A thank you and Big Rock Candy Mountain: Grungy Monday

I dislike doubling up on posts, but it's a must lately if I'm to get everything posted. Surely everyone involved will understand as they too are always struggling to find an extra minute.

Or they won't understand and I'll find a "Tsk, tsk, don't do that" message in my Inbox.

Here we go, then: Back on June 20 our friend Nigel of Freebird's flights of fancy took a moment to show off his incredible undersea chest creation and to offer a little blog candy.

Turns out that I won candy, which arrived while I was on vacation a couple of weeks ago. And what a wonderful surprise it was! I posted a photo here of what Nigel included for me, packets of tea and art stuff and even a creation of his very own!

That's right! I now own a limited edition Nigel!

While that might read as a bit snarky, I promise that I'm in earnest. I always feel exceptionally lucky when a fellow artist shares something with me that they've made. What greater honor can we hope for in life?

So, many thanks to Nigel for his gifts and especially for his art!

On to my own piece for today: Fittingly it includes two items Nigel sent to me, a stamped image and a bit of handmade paper.

The piece also features distress inks in spiced marmalade and mustard seed, some of Tim Holtz's, ahm, designer tape stuff (I never can remember what it's called), and Distress Stickles and Crackle rock candy!

Ah! There! Were you beginning to wonder how I was ever going to circle around to Grungy Monday?

The Grungy Monday challenge for this week is rock candy, which I think fit perfectly here though I probably used the tiniest bit of anyone in the challenge!

Go here to see what Mr. Tim Holtz does with rock candy!

Musical Interlude: The Burtonesque Dolls challenge

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Check out the challenge at The Burtonesque Dolls! Not only it is Burtony goodness, it's also specifically focused on the music of Nightmare Before Christmas!

Awesome!

I chose Sally's Song as my muse, focusing on the following few lines, which I think are sad, but so sweet:

"... And does he notice my feelings for him?
And will he see how much he means to me?
I think it's not to be
What will become of my dear friend? ..."

Beautiful words, aren't they?

OK, so I computer inked a full moon photo in yellows, printed, trimmed and tucked into some cuts I made in a spooky background (check out the background photo).

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Our friendly Sally is an Octopode Factory creations, as are the Hearts of fire that surround her.

Sally is computer colored and the hearts are hand colored with teeny letter stamps in black archival ink.

So, what do you think? Should I find some time to make a lovely Jack card? I hate to see Sally all by herself.

Or, maybe you could help me out? Make a nice Jack card, inspired by the music of Nightmare Before Christmas, and join in the fun at Burtonesque Dolls!

Summertime: The Octopode Factory Friday Challenge

Ouu! Isn't it exciting? I'm the guest designer this week at The Octopode Factory Friday challenge!

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Every one of you know how much I love the dear Octopodes, so you must also know that I smiled for an entire day after Octopode creator Lily Chilvers asked me to be a guest designer!

The challenge for this week is Summertime, which came in handy for me because I was already in such a sunny mood just getting to be a guest designer!

And as promised earlier this week I managed to let the Circus-podes stay in bed: Today's friends are the sun, border waves, Bathing Beauty and Vintage Bather.

I painted a canvas board with some generic light blue acrylic paint and Hellmuth studio paint called "Smidge of Blue" then created a big chunky cloud.

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Our cloud is a pile of melted Crayola crayon mixed with Diamond Dust! Mmmm! Crunchy!

I colored the waves and bathers on the computer, with highlights added by hand; the sun is entirely hand colored with Sharpies! Yay! Sharpies!

"Hip to be square," is printed in blue on gray paper and inked with Distress Ink in broken china.

I hope that you like this silly creation, and that you try out some Summertime creating of your own!

Spots and dots: The Octopode Factory Friday Challenge

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Hello everyone! Here I am back from vacation with a speedy quick post for The Octopode Factory Friday Challenge!

The challenge for the week is Spots and Dots!

Our friend Ringo the Ring Master joins us this week on a Holtz tag that is embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder. The dots are swiped with a black ink and the entire tag was colored with Tim Holtz's Compendium technique (page 33).

The technique usually results in a heavily-coated sheet, but because of our dots ... tada ... it raised the stock slightly allowing only bits of the ink to touch the tag. Cool huh?

Not as cool, frankly, as the phrase My Guy has coined for Ringo, and all of our lovely Octopodes: Cheerfully disturbing.

Isn't that the best?

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Perhaps I should create an entry plaque for my craft room that features lots of Octopode Factory characters and reads "Cheerfully Disturbing."

In the meantime, I'm expected at the office early tomorrow so the bed is calling my name ... have a wonderful week all and let me know what you've been up to while I've been gone!

(I swear that for the upcoming TOFF challenge I'll break out a new parade of Octopodes, but I just *had* to use one more from the Circus collection this week!).

Loathsome Lotharios: Haunted Design House and KennyK Downloads: Anniversary challenge

This weeks' Macabre Monday challenge at the Haunted Design House is to share your very own Loathsome Lothario.

Oddly I don't have much in my collection that represents men specifically, so I popped over to KennyK downloads (I know, again, again ... between Octopode and KennyK I'm becoming slightly boring).

So, I found the perfect image for the Loathsome Lothario challenge and discovered that the KennyK Krafty Girlz blog is holding a huge challenge themselves, to celebrate KennyK's first year!

That challenge, which you should check out because there are lots of prizes to be had if you patiently visit the 20-plus design team artist blogs, is to create something.

Whew, do I love those 'go wild' challenges. Essentially they're saying "there are no rules" (aside from the rules listed on the blog), but you understand what I'm saying, don't you?

Anyhow, back to the Loathsome Lotharios. The images from KennyK, as mentioned, are fantastic. And I like the phrases to go with them.

Not exactly Macabre Monday dark or Gothic, but the world can't have changed much since I was "on the market" ... can it? ... surely it's still the boys with fast, hot wheels that make hearts flutter and eventually break.

In fact the single reason I'm feeling unsure, the single reason you have two cards, is because I finished our friendly Need for Speed man and My Guy said, "He seems too happy."

Too happy? I say. Of course he's happy. He's loathsome. Aren't loathsome men always happy? Isn't the very definition of loathsome ... ack. Fine. I'll try again.

This time with Cool Trucker. With a raised eyebrow, wink-wink, "...size of my 'truck' ...".

After all, that's the sentiment My Guy suggested.

Yet still, his reaction was "Yeah. It's good. It's cute."

Folks, I'm going to be on vacation soon and won't be able to participate in any challenges until after July 24, so this was supposed to be the perfect, most awesomely cool, super simple I-should-be-packing final piece I created for a few days.

Instead it's cute. A common theme 'round here I know, but it's still annoying.

Cute, My Guy says.

Men. Can't live with 'em, can't bury 'em in the back yard.

Frosted Petunias Artful Bag Challenge: July

This month the Artful Bag challenge at Fosted Petunias inspired an Artful Bag Day at my house!

Two girlfriends, both of whom are amazingly creative and artistic, joined me for an afternoon with old bags in need of a makeover, wine in need of drinking and S'mores in need of eating (My Guy was kind enough to make some of these treats in our oven to share with one friend who'd never previously tasted a S'more).

Anyhow, let's get to the art details because I know most of you dear readers are here to see what we've created for the Artful Bag, not to read a bunch of bloggy blathering.

We have three bags that none of us remembered to photograph the bags until we'd already started sewing, painting and gluing so the "plain" photographs are the backsides of our creations.

The bamboo-style bag with the tiki men is my bag for July, and the black rhinestone-covered and tan flower-embellished bags are from my friends who shall remain nameless as I do not have their permission to include names (nor are they bloggers, so, sorry no links either).

The tiki men are painted with acrylics, then higlighted and detailed with Sharpie paint pens. The metal flower has embossed and folded layers coated in alcohol inks, paint pen and plain old marker.

