Happy Halloween!
I have no idea what possessed me to make these cards. I cannot recall ever making a Halloween card before, although I guess we may have done at primary school as a kid. But certainly not in my adult card making history have I ever gone down the pumpkin road. It is probably as a result of blog hopping: seeing so many great cards and decorating ideas from the USA and Canada must have made a mark, and meant that late last night, as the witching hour approached, I just had an urge to make a Halloween card. But I have no stamps or dies for this subject. We really don’t do Halloween cards much here in the UK. Not yet, anyway.
Then that tiny little bell rang. The bell I used to immediately recognise as a light bulb moment, a recollection, or inspiration, and now I just put down to possible tinnitus. ‘Go check your digikits’ it said. ‘You probably got something suitable in one of those bundle purchases you made’, it added, helpfully. Amazing how specific these voices can be!
So, I did as instructed and found this really fab digikit from American Crafts called Nightfall. It is a mix between Halloween and general Autumn/Fall and harvest images. The voice was right – it was in a bundle of digikits I bought quite some time ago. I would probably never have bought it individually but it is jam packed with goodies that were just what I needed.
Before I go any further I have to confess that I am a complete wuss when it comes to scary stuff. No word of a lie, until I saw ‘Sixth Sense’, Walt Disney’s ‘The Watcher in the Woods’ was the most scary film I had sat through from beginning to end. Many years ago, at the continual urging of a boyfriend I eventually tried to watch ‘The Omen’ but insisted on using my grandmother’s old black and white TV, which was tiny, and about 20 feet away. I still made an excuse to go make coffee when it came to the really scary bits. I am not constitutionally equipped for scary.
This means Halloween card needs to be the chummy side of the holiday imagery. Oh, also I don’t cope well with spiders either. Webs are fine, because they are a thing of beauty, but their residents are NOT. If they are super-tiny, OK. Any much bigger than a finger nail and we are in heebie jeebies territory.
Since we’re talking, another fear: collage. I may have mentioned before but for me, this is practically a swear word. I cannot do it; it will not and does not happen. I admire it, aspire to it, and accept it is pretty darn unlikely.
Anyway. I was actually spoilt for choice with this digikit and love the little details that were included. I chose the images I wanted, roughly worked out the sizings and then printed out the elements to hybrid craft. Then I decided I wanted a flying bat. Well, of course! I searched again and found bats and hats in another kit of punches and stamps called Hallows’ Eve. So my cat has a hat and my bat is….stuck on to a strip of acetate and folded over the top of the card so he bounces around a bit. Close as I can get to him flying as I am not an aerospace engineer.
Whilst not exactly (ok, maybe ‘remotely’ is a better word) collage, these cards do have way more going on than I usually add.
I know this is a bit of a rush job, but I had such fun making these that now I would like us to celebrate Halloween rather more here! Interesting that there seems to be no consensus as to where the apostrophe should go in Hallows. I am staying well clear of that debate.
Supplies and tools: Serif CraftArtist; American Crafts Nightfall digikit; Serif Hallows’ Eve Punches and Stamps digikit; American Crafts black cardstock
Super cool cards… i love you bouncy bats in a spooky kid of way!…;)
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Thank you. It is an old idea but a good one!
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Awwww! Your card is spooky cute! I’m not a fan of scary movies either. I slept with the covers around my neck for years after watching Dracula!
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Lol! I can’t keep my eyes shut for long in the shower either, after seeing Psycho years ago!
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I’m laughing! How many times have I ripped the shower curtain open after I heard a noise expecting a knife wielding psycho to be standing there! 😂
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Snap!
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What fun. I don’t make Hallowe’en cards – never seen the point, TBH. I don’t celebrate Hallowe’en, so why make cards (though yours are undeniably cute. I like the bats very much) Here in France Toussaint (All Saints’ Day) is the day when people visit the cemetery and put flowers on their family graves. I can see the village cemetery from my window and it’s looking quite cheerful with all the crysanths being put out.
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I don’t usually make them either – just had an inkling to do it for some reason. It’s nice that All Saints day gets celebrated too, I think!
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Those cards are wonderful. it is a shame we don’t celebrate Halloween here more. I miss the dressing up and the spooky goings on.
