Kick Start Your Art Day 6

Today's Smeared and Smudged Kick Start Your Art theme is:

TEXTURE.

I may have gone a little overboard here....

Not terribly cohesive, but it is highly textural.

I used Dylusions on the background, along with a few stencils that are

no longer visible. I finally used modeling paste and a stencil. I have been meaning

to try this technique, and now I love it! 

The poison ticket has been dipped in extra thick embossing powder for a slick finish.

Used this specimen tag left over from another project. 

More modeling paste and TH shattered stencil.

I attached some tulle to the back of the tag and then melted it

a bit with a heat gun. 

Attached a wooden key, and then splattered black, brown, and white

Dylusions inks everywhere to try and pull it all together. 

Added some TH tinsel twine for more texture and interest.

And finally, I attached a scrap of burlap to the bottom for one last blast of 

TEXTURE!!!

Tomorrow is the final day of this really fun, yet challenging art journal challenge.

I have really enjoyed myself, and feel as though my art journaling skills have been

stretched and improved through this process.

Thank you for stopping by, and see you tomorrow!  

DT Throwdown: Old and Grey

It's time again for the monthly, DT Throwdown challenge!!

What is a "throwdown challenge", you may ask?

Well, Smeared Ink has put out a challenge to all Design Teams

to make up a team of three, and compete (for bragging rights and a cool badge)

against other DTs by creating something magical (or not) from the monthly prompt.

The one main rule besides following the theme is to use a stamped image somewhere

on their project. Seems simple enough, doesn't it? If nothing else, it's loads of

fun and a great way to step out of your creative comfort zone.

Stop by the new Throwdown blog and vote for your favorite team's projects,

and maybe even get inspired to play along with us all next month. 

This month's theme was chosen by last month's winners,

Quoth the Raven.

They have decided to go "Old and Grey" for the new challenge.    

Here is what I came up with for the theme.

After much brainstorming and deliberation, I kept coming back to coffins.

I bought a bunch of paper mache coffin boxes last year on clearance,

thinking I could use them to send my little Halloween sculptures out in them

this year. I made a few using decoupage and Halloween napkins, but 

I wanted to try some new techniques this time around.

I love this little fat coffin shape!

I got out the modeling paste and covered the entire box and lid. 

I used a metal wings embellishment behind a cool polyclay

skull gifted to me from my buddy, Kristy. I painted the entire coffin

and embellishments in gray, and then proceeded to dry brush the 

lighter shades onto the rock-like texture.    

Quite happy with the outcome.

Inside the box, I have adhered a little Vampire from RSD.

What's a coffin without it's Vampire?

The inside of the lid got some special attention as well.

I added a cute skull stamp, and then some sparkly curly q's

for more interest. 

Ta-dah!

I tried some crackle paste on this coffin.

Similar results as the modeling paste, but with some real cracks.

Nice. 

I was lucky enough to win last month's Stampotique giveaway,

and this is one of the awesome new stamps I received.

It's called, "Lovelyarethesound".  

Lastly, I added a metal skull brad and a rhinestone to bling things up a bit.

That's it for my DT Throwdown entry.

Please drop by the HDH blog and check out what the rest of my teamies made for 

the Throwdown.

Then, please stop by the new Throwdown blog to vote for your favorite

team's projects. Voting begins today, and ends Friday.