It's a Love/Hate Thing

To say that I don't like angels or cherubs would be a bit of a misnomer.

While I am not a fan of the angelics in the classical sense, I do enjoy them

once they are adequately "repurposed".

I was out thrifting with a friend a few weeks ago and she spotted this

delicious assortment of ceramic angel ornaments.

$2.00 for the entire lot of 10. Super sweet deal!

I knew immediately what I was going to do to each and every one of those

little fellas. I was gonna "fix 'em". And fix 'em good!

I started off with a nice coat of gesso to get everything ready for

what was to come... 

See?

All better!

I got out the polymer clay and began to sculpt a fleshy

heart over the existing one. I made sure it was beefy enough

to accommodate a big ol' chunk being gnawed out of it.

I also gave him a head wound. Might as well, huh? 

I made over his wings with a bit more clay. I ended them in points,

more like bat wings. I like them better that way.

  

Then he got the standard coats of Hauser Light Green

acrylic paint for his skin, and various shades of acrylics

for his remaining colored parts. I added some glittery pink

paint on the heart to make it purty. Same goes for the purty

red paint, too.     

Lastly, the whole caboodle got a wash of black paint

to help bring out all of the details, and a layer of 

Inka Gold in purple was added to the wings for one last

dose of dark angel glam.

This was made specifically for the current challenge going   

on this month at Haunted Design House. The theme is

It's a Love/Hate Thing.

Interpret that any which way you'd like. Drop by HDH for

some killer inspiration.  

For my King

Now just because I have pretty much denounced 

Valentine's Day as a whole, doesn't mean that I don't make

a card for my husband every year. He deserves it.

But like most things, I can't be serious.

I have no problem with being heartfelt, but it's gotta

make ya smile, too.

I just got some new Stampotique stamps, and since one of them

was the Daniel's Hearts stamp I thought it only fitting to use it

as a background for my V Day cards.

After stamping the hearts in a varied pattern, I used a

waterbrush and Distress Inks to paint them. I also added

splatters of white and black Dylusions ink to lend to the messy

watercolor painting.

Wolfie King kinda spoke to me and convinced me

he was perfect for my husband's kooky card.

I think he was right. Especially after coloring him

with Copics, adding Stickles to his star belt buckle, and 

topping off his crown with rhinestones. 

He is quite the stunner.   

I used my Dymo maker to make the sentiment, which is

a little inside joke. If you know me at all, you know I don't

suffer fools or weak men easily or at all. Nor am I one

to bow down to anyone, so this sentiment is completely dripping

in sarcasm. That being said, my husband is the closest thing ever to

a governing force of my fantastical realm. He pays the bills.

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

Stampotique Designer's Challenge - It's all Love and Hearts 

Creative Moments - Anything Goes/Love

The Male Room challenge blog - Valentine

Loves Rubber Stamps - Show Me Some Red

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.

    

Anti-Valentine from Aurora Wings

So, I have some good news....

I have been asked to be a member of the design team for the new

Aurora Wings challenge blog!!! 

How cool is that?!

I love Mitzi's artwork, and her images are a dream to work with.

I am so honored to be invited to play alongside some incredibly

talented ladies. I mean, reeeeeeally talented.

Check out the new blog site and see who I'm talking about.

The challenges will fire up in March, so start practicing your coloring, now.

I got a chance to create a fun Anti-Valentine card, using one of Mitzi's

beautiful images called, "Anti-Valentine Girl with Nekomimi". 

She's a doll, isn't she? I just adore those rosebud lips!

And those eyes! Mitzi has such a way with eyes.

So feisty, and so gorgeous!!

And I got to use one of these cool girly skull brads I've been hoarding forever!

I used the Sweet and Toxic sentiment from the Greeting Farm set of the same name.

Thanks for dropping by! 

And remember: KEEP IT CREEPY!!!