Friday, October 31, 2014

The Rejected and Unfinished

Today is the thirty-first (and very last) day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!  Woohoo!!  We made it!

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

I figured there would be lots of bloggers on the hop today who would finish off with a bang, showing you some sort of major and wonderful creation, so I decided to take the opposite approach and go out with a sort of weak whimper.  Instead of giving you a grand and great piece of art, I give you:

The Rejected and Unfinished!

These are the things I worked on that just didn't make the cut, for one reason or another.  Let's start with the rejects:

This just never quite jelled, although I certainly worked at it and wanted it to.

I don't even know what to say about this one.  It's just weird.

Somewhat blah, and not very Halloween-ish.

Meh, as my kids say.

Now the unfinished:  things I started but just didn't go much of anywhere:

I had something very atmospheric in mind here, but it didn't get there.

I made this base very early on, and then it languished at the bottom of a stack.

These two pieces were once part of the same piece, which I tore apart and started playing around with in other ways.  This is where it ended, for the time being.





These are all background of one kind or another that just never quite found their proper place this month.  They are not abandoned, just patiently waiting to find their true calling.

So there you have it folks!  My poor rejects and unfinished bits and bobs, all holding such promise early on but not yet having realized that promise in finished form.

I hope you have enjoyed at least some of my projects this month--thanks for hanging in there with me and for all the lovely comments each day.  It's been a blast!

Please come back and see me again for more of my adventures in papercrafting, knitting, crochet, and quilting!

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Where Death and Gibson Girls Intersect

Today is the thirtieth day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

Where has the time gone?!  I honestly don't know what I'm going to do with all my time when I'm not hopping 37 blogs a day!  I have so much enjoyed looking at everyone's work this month; I've drawn so much inspiration from all of you.  I can only hope that I might have inspired someone just a smidgen as much as you all have inspired me.

So, today, the penultimate day of the hop, my two series, A Gibson Girl Halloween and Death Has a Life Too, have collided, producing this:



Death wants to look his best for his beautiful date.

The details:

  1. Lavinia--Gibson Girl stamp from flonzcraft (also on ebay here)
  2. Death--Antique Gothic Chemistry Skeleton 1 digi stamp from AntiqueGraphique etsy shop
  3. Alphabet--Studio G alphabet set
  4. Spectrum Noir colored pencils
  5. Prima Marketing Chalk Ink Edgers
  6. Background--collaged from scraps, found papers, tissue paper

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

The Witching Hour

Today is the twenty-ninth day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

Today I have a mixed-media piece which I have entitled "The Witching Hour."  This is another of my collaged backgrounds, to which I have added a stamped and colored landscape.




The details:

  1. Tree and moon stamp--from my stash
  2. Witch stamp--from Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers Halloween UM set 1 at Stamp Francisco
  3. KimberlyGeneral’s Loew Cornell, and Prismacolor watercolor pencils
  4. Background--collaged with scraps, Gelatos, chalks, etc.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Death Considers Growing A Mustache

Today is the twenty-eighth day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

As the penultimate entry into my Death Has A Life Too series, I offer you "Death Considers Growing A Mustache."



The details:
  1. Death--Grim Reaper from Viva Las Vegas Stamps
  2. Mustaches--Mustaches Clear Stamp Set by Stampabilities
  3. Alphabet--Studio G Alphabet set
  4. Background--collaged from scraps, etc.

Monday, October 27, 2014

A Cigar-Smoking Devil

Today is the twenty-seventh day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

Today I have a trio of tags; I found this cool little cigar-smoking devil stamp, and my husband smokes cigars, so I just had to combine some authentic cigar bands with my little devil!





Sorry about the fairly poor picture quality today--those cigar bands had a lot more reflectivity than I thought!

The details:
  1. Devil stamp--from my stash (I'm sorry I don't remember and can't track down where this one came from)
  2. Cigar bands--from my stash
  3. Flourish stamp (in background)--Inkadinkado (no longer available, as far as I can determine)
  4. Pebble Pearlescent Chalks
  5. Alphabet--Rubber Stampede Monogram alphabet set
  6. Prismacolor watercolor pencils
  7. Sharpie marker

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Home Is Where The Heart Is

Today is the twenty-fifth day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

Today I have a very simple card to share, because after all, home is where the heart is.


The details:

  1. Heart in a jar--Antique Creepy Jar of Hearts digi stamp from Antique Graphique etsy shop
  2. Spectrum Noir colored pencils
  3. Sentiment--cut from a page from DCWV The Coral Couture Paper Stack
  4. Green paper strip--Jim Holtz Kraft Core Nostalgic Collection by core'dinations
  5. Red paper--The Paper Studio Scrap Paper Pack

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Taking Liberties

Today is the twenty-fifth day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

I think this might be the last of my series A Gibson Girl Halloween; I seem to have run out of ideas on this series!  Well, ok....there might be one more!  *wink*

Pearl and Edward have distinctly different ideas about what "taking liberties" might entail.





