ASITD Sponsored by Dilly Beans

It's time for a new challenge at A Step in the Dark and this fortnight we're sponsored by Dilly Beans.  some of my fave images are Megan's Sugar Skulls, and with Dia de los Muertos fast approaching, I thought I'd use #384 Sugar Skull with Flowers because his big ol' pompadour totally cracks me up.  As you know, it's the custom to make an ofrenda (altar) for deceased loved ones, but did you know that many people makes altars for their favorite (dead) stars, as well? Although not exactly an altar, I decided to channel Elvis (tell me he doesn't remind you of him!) and make a tag to honor The King.  I've colored the stamp with Copics (after digitally removing his moustache ), Added a die cut crown, used pix from the web (including the records) and layered it all up on a black tag.  Added some cool glittered musical notes and strung Alpha Beads on the ribbon hanger. 

I had the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers I is for Iconic in mind when I made this so of course, I'm entering it there, as well as Left of Center 3 or more layers, and PunkYouGirl ATG with a Halloween Twist.

New Challenge at A Step In The Dark with Lacy Sunshine

A brand new challenge starts today at ASITD with our fabulous sponsor, Lacy Sunshine.  As always, it's ATG and this fortnight there's no twist, so no reason not to play, as long as you're channeling your "dark side".  Although Lacy Sunshine does not often come to mind when dabbling in the darker arts, don't be fooled.  Artist Heather Valentin has an alter ego, so be sure to check out the Lady Heather's Curiosities Section of the LS Crafter's Candy Shoppe and have a look around.  I've used Parrish-New Orleans, one of the City Girls found in the Misc. Digis Section.  She's quite the Voodoo Queen.  Here she stands outside the gates of the famous St Louis Cemetery No 1, waiting to pay her respects to the renown Voodoo Priestess Marie Laveau.  Gotta love it when the DP does all the work, eh?  This fabulous scene is from the 6x6 Hallow's Eve pad by Mariah Johnson for Creative Imaginations.  All I've added was a lock from Tim Holtz, skulls by JoLee's on each post (rubbed with gilders paste to better match the lock) and a couple of epoxy bats.

Here's a closeup of the gorgeous Parrish.  She's fussy cut, popped and colored with Copics and this is the first time I've attempted dark skin, using E27 and E15 with a teeny bit of R20 for the faintest blush.  Her dreads and braids were done with N5, N7, N9 and 100.  I gotta say, for a first try, I'm pretty proud of the way she turned out.  Be sure to visit ASITD to view the fabulous creations by the DT and come play along with us.

I'm entering this in the Left of Center challenge (under the LOC theme), Simon Says Wednesday ATG, and Open Minded Crafting Roll Out the Red.

Honourable Member of A Step in the Dark

As many of you know, I spent the month of July as GDT at ASITD.  I love the challenges and the team is a total hoot so I was feeling all lonesome for them in August.  Although they just completed a DT call, I felt that I just couldn't totally commit to another team but I missed them so much and mentioned it to the gals and they created a fabulous position for me as an Honourable Member. WooHoo!  Isn't that the SWEETEST, EVER?  Now I can pop in and out as time permits and still enjoy the comradery of the group without stressing about each and every challenge.  I can't thank them enough for this fabulous honor (or should I say honour? xxx).

So of course, with this announcement, as well as the addition of new actual teamies, I had to have a project featuring this fortnight's sponsor, Delicious Darkness. The theme is ATG (as long as it's dark, of course).  I have used Aquarius  from the fabulous Horrorscope Range.  Sentiments from last year's Authentique Enchanted pack.  DP from DCWV and scraps from previous project. This was a quickie but I still love how it turned out.

I'm entering this in the Great Impressions September Get Your Spook On Challenge.

We All Scream for Ice Cream

It's the second week for our I Scream for Ice Cream Challenge at HDH and to say my mojo has flown the coop since my little vacay in Co is the understatement of the year.  You gotta go see the fun little video we all have taken inspiration from for this challenge and here's my take.  Kinda looks like a 10 year old made it, eh? Umm... the background paper is from Tiddly Inks (thanks Glo for reminding me), stamped with blood spatter from the Inky Dreams Rubber set from Smeared Ink and I've fashioned a little waffle cone from a Spellbinders circle embossed with my Cuttlebug Tiny Mosaic folder. The ice cream is partially die cut, partially free handed and of course partially punched with my Drippy Goo border.  Stamped with a Stampotique stamp (he certainly does look like he's in duress) with red gem eyes and outlined with Stickles.  The sentiment was cut with the Haunted Mini Alphabet from Quikutz.  My teamies we WAY more creative than I so be sure to visit HDH and check them out.  I think I'll slink back to the dungeon now....

