Happy Haunting, Tim Holtz

Happy Haunting, Tim Holtz

Happy almost-Halloween, friends! I’m sneaking in one more spooky card before the big night, and this one is all bones. Vintage anatomy images, a moody blue-to-purple-to-gold background, and a little sparkle make it creepy and pretty at the same time, which is exactly my kind of Halloween.

The Background

I started with the String layering stencil and Distress Micro Glaze. I rubbed a thin layer of Micro Glaze through the stencil to create a resist pattern, then lifted the stencil away.

Next came the fun part: Distress Stain Sprays. I sprayed blue at the top, purple through the middle, and golden yellow along the bottom, letting the colors bleed into each other. The Micro Glaze resists the stain, so those fine stringy lines show through the color. I let some of the drips run down the panel for that extra eerie, dripping look.

Once it was dry, I matted the panel on black cardstock to make all those colors glow.

The Bones

I’m obsessed with the Anatomy Chart stamps. I stamped the skull, the leg bone and the hand in Lawn Fawn River Rock ink. That soft blue-gray gives the images a faded, old-textbook feel instead of harsh black lines.

To add some depth, I shaded around the edges and into the hollows with Distress Watercolor Pencils, then blended the color out with a damp brush. Just a touch of shadow makes the bones look more dimensional.

Then I fussy cut each piece, leaving a thin white border so they pop off the busy background.

Finishing Touches

I brushed Distress Rock Candy Clear over the bones. It dries with a subtle glassy shine that catches the light beautifully.

For a little sparkle, I cut tiny stars from sparkle cardstock with the Lawn Fawn Hearts and Stars Skinny Tag die and scattered them around the panel.

To finish, I added three sentiment strips: “ghostly greetings,” “chills and thrills” and “happy haunting.” White type on black strips keeps them crisp against all that color.

Thanks for Stopping By!

I hope this bony, spooky card gives you a little shiver and a smile! Which bone is your favorite: the skull, the leg bone, or the skeleton hand? Let me know in the comments. I love hearing from you!

All of the supplies I used are listed and linked above to make it easy to find everything. Happy crafting, and Happy Halloween!

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Cardmaking Supplies Used

Supplies I used are linked throughout the post. Click on the picture and you will be taken to the product. I use affiliate links when available which means if you make a purchase I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!