Carey Burns

Our state is officially on a 'shelter in place' order and my little pumpkin diorama is complete! There was a lot of finger crossing going on while making the end bits, but thankfully, everything turned out great. Supplies: Aves Apoxie Clay Model Trees Black Acrylic Paint Tim Holtz Boneyard Tim Holtz Skull Fragments Tim Holtz Tiny Lights Clean Applesauce Cup Thick Foam Sheet White Paper Shrinky Dink Paper (frosted) E-6000 White Acrylic Paint Tools: Rotary Tool w/ Drill Bit Paint Brush Scissors Plastic Paint Cup First, I had to get the courage to drill a hole in the back of the pumpkin so I could feed the Tiny Lights through. Once I did, I had to widen it so the thicker plastic part of the strand would fit through. Next, I kneaded the two-part Aves Apoxie and created a base inside the pumpkin. I added small balls of the clay to the trunks of the trees and then added them to the clay base, making sure they were anchored well and then smoothed out the ra...

I've been away from the blog but I've been really busy making new pieces. Since times are so uncertain and a little scary, I thought I'd get back and share some inspiration. This project began with a very plain, very smooth black faux pumpkin diorama I snagged for about 90% off. It had a lovely black glitter interior and immediately, it made me think of a spooky Halloween night in the woods. Supplies: Faux pumpkin diorama Hard Molding Paste Sophisticated Finishes Rust Kit White Gesso Acrylic Paints: Yellow Oxide Transparent Burnt Umber Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold Quinacridone Crimson Phthalocyanine Blue (Green Shade) Tools: Metal Pick Paint Brushes Plastic Paint Palette Plastic Paint Cup The first thing I had to do for this project was add some texture to the pumpkin and it's stem. There wasn't much product left in my tub of molding paste so I just reached on in and grabbed as much as I could and patted it all over the pumpkin where I w...

This week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge   is to make something Christmassy. Seems odd for October, but what can you do?  I had an idea for a vintage plastic reindeer but as I assembled supplies, my idea shifted a bit.  Supplies: Tim Holtz Vignette Tray Yupo Paper Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink in Pitch Black Blending Solution Archival Ink in Jet Black Tim Holtz Tree Line Stamp Vintage Plastic Reindeer Acrylic Paint in Black Glossy Accents Recollections Vintage Glass Golden Glitter - previously dyed with the Alcohol Ink in Pitch Black E6000 I had the alcohol ink background from a previous project. First, I added a pool of Blending Solution to the Yupo paper and then added a few drops of the alcohol ink. I shifted the paper back and forth until about 3/4 of the paper was covered. I added more alcohol ink to make it a bit darker and shifted it again.  Once dry, I added straight black alcohol ink to the white band for the horizon. Afte...

I purchased two vintage muffin tins to hold charms and beads at sales but don't really use them anymore. Rather than sell them off at a yard sale, I saw some inspiration on Pinterest so I made these two crusty, creepy Halloween decorations! For the piece on the right, I didn't have step-by-step photos, but I'll list all the ingredients after the how-to for the one on the left. Supplies: Muffin tin Distress Grit Paste Distress Paint: Black Soot and Picket Fence Distress Ink: Black Soot and Walnut Stain Alcohol Ink: Mushroom, Gold Mixative and Pitch Black Tim Holtz Transparent Tile (skulls only) Tim Holtz Halloween paper stash (older version for cobweb designs and skeleton) Tim Holtz Skulls Tim Holtz Decorative Domes Tim Holtz Word Key Tim Holtz Tombstones Glossy Accents E6000 Foam dots Moss Plastic Spider Vintage silver glass glitter Cork vial of glitter Twine Tools: Foam brush (small) Cotton swabs Scissors Wire cutters (I use an old pair f...

Ahhhh....it is August and that Halloween itch is getting harder to ignore. Perhaps it is my peeling skin from my recent sunburn? Where has the time gone, dear blog? I've been wrapped up in so many things and then the summer was taken up by 10-hour workdays leaving not much time for you. But, I've been busy crafting and will share some of my completed and in-process projects. First off, let's talk about this year's Halloween theme at home. It is once a witch's apothecary with some new pieces. This is just one corner of the living room so far. There will be creepy black cheesecloth and more goodies but, it is a start!

I decided that this year I will "make do" with the crafty supplies I already have. There's only so much space in the Pit of Despair! This project came together really quickly and while I used a vintage plastic reindeer, a new version can be substituted. Supplies: Tim Holtz Vignette Panel (largest size with backer board) Tim Holtz Christmas Stack golden star paper Tim Holtz Typography letters 'FLY' Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink Gold Mixative Tim Holtz Distress Stain in Walnut Stain Tim Holtz Matte Medium Glossy Accents Red acrylic paint Dark green acrylic paint Vintage plastic reindeer Sophisticated Finishes Rust paint Four felt adhesive dots Tools: Scissors Paint brushes Cotton swab Months ago, I nabbed a bag of vintage plastic reindeer at an antique shop and decided to rust one to see how it would look. I coated it in two layers of iron paint and then added the rusting agent. I liked how it looked and set it aside for later. While organizing my...