2012: My creative year in review

It's nice to have a retrospective look at the past year's projects.

Some projects are quite nice to revisit, and others I'd rather forget.

Here's a look at my more successful projects of 2012.

 

Thanks for taking this little stroll down memory lane with me.
Have a wonderful New Year!!!  

Death's Head Hawk Moth and some Xmas left overs

Can I just say how happy I am for 2012 to end?

This year started out rather tragically, so the rest of the year was

spent trying to deal with losses and find my way back to reality.

I did manage to get my mojo back with the help of some wonderful

artists and their design teams. 

I joined the Dilly Beans DT, the Sparkle and Glitter DT,

and Wicked Wednesday ATC challenge DT this year. I made new friends, and picked up some new techniques and perspectives as well.

This year was a painful one, but I have come out stronger for it.

Now, let's see what 2013 has in store for me.

Today, I have made an ATC for the WW ATC challenge of 

"skulls and skeletons".

This is a Death's Head Hawk Moth.

Isn't he lovely?

I used this wonderful image from this week's sponsor,

 Delicious Doodles.

Teri draws the most amazing and unique images!! Love that artsy wench!

I used some Distress Inks for the back ground, and then spritzed it with 

water to give it a washed look with water spots. I used a vector stamp from Stamper's Best to complete the look.

I wish I had left the skull white, or colored it in with a gel pen to make it pop.

Next time.

Now for some Xmas left overs.

I made some gift tags with Rick St. Dennis' wonderful Christmas images.

So fun and easy to color! They made perfect tags!

This one is my favorite. It is belatedly on it's way to it's

intended recipient, so just a peek for now. 

Now I have some gifts I'd like to boast about (c'mon, let's be real here).

I have relieved my husband of his gift buying duties and I think we are both much happier for it.

We've been together over 25 years, and you'd think we had just met by the gifts he has given me in the past. Don't get me wrong, he is a wonderful man who buys me flowers at least once a month for as long as we've been married (16 years). He ROCKS, and I am lucky to have him. Very lucky.

But I buy myself awesome schtuff with his money. 

He doesn't have to shop for me,

and I get exactly what want. 

Win, win!!

I love me some Frank Kozik. I love the Smorkin' Labbit graphic, so I had

to have this: 

This is what I saw first. I knew I wanted it!!!! Tee hee!

Then, I saw it was a Labbit!!!!

A 'Labbitus tigris rotundii' to be exact.

Oh yeah!!! A moustache!!! 

It was love, no matter the cost!!!  

I also purchased these (rather large) Hello Kitty head salt and pepper shakers.

Very cute, and quite substantial. Husband has banned them from the kitchen.

The toaster was a well fought battle. I love my toast with Kitty's face on it. 

This was a pleasant surprise from the father in law. Also a habitually bad gift giver in years past.

Not this year!! You really can't go wrong at the BevMo!! Nicely done, sir. Nicely done. 

I have to admit it was nice to spend the holiday with family. It was great to see all the kids growing into young adults, or just beginning elementary school. It was touching to see my Uncle Jim moving on with his

life after losing his wife earlier this year to brain cancer. He is also a brain cancer survivor. It was also difficult to witness our family patriarchs aging and becoming so small and fragile. Gotta cherish those moments though.

That's not to say that I "wasn't feelin' it" before we got there, but once the chaos began, I felt right at home.  

 The older I get, the more I cherish family. Life is short. 

Don't waste the time we have left on petty shit. 

Love them, despite them. 

Scary New Year!!

Looks like the Mayans were wrong

Well, we made it! Still here!!!

I didn't put any real stock in the whole Mayan calendar thing,

but ya just never know. Stranger things have happened.

Today is the new Sparkle and Glitter challenge,

and the theme is

Last Minute Shopping.

I am not a last minute shopper, or a Black Friday shopper, or a day after

Christmas shopper. I do like to shop, but cannot stand the crowds and the

ridiculously rude and inconsiderate turds that fill the stores this time of year,

more than ever. I am not what you'd call a "people person".