But not before I enter it in LOC (using the LOC theme) and ASITD ATG because they love me anyway.  xxx

New Delicious Darkness Challenge #1!

I'm very excited to announce that the very first Challenge at The Delicious Darkness Challenge Blog is now LIVE and I am on the team!!!  Our first theme is ATG, (as long as it's DARK or alternative) and you needn't even use a Delicious Darkness stamp. It runs from the 13th of every month to the 10th of the next so there's plenty of time to play.  I've created a wall hanging which started out as a fairly simple project but just grew and grew.  And so did this post, so grab a cuppa, you're gonna be here awhile.

This inspiration came first from one of Teri's newer stamps, Disturbia, with it's giant pile of creepy characters.  A good portion of the DD team also resides in the dungeon with me at HDH (imagine that!) so this reminded me of them.  xx I printed this stamp 5 times so I could fussy cut the crew and add the dimension I so love. (Better pic of that later.) Fortunately, there was minimal coloring to do, just my usual fave combo of WG! and G21 for Zombie flesh, some more warm grays for shadowing, and a couple of other greens for the lovely snakes slithering about.  After distressing the edges, I chose one of the digi papers from the Beastly Paper Pack (a total "must have").

When I saw this sentiment from Ginger's House I couldn't believe the luck! We're a tight knit bunch and this really fit the bill.  Cut and matted with Spellbinders Labels One and inked with Distress.  OOOH, notice the google eye?  They're splattered throughout.

However, the hanging was a bit lob sided now with that large sentiment, so I looked to the papers of balance it out a bit.  Ah yes, Teri's Pentagram did quite nicely.

This weekend, I went to the Scrapbook Expo in Santa Clara hoping to score, among other things, some more of the Melissa Frances hangers I so love.  However, much to my dismay, they no longer make them in black.  Bummer!  Not that I can't paint the, but...  Anyway, I bought a number of them and tried a few and this, a new style for me, looked the coolest.  However, it needed something to darken it up a bit (besides a bit of Distress Ink).  So on with the Ram's Skully (also from the DP).  WooHoo!

But, of course, I just could leave it flat.  Printed 5 times and fussy cut, here's the dimensional shot.  By the end of this project my hand was in spasms!

And finally, the dimensional shot of my bunch of crazies.  I considered naming them but didn't want to cause any more chaos. (But I'm the one middle left with her mouth open, big surprise.)  Thanks for hanging in there with my longer than long post, but, as you can tell, I really, really, REALLY love this project.

So, if you haven't visited the new Delicious Darkness Challenge Blog, you're in for a treat.  Go meet the team and check out the fabby makes and by all means, come play along.

I'll be adding it to the following dark themed blogs:  Left of Center ATG, PYG August ATG Challenge, A Step in the Dark ATG.  And the mainstream Oldie but Goodie Black and White Plus One (Green and my oldies are the google eye's that are so old, some of them have turned a bit cloudy.), All Crafts Anything but a Card Aug/Sept, and Anything But a Card Repeating Motifs. 

Anything Goes at A Step in the Dark

Today is my final challenge as GDT at ASITD and I want to thank the lovely ladies for letting me hang with them.  It's really been fun!  The challenge this fortnight is ATG, sponsored by Smeared Ink.  To tell you the truth, I had so many ideas I got a bit overwhelmed with making a decision  (I've got TONS of Smeared Ink Stamps, both digi AND rubber!), but I had a particularly rough day and this was the result.  It's a simple AJ page using, one of the digi papers from the Cranium Pack.  The image is from the Chicks Dig Guns set, colored with Copics and fussy cut.  I changed the color of the paper in my Printmaster Program to a lovely blood red.  The sentiment is computer generated.  Guess which "spree" I chose.  LOL   Be sure to stop by ASITD to see the fab makes by the DT and come play along.

I'm also entering this in the Smudgy Antics Challenge on the Smeared and Smudged Forum.

New Challenge at A Step in the Dark

I'm so enjoying my GDT gig at A Step in the Dark and a new challenge starts today.  Such a fun and talented group!  As always, the projects may be ATG on the dark side, with the option, this fortnight, of adding metal.  Our fabulous sponsor is Ike's Art, a fave of mine, and I've chosen the gorgeous Sinful Beauty (scroll to 4 of 8 to find her) for my project.

I've made a tag with a flames background I found on the net backed by gold foil card stock.  Quite dramatic and apropos for such a hot babe.  Don'tcha think?

Here she is, colored with Copics and a bit of metallic gel pen for her chains.  "Hot" is spelled out in gold metal letters and I've added a metal ball chain through the top hole fitted with a large enameled metal eyelet. 

The fun sentiment is another fave, from Ginger's House.  It's cut with a Spellbinders Label and inked with Distress. Be sure to stop by ASITD to see the fabulous projects by the DT and enter for a chance to win.

GDT Gig for A Step in the Dark with Aurora Wings.

WooHoo!  I'm thrilled to be guesting for a time for A Step in the Dark and this fortnight's Challenge is ATG (Dark) or Dark Fantasy, sponsored by Aurora Wings.  ASITD is a new dark crafting blog and I hope you come and join the group.  I've chosen the fabulous AW Santa Muerte for my project and made a wall hanging in traditional Dia de los Muertos colors.

This gorgeous image comes as I've colored her with Copics here and also without the background HERE.  Isn't she beautiful? (and trust me, not nearly as intimidating to color as she looks.)

The perfect DP is from K&Co and I've added some fun embellies.  In the bottom right corner I've used a Tim Holtz tombstone die cut, some Recollections roses that I've recolored with Copics and a fab spiderweb (and skullie) charm.

On the left I finally managed a hand made rose using the Tim Hotz pinecone die, enhanced with some Stickles.  I'll be making more of those for sure,now that I've finally got the hang of it.  Also some lovely Drippy Goo (MS punch) in red foil CS to match the foil flowers in the DP.

 Finally, I've made a triple looped bow with my Bow (un)Easy and added a gorgeous dripping butterfly die cut from Cheery Lynn that I originally saw on ASITD DT sister Teresa's Blog.  Thanks so much, Teresa!  (See, I told you you want to check this place out)  I've grunged up a skullie charm to add to the butterfly and finally, the sentiment is from Tim Hotz.  Be sure to vist ASITD to see the fabulous makes from the DT and some play along for a chance to win a $15 GC from the amazing Aurora Wings.

I made sure I used plenty of metal to enter the current Use Metal Challenge at LOC. 

I'm also entering this in the Corrosive Challenge Color Me Happy Challenge used Copics), the ABC Challenge "O" is for Orange, Craft Your Passion Ribbons, Paper Make Up Stamps Digi Makeover Butterflies Challenge, and 613 Avenue Create ATG/no Option.

Lucy Loo 'Vampire Queen'

It's FRIDAY and that means another FABULOUS release from The East Wind.  Our fave Lucy Loo is vamping it up.  Isn't she just gorgeous (and yeah, a little frightening, I guess)?  Meet 'Lucy Loo' Vampire Queen.  I've made a simple shaped card using my Spellbinders Grand Labels One.  My "go to" lovely blood drips behind are from Tiddly Inks and are actually supposed to be ink but they work so well for me in red.  Don'tcha think?

I've colored Lucy with Copics and a gel pen for her ornament and added a lovely skelly cameo to her flower. 
 

The sentiment is from the net and I thought it had wonderfully haunting quality and just the right amount of "creep factor".  It's cut with Labels Four, inked and surrounded with Drippy Goo. My teamies have done Vampire Queen proud.  Take a look HERE. 

I planned to enter this in the Left of Center At the Movies Challenge, but I missed the boat  (Apparantly this was not the day to sleep in.  BooHoo!) 

I WILL enter it in A Step in the Dark ATG or Zombies  (I'll be back there with a Zombie, for sure so stay tuned) and Crafting by Designs Favorite Holiday (Halloween).

Aurora Wings New Release Memento Mori

There's a gorgeous new stamp premiering today at Aurora Wings called Memento Mori.  Now you know I love me some skulls and this one, lying amonst the gorgeous poppies makes me swoon!  You can find the meaning of "Memento mori", as well as fabulous creations from my teamies using this gorgeous new digi on the AW Showcase Blog HERE.

Here's a closeup view all colored up with Copics.  I chose to do the poppies in red to truly make them POP.  Lots of fussy cutting going on too.

Did you know that Mitzi also has a variety of floral borders and corners that coordinate with her beautiful stamps?  I've used a Poppy corner to balance my design here, but there are many more gorgeous floral stamps available in both sets and individually HERE.  They are perfect to combine with her fantasy stamps or elegant on their own.

I've made a tent card, cutting the window with my Spellbinders Labels 17 and framed it with the largest of the Spellbinders Timeless Rectangles.  I used the second largest of the dies to cut the opening window with my craft knife.  The intricate web, floating through the center, is a Memory Box die.

