Monday, September 10, 2012

Macabre Monday "Oh my Gourd!"


Okay, macabre fans... your challenge this week:

You are to create a dark, Gothic, or Halloween-based art piece
that utilizes, mimics, infers, or is otherwise obviously
gourd or pumpkin inspired.

We have a wonderfully creative and timely sponsor this week!!
These are called Floating Pumpkin Hanger kits.
Very cool concept and pretty simple to put together.
These look awesome in a grouping and the website has lots of
photos and design ideas. They are available through Spirit,
Amazon, and possibly other online retailers. A simple Google search
should help you locate them in your area. They even have a Face Book page.

I couldn't find a real pumpkin for this challenge but fortunately had a fab black faux one to carve.  I tried origianlly to use my Cricut and vinyl to cut a creepy stencil to follow, but the vinyl wouldn't lay flat and I immediatly knew the cuts would be too intricate after cutting the lid with the knife included with my kit.  This baby was tough to cut!  Not the knife's fault, it was WAY harder than a real pumpkin or any of the faux ones I've carved in the past.  So instead of the creepy, I went with the magical and drew my design with a white water soluble crayon.
It was also tough to get a decent pic, but here's my "boofed" up pumpkin hanging in the living room.  I wanted to keep the black/white thing going as that's how I decorate in that room for Halloween.  After the "rough cut" with the knife I cleaned up the edges with a really sharp garnishing knife (Martha ain't got nothin' on me!), then sandpaper, and finally my diamond nail file.  I added some tulle, ribbon, ad white skeleton leaves and there you have it.  Looks kinda elegant and magical hanging mid air, don'tcha think?
and the piece de resistance...WAY cool hanging from the trellis, in front of the gate to the backyard.  I've got to get me some more of these hangers.  To join in our challenge, please check out the fab inspiration by the Minions at HDH and see that you don't necessarily have to carve something to be elegible for a prize.  Can't wait to see what you come up with.

10 comments:

  1. HOLY CAT WHISKERS, Donna! Looks like something I'd buy in the store! Turned out fabulous and totally worth the effort!

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  2. This is great! Love the black and white theme. I need to get some of those hanging pumpkin kits... So cool!

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  3. Donna this is so elegant and classy just like it's creator. xxxx

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  4. Wow this is so cool Donna and it looks so awesome! I can't believe that you carved this faux pumpkin-it looks store bought not homemade! I swear lady you awe me in everything you do!! Love, love it!!! Hugs!!

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  5. FABULOUS - what a stunning creation .... yous so clever. I would deffo buy this if I saw it in a store. Amazing !!! xxxxxxxxxx

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  6. WOW, you have a talent for these carvings hun! I would have cut my fingers off doing that! lol xx

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  7. I'm hanging my head in shame because I was going to leave you a comment without reading what you wrote...and then I read the comment above mine saying she would have cut her finger off. What was that about? Because from the picture it looked like you used puffy paint on this. (I told you I was hanging my head in shame!) So glad I read all of the (almost gory) details and you kept all of your fingers intact! Love this and your eye for details...always inspiring!
    :Dxx

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  8. Brilliant Donna. it looks totally amazing lit up. where did you get the faux pumpkin?

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  9. Fabulous creation! I'm loving the black and white pumpkins I've been seeing around and yours turned out great! Awesome addition of the tulle. Brilliant idea :)

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Thanks for making my day!