The details:

  1. Pearl and Edward--from Gibson Girl Illustrations CD-ROM and Book by Dover Publications
  2. Kissing couple--from Gibson Girl Illustrations CD-ROM and Book by Dover Publications
  3. Couple on couch--from Old-Time Naughty French Illustrations CD-ROM and Book by Dover Publications
  4. KimberlyGeneral’s Loew Cornell, and Prismacolor watercolor pencils
  5. Sharpie marker
  6. Faber Castell Gelatos
  7. Background paper--from The Paper Studio Best of the Paper Studio 12 x 12 paper pack
  8. Alphabet--Studio G alphabet stamp set
  9. Clearsnap Colorbox Chalk Inks

Friday, October 24, 2014

Pumpkin

Today is the twenty-fourth day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!  Today is Friday, so it is also a Smeared Ink day, featuring images from Smeared Ink.

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

Today I have something a little different from my usual style, although I had a lot of fun making it!  Earlier in the hop, someone (I'm sorry, I can't remember who!) blogged about how they saved all their scraps and odds and ends and used them on Sunday to make a collage.  I thought this was such a great idea that I have been doing the same, except there's no way I can wait for Sunday--I have too much fun doing this to wait for the weekend!

This is one of my collaged backgrounds, with a focal point of the Autumn's Pencil pumpkins popped up above it.




The photos are a little washed out, as I took them in the late afternoon sunlight, but on the other hand you can really see some of the texture in the background.

Here's a shot taken in the shade, which shows the true colors (but not the texture) a little bit better.


I would love some feedback on this piece, as I've looked at it so much I'm not sure whether I like it, it needs more work, or it's just a big hot mess!  Constructive criticism is welcome!

The details:
  1. Pumpkins--from Autumn's Pencil rubber set from Smeared Ink (not yet available to the public)
  2. Background papers--scraps, found papers, embossed scraps
  3. Faber Castell Gelatos
  4. Clearsnap Colorbox Chalk Inks
  5. Watercolors
  6. Alphabet--unknown maker

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Cruel Heartless Witches

Today is the twenty-third day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

Today I have two projects that came from one idea.  I really thought it would be cheating to separate these out into two days, since they are really the same concept, just different expressions of it.  So, I give you the Cruel Heartless Witches.



This one is a card, with the end of the sentiment on the inside.




And this one's a 6 x 6 fat page.

The details:
Card
  1. Image--Witchy Date from Create with TLC
  2. Background papers--Paper Accents Precious Metals, The Paper Studio Tattered and Worn 12 x 12 paper pack
  3. Alphabet--Studio G alphabet set
  4. Clearsnap Colorbox Chalk Inks
  5. KimberlyGeneral’s, Loew Cornell, and Prismacolor watercolor pencils
Fat page
  1. Witch image--Sabrina from I Brake for Stamps
  2. Alphabet--Hero Arts Serendipity alphabet set (no longer available, as far as I can determine)
  3. Background--The Paper Studio Best of the Paper Studio 12 x 12 paper pack and found papers
  4. KimberlyGeneral’s and Loew Cornell watercolor pencils
  5. Prima Marketing Chalk Ink Edgers
  6. Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in "Tattered Leather"
  7. Stampendous frantage embossing powder in "Aged Gold"

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

The Halloween Party

Today is the twenty-second day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

In my latest installment of my series A Gibson Girl Halloween, Primrose wants so badly to go to the Halloween party, but will her husband allow it?




He's afraid of what she might get up with her wild friends.

The details:

  1. Gibson girl (and boy!)--from Gibson Girl Illustrations CD-ROM and Book by Dover Publications
  2. Woman in cat costume & woman in witch costume--free vintage images from The Graphics Fairy
  3. Woman in bat/witch costume--from Create with TLC
  4. Man's body (in striped tights)--from plate of rubber by Mary Vogel Lozinak, purchased from her etsy shop (it is actually a pig's body, and I removed the head)
  5. Wolf's head--from Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers Halloween UM set 1 at Stamp Francisco
  6. Faber Castell Gelatos
  7. Clearsnap Colorbox Chalk Inks
  8. Background papers--found papers and paper from The Paper Studio Kellerkurtz & Company 12 x 12 paper pack
  9. Alphabet--Studio G alphabet set
  10. KimberlyGeneral’s Loew Cornell, and Prismacolor watercolor pencils

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Death Waits for a Hot Air Balloon Ride

Today is the twenty-first day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

Going back to my series Death Has a Life Too, I offer you "Death Waits for a Hot Air Balloon Ride."



Riding in a hot air balloon is something Death has always dreamed of.

