Steampunk Puzzle Art

A dear friend purchased a children's puzzle with pretty large pieces.

She sent puzzle pieces to various friends and asked them to customize the

pieces and send them back so she could put them all back together in

one large art puzzle. Kinda like ATCs, but they will all interconnect.

Cool, right? The only limitations are your edges. You don't want to overlap

onto someone else's piece. 

Wanna see what I did? 

I got two connecting puzzle pieces to work with. This allowed me to expand

quite a bit, and make a pretty good sized piece. 

I reached for one of my unused Stampotique stamps

called, "Oh Boys". I felt these guys deserved a good inking.

And in keeping with my 2015 goal of using any previously

unused images or products. I'm doing pretty good so far.

The boys fit perfectly in the little chipboard peephole/label that I added some

plastic packaging to the back of, to mimic glass. 

I used different embossing folders (diamond plate, rivets, gears)

to give the industrial/Steampunk feel I was going after for this project.

I used cardstock and some aluminum tape I picked up at the $Store. 

Worked great! I colored it with various alcohol inks, and then splattered some

black and white Dylusions on everything to make it really grungy. 

I used Crackle Accents and Glossy Accents on a few gear die cuts,

and used the Glossy Accents to glue down the actual metal bits I used. 

I mounted the peephole using foam tape for dimension.

I'm pretty thrilled with this piece. Great fun to create!

Thanks for the chance to play along, Kristy. 

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

Stampotique Designer's Challenge - New Year's Resolution
(to use previously unused stamps like "Oh Boys!")

Left of Center - Three or more layers 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Kraftin' Kimmie - All About Boys

Inspiration Emporium - Fresh Start

My soft underbelly is hanging out...

In keeping with my attempt to use previously unused

images from my stash, I have come to the slightly

embarrassing conclusion that I have amassed quite

a collection of cute and sweet images. It's no wonder I haven't

had a chance to play with them. What with my dark side

almost always in the creative driver's seat. 

Today's project uses a sweet, yet slightly maniacal image.

With Valentine's Day on the horizon I figured I'd play with

pinks and grays for a soft and girly Valentine look. 

Seemed like a good time to use some Martha Stewart punches.

The bat fence, and the skulls and crossbones are a couple of

my absolute favorite MS punches. I think I use the drippy goo

punch the most, though.

This image is called, "Buttons", from Make It Crafty.

She's super cute! I've had her for quite long time.

I'm glad I finally colored her up.

I kinda have a crap-ton of this sickly sweet sheer rose ribbon.

I chopped off a couple of buds, and then rubbed some gray ink

over the tops of them to grunge them up a bit. That pink was

just too bright for me in the beginning.

I'm on a frantage kick lately, and since I have some in pink that never

gets used, I figured, "why not?". I also dropped some color fragments in black, 

white, and gray into the frantage, but it barely shows. Well, actually it showed 

too much, so I added more frantage over the top to help it blend in a bit.

I also broke out my envelope punch board to make the tab that says, "loved".   

Hope I didn't lose any of my darker fiends who stop by to see my

creepier concoctions. Have no fear!

I'll be back next Monday with the antithesis of this card. 

What is the opposite of loved? 

I have a feeling you've guessed it already. 

Thank you to everyone who left me a message on my last post.

I didn't mean to sound quite so pathetic, like "No one ever stops

by to see me anymore! Boo hoo". It just seems that with the popularity

of face book and other social media sites, the traffic from blogger has really

slowed down quite a bit. I'm glad to to know you're still out there

like a silent stalker. Watching...

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

Craft Hoarders Anonymous - Choose your challenge

*ink, ribbon, punching, heat embossing/ frantage, and bling* 

Monday Morning Challenge - Anything Goes

The Pink Elephant Monday Card Challenge - Anything Goes

Through the Purple Haze - Love is in the Air

That Craft Place - Love/Valentine

Kit and Clowder Ning Group - January Anything Goes 

Simon Says Wednesday challenge - Have a Heart

Look who's on a roll!

Not bad. Five posts already this month.

So far so good with keeping up with posts,

despite the fact that no one hardly seems to stop by

very much anymore. That's cool though, as I look at this

blog as an indelible record of my thoughts and artwork from 

this point in my life. More for me and my kid than anyone else.

But it's still nice to think folks will drop by and enjoy what they see

and read here.

And as usual, I digress...

I made another ATC. I really enjoy making these things.

The current theme over at Wicked Wednesday is

Pink, Black, and White.

Pretty sure that I nailed it. 

Definitely one of  my favorite color schemes.

In keeping with another want for the new year, I am using 

a previously unused digi image. This one is from the now defunct,

Birdie Brown. I adore Torico's simplistic, and sweet style.

I'm sure you'll be seeing more of her art, as I have amassed quite a collection.

Yes, another "collection".

I kinda panicked when she announced she was closing her shop...

After coloring this sweet image with Copics, I added some

white highlights with a Gelly Roll pen, and some Fruit Punch 

Stickles for sparkle. I also added a couple of steampunk corner

accents, complete with rhinestone centers.

Thanks for stopping by today.

I really do appreciate those of you who stop by, and especially

when you take the time to leave me a comment.

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

Wicked Wednesday ATC challenge - black, pink, and white

Creative Corner Challenges - Wonderland

Love the Tattooed Lady

I have begun the new year with a bit less on my design team plate.

This has freed me up to play with the ridiculous amount of new images

and stamps I have been collecting, yet have NEVER used.

It's actually quite embarrassing, as my hoarder is showing....

So, I have been grabbing random images from my stash,

and actually using them. No kidding! I'm doin' it!!

Check this out...

I have been a fan of Annie Rodrigue for years. I love her artwork.

I have been collecting her stamps from Kraftin' Kimmie for quite

a few years as well. I really wanted to play along with the current

Anything Goes challenge on their blog, and since she has never

even been inked up, I figured she had waited long enough.

"Esmerelda"!

I went pretty CAS on this, only using one dp and some rhinestones.

The image was colored with Copics to match the paper.

I love the sentiment on this paper. I rarely use the sentiments

on designer paper, but this one kinda struck me as extra beautiful.

And it seemed to be even more perfect when paired up with Esmerelda.  

She was so fun to color! I used a bit of white Gelly Roll pen

to open up the tattoos and make them a bit more detailed.

It was hard to add dimension to those teeny tiny tattoos,

but I love how she turned out. She also started out with pink hair, 

but it just didn't look right. Another reason I love my Copics.

Now all is flattering with ebony hair...

I'm going to pop the card in the mail to a dear friend for Valentine's Day.

She's recently relocated to Texas (yikes, better her than me!), and I think 

she can use a pick me up. I bet this does the trick.  

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenge:
Kraftin' Kimmie - Anything Goes

Simon Says Wednesday challenge - Have a heart

I miss those Wicked Wednesdays.....

I used to be on the Wicked Wednesday ATC challenge DT

a while back. I miss those days. So fun to create mini art

like that. I've been meaning to play along lately, but can never

find the time. Until today.

The current theme is Girly Stuff, and the sponsor is

Vera Lane Studio. 

I have been meaning to pick up a digi or two from

Vera Lane, and figured now was as good a time as any,

plus she offered a 10% discount to WW challenge players.

How could I say, "No!"? She has a fun and quirky feel to her 

art, and most of the girls look kinda snarky, and I really like that. 

I colored her up with Copics, highlighted her using a 

white Gelly Roll pen and Stickles. I matched her with

a fun saying from the Smeared Ink Love Lil' Grumpies set.

I think it's supposed to sound weird and stalker-ish, but 

I used it to sound like she is not happy with your attire.

That works, right?

Thanks for stopping by today.

Be sure to check out Wicked Wednesday ATC, Vera Lane,

and Smeared Ink for more inspiration, and fabulous stamps and digis. 

    

Very Anti-Valentine

It's been far too long since I've blogged.

I kinda miss it. I got super burnt out after the 31 Days of Halloween.

I was creatively paralyzed for the entire month of November and most

of December, too. I think I have successfully corralled my mojo, 

slapped a saddle on that bitch, and am ready to ride.

The new theme over at Aurora Wings is 

Pro/Anti Valentine.

C'mon, let's face it, Valentine's Day isn't for everyone. 

After 40 something years of falling prey to the financial

expectations of the holiday, the glitter and sparkle has faded.

I'm over it, and have decided to not hold my husband to an unattainable

standard set by big business any longer. He's still pretty drained financially

from Xmas, so it's not a big deal. Besides, he spoils me periodically

with flowers and trinkets all year long anyway. He's a keeper.

So with all of that said, I have decided to go with the 

Anti-Valentine option of the challenge.

I chose to use my absolute favorite Aurora Wings Flower Sprite, 

the Corpse Flower Sprite.   

He's perfect for an anti-Valentine, dontcha think?

I began by coloring the sprite in lovely purple shades.

The first time I colored him I kept him in red shades.

I think I like the purple better. 

I manipulated the image in Gimp, and laid the text over the top of it.

I also sang "Love Stinks", by the J. Geils Band the entire time, too.

I decided to make a 6"x6" canvas, and prepped it using brown acrylic paint,

 and crackle medium on all of the edges. I rubbed a darker shade of brown paint

into the crackle once it was cured to make the cracks really show up.

I distressed various papers in browns, that complimented one another.

The use of distress ink in walnut, and frantage really helped to tie it all together. 

I added a couple of paper flowers and some burlap ribbon for some added 

interest. I really love all the textures. 

I also used some pearl thingies on top of a nearly over-distressed doily.

I mean that thing has more ink on it than the rest of the entire project.

Very absorbent little sucker.

I used Platinum  Stickles on the distressed edges of the papers on the

perimeter of the canvas. Gives it another nice layer of sparkle. I also like 

to splatter white Dylusion ink on everything for a nice, cohesive effect, too.

And lastly, I added a smattering of lavender jewels to tie in with the purple

Corpse Flower. 

I am pretty pleased with myself this time around.

Please stop by the Aurora Wings challenge blog to see all of the 

other wonderful work by the rest of the design team.

Who knows? You may be so inspired that you'll want to play along with 

us this month. Stranger things have happened.

    

My Macabre Monthly has begun!

Have no fear, I am only talking about the newest incarnation of 

Haunted Design House's Macabre Monday challenges. 

We have decided to begin this year as a monthly challenge

 with really inspiring themes that are left to your interpretation. 

No sponsors, but we will be honoring our monthly chosen winner 

with an exclusive badge just for that challenge.

The more exclusive badges you collect, the better your chances are of

winning an incredible array of artistic goodies from the Minions at the end 

of the year.  

Sound like fun? I think so. 

Wanna see what I made for our first challenge

"What's New Pussy Cat?"    

I decided that my first project for 2015 was going to be a 

mixed media canvas. I really love the freedom this kind of 

project allows. No rules, just add schtuff to your heart's desire.

I began with a 4" x 5" canvas base, painted it with green acrylic paint,

and stenciled a diamond pattern using a pearlized crackle medium.

I got this new stamp from Stampotique called, "Spotted Monster" ,

and I added the wings also from Stampotique, to give him the gift of flight.

He's all colored with Copics, and some Rock Candy Stickles for texture

on his wings and spots. 

After all the paints and mediums were dry, I still wasn't convinced this was

a done deal, so I added more crackle paste randomly on the canvas.

Then I broke the seals on some Silk acrylic glazes I had been dying to use.

They really add a nice subtle touch of color and shine. I ended up using my

fingers to apply it so it didn't look too deliberate. 

I added a Tim Holtz tag at the top with some black tinsel twine.

I also used some new TH stars, along with some pearls to give the

feeling of the starry sky. 

And it's not cool to forget about the sides of the canvas.

I added all the words using green tissue paper and stamping the words

directly onto it using Memento ink in black. 

I glued it down using Golden matte medium and it made the 

tissue paper disappear. I have a hard time stamping directly onto canvas with 

any success, so this really made my day. 

Thanks for dropping by today.

I hope you enjoyed my first creation of 2015, and that you'll join

me throughout the coming year to see more of my artistic ramblings

and shenanigans.   

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

Stampotique - SDC176 Anything Goes

Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes 

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Mixed Media only- anything goes

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes