For today's @pearblossompress project, I have a Halloween wreath with the Halo light.
I thought I would write an actual blog post with instructions for a change, because this card was quite a journey.
I was initially picturing the cat hanging from the wreath but the embossing folder I used for the background cobweb wasn't long enough to have the cat hanging nicely on the card, so I had to change my plans while making the card. The cat was also supposed to be black but then it wouldn't have stood up as much on this background, so I finally did it again and opted for a white cat and I also had to make him stand. The die set does come with a sitting cat, but I really wanted to use the hanging version, so I replaced his feet by boots and then because his arms seemed a little awkward, I glued them in opposite directions which made him look like he needed to hold something. So here comes the broom, because, the set was right before my eyes!
So then the story turned into spider chasing and the pumpkin and skull that were initially to be on the wreath, ended on the floor, along with some additional ones. And by the way, I had to improvise that wood floor and I just love how it came out. For years, I've been obsessed with wood effects, buying a ton of wood background stamps (yes, I'm a hoarder! I must have about dozen of them)... but all you need is 3 ink pads and 30 seconds! I did not film the making, so you may want to read my blog post if you want to know how I made it!
But enough of the talking, let's dive into the making of this card!
Products:
Halo light Combo pack, World's best foam tape (Pear Blossom Press)
Cheerful kittens, Boo! Cocktails and Boo-licious fall cupcake (Spellbinders)
Toil & Trouble (Honeybee stamps)
Droop web embossing folder and Sterling labels embossing folder and dies (Simon Says stamp)
Jumbo curiosity nest and Boxwood heart (The Greetery)
Be my boo? (Picket Fence designs)
Distress oxides: Dried marigold, Abandoned coral, Scattered straw, Twisted citron, Rustic wilderness, Vintage photo, Frayed burlap, Ground espresso, Gathered twigs, Scorched timber, Pumice stone, Hickory smoke, Milled lavender and Wilted violet
I started with the background for which I used the Simon Says Stamp Droop web embossing folder which was released at the beginning of Stamptember 2024. My intent was to finally use those Ranger sanding disks I've had for a couple years now, to use with mini ink blending tools. So I started by cutting a piece of white cardstock the size of the folder and I ink blended Distress oxide Black soot and Hickory smoke on this panel. I then ran it through my die cutting machine with the embossing folder. I then used a sanding disk on the raised lines to reveal the white, but of course, despite what people think, I have zero patience, and I rushed into it immediately, not letting the paper dry from the ink blending. The result wasn't looking very good, so I trashed it and moved onto a different technique. I cut out another panel of white cardstock, sprayed some water, to avoid cracks in the paper and ran it through my die cutting machine with the embossing folder, with the wet side facing the raised side of the folder. And I then inked the reversed page (the debossed side) with my Tsukineko Black Tuxedo Memento ink. Definitely looking better, though on second thoughts, I might have worked with Distress oxides for a less dark and plain background. Also, it took for ever to dry, leaving ink on my fingers each time I would manipulate the panel.
Next, I die cut some of the elements of the card to have an idea of the arrangement and where to put the lights. I started by die cutting the two arms from white cardstock. This harms die is part of the fa-boo-lous Boo! Cocktails die set from Spellbinders. This add-on set is the most exciting and fun thing released this Halloween season for me! I blended Distress oxides Twisted citron and Rustic wilderness on the harms. Next, I used the Simon Says Stamp Sterling labels. This is an embossing folder and companion dies released last year. I used one of the labels to create the sentiment, which I die cut from the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Metallic Kraft cardstock packs (I used the Metallic jewels pack) and picked a purple color to match with my overall color scheme for this card.
I die cut the label a second time from white cardstock and stamped a sentiment from the Picket Fence Designs Be my boo? stamp set. I then aged the label with Distress oxides Pumice stone and Hickory smoke on the edges.
For the wreath, I used two die sets from the The Greetery: the Jumbo curiosity nest as the base to layer stand-alone branches from the Boxwood heart die set. I picked the Jumbo curiosity nest because its diameter worked really well with the Peart Blossom Press Halo light. I die cut them from white cardstock and then blended Distress oxides Milled lavender and Wilted violet on them. I then glued the stand-alone branches onto the nest, adding glue only at the bottom part of the branches and glueing each new branch underneath the previous one. This allows to hide the glued extremities and adds a lot of dimension to the wreath.
