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

  

  

Marie Nyantoinette Showcase

Well, it looks like Mitzi at Aurora Wings has done it again.

She has created another beautiful Marie Antoinette image.

And this one is pretty special. 

Say hello to her little friend!

How cute is that kitteh with a wig on?!! 

I have a weakness for animals in wigs and hats, so this was an instant

favorite.

I colored Marie and her fuzzy friend with Copics, in browns and red violets.

I finally decided on some yellow greens to offset the overabundance of

brown and red violet shades. 

This was my first version of the background.

I pretty much hated it the second I was done with it, but after

a pep talk from my son, I decided to re-do the background to

provide more contrast for Marie.

Man, I love my Copics. What a great medium. 

Lastly, I added some sparkle with platinum and cinnamon Stickles. 

I popped her into a 5"x7" frame to accommodate the larger sized

image, and she's ready for her big showcase debut.

Please drop by the Aurora Wings Showcase blog to see all of the 

inspired and talented work of the participating DT members.

I just can't get enough of her!

I don't know what it is about her, but I just can't get enough of

Marie Antoinette!

Aurora Wings has a stunning Marie that I colored to resemble a zombie of

the highest regard. She was quite a remarkable result of Copics, a googly eye,

and a deviant mentality. All mine. You can see her for yourself right here. 

I have another Marie image that was drawn by one of my favorite artists,

Abigail Larson. She is quite a talented dark artist, who has done some

images for SBS, which is where I got the image. 

I have had her stashed away for months, and am thrilled to have finally

brought her to life....

Isn't she lovely? 

Oh, so tragically undead, and lovely.

  

I was inspired by the current Left Of Center challenge 

of black, white, and one other color.

I chose to use my (other) favorite color, yellow green. 

I used Lime Green Stickles for some sparkle on the oval frame,

and the die cut leaves. I managed to get a decent photo of the glitter.

It's harder to capture on film than you'd think. 

I used some definition dp (from parts unknown), and was able to arrange it

so that the word and definition for scar, is visible under her portrait.

I thought that was kind of cool.

She was a blast to color, and a challenge to keep her in shades of black

and yellow green. I used Warm Grays for her dress and facial shading, 

Toner Grays for her hair, and Neutral Grays for the background.

All of the greens are G09, YG17, YG25, YG03, YG01, YG00, and YG0000.   

I am rather proud of this one.

I'd like to show her off, and enter her in the following challenges:

Left of Center - Black, White, and one color 

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

A Step in the Darkness - Anything Goes

Craft-room Challenge - Green inspiration

Kraftin' Kimmie - Anything Goes

  

Let them eat... an eyeball cupcake?

I have an Aurora Wings Showcase project to share with you today.

Mitzi has once again drawn an incredibly lovely, and detailed image.

This time she has re-imagined Marie Antoinette. How fun, right?

Well, you know I can't have anything nice, so it should come as no 

surprise that this is what I did to poor Marie. 

She's still quite a stunner with her undead pallor, 

dontcha think? 

I used Violet hues for her skin tone, making sure to give her

sunken eye sockets and sunken cheeks.

I decided to go all out with her hair color. I chose to use

YGs and BGs in her incredible tresses to provided good

contrast with the adornments in her hair. I used Stickles in Glam Pink

and Crystal, for that bling factor on the beads and feather. 

Marie (alive or dead) was quite a fancy, and elegant woman.  

Fancy = Bling.

I have joined the Tim Holtz masses and finally picked up the weathered clock die.

LOVE it! I chopped this one in half, distressed it with ink, and applied Rock Candy Stickles 

for more ... wait for it, ... BLING! 

For the final piece de resistance, I couldn't fight the urge to

add a googly eye to the cupcake. Kinda silly, but what else

would you expect from me?

I love the silliness of it in the middle of this very serious card.

Yeah, right. 'Cause an undead Marie is just so serious! Ha!

The dp is from MME Lost and Found Two.

It's aged with TH distress inks and again, I have 

added Stickles, this time in Diamond, to each panel.

More bling is bettah!

Be sure to check out all of the other incredibly fabulous versions

of our sweet Marie at the Aurora Wings Showcase blog.

And if you just want to skip all the hoopla, you can go purchase

your very own Marie Antoinette image here, right now!

I'd like to enter Marie in the following challenges:
Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes 
Simon Says Monday challenge - About a face (Marie has quite the face!)
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes (optional shaped cards)
Digi Galore - Anything Goes
Pumpkin Spice - Anything Goes
Brown Sugar Challenge - Pink and Pearls
Fussy and Fancy - It's all about Girls!
Left of Center - Anything Goes/Add sparkle