clock strikes midnight

This friendly witch is here to wish you “A Happy All Hallows’ Eve!”

Paper doll stamps available from Character Constructions.  (If you want a list of all the paper doll stamps used, then please just ask me.)
Sentiment from Redlead Paperworks
Each Halloween I reaquaint myself with Robert Burns’ Tam o’Shanter which I first studied at school.  Over the past few years, I like to re-visit it at this time of the year.  There is the most wonderful pace to the poem, as though you are actually alongside Tam on his grey mare, Meg.  If you are interested, this link provides the original and also a translation.
Hope your evening goes well and you do not get too spooked – unless of course you want to!
Wishes
Lynne

A Huddle of Kindly Witches (Somerset Studio)

Hello.
I am sharing a trio of kindly witches, they do not mean you any harm.
The trio are still bubbling over with the excitement of making an appearance in Somerset Studio (Sep/Oct issue).  They are aware that if it were not for some generous people, they would not have the opportunity to make this appearance so shout-outs to Catherine Moore Character Constructions, Redlead Paperworks and Oxford Impressions along with a thank you to Anne Redfern who kindly gifted me some pumpkin die-cuts.

Supplies:-
Character Constructions stamps
Oxford Impressions stamps
Redlead Paperworks – Halloween Collage Sheet Skirts
Calico Craft Parts – Bats
Height 10″ approx
To add interest to the wings I scribbled Halloween related words. A lace rose painted for it to co-ordinate and a scrap of stained seam binding tied at her waist.BOO is an Oxford Impressions stamp which I decided to form into a flag banner, her pet bat catches a free ride by clinging to the banner!Each witch perches atop a spool.  I should mention that the skirts for each witch, they are available from Redlead Paperworks, all links at top of post.No. 2
This time the hat was made in the same way as the wings, drawn free hand before cutting and scribbling Halloween related words.
A Calico Craft Parts MDF bat becomes a pendant for her to wear.She clutches a pumpkin in her hand.The final witch. All the faces, arms and torso were stamped onto stained cardstock.Another pumpkin with another MDF bat making an appearance.
None of the dolls are articulated but I do like to angle the arms, it brings more character to the paper dolls by doing so.Thank you for your visit to this post.  I hope to share some more drafted posts throughout this week, a mixture of projects.
Wishes
Lynne

Boo! To You (The Stampers’ Sampler)

Hello
Squeezing in another Halloween post!
This trio of cards were made last year, submitted for The Stampers’ Sampler annual Frightful & Delightful Challenge Call. So pleased that the trio made it to print.
All stamps are Oxford Impressions and you will find, if not all, then nearly all of the stamps at That’s Crafty.A grungy layered appearance was what I was aiming for with it being all about the stamps, embellishments were kept to a minimum.All the papers were either kraft or re-cycled kraft/brown paper packaging,  with paint and coffee and tea altering the colour.The actual background has layers of stamping, where I even stamped with Distress Ink (which is rare for me), misting with water and allowing the ink to bleed.This card is lighter with orange tones instead of the mahogany above.The owl is suspended on invisible thread, you can just about make out the thread.  When the card is displayed it creates a sense of movement on the owl, purely for a bit of fun!Large stamped pumpkins make up one of the stamped layers in the background along with a huddle of fussy cut pumpkins.The final card.Lots of splatters bring a nice distressed quality to the card and also to the cardstock which had been stained in preparation of a stamping surface.   I rarely colour in stamped images, all the colour laid down prior to stamping.The invisible thread makes another appearance, to allow the moon to dangle.
Thank you for your visit!
Wishes
Lynne

Bewitched (The Stampers’ Sampler)

Hello
Today I am sharing a trio of Trick or Treat bags which were published in The Stampers’ Sampler.
On each bag, the focal is a paperdoll comprising stamps from Character Constructions. Each doll is made of many elements so they are time consuming but they are so much fun to make, it’s very relaxing to gather all the fussy cut elements and enjoy the process of assembling the paper doll.
There is nothing sinister about the witches, they are all kindly witches with the merest hint of mischief in their eyes!The wonder of the Character Constructions stamps, mixing and matching allows the stamper to transform the dolls to suit any occasion.  Soon I will share a trio of paper doll angels which use many of the Character Constructions stamps featured here.
Alongside Character Constructions stamps, I also inked up Redlead Paperworks stamps for the stamping on the tags and Halloween banner with Oxford Impressions stamps also featuring.Some stained ribbon, a cluster of tags (painted cardstock, stamped and paper punched with a tag punch) and also some torn tulle adorn a handle.
The sentiments are from Redlead Paperworks. A fun stamp set for Halloween with a quirky collection of sentiments.Each bag is a kraft bag painted with PaperArtsy Frescos trimmed with lovely black velvet ribbon or black sparkly ribbon.The piece of lace rose trim was painted to co-ordinate with the painted bag and painted cardstock (used as a stamping surface).This piece of orange/copper fringing was lying around, it just had to adorn one of the bags.She clutches a banner …. BOO!The Witching HourA wee bat from Calico Crafts Parts rests on her necklace.
The moon lights her way.
This moon is from Oxford Impressions.  You can source Wicked, the stamp set this moon is from along with a selection of other Oxford Impressions Halloween stamps at That’s Crafty.Thank you for visiting this post. I am nearing the end of my Halloween makes.
I hope you are all having a good start to the week.
Wishes
Lynne

Nevermore (Somerset Studio)

Hello Everyone
Halloween and I were not a natural fit, it took me some time as a stamper before I felt comfortable with Halloween, it was Oxford Impressions stamps which opened my mind and it is because of Oxford Impressions that I have a considerable amount of Halloween related stamps!
This  Poe inspired assemblage shrine happens to be one of the pieces which appears in the latest issue of Somerset Studio.  The actual shrine is from Calico Craft Parts, that does not include the spool, I added the spool with all stamps from Oxford Impressions Haunted set and is available in the U.K. from That’s Crafty.A quick photo of the shrine/assemblage in Somerset Studio.
I decided I wanted Poe set right at the back, adding to the sense of unease from the insects crawling towards and over him.
As the instructions are printed in Somerset Studio, I don’t want to include them here.

There is beautiful depth to play with on this shrine.  I added the cobweb as a midway layer.
The spool was my own addition, painted with the stained and stamped calico bringing detail to the spool.
Thank you for your visit. I hope I am not swamping you with Halloween artwork!
Wishes
Lynne

Something Wicked (The Stampers’ Sampler)

Hello!
There is a slightly unsettling, sinister feel to the trio of cards I am sharing in this post.  I appreciate that the cards might cause offence to anyone who does not agree with Halloween due to religious belief, I certainly don’t want to be upsetting anyone.
They were submitted to The Stampers’ Sampler for their annual Frightful & Delightful challenge call and published as a feature in the Jul/Aug/Sept issue.
I am not someone who embraces the macabre, dark side of Halloween but I was inspired by the Oxford Impressions stamps. Oxford Impressions excel at Halloween (and Christmas) with stamp sets for all Halloween tastes from Masquerade to Too Cute to Spook style stamps, Danse Macabre and Poe inspired. If you want to have a look, in the U.K. That’s Crafty stock several Oxford Impressions sets.A hint of gold runs through my background with splatters of iron oxide paint.More stained items. In this photo you can see that the girl was stamped onto a tag.  I wanted the tag to blend into the overall background but at the same time, it brings another layer to the card.
A wooden clock counting down the time to Midnight.A sinister, watchful raven.There’s something so fun about gathering all my O.I. Halloween stamps, dipping into various sets.
The rusty red paint gives a sinister edge to the cards.
I always appreciate visits at any time but understand that the cards here are darker to my usual style.  I will be sharing another Halloween related post very soon but not nearly as dark as this!
Wishes
Lynne

Poe

Hello Everyone
My first That’s Crafty post for the month of October so I thought I would share a Poe inspired card at That’s Crafty
If you would like to know which supplies I used alongside instructions, please visit HERE.
I don’t even feel as though we have had a summer and yet here we are in October!
Many thanks for your visit.
Wishes
Lynne

Flight of the Bats

Hello
For my DT post over at the That’s Crafty Blog, I have once again been having a play with one of their new Dinky Stencil designs, here is a sneaky peek.The full Dinky Stencil collection can be viewed HERE and my DT post with supplies and instructions can be viewed HERE.
Have a lovely Sunday
Wishes
Lynne

Nightcrawlers

Hello Everyone
Another Halloween piece to share with you featuring a stamp I have already played with for this Halloween, HERE.  I so wanted to ink up Mr Poe once again, this time for some playtime with a Calico Crafts Parts Halloween Shrine, MDF Flying Bat Colony and  MDF mini insects, decidedly creepy in themselves!
This might sound really dark and sinister, which isn’t really where my brain is at (!) but for this shrine I wanted a sense of claustrophobia, as though Poe is lying in a tomb and around him the insects silently crawl, spinning their webs and leaving their trails and above the bats swoop low on a midnight sky, illuminated by the golden glow cast by gaslight.
I decided from the outset that I wanted Poe himself to be set far back, I didn’t want him to appear as a stamped and fussy cut shape, I suppose I wanted to work with the depth of the shrine.  After preparing the base board with paints I stamped Poe, then stamped again, this time onto tissue paper which I layered onto the first image.  Onto this I applied the same paints and spray used throughout, before adding the decorative stamping. The shrines have such great depth, lots of room to play around in, so I sneaked in another MDF shape, this time a corner cobweb.
The detailing on those insects is amazing!With the paints and spray I achieved a mottled effect on all the MDF surfaces.
Included in the shrine kit is the MDF word, Spooky, the same as etched onto the shrine itself but I decided to keep it aside for another project.
This was the first time I had worked with a shrine (previously I had worked with one of their MDF shells) and although I was impressed with the shell, for some reason I was expecting a slight battle on my hands to assemble the shrine as often such items can be less than perfect when trying to fit them together.  I had nothing to worry about, a  touch of Gel Medium was all the adhesive I needed.Poe is from Oxford Impressions Haunted and the decorative stamp is from the Wicked set, available directly from Oxford Impressions and in the U.K. from That’s Crafty.
Many thanks for taking the time to visit this post.
A final word ….. Sweet Dreams!!!
Lynne

Hear The Owl Hooting

Hello Everyone
Recently I shared with you a Halloween card featuring Oxford Impressions stamps, in particular the 2015 Halloween release, Jack o’lantern. At the time of making that card I also made another with the same colours and along the same style. 
Jackie would rather stay indoors on Halloween, reading by the flickering light of the carved lantern, munching away on candy treats but her pet owl, Owlie is desperate for some Halloween fun and mischief.   Jackie dons a battered old hat in the hope of at least looking as though she has made some attempt at dressing up for Halloween, picking up the lantern to light their way as they walk through the field of pumpkins in search of opportunities to shout “Boo”.  Stained piece of bunting with a stamped pumpkin.I so love the font of this stamp.Tucked behind the main tag on the card isa wee tag featuring a stamped Halloween poem.Thank You for visiting this scheduled blog post and I have to apologise for not having stopped by your own blogs. I hope to catch-up with you soon.
Wishes
Lynne