Halloween Card File Box

 Hello Friends,

Today I'm sharing photos of the Halloween Card File Box I created for the idea-ology Halloween Release.  This is the second Card File I have made, so I just reused the drawer I created for the first one.  I put the spring cards in a zip lock bag for safe storage and have added some fun Halloween cards for the season.  Maybe I need to make Christmas cards for it too so I can leave it out all year long?  I think I need to add that to my list of projects to get done in November.

I love these cards because I love the process of making them.  It's the kid of project that you don't have to think too much, you just put on the music and go for it.  Following the same formula as the first box of cards I made works well...

1. Cut Kraft Stock to size 3 1/2 x 4 1/4"  (you need 18 - 25 cards/dividers to fill the box).
2. Add paper backgrounds to all cards.
3. Color all the Paper Dolls.
4. Add ephemera + Paper Dolls + words.

I think the background paper is key to the project.  I used idea-ology Backdrops Halloween - which btw could be used year round!  The colors and patterns go together so well that it made it very easy to create the collaged cards.  I also added some Halloween Worn Wallpaper to the mix since it has a different look (like old wallpaper) and texture.

All cards were cut using the Black Kraft Stock Stack, which is a pack of 24 sheets of heavy, black, 6 x 8" Kraft Stock (black on one side, kraft on the other).  That way all cards are black on the backside without any effort.  

For the front of the cards, I used my Tonic Trimmer to cut various strips of paper, from 1" to 3".  Once I had a little stack of papers, I glued them to the cards with Collage Medium, cutting away the excess paper with scissors.  Could not be any easier.

Once the cards were covered, I used a corner rounder to (obviously) round the corners of each card.  Next up is the stitching.  I love stitching on paper so I added some stitching on each card, leaving the threads long (this really does add to the project).

Once the card were done, I set out to color a huge bunch of the Halloween Paper Dolls and a could portraits that come in the pack.  You can see the the main color I used was Crushed Olive, with Faded Jeans coming in a close second, followed by Black Soot, Aged Mahogany, and a bit of Rusty Hinge.  I like to color the dolls all at once, so I can have a large stack ready to go.

Now you are ready to assemble the cards using the Halloween Ephemera pack, Mini Flair Halloween, Halloween Layers, and the absolutely fabulous Snippets pack that has all the tiny labels you will ever need...until you use them all and have to buy another pack!

I have highlighted a few of my favorite cards:

words - Sticker book

crow - Ephemera pack

crayons - Rustic Wilderness on the sweaters + Aged Mahogany on cheeks

button - Mini Flair

blue label - Snippets pack

words - Sticker book

crayons - Crushed Olive Crayon on the background + Aged Mahogany on cheeks

bottom and left side background paper - Worn Wallpaper Halloween

card with calla lilies - Ephemera pack

round label - Snippets pack

words - Sticker book

crayons - Crushed Olive Crayon on tie + Faded Jeans for suit 

flower - Worn Wallpaper Halloween

left background paper - Worn Wallpaper Halloween

flashcard - Ephemera pack

label - Snippets pack

button - mini flair pack

mask - Sticker book

crayons - Weathered Wood on dress + Crushed Olive detail

stripes on socks - POSCA pen

left background paper - Worn Wallpaper Halloween

pharmacy label- Ephemera pack

label - Snippets pack

mask - Sticker book

words - Sticker book

crayons - Chipped Sapphire suit + Crushed Olive vest and shirt

buttons on shirt - POSCA pen

butterfly - Layers pack

31- Ephemera pack

label - Snippets pack

words - Sticker book

crayons - Rusty Hinge dress

stripes on socks - POSCA pen

poison label - Ephemera pack

bat wings - Halloween Transparency pack

label - Snippets pack

words - Sticker book

crayons - Peeled Paint on dress + Aged mahogany on cuffs and collar

stripes on socks + buttons - POSCA pen

These next few cards were created as filler or "breaks" between the cards.  

lotto card - Layers pack + flash card - Ephemera pack

spiderweb - Layers pack

In Loving Remembrance - Layers pack

All buttons - Mini Flair Halloween

owl - Layers pack

patterned paper - Worn Wallpaper Halloween

button - Mini Flair Halloween

prescription card - Layers pack

crow - Ephemera pack 

button - Mini Flair Halloween

word - Sticker Book

green tag - Ephemera pack + man and words from the Sticker book.

As for the box I put the cards in, it is the largest of the Vignette Boxes that comes in the pack.  I had my husband cut two pieces of wood to hold the cards up.  These were wood pieces from other Vignette projects where I did not use a shelf here or there and saved the left-over pieces (I never throw that kind of stuff away).  Once the dividers were glued in with Collage Medium, I painted the inside black so it looks like it came that way.  Once dry, I chose a paper to cover the body of the box.  Any pattern will work!

I hope you give this project a go!  I love making these cards, in fact I find them kinda relaxing, as there is not much thought...because anything goes!  The layers of Ephemera and Paper Dolls are fun to create with and tell a story, like the boy with the crow on his head!

now carry on,

paula