Happy Halloween 2018 Layout

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I'M SO STOKED!! Here is a layout I made for the Scrapbook & Cards Today blog all about Halloween 2018 using my Truly Grateful collection and Halloween Wreath cut file.

I started by die cutting my Halloween Wreath cut file from textured white cardstock by American Crafts using a Silhouette Cameo 3. I spent a few hours backing all the little pieces with a rainbow of colors from my Truly Grateful collection. Not your typical orange and black Halloween colors, but it makes my heart so happy seeing all the bright colors!

On the purple B-side of Paper 10 I did some mixed media work. I started by drawing a circle with a pencil under where I wanted the cut file to go and then covered it with a layer of gesso using my fingers to smudge it into the background to create a smoky look. I like how this tones down the background so the colors will pop off of it and it's also a necessary step for watercolors so they don't soak into the paper. Gesso is basically a prepping medium.

Once the gesso dried I pooled water all over it and then dropped and splashed watercolors into it, trying to match the color of the backed cut file that would be over it. I used two sets of watercolors by Prima called Pastel Dreams and Tropicals - the colors match perfectly with most of my Pink Paislee collections. Once the watercolors dried I splashed watered down white acrylic paint on top and then dried the background with a hair dryer.

The background was pretty warped after all that mixed media business so I ran it through a Minc machine three times to flatten it. Worked like a charm! I added the backed cut file on top with foam squares for dimension and tucked a photo of Fox & Jane into the left side. Then I added the "HAPPY HALLOWEEN" title higgledy piggledy around the inner part of the wreath using the colorful Thickers. I sprinkled stars from the Cardstock Stickers, Puffy Stickers, and Epoxy Stickers all around the wreath tone-on-tone for texture.

I grabbed some pumpkins in the Ephemera Die Cuts, distressed the edges, and tucked them into the right side. I covered the "grateful" sentiment on one of the pumpkins with number stickers from my stash to document the year. I added a "happy place" sentiment banner also from the Ephemera Die Cuts above the photo along with a blue bird for fun and to bring out that pop of blue color. A few other elements were added into the clustering of embellishments: a pink flower with distressed edges from the Floral Die Cuts & a purple pumpkin and three mushrooms (all with distressed edges for texture) from the Cardstock Stickers. To finish I wrote journaling next to the photo with a white paint pen by Sharpie.

I hope this layout inspires you to break from traditional Halloween colors and create bright & spooktacular holiday pages using Truly Grateful! It's a fun challenge! Thanks for stopping by and have a safe and happy Halloween!

SUPPLIES: Patterned paper, stickers, die cuts, Thickers: TRULY GRATEFUL; gesso; white acrylic paint; white paint pen: Sharpie; Watercolors: Pastel Dreams and Tropicals by Prima; white cardstock; Die cut machine: Silhouette Cameo 3; Cut file: Halloween Wreath by Paige Evans