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WIP Wednesday: Lore of the Vampire

I've got another project in the works and of course, it will be perfect for Halloween or for fans of vampires. It all started with the Tim Holtz Vignette Coffin and watching Dracula (the Bela Lugosi version, of course!). Van Helsing not seeing the Count in the mirror and the Count's violent reaction were the little spark that triggered my imagination. I envisioned a grungy mirror inside the Vignette Coffin with the rays if the sun, bats, a cross, and stake...

It all begins with a coffin...
After thinking about cutting glass and how clumsy I am, I looked at different sheets of glass at the craft. A nice antique glass called to me and as I held it in my hands, I spotted a sheet of plexiglass. I carefully returned the glass to its niche and snatched up the plexiglass.

Pinterest inspired me and I put the plexiglass over the coffin, tracing the interior edge onto the acrylic. The material was thin enough to cut with scissors. I removed the protective coating from one side and added Tim Holtz Blending Solution and drops of Adirondack Alcohol Ink Silver Mixative. I really tried to water-down the silver and blotted the excess with a paper towel. Once dry, I put the silvered coffin into a paper bag and sprayed the paint over in quick, light movements. I didn't want to completely coat the plexiglass.
Plexiglass coffin

While it dried, I used Tim Holtz Distress Stain in Walnut Stain on the lighter-colored cut edges and dry brushed the coffin with black acrylic craft paint. I like how it darkened the wood without making it just one black coffin shape.
Getting ready to stain

The edges soak the stain right up

Dry brushed coffin

Closeup of dry brushed wood

I love how the plexiglass almost has a mica appearance. This is a technique I think I'll be using again! (and with the sheet large enough to yield three coffins and being under $3...it'll definitely be affordable!)
'Antiqued' mirror surface

There was a trial run I did with the black spray paint and I didn't like the result. I decided to test out molding paste on my Tim Holtz Rays stencil before I ruined my pretty "mirror." I arranged the stencil in place and taped it down. With my palette knife, I slathered a thin layer of Golden Heavy Molding Paste over the stencil and lifted it straight up when I was done. To my surprise, it worked perfectly! I cleaned my stencil and repeated it on the good mirror.
Molding paste drying

While the molding paste dried, I rummaged through my collection of optics and found a lovely round lens. I added Distress Stain in Carved Pumpkin and Iced Spruce with dabs of Hickory Smoke to a piece of Bristol board, taping and masking to get a nice line between the two sides. Once dry, I put the lens on top and traced it out then cut it out.
Sun/moon

Sun/moon lens

In my mind, the optic was cooler than it actually appears. I may leave the spot empty or might just create a moon out of Aves Apoxie Clay. Time will tell.

With the paste dry, I put the clean stencil back over the rays and added color by starting off with Distress Ink in Carved pumpkin and topping the center with Candied Apple. I added a very light layer of Black Soot after I removed the stencil to make sure the sides of the paste weren't just white. The black really brought out the texture of the paste.
Orange and red were too cheery for this piece

The black ink really brings out the texture

I wanted bats on the mirror as well and debated punching them out of paper when the thought occurred to me to use Yupo paper as a stencil since it is basically plastic. I took the trio of bats from my Tim Holtz Haunted House die and cut a small rectangle of Yupo then ran the bats over it through my Vagabond 2 machine. It cut perfectly.
I see myself making a lot more stencils!

I taped the stencil in place and added the molding paste, lifting up to reveal perfect bats.
Uncolored bats

Once they were dry, I added Distress Ink in Black Soot.
A trio of bats

The bats seem to grow out of the mica finish

I really love how the mirror looks and am struggling with the sun/moon lens. I've been making more bits to the piece and will share more with you once it is done.
Vampire hunting mirror

Debating on the lens

Closeup of bats and lense


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