I also die cut the cat with the Spellbinders Cheerful kitten die set. As I said before, I had a bit of redo here, but I'll explain how I made the final version. I die cut all elements of the hanging cat version from white cardstock, except the hind legs. I colored separately the eyes with Copic markers (W9, YG01, YG23 and G94) and then assembled all pieces together with liquid adhesive. For the front legs, I didn't quite follow the model and adhered his left leg downwards so that he wouldn't look like he was still hanging. I then added some shading with Copic markers (E41, E40 and W00 for the fur, R34 on the nose and R00/R000 for the ears) and finally adhered the eyes. I then cut out the tail and glued it on the side. To replace the hind legs, I die cut boots from purple glitter cardstock with a die from the Spellbinders Boo-licious fall cupcake set and I adhered them to the cat with liquid adhesive.
This cat needed something to hold, so I die cut the broom from the Honeybee stamps Toil & trouble die set and ink blended Distress oxides Scattered straw, Vintage photo and Ground espresso. I then assembled all layers with liquid adhesive and glued it on the cat.
As I mentioned at the beginning, the cat was supposed to hang from the wreath, but the background wasn't long enough. As a result, I needed to ground the whole scene and opted from a wood floor. This card was already so full of suprises (not the good type) and I had no appetite for my usual wood effects. So I just grabbed a piece of white scrap and dabbed various Distress oxides: first, Frayed burlap over the entire panel, then randomly and going lighter and lighter on the application, Gathered twigs, Ground espresso and Scorched timber. It took me less than a minute, I swear! I've done this a few times before, but I have to admit this one of my preferred. That combination of colors just worked really well. And this faux-wood effect is the perfect illustration that, sometimes (only sometimes! to my very own liking), less is better, but most of all, we need to stop overthinking certain things!
For the decorations on the floor and on the wreath, I used the Spellbinders Boo-licious fall cupcake for the big pumpkins, skull and big bones, and the Honeybee stamps Toil & Trouble die set for the small pumpkin and small bones, which I die cut from white cardstock.
On the big bones, I used Copic markers E81 and E40. I colored all pumpkins with Distress oxides Dried marigold-Abandoned coral and Twisted Citron-Rustic wilderness, and a bit of Vintage photo on the stems. For the small bones and skull, I used Distress oxides Pumice stone and Hickory smoke.
I also die cut the spiders from the Honeybee stamps Toil & Trouble die set, from black glitter cardstock.
Time for a little engineering nightmare! Yes, I had a bit of a struggle placing the Halo light on this card. Interactive cards are out of my comfort zone but I do want to overcome that fear of destroying a well-advanced project in just a few seconds! My idea was to poke 5 holes where the lights would peek through from behind the background panel. So I marked those 5 places and poked holes with my Xcut screw hand hole punch.
[And let me stop here for a few seconds... Over the years, I've acquired a number of We R memory keepers hole punch tools in various sizes and even shapes. BUT if you need just one, the Xcut is the one you need, the most versatile out there and most efficient, if I can share a bit of my experience.]
Anyways, back to this project, of course the 5 holes were not aligned at all! Should I need to repeat this, I would create a template first, lighting a piece of scrap with the Halo light from underneath and marking the exact spots of the 5 lights, and then poking the holes through that template onto my background panel. Nevermind! Mistakes are made to learn. To cover up and also be sure the light would come out more than just through the 5 holes, I opted for creating a ring of light by cutting a circle frame out of the panel. To do so, I used 2 circle dies which size would allow to hide the ring with the wreath, using a small circle die, slightly greater than the center of the wreath, but also to let the Halo light show through, with a greater circle die, slightly larger than the Halo light diameter. Of course, I saved the small circle die cut to adhere it back to the project.
Time to assemble the project. I trimmed the wood floor to allow enough space for the cat to stand nicely without hiding too much the wreath. I adhered the wood floor at the bottom of the cobweb background with liquid adhesive, and then cut and scored the cardbase, based on the final panel size. I presented the background panel on the cardbase and marked the circle opening with a pencil. I then taped the Halo light on the cardbase, using the pencil line as a guide, placing the switch where I knew the cat would approximately have either one paw or the broom that would show were to press.
I then added Pear Blossom Press World's best foam tape around the halo light, directly only the carbase, leaving a gap between the foam and the edge of the cardbase since my panel is slightly smaller, and also behind the inner circle. I removed the release papers and adhered the panel to the cardbase. I then glued some elements like the sentiment label and hands and adhered other elements with foam tape, in particular the wreath, to allow the light to peek through even more. And Ta-da!
I was relieved when it was over... the pocess was way too stressful, but also satisfying in a way. Being able to pivot quickly and change initial plans successfully was rewarding.
If you read through the entire blog post, kudos to you and a big thank you. I hope you found this post entertaining and useful.
Have a lovely day!
#pearblossompress #spellbinders #thegreetery #honeybeestamps
#cardmaking #handmadecards #cardmakingofinstagram #diecutting #interactivecard #lightupcard #lightupcards
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