Just popped over to have a mooch and I am so glad I did because your haunted tower is just fabulous. I agree with you she does look sad but not sure about those teeth lol.

    Off to have another mooch around.

    Crafty hugs from Shirl x x

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  7. Fabulous Julie Ann! Yes scary but oh so brilliant! Off to have a look at what you've been up to while I've been away! Chrisx

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  8. Fantastic project - not too spooky - not only your little house is lovely but it explodes! I am awed...

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  9. Wow wow wow absolutely stunningly spooky, I can't believe you made the woman she is amazing. I love the colours and the birds are fantastic. Very inspirational as always. Lots of hugs :-) Kezzy xxxxxx

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  10. How the heck did I miss this, okay sweety, I'm off, late already to water fit, BUT I'LL BACK to really comment:O)...

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  11. Im' back, I've been thinking of the fabulous box all day, waiting to see the pics, large :), Get you entering 2 challenges, you go woman, loooooooving those colors, great they suit Halloween, since this magpie isn't into it:O) The roof is fabulous, the texture, colors and those fabulous flying bats, looooove the Raven, on of our smartest Birds, whoot whoot fabulous signature pieces, she is such a pretty witch you have got to love her, they are beautiful portraits, the outside looks fabulous with all that trim, the inside box, I just want to touch it, that lady in the tower, she's BRILLIANT... Standing cheering it's a brilliant make, it will win one of those challenges, it's a winner in the Magpie parliament.. Thanks for sharing....

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  12. P.S. looooove that old book it's sitting on.... :O)

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  13. Yes, I noticed the fab old book too, lol! Your exploding 'tower' is brilliant Julie Ann. You are so imaginative as well as super creative. I love the little figures you create and your tiny bride is no exception. She does make me feel rather sad and I can relate to the Miss Haversham connection too.

    Hugs
    Lesley Xx

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  14. What brilliant Halloween make, Julie Ann - your exploding tower is so clever and so delightful! Love your spooky little bride, and the orange panels just glow with beauty. Gorgeous! Thanks so much for sharing this with us at Artistic Outpost.
    Alison xx

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  15. A spookily creative project Julie Ann, love it. Thanks for entering our challenge this month at Country View Challenges. Chris xxx

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