HDH are BACK (after the winter break)

Yes - the Minions are back in full swing after the dungeon shut down after the Hallowe'en shindig for the normal 2 month holiday at Haunted Design House. There have been a few changes and we are welcoming back some of the Minons that managed to loosen their shackles and go a-wandering through those corridors that are ill-frequented. They forgot they don't get fed out there in the cold and hunger drove them back. Hunger for creating the type of art that you will only find in a few locations and be thought normal.
There are changes to the challenges as well. We've gone monthly. So many of those worthwhile projects are taking time to complete. A few people were mentioning that they didn't have time and missed the deadline. Well, now there is bags of time - from the first Monday in the month through to the first Sunday of the following month......... then it's a new challenge starting.
The theme for the first challenge of the New Year was obviously going to have to be to do with things new, new format, new year etc ................

What's New Pussycat?

Here's the copy/paste bit

"You can use new stash, or a new technique, or cats, or focus on something that's "new" New year, new moon, newly dead, new fears, new passions. Style? that cute and sweet and nice are not what we're about. We're here to celebrate your inner demons, NOT to sweet-talk your inner cherubs" 

All the new challenges over the next few months are open to interpretation!

I have two projects for you today

The first is celebrating the fact that I have been accepted onto the DecoArt Helping Artist Program

and it is with some of their products that I have created the base for my "Tree of Life" for a friend who has a new home.

Using Red Aventurine (enhances creativity and ability to see possibilities. It is said to be able to heal the reproductive system, and sometimes reverse diseases. It also can bring prosperity and lessen negativity) Tigers Eye (aids harmony and balance, and helps you to release fear and anxiety) and Jet (for the person starting a new job or beginning a new business pursuit.  Jet can bring clarity to a confusing situation by bringing unique insights from variant perspectives)

The base - well that started life as 6 small pieces of wood that came with a box canvas as supports. Instead of binning when not used, these ended up in my "just incase box"

glued together to form a box with base.

Then the painting...

Mixing Decoart Americana  black acrylic with some Americana Texturizing Medium, painted the sides that can be seen, Dry time needed.

Next - more black with a bit of the Traditions Warm White in varying quantities to get the different greys that were dry brushed on.

Next - new glue gun - a mini one from daughter as a Christmas pressie - Set the tree base into the box. When set, the Decoart Traditions Blue Green Light paint was applied as "grass"

Next up is a quick couple of ATCs that I just "had to do" New rubber in the house that still had to escape and see ink. Can't have virgin rubber sitting there for too long!! These stamps are from De Stempelwinkel.

Plate#56 The Ancient Cemetery, #47 Gothic Halloween and #42 Dark Night.

This covers the new in "Newly Dead" "New Stash" and there's that Pussy Cat in the corner.

Using plate #53 Dark Creatures, #47 Gothic Halloween, #42 Dark Night, #52 Dark Bounderies and a single "fence with stones"

The "grey" of the images created by using the "second stamping" of the images and there was a bit of masking involved as well. Distress inks used for colour.

I'd like to enter my ATCs into the challenge over at

De-StempelWinkel Challenge #1 - Anything Goes

I'd like to enter my Tree of Life into the challenge at
Crafty Calender - Any Thing New
Not Just Cards - Anything Goes