Day of the Dead Crafts/ Dia De Los Muertos

 The Day of the Dead — El Día de Muertos in Spanish — is celebrated on Nov. 1 and Nov 2. The Mexican holiday celebrates loved ones who have passed on by welcoming back the souls of deceased friends and relatives with their favorite drinks, food, music and more. 

Below you will find some of my favorite creations I have made using my rubber stamp designs!

Stamps used: 

Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls

Assorted Flowers, Flourishes, Mustache and line art

See my entire stamp collection here!

Day of the Dead Shrines

Sugar Skull ATC

Sugar Skull Sun Catcher

Flaming Sugar Skull ATC

Sugar Skull Art Cards!

Visit the Blank Page Muse blog hop for more Day of the Dead creations! 

Sugar Skull Shrines

 I had a fabulous time this last weekend, teaching this make and take with Blank Page Muse at the Scrapbook Expo in Ontario, California!

My stamps were a huge hit and people were saying that they loved making the shrines!

- if you would like to check out my stamp line or see what other stamps are available, visit-

https://blankpagemuse.com/michelle-frae-cummings/

And use code : BPMMichelle

to save %15 off your total order!

Day of the Dead Sun Catcher

Hi Everyone! I posted this tutorial a couple of years ago (when Blank Page Muse used to be called Sin City Stamps) and I thought some you might be interested in seeing it again! Especially with Day of the Dead and Sugar Skulls being much more popular than ever before! 

Enjoy!

Supplies: 

1. Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls rubber stamp set by Michelle Frae Cummings
2. Medallions rubber stamp set by Michelle Frae Cummings
3.  Petals rubber stamp set by Michelle Frae Cummings
4. Black ink- acid free and non bleeding.
5. Acrylic block
6. 12x12 black cardstock
7. White gift wrap tissue paper.
8. Clear contact paper
9. A unique bowl to trace.
10. Scissors
11. Pencil
12. Assorted colored pens that wont bleed.
13. Black permanent pens in fine and regular tips.
14. Zig two way glue
15. Silver craft foil 
16. Double stick and regular tape.
17. Something to protect your work space.

 Begin by tracing your bowl onto the cardstock. Carefully cut the traced shape out and discard.
Trim your tissue paper to 12x12. Tape the tissue paper securely to your work space and lightly trace your design.

 If desired, you can use a ruler and pencil to mark off your traced design into four even sections. This will ensure even alignment when stamping.
Stamp your images with the black ink directly onto the tissue paper, careful not to smudge any wet ink.

 When you have finished stamping and the ink is dry, peel off the tape and flip the tissue paper over. Smooth this out and tape the corners and anywhere else so it will not move while coloring.

Always start with your lightest color first. I started with yellow. Then I went onto pink, orange, red,  green then purple.  

When coloring, always let the ink dry before re-applying or the moisture will tear the tissue paper.  I used a blue highlighter to fill in the rest of my design.

After I had finished coloring, I outlined and colored in what was needed with the black pens. Different ink pads vary, so you may not need to do this step. Either way, I think it adds sharpness and  makes the happy colors more vivid.

 When the coloring is all done, cut (2) 12x12 squares from the clear contact paper.  Peel off the backing from one and carefully adhere it to one side of the painted tissue paper.  Repeat on the other side of the tissue paper. - This is basically a cheap version of laminating. 

 Use the double sticking tape to adhere the black cardstock to the most vivid side of your design.
Then draw a folk art like design with your zig glue pen as shown. 

 The glue goes on 'blue' and turns 'clear' when ready for the foil. 

 Place the foil 'shiny-side' up onto the glue and press down, burnishing the foil into the raised glue design with your fingers.  Peel away the foil to reveal the fun!

 Cut away the excess cardstock.
If desired, add some more glue and this time use colored foil.

 Hang in a window for all to enjoy!

Thanks for coming by, I hope you liked my project and liked my stamps!
Leave me a comment here and let me know what you think. :)

For more Sugar Skull Inspiration, click here!

Day of the Dead Artist Trading Cards

When I was invited to participate in a Halloween  swap, 

I couldn't resist in making up some sugar skull charms and matching ATC's! 

I really love how these came out and hope you will too!

 Supplies:
Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls
Black cardstock cut down to 2½ x 3½
White pigment ink for stamping
Shimmer gel pens

See the full tutorial here!

Mini Flags - Fan Art

Here is some fan art showing you how to make mini flags using the little flowers from my Sugar Skull stamp set!

Supplies:

Blank Page Muse Stamps: Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls Set (tiny flowers used for this project)

Blank Page Muse Stamps: Dandelion Wishes with Butterflies Set (little butterfly used for this project)

Coloured Ink Pads - your colour combo choice 

Scrap White Card

Large Paper Clips

Hessian (plastic backed used for this project - helps to hold the shape and a little sturdier)

Embellishments: cardboard printed wording, scraps muslin, charms, gems

General supplies: scissors, glue, cotton & thread, ruler.

See the full tutorial here! 

Day of the Dead - Fan Art by Sharon Rogers

Welcome to the last day of our Day of the Dead Art - Celebration!

Today's featured artist is Sharon Rogers, a mixed media artist based out of Australia. 

See more of Sharon's art here. 

Sugar Skull bookmarks. See the full tutorial here.

Family Memories, See the full tutorial here.

Quick Idea Tags- See the full tutorial here.

Sugar Skull Art Stamps

I hope you have enjoyed your journey with us and have been inspired!

Day of The Dead - Fan Art by Kim Johnny

Welcome to day 17 of our Day of The Dead Art - Celebration!

Today's featured artist is Kim Johnny, a mixed media artist 

and owner of Blank Page Muse Rubber Stamps. 

Kim is from California, U.S.A.. 

Kim covered a blank heavy duty chipboard with gesso. She let that set up a bit until it was spongy, then she stamped all over with my Sugar Skull Stamps.

Once dry, she was able to paint over the stamped designs with rich colors of acrylic paints. 

Dry brushing with gold paint really brings out the raised designs! 

The Female Sugar Skull  was stamped in black and colored with gel pens.

Just stunning!

Sugar Skull Stamp set

Flaming Sugar Skull ATC

Welcome to day 15 of our Day of the Dead Art - Celebration!

This is a Artist Trading Card I made using one of my sugar skull stamps and Rinea foiled paper. 

See the tutorial here!

Sugar Skull Art stamp

Day of the Dead - Art by Christina Ellis

Welcome to day 14 of our Day of the Dead Art - Celebration!

Today's featured artist is Christina Ellis, 

a mixed media artist based out of California, USA

 Christina decorated a canvas with paint and a artistic sugar skull.  

She then added dimension with brightly colored silk flowers and embellishments. 

Sugar Skull Artist Trading Cards

Welcome to day 12 of our Day of the Dead Art - Celebration!

Today's featured artist is yours truly!

I created these ATC's (artist trading cards) to keep on hand for friends want to swap. 

As you can see, I'm not afraid to use color when I create and I definitely used a lot of it!

I even used my ATC stamps on the backs of the cards!

You can see the full tutorial here!

Dandelion Burst stamp set

 Artist Trading Card stamp set

Sugar Skull stamp set

Day of The Dead - Fan Art by Anne

Welcome to day 10 of our Day of the Dead Art - Celebration!

Today's featured artist is Anne, a mixed media artist. 

See more of  Anne's art here.

I'm loving these stick dolls by Anne! She used Staz-on ink to stamp the Sugar Skull stamps faces onto cotton. Then decorated them as she saw fit.

 So clever!

Sugar Skull Stamp set