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Thank you. Where my sister lives they had people just out and about in zombie and vampire costumes at the weekend. Just because they could!
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I love these cute ‘spooky’ cards and your ‘flying’ bat – very clever! They most certainly do not look like a rush job either! I’m definitely not a horror film fan, just hoping tonight we don’t get any ‘killer’ clowns knocking on the door!……
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Yes, that would not be good! There is a notice on our local mini supermarket door saying they have been requested by community police not to sell eggs or flour to children in the run up to Halloween. Might be under siege later!
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Very spookylicious indeedy. Wonderful cards. No idea where the apostrophe goes but I was always taught if in doubt leave it out. he he. Halloween is sort of creeping in here ….. pardon the pun. The Village is a hive of activity with flower arrangements and candles being prepared ready for tonight. Might have to watch Practical Magic now you have made me think of films.
Stay out of mischief, Flo x
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Ooh I love that film….I might join you! Thanks for the kind words. Xx
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Loved your tinnitus comment, you need to have it more often these cards are beautiful. They caught my eye immediately. I agree, I am not into the gory or scary part of Halloween, nor the scary movies that seem to be on all month. You should have been given a girlfriend award for sitting through the Omen especially in black and white. Things always seem scarier to me as there are more shadows in black and white. Perhaps that is why he is a “former” boyfriend, lack of appreciation. 🙂
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Thanks! It was first love – doomed to failure! I think I spent most of the time looking just to the left of the screen and saw hardly anything at all! The black and white was in case there was blood, as I am also squeamish. My sister thinks we cannot possibly be related as she loves a horror movie!
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Oh wait that first sounds like your work isn’t good., Sorry how that sounds. I just meant you’re very creative and should listen to it. Sorry. You do great work!
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Lol – don’t worry, I saw both comments at the same time. I didn’t take it in the way you are worried I might have because you always say nice things and are always supportive!!
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Whew! Thank you! Your writing always makes me smile if not laugh, the last I wanted to do was offend.
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🙂
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LOVE THEM! Adorable, Gillian! So glad you have that voice in your head that knows your craft supply inventory. 😉 Is you cat eyeing the cat on the card??
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Thank you! No, he is too engrossed playing footie with an ink pad at the moment!
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I love these! I tend to like the cute side of Halloween more than the gory or creepy side as well. However, I’ve never ever given/sent a Halloween card. Some of my friends would love to get Halloween cards instead of Christmas cards – they love Halloween that much. Hm. That gives me an idea … instead of Christmas cards, next year maybe I’ll pick a random holiday and send cards for that!
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Thank you. Your idea sounds really funny. Especially if you included all of those super-random days, like ‘today is National Hot Dog Day’ to choose from.
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This sounds like a job for you; a card for *every* occasion! 😉
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Lol! Me and my big……
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Great cards…love the bats 🙂 we have real ones that fly through our garden..as long as that’s all they do. We’ll have no bloodsucking here thank you very much!
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Thanks! I was pretty chuffed with Bob (the bat) I have to say. Now you have made me wonder, are there any vegetarian vampires? How would they survive?
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Liquefied Quorn…ha ha ha!
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Aaaah. Maybe with a bit of cranberry juice for a touch of realism.
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Just asked my son what he would eat if he was a zombie…( he’s vegetarian)He looked at me sympathetically and said :”Brains…”
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Nice that he was kind enough to just answer a simple question, the kind anyone might ask, right…?
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Especially his mother…:)
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Methinks he may be accustomed…..
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It’s part of my Lessons In Life teaching…patience when answering weird questions from older women who may or may not be related to you…
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Genius. When we are in government that will be a compulsory course at school.
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Thank you very much! Perhaps there could also be a module called “Pointless Speculation” …
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You have been promoted from Chief Duster to Secretary for Education. Might have to lose your tabard though. Success has its price.
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Ooh I know! A completely useless pair of second glasses that I can wear hanging on one of those beady chain things round my neck…that would be a suitably edifying badge of office!
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Could I suggest madam try a lorgnette? Very dignified.
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Ah. I’m not sure if I have sufficient gravitas to carry one of those off…
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Hmmmn, okay… Groucho Marx fake specs and moustache? Too far the other way?
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Perhaps a tiny bit…!
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Cute cards … glad you took the time to make them. Happy Hallowe’en!
P.S. Love Practical Magic, too!
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Thanks! You too! I really want to watch that film tonight now!
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Love these cards, especially one with a cat! Your flying bats are super cool!
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Thank you so much. I had been thinking about using this idea again for a while, but could not settle on a suitable image. Then, Halloween and hey presto, a suitable image!
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I think your cards are super, super cute, I love them! Halloween cards definitely need to become more common over here.
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Thank you! I am now a convert to that idea myself. It’s a licence to go nuts, really!
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Well I’ll work on it in Ireland, you in the UK – we’ll eventually convince everyone that Halloween cards are the way to go!
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You are on!
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Thank heaven for your inspirational light bulb moment (or tinnitus)…..those cards are really neat!
I think the scariest movie I saw as a kid was “The Birds”. It probably scared the willies out of me because on my walk to school i went past a cemetery that was home to a bunch of crows in it’s evergreens.
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Thank you! That is a very scary movie – I have only watched it from behind a cushion (pillow, in the US)! Crows are so bleak, somehow, aren’t they?
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They tell me they are really intelligent……I am not sure if that makes them more or less scary! The fact they caw when we would walk by……what in the world were they plotting? Or were they just commenting on our clothing? Didn’t like which side of the street we were walking on? Or were they just trying to keep us on edge?
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Maybe it was their version of a wolf whistle?
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LOL!!! I like your version much better!
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I am convinced this must have been the cause!
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Oh my, these are great! I don’t do spiders and creepy crawly things either. Bats, well, if they are stuck to the card, yes! Love yours. He seems to be floating. Lovely! We sometimes seem to come up with a perfect card when we are pressed for time, don’t we! I make quite a few Halloween cards…many great nieces and nephews. The “Trick or Treaters” were out before I got home from work today…we had a steady stream of them for about 2 1/2 hours. I so love the little ones all dressed up in their costumes! Such great costumes this year…so many handmade. They are great to see. 🙂
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Nancee, where do you live that you got so many trick-or-treaters? My friend in Michigan posted on Facebook that they had 170 tonight! But we only had 13 – and that was an increase over last year! So we hardly get any, even though we live in a nice, quiet neighborhood (Northern Calif.) The custom around here has gotten to be to take the kids to a church or school party where they can wear their costumes and celebrate Halloween that way. But it’s just not the same as the good old days when the kids would come to the door!
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It is sad if you had the tradition and it is dying out. I know that with kids parties here now the parents are often given a bewildering list of what individual children can and cannot eat. Foods taken to school have to conform to dietary rules too for allergies, religious beliefs and so on. I would guess this, and general fears over safety are the cause. Modern times!
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Yes, things used to be so simple… although I do think it’s regional; some places still have many more kids visiting door-to-door on Halloween night.
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Yes, somehow the pressing deadline was a help with these – definitely not always the case though! Handmade costumes are the best – they are usually much more inventive and of course made with love!
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Gillian, I think it’s fun that you riffled through your stash and found some supplies to make Halloween cards this year – they came out so cute! I like your flying bats idea. There are bats who only eat fruit – not vampires – have you read the children’s book, “Stellaluna?” It’s super! But the fruit bats live in the rainforest, they aren’t the kind that inhabit our attics and come out at night to eat mosquitoes!
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No, I haven’t heard of that book. I will watch out for it! I had no idea that bats eat mosquitos though. Personally I think they (bats, not mosquitos) are pretty cute!
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The bats here in the USA eat insects and are good for pest control. Here’s a link to that story being read aloud: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VLRIvyWUzxs
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These are amazingly cute! I’m scared of everything scary, I take part reluctantly in Halloween celebrations. I usually find that chocolate takes away the pain! I love the cards, digi kits are full of lovely surprises aren’t they?
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Thanks. Yes, it has reminded me to check out the rest of my digital stash again!
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I always find things I’ve forgotten about! It’s like Christmas every time I go in the craft cupboard.
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Lovely cards 🙂
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Thanks!
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Brilliant, love them all, it was obviously the inner witch coming out in you, just for Halloween though! 🙂 x
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Oh yeah, I definitely have one of those!
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Very cute!
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Thanks!
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You have so much creativity! Thank you for sharing!
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