Smudgefest Day 7 Super Sunday

WooHoo!  It's the final day of Smudgefest, sponsored by Smeared Ink, and I've managed to hang in there for all 7.  Gotta say I about died when I saw this last challenge because it required a bit of imagination and I thought I'd used mine all up with some funky, crazy dreams that made me sleep in til 7:30.   So here's what I woke up to:  

"Your challenge is to take any Smeared Ink image and turn it into some sort of superhero on your project! We'll be nice and let you choose either super hero or super villain, but in your description or even on your project, you must tell us your super's name and super power. "
EIYIYI!

Fortunately I've got GOBS of images both digi and rubber from Smeared Ink and when I came upon Frankiegirl, one of the Hallowcuties, I knew I'd found my gal.
She's now Electra-girl, who draws power from electrical storms to keep the city safe from blackouts.  Her goal is to solve the world's energy crisis before she shorts out. (And speaking of shorts, the bazillion volts burned hers right off. Oops!)   I removed her background (no, not her clothes, she was already nekkid, LOL) in my printing program, slapped her on a free photo I found on the net, added some text and printed her off.  She's colored with Fluorescent Copics and a little bit of silver pencil et VOILA!  Easy peasy.

And hey, great NEWS, the Smeared Ink Website lives on!  Although the shop is not yet open, you can sign up for the newsletter and find out all about the 31 Days of Halloween.  WooHoo!  Can't wait!

Smudgefest Day 6 Stencil Saturday

If you're here for the Remembering Lily Memorial Blog Hop, please scroll down.

 Quicky post and quicky project because I'm pretty much crafted out after the last two days, but I did manage Day 6 of Smudgefest, Stencil Saturday, with this tag.  I used Dylusion Sprays and a Dianne Reavesly stencil for the background.  The hearts are from Smeared Ink (soon to reopen, WOOHOO!) colored with Copics, fussy cut and popped.  The sentiment is done in stickers from Tim Holtz. Am I the only one old enough to remember when that instrumental was a Top Hit?

Remembering Lily (A Memorial Blog Hop)

Today we are remembering Lily Chilvers a truly beautiful artist and soul taken from us too soon.  To honor Lily, we are sharing projects we have made in her memory using the wonderful, whimsical and wacky art she shared with us all.  

I truly wanted to add something personal to this lovely introduction, but I can't seem to find the words.  Lily touched the lives of so many with her astounding creativity and will live on in the hearts and minds of all who loved her amazing talent and spirit.

Here's my project, in loving memory using Angel Girl.

Lily has found her wings. xxxx

Thank you to Suzi and Alison for organizing this outpouring of love.

In addition, I thought I'd share some of my favorite 

past projects using Lily's amazing Octopode Factory images.
Her fun quirky style is an inspiration to us all.

We're so grateful that her mother Mandy and sister

Amber have decided to keep Lily's Etsy Shop open.

She will live on through her incredible art.

Thank you for joining this outpouring of love for Lily and her family.

Blog Hop List

The Octopode Factory

Suzi McKenzie

Alison Heikkila

Hazel Thomson

Teresa Morgan

Susan Renshaw

Maureen Scott

Leadonna Fritts

Sharon Rogers

Erin Stewart

Susan Salyer

Black Dragon

Julia Vazquez

Kristina Deyette

Kelli Green

Kim Rippere

Gloria Palmer-Steiger
                                 Donna Mundinger *you are here*

Miranda Van Den Bosch

Fiona Randall

Elaine Hughes

Kezzy Art

Nan Bourdeu

Sue EisenHauer

Janet Klein

Deborah Johnson

Tit Belsoeur

Jenn Borjeson

Wendy Waldorf

Stephanie

Sandra Botham

Tabbatha Ljungberg

Trish Latimer

Arielle Gordon

Carol Plume

Anne Marie Healey

Serena Bee
Laura Holland
Leigh Snaith-Brunton

Smudgefest Day 5 Fiber Friday

Busy day today, so before I continue with today's Smudgefest entry,  please check out my TEW post HERE and my AW post HERE.  xxx

So it's Day 5 of Smudgefest and I'm so happy to have managed to hang in there thus far.  Today's challenge is Fiber Friday and I've made a tag again, this time using the Queen Bee digi from SI which I printed on Kraft and fussy cut and popped for dimension.

I've embossed the tag using a Cuttlebug folder that I inked up with Wild Honey Distress before running through the Cuttlebug (thanks Fiona for that superb idea) and then distressed it further around the edges with Vintage Photo and Black Soot.  The flower, made from stiffened jute, I think was actually cut off a ponytail elastic that I got in the $ bin at Mike's years ago.  The patch of woven fiber was cut from a pouch that some flatware place settings came in.  Just in case that wasn't enough fiber, I also tied some baker's twine around the flower in a bow and more for the hanger.  Some black Alpha Beads finished it off.

I'm adding this to the Outlawz Saturday Paper a la Mode Tag It Challenge and Simon Says Monday Tie it Up.

New Release at Aurora Wings

Although the Aurora Wings Challenge Team is taking the month off (but the Anything with Wings Challenge is still running for 2 month's this time), I'm thrilled to be joining the Showcase Team for the adorable new release of Ice Cream Sundae Sprite.  Tell me he's not the yummiest little guy you've ever seen!  I had fun making a shaped easel card.  He's available on Etsy in jpg or png (transparent background) form and in the AW Website Digi Shop as a jpg HERE.

Here's the closeup of this adorable Sprite.  I printed him 3 times, colored with Copics, fussy cut and popped in 3 layers.  I used Stickles on the ice cream for a frosty feel, and Diamond Glaze on the chocolate, caramel, fruit and whipped cream.  MMMMMmmmm........!!!!!  Then I popped the entire thing on the hand cut blue border and added a doily I cut from a Cheery Lynn die.

Here's the side view of the easel which shows the dimension.  The DP mat is from the Glitter Sweet Stack from DCWV.  the sentiment was computer generated and cut with a Spellbinders Fancy Label  and popped on the base. The little spoon holds the the sundae in place.

Be sure to pop over to the Aurora Wings Showcase Blog to see the fabulous
by the Showcase Team and why not stop by their blogs and leave them some love?  But don't forget the current AW "Anything With Wings" Challenge that runs through Sept 19th and the August Facebook Contest "3 of Something" that runs through the end of the month.  Hope to see you there.

And BTW, if you're craving Ice Cream Sundae Sprite, or any of the fabulous AW stamps, here's an Etsy Coupon Code for this weekend.  Good on the sale digis as well. WooHoo!

Here are all the 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 the Outlawz Friday Coloring Challenge Kids/Family, TTRCD August 4th -10th ATG Challenge, 613 Avenue Create ATG/ Optional Birthday, Creative Card Crew Sparkle, Craft your Passion ATG, Craftin' Desert Divas "Keeping Cool" Linky Party, the ABC Challenge "O" is for "Open" and Wonderful Wednesdays ATG. 

New Release at The East Wind

There's a new release at The East Wind today and she's really a cutie.  Meet Lucy Loo 'Teenager'.  This little gal looks like she's really in control so I wanted to use the "Thumb's Up" paper clip I had which was either red, white, or blue. My paper choices were along those lines from BoBunny and K&Co.  My first thought was "All American Girl", but truly, she's the global epitome of "Girl Power".

Here's the closeup.  She's colored with Copics and fussy cut.  I've placed the ball under her hand instead of by her side.  I adore her expression and there are so many different ways to color her.  Check them all out on our FB page.

Lots of TEW fun happening all over the place so...

Here's the important stuff:

Challenge Blog

Show Room Blog

FB Group

FB Fan Page

Etsy Shop

I'm entering this in the DL.Art Summertime challenge, Inspiration Destination ATG, and the Outlawz Tuesday Color Challenge using Red, White and Blue. 

Smudgefest Day 4 Thrashed Thursday

Can't believe I'm hanging in there for Smudgefest, the fun filled week sponsored by Smeared Ink, where we receive a prompt each morning and must do the challenge by midnight.  I've played in this in years past, but not for awhile, and it totally snuck up on me, but I thought I'd try it anyway.  It's really a lesson for me.  No one has any idea how I labor over projects.  It's takes days (and sometimes weeks) for me to hash out an idea and make it come to fruition.  It's partly procrastination, I know, but it's also a bit of fear of failure.  I need to be reasonably sure that my project will turn out how I envision it, rather than just going with the flow.  You don't have time for that here.  Ya just gotta get busy. And although I'm not always thrilled with my outcome, I'm proud that I'm just creating.

So much for confessions.  Today is Thrashed Thursday and I can't tell you how happy I was since I've been hoarding a corrugated box since Christmas because the inside was BLACK.  Cool!  I rescued it from recycling numerous times because hubby didn't like it laying in the hallway so I finally hid it under the bed in the guest room until the right occasion came up.  AND THIS IS IT!  I cut a tag shape and distressed the crap out of the edges with my Distrezz-it-all.  (Boy, that makes a lot of noise, especially at 4:45 am, but fortunately, he didn't wake up)  Then I tore off some more of the black.  The die cut is from Memory Box with a Spellbinders circle cut out of a scrap of specialty paper.  I stamped the little ghost Grumpy, again from the SI Halloween Grumpies set, on black with Versamark, embossed it with white, and fussy cut and popped him on the tag.  Added a metal brad and rope hanger and called it done.  WooHoo!

I'm entering this in the Outlawz Monday Greeting Cards Tic Tac Toe challenge using Die Cuts/ Punches/ Image/Embossing, Simon Says Monday Tie it Up, and Crafter's Cafe use Some Torn Paper,  Fab'n'Funky No Patterned Paper and Papertake Weekly ATG w/Option of Torn Edges.  

Smudgefest Day 3 Wet Wednesday

Well, I'm starting to sweat it a little.  Today didn't go exactly as planned but i'm happy to say I managed another day of Smudgefest with the theme of "Wet Wednesday" .  I'm kinda timid about using mixed media, especially inky stuff that can be dropped and splattered all over the place.  First of all, I need to carry it all down to the kitchen, because my craft room has no available space for such nonsense. Second, I have a tendency to want everything to go perfectly as I envision the very first time which is rarely the case.

First attempt with Dylusions Spray in Post Box Red through a produce bag and then oversprayed with water in a Mini Mister.

Second attempt, again Dylusions though the mesh which I then turned and sprayed with Dylusions Black.  It seemed to turn brown with the mixture.  Not pleased.  Third attempt was so hideous I didn't even take a pic.  Switched gears and used blues and greens to do an underwater scene and it ended it up a mess, but I finally did decide on a stamp and abandoned the sprays altogether, et voila!

This time I did the old run your Distress Ink pads (Broken China and Tumbled Glass) across your craft mat, spritz it with water and mop it up.  The stamp and sentiment are from the Smeared Ink Abyss rubber set, stamped in Forest Green StazOn (because I couldn't find my black, but I like it better anyway).  The details in this set are amazing!  After stamping, I dipped the top of the mini mister in Tumbled Glass and stamped bubbles and the darker ones are with an air dart with Broken China.  Gotta say, I was thrilled, but it took up the majority of my day and I've got 2 DT things due Friday and another project due Saturday.  Hope I can keep this up too.  Up for grabs are exclusive new digis that won't be available until Smeared Ink opens it's doors again.  Can't wait!

Smudgefest Day 2 Tape Tuesday

Welcome to my Day 2 of Smudgefest, the fun filled week of challenges sponsored by Smeared Ink.  I woke up at 4:45 am and my first thought was "What's the next challenge?"  Turns out it's "Tape Tuesday", use any form of tape on your project.  Of course they'd love something uber creative, but I'm just trying to keep up and still manage the 3 other projects I have due the end of this week.  

Gotta say I admire people who can casually slap a piece of Washi on their project and it looks way artsy, you know, like it's just MEANT to be there.  That ain't me.  I've got quite a collection of the stuff, since it was new and exciting awhile back, but most of it's still in the package, until today, that is.  So I immediately thought of the Mummy Grumpy from the Smeared Ink Halloween Grumpies set (which I just happen to have in rubber and SHAME on me, they've never been inked).  I stamped the little dude a couple of times, once on an ATC sized piece of card stock and twice more for fussy cutting.  I wrapped his bod in multiple layers of my Halloween chevron tape following the lines of the stamp, added it to the ATC and layered on his toes and eyes, complete with googly eyes.  I colored the parts showing with Fluorescent green Copics, inked the edges and added another piece of washi I'd stamped with one of the sentiments from the set.  DONE!  WooHoo!  Not the most creative, but he's kinda cute, don'tcha think?

Smudgefest Day1 Metal Monday

Okay, so I was feeling guilty about entering Smudgefest with a project that just happened to fit the theme but wasn't specifically made for the challenge.  I mean, the point is to wake up and be surprised by the theme and then make something, hopefully using a Smeared Ink Stamp or paper (if you want to be eligible for the daily prize).
  

So, in the spirit of fairness, I made a quicky ATC for the "Metal Monday" theme today.  I wish I could have done more, but hubby has an itch to see new Mission Impossible movie and saying I needed to stay home for Smudgefest probably wouldn't fly.  The image is Backbend from the Toxic Ballerina set from Smeared Ink and the background is from one of the SI digi paper sets, but for the life of me, I can't remember the name of it.  The image was colored with Copics and I've  added a Tim Holtz metal Philosophy Tags.  Hopefully I will be able to hang in there for the 7 fun filled days, but we'll see.  Check out the rules and stuff for Smudgefest by clicking the banner top right.  Prizes are daily and Random so you can drop in whenever and play.  Gotta run and get boofy before the show. See ya tomorrow.

Fur and Feathers/Tooth and Claw

It's another Macabre Monday, time for a new challenge at HDH with the theme of Fur and Feathers/Tooth and Claw.  I think I've got it covered.  LOL  I've used Poe Cat and snatched the Raven off of Poe Skull Bust, both from the fabulous Ike's Art.  Both the red feather and Nevermore Background sheets are from the Poe Boy Digi paper pack from Smeared Ink (counting the days 'til the shop reopens)  I've added a cool metal claw from and black feather that I've dabbed with red nail polish.

I colored both digi's with Copics and Prismacolor Pencils, and fussy cut.  The blood spatter is stamped with Barn Door Distress from the Inky Dreams rubber set from Smeared ink and covered with Glossy Accents for shine.  I've also added Glossy Accents to the cat's eyes (or socket, if you must) and the blood drips on the teeth and feathers.

I'm adding this to the Quoth the Raven Quest #46... POEtry, Ike's World Challenge All About the Night, Smudgy Antics August ATG with optional Creepy Creatures Challenge, Dream in Darkness August ATG, A Step in the Dark August FB Challenge and Left of Center using the LOC theme (or "What's New Pussycat?"  LOL). 

New Challenge at Gecko Galz

Our new challenge starts today at Gecko Galz with the theme of Life is a Circus. I've used two papers from the GG Life's a Circus paper pack for the background, filling in the center oval of the main page with striped paper from the same pack in my printing program and matting it in matte metallic gold . I then resized 3 of the images from the new  August Clowning Domino Sheet, cut them out, matted them with matte metallic papers in gold or bronze and glued the center image directly to the background and popped the two smaller images on the diagonal with foam.  The clown in the bottom left corner is from the Clowning Around Collage set, which I fussy cut and popped as well.  The sentiment is computer generated, inked with Distress and I've added some adhesive stars for embellishment.

Although I could have done this all digitally, I thought the popping the images made it more special.  Here's the dimensional shot.  So join the circus and be sure to visit the Gecko Galz Challenge Blog for inspiration from my fabulous teamies.  Can't wait to see what you create.  Visit often for more inspiration using the new products available each month in the GG Etsy Shop and each designer spotlighted will have a free stamp for you if you visit their personal Blogs.  We also have a number of challenges each month in our FB Group and the owner of Gecko Galz has a separate monthly challenge on her personal Blog. Subscribe to the newsletter (sign up on the Challenge Blog) and you can get a free collage sheet each month and there are also Freebies from Gecko Galz each month on Pinterest.  What are you waiting for?

The important links:

Gecko Galz Challenge Blog

GG FB Group

GG Etsy Shop

GG on Pinterest