SDC:270 - Text Background

The current theme at

Stampotique Designer's Challenges is 

TEXT BACKGROUND.

This is one of those projects where you are immediately inspired by an image

and are thankful when it all pans out in the end.  

The new Merman stamp called, 'Snuhubala', by Daniel Torrente

is a perfect fit for his mermaid (one of three), 'Smumanha'.

I got lots of dimension by using various layers of doilies and die cuts.

And then used lots of foam dots on the happy couple for ultimate lift.

For my text background, I used an old dictionary page from a dictionary

I've had since high school. Quite vintage and nicely yellowed. I splattered some

Dylusions sprays to add some color, and added a love die cut for the sentiment.

I am quite happy with how this project worked out.

It's nice when something happens organically and as close to perfect as possible.

Thanks for dropping by my lonely little blog....

Be sure to check out all of the incredible art inspired by the text background theme

at Stampotique Designer's Challenges.    

SDC265: Favorite Stamp

Getting back into the swing of things, I have another DT offering for you. 

This time, it's for the new challenge at Stampotique Designer's Challenge.

The new theme is to create a project using your favorite Stampotique stamp.

Now asking me to choose my very favorite stamp from Stampotique

 is like asking me to choose a favorite child or pet. It is virtually impossible

to choose just one. I used four Stampotique stamps for this project.

I began with an all-time favorite Torrente girl, Perl #6071.

Perl is awesome enough all by herself, but I added another

favorite stamp, the Bat Like Wings #6131 to make her even more

sinister and devilish. These wings have that effect on nearly everyone... 

After fussy cutting Perl and her wings, I glued them to her and 

mounted her onto a background I made using Color Burst powders. 

I also used the great Altered Curiosities #7244, but broke it up

to fit the background. I outlined it with a white pen to help it

show up a bit better.

    

Lastly, I used the Circled Circle #10038 image with white embossing powder

on a black card base. I also splattered various Lindy's sprays and white Dylusions 

to add more interest to the base layer.

Such a fun project!

Hope you're  inspired to play along, or at leat drop by the 

Stampotique Designer's Challenge blog to see all the magnificent

eye candy/inspiration.    

Rudy makes an appearance

I just can't get enough of the Stampotique seahorses

from Daniel Torrente.

Today I am showing off Rudy.

He's awesome in a totally wonky way.

I love Daniel Torrente stamps from Stampotique for this very reason.

All of his drawings and characters are superbly WONKY.   

I made this ATC for the current challenge of Sea Creatures

at Wicked Wednesday ATC challenges.

I used a water colored background, and added Rudy hanging 

onto some plant die cut like he would be in the wild.

I sparkled it up a bit using some Lime Green Stickles and some

opalescent sequins to serve as bubbles.

He goes great with the ATC I made the other day using Reggie here.

Showing Some Stampotique Love

I have been blessed with wonderful people in my life.

As I have gotten older, I have become more selective on

who I keep in my life, and more diligent on whom I kick

to the curb. Do you enlighten or enrich my life in any way?

Do I feel good about myself when I'm with you? Do I respect

the way you live your life, and how you treat the people in it?

If I answer "No", to any of those questions, out ya go!

No regrets, only lessons.

One of the most incredible people I know is a spunky chick, we'll

call, "Kenzie". I have always admired this lady for how she treats the 

people in her life. She is always thinking of others, and making

you feel like she loves you the best of all her friends. And she's good

at it, too. I always thought I was her special lady, 

until I met all of the others... 

Anyhoo, this chick has had some ailments and medical issues in the past,

at least we thought they were in the past. She never let how poorly she was feeling 

keep her from anything she wanted, or felt she had to do. 

But, back in June of last year, shit got real.

My Super Friend, Wonder Mom, Schmexy Lady, had had an aneurysm.  

Let's be clear though, she had the aneurysm, but waited an entire week to 

go to the hospital for emergency, life saving surgery! And she was only

37 years old at the time. Again, she was a wonder. A medical wonder once

she regained consciousness from her coma. Seriously, she had medical

staff peeking in on her just to see the wonder girl. 

I always knew she was bad ass. Just sayin'.

So, it's been over a year, and her recovery is not over yet, 

but this lady has grabbed  the bull by the horns and showed it how

to really live. She climbed a big volcano in Hawaii all by herself to

celebrate her "Aneur-versary". Yeah, did I mention she's pretty

bad ass? I admire her tenacity, her drive, and her heart.

I love this lady's guts. A lot.

In case you were wondering about the egg pictures, Kenzie always brings

me fresh eggs from her chickens, and they always have faces on them.

She rocks. 

So I made her something to hang on her wall to remember me

among all of her other conquests...

I really wanted to play along in the Stampotique Designer challenge,

to use "attachers" on your project. I knew I wanted to make a mash up

of a Kira critter with Torrente bat wings, so that was the easy part. 

I began with a 4" x 4" gray canvas panel from Mike's. It was 70% off,

so I grabbed a couple. I stenciled some black modeling paste onto

it with the TH Gothic stencil. I used Wisteria and Black Ice Silks

for the background color. I'm still learning how to use these gorgeous

paints. I also used my gel medium for the first time by using it to glue the

black May Arts webbed ribbon down on the bottom. Next time, I'll be sure 

to paint over it so it doesn't show as much. Still learning...     

I made sure his wings were movable. I usually don't make

cool, interactive projects like shaker cards or moving parts,

but this was super simple, and fun. 

I used teeny tiny Tim Holtz brad fasteners to hold the wings onto 

the Artichoke Monster's body. 

I chopped off his arms and shortened his feet, too. Sorry. But hey,

I did grant him the gift of flight in exchange for his appendages.

I grunged up a TH "'Salvaged" word band, and attached it to eyelets with

more TH doo-hickeys and jump rings. And, I finally managed to part with my 

very first button that my friend, Lynne sent me months/years ago. 

Thanks, Lynne! 

I also used my TH word dies for the first time, too! I cut it out a few times

with black card stock, which I glued together, and then a purple one on top.

I used some UTEE to give it a nice, glossy finish. 

I thought "Authentic" was a good word to describe my dear friend.

And now, Kenzie is really into brain themed schtuff. Go figure. 

I have had this brain charm for months and finally 

figured out just where it belongs.

Oh, and for some fun texture I used my Goosebumps spray, but I didn't

clean out the nozzle the last time I used it (which you MUST do), so
I improvised and spread it out with fingers. It gives a good bat wing texture.   

Thanks for sticking with me through this long winded post.

I had to gush about my friend who inspired this piece.

I hope she loves it.

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

Stampotique Designer's Challenge - SDC203 - Use Attachers  

Fantasy Stampers - Lots of Layers 

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge- ATG with a twist - use wings or feathers

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - Anything Goes

Toe tag! You're it! The Burtonesque Dolls Challenge #8

The shock is just starting wear off regarding my recent invitation to

join the Burtonesque Dolls.

I am finally all set up and ready to play!

This week's challenge was to create a toe tag

inspired by Burton's "Beetlejuice".

I have some really cool images from a guy who calls his

company Meer Image. His last name is Meer. Cool huh?

I never think to use these stamps because they are so strange and not really

fitting for most 'greeting cards'.

I managed to work this cool "Return to Sender" image in for my toe tag.

   

And then there is Pearl.

She is one of my favorite Daniel Torrente images (thanx Barb!),

and something about her reminded me of the scene in Beetlejuice where the wedding couple is hovering over the dinning room table.

Must be the slack in her hands and the gaunt look on her face.

Okay, now let me 'splain the pearls on her neck.

I started off using Liquid Pearls on her necklace, but smeared them before they

were dry. This left a shiny, sparkle to her neck and I was unable to color it any further with Copics due to the finish the LP left.

Sooooooo, I added the over abundance of pearls to cover her

shiny decolletage.

I guess it works. It definitly looks better than before I added them. 

The Bruise Brothers

Here is my latest creation using another one of my Torrente images.

This card is for the fabulously gruesome, "Ode to the Bruise" Macabre Monday challenge at Haunted Design House,

and the first challenge from The Burtonesque Dolls, to use stripes.

  

Barb at HDH, challenged us to use 'bruise colors' like,

black, purple, yellow, and teal(?).

Done, done, and done!

I really wasn't feeling the teal until I happened upon this perfect shade of

putrification.

I shredded up the ends a bit to keep it creepy.

I used some striped vintage paper I found at a yard sale years ago. It came in a huge roll and I also got a roll of the most wickedly delicious red, flocked, whore house-type/boudoir, haunted mansion, wallpaper. Can't wait to use that!

Anyhoo, the striped paper is really old, but it is so cool and it also has a really neat texture to it.

I'm pretty sure it's not acid free, but then again neither am I. 

Don't let the cute face fool ya

Girls.

Girls can be so evil.

Way more evil than any boy is even capable of being.

That's not to imply that boys aren't evil.

I know. I have a ten year old who gives me periodic glimpses as to what is to come in his teen years.

(I should probably just have my voice box removed now, and avoid all the yelling to come.)

But girls, ...

 

... pure evil in a pink dress.

This little angel reminds me of the bad guys from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" TV show.

The episode where they stole every one's voices and the creepy bleepers just floated around the town, smilin'.

Love this creepy chick! She's my newest Torrente baby.

What a purty smile she's got.

 

Thought this was a perfect sentiment for the little toothy doll, and a seemingly

typical thought of a teen full of angst.

Please note the ingenious use of recycling with the netting from a bag of limes as background texture.

That stuff was not easy to tack down! Got to use a bunch of brads though.  

Take that, Macabre Monday #28!!!

Teen Angst Macabre Monday Challenge

Ahhh, to be a teenager again,... um, no thanks!

It was hard enough the first time around. And back when I was in high school (mid 80's), the girls weren't so hung up on name brand bags and hair extensions.

I wanted some Jordache jeans ($30 that my mother refused to spend on a single pair of pants), a pair of high-top Vans (which I bought for myself $45), and a Sex Wax shirt ($18 at Coach House Gifts).

Now it's purses that cost hundreds of dollars, and designer glasses, and fancy cellphones.

Nope, once around the teenager block was enough for me.

This is, "Bowtie". One of the fabulous images from the uber talented, Daniel Torrente.

I thought he was a bit morose, and embodied the whole 'teen angst' vibe.

I came up with the verbiage after I colored him and thought he was just screaming for some attention in that get up. 

I've got another submission, but I'll save her for tomorrow.

I'm up to eight Torrente images now.

Anyone wanna swap?