Spooky Haunted House

Sometimes I feel so behind on my 12x12 scrapbook pages.  I started baby albums for Maddie and Lily when I was pregnant, that basically have hospital pictures in them, and that's about it.  I have Christmas 12x12 albums that I have been working on since about 1996, but I'm about 3 years behind on my pages.  Most of the years that I do have pages for are incomplete.  I guess that's why I gravitate to mini albums so much.  To me it's a much smaller time commitment, because I can do a complete mini of a holiday, vacation, etc. in about 2 days (including adding photos & journaling).  And, that's why I'm super excited about today's post!  I spent about a day making this spooky haunted house mini, and once Halloween is over I'll probably spend a day or less adding photos and journaling.  Then I'll have a frighteningly good mini.  I know, that was pure cheese :))

So, let me give you the low-down on how I made it.  You're going to love this.  I started with a Clear Scraps Chipboard Shapes Sandcastle Album. When I bought them, I thought they would be perfect for beach photos...though, that's a little predictable.   Then, I thought I would make princess castles for my little frilly girls.  So then, I thought Halloween!!!  What a fantastic haunted house!!!  As you may have guessed, most of the time I'm in idea overload...I REALLY need more hours in the day!

I sprayed the album with the new Halloween Glimmer Mist color Afraid of the Dark.  I really liked how the chipboard took the GM...excellent coverage, lots of glimmer...love it!  I embossed some Graphic 45 Staples Stickers with UTEE and clear embossing ink.  I used Graphic 45 Magic of Oz 8x8 paper, and will use more paper for photo mats and embellishments when I have photos to add.  I inked Prima Shabby Chic Treasures Window Frames with Black Soot Distress Ink.  To finish it off, I embellished with Prima Vintage Trinket Charms, 7 Gypsies Display Corners, Tim Holtz Curio Knob, Art-C Mixed Beads Violet, and Prima Buttons.

I leave you with a poem from one of my very favorite poets.  Happy Halloween!!

The Raven Edgar Allan Poe (1845)

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore— While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. “ ’Tis some visiter,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—                               Only this and nothing more.” Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore— For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—                               Nameless here for evermore. And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating “ ’Tis some visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door— Some late visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door;                               This it is and nothing more.” Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, “Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping, And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, That I scarce was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide the door;—                               Darkness there and nothing more. Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before; But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token, And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, “Lenore!” This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, “Lenore!”—                               Merely this, and nothing more. Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning, Soon I heard again a tapping somewhat louder than before. “Surely,” said I, “surely that is something at my window lattice; Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore— Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—                               “Tis the wind and nothing more!” Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore; Not the least obeisance made he; not an instant stopped or stayed he; But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door— Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—                               Perched, and sat, and nothing more. Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, “Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven, Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore— Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!”                               Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.” Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore; For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door— Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,                               With such name as “Nevermore.” But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour. Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered— Till I scarcely more than muttered “Other friends have flown before— On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.”                               Then the bird said “Nevermore.” Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, “Doubtless,” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore— Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore                               Of “Never—nevermore.” But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling, Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door; Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore— What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore                               Meant in croaking “Nevermore.” This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core; This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining On the cushion’s velvet lining that the lamplght gloated o’er, But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o’er,                               She shall press, ah, nevermore! Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer Swung by Angels whose faint foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor. “Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore; Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!”                               Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.” “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!— Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore, Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted— On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore— Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!”                               Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.” “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil—prophet still, if bird or devil! By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore— Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore— Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.”                               Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.” “Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting— “Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore! Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken! Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door! Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!”                               Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.” And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming, And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor                               Shall be lifted—nevermore!

Comments

[Ptitesmimines]

OMG omg omg ! what a fabulous creation you have done ! I love every details, you are a real artist !!!

[Deborah]

Ok Melissa - you have really outdone yourself! This is so cool.

[Denise Phillips]

Well Madame! You've put your foot to the pedal haven't you! Fantastic over the top!!!! Love it!!! And back to back with your previous post!!! You're on a roll!!!! Keep going!!!! ox

[Yoli]

This is FA*BU*LOUS!!! Luv the skeleton bride too.

[Sandra]

WOW! What a stunning halloween album! Love all the gorgeous embellishments!

[Debra P.]

I just can't say enough about this project. Just phenominal!! I love all of the details. So creative and fun!!!

[Tiffany]

This is amazing! I love the details, the colors, and the ideas. Great job turning a sandcastle album into a Halloween one it's just amazing. :)

[The Sparkly Fairy (Emma)]

Wow! Just stunning! I have added it to my Pinterest board - hope thats ok x