That's Life: Vanishing Visitors

Hello everyone...

Starting today, we have a brand new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and this week, we want you to ADD TEXTURE!

There are so many interpretations of the theme and so many products that can be used to create texture on your projects ~ so, I think you'll be spoilt for choice and the DT can't wait to see what you create!

For my make, I chose to make one more Halloween themed project ~ the tale of the vanishing visitors, and I created the texture on my Etcetera Panel by using papers, Tim Holtz's Distress Crackle Paste and a generous helping of moss.

So, let's get started because it's time to share all the details of this panel...

For this make, I used the larger sized Square Etcetera Panel by Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz and painted the edges of the panel with Black Soot Distress Paint.

COVERING THE PANEL

To cover my panel, I chose a panel of paper from the Halloween Backdrops paper pack, and some photos and various other pieces from the Halloween Collage Pack.

I began by cutting my patterned paper choice, that I will be adhering to the right hand side and kept the width of the paper but cut a section from the bottom. I added some rips and tears around the three outside edges, but not adding any to the left hand side.

I then machine stitched a border around these three edges before I adhered the paper to my etcetera panel, leaving the corners slightly crumpled and folded back to show the panel underneath.

With the remaining piece of patterned paper that was cut away, I trimmed this piece into narrow, 1cm strips. I then adhered these narrow strips down the left hand side of the panel and because I only wanted a hint of the pattern, these worked perfectly.

Where the etcetera panel is showing from underneath the paper, I added some Crackle Paste ~ I particularly wanted those corners where the paper is folded back to have a good amount of crackle showing. Leave the paste to dry and the cracks to appear.

Whilst the paste is doing it's magic, I chose the images and strips from the Collage Strips pack.

I cut the Collage Strips into individual pieces, so that these will then fit down the left hand side of the panel.

I wanted the photos to be raised from the panel, adding some dimension to that side and to do this I mounted them onto Etcetera Tiles.

The photos don't fit the tiles but using a Kraft knife and extreme care, I cut through the tiles to create the perfect size.

Once I had my three tiles, I painted them with Black Soot Distress Paint, allowed them to dry and then mounted the photos onto each of the tiles, using Matte Collage Medium. I also applied a coat of medium over the top of the tiles to seal them.

I then adhered all the pieces onto the panel, attaching them down the left hand side.

Once the medium is dry, I ran my Walnut Stain Distress Crayon around the edges of the panel, and over the areas that had crackle paste applied, blending the colour from the crayon over the papers, using my fingertip.

At this stage, I also used Distress Crayons to add some colour tinting to the photos.

Finally, I used some Halloween Remnant Rubs from my stash, to add the numbers (years) onto the photos of the children, and the vanishing visitors.

I also added some Cello Stickers to the photos...

DREADFULLY WICKED FOCAL POINT & FACADES

The background is now complete, and it's time to move onto the focal point that tells the story...

This part is made up from two Etcetera Facades ~ I used the arch shape, which is the centre of one of the facades and teamed this with a second shape from the pack. If you look on the front of the pack itself, there is a guide to the shapes ~ I used the two facades on the right hand side.

I covered the larger facade with a co-ordinating paper from the Backdrops pack.

Using the arch shaped piece that I removed from the centre of the second facade, I covered this with a good amount of Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paste and allowed this to dry and crackle, and create some amazing texture.

Once the paste had dried thoroughly, I applied Black Soot and Walnut Stain Distress Crayon over the surface to accentuate the crackles, wiping away any harsh colour with a baby wipe.

This piece was then attached to the centre of the paper covered facade using Matte Collage Medium, before being mounted onto the right hand side of the Etcetera Panel.

For an added detail and to elongate the facade, I added a pinked Etcetera Trim, that I covered with more of the papers, die cut using the co-ordinating Sizzix Decorative trim dies by Tim Holtz.

I attached this to the bottom edge of the facade, which you might be able to see in the photo below.

PAPER DOLL PORTRAIT AND ROSES ARRANGEMENT

Now, the fun will start and I used Distress Crayons to colour tint a Paper Doll Portrait from the Halloween Layers and Paper Doll pack, before attaching her over the top of my layered facade using foam pads to add some height.

I then attached two of the roses ephemera pieces from the same pack, arranging them to cascade around the base of the portrait, and once again attached these with foam pads.

I then added some Spanish Curly Moss to the arrangement, attaching the moss by tucking small pieces behind the roses. You will also notice that there is a little idea-ology spider, hidden and nestling amongst the moss. This is from the Halloween idea-ology Adornments pack and painted with Distress Paints, before being attached with Matte Collage Medium.

Finally, I used the Dreadfully Wicked quote from the Halloween Baseboards pack and placed this over the top of the arrangement. Adding two Screwheads to either side, painted with Crackling Fire, Antiqued Bronze and Black Soot Distress Paints to create a rusty, vintage look to the metal.

EMBELLISHMENTS AND FINISHING TOUCHES

We're nearly there and all that's left is those finishing touches...

I added some Hardware Heads around the edge of the larger facade, and as with all the metal hardware, I painted these with Distress Paints; Crackling Fire, Antiqued Bronze and Black Soot.

I adhered a final strip into place, 'E Blurton, Stourbridge', cut from the Collage Strips that were used down the left hand side, and I placed this in the bottom right hand corner...

...and I adhered a small ephemera piece from the Halloween Ephemera pack 'No.72', in the top left hand corner of the main section.

Finally, I added the Hinge Clip that I painted with Distress paints and clipped this to the side of the panel, complete a Swivel Clasp hanging from the clip. As the finishing touch, I attached the lock and key from the Gothic Gates idea-ology pack to the end of the swivel clasp.

To add an extra shimmer to all the metal hardware, I applied a light touch of Metallic Wax over the top.

So, that's my final Halloween make of 2025 complete and I hope you love the piece I've made and enjoyed the process of how I created it.

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....