By Judi Kauffman
I love Halloween! I’ve always believed that a holiday devoted to cards, candy and costumes is as good as it gets.
This trio of A2 size cards is super easy to make. I wanted a lot of sparkle so I picked shimmering acrylic paints and metallic mesh for the background layers. And to create quick and seamless color blends I got out the Chameleon Pens.
A side note: I designed the Halloween in Frame Peel-Offs and hope you have fun coloring them!
Instructions:
- Place Black Halloween in Frame Peel-offs onto white cardstock and color with Chameleon Pens to create soft blends. Fussy cut around the edges taking care not to cut off the spider’s feet or witch’s hat and broom where they extend past the frame. (Optional: Color the candy corn and other extras on the Peel-offs sheet and use them to embellish the inside of the card.)
- Paint a piece of textured paper with shimmering paints in shades of yellow gold, olive green, lime green and dark pumpkin. Allow paint to dry. Cut a 3” x 4” rectangle for each card. As shown: Base paper is a 12” x 12” sheet of dark blue handmade mulberry paper, enough for 12 cards.
- Layer painted rectangles onto black cardstock: Cut around all four sides, leaving a ¼” border.
- Cover the card fronts with mesh: Use Gold or Silver Foil tape to secure a piece of mesh to each card front, wrapping it to the back and to the inside of the card front. Trim away the extra ½”. (Foil tape holds the mesh in place and acts as a decorative element.)
- Adhere a painted rectangle with black border to each card front. Center the Halloween in Frame Peel-off, using foam tape for added dimension.
- Line the right side of the interior of the card with white cardstock cut to 4” x 5.25” (a place for writing or stamping a greeting and your name).
- Optional embellishment: Use wire cutter to trim away the shank from a Gem Spider Ring. Position the spider at an angle toward the bottom right of the card front as shown on the Jack O’ Lantern card. Use foam tape for added dimension.
Supplies:
Elizabeth Craft Designs –
2585 Halloween in Frame peel-offs in Black
Clear Double Sided Adhesive Tape in width of choice
Other –
Pens – Chameleon Pens in Halloween colors
Metallic or iridescent acrylic paints in Yellow Gold, Olive Green, Dark Pumpkin, and Lime Green
Paintbrush; 6” wide mesh in Dark Brown with Gold Metallic
Textured handmade mulberry paper in Dark Blue
Solid color cardstock in White and Black
Metallic cardstock (or purchased pre-folded A2 cards) in Olive Green, Reddish Pumpkin, and Mauve
Gold or Silver Foil Tape
Foam tape or dots
Optional: Creatology Gem Spider Rings #418983
Wire cutters (to cut shank from spider rings)
Cool look – lots of texture, color, and shimmer!
Thanks, Mary. They were fun to make.
Mesh is from the floral department at either Michael’s or A.C. Moore. I’ve seen it at other craft chains. Mulberry paper is a sheet I’ve had around for a while, purchased at Plaza Art Supply.
what delightful cards
Judi, where did you purchase the mesh and mulberry paper used for these cards? Have project with white and gold theme…your technique would work great for this project.
PA, my reply to you landed in a spot after Melanie’s comment – please scroll down.
I just bought a few sheets of different colors in the 12 by 12 size from a website called (you won’t believe it), mulberry paper and more (all one word when typing it into your browser). The sheets are beautiful on my computer anyway and are really well priced at $1.25 a sheet. I pay that much for a piece of plain Core’dinations around here. I’ve tried all of my local big box stores and no one carries mulberry paper of this size if any at all. I hope this helps.