The details:
  1. Death stamp--from Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers Halloween UM set 3 at Stamp Francisco
  2. Hot air balloon and men on bicycle--from Balloons and Bicycles set by EZ Mount
  3. Faber Castell Gelatos
  4. KimberlyGeneral’s and Loew Cornell watercolor pencils
  5. Alphabet--Studio G alphabet stamp set
  6. Prima Marketing Chalk Ink Edgers
  7. Background trees--hand-drawn with Marvy Le Plume II markers
  8. Tsukineko Brilliance Dew Drop pigment ink

Monday, October 20, 2014

Octavia Goes Too Far

Today is the twentieth day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

Returning to my series A Gibson Girl Halloween, today I present you with Octavia, who has gone too far.



Her friends just don't know what to make of her.

The details:
  1. Clara (in the cat costume)--free vintage image image from The Graphics Fairy
  2. Henrietta (in the witch's hat)--Gibson Girl stamp from flonzcraft (also on ebay here)
  3. Octavia the octopus woman--Steampunk Lady Octopus digi stamp from Deb's Vintage Prints etsy shop
  4. Witch's hat--free digi stamp from The Octopode Factory
  5. KimberlyGeneral’s and Loew Cornell watercolor pencils
  6. Clearsnap Colorbox Chalk Inks
  7. Background papers--from The Paper Studio Kellerkurtz & Company 12 x 12 paper pack, Becky Higgins Project Life Heritage Edition paper pack, and The Paper Studio Tattered and Worn 12 x 12 paper pack

Sunday, October 19, 2014

A Dotty Halloween Princess

Today is the nineteenth day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

Today I have something a little different from my usual style (dark, twisted, and odd, that is!) and have chosen to use a Dilly Beans image that skews a little more toward the cute Halloween side.  Nevertheless, I love Dilly Beans!


The details:
  1. Framed Girl and Spider--Dilly Beans digi stamp
  2. Harlequin background stamp--from Stampin' Up
  3. Background paper--from me & my BIG ideas mambi sheets Vintage Birdcage
  4. KimberlyGeneral’s and Loew Cornell watercolor pencils
  5. Cardstock—Paper Accents

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Something Wicked

Today is the eighteenth day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

Thank you all so much for all your kind comments about my work, and especially yesterday's Bat Out of Hell Driving School.  That idea had been rattling around in my head since I first ordered the A Little Bit Batty set from Smeared Ink, and it was so much fun to create!

Today I have a postcard, which I have entitled, Something Wicked.



Don't open that door!

The details:
  1. Woman's head--from All the Gals stamp set by Dina Wakley
  2. Door--Half Open Door from Viva Las Vegas Stamps
  3. Cat--from Cats-M05 set from The Enchanted Gallery
  4. Background paper--from Kaisercraft Basecoat paper pad
  5. "Something wicked" quote--Something Wicked This Way Comes Shakespeare quote from British Isles Artworks etsy shop
  6. KimberlyGeneral’s and Loew Cornell watercolor pencils
  7. Prima Marketing Chalk Ink Edgers
  8. Clearsnap Colorbox Chalk Inks

Friday, October 17, 2014

Bat Out of Hell Driving School

Today is the seventeenth day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!  Today is Friday, so it is also a Smeared Ink day, featuring images from Smeared Ink.

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

Today I have a yellow pages ad for a new driving school in town.  I give you Bat Out of Hell Driving School!




I recommend you stay out of the way.

The details:
  1. Cardstock—Paper Accents
  2. Bat images--from the A Little Bit Batty rubber set from Smeared Ink
  3. Alphabets--Stampabilities set, Studio G sets, All Night Media Jive Alphabet (note:  the set that I have is no longer available, but a larger size in the same font is available here)
  4. Sharpie permanent marker

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Death Finally Gets the Joke

Today is the sixteenth day of the 31 Days of Halloween Challenge and Blog Hop, sponsored by Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged forum!

To see everyone who is participating in the blog hop, follow the blog roll on the right.  If you're following the blog roll, you probably got here from Sue's blog and will want to proceed to Leslie's blog after you've stopped here!

The third installment of my series Death Has a Life Too is entitled "Death Finally Gets the Joke."



Death hasn't been to very many comedy clubs, so it took him a little while to get into it.

The details:
  1. Death--rubber stamp from Art Stamps, Too!
  2. Open-mouthed man--purchased from this ebay seller (Unfortunately, I don't know who the original maker of this stamp is.)
  3. Alphabet--Studio G alphabet stamp set
  4. Background papers--The Paper Studio Tattered and Worn 12 x 12 paper pad, Kaisercraft Basecoat 12x12 paper pad, found papers
  5. Prima Marketing Chalk Ink Edgers
  6. KimberlyGeneral’s and Loew Cornell watercolor pencils
  7. White gel pen