Nightmare before Christmas Dome and
Picket fence journal
By Sue Smyth
I love decorating, be it for Easter, Christmas or Halloween. I do like Halloween decorating
because of the strong graphic images and colours, they are so robust and unique.
Halloween is actually a Celtic celebration from before the times of Christianity, it survived over the years and was bought to the US with Irish immigrants. As my husband is of Irish
decent, we do note it, but not as much as Christmas and Easter. I am
not a fan of Gorey yucky Halloween stuff, but I do love the more
iconic images.
This year I had a project for a friend to do, they had figures from
the Nightmare before Christmas on their wedding cake, which by the way I did
for them too lol. After the cake was demolished they wanted to keep the figurines for the future, so I thought of a dome for them, keeps them tidy neat and dust free lol
The Cake
I decorated the base with creepy items, plastic bugs, skulls spiders etc.
See how below.
The figures came with long poles to hold them steady
So I glued them together so they will not fall over.
I added some large wooden beads to the base for
feet.
Without the dome you can clearly see the base
now, lots of Art stones and texture.
Now they can go on a mantelpiece or cupboard and be
safe and dust free forever, happily ever after lol
But I think it looks great in my Halloween display, the Skulduggery dining room.
They may not make it to the owners yet lol.
Some close ups for you.
I use my spooky books every year to do a display in my
dining room.
Picket Fence Journal
Next I have a project that I have taught a couple of times this year.
It uses one of my favorite techniques, the Vaseline process.
You layer smudges of Vaseline in between the layers of paint
to give that weathered picket fence look, as the Vaseline acts as a
resist medium.
(not a process I invented, just have adapted a bit )
To decorate the top I have used a selection of
resin and metal and of course chipboard to
create a cluster of elements. Which
I painted with chalk turquoise paint.then rubbed
over with Art Alchemy Vintage gold wax and
also copper inka gold.
Did you know a little copper added
over the gold, makes the gold seem ..well ..more gold lol
Then I have opalized a chipboard butterfly
by flicking gold and turquoise paint over it.
Then, when dry cover with dimensional magic
for a glossy shine.
I have sprayed glimmer mist over the cluster
to group it together more.
Next the essential thing in design, CONTRAST, I have added
some shiny red bling,large beads and micro beads.
You dont need much to create contrast, but you must
have it to create a balanced project. (unless you are going monochromatic)
Nice close up of Opalized butterfly.
Mini how to for Base of Dome
I have added wooden beads to the bottom of a purchased Dome
base. Then adhered ID fence chipboard all around the edge.
I have made this rustic to suit the theme.
Use rubber bands to hold the chip in place.
To add a base to work from, I have scrunched up butchers paper
and adhered it with gel medium.
Spray paint with matt black spray paint.
Then I have added a layer of After midnight Dylusions paint.
Then I have added layers of colour via inka gold metallic paints.
When I have finished, I added a few more things, snake, skulls etc and I had a
great base for Jack and Sally.
Some of the chipboard I have used
and others
Happy Crafting