I'm entering this in the Corrosive Crop it or Cut it Challenge, Left of Center using the LOC theme, Creative Knockouts Die Cuts/Punch Frenzy, the Fitztown Favorite Colors challenge (black, white, red)  and A Step in the Dark ATG.

Mirror, Mirror

Did you know that Mondays and Fridays are new release days for The East Wind?  Join the FB Group to find out all the scoop and share your fabulous TEW projects.  Here's my card with the fabulous 'Lucy Loo' Mirror Mirror.  Isn't she fabulous!?   She's colored with Copics in shades of purple to enter the A Step in the Dark Add Some Purple Challenge (or ATG as long as it's "Dark") and I was thrilled to find that purple DP from Recollections in my stash.

Here's a close up.  I've fussy cut her and attached her to a piece of mirror card stock that I've embossed several times with Utee, put in the freezer and cracked.  Kind of an errie effect, eh?  the one thing I'd do differently is cut your card staock the size you want BEFORE you do your heat embossing, because if you need to cut it to size after, some of the cracked pieces may come off.  No prob here since it's it's supposed to look old and shattered.  The sentiment was computer generated and popped a top a lovely ribbon so I could enter the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers "R" is for Ribbon challenge and make it "Girly" enough for Left of Center.

Just had to add the graphic from SOSS, they are always such a HOOT!

I'm also enterting this in the ABC Challenge "M" is for Monochromatic.  And speaking of challenges, The East Wind's new Blog challenge is Embossing Wet or Dry and the FB Contest is Something Out of the Norm.  Why not stop by and play along?

A Whole Lotta Rosie for Macabre Monday

It's Week 2 for our Whole Lotta Rosie Challenge at Haunted Design House.  What's that, you say?  We either want to see roses on your deliciously dark project, or a fat chick named Rosie, (or AC/DC, but you've gotta visit the Blog for that explanation). Easy peasy, eh?  My hubby frequently gives me a ration of S*** for all the stuff I save, but this time I hit the mother load with this fabulous bag.  Roses?  I've got ROSES!  (in the shape of a heart, no less)  The fabulous stamps were generously offered by Lisa Tyrell in celebration of the Left of Center One Year Anniversary.

Here's a closeup of the gorgeous skull, complete with a giant rose, no less!  I didn't really have to do much coloring, just the rose, since Lisa's shading is so fab, but I did print it 4 times and fussy cut to give her dimension and added some Stickles to the rose and some gems. 

And the skellie goblet.  OOOHhh!!!!  It's printed three times on white and once on matte metallic, fussy cut, popped and encrusted with jewels.  WooHoo!

Here's the dimensional shot. And tell me that bag wasn't begging to be altered! 

And of course, my sentiments, exactly.  I'm entering this in Left of Center Challenge under the LOC theme, the very FIRST ATG/Skulls challenge at A Step in the Dark, That Craft Place Alter a Can / Alter It challenge, AND (I'm truly going to hell for this) the "Y" is for Your Mama Challenge at Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers (which of course, just BEGS for an explanation)  Hope it's ok it's not a card.

 

It's no secret that I LOVE my wine.  My mother, however, was not so thrilled about how MUCH I love my wine and affectionately (?) referred to me as "her little Wino".  Personally, I thought she needed to chill, so were she still with us, this would have been her Mother's Day gift bag.  (and since she's not, I think the skull is appropriate.)  xxx

New Aurora Wings Release for the FB 1000 Member Celebration

Yes, it's an exciting day for Aurora Wings fans as the 1000 Member Celebration is going on now HERE.  In honor of the occasion, Mitzi is releasing this brand new digi image called Anima Sola, or Lonely Soul.  Members of the DT have colored up this beauty which can be seen on the Aurora Wings Showcase Blog.

It's amazing how different the image can look with different color variations.  I've chosen to go with a darker theme, coloring the entire image in the Copic N range before adding just bits of color over the poppies (R02, R05).  The black DP with white flowers is from the 8x8 DCWV La Creme Stack.
Anima Sola will be available at the Aurora Wings Etsy Shop .

Hope to see you all at the Aurora Wings Facebook 1000 Member Celebration.  There's fun, prizes, new releases and a little surprise ;) so hurry on down (or request membership if you haven't already). Please scroll down to see what I've done with the adorable freebie Mitzi has generously offered in celebration of this fabulous event.

I'm entering this in the current Left of Center Challenge using the LOC theme, Simon Says Wednesday Spring Flowers, One Sweet Challenge May Flowers Challenge, Crafty Catz Black, White and One Other Color Challenge, and the BRAND NEW A Step in the Dark ATG/Skulls Challenge.