Final post for the My Dark Valentine Blog Hop

Well I've had a ball during the fab My Dark Valentine Blog Hop, sponsored by LeighSBDesigns, but it's time for me to say night night.  One final project using two of the images from her new Dark Valentine collection, Scratch Hearts Background that I've recolored red in my Printmaster Platinum Program and a sentiment from Dark Sentiments 2 that I've cropped and resized to fit the Smeared Ink image I'd colored previously with Copics and fussy cut to add to my card.  The entire edge was inked with Distress and there ya go.  Hope you had as much fun as I did during the Hop.  Still time to comment, even if you didn't post.

An InLinkz Link-up

Another Past Project for the Poe Appreciation Hop

Kind of a busy day today, so no new project for the Poe Appreciation Blog Hop but this is one of my all time faves.  I used the gorgeous Annabel Lee 2 from Ike's Art with digi papers and stamps from Smeared Ink (unfortunately no longer trading).  See post HERE for more info and a dimensional shot of the raven, if you like.

There is still time to join in the Poe Appreciation Blog Hop sponsored by Leigh SB Designs. All the info to participate can be found HERE. Be sure to check out the cool new Poe related collection of stamps Leigh's Etsy Shop and there's also a fun Poe Freebie (for a limited time) that Leigh designed especially for the Hop HERE as well.

An InLinkz Link-up

Another for the Poe Appreciation Hop

Okay then, ANOTHER past project for the Poe Appreciation Hop, this time an actual birthday card featuring Poe and Raven RUBBAH stamps from the now defunct (sniff sniff) Smeared Ink. This was also part of a Hop for our dear HDH Minion Sister Black Dragon's b-day in 2011. More deets on my original post HERE. 

There is still time to join in the Poe Appreciation Blog Hop sponsored by Leigh SB Designs. All the info to participate can be found HERE. Be sure to check out the cool new Poe related collection of stamps Leigh's Etsy Shop and there's also a fun Poe Freebie (for a limited time) that Leigh designed especially for the Hop HERE as well.

An InLinkz Link-up

New Release at Aurora Wings and HDH WooHoo, It's Halloween!

EEEK!  I can't believe it's already October 5th and this is my first Halloween post.  Definitely worth waiting for though, because I have the privilege of showcasing the adorable new Horned Beetle Sprite, available in the  Aurora Wings Etsy Shop in jpg and in png HERE. You can also find him HERE on page 6 of the Sprites Collection in the AW Digi Shop. Isn't he a cutie?  

I've captured him in a jar from the Specimen Jar set from Smeared Ink and he looks none too pleased, or is it the scary black cat ( Tim Holtz die) that has him all riled up?  He's being featured on the AW Showcase Blog today (along with another fab new release you won't want to miss).

He's also doing double duty as my Macabre Monday DT post today. We're going for  creepy, grotesque, macabre Halloween.  Yeah, he's awfully cute for HDH, but I just couldn't resist showing him off some more.  Can you blame me? Besides, all that buggy DP behind him sure gives me the creepy crawlies.

Here's a closeup of the little dude.  Feisty, eh?  He sure looks like he can hold his own.  I took a pic of him colored before I fussy cut him and added him to the jar because I didn't think I could get a closeup with him encased in acetate and I was right.  He was colored with Copics and here you can see all of the Diamond Glaze I've applied to his shell and "armor".  The glaze was applied and allowed to dry prior to fussy cutting which kept him from curling up.

And here's the dimensional shot. I printed the jar twice on printable acetate and the lid once on matted metallic card stock. This set is now only available in rubber, HERE but you could do the same using Staz-On. I fussy cut the pieces (along with some buggy DP from an old MS mat stack and popped the layers with the little Sprite in between.  The sentiment was done with my Dymo and the cat was added and popped because I didn't have a spare snake handy (for the "hisses" part, LOL).   The striped and other buggy DP came from MME and the EEK embellie is from JoLee's.  

The AW Showcase team has another new release in store for you too, so be sure to visit the Showcase Blog to see the fabulous inspiration, (there just might be a special coupon code there too) and don't forget our current AW ATG Blog Challenge which ends October 17th and the October Shades of Pink FB Contest going on through the end of the month.

Here are all the important links you need.

