Vintage Smeared Ink DT Hop

Another month has flown by, and we find ourselves face to face

with yet another inspiring Smeared Ink monthly DT hop.

This month the theme du jour is

Vintage.

I have been in a bit of a Hallowe'en colored mood for a while now,

so this has given me a nice departure from my standard varied shades

of green, purple, and orange.

I decided to make one of the corsets from the Heavy Metal digi set

my main attraction on this card. I colored it with E80 Copics and

a some RV90 shades. I also tipped the lace with the same RV95 Copic

that I used on the corset.     

I used a Vintage definition stamp from parts unknown. 

It was perfect for this project. I attached it with a tiny TH paperclip.

I also added a wood cut key from The Porkchop Show on Etsy. Love his stuff!

Thanks so much for dropping by today!

Below is the hop list if you'd like to check out all of the 

marvelous makes for today's hop.

BLACKDRAGON

SHELL

SHONI

CREEPY GLOWBUGG - you are here

ELENOR

REBECCA

Smeared Ink July DT blog hop

Well July seems like just a blip on the map this year.

I can't believe it's almost over already.

The end of the month brings us the 

Smeared Ink DT Blog Hop. 

So that's a good thing, at least.

The theme for this month's blog hop is

MONOCHROMATIC.   

I chose to work with purple hues. One of my very favorite colors.

I used my new rubber stamp called, "The High Priestess", 

from the Morbidly Adorable rubber set, 

sold exclusively through the rubber club at Smeared Ink.

I was so excited to ink up my new rubber, that I didn't really 

consider just how much coloring was involved with this image.

Let's just say it was a bit of a marathon coloring session. 

And a bit of a challenge to keep it all monochromatic. I did cheat a teeny bit by

using some RV pinks to give some contrast to the wings, ball in her hand, and 

the beads in her hair.  

  

Love the skellie kitteh!

I used a white Sakura gelly roll pen to add some highlights.

The highlights help with contrast. I can't express how important

I feel contrast is to successful coloring. You have to have super darks

and super lights, coupled with all of the shades in between for a nicely

colored image. Regardless of whether it's full color or monochromatic,

there should be a full range of  hues to show depth. 

In my opinion, anyway.  

Lastly, I've added a sheer purple bow for some dimension and interest,

given how simple the card ended up. I felt it only

detracted from the image to add any embellies or other crap. 

Sometimes I forget that less is more. Usually, I forget.

Thanks for dropping by today. 

Please feel free to hop along to the rest of the design team's 

blogs, and check out their amazing monochromatic makes. 

BLACKDRAGON

SHELL

KAPREE

SHONI

CREEPY GLOWBUGG

REBECCA

Smeared Ink Monthly DT Blog Hop

Welcome to the June installment of the 

Smeared Ink monthly blog hop.

I can hardly believe that it's already summer.

Moreover, that it's almost July 4th! 

Time really flies when you're an old lady!

Anyhoo,

here is my card using one of the awesome "Llorona" images available exclusively

from the Smeared Ink Rubber Club. Well, they haven't been released just yet,

but since I'm on the DT I get the perks of playing with the new releases early.

[insert shit eating grin here]

     

I struggled to make this card. I tried to force some cool Day of the Dead

dp on this project, but there was a shade of green that just wouldn't play nice

with all the purple. I scrapped it finally, and just kept everything in shades of purple

and black. So much better! 

I broke out with the pearl stick pin and a handmade headstone embellie.

I need to make more of these. That is one of the best Martha Stewart

punches in my collection. Next to the drippy goo punch. That one is a

definite must have for any creepy crafter.   

Be sure to check out the entire hop with these handy links.

Shell

Kapree

Shoni

Creepy Glowbugg

Rebecca

  

Smeared Ink Monthly Blog Hop

Behold! 

My Altered project for the Monthly DT hop for

Smeared Ink.

My husband always asks me, "Why are you saving this?".

And I always tell him, "I'll know when the time is right."

After ruining my original DT project in the eleventh hour, I remembered that

I had saved this box that was perfect for altering.

The little box is an insert that fits inside of the larger box, but I didn't get

quite that far.

After a coat of black gesso, and a coat of metallic black acrylic paint,

this little box was starting to take shape.

I chose to use the Circus Procession set for this project.

I played around with this finger die cut from TH. I used some Distress Paints,

which I overheated, to create the corroded look. 

Had to add the diver. So vintage and fun.

I used the pinwheel image with a brad in the center of the cool spiral.

I also added the verbiage from the set using Gimp.  

I used my favorite crackle effect on the scroll and wave that are also

included in this awesome digi set.

That's it for me, for now.

I do plan to finish the box, but I haven't been to sleep yet, 

so I'll have to save the rest for another time.

Please join us for the hop.

Here is blogroll for your hopping convenience.  

Black Dragon

Shell

Kapree

Shoni

Creepy Glowbugg

Lisa

Elenor

Rebecca

  

Smeared Ink Monthly blog hop

Today, I have another Smeared Ink project for your visual amusement.

We're having a design team blog hop for the month of April.

If you'd like to begin the hop from the beginning, 

here is the hop order:

Black Dragon

Shell

Kapree

Shoni

Creepy Glowbugg - me

Lisa

Elenor
Rebecca

I purchased a few of these blank notebooks from Pick Your Plum

a while back, and I needed a gift for a friend's birthday, so it

was a double duty project. I like that.

The notebook folds out into thirds. This gives plenty of room to decorate

and customize. I started out by removing the covers, and painting them with

a tan acrylic paint.

Then, I broke out with my new TH Clockwork stencil, and some

SU teal ink. 

Next, I distressed and aged the covers using Distress Inks

in vintage photo, and walnut. I have tried many types of applicators

for applying inks to my projects, but I love the fingertip sponge daubers 

the best. They give great control, and they're easy to hang onto.

I gave the covers a coat of matte medium to seal the inks and keep them

from bleeding onto the recipient's hands when they use it someday.

I went ahead and added a script stamp, and then I heat embossed it.

I used this script stamp throughout the entire notebook. I added a Copic colored

image called, Specimen Jar - Man from Smeared Ink. 

I gave the image a coat of Glossy Accents to give it some durability.

I really love this image. It's very 'DaVinci' feeling, to me.

Here is the opened view of the notebook. 

I have continued all of the same techniques and finishes throughout the book.

I have used the Butterfly Jar image from Smeared Ink here,

and I have added both, Glossy Accents, and Crackle Accents to the jar

for a varied effect of textures. I like it.

 I have used another butterfly from the Specimen Jar digi set

at Smeared Ink. I colored it with watercolor pencils,

and accented it Stickles and Gelly Roll Stardust pen.

And here it is all folded out and finished.

I have to say it turned out pretty cool, and I am 

eager to send it to my friend. I have a feeling she'll dig it, too.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Make sure to check out the entire Smeared Ink DT hop

to see more creative craftiness from my fellow DT members.  

The hop order is in my sidebar, and at the beginning of this post.

I'd like to enter this project in the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes
Anything But a Card - use/make a book
That Craft Place - Anything Goes
Crafty Calendar Challenge - Things with Wings
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge - Wings 
Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes
C.R.A.F.T. challenge - Not a card
Crafting at the Weekend - Anything Goes