Hambo Hogs and Sketches challenge #7 - Dogs rule. Cats drool.

I had almost forgotten to complete April's sketch challenge over at Hambo!

Thankfully, my friend and fellow DT member, MacKenzie, reminded me by asking how it was coming along.

How was what, coming along?

Man, getting old sucks.

Luckily, I had already colored in these digital images from Hambo, and only needed to put everything together according to the helpful sketch provided.

I came up with the witty little sentiment and typeset it on my computer.

 

I am so proud of my nearly perfect bow, but those little bone buttons( I removed the shanks on the back) are just the right touch. 

Head on over to Hambo's Hogs and Sketches blog and play along!

Lots of prizes up for grabs and even a free image or two to try before you buy.

Birthday, schmirthday

This is the year that myself, and quite few of my close friends all turn the big four oh.

Turning 30 or 35 really didn't phase me. 

Not really too hung up in the numbers in the past.

As I look at everyone around me and see how everyone else has aged it seems strange that

I still manage to maintain my youthful glow and zest for life.

What a crock!

I hate to look at my hands as I see how my age is reflected in their "crepe paper" like texture, and age lines. A sure giveaway to most ladies' age is their hands.

I still have until September to cling to my thirties, but my best friend is turning 40 tomorrow and I have to go pick her up at the home and take her out for soft serve and an eye test.

She's gonna love that!

   

I picked up this image of 'Mr. Piddles', from Eat Cake Graphics, and knew immediately that I wanted to pair him with a cake for a cute birthday card.

I used the cake and sentiment from the "Bitty Birthday" set from SU.

I have been using the Glossy Accents quite a bit lately, and used it here on the cake frosting along with some Stickles on the candles.

I'm going to go put some lotion on my old, ashy hands now.   

CHOMPS

I finally gave in to temptation, and placed an order at Paper Makeup Stamps.

This is 'Chomps'.

Looks like Chomps is ready to enjoy spring.

 

I used Copics to color everything in and then I added

Glossy Accents to his teeth and eyeball.

I used a Sakura glaze pen on his tongue for a little bit of glossy texture.

I realy like this image and can't wait to use it more.

Crackle glass effect - do's and don'ts

I have been very intrigued by the crackle glass technique I've been seeing quite a lot of lately.

I looked it up on Splitcoast and found some nice tutorials on the subject and this was what I managed to come up with.

 

I used this rad drawing I found online of the bone structure of Hello Kitty.

I decided to 'age' the image prior to adding the crackle glass effect.

I only figured this out AFTER I ruined a few images by adding the color to the piece after I cracked the glass.

   

Don't care for this look at all.

This one was kinda cool, but I still prefer the color added to the image before the crackle.

I used a minimum of 3 layers of the Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel. Then I popped it in the freezer for a few minutes, and when I took it out, I immediately started cracking the image. Once it begins to warm up, it stops cracking and just tears the paper if you're not careful.

Really cool technique. It would be really sweet with a stained glass-like image.  

Queen of the Deviled Eggs

I am not a very good or creative cook.

My skills lie very far from the kitchen.

That being said, I have managed to find my culinary gift, buried deep within the confines of an ordinary eggshell.

I have managed to raise the act of deviling eggs, to a bit of an art form.

I boil my eggs just as you normally would when preparing deviled eggs.

Once they are cooked, I let them cool slightly, and then I begin cracking the shells.

I don't remove any of the shell, just crack it so that the food coloring can seep in to color the white of the egg.

I use the flourescent food coloring from the grocery store, and let the eggs sit in the water and food coloring bath for at least 15 minutes, if not more.

The longer the eggs sit in the dye, the more intense the color.

  

I then peel the shells off and prepare them like usual.

I like to add bacon bits to my yolk mixture and use a freezer ziploc to pipe the mixture into the egg halves. This keeps it all very neat and uniform in appearance.

I didn't take any photos once the eggs were deviled, as they don't stick around long once they hit the table.

I am requested to make deviled eggs for almost every holiday and family celebration.

I add color to them according to the occasion. I also add color to the yolk mixture sometimes for a change. Like red eggs and green yolks for Christmas, and black eggs and orange yolks for Halloween.

Kinda weird to look at, but they taste like they're supposed to. The kids really like them alot, and there are never any leftovers.  

A fungus among us

Ahhh, mushrooms.

Reminds me of those days gone by, when we (my husband and I) would go to the

Grateful Dead shows here in Sacramento, and sell our tickets for mind altering pieces of paper or foul tasting fungus to take us to a 'higher level of consciousness'.

Meandering through the crowds of patchouli smelling hippies, and curious onlookers, in the summertime heat of Sac-town, just lookin' for a "miracle", man.

Good times.

R.I.P. Jerry.

Long time no sea - literally.

Well, it has been quite a while since I last posted.

I'd like to say I was off basking in the sun in the Mediterranean somewhere,

but alas, I was just being a hausfrau and falling into a bit of a creative funk.

I did manage to make this little labor of love, using all Hambo images and sentiment.

    

This guy was a rubber image that layered quite nicely with the 'ocean bottom', digital image background.

I added some bits from an extra background I colored and used them to camouflage the layers. 

  

I used Copics to color everybody, and then I sprinkled everything with Stickles.

Gotta love it.

LOTS of cutting, but I am quite pleased with this card.