The Raven's Nevermore Halloween Vignette House

I'm back...said in a deep, raspy, scary voice! The Ravens (FYI...a group/flock of ravens are called an 'unkindness'...who knew?!! Thanks Juli!) all complained that they needed a party house to sing and dance in, so once upon a midnight dreary, I got in full contractor and builder mode to construct one using the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Vignette House. They were so particular about the design, and stressed that they wanted an Edgar Allen Poe 'Nevermore' theme in accordance with Halloween, to pay homage to their dearly departed ancestor 'The Raven'. Talk about divas! But anyway, I did the best I could, and they ended up loving it. Grab lots of sustenance, as this post is as long as it gets. Enjoy!

Using the wood planks paper from Tim's new Halloween Paper Stash from Idea-ology, I embossed the paper with his Lumber Sizzix 3D Texture Fade (misted with water first and ran through machine three times for perfect detail and texture). The 3D Fades are fabulous.  I die cut roof pieces from the Village Rooftops Bigz Die using the black Deco Sheets from Idea-ology. Everything was inked with Tim's Pumice Stone (hooked on it again) Distress Ink from Ranger, and I ran the ink on top of the wood paper to further highlight the grain.

I added the orange foil damask looking paper to the back walls of the house, and the scratchy looking orange foil paper to the inside sides of the house. I added the pumpkin faces from the new Idea-ology Halloween Remnant Rubs, to the Pumpkin Pieces, and inserted one in the top room of the house, then used raffia to cover the floor. Inside the Paper Stash are wonderful transparency sheets, and I used the one with the spider webs to cover the top room in the house for a window effect. I used the ravens Design Tape from the Halloween set to trim out the edges of house. Finally, I adhered the wood grain paper on the sides and back of the house, and added the rooftop pieces on, all with two sided tape.

I cut the photo of Edgar from last year's Halloween Paper Stash, and added orange glitter Design Tape to him, and then adhered more of the spider web transparency over the top of him, before mounting to a Foundry Frame. Then I adhered the Story Stick, using Clear Foam Tape from Ranger,  and Heirloom Roses to the frame. I die cut the raven from more Black Deco Sheet, using the Feather and Ravens Thinlets, and gave him a good inking. Then I adhered those inside the house.

For the base of the house, I made a courtyard using the largest Vignette Panel. I used pliers to bend the Metal Gates,  and then glued them along the edge of the panel with Multi Medium, allowing drying time between pieces. I glued the Mini Foundations to the corners of the bottom of the panel. Then I adhered Halloween Fringe along the bottom of the gate with two sided tape, and threaded fuzzy ribbon through the tops of the gate. I added metal pieces from regular and Halloween Vignette Accents to the house and panel, and then pounced on some Pitch Black and Sunset Orange Alcohol Ink on the metal pieces. I also added the 31 from Halloween Tokens onto the house using a Screw Eye, and glued on the spider from the Wicked Adornments to the transparency web.

I covered a scrap piece of cardstock with Distress Grit Paste through the Stone Layering Stencil from Tim and Stamper's Anonymous, and let that dry. Then I laid the stencil back over the stones, and pounced on Black Soot, Antique Linen, and Ground Espresso Distress Paints over them. I dried that, and then sprayed the stones with Walnut Stain Distress Ink Spray to color the parts in between the stones for grout, and wiped the rest off the stones. Then I wanted a little shine to the stones, so I added another layer over them with Transparent Gloss Texture Paste from Ranger. After I inked the edges, I adhered the stone path to the panel, along with the house.

I distressed the Tombstone with a little Black Soot Distress Paint, and let it dry. I used Remnant Rubs from the Apothecary and Halloween Set on the Tombstone of Lenore (the lost love from the poem The Raven), and then adhered more Heirloom Roses to it, and affixed the tombstone on the panel. I sanded the edges of the Black Alpha Dice a little, making the word Nevermore, and glued them in place. Then I covered the ground of the courtyard with more raffia, and added more jack-o-lanterns with the Pumpkin Pieces.

I had this heavy kraft cardstock tree in my stash, and inked over it with Hickory Smoke Distress Archival from Tim and Ranger. I ran it through the Lumber 3D Texture Fade , and then inked over the raised wood grain with Ground Espresso Distress Archival. It's so super cool! Then I adhered the tree to the back of the house.

I used more of the scratchy orange foil paper, and inked over it with Ground Espresso Archival, and then punched out leaves with the Medium Maple Leaf punch from Tim and Sizzix, and adhered some on the tree and throughout the courtyard. Then I added more glittered bats to the tree. Phew...that about covers it!!! The Ravens now have a home!

  

 

 

 

 

It's definitely a little dark in there...I should have added a light.

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by, and for all the comments yesterday on the blog, Facebook, and Instagram...WOW!!! You guys make my day, and I sure hope you have a spooktacular Halloween!

I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!

The Halloween Ravens

Hello everyone, especially all the crafty Halloween lovers! Today, I finally have photos of what I've been working on for awhile, as the weather here has been rainy and cloudy for days, and no pictures could be made of my new obsession - these crazy Halloween Ravens made with tons of Tim Holtz Idea-ology. I saw some birdies all dressed up for Halloween in a magazine (can't remember which one) a few years ago and just loved them, so when I saw some birds at the dollar store, I purchased a a whole flock of them. I have made so many I had to start giving them away, except for these...all mine...and they love to wander and party all over my house! They are so super easy to make, and I can whip one out in about 15 minutes. Make some for yourself! Enjoy, and come back again tomorrow for another Halloween make. 

Heckle is always front and center, and his buddy Jeckle is never far behind. There is always a party when all the Ravens get together, and they are never hard to find!

Aren't they so darn cute?!! They are addicting to make so be ready to make more than one, and any type of bird (so many available at this time of year) will probably work.These wooden types are about 5 inches tall. I have a few more birdies left for other holidays...my mind is wandering now...and I cannot wait to dress them up too.

I used the largest Framelit in Tim's Sizzix Stitched Circles to die cut with the new Idea-ology Halloween Paper Stash. Each circle will make two hats, because you cut them in half. I rolled one up (straight side will go around the head) to see how tight it needs to be to fit around the bird's head. Then I added a piece of two sided tape to a little more than half on the edge of the straight side. I smushed and crinkled up a 1.5 inch piece of Idea-ology Halloween Fringe, and laid it in the middle of the straight edge of the hat. I cut about a 4 inch piece of wire, and curled one side up for a better hold, and then laid that in the middle of the Fringe. I rolled up the hat tightly making sure it fit the bird and Fringe was hanging out properly, using the two sided tape.

I added glittered bats to the end of the wire, and then added Idea-ology Tinsel Twine around the base of the hat with more tape.

I colored an Idea-ology Halloween Token with Sunset Orange Alcohol Ink from Tim and Ranger, added a Jumpring to it, and put it on another piece of Tinsel Twine that fit around the bird's neck loosely. I smushed and crinkled more Fringe, and wrapped it around the bird's neck using tape, and then tied the Tinsel and Token around the neck, making a knot.

To make the socks, I cut pieces off of a drinking straw the same length of the legs, and slit the straws lengthwise down the middle so they wrapped around the legs. I added two sided tape over the straws, and then wrapped alternating colors of Idea-ology Materialize Design Tape around the straws. The two sided tape makes it much stickier for the Design Tape to stick to as the straws are very slick. Once the socks were on, I added more tape to the inside of the hat, and stuck it onto the Raven's head, and alive he came.

I used the same goods to make black and cream versions as well. These are my favorite, and they think they are the Rat Pack instead of the Raven Pack. From left to right, meet Deano, Sammy, and Frankie! Man oh man can they sing!!!

Deano is a sly one and loves to play tricks. He loves the ladies and invites them to mix.

Sammy can dance even better than he sings, and his feet move faster than even his wings.

Frankie sings so beautiful it makes tears run down your cheeks. When the ladies hear him they go weak in the beaks.

 

Here's Jeckle, to tell you to remember to come back again tomorrow, as these Ravens caused "him" so much sorrow.  Can you guess what it is?!!

I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!