Aurora Wings Challenge Blog

Aurora Wings Showcase Blog

Aurora Wings Etsy Shop

Aurora Wings Digi Shop

Aurora Wings FB Group

Aurora Wings FB Fan Page

I'm entering this in the Simon Says Wednesday ATG, Smudgy Antics ATG, DL.Art October Linky Challenge, Mod Squad Anything With Wings, Left of Center (using the LOC theme), and Sassy Studios Make it Fly (I'm pretty sure he has wings, but just in case, there's a whole bunch of wings on the DP), Come and Get It Challenge For the Boys and Crafty Hazelnut's October Patterned Paper challenge. 

Fowl Play: Fur and Feathers/Tooth and Claw Take TWO

It's the midway point for the current Macabre Monday Challenge and I was so brimming with creativity that I had to do another take.  This time I've used Fellow Minion Teri's images for my Fur and Feathers/Tooth and Claws, available HERE in her Etsy shop.  The main image is The Beast which I've lightly colored with Copics, matted with blood red. The background digi paper from the Slasher set from Smeared Ink (shop to reopen soon, WOOHOO!)  I've also used Raven  and Owl be m-Eating You from Delicious Doodles.

I've fussy cut the birds and, in the case of the owl, sort of broke his other wing. I printed two sets of beast claws twice so they could really grip those babies. The sentiment is computer generated and stamped with spatter from the Inky Dreams rubber set, also from Smeared Ink, and if you think this is deliciously gruesome, have a gander at the other makes on HDH and come on and play with us!

I'm entering this in the Left of Center Insects/Animals Challenge, A Step in the Dark August FB challenge, Smudgy Antics August ATG/s optional Creepy Creatures and Dream in Darkness August ATG.

Going Green with Haunted Design House (please avert your eyes if boobies offend you)

Our new monthly challenge at HDH begins this fine Macabre Monday with the theme of "Going Green".  This fabulous challenge is open to a few different interpretations as in use the color green predominantly in your project (zombie skin anyone?), "green with envy" or the eco-friendly choice to recycle something, all of course in a deliciously wicked or or macabre way.  I, being the overachiever that I am, (LOL, JK) chose all three.  I immediately thought of the "Trophy Beauty" stamp from Smeared Ink, and came up with the sentiment after pairing it with my new Tim Holtz Trophy Antlers die.  "Green with Envy"...one down...

Trophy Beauty was colored with Copics being sure to add a bit of lime green to her complexion (it's gotten a bit humid in that bell jar and he was so anxious to display his prize he cut a few corners in the preserving process.  She seems to be putrifying just a tad). There's your color green (along with the green wood grain boards on the wall),  Two down...And WAIT!

Those wall boards were cut from the DCWV Green Stack which is made from 70% recycled paper and EVEN BETTER, it's all backed with a cut up Priority Mailing envelope.  Yea ME!  Truly the Minions have outdone themselves with this challenge so be sure to check out HDH and the fabulous interpretations of the theme found there.  We can't wait to see what YOU create!

I'm also entering this in the Smudgy Antics ATG challenge and Left of Center using the LOC theme (or it's sort of monochrome, well, maybe not).

50 Shades of...

Oh those gals at Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers certainly are a hoot.  Their current challenge is G is for Grey (as in 50 shades OR the color) and although I've not read the book don't plan to see the movie (at least on on Valentine's Day.  Seriously?) I couldn't pass up the chance to dabble in a bit of S&M.  LOL

First up is from my "go to" bondage set called Femdom from Smeared Ink.  Got a bit of the inspiration for the front sentiment from Snarky Sister Chris and my HDH Minion Sister Susan. I managed to borrow Edna's tie to the image and matted it in a few less than 50 shades, but I love how it came out.

And the inside.  Obviously it's been one of those days.  I'll also be adding this to the February Smudgy Antics ATG Challenge and A Step in The Dark Challenge 15.
  

And then she grew a pair!  Fabulously empowered Long Tall Latex Sally by Ike's Art (precolored even, why mess with perfection?)  I again borrowed Edna's tie and printed it for a background.  Added 3 shades of grey metal dots and Sally is fussy cut and popped for emphasis.  (You GO girl!)

And inside...  Found handcuffs image on the net, thanks to inspiration from Chris again.  So there ya go! I'm also entering this in the Ike's World Make Us Laugh Challenge (well, I'm pretty sure at least Ike will laugh) and Left of Center Glamorous Girls (or LOC, depending how you look at it.)    LOL

So whatever floats your boat this VD, ENJOY!

Macabre Monday It's a Love/Hate Thing

The new monthly challenge is up at Haunted Design House and the theme is, It's a Love/Hate Thing.  You can make your project about love or hate, or use something you love or hate. Hey we're easy, except when it comes to cuteness or sickly sweet. DON'T GO THERE!  I'm warning you!  Don't even think about it, or the wrath of the dungeon will be upon you!  I've used two sentiments and an image from The Keepers set from Smeared Ink along with Heart 5 from the Fallen digi set, also available as a single HERE.It's about time I got my creep back on, eh?

I've colored the fab digis with Copics with some black pencil for shadow and the hair and used a silver gel pen on the cage.  I've used various versions of Spellbinders Labels One to cut the card and the popped sentiment.

Here's a closeup of that, as well.  I've inked around the main area, but didn't want to cloud the smaller sentiment.  Finished it off with some flowers from my stash and black tulle.  Be sure to check out my Minion Siblings makes and come play along.  You've got a whole month now and up to 3 chances to win the coveted new badges.  Hope to see you there.

I'm entering this in the Smudgy Antics February ATG challenge, Left of Center using the LOC theme, and A Step in the Dark ATG.

Macabre Monday You Wood Do That Week 2

So here we go of week 2 of You Wood Do That at HDH.  We're looking for wood in your projects this time around.  I've taken a wooden plaque from the thrift store, painted it with black gesso, masked a moon, painted in white acrylic, dry brushed with black glitter paint.  The gnarly tree branch was found on my daily walk and glued to the plaque.  The stamps are both from Smeared Ink. Great Horned Owl from the Eyes in the Dark Set is feeling a bit peevish.  He seems to have ripped the heart from an unsuspecting victim with the head still attached.  YIKES!  The sentiment is an inside joke from the HDH dungeon.

I've printed the owl twice, colored him with Copics, fussy cut and popped for dimension.  His victim is the SI Open Bust  from the Gross Anatomy set.  Please visit HDH to see the wonderful work by my teamies and our special guest, Maureen Scott.  I promise not all the makes are this gruesome.  LOL

I'm entering this in the Smudgy Antics ATG challenge on the Smeared and Smudged Forum, the Recycle, Re-Purpose& Re-invent Fall/ Harvest/Halloween  challenge, the LOC Altered Art Challenge and Crafting by Designs Boo You Scared Me.

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.

Along Came a Spider

The current challenge (which ends today) at Lacy Sunshine Challenge Blog is Show Us Goth and/or Non-traditional Hair.  Couldn't pass up the chance to do both so chose Lenore Muffet, one of the Melancholy Moppets, available in the Lady Heather's Curiousities/Melancholy Moppets section of the Shop.  I used the png version of the stamp and printed her atop some spiderweb digi paper from the Caught in my Web pack from Smeared Ink.  I used Spellbinder's Grand Ovals plain and scalloped and Labels 17 to make my shaped card.

Here's Lenore in all her glory.  I took colors from the digi paper and colored her with Copics, using a white gel pen for a few highlights.  Sentiment is computer generated the the fabulous spider is a Jolee's sticker.

I'm also adding this to the TTRCD ATG Challenge, Simon Says Monday ATG, and Crafting by Designs Favorite Holiday (Halloween).

May Monster Madness for HDH

There's a fun little Blog hop going on today and the Minions of Haunted Design House have decided to take part in MAY MONSTER MADNESS.  Visit the page and click the links to all sorts of Monster inspired stuff.  I've made a little project using the fabulous Pisces from the Horroscope collection at Delicious Darkness.  His snack is one of the heads from the Heads Will Roll digi from the Gross Anatomy set from Smeared Ink.

I cropped and merged the images in my Printmaster Pro program, printed them out, colored with Copics and fussy cut (what a PITA!) them to pop atop the fab background (that reminded me of the swirling waters of the Abyss) which is actually a digi paper from the Honor the Dead pack, also from Smeared Ink.

The cut, embossed and inked scroll is from the Fanciful Labels Cuttlebug folder with a slogan I nabbed from the tv advert for Shark Week.  Seemed fitting, don'tcha think?

