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.

A Touch of Darkness at Aurora Wings

This is a very busy Monday for me! I'm so excited about the new Challenge at Aurora Wings with the exciting theme of

  

I've chosen to alter a bottle that originally looked like this.  Fortunately, the wine is yumbo, 'cause I really, really REALLY love the bottle.  However, the writing both back and front has to be scraped off with a razor before altering.
Bummer!

Then I colored the gorgeous dark mermaid, Secret Kiss, with Copics cut her out with a Spellbinders Grand Oval and Mod Podged her to the bottle.  I used the gloss variety, since the bottle was glossy, and kept adding layers until the finish was very smooth.

Didn't quite know how to age the bottle, but tried some Rock Candy Crackle paint.  Seemed like the bottle of paint was too small to paint my whole bottle so I didn't try to cover it all.  Unfortunately, I didn't apply it thick enough to get the large crackle I was going for, and it kind of looked frosty, so I took alcohol inks and ran them down the bottle, diluting them in places with Copic blender.

I used Glossy Accents around the image and sprinkled on mica flakes.  Then set about creating the rest of the scene, ripping cheesecloth and finding shells and other bits and bobs. 

I colored reindeer moss with Distress re-inkers,  added a skull and applied crackle to a tiny bottle and rolled up a message inside.  Found some lichen I'd saved which looked to me like under sea plants as well.

I draped a chain around the neck of the bottle and added a compass.  Finally, I stuffed more moss into the top and glued on a shell stopper that I'd painted, and sprinkled with mica flakes and added the bottom leg bones and foot coming out of the opening in the shell.  (hee hee!)  I don't often do projects like this because I'm way to impatient to wait for things to dry, but I gotta say, after some tense moments, I really love how it came out.  

Now, please visit the Aurora Wings Challenge Blog to see the fabulously dark and gorgeous projects by my DT Sisters and don't forget to scroll down to see the winners from Challenge #6. Also, our September FB Challenge, which runs through September 30th is Anything Goes, so be sure to enter both challenges, if appropriate.  I hope you're inspired to channel your dark side.

I'm adding this to the Punk You Girl What Creeps Under The Sea Challenge,  Left of Center No Designer Paper, 613 Avenue Create ATG, ALBC Distress It, Altered Eclectics September ATG (mixed media), The Mirror Cracked (first challenge, WOOHOO!) ATG Mixed Media, All Crafts Aug/Sept Challenge, and Simon Says Monday Rock the Techniques.

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. 

Macabre Monday Eerie Inspiration Week 2

It's week 2 of our Eerie Inspiration challenge at HDH and I came up with this, uh, sort of Faberge skull?  Was going for the texture and all around pale monochrome of the collage of goodies, but had a bit of trouble photographing it.  This one, in the light box shows the project, but lacks background interest.

I've used two halves of a Martha Stewart paper mache skull box given the texture treatment I learned in the Andy Skinner Book of Ruination Workshop. I used chalk and an little paint brush to bring out more of the texture. (I like the texture background here in this pic too, but it didn't work so well for all of them.) 

Because it was split down the front, I felt compelled to fill it with maribou and have a ghostly butterfly escaping from within.  (kind of like losing my mind ...it happens sometimes......and more frequently than I care to admit.  LOL)  There's that Cheery Lynn Dripping Butterfly again cut twice, in vellum this time, but with the same skullie charm.

The skull was mounted on a wooden spool painted white and wrapped with gauze.  The ruffle round the neck is done with a used ripped dryer sheet.  It was hot glued (with only minor burns) to an empty ribbon spool topped with and circle of fab textured paper from Sizzix.  I've wired some pearls and added a cross and a circle of fabric rose trim.  I'll leave you with one more pic, my fave, but it messed up the white look I was going for.

Now go take a look at the fab pieces done by my Minion sistah's HERE and HERE and come play along.

I'm entering this in the Punk You Girl Skeletons and Secrets Challenge, and Left of Center using the LOC theme.

Aurora Wings Challenge 2

We gals at Aurora Wings were thrilled with the turnout for our very first challenge and are excited to announce Challenge 2 today.  Our theme this time is MONOCHROMATIC.

Color schemes that are derived from a single base hue, and extended using the shades, tones and tints of that hue.

I've chosen the beautiful Steampunk Girl with Doll.  She's also available with a full background HERE.  Have to say she is about the most challenging digi I've ever colored but I'm very pleased with the outcome.  I've used about every E shade of Copics I own in keeping with the Steampunk feel.  My original plan was to decoupage her a bit, but after several days of coloring, I just added a small Prima rose (colored with Copics to match) and some pearls to her hat and earrings and called her done.  She's fussy cut and popped atop one side of a story book I cut with my Cricut using the My Community cartridge.

The other side has a variety of Steampunk die cuts from Tim Holtz and Spellbinders  grunged up a bit with Distress Ink and Rub'n Buff.  the metal bits are also Tim Holtz with flowers from Petaloo and Prima.  The hand crocheted antique doily came from a collection I brought home from my Mother-in-law's who passed away on Christmas.

Here's the dimensional shot.  The ruffled zipper trim at the bottom of her dress is from Melissa Frances and I dyed some adhesive crocheted lace with Distress Ink for the final layer underneath.  The book pages were distressed on the edges and stamped with a huge Heartfelt Creations script stamp (but only the edges of it) to look like the center of the text had been cut out.  The DP's are DCWV.  It's been awhile since I've done something this involved but I'm thrilled with how it came out.  My DT Sisters all have amazing creations so please visit the Aurora Wings Challenge Blog to view their gorgeous projects and scroll down to see the fabulous winners of Challenge 1.  Hope to see you all again for our second challenge.

I'm entering this in the Simon Says Monday Big Stamp challenge (the large script stamp on the edges of the book pages), Fairytale Stampers Bingo Challenge (using lace, ribbon (the bookmark) and pearls), Crafty Catz "B" is for (brown or book), PunkYouGirl Lavish Lace, Really Reasonable Ribbon Monochrome and Ribbon, SanDee and amelie's Favorite Technique Goes Steampunk (3 dimensional shaped projects using die cuts, digis and metal bits and bobs), 613 Avenue Create ATG, Love to Create Monochromatic with a Ribbon Twist, and Left of Center ATG Dark themed, and Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers "E" is for Embellishment (couldn't miss a challenge there, even if this one isn't snarky).

Another Anti-Valentine

Yeah, I know.  It's past the day but I'm still having fun.  Especially when there's some snark and sarcasm involved.  Not at all the way I feel about love, but there have been times...  Anyway, I made this specifically for a number of challenges, the first being the brand new Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers, first challenge being A is for Anti-Valentine.  Ohhh, I'm gonna have fun playing there, for sure.  The second, the current  PunkYouGirl Hearts and Harlequins Challenge.  The heart is from Tiddly Inks (retired, I guess) and I've embossed the background with a harlequin pattern Cuttlebug Folder.

I get the biggest kick out of this main image, Rollers by Smeared Ink.  Love her snarky expression and I didn't want you to missed her rollers.  I paper pieced her jammies with a harlequin pattern as well.  WooHoo!  The rest is colored with Copics.

So here's the sentiment fom Ginger's House.  She cracks me right up on a regular basis.  Sorry my printer is being a bit off but I think you get the gist of it.  I'm also adding this one to the new Naughty or Nice Love challenge, as well. 

12 Days of Creepmas Day 8

It's Day 8 of the 12 Days of Creepmas sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged Forum and I'm doing double duty today.  Obviously this is my 8th Day offering, but I made it an ATC to also play in the Wicked Wednesday Creepy Christmas Challenge.  The fabulous digis are from HDH Minion sis Teri at Delicious Doodles.  I've used Tombstone 1, although the economical way to buy them is the fab Tombstone Collection of all 6 because once you see them, you will WANT THEM ALL!  I've decked it out for Creepmas with Skully Xmas Wreath.    And just in case you're interested in non creepy stuff, teri has gobs of beautiful mainstream digis at Delicious Doodles as well.  The background digi paper is from the new Smeared Ink Icy Digital Paper Pack.

I printed the images several times, fussy cut and popped portions for dimension.  Keep in mind that an ATC is 2 1/2 x3 1/2" and I have a fair amount of arthritis in my hands. Kinda tough goin'.  Truly a labor of love because I gotta say I LOVE how it turned out.  Since I was unable to fussy cut the greenery of the skully wreath, I added deep green metallic pine branches from a Martha Stewart punch and teeny adhesive gems to the eyes.  I guess stone gargoyles don't have hairy legs or I'd enter it over at the Delicious Doodles challenge as well.  Bummer, shoulda gotten this done last week!  Next up is a fabulous treat from Violent Kitty, and remember, the Blog Roll is always on the sidebar if you lose your way.

I will, however, enter it in the PunkYouGirl Black Christmas Challenge, the Corrosive Challenge Anything Goes, Anything but a Card (it's an ATC) ATG with a Holiday Twist and Left of Center Winter/Holidays Challenge.

12 Days of Creepmas Day 5

It's the 5th Day of Creepmas sponsored by the Smeared and Smudged forum (see side bar for full list of participants) and I have the perfect gifty for your favorite Scrooge.  I've made a little bottle tag to bring some Creepmas Cheer.