We had a great time creating our bags, perhaps occasionally feeling the effects of a whole lot of toxic adhesive fumes, and definitely discovering a few things about one another.

The black bag is completely awesome, isn't it? Don't you need one for girls' night at the wine walk? And can you believe my friend did that beautiful work without any layout or "test" design? I know ... had it been me the rhinestones would be all wonky and ugly.

And the tan bag, all except one style of flowers here are handmade by another friend who pulled them together with scraps and random stuff from my leftovers bin. She is a native of Russia who has lived in the United States since about 2004, and said she used to teach kindergarten aged children to make things by hand.

I remember having pipe cleaners and old lace in the kindergarten craft bins, but I don't remember anyone showing me how to make something this awesome with that old stuff.

Ah well, the grass is always greener on the side of the planet where kindergarten crafts are serious business.

I hope all of you have had, or are having, as much fun creating your Artful Bags as we did! 

See you next month for the Frosted Petunias Artful Bag challenge!

Time: The Octopode Factory Friday Challenge

The second theme at The Octopode Factory Friday Challenge is Time, so of course instead of using a clock or even a reference to the time-related moments in life like memories or the future I chose the word.

Time. Yup. I simply included the word time. The mind boggles at my amazing poetic ability.

Wouldn't you think I'd have referred to the revered memories of elephants since today's project features our dear friend Ivory from Octopode's Whimsical Circus set?

Too obvious for me, I guess. Or maybe it's only because I happened upon this quote while working on the project.

"How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time."

How could I pass it up considering Ivory's wide, terrified eyes? You might be interested to discover that before today I'd never thought of Ivory, one of my very favorite Octopodes, as terrified. Before today she was ... she just had big eyes.

Also until today I didn't realize how polka dotted circuses are. At least how spotted and dotted they are in my mind: Hop over here for a second and see my first ever Whimsical Circus creation.

Freakin' polka dots.

Maybe it's because most circus memories are derived from childhood during which most of us were infused with enough sugar and preservatives to bring on spotty vision. Or hallucinations.

What do you think? Were you a sugar-enriched hallucinating child or a more reserved, healthy living kind of kid?

You don't need to answer. I've seen your art my friends. You were definitely in the teacup ride alongside me wired on enough cotton candy to fill a king-sized mattress.

The Altered Alice Chapter 5 Challenge Week 2: Tea-things

'And ever since that,' the Hatter wnet on in a mournful tone, 'He won't do a thing I ask! It's always six o'clock now.'

A bright idea came into Alice's head. 'Is that the reason so many tea-things are put out here?' she asked.

'Yes, that's it,' said the Hatter with a sigh: 'it's always tea-time, and we've no time to wash the things between whiles.'

'Then you keep moving round, I suppose?' said Alice.

'Exactly so,' said the Hatter: 'as the things get used up.'

'But what happens when you come to the beginning again?' Alice ventured to ask.


The Mad Hatter's tea table was full of tea-things, with place settings all the way around and many teapots and teacups. Your challenge this month at The Altered Alice is to have a teapot or teacup on your project, and, as an option, to use something OTHER than a stamped image as your focal point!

That's because The Altered Alice design team will be showing off with digital collage sheets from One Crabapple [Etsy Store | Blog], which has of the most interesting and different Alice in Wonderland categories I've seen!
 
The owner and artist is taking care of some family priorities, so if the store is closed when you visit, just put in your email in to be notified when it reopens. It is well worth waiting for I promise; most of the design team members had a difficult time making  their choices and a couple of us needed all of everything in the Alice category! The winner will have their choice of five collage sheets from One Crabapple! 

July is a long month, so as of today you still more than two weeks to enter your project! Plenty of time for even our stragglers to play along, just be sure to enter before 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time, GMT -5:00) on Friday, July 29. The winner and honorable mentions will be announced the last Sunday of the month, July 31.

