Materials:

• Tim Holtz Distress Ink- Old Paper, Vintage Photo, Dried Marigold, Pine Needles

• Black ink (I used Ranger Big and Juicy Ink)

• Blending tool or sponge

• 2 Chipboard coasters or two 4” x 4” cut squares + scraps (for chimney and sign)

• Wire or ribbon (for hanging)

• Various Halloween stamps (I used Inkadinkado)

• Inkssentials craft sheet or similar non stick surface

• Spritz bottle of water

• Adhesive

• Heat tool (optional)

Step 1:

Cut one of the square chipboard pieces in half and set one half aside (use for scraps or save to finish the back of project). Using scraps, cut a piece of chipboard into a 1 inch x 2 inch (2.5cm x 5cm) rectangle for the chimney piece, and a 1.5 inch x 1 inch (4cm x 1.5cm) rectangle for the sign.

Now we get to play with ink! If you have an Inkssentials craft sheet you can smudge a line of ink on it directly from your ink pad. If not, I think parchment paper works fine for this technique too, although I love the craft sheet because you can reuse it time and again! Spritz the ink with water. Take the chipboard square and smoosh, smudge and swirl it all over the wet ink until you are satisfied with the base coverage. If you prefer, you can sponge on the ink, but I think this is so much more fun and it really does make a great base to start with. You can dry it with a heat tool (if you’re impatient like me).

Do the same with the half cut chipboard (roof) and the chimney and sign pieces.

Click to enlarge image.



Click to enlarge image.

Step 2:

Now we stamp! I’ve placed my stamps to create a look of a door and two windows, but I thought it also looked like a spooky face as I was stamping it. A haunted house with personality! The house was stamped first, then the crow on top. The cobwebs were added for the “windows” with a spider hanging from one. The pumpkin is stamped with the dried marigold ink twice to get it this dark. Do not stamp the “haunted” words on the roof yet, it will need more sponging first. Dangling spiders were stamped on the top of the chimney.

Click to enlarge image.

Step 3:

Using your sponge or blending tool, add some dried marigold along the bottom edge of the chipboard square, bringing it up around the sides a little. With a light touch, sponge in pine needles (green) ink up the sides and over the cobwebs too. Sponge dried marigold onto the roof piece. Finally, sponge on vintage photo ink around the edges of the roof, and the bottom and sides of the house piece. Do the same for the chimney piece. Now you can stamp the “haunted” words across the rooftop.

Click to enlarge image.



Click to enlarge image.



Click to enlarge image.

Step 4:

Assembly: Adhere the roof to the top of the square house, and the chimney to the back of the roof. Adhere your ribbon or wire to the back. If you would like a clean finished backing, add some black card stock to the back side of the house and chimney, and adhere the other half piece from the cut square to the back of the roof.

That’s it! Now you’re ready to hang it on your front door unless some little hands get hold of it first!

Click to enlarge image.



Click to enlarge image.