For my Artist-in-Residence theme project for IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko®, I am continuing my love of Halloween and Authentique's® Thrilling paper collection. Thinking ahead to the night of thrilling chills, I thought a Halloween piñata will be fun and I will want an accompanying table decoration that looks shabby, worn and colorful.

by Debbie Gaetz
Artist-in-Residence for IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko®

I found a paper mache` witches hat at the local craft store. I applied IMAGINE Crafts® Creative Medium™ in Original to the cone section of the hat and draped 2 large sheets of black tissue paper over the top of the hat and pressed them into the hat. I then applied IMAGINE Crafts® Creative Medium™ in Shimmer over the entire surface of the black tissue paper to give it some extra shine.

I cut up rectangular blocks of paper from Authentique's® Thrilling paper collection and applied those to the rim of the hat with the Creative Medium™ in Original. After they were all down, I applied IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko's® StazOn™ Solvent Inks in Royal Purple, Cactus Green and Pumpkin with IMAGINE Crafts® InkBlushers™, and a few swipes of IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko's® Delicata™ Pigment Ink. I also made a few 'delicate' swipes of the Delicata™ on the black tissue paper.

I took an extra sheet of the orange tissue paper and rolled it around, wrung it out, and tore some strips out to make a band at the base of the cone. Then I took a pair of small detail cutting scissors and cut a fringe on the papers at the outside edge of the hat brim.

I cut out one of the 'picture cards' from the Authentique® Thrilling paper collection. The IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® Memento™ Dual Markers in Tangelo and Potter's Clay worked well for the Halloween colors, and the Love Letter and Lady Bug worked well for the bloody effects. This was placed onto the face of the hat on the cone with Zots; I even put a thin fragmented strip of the orange tissue paper beneath it and let the ends hang out each side.

Using die cuts from Memory Box and LifeStyle Crafts dies and Authentique's Thrilling papers, I made 3 circle bases and 3 rosettes for floral accents. Each die cut was sprayed with IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko's® Fireworks!™ Craft Spray in Tangelo, Pear Tart and Grape Jelly.

From left to right:
Memory Box die; LifeStyle Crafts die; Martha Stewart paper punch

I used the circle die cut as a base for the rosette, and I applied a crystal to the center of each rosette with glue.

Using my favorite Halloween paper punch from Martha Stewart, I punched out 2 spiders. One spider was put on the small circle chain made from the remaining circle die cuts, and the other spider was attached to the cone part of the hat with pop dots.

My witch's hat decoration is now ready for the Halloween party. Are you ready for Halloween? There are so many Halloween papers and I think you'll find the Authentique® Thrilling paper collection is really fun to work with for crafts, cards and scrapbooking when you combine them with the inks and other products from IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko®!

I hope you enjoyed this project as much as I enjoyed putting it together. I felt like a kid again!

SUPPLIES USED:

• IMAGINE Crafts® Creative Medium in Original and Shimmer
• IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® StazOn Solvent Inks in Pumpkin, Cactus Green and Royal Purple
• IMAGINE Crafts® InkBlushers™
• IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® Fireworks! Craft Spray in Pear Tart, Grape Jelly and Tangelo
• IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® Delicata™ Pigment Ink
• IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® Memento™ Dual Markers in Potters Clay, Tangelo, Love Letter and Lady Bug
• Authentique® Thrilling paper collection
• Martha Stewart® Spider Paper Punch
• LifeStyle Crafts® Cutting Dies "Circle Punches" (DC0112)
• Memory Box® Blooming Rosette Craft Die (98121)
• Miscellaneous:  zots and pop dots adhesives; liquid glue; orange and black crystals, black and orange tissue wrapping paper