All that being said, I do enjoy giving gifts and I do like them to be pretty when

they are received. Being sick for a few days put me behind in my gift wrapping duties,

so I opted to use a lot of gift bags this year to make things go a little faster.

As I said, I do like to shop, and I really love the candles at Bath and Body Works.

I stock up on their candles when they have good sales, and then I find that I have

a bunch of these cute shopping bags left over from my purchases. Usually, I just reuse them as they are for lunches, or to just carry schtuff in. They are very durable and nice little bags.  

I decided to make better use of them this year, and to decorate them for

holiday gift giving.

I used Winter Friends, from Rick St. Dennis

to turn this shopping bag into a gift bag.

Very cute and resourceful, if I do say so myself.

I got to use a embossing folder I received moons ago

from fellow EDT member, Suzi, (thanks, Suzi!) and I coupled that with some

matching snowflake ribbon to finish it off. 

One down, six more to go!

Thanks for dropping in today. I hope you stop by the

RSD Sparkle and Glitter challenge blog to see what the rest of team has been up to. 

Happy Holidaze!!!

   

   

I {heart} Santa

It's that magical day, Wednesday. 

Makes you feel as though the work week is almost half over.

And reminds you of all the schtuff still on your "To Do" list for the week.

Today, at Wicked Wednesday ATC challenge we are sponsored by Redonkulous Stamps, and the theme is: 

I Love Santa.

Easy. Who doesn't need another holiday ATC?
Keep in mind, an ATC can effortlessly be turned into a gift tag,
or even used as the focal point for a small card.
So if you think you wouldn't know what to do with one after you make it,
think again! 

Redonkulous provided us with this adorable image to use for the challenge.

So cute!!!

  I just had to add some flocking to the fur trims on their outfits.

I ended up with a fuzzier effect than I had anticipated, but it works.

I think I have two different flocks in white, and this one is the fluffy one, 

as opposed to the one which is more velvety. Make sense?

Hop on over to WW ATC challenge and check out what the other 

talented DT did with their images.

Maybe you'll be so inspired, you'll want to play along, too!  

A little "Cute-mas" tag

So, how did you like the 13 Days of Creepmas hop?

There were so many delightfully dark and funny images to work with,

that the EDT had a blast making Creepmas cards and tags and such!

Unfortunately, not everyone appreciates said cards and tags 

(no accounting for taste with some folks),

so it is necessary to make some "Cute-mas" projects as well 

to appease the masses (and Grandma).

Today I used Dilly Beans, #516 Snowmen Framed for this cute tag.

The challenge this week is to use non-traditional Christmas colors.

Drop by the Dilly Beans challenge blog and check out all the gorgeous eye candy from the DT, and maybe even play along and win some free images!!

Merry Creepmas! Final reveal Day 13

Just when you thought it would never end, 

we have reached Day 13 of the 13 Days of Creepmas hop!!

I don't think that I have ever consistently posted for 13 days straight.

It was a lot of work, but so worth the killer projects I came up with using some incredibly wicked and wonderful images from Rick St. Dennis.

Since we received a visit from Sandy Claws yesterday, it only makes sense that we would be celebrating New Year's next, right?

Let's say, "Goodbye" to 2012 and, "Hello" to 2013!!!

Well, if that "Zombie Chorus Girl" from Rick St. Dennis represents 2012,

then it really has been one rough, "tore up from the floor up" kind of year! 

And by the looks of "Baby New Year", 2013 is gonna be ruddy, if nothing else.

Rick suggested that I color her in a sickly yellow.

I'm not sure if this is what he envisioned, but I think she turned out pretty cool, and I never would have thought to use yellows (and blue violets for shadows) for zombie skin. Perfect for that putrescent pallor. 

Well, this is the end of the 13 Days of Creepmas, and this is the

grand finale to my Merry Creepmas box. 

Thanks so much for following along and leaving comments to let me 

know you have been enjoying what I have been doing.

Now it's time to see what Aletha has cooked up for her final project. 

Merry Creepmas!!!!   

