Oh, Alice! Eat me....

For what now seems like many moons ago, I used to be a part

of a great group of creative ladies who were the design team

for the Oh, Alice! challenge blog. 

It was a wonderful Alice in Wonderland themed challenge blog.

After a while, the blog changed (equally worthy) hands,

and I felt it was a good time to step down and see what else was

out there for me creatively. I always meant to play along 

with the newly renamed, Altered Alice challenges, but never did.

Then I read that this is Altered Alice's last scheduled challenge until 

further notice. I absolutely had to play! 

It had been much too long since I made anything

Alice related, and I couldn't think of a better reason to do so.

And the theme is Anything Goes. Really? My favorite theme ever! 

I immediately knew I wanted to use my favorite Alice image, 

from Spesch Designer's Stamps, drawn by Christina Gardner.

I had all the blue and yellow Copics out with the intention of doing 

a classic color scheme for Alice, but then I remembered 

it's anything goes!

I like Alice with lavender hair and green eyes.

Then, I colored up this great image drawn by Rick St. Dennis,

 and gussied it up a bit with some Stickles and loose Doodlebug glitter. 

I added the black satin ribbon with the buckle/brad to give some balance.

Plus, it was an opportunity to destash a bit. I always need to destash....  

I even broke out with my highly coveted 

Graphic 45 Hallowe'en in Wonderland dp, and my 

loverly Leavenworth Jackson Wish you were here stamp. 

I embossed it after I distressed it slightly. 

I am so happy I got a chance to create something for the awesome 

Altered Alice Chapter 27 

What a wonderful dream it has been challenge.

I'd also like to enter this card in the following challenges:

  Simon Says - Anything Goes!

Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes with ribbon

Inkspirational Challenges - Anything Goes

Party Time Tuesdays - #122 Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

      

Anything Poes, and then some

Finally, I am able to play along with my fiends

at Quoth the Raven, Nevermore challenges!!

With a style all their own, they deal only in the 

masterings of Mister Poe, and none other! 

I have been itching to use this wonderfully rendered image of Mister Poe

by Rick St. Dennis. It's available here.

I wanted him to be the main attraction, so I decided on an ATC.

After printing Poe out on kraft stock, I used Distress Inks and an aqua 

pen to give him some color. I used a "nevermore" stamp that I got from 

Viva Las Vegas via an Etsy retailer. Weird, I know.

It seemed a little plain, so I felt the need to add some blood splatter.

I embossed it with some cool, but unused for far too long,

 red tinsel embossing powder.

Lastly, I added the witty sentiment from Viva Las Vegas and some more

sparkly blood splats.

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

Quoth the Raven - Anything POES

Anything but a Card - Dust off your old supplies

Crazy for Challenges - No patterned papers

Left of Center - red and black or just LOC

A Day for Daisies - Anything Goes

Yup, you read that right. I said, "daisies".

Now, I know it's not my usual dark cup of tea, but I adore

the images at ADFD, and wanted to play along with

one of the adorable images I have collected.

I fell in love with this Ladybug and Me image.

They are just the sweetest things.

It would make a beautiful little tattoo.

I made this card for one of my MILs for Mother's Day.

I have been blessed with TWO fabulous MILs.

I don't know where I'd be without them both!

Close up of the sparkles. So pretty.

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenge(s):

A Day for Daisies - Anything Goes #70  

Dance like no one is watching.....

It's HUMP day! And that can only mean one thing.

Wicked Wednesday ATC challenge!!!

This week we are sponsored by

The Greeting Farm.

I used Chibi-Spain for my ATC.

After coloring her with Copics, I fussy cut her out and

mounted her on top of the most amazing vintage, flocked, wallpaper.

I picked it up at a yard sale a few years ago, and have been 

using it sparingly. It's kind of my "precious".

And I had a blast with Stickles to make this little Senorita sparkle!!!

Please join in on the dance party at Wicked Wednesday!!!!

Emergency Embellies

You still have a week to enter the current challenge
at Haunted Design House - Emergency Embellishment.

Do you have a "go to" embellishment that you turn to in a pinch?

How about sparkly ribbon or a cool 3D embellishment?

Well, try to make a project using only one type of embellishment.

Not as easy as you may think.

Personally, I like brads. 

If I have a blank spot to fill, there goes a brad. 

I used four diamond MS brads on this card.

I also used this fabulous image called,
"Mama Mumba Voodoo Woman", from Rick St. Dennis.

Thanks for dropping by today.

StaMpOtiQuE - Anything Goes!

I have to admit that when I first found Stampotique Stamps,

and Daniel Torrente in particular, it was LOVE!!

Such incredibly quirky and dark, and somewhat twisted, 

outsider imagery made me feel right at home. 

Always the outsider. Never conform.

After placing my first order of handmade to order stamps, 

and waiting eagerly for them to arrive, I never looked back.

I now have quite the collection of Stampotique stamps,

and really must put them to better use.

With that, I have decided to attempt at least one

Stampotique stamped project a month. That will then be entered in their

monthly challenge. The newest current theme is: Anything Goes.

I have completed two 2 1/2" X 2 1/2" mini canvasses.

I used Dylusions sprays and some acrylic paint 

to complete the backgrounds.

After rather (un)successfully adding an embossed sentiment, 

I used a great image by Kira Nichols called, "Line Up".

I fussy cut the critters after coloring them with Copics and then 

clear embossed them. 

Finally, I added some snaps and then when that was

 not satisfactory, I glued some silver dew drops on top

of the snaps.

Meh.

Maybe some Stickles will help. Yup! That was it! 

I glued corrugated cardboard on the back of the images

for dimension and then adhered them to the canvas. 

I used all of the same techniques for this canvas as well, but 

these two really crack me up!

I envision someone "floating an air biscuit". Classy!

I even got a little "fancy schmancy" with the edges of this one.

A stamp and Stickles!

Thanks for dropping by! 

I am entering this in the following challenge(s):

Stampotique - Anything Goes #100

The Artistic Stamper - Words

 

A Queen and her rotting court

I made another ATC for the current challenge at WW ATC challenge. 
We're sponsored by my uber talented, Sister Minion, 
Teri of Delicious Doodles.

I immediately thought of this DD image called, Malice,

when I heard the theme was Tarot Symbols. 

She is G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S!

I colored her effortlessly, with Copics. And what I mean by effortlessly,
is that Teri's images have nice, thick lines, that make coloring much
simpler. Not to mention she provides the shading as well. Nice.
Too bad she didn't provide the writing too. I stamped each letter 
myself with various rubber alpha stamps. 
A little wonky, but it does the trick.

There is still time to enter over at Wicked Wednesday.
I see new Delicious Doodles images in your future.....

I'd also like to share a couple of masculine themed 

cards I made recently using images from Rick St. Dennis.

First up, is the rotting head image, "Going, Going, Gone".

I love this image, but after coloring it up with Copics, I was 

stumped as to how to use this image on a card. 

Rick to the rescue! 

It's amazing how one witty sentiment can bring everything together. 

Perfect!!!

The finished card using a MS iron fence punch, some MS paper 

tape, a Pink Paisley banner border, and some tapestry dp from 

unknown origins. An overall, masculine feel. 

I'm always at a loss for masculine cards.

Next I'd like to share my version of the current 

RSD Airless Chambers freebie, "Singing Zombie".

It was all I could do to not color him in my "go to" zombie colors.

I usually always color my zombies in YGs. Don't know why, 

other than they're my favorite color family, 

and zombies are my favorite monsters.

I used all Warm Grays for his flesh and a bit of RV25, 23, and 21

for the exposed bloody bits. I wanted the tongue to show up, and be somewhat realistic, so I colored it purple. I also chose my 

paper first, which is something I seldom do, but it helped 

tremendously when coloring the background. 

I found the musical note image on the web, half toned it, and 

added the Happy Birthday sentiment in Gimp.

Remember, the free Zombie image is still available here,

and you have until the 24th of May to enter the challenge 

using said zombie image.

More RSD images are up for grabs to the three winners, 

so why not play along? You'll find the place to add your entry 

along the top of the blog, marked May 2013 Freebie Contest.

   

Symbols of the Tarot

This week at Wicked Wednesday ATC challenge, the theme is

Tarot Symbols.

We are lucky enough to be sponsored by

Delicious Doodles.

I used Teri's menacing Grim Reaper and her Gravestone scene

to represent the Death card of the Tarot.

