Vibrant Day of the Dead

Do you ever complete a project and look at it,

and instantly fall in love with your own work?

It doesn't happen to me that often, but when it does, it's so nice.

The new month long challenge at Aurora Wings Challenge blog is

Day of the Dead.

I knew pretty much immediately what image I wanted to use

and got her all colored up with my favorite medium, Copics.
Day of the Dead Marie is one of my favorite Aurora Wings images.

Then, as has become my apparent Halloween tradition, I came 

down with a terrible bugg of some sort, and was completely out 

of commission for a week. Never got to get her finished, but was trying

despite my ailments, to work on a project fitting of this gorgeous image.

I love making cards, but this lady deserved something a bit more 

permanent than a greeting card, so I made her into a 5" X 7" panel

fit for framing.

I began with a flat canvas panel I picked up in a 10 pack at Ross.
I find some really cool craft supplies at Ross and TJ Maxx sometimes.
Who knew? Now we all do.
I gessoed, and then painted the panel with magenta acrylic paint.
Then I added some black paint to the edges to grunge it up a bit.

I mounted some black cheesecloth to the panel to serve as my background.
I was going to use some gray flocked baroque patterned acetate, but it
just wasn't working well with the magenta. And I really tried to force the
use of that acetate, but no dice. I like the cheesecloth better, anyway.

I glued on some lush black lace and trim to give everything a fancy flair.

I envisioned the rest of her dress as being quite ornate with lace and trims.

After adhering the image panel, I started the time consuming
(for me, anyway) process of adding embellishments.

I decided on the neon green rose to match her eyes, and then

a feather, some pearl fancies, mini roses, and a cool spider

to finish it all off.

I must say that I am pretty chuffed as to how this turned out.

I wasn't so sure it was ever going to be done, but now that it is

I will be searching for the perfect frame to display her properly.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Be sure to check out all the inspiring projects on the challenge blog, too.

The DT really went all out this month. Tons of gorgeous eye candy to be seen.

I'd love to show her off in the following challenges:

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - Pink Halloween

The Pencil Case - Eerie colors

As You Like It - Favorite Brights or Pastels 

Brights all the way! I love vibrant, saturated colors!! 

The Unicorn Challenge - Think Pink 

Crafty Boots - Pink challenge

CCK Digi Stamps challenge - Halloween/Something Spooky 

Craft and Smash - Skulls

Digi Galore - Think Pink

Through the Purple Haze - Halloween/Magical

  

  

I feel like a cheat Day 24

I am still unwilling to throw in the towel on these 31 day long

blog hops. Although I did grapple with the idea more than once.

A friend kindly reminded me that I was sick this time last year.

Hmmm, maybe the stress is more than this old demon can handle anymore.

I guess I had better make the best of it then, huh?    

This is a beautiful  new image from Aurora Wings called, 

Day of the Dead Marie.

With my puppy troubles I was unable to take part in the

release showcase, but I did have her colored, just not  made

into an actual 'thing'.  

So, I scanned the colored image, even though I would lose all

the sparkle from the Stickles and the Perfect Pearls that were on

the original.   

I reduced it down to approximately 3.5" x 2.5"-ish, 

which is much smaller than I can possibly color an image

of this kind of detail. 

I popped her into a sweet little fancy frame, and viola!

Gorgeous!

Thanks again for all of your wonderfully sweet and thoughtful 

comments regarding my sick furbabies. We're off the IVs for today,

but you never know what tomorrow will hold. So, I'll keep on

happily, and gratefully receiving all of those good vibes.

Be sure to take a stroll down the blog rolls for both the

31 Days of Halloween and the Countdown to Halloween.

It's a good way to kill a few hours on some great 

Halloween themed, and inspired schtuff.