That's Life: Tim Holtz Halloween Stamps and Simon Says Stamp Co-Ordinating Dies Blog Hop

Hello everyone and welcome to the latest Blog Hop featuring the Simon Says Stamp Exclusive co-ordinating dies that have been released to work with some of Tim Holtz's wonderful Halloween and Autumn stamps and of course, new dies mean there is no more fussy cutting.

I’m thrilled to be joining this hop, especially as my dies didn’t arrive until mid morning on Wednesday and it was getting really tight! But once they landed, nothing was going to stop me, because in my opinion it's never too early to start thinking about my favourite time of year, and with this set of stamps and dies, you will definitely be spoilt for choice...

So, let's get started and if you're hopping along, you might have arrived here via Cathy Zielske's blog but if not, and you want to catch up with everyone who is participating in this hop, then don't worry because you can head back to the beginning, by clicking HERE. Also, if you would like to see the entire product release and many more, then just pop on over to HERE.

For my make, I have used the Scared Silly stamp set and co-ordinating dies to make a trio of miniature projects that includes a tag, envelope and miniature card.

For these projects you will need to make and die cut;

1 x Collector Envelope using the Collector Thinlits Die Set by Tim Holtz ~ Black Heavystock

1 x Mini Card die cut using the SSS Arch Die Set ~ Black Heavystock Card

1 x Tag die cut with the SSS Arch Die Set ~ Black Heavystock Card

You will also images and sentiments from the Scared Silly stamp set, and die cut using the brand new co-ordinating die set. All the images were coloured using Distress Watercolour Pencils and Polychromos Pencils and inked around the edges with Frayed Burlap and Lost Shadow Distress Ink.

Once you have all your pieces cut...it's time to start making each of these mini projects and we'll start with the envelope.

HOCUS POCUS COLLECTOR ENVELOPE

This fun envelope can be used for many things, whether you make a matching mini card or use them as table settings for guests at a Halloween party, and add a menu inside, the choice is yours and you do you but I will be using these for gift cards.

Before assembling the envelope, place it onto your craft mat as we're going to stamp the entire die cut with some spider webs using the Stampers Anonymous Tangled Webs stamp set by Tim.

I stamped the webs in Versamark Clear Embossing Ink and then sprinkled Fine Detail Silver Embossing Powder over the top.

Once I'd tapped off the excess powder, I heat embossed it until molten and shiny. I then assembled the envelope by folding along the scorelines and adhering the piece together to form the envelope before I spritzed the surface with Phantom Mist Mica Spray.

I then added some matts and layers to the front and cut my first panel from black Heavystock card, measuring 6.5 x 9cm. I spritzed the card with some Mica Sprays, Wicked Elixir, Bubbling Cauldron and Unravelled. After heat drying the card panel, I matted it onto a piece of silver metallic Kraft card and mounted it onto the front of the envelope.

I then spritzed a second panel of black card with the same Mica Sprays as I just used but this time I used a Postage Stamp die set that I have in my stash. I think it was a long retired Tim Holtz die but there are many postage stamp dies available if you don't own this particular one.

I cut the layer and as before, I matted this onto silver metallic card before mounting it onto the envelope with foam pads.

I then cut a circle of black card using the Basic Circles Die Set from SSS and spritzed this with Unravelled Mica Spray. Once dry, I stamped the webs onto the circular die cut with clear ink, and then sprinkled with silver embossing powder before heat embossing.

Using the same circle die from the Basic Circles die set and the next size down, I placed these together to form a frame and die cut this from silver metallic card. I then attached the frame to my stamped circle before attaching the die cut to my envelope. To knock back some of the shine from the metallic card, I did smear some Ground Espresso Distress Paint over the top.

Taking one of the stamped and die cut images, I used the witches hat and the skull and crossbones for this piece ~ I attached them with foam pads to my envelope. I then stamped the 'hocus hocus' sentiment in clear ink, heat embossed and then used the co-ordinating die to die cut it.

I attached the sentiment directly beneath the image using foam pads that I cut into small pieces.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN MINI CARD

Sometimes, mini can be just as impactful as large and this mini greetings card is packed full of tiny details to draw the eye into the scene.

I began by cutting two of the arches from black card using the SSS Arches Die Set to make my card blank. The height of this card is approx 13cm. With the arch at the top, I then scored across the top section of one of the die cuts, and applied glue above the scoreline before placing the second die cut directly over the top.

This forms the mini card blank, which I then stamped with the webs stamps and embossed with silver powder.

Using the next size down of the Arch die set, I cut a piece of silver metallic card stock. Taking the next two sizes down, I placed the smaller die inside the larger one to form a frame and cut black heavystock card. You will need three of these die cuts. I then layered each of the die cuts over the top of one another to form a frame, applied some Gilding Wax over the entire surface before I adhered the frame to my silver layer and then mounted this onto my card blank.

Finally using the smaller size of the Arch die, this will fit inside your frame, I cut a further piece of black card. I used the same Mica Sprays as I used on the envelope, Wicked Elixir, Bubbling Cauldron and Unravelled to spritz the surface.

Once dry, I stamped webs from the Tangled Webs stamp set across the top section of the die cut and embossed them with white powder.

After machine stitching a border around the outside of the arch, I attached the panel with foam pads in the centre of the frame.

For this mini card, I used the tiny Frankenstein and the tombstone to make a scene, then attached the 'happy halloween" sentiment.

All the die cuts are attached with foam pads to add dimension.

I completed the card with some bats, die cut using dies from the Sizzix Vault Wicked Die Set by Tim.

TRICK OR TREAT TAG

The tag is cut from the black card using the Arches Die Set and then spritzed with the same Mica Sprays as I've used on the other two projects.

For this tag, I use the ghost from the stamp and die set and finished the piece with the Trick or Treat Sentiment.

I cut a circle from more black card using the Basic Circles Die Set and a piece of silver metallic kraft card using the Stitched Circles Die set by Simon Says Stamp. I then spritzed the black card with more of the the Mica Sprays before matting and layering the circles onto my tag.

I then punched a hole in the top with a Crop A Dile and added an eyelet before threading some Mummy Cloth through the hole. Finally, I completed the tag with some more of the tiny die cut bats.