I'm entering this in the Simon Says Monday ATG challenge.

Week 2 of Skullduggery at HDH

Oh yes!  It's our second week of our Skullduggery Challenge at HDH and I've finally gotten around to making a faux porcelain skull with my meltpot using the fabulous step by step Tutorial by our own fabulous Minion Sister Blackdragon available in the Mixed Media University Group on the Smeared and Smudged Forum. So many cool things happening over there. The skull is a Smeared Ink digi that was printed 6 times, fussy cut and layered according to the tut.  WooHoo!  BD does the most amazing work and my effort cannot even begin to compare with hers, but I'm pretty damn proud of the result, just the same.  I've mounted it on a Tim Holtz Ornate Plate and added tiny metal roses and turned it into a necklace.

I'm entering this in the LOC Anniversay ATG Challenge (last day, BooHoo!) as well as the LOC Ribbons/and or Flowers challenge.

 Corrosive Challenge Show Us Your Metal

Tip Top Tuesday Metal or Faux Metal   My TIP for Tip Top Tuesday is after removing your creation from a Meltpot, you can easily remove bubbles or other imperfections with your heat gun.

Quoth the Raven Tic Tac Poe using the left verticle line of Hardware or Metal, Skull and Flowers and although it hasn't a specific reference to Poe, I think it speaks to his preoccupation with Death and I did find reference to "enamell'd head" in the poem Al Aaraaf.  (Perhaps a stretch.  LOL)

Left of Center Favorite Book

Playing "catch up" here with a project that has been on my desk for awhile.  It fits in nicely with the current Favorite Book Challenge at Left of Center so I photographed it with the book itself, The Unabridged Edgar Allen Poe. 

The gorgeous Annabel Lee 2 is from Ike's Art and I've merged it with one of the digital papers from the Poe Boy pack from Smeared Ink.  Annabel is colored with Copics but the lovely blood drips are part of the digi paper.  WooHoo!  I printed the paper several times so I could fussy cut and pop the skull and raven.  I've used the "feathering technique" from Ike's fussy cutting and feathering video available in the Mixed Media University Group on the Smeared and Smudged Forum for the raven's feathers.  Always lots of good stuff going on there.

I was also following the Tic Tac Poe Quest over at Quoth the Raven using the center horizontal row of Skull, 3D, and Emboss. I've used the Cuttlebug Fanciful Labels to cut, dry emboss and ink.  The sentiment is a past offering from the Smeared Ink Rubber Club.  (Forgotten lore indeed.  Bet there's tons of it in the Unabridged Poe, it's 1124 pages long!  Haven't quite made it through, yet.)

Here's the dimensional shot.  The quill pen is part of the design, layered between the image and frame.  The lovely framing uses two of the dies from my new Spellbinders Enchanted Labels 28. 

I'm also adding this to the Left of Center First Anniversary Anything Goes Challenge.

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. 

Kickstart Your Art Day 3

Today's Prompt for the week long Kickstart Your Art Challenge Event at Smeared and Smudged is to use FOUND OBJECTS to make your background.

LauraB did a fab tut using sprays and buttons HERE.  She also did a background with flowers as masks, which inspired me to try that along with my fave grapefruit bag and some butcher's twine.  Here it is all set up before spraying with my Dylusions spray.

A trick I learned from watching a YouTube video by Dyan Reaveley herself, was to have a roll of paper towels handy to roll over your page to absorb the excess spray.  No long waits for drying time and you get the added bonus of a cool pattern on your paper towel that you may be able to use later.

Here's the page after removing the objects.  Just what I'd hoped for.

After outlining my masked areas with a pen and a few Copics, I decided I wanted some more color, but timid me couldn't bring herself to spray again and possibly muddy up the works so I tried adding color with bubble wrap and Distress Ink.  The effect was too subtle so I grabbed some really, really REALLY "found objects" that were scattered all over a lawn I passed on my morning walk.  I still have no idea what they are, but thought I could use them for SOMETHING.  Woohoo!  Don't they make cute little circles?