Creepmas: Day 12 - almost there....

As promised for Day 12, the lid to my Merry Creepmas box.

I think it kind of sets the overall tone for the entire project, don't you?

I used "Sandy Claws", by Rick St. Dennis.

Looks like Santa had reindeer for lunch. With a side order of rabies!

I used some acrylic snowflakes that I have had in my stash for way too long,

and I got to use my new Memorybox snowflake die. I chopped two different ones in half and glued (I'm a good gluer!) them behind the shady Santa.

I made a bit of a mess with the glue and added some 

Diamond Dust to hide the shiny glue marks. 

First time I've used it and I realize I need to use a 

thicker glue next time, but it did serve it's purpose in this case.

Nice and sparkly like newly fallen snow! 

And the piece de resistance!

I used my new holiday cheer sentiment from  Stampotique!!!

Perfection!!!! 

Next up is Aletha for the RSD hop.

Merry Creepmas!!  



Creepmas: Day 11

This is the final panel on my Creepmas box.

I still have the lid to reveal tomorrow.

My best friend pretty much lifted her leg and claimed this for herself.

She rarely does that, so I'll let her have it this time.  

I used "This is for you", by Rick St. Dennis.

I matched the image up with some MS and Ek punches, and then I got the

bright idea to use a "To:/From:" tag as well.

Not feeling very well, so this is a short post.

Thanks for dropping in again today.

Next up is Aletha for the RSD hop.

Merry Creepmas!!  



Creepmas: Day 10

I can't believe it's been 10 days since we started this event!

I have quite the stack of Creepmas paper crafts to show for it, too.

I have some pre-printed holiday cards this year, but some lucky

folks will receive some of my handmade cards. 

As awesome as I think my cards are, not everyone appreciates the work or the

creativity I put into them. And not everyone enjoys a monster on their

holiday cards. Sheesh! I can't imagine, but to each their own.

Today's box panel is showcasing "Creepmas Dolls" image from

Rick St. Dennis.

She doesn't look that pleased with her dollies does she?

I'd gladly take them off her hands, but I have a feeling she (or they) 

may put up quite a fight!  

 After coloring everyone with Copics, I used a few punches and die cuts to play off of the spider web in the wreath. I have way more spider stuff 
than dolly embellishments, so this worked for me.  

Next up on the RSD hop is Aletha. 

Just a quick personal plug for my Etsy shop,

Creepy Glowbugg Concoctions.

I listed this ornament for sale in my shop here.

I will be listing some mini skullflakes later this evening, and who knows

what other unique, one of a kind, ornaments may find their way into the

shop as well!

Thanks for visiting!

Merry Creepmas!! 

Creepmas: Day 9

Well, we're nearing the home stretch with only 4 more days left

in our 13 Days of Creepmas celebration. 

 

Today I used "I am too Santa!" from Rick St. Dennis.

It's kind of futile at this point to pick a favorite image

from Rick's Creepmas line. I love sooo many of them! 

I used a Memorybox swirly tree die cut, some half pearls,

a strip of brown snowflake ribbon, and some

buttons.

He's got the prettiest eyes!!

 

I hope you're not losing steam on this 13 day hop.

We still have such sites to show you!

Next up is Aletha for the RSD hop.

 

Creepmas: Day 8

And on the 8th day, the demons turned their sunken eyes towards the skies, and shrieked an ungodly sound in unison.

Or sang Creepmas carols. Same difference.

Today I am using one of my very favorite images from the dark recesses of

Rick St. Dennis' mind.

Please give a warm Creepmas welcome to the 

"2012 Fah Lah La This, Carolers".

I love these crazy kids!

After coloring them to life with Copics, I used a Gothic Arch die from Memorybox, and my all-time favorite sentiment 

from Leavenworth-Jackson, "Heathens Greetings". 

I popped a fancy red gem into the center of the sentiment, and these

boys are ready to sing about nipping off Jack Frost's nose all night long.

Next up on the RSD hop is Aletha.

The link for the 13 Days of Creepmas hop is in my sidebar.