 
My pieces for this months' challenge take full advantage of the two collage sheets I received from One Crabapple, and I'm sure that you'll see these images again and again in my future works because they're awesome!

So, the main piece is a plexiglass base with images adhered to the front and back so that a 3D or "floating" effect is created. I also used paint markers to write on the back and front of the piece, "Alice's Teacup Cafe."

As I mentioned to the group at The Altered Alice: I swear this piece is cool in person ... it simply doesn't photograph well.

My second project is a card with multiple layers often referred to as a step card. I love to create these cards because they're so interesting and beautiful. And, honestly, because my non-crafting friends are always so impressed (shh, don't tell them how very easy these are to make).
 
Thank you for dropping by, and please make sure you visit The Altered Alice to the gorgeous creations from design team members Lynne Phelps (The Mad Hattress herself), Barbara Washington, and Sue Roddis.

Remember to become a follower while you're at The Altered Alice so you don't miss the cool creations that are revealed every week!

March 2008 technique challenge: Grungy Monday

Hello Grungy Mondayers! This week our friend Linda at Studio L3 is challenging us with an amazingly fun and interesting technique!

Check out what Tim and Linda have us revisiting from Tim's March 2008 technique challenges: HERE. For this one you'll need some perfect pearls, distress reinker and paint dabbers (among other products that I feel sure are already sitting nearby).

Also remember that if you want to venture out on your own occasionally Tim has plenty to offer on his blog to keep you busy for days and weeks and, as far behind as some of us are: Forever.

Back to this week's challenge for me, though! I misted with perfect pearls-infused sprays in fired brick, crushed olive and chipped sapphire over a swirly sort of image.

My spraying technique never results in anything even remotely close to as clean and defined as Tim's, but I like it anyway (foot stomping on ground).

I stamped over the entire pearly inky tag with a peacock stamp, then embellished with a corner adornment and grunge "E" that is inked with peeled paint, embossed with black "escape" text and is holding a beaded dangly thingy.

My own twist for this project, because you know I can't Just Stick To The Plan Ma'am, can be seen in the stamping of the main image: The peacock.

Our beautiful bird is actually stamped twice, once in opaque white, then again in black, slightly offset from the white to create a shadowed effect.

Tell me what you think of my project, then go to Studio L3 to check out what artists from around the world are doing with Tim's techniques!

I see double: The Burtonesque Dolls challenge

Pink, as many of my long-time readers know, is my favorite color. Followed closely by every other color, especially black (the queen mother of all colors is black, which couples oh so beautifully with a lovely Hello Kitty pink).

Anyhow, this means that I go out of my way to find ways to slip pink in here and there where it may or may not belong. And however odd or impossible this might sound, it also means I can easily see the darkness in a pink and pastel scene.

So today my entry for the Burtonesque Dolls' challenge I See Double is a homage to Mr. Burton's Edward Scissorhands: Specifically the god-awful suburban neighborhood where our friend Ed finds love and acceptance and shallowness and judgement.

We've got a lovely lady, Mary Jane from Simply Betty Stamps, in blonde and brunette with appropriately-matched outfits and backgrounds.

The card is a three-page piece with our blonde on the front and the brunette folded inside; each "flap" features stock from Die Cuts With A View Whimsical and Far East designer paper, Stampin' Up wheel stamp finished with bronze embossing powder and K&Company die cut snowflakes dug out of my Christmas bucket.

Oh yes, there's also a drop of glossy accents on the eyes of Mary Jane to ensure her eyes shine with joy!

After you finish squinting your eyes and tilting your head in an attempt to see how my project here represents Edward Scissorhands make your way over to Burtonesque Dolls to create your very own Double art!

Don't feel badly if the squinting and tilting doesn't help you see my vision. What exists in my mind continues despite the evidence ... as with everything else in my life ...

Xtremely Xhaustive: Haunted Design House

Today has to have been a relaxed stretch for most of you, what with the holiday and all. These long weekends always result in plenty of play time and occasionally they even end with an extended experience: Such as fireworks or a Haunted Design House Macabre Monday challenge.