So I was going for a garden theme with a flower in the corner, tendril vines and rain drops coming down.  (BOY, do we NEED some rain and the piddly drizzle in the forecast isn't helping much.)  Used flower petals I'd received in a prize package from QTR that I rimmed with Stickles and what my hubby calls my "creepy baby face" stamp.  He HATES this stamp.  I happen to love it, but it is kinda creepy that no matter how hard I try, it won't photograph clearly.

Needed to define my raindrops better and my crude outlining didn't exactly help so I scrounged around and came up with Perfect Pearls for the centers.  The journaling is song all song lyrics.  While I was working, "I Need You" by America  (like the flowers need the rain...like Winter needs the Spring...etc) kept running through my mind.  I Googled it to see if there were more lyrics I could use around the page to finish it off and decided that was a really annoyingly whiny song.  There was one by LeAnn Rimes though, that is really beautiful, so I used that refrain and leave you with that.  For some reason, the video got cut off when I embedded it but you can still listen, if you like.  Hmmm...another page that turned out to be about love...go figure.

 

 

I'm also hoping that the use of twine for my mask qualifies me to enter this in the Simon Says Wednesday Use String or Twine Challenge.

Day 2 Prompt: Hearts

Tuesday's prompt for the Kickstart your Art Challenge is hearts.  Yea!  Another easy one.  I wanted to do a bit more with the background (HA!  none too difficult since I did NOTHING yesterday) so I took a produce bag (grapefruit) and used it as a stencil and pounced Distress ink in Barn Door and Black soot over my page and then removed the mask and did some blending around the edges.  Wanted to use some stamps this time and printed out Smeared Ink's Holding heart from the Bloody Valentine set, colored it with Copics, fussy cut it and said "Now what?"  My original thought was just this stamps with the sentiment "Love is fragile, handle with care", but I'd printed it too small for what I'd envisioned.

I poked around until I came across my Dependable Dotty set by Dyan Reavely and the "Always" caught my eye.  "Love is fragile, ALWAYS handle with care".  Cool!  It even sort of looked like a bandage on her head to me (until I realized it's a bird, what's up with that?)  Poor Dotty now looks like she has "MAN HANDS" but she's offering her heart which is FULL of love, and trusting that it will be cared for and cherished forever.

The wings I've added are from the Cuttlebug Emboss Plus Vintage Collage set and I've stickled them for some bling.  Dotty's heart, black tipped French mani, (I'm sooo gonna do that when I get a chance) as well as her lips, eye and boots are coated with Glossy Accents.  One side says "I'm still all aflutter".

 The other, "your love gives me wings".  Top corner now reads "Always and Forever".  She's in it for the long haul.

Sorry for this ultra long post.  Got a bit carried away with this one.  So my point?  When you find your ONE, never ever let him go.  Offer yourself fully and completely and as long as you both remember to love, respect and cherish each other, your life will be filled with joy and there will be nothing you can't do...together. 

I'm also adding this to the Mini Spotlight Challenge with Diana Fernandez at Anything but a Card.

The 11th Day of Creepmas

Seriously?  the 11th Day of Creepmas?  Eiyiyi! I've certainly been having a ball participating in this fab Blog Hop sponsored by Smeared Ink and the fabulous Smeared and Smudged Forum.   Blog roll on my sidebar.  Well here ya go.  A snow globe easel card using the fab Evil Snowman from my HDH Minion Sister Teri at Delicious Doodles.  The snow globe itself is a digi from Lacy Sunshine.  I hope they don't have a heart attack seein' what I've put in there.  LOL

I've printed the snowman several times, colored him with Copics, fussy cut, layered, popped him for dimension and added a skull (like a snowball) in his hands cut from the Delicious Doodles Skully Xmas Wreath.  The snow globe itself is made from packaging from tape filled with Flower Soft, and Mica Flakes.

The sentiment is an ancient Rub-On and I've added some snowflakes cut with  a Tim Holtz Snowflake Die and topped with more skullies from the DD Wreath.

Here's a better shot (sort of, it's late and crappy lighting) of the dimension and easel.  I hope you all love this one as much as I do.  Now off you go to Violent Kittie.  I can't believe there's only one more post to go.  I soo don't want this to end.
 
 I'm also entering this in the Delicious Doodles White Christmas Challenge, the Lacy Sunshine Celebrations Challenge, the Simon Says Monday Use a Stamp Challenge and the Left of Center Christmas Challenge.