I colored the images with Copics and then fussy cut everything

out. I layered the gravestones over the Reaper and added a pop

dot or two for some dimension. Lastly, I went over the tops

of the headstones and the scythe with a Stardust pen for some sparkle.

Please join us over at WW this week for the Tarot Symbols challenge.

Knightmares

This week's Macabre Monday challenge at HDH is 

Stephen King Knightmares.

Now at first glance, this should have been an easy challenge.

Stephen King has tons of films and stories, and even TV shows to 

choose from. 

I have read some of his books, but most of them are a bit 

too wordy for me. I finished Gerald's Game, Misery, Cujo, 

Salem's Lots, Monkey Shines and Skeleton Crew. 

I prefer his short stories over his novels any day.

I only got about 300 pages into IT, when I threw in the towel 

and watched the movie instead of finishing the book.

I really wanted to make something in homage to Children of the Corn,

but nothing was coming together.

So I opted for a favorite film from my teen years, 

Cat's Eye from 1985. 

I think this little troll dude was my favorite part/story of the entire film.

He was creepy and kinda cute, in a breath sucking kind of way.

I went with the "every breath you take" quote, since it was the song

playing on the turntable when our little troll friend hit the wall

in Drew's room.

I finally realized I may have been having a hard time with this challenge

because Stephen King was my Mom's favorite author. 

She had all his books in hardback, and would read every night 

before she went to bed. 

I need to request some of her books from my Dad. 

I just may finish IT after all. 

  

Fun in the Sun WW reminder

Just a quick post and reminder that you still have a few days to enter

the current challenge at Wicked Wednesday ATC challenges.

The theme is Sun and Surf, and we are sponsored by

2 Cute Ink.

I used the adorable flamingo fun image.

I was just going to keep him pretty simple, but my

"less is more" mantra flew out the window quite quickly.

I have had these sun earrings for ages! Really, like 20 years!

So I cut off the post, glued Mister Sun to a piece of orange card stock,

fussy cut a bit, and then Stickled the begeejuss outta him!

Big, bright, sun with shades! 

Then came the die cuts.

I used a cloud (cut in half) and flocked it for a nice texture.

After coloring the grass on the image, I opted for some MS punched 

grass to add some dimension and interest. And to cover my poor grass coloring skills.

Who says ATCs have to be simple and flat?

Please join us over at WW ATC challenges!!! 

I'd like to enter this ATC in the current challenge at 

Anything But a Card : ATC Extravaganza

Vivienne Peacock

I have had a "thing" for peacocks for years. 

I have always had peacock feathers in a vase or arrangement 

somewhere in my house. 

I found a really cool mirror a few years ago,

 and I have been caught up in the current craze ever since.

I've got peacock papers, stamps, and embellishments. 

Somewhere.

So it almost goes without saying, that I had to purchase Vivienne,

by Annie Rodrigue, from Kraftin' Kimmie, as soon as I saw her! 

Then I finally inked her up for the current challenge at 

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!!

The challenge is heat or dry embossing. I did both kinds of embossing.

I used a cool Sizzix peacock feather embossing folder for the background.

I left it all white. I really like the subtle impact it gives.

 I used heat embossing for the sentiment.

Overall, pretty clean and simple. A new premise for me, but I like it.

I'd like to enter this in the following challenge(s):  

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!! - #176 Heat or Dry Embossing

Strega in the DICC

Today I'd like to share my card for the new 

Desert Islands Crafters Challenge.

Rick St. Dennis is sponsoring the challenge,

and I get to be a guest DT as a fringe benefit.

I jumped at the chance to color up, and create with 

one of Rick's newest "dark" images, Strega. 

Isn't she lovely? And oh, so deadly....

I liked the iris-less version 

(she comes with both versions when purchased here),

 since it played to my love of cartoons and comic style drawings.

I just went for it, as far as my color palette. 

She reminded me of an 80's style pop princess, 

hence the bright, bubble gum, color scheme. 

I used skulls-her earrings, hand colored satin roses, 

lots of Stickles glitter, and embossing, from the 

list of challenge choices. 

It was fun to create using set choices from the challenge.

I spend way too much time putting my creations together,

so it was nice to have only so many options to choose from.
I'll be playing along again, very soon.   

Please join us over at DICC, and play along to win some 

fabulous  Rick St. Dennis images.