Happy October!

Well friends, we are well more than half way through the month already! Is October the 'fastest' month of the year, or is it just me?

My sister has a bad case of the shingles, and I thought I would send her a card to cheer up her days. She's a retired 3rd grade teacher, but she still subs every chance she gets. She is truly a teacher who loves to teach, and her students are 'her' kids. She's not at all into Halloween, but she wants kids to be kids, so costumes were acceptable in her classroom. Having the shingles, she is quarantined from the little ones, and will miss the festivities as a substitute this year. I chose this group of what I would believe to be school children dressed for Halloween from Tim Holtz Halloween Paper Dolls as a focal image for her card.

I love that the kiddos have fun costumes; no scary (just sweet) witches, zombies, skulls or walking dead in this group. My sister will appreciate that.

I used Stitched Ovals dies to cut black card and some of Tim's older Region's Beyond paper stash to frame the photo. I love how well Tim's papers work together from year to year, and this one pairs nicely with the plaid from this year's Halloween Paper Stash. I cut the scalloped edge that comes with the ovals for the kids to sit on. A flash card (a nod to my sister's teaching) from the Halloween ephemera pack works perfectly as a fall greeting along with 'Happy' from Tim's Tiny Text Remnant Rubs. I colored the card with Distress Oxide inks: Hickory Smoke, Frayed Burlap and Ripe Persimmon. I edged with Ground Espresso ink.

Some strings that pulled out of a piece of Mummy Cloth I used for my Bone Collector Vignette dyed in Hickory Smoke oxide, some Nature's Wonder stamped and water colored leaves I had sitting on my desk, and a couple of Skeleton Leaves add some autumn color. Everything is adhered with Distress Collage Medium Matte.

 I stamped a black panel with Ornate from Tim's Ornate and Lace set in Black Soot Distress ink and clear embossed. I scribbled over the embossing with Hickory Smoke crayon, then adhered the focal panel to it this panel.

I wanted to write my sister a nice long encouraging letter, so instead of a standard card,  I made a pocket on the reverse to tuck the letter in.  I chose design papers from Regions Beyond and Halloween Paper Stashes and added splashes of Hickory Smoke and Ground Espresso oxides to them and edged in ink. I adhered the top panel completely, punched the bottom panel with a circle punch and adhered only on three sides to form a pocket.

I hope this project reminds you that your Tim Holtz Halloween products can be used for more than just Halloween. Happy crafting!

Sara Emily

These products were used and can be purchased at The Funkie Junkie Boutique:

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set - Stitched Ovals by Tim Holtz 661188	Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 5pk - Skeleton Leaves by Tim Holtz 663094	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Ornate & Lace	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Nature′s Wonder	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Paper Stash - Halloween
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Halloween Ephemera Pack	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Paper Dolls, Ancestors	Tim Holtz Idea-olog Mummy Cloth	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Remnant Rub - Tiny Text	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo TIM19527
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Ground Espresso TIM43270	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Ground Espresso	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Hickory Smoke	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Frayed Burlap	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Ripe Persimmon
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Crayons - 6PC Set #3 TDBK47926	Ranger Embossing Powder - Clear - Super Fine Detail EPJ37385	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Black Soot TIM19541	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Collage Medium Matte TDA47933