Whimsy Stamps ~ The Apothecary Sign

Hey crafty friends, if you've been following me a while, you'll know I'm all about the too cute to spook Halloween creations! But I've had a stamp set for while I've been wanting to work with and finally came up with a concept I really liked. It's much sleukier than I usually would go for! But there was something compelling about it and I wanted to have a go at colouring it up. So here is the result of this 'out of my comfort zone' play. Avert your eyes if you're a sensitive soul!

I had a fun idea to create a hanging sign, similar to the swing signs you'd see hanging above the outside to the entrance of a store, visible to passers by. I didn't have a large shape I could create a more square notched corner sign (and quite honestly thought it through better after I'd already created my base, so just ran with it!) I had a large jar and a rounded base Pyssla container, so traced around those and created the base shape. I pulled out my large 6x6 background rubber stamps and had a play with different designs. I used a cool damask wallpaper design first, which you can see in the pics below. It wasn't right for this 'outdoor' sign, so I ended up cutting the top off that and using it for a different design, but followed the same process using the Shiplap Background Stamp. I had to stamp these stamps four times to create a larger overall square, as my finished panel I wanted to add on top is quite large. But with some careful lining up, I got a pretty good meeting of the woodgrain panels. 

I had a lot of fun with some Distress Spray Stains recently and created this dirty grungy panel which was my starting point for this creative adventure. I used Black Soot Distress Stain, Salvaged Patina and some Twisted Citron Distress Oxide Spray stain to create the background panel. I was just playing, but it was so fun. I used quite a lot of water to get the stains to mix and move and the resulting panel was just so grungy and dirty looking, I thought of the eyeballs I'd been playing with the colouring of and a jar die I'd been wanting to use and the idea came together for the Apothecary Sign. 

Once the panel had dried, I felt it needed something else in the background behind the jar of eyes, it looked too plain as it was. So I grabbed my Potions Cupboard Background Stamp from Whimsy and stamped that in a grey ink in the background. I used VersaFine Morning Mist to add that detail. I didn't want to use black, as I wanted it to remain in the background and not overshadow the ink work, just enhance it and add some visual interest. I absolutely love the finished result of that. I think it looks so cool! Then it was time to build the rest of the piece and bring my ideas together. 

My hubby had an idea to set up a filming space for me, so I could capture my process better and share a little more of the creative story, so I've filmed an explanation of my process. It was my very first try to film quite like this, so forgive my scatter brain tangents, but I think there was enough interesting content stepping through my process to make it worthwhile sharing. You can watch that in the linked video below. You can click through to the YouTube version here.

I think the jar of eyes is so creepy cool! As I said, way creepier than I would usually do, but I was being adventurous this year and trying something a little outside my comfort zone, so you'll have to let me know what you think? Love it? Hate it? It's fun to try something different, but I think I'll be returning to my too cute to spook style for my next make.

I give a pretty good description of my creative process for colouring the eyes in my video, so I won't go back over those details here. But the pic above gives you a closer peek at some of the details. I added some shading in the bottom of the jar with grey Copic Markers, as they eyes looked weird floating without any grounding, this helped add that detail. I added a little under the lid too. The tiny tag is from the same die set as the jar and I diecut from the edge of the paper I'd been playing with and inking around the eyeballs. You can see that in the pic that shows the eyeballs before I diecut them out. I used the same VersaFine Clair Ink to add the stamped 31% off, which comes from the Witches Broom Sale Stamp Set. The spider webs in the top corners were stamped over the Potions Cupboard Stamp and are from that same Witches Broom Sale Stamp Set. You may notice in the pic above, the jar is rounded, not flat and I speak about this process in the video too. 

The metal elements for this design started off much brighter and looked a little gaudy for what I envisioned for the piece, so I put them all in a little plastic pot and added a few different alcohol inks, one at a time. I mixed the metal around with a little wooden stick and let the alcohol cover all the metal elements to achieve an older more rustic feel. This is one of the first times I've tried this and it wasn't a perfect finish, but much better than the starting point, so I was pretty pleased! I need more practice and to have a bit more of a play with this technique. But I'm happy with the more muted tones of the metal now.

I had intended to use a Distress Crayon for altering the word plaque I've used to title this piece, but when I tried, the crayons didn't give the look I wanted, so I ended up just washing them off and starting again. Seeing the result on my metal chains, I decided to try some Alcohol Inks for altering the word plaque. I accidentally dumped the word plaque in the alcohol ink tub upside down, when I turned it over, the ink had only affected the high points and look so good, I decided to stop and be done right there! A very happy accident!

Thanks for stopping in today friends, I love to know you've been for a visit, so please do leave me a comment to let me know what you think of this creepy make! I'm intrigued! I'll be back soon with another creative adventure and the Whimsy Stamps latest release has just gone live in the store, so there's lots of cool inspiration to see over there from the New Release team, be sure to stop by and check it out. You can click through on the banner above. For clarity, my Whimsy links are not affiliate linked, just tracked links. If you'd like to follow our fabulous Halloweeners to keep up to date with all their posts over the Halloween season, you click through on the banner below to our blog post with all their social links. I highly encourage following these talented ladies!

 

(I share thumbnails to the elements I design with in order to make your search for them easier, in case you like something I've used. I do use affiliate links where possible, which gives me a tiny commission but costs you no extra whatsoever. It helps the companies I design for to improve their marketing practice and track my contributions. I am deeply grateful if you use them for these reasons. I am proud to design for the companies I do and always feel happy to share where my inspiration and where my crafty stash comes from. I am occasionally gifted products to use, but I only design for companies whose products I absolutely love and buy for myself. My opinions are always my own.)

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