It's Halloween at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog!

Hi everyone and welcome. It's the start of a new challenge theme over at the The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog. It's Sara Emily's turn to host and this time the challenge is called 'It's Halloween!' Here's what she says about it; "I love Halloween! With Halloween just a few weeks away, I challenge you to create a vintage or shabby chic project with a Halloween theme. Your project can be as silly or creepy as you like, but just have fun!"

As ever, the Design Team will choose their top four picks, with the winner being invited to join us in a Guest DT spot at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog and the next three will receive Top 3 badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and follows the rules will be entered into the draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

With the recent release in the US of Eileen Hull's 'Pocket Notebook' die this challenge seemed like the perfect time to create one with a Halloween theme. So I've put together a handbook ready for recording lotions and potions, with a spooky fireside scene on the front and stamped tea stain aged pages bound inside.

I began this book with the cover, adding a pattern to the surface with Texture Paste through the Flames Stencil and altering it with a combination of White Gesso and dilute 'Umber' Acrylic Paint. By sticking muslin fabric to the inside I was able to create a 'fringe' around the edges on the front. Next up came the fireplace, die cut and built up in layers to add depth and dimension. After painting it in 'Elephant' Acrylic Paint I went over with a wash of dilute Black Gesso to add the shading that comes from smoky fires burning in the grate for many years. Talking of fires I chose to light this one with 'Sedona', 'Cheddar' and 'Lemon' Acrylic Paints topped off with Glossy Accents on the flames.

Creating the bits and pieces for the mantlepiece was so much fun. The bottles were coloured with 'Magenta', 'Cheddar' and 'Olive' Acrylic Paints, topped with clear plastic, tea stained labels and kraft stock corks. To give the crystal ball an authentic finish I painted the sphere with White Gesso and Pearl Mixative Alcohol Ink before adding a thick coat of Glossy Accents. The candles were die cut from glossy card, defined with dilute Black Gesso. The page holder hanging along the spine includes an altered spider charm.

Inside I bound the book with tea stained pages and stamped some with various Tim Holtz Halloween themed images from sets including Ravens, Tangled Webs and Ledger Script. The end pages were created from Italian marbled paper which had the look of flames from the fireplace on the cover.

So that's my take on the theme 'It's Halloween' for the current The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog challenge. My fantastic team mates have created the most amazing Halloween themed projects for this challenge so make sure you hop on over and check them out HERE. And remember to link up your own shabby chic or vintage Halloween themed projects to be in with a chance of winning one of the fabulous prizes.

Thanks for visiting,
Jenny xxx

Products used to create this Halloween Pocket Notebook are available from The Funkie Junkie Boutique and are listed/linked below.

Eileen Hull Designs Sizzix Scoreboards XL Die - Pocket Notebook
Tim Holtz Sizzix Alterations Thinlits Die Set - Fireside
Tim Holtz Sizzix Alterations Thinlits Die Set - Regions Beyond
Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Layering Stencil - Flames
Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Set - Tangled Webs
Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Set - Ledger Script
Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Set - Ravens
Ranger Texture Paste - Opaque Matte
Dina Wakley Media Acrylic Paint and Gesso
Silver Tone Spider Charms - Set of 3
Wendy Vecchi Enamel Accents - Sunflower
Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents