That's Life: Black Moonlight....

Hello friends and Happy Monday...

As we start the new week, it's time for the brand new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and this week we are INSPIRED BY MUSIC.

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I LOVE music, it's been a passion of mine since a very young age and there isn't a day that goes by when I don't listen to, or read about music! So, when I saw this challenge, I just knew I was going to have a lot of fun, and I did...

Why? Well because I have made a project that has been something I've wanted to do for a while but I was saving it for the right moment, and today is the day and I hope you love the piece I've made ~ a replica 7" vinyl complete with sleeve, all inspired by my favourite band, Duran Duran and their most recent album, Danse Macabre which appropriately features songs inspired by Halloween....

So, let's get started because it's time to share how I created this project...

To begin with I walk you through how I created the vinyl and the sleeve...

VINYL

For the vinyl, I used a combination of black card stock and the black mirror card from the Sizzix Opulent Cardstock Pack. I began by cutting my base, a circle of black card, and a circle of the black mirror card, both 7" in diameter. I used a circle cutter but if you don't have one of these, you can always draw around a side plate or similar sized object.

To create a thick piece of card and a substantial base, I adhered these two circles together to form one circular piece.

Next I cut a second circle of mirror card, slightly smaller in size, approx 6⅜" and I adhered this to the centre of my previous circle.

For the remaining circles that make up the centre of the vinyl, I used the Simon Says Stamp Basic Shapes Circle dies. I started by using the 4⅛" to cut a piece of the pewter coloured card from the Sizzix pack.

***In the photos the pewter does look slightly purple, but it is a dark pewter grey in reality***

I moved on to use the 3⅜" die to cut a piece of plain black card and finally the 3½" die to cut a piece of designer paper from the Halloween Backdrops set. (The rest of the sheet will be used later in this make).

I layered all these to form the basic layers to recreate the 7" vinyl.

To complete the vinyl, I stamped the bats from the Sketch Manor Stamp Set directly onto the central circle and then stamped the "Something Wicked" from the Framed Frights stamp set, onto a piece of black card, using white embossing powder which I attached to the circle, placing it below the bats. I completed the 'vinyl' by punching a tiny hole in the centre, using a Crop-A-Dile.

SLEEVE

With the vinyl complete, I moved onto the sleeve....

For this you will need 2 sheets of black card. Cut the first piece to measure 18.5cm square and place to one side. For the second piece, cut this to measure 20 x 21.5cm.

Taking the larger piece of card, score at 1.5cm along three of sides and then fold along the scorelines. Cut across the folded corners on the bottom left and right hand sides of the card and then place red line tape along each of the folded tabs, leaving the top edge free to form the opening to slip your vinyl into.

Line up and place the square piece of black card onto the folded tabs to form your 7¼" square 'record' sleeve. You now have the sleeve ready to decorate.

For this I began by cutting another piece of plain black card, 17.5cm square and lightly spritz the card with Decayed and Empty Tomb Mica Spray Stains. I just wanted a light speckle on the card, not a full coverage and once this is achieved, leave to dry before mounting onto the centre of the sleeve.

Using the remainder of the designer paper from then Halloween Backdrops pack and the stamps from the Sketch Manor stamp set by Stampers Anonymous, I began by cutting the card to measure 15.5cm square. I then added the branches in Black Soot Archival Ink, and stamped these around the top edges of the paper.

I stamped the fence from left to right using the two stamps in the set, and added this approx ¼" from the bottom edge. I added the shadow underneath the fence with coloured pencils from my stash.

Machine stitch a border around the edge and then mount onto a piece of silver metallic Kraft stash card. Mount the layers onto the front of the sleeve.

HAUNTED MANOR HOUSE

For the house, I used the Manor from the Sketch Manor stamp set and stamped this onto watercolour card. I coloured it with Distress Watercolour Pencils and then die cut the layers using the co-ordinating Sketch Manor dies from Simon Says Stamp.

Assemble the house by adding foam pads to each layer. There are full instructions for the assembly on the product page, over on Simon Says Stamp.

The dimension on this house is amazing, and the layers really do add that wow factor.

Stamp and die cut the moon and the clouds using the stamp and die sets, and then as before use the Distress Pencils to watercolour these images.

COMPLETING THE PICTURE

We're now ready to complete this project and I placed the Manor House in the centre using foam pads and attached the clouds and moon behind.

I then added some die cut bats which are cut from black card using the dies in the Sizzix Haunted House die set by Tim and fixed these onto my background, arranging them around the house.

The Quote Chip "By The Light of The Moon", which I attached underneath the Manor House, is actually from the idea-ology Halloween Baseboard pack from 2024. If you don't have this particular quote chip, then there are some in the 2025 pack or you can use stamps to create the sentiment.

I added two hardware heads to either side of the chip...

....and completed the make by attaching moss underneath the house and adding white pen details for the moon shadows onto the fence.

So that's my project complete and I must say, I am over the moon, (forgive the pun) with this piece ~ it just came together perfectly and will be something I will display for many a Halloween in the future!

As always, if you make anything, or if you've been inspired by anything that you've seen here on my blog ~ then please, let me know by tagging me on social media or leaving a comment here and I will be right over to take a look!

Don't forget that every week, one lucky random participant has the chance to win a $25 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp and you can join in up to 5 times, which means you could have 5 chances to win. You have until next Monday at 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in and good luck....