Happy Halloween Layered TopperCompleted by Pamela Horton The whispering Platypus

Thank you Anna Babjanyan for the inspiration with this unisex image for a Halloween greeting, the main image of which I have been able to use as the front cover on one of the colouring booklets I have made for young school age children living in this town house complex where I currently live, as Trick or Treat items for the 31st October next.

I have printed the sheet onto white card and cut out the main image to mount onto a 14.5cm square, deep cream card using D.S. tape.

I have used an orange pen and a gold metallic pen to define the edges of the cream backing sheet and also the edges of the main image.

The front cover is a design by Clare Walker, cup913032_7993, Halloween Black Cat Pattern. I printed it onto both sides of sturdy card and trimmed it down to measure 25x 21.5cm.

I attached the image to the centre position using power tape and then completed the decoupage by adding the other elements using padded D.S. tape.

The back cover I printed in the same manner and cut it down to 30cm x 21.5cm. I made 2 mountain folds at the top of the card, marking the first fold at 3cm and the next mountain fold at 5cm.

These 2 folds then formed the width section at the top of the booklet. I made a label which I mounted onto an orange backing sheet, and used wet glue to attach the front cover underneath the fold over section at the top of the booklet.

I used a punch to make the holes for the self- adhesive clip, which holds the black and white images to be coloured.

I strengthened the back page where the clip is attached with an extra layer of matching card, then attached it with white glue, allowing a day for the glue to be dry.

The black and white Halloween images, I have as a source from many colouring books and ideas from school teaching days.

The first page in this booklet is from a design by Janet Giessi, Halloween colouring Cards set 2, of which I have used the second image on the page, cup818606_70151.

I have also included in the photographs here, a copy of a simple bat template for your use if you wish to copy it.

I have put a tutorial on my home page for one of these books, some of the measurements may be slightly different, but it still works well and is a useful size and design.

To make the booklet have a sort of messy look, I have torn the edges and used either a green or an orange pen to define edges.

I have at least 20 pages in each booklet, and for the older 10+ age group, I have used both sides of some pages, some smaller images with 2 images on one page and also added some hand drawn spiders or ghosts.

I have used many of these smaller images mounted onto 7x7cm cards to pop into a trick or treat bag, and made a game, similar to SNAP for a special family.

I will also post a tutorial, for the easy way to make these cards for the game on my home page in a day or two as I have run out of yellow ink.

This was fun project and well worth the time and effort, and a good educational and healthy alternative to bags of sweets.

Pamela Horton. The Whispering Platypus.