The challenge this week, Xtremeley Xhaustive, is to use long elements. I know my first paragraph, with the three length references, meets the challenge's criteria, but let's take a look at my art since I'm confident that the good folks at HDH care a lot more about that than my lame writing.

The wonderful image is Lady Raven and in addition to being adorably sexy, she's a long (tall) vertical image. Born at KennyKdownloads, a company I found through HDH a few weeks ago, she is one of multiple awesome images from the Gothik Angelz collection.

I placed her on a tall (long) card base with a designer paper background and the stamped "Nevermore" stretched a small bit to further meet the HDH Macabre Monday challenge.

Finally, she has been anointed with a set of Tim Holtz's Stamper's Anonymous wings finished in glimmer embossing powder. Because what other sort of devilishly angelic wings would Lady Raven have?

Alright, the baton is passed to you my friends! Hop along to the Haunted Design House, check out what everyone there is up to, then create a piece for this week's challenge!

The Altered Alice Chapter 6 Challenge Week 1: Tea-things

`And ever since that,' the Hatter went on in a mournful tone, `he won't do a thing I ask! It's always six o'clock now.'  
A bright idea came into Alice's head. `Is that the reason so many tea-things are put out here?' she asked.
`Yes, that's it,' said the Hatter with a sigh: `it's always tea-time, and we've no time to wash the things between whiles.'
`Then you keep moving round, I suppose?' said Alice.
`Exactly so,' said the Hatter: `as the things get used up.'
`But what happens when you come to the beginning again?' Alice ventured to ask.

The Mad Hatter's tea table was full of tea-things, with place settings all the way around and many teapots and teacups. Your challenge this month at The Altered Alice is to have a teapot or teacup on your project, and, as an option, to use something OTHER than a stamped image as your focal point!

That's because The Altered Alice design team will be showing off with digital collage sheets from One Crabapple [Etsy Store | Blog], which has of the most interesting and different Alice in Wonderland categories I've seen!

The owner and artist is taking care of some family priorities, so if the store is closed when you visit, just put in your email in to be notified when it reopens. It is well worth waiting for I promise; most of the design team members had a difficult time making  their choices and a couple of us needed all of everything in the Alice category! The winner will have their choice of five collage sheets from One Crabapple!

July is a long month, so you have almost four weeks to enter your project! Plenty of time for even our stragglers to play along, just be sure to enter before 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time, GMT -5:00) on Friday, July 29. The winner and honorable mentions will be announced the last Sunday of the month, July 31.

Alice: The Octopode Factory Friday Challenge

Here I am to participate in the first ever The Octopode Factory Friday Challenge! Woohoo!

You knew I'd join in because I love Octopode and the wonderful artist, Lily Chilvers, who creates these whimsical, funny, occasionally creepy characters for us.

I'll admit now that you might not see me every week for Lily's Octopode Challenges: But only because a few months ago someone (me) promised someone else (my inner me) that I wouldn't join any more weekly challenges.

After all, at some point I must find time to earn money for bills ... and more craft stuff.

Though that's not today. Today I picked up random lost bits around the house, pulled back yard weeds, went for a swim in the pool and made this tag! Yay!

Oh, and I mixed up a Tanquery and Sprite. Maybe two. Three. Alright? Three.

Who cares about that ... we've got a tag to talk about! I inked a white stock tag with green, yellow and orange distress inks, added a strip of tan velvet ribbon and a bunch of black dots around the edges.

"Alice" is stamped with Perfect Medium, which is the most aptly named product on planet earth, then embossed with black powder.

Finally I added our cute Alicepode with her mushroom and smoke me bottle along with a wee strip of red ribbon from which hangs the key Alice so desperately needs.

Thanks for dropping in everyone, and I hope you find time to check out The Octopode Factory Friday Challenge: Even if you can't join in you should see the design team samples! They are amazing!