Andy Skinner: DEAD MAN'S HAND

Hello Everyone!

Welcome back and thanks for stopping by! Today I am sharing a 5" x 7" canvas created especially for a Spooktober Challenge from Andy Skinner and Traci McLean of Creative Expressions. Week one; October 4th - 10th is themed "Skulls".

If you are a poker player, you've heard of a "Dead Man's Hand" that consists of aces and eights. Andy's Skull of Spades and Stonewash stamps with a transfer black spider from Horror Mixed Media Transfers from Creative Expressions provide the PERFECT combination for this idea.

This was a fun and easy Halloween project to create especially with all of the wonderful products from Andy and Creative Expressions!

I began with a piece of speciality stamping paper (has a bit of a slick finish and is almost like a cardstock feel). Using permanent black ink, I stamped the skull ace image. Then I cut out around it to make it look like a 4 3/4" x 3 1/4" playing card. I rounded the edges with a corner punch. Next I used the permanent black ink and ramdonly stamped partial images from the Stonewash stamp to give a weathered, rough feeling to the card. Heat set. Aren't these great stamps?

I used a bit of Andy's Cosmic Shimmer Yellow Artist Pigment Paint mixed with a bit of water to create a wash effect and brushed it onto the card. I wiped away excess color. Heat set. Next was a light wash using Quinacridone Gold Artist Pigment Paint and wiped the excess. Heat set. Finally a touch of Payne's Grey Artist Pigment Paint wash around the edges of the card. Using a ruler, I drew a straight line 1/4" from the edges around the card and rounded the line ad the rounded edges of the card using a permanent black ink pen to frame the card. Heat set. I then rubbed the scary black spider from Andy's Horror Mixed Media Image Transfers onto the left side of the card.

This ghoulish ghost is perfect for coming out around the back corner of the card. This is a transfer from Andy's Horror Mixed Media Transfer images. I also added a top hat from his buddy who is also on the Horror Mixed Media Transfer Sheet. I transferred these two images onto a piece of white computer paper and fussy cut them out. I cut the hat our and added it to the ghost's head to make him look more like a gambler ghost.

I added Andy's Cosmic Shimmer Lava Paste to a metallic number "8" and heat set it. The heat activates the Lava Paste and turns it into some amazing bubbly texture as you see in the inset. When cool, I painted the eight with Black Acrylic paint followed by Quinacridone Red Acrylic Paint around the bottom as if the eight is bleeding out.

Now for the canvas base! First I added Andy's beautiful Rice Paper image from his Tiles collection. This was done using Matte Medium generously brushed onto the canvas. I laid the Rice Paper in the center of the canvas over the Matte Medium and then burnished it to remove all wrinkles and air bubbles. Then a coat of Matte Medium brushed over the Rice Paper to seal it. Heat set. Next, using my finger, I added Andy's Cosmic Shimmer Strata Paste on either side of the canvas (to hide where the Rice Paper did not cover). Heat set. This Strata Paste gives such a tactile edging! I LOVE IT!

I painted the edging using Andy's Payne's Grey Cosmic Simmer Artist Pigment Paint. Look how beautifully it adds to the tile Rice Paper.

Still using the Cosmic Shimmer :Payne's Grey Artist Pigment Paint, I stenciled all of the letters I would need to create the "DEAD MANS HAND" tiles for the canvas. This was done on a piece of creme card stock and using Andy's Redemption Stencil. I cut out around the letters, added a light touch using a cotton ball with a hint of Cosmic Shimmer Yellow and water wash then edges with my finger and a touch of Payne's Grey Artist Pigment Paint. Now it's time to assemble everything and glue it into place!

The letter are glued in place using a small adhesive pad under each one. I also added adhesive pads underneath the "8" and the gambler ghost to give the canvas more dimension. Also a little scrap of black netting was glued underneath the Ace for added interest.

Add a little "blood" using Quinacridone Red Acrylic Paint to the "8" and let it run down onto the letter tiles. Wha-lah! You have a fun Halloween decor piece! Be sure to check out all of Andy's products at Creative Expressions website. Links are listed below! #spooktober

Here is a list of all of the items you will need to create this fun project: