Halloween Count Down Slate

Here's a cute project I put together as my Design Team submission for the latest Creative Cutting Challenge "Halloween--Not A Card".  Created using a 8" x 10" chalkboard slate, the front side of this sign is used to count down the days until Halloween.  

Here are the project details:

• I used DecoArt Cadmium Orange acrylic paint along the chalkboard edges--both inner and outer.
• Using some scrap designer paper (I believe I picked this up at Hobby Lobby), I cut strips and attached to the wood frame of the chalkboard on both sides using Ranger Studio Multi-Medium.  Once dry I used a craft knife to trim the corners and a sanding file on the edges.
• Using black acrylic paint and water, I "floated" color along the outer edges.  I also used the orange paint to touch up any areas on the inside edges.  Once dry, I brushed on an acrylic varnish.
• Holes were drilled in the upper corners
• The cat element was created out of Tim Holtz Grunge Paper which was cut on my electronic cutter using the cat from the HALLOWEEN SET ONE SVG file.  I used the same orange paint on the shadow layer.  The top layer was painted black.  Once dry, I attached the two pieces using Glossy Accents.  Then, when that was set, I covered the entire cat in acrylic varnish.  

I chose to use Grunge Board to make the cat very durable.

• To embellish the cat, I added wire whiskers, held on with Glossy accents.  After that was dry, Black Diamond Stickles was added in a triangle shape and the eyes were finished withYellow Stickles. 

After everything was dry on the cat, I used black foam dots to lift it up from the chalkboard, so that the tail laid flat on the wood portion.  I added Glossy Accents to each side of the foam for permanent adherence.  

• Next I created the sign wording with Photoshop and then painted it onto the slate with white acrylic paint.  I have put that into a pdf file that you can get HERE for free.
• To make a chalk holder, I took a regular size clothespin, painted it black and added a matching strip of paper.  I finished the same way as the chalkboard and attached to the frame with Glossy Accents.

• The final step on the front was to add the hanger.  I used orange pipe cleaners but ribbon, wire or cording would have worked just fine.

Now, I could have left the back side plain...not even putting paper on the frame...which would have been fine.  But I thought that it might be a good idea to be able to flip the sign once the count down had ended.

So this is what I came up with .  I painted the sign the same way and have that pdf Freebie for you too.  You can get it HERE.  I added another Grunge Board element to the back as well.  This pumpkin is from the JACK PUMPKINS SVG file.  I painted and assembled this the same way as the cat.  I did a little extra painting onto the pumpkin to add the stem and creases.  Black Diamond Stickles accents to the eyes, nose and mouth. I also attached it to the slate using Glossy Accents. 

Hope you liked the project!  Don't forget to check out all the great Design Team Halloween inspiration over at CREATIVE CUTTING CHALLENGE.  If you are an electronic cutter who uses SVG or similar files, I hope you'll join in the challenge....we want to see your creations and you just might become a winner!

Entered Into The Following Challenges:

ANYTHING BUT A CARD--ORANGE AND BLACK

HOBBY CUTZ--HOME DECORATION

CUT IT UP: HALLOWEEN OR DAY OF DEAD (die cut cat/pumpkin)

SIMON SAYS MONDAY--SPOOKY