We Create Blog Hop - September Step it Up and Holiday Catalog Launch!

Welcome to our September Blog Hop! We are a group of Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators who create a simple project and then a “stepped up” version on the first of every month. Today is the Holiday Catalog Launch! I'll be showing you two fun Halloween cards created with the new Graveyard Gate bundle. 

For the simple version I used the color combo of Wisteria Wonder, Pumpkin Pie and Lemon Lime Twist onto Whisper White cardstock. I stamped the headstones and bats with clear Versamark and heat embossed with black embossing powder. Then I made a mask for the moon by punching out a 1-inch circle and taping it down with repositionable adhesive. I sponged Wisteria Wonder, Pumpkin Pie, Lemon Lime Twist and Wisteria Wonder again on the bottom. I removed the mask from the moon and added shimmer with clear Wink of Stella. I embellished with Lemon Lime Twist Finely Woven Ribbon and black Vintage Crochet Trim. Black Rhinestone Jewels were added to the headstones. On the inside I created a creepy torn sentiment from the same Graveyard Gate stamp set. 

I stepped it up by adding the gate from the Detailed Gate Thinlits Die and using the "kissing technique" on the headstones. The Graveyard Gate Bundle includes the Graveyard Gate stamp set with the die and saves you 10%. This card just had to be an easel card. 

The lock and key are a thinlit die included with the gate. I cut them out with a scrap of Shimmery White cardstock. Next I laid them on my Versamark pad to get them coated then heat embossed with silver embossing powder. 

Kissing Technique:  One of the stamps in the Graveyard Gate set is a rocky pillar. I inked the pillar with Smoky Slate and pressed the headstone onto the inked pillar to get the rocky image before stamping on my paper. So, it's like they kissed. I've seen really old headstones like this at the Triplett Cemetary at Lake Eufaula. I used this same stamp to create the background for the "Open if you Dare" sentiment. You will want to pop up the sentiment with Stampin' Dimensionals so that your card base will have something to rest on to make it stand up. Stamp your headstones and cover them with a mask before sponging your background colors. It gives them the creepy white outline around them. I stamped the candy image in the bottom right corner. I imagined that someone was so scared outside of that gate that they dropped their candy.

Here's a side view of the simple easel card. The card lays flat to fit in a Medium Envelope 5-3/4" x 4-3/8".  Let me know if you have any questions or you need any measurements by commenting below. Thank you for stopping by! To see what the other bloggers' stepped up cards look like, hop on over to my creative friend Tanya at Tanya's Stamps & Things by clicking Next Blog below:

You can order any of the supplies to make this card directly from me by clicking on the order button on the right, or by visiting www.stampinup.com and choosing me as your demonstrator. Check out all of the new stamps and 23 new bundled sets! For a list of all of the bundles, which save you 10% just click HERE.

• Stamp Sets: Graveyard Gate
• Colors & Ink: Wisteria Wonder, Lemon Lime Twist, Basic Black, Shimmery White, Pumpkin Pie, Smoky Slate, Clear Versamark, Black Momento
• Embellishments: Black Rhinestone Jewels, Black Embossing Powder, Silver Embossing Powder, Clear Wink of Stella, Lemon Lime Twist Finely Woven Ribbon, Black Vintage Crochet Trim
• Tools: Multipurpose Liquid Glue, Fine Tip Glue Pen, Stampin' Trimmer, Paper Snips, Heat Tool, Stamping Sponges, Heat Tool, 1" Circle Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals
• Big Shot: Detailed Gate Thinlits Die