I've used the Tim Holtz Halloween skull die and stamp set and layered it up with a digi Santa hat that was a Freebie from The Octopode Factory and a Memory Box wreath die.

I kinda winged it on the tag itself, but did pop the stamp layers for dimension and glittered the cuff and pom pom of the Santa hat.

So what's the black stuff, you ask?  it's Blavod BLACK vodka to match Scrooge's BLACK mood (although I'll bet this attitude changes somewhat after a few nips of this.  LOL)

And doesn't it just look FABULOUS in the skully shot glass?  Great gift set, (if I do say so myself).  I tried hard to put little red gems in the eyes, but I couldn't get my fat little fingers in there.  LOL  OOOppss!  Had to do a little tasted test to make sure it was all that it's cracked up to be...YUP!  I think I'll have another.  Now off to Violent Kitty you go.

I'm also entering this in the Drunken Stampers Person:(Santa Claus) Challenge  (heehee, kinda fitting, eh?), the PunkYouGirl Black Christmas Challenge, and Left of Center Winter or Holiday Challenge.

Dilly Beans Non Traditional Christmas Colors Challenge

This is my second post of the day.  Please scroll down for the new Simply Steampunk Challenge.  Busy, busy Friday.  Our new challenge at Dilly Beans is Non-Traditional Christmas Colors.  Ummm...although the DT did some lovely pastels, I'm still in a Creepmas mode so...what can I say?  I've used one of my fave images, #161 Zombie Christmas Elf and colored him with Copics in shades of gray.  The plan was to use him as a topper for a bag of hard licorice "coal" but do you think I could find any? (Obviously not)  Had to improvise with torn paper and a bunch of Glossy Accents but it doesn't really show in the pic.  You can see it on the candy on his had and eyes, though.  Glued little jingle bells to his collar, too.  The sentiment is a combo of Alpha stickers and computer generation and the bottom black icicles (they be DEADLY!) are from an MS punch.  Please check out the Dilly Beans Challenge Blog for more fabulous inspiration.

I'm also entering this in the PunkYouGirl Black Christmas Challenge, the LOC Winter or Holidays, and 613 Avenue Create ATG or Gift Packaging Twist (planned on packaging but it was not meant to be.  LOL).

Wicked Wednesday Creepy Halloween

I'm so glad there still are some challenges out there where I can indulge my Halloween spirit.  Oft times I have more energy AFTER the holiday than before and hey, you just can't have too much Halloween, can you?  So for Wicked Wednesday's Creepy Halloween Challenge I made this ATC using Rick St. Dennis' Abandon Hope.  I considered adding "Trick or Treat", but honestly, would you go trick or treating there?  The image is colored with Copics, fussy cut and glued to a background embossed and inked with Tim Holtz stuff.  The 6's were cut from the Cuttlebug Curls and Swirls Alphabet.

I'm also entering this in the PunkYouGirl Angels and Demons Challenge, and Left of Center Halloween or Creepy.

HDH Zombies and Creeps Week 2

It's our second week for our Zombies and Creeps Challenge at HDH and the minions have more fabulous inspiration using the images by the same name from Simply B Stamps.  This time I've used the fabulous Mr. Gibbs Zombie Pirate.  I've watercolored the image and made the fab "burnt burlap" background mat using dual tipped watercolor markers from Tombo.  Read about the process here in my 100 Days of Tombow post.  The striped banner DP is from Authentique edged with MS spider web and Drippy Goo punches.  The skully medallions were a gift from my buddie Margie.

Here's a closeup of the fab image, drawn by Abigail Larson.  It's fussy cut and adhered to back CS and fussy cut again and popped.  The sentiment was hand written and the brains are from our own Minion Sister Creepy Glo.  Visit her Etsy shop HERE and check out HDH for her special discount code (scroll down a bit, ya gotta work for it.  LOL).  The metal skull and crossbones are Tim Holtz.  Hope you're enjoying the best month of the year as much as we are.  Keep those Zombies and Classic Creeps coming.

I'm also entering this in the PunkYouGirl Halloween challenge, Simon Says Monday Spooky, Hiding in my Craftroom Color it, Craftitude ATG/Spooky, Creative Corner Let's Go Crazy and Left of Center (using the LOC Theme).

Macabre Monday Week 2 Dimensional Halloween Challenge

 

It's week #2 of Macabre Monday challenge,

"Dimensional Hallowe'en."

You are to create a dark, Gothic, or Hallowe'en

based art piece that is dimensional in some way.

Now foam pop dots are fine, but we are really hoping

to see you guys come up with some real dimension.

There are some fine prizes being offered by our generous sponsor,

Tando offers a wonderful line of unique and well designed,

chipboard designs for all of your crafting needs.

We are pleased to offer up a Tando grab bag (see HDH) full of

Hallowe'en themed cuts as pictured below, to one lucky winner.

 

I was excited to play with the layered coffin with cobweb detail with a fab spider thrown in for good measure.

 

 

I really had a ball with this.  First I painted it all with black gesso and laid the lovely flocked wallpaper on the inside.  The sticker is from the Authentique pack and I've glued the open layers, trimmed out the outside, colored the web with a silver Sharpie and added some peel offs distressed a bit with black Gilder's Paste to the open edge.

 

For the lid, I covered the larger piece and the top smaller one with Foil Tape.  I've been inspired by many tutorials on metal techniques, including those by   Tammy Tutterow on the Simon Says Monday Challenge Blog. (AMAZING mixed media artists there, ALL of them!!) The top one I ran through my Cuttlebug with the Tim Holtz Web folder.  Had to improvise with the sandwich using the Base plate, one B plate and a rubber gasket over the chipboard and folder because it was FAT.  Woohoo!  Came out great.  Rubbed some black Gilder's paste over but it wasn't quite the effect I was going for, so I also painted with more black gesso and wiped it off with a baby wipe until I was satisfied.  Glued the 3 smaller layers together.  Added a peelie border to the largest lid portion and distressed again like the top.  The spider was added with black foam after painting with Gesso, and rubbing a bit with Antique silver paste.  This adhesive jewels are from M's.  Be sure to check out HDH for more fabulous projects using the great stuff from Tando.  Week 2 is HERE but don't forget Week 1 where you can join in our Dimensional Hallowe'en Challenge.  Lots of stuff going on at HDH so stop back often.  It is OUR MONTH after all!

 

I'm also entering this in the Tando Creative Spook It Challenge, Simon Says Monday challenge (inspired by Tammy Tutterow), the PunkYouGirl Halloween Challenge, Left of Center using the LOC theme.

Lacy Sunshine Dies and/or Punches

I had a great time playing at the Lacy Sunshine  Facebook Fan page during their Friday the 13th celebration in honor of the new Lady Heather's Curiousities Release.  It was my LUCKY day as I won several of the new creepy but cute (be still my heart!) images so I wanted to color one right up to use in the current Dies and/or Punches Challenge on the Challenge Blog.  Just in time, too.  WooHoo!  I've made a tag using my Nesties Arched Windows and Memory Box Small Spider Web.  The full moon behind is also a Nesties and the Tombstone is Cuttlebug.  The fence around the scene is Martha Stewart so I think I've got that all covered.

The adorable image is Myra Mains  (HeeHee!  say that slowly, pretty cute, eh?).  I printed her twice, colored her with Copics fussy cut, and popped the roses.  I used the color scheme to fit with the current Red and Black challenge at PunkYouGirl.  Myra is just one of a whole host of new creepy cute images available at the Lacy Sunshine shop under Lady Heather's Curiosities and Melancholy Moppets.  Have to say, I want them ALL!

Had a bit of a time photographing the dimension, but this is my best shot.  Gotta hurry and get this entered but you've got to check out the cool loyalty program they've got going, too.  It's explained on the Challenge post.  Have a great weekend.  I think I'm gonna be coloring.

I'm also entering this in the Left of Center challenge #14 No Designer Papers AND LOC.

Smudgefest Day 6, the Dreaded Sketch!

Still hangin' in there with Smudgefest, although this morning my heart stopped as I viewed the DREADED SKETCH!  I suck at sketches because I have no imagination.  I feel compelled to take them literally and today was no exception.  However, not to be undone, I faced my fears and decided to combine it with the Freaky Freebie Challenge on the Smeared and Smudged Forum and used Anya from the Glam Vamps set.  (Just so happened I already had the set, but Anya is the freebie this month for that challenge). I started thinkin' on DP to use and decided that one with blood spatter would be apropo so I called up this lovely from Crafty Chaos (alas, the shop is closed).  As I was sizing in my Printmaster program I stuck Anya in the center and realized I might just be able to do the majority of this digitally so I gave it a go.  I'm obviously no pro at this but at least it doesn't suck.  Even kinda proud of the shaded parts.  I'm too lazy to learn to color digitally, however, so Anya is done with Copics.

Here's the sketch.  See what I mean...pretty damn literal.  That line down the side was a bit of a heart stopper but I just couldn't let it go.  More blood seemed just the ticket but went back and forth between nail polish and reinker that SURPRISE was still laying out from yesterday (and probably will remain out forever like the majority of my supplies) but the polish was a bit sluggish so reinker it is.  DONE!  and it isn't even lunch time.  WooHoo!  Oh, and because I think the sentiment is kind of a giggle, I'm entering it in the PunkYouGirl Dark Humor Challenge and Left of Center using the LOC theme as well.