Do you Remember?

Good morning everyone
The beginning of a new month and time for a new challenge over at Things To Alter's challenge blog.
The theme is Anything Goes - as long as it's either an altered item or a card using at least one product from the shop. My project this month is made using an ATC shrine and ornate circle frame.  I used some of the pieces from a grab bag of offcuts to give it some feet - making this now freestanding. A vintage look to it all using prima papers, plenty of brushed corduroy distress ink and some embellies from stash. Of course after gluing the shrine together, the whole thing was given a coat of paint to seal it all, I used a mixture of decoart white and burnt umber americana acrylic paints to give a more chocolate brown.

 The frame was given a rub down with gold wax, a face cut from a scrap of paper and the centre given a dose of glossy accents to give it it's glassed look. The white tulle was given a dose of that distress ink as well for an aged look.
Please dont't forget to come visit us on facebook, we'd love to see all your altered items posted there, not just the piece you're going to make for this challenge
Enjoy the rest of the month
Thanks for looking

The Evil Returns with HDH

Last October saw the last challenge from Haunted Design House, oh what a sad day that was!!
The Minions have kept in contact though because us weirdos have to stick together. Other people of the same mind set will understand what I mean. We decided to have a little fling and show you all we are still alive and kicking and that the chains can be loosened from time to time and that we can come up for air once in a while.
What better theme than "The Evil Returns". I made an ATC - yes all this is on a small MDF piece 2.5" x 3.5" The MDF blank and the little 1" reaper in the bottom right hand corner are from "Things to Alter" The technique is as taught by Andy Skinner.

The central figure emerging from the rock, into which he had been entombed, is just a metal charm painted different colours.

Please pop along to the blogs of my fellow minions - the links are all on the HDH blog - and show them some bloggy love. You can always join us on facebook as well you know!!

I'd like to enter this into the challenge at
The Dark Attic - Anything Goes

Numbers

I'm feeling quite proud of myself today. Two DT projects completed - you'll get to see those in the next few days and still found time to play at De Stempelwinkel Challenges.
The challenge this fortnight is "Numbers".
I know it's only an ATC but still, fun.can be had on a small scale as well.
The base is cut from a larger piece of paper that started off life last week when visiting a very dear friend and we got the brushos out to play with. This bit is cut from the "olive green bit".
The figure - well I think it is an old, dis-continued, DSW stamp. Still in it's original packaging B723.
The "8-ball" stamp is definitely from the store. The little stamp was stamped 3 times to be able to decoupage the balls up, before coating with glossy accents.

The letters are just die-cuts stuck on.
The saying just appealed to my sense of humour as there are a few people that consider me to be the strange one.

Thanks for looking

I'd like to enter my ATC into the challenge at
De Stempelwinkel Challenges - Numbers

Skull-duggery with HDH

Hi everyone.
I hope you all know by now that the Haunted Design House started it's two week challenge last week. If not, why not? This fortnight's challenge is really easy as well - no excuse not to play..............

Skullduggery

Now, who doesn't have at least one skull stamp, digital image, or embellishment? Every good dark crafter should have a stash of cranial goodies for a challenge such as this. And maybe if we sweeten the pot you'll wanna play along with us. The Masterful Mistress is offering up a random prize pack to the chosen Gruesome Twosomes for this challenge.

Have I got your attention now?

Being week two, I get to show a little offering of mine. Yes - a little offering - in the form of an ATC.

Sweet and delicate, eh? ...... and simple ...........and quick to make.

An ATC sized piece of pearlised cardstock. Stamped with stazon using a Paper Artsy text stamp. Some paper clay corners and frame, dusted with black pan pastel. The Skully embellie was brown before that too was given a lick with the same black and given a swipe over with a baby wipe to expose the raised areas. All set with cheap hairspray. When dry, assembled as seen.

So as you see, hours and hours are not needed to create a piece for us to come and ogle.
Come on boys and girls - use those heads and show us in the dungeon how much you love those craniums.
See you soon..........

Delicious Darkness with Left of Centre

Morning all
Anyone that is into the darker and alternative side of crafting should of heard of, by now, the challenge blog called Left Of Centre. The style welcomed there is always non-cute and "just as it says on the box". This month also marks their first anniversary and a massive month long challenge with loads of sponsors. You really need to check it all out!
One of the many sponsors is none other than Delicious Doodles and the sister Delicious Darkness  for whom I have the honour of representing today. One of Teri's newest images is "Let me out" and if you look back to Monday you will see I've used this image in yet another way.
Today I made a little collection of three ATCs. Each showing different pyramage techniques. The image lends itself so well for the first two because of the mesh grid already in the picture. They can also be made from the same prints as they are made from the off-cuts of the other.

The third is slightly more time consuming but seemed fitting as I was in a bit of a twisted mind set at the time.

Each layer cut by measuring increments of 5deg up from the sides of each copy of the image. This naturally makes each layer smaller. Just a case of lining each piece up with the image below.

That's it from me today folks. Get on over to the Left of Centre blog for more surprises, eye candy and the challenges.

Head on back tomorrow when I'll have a little surprise for you all **wink, wink**

Day 22 of 31 Days of Hallowe'en

For full deets on this Freaking fangtastic Blog hop organised by Smeared Ink and The Smeared and Smudged forum, please hop on over to Terra's blog. All the info on the days sponsors are there as well as any other info you think you might need.  The blog hop roll is there in my side bar.

Good morning folks
How are we doing? Fed up and tired out yet? Not long to go, just over a week in fact.
A little ATC as my project for today.

A single stamp used here. One from a collection by Darcie's.
An ATC sized bit of heavy weight card with 6 layers of black EP applied. When still hot, the stamp with versamark on it was pressed in until cool.
The details of the stamp were picked out by painting with pan pastels then a light dusting of vintage plum gilding wax applied with finger tips.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to look and comment on my Hallowe'en projects so far this month. Loves you all xx

It's ATC time at Smudgy Antics

The start of a new challenge today over at Smudgy Antics, Really simple - make an ATC. A 2.5"x3.5" piece of art. What could be simpler than that? The hardest thing about it is choosing the stamps you'll use.
I chose 4 of the smaller stamps in the "Morte" rubber set and one of the larger for the background. Fabulous images drawn by Rick St Dennis exclusively for the Smeared Ink Rubber Club. I'm eagerly awaiting the second set and there are a further two sets coming out as well. More about them later.
My ATC

Some paper piecing and a lot of fussy cutting here. The goblet and the bottle in the foreground were stamped onto vellum. The goblet's skull was cut from cream coloured card 3 times, each layer slightly smaller and layered up. The decanter - the liquid was cut from some green paper and layered behind and the skull on top layered on top. Gold miri card cut for the decanter's stand. The candle on the skull at the back is also layered up. The trio of decanters cut from another scrap. The wall of skulls stamped onto the ATC them distress inked before layering my pieces onto the ATC.

 This shows the layers better.
Some small gems (3mm and 1mm) glued to the goblet where the stamp has them depicted.

The other girls have worked their magic and made some fabulous ATC's for you to ogle. So go have a peek. Then come and link yours into our challenge at Smudgy Antics. See you there.

I'd like to enter this ATC into the challenge at
Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
Left Of Centre - LOC or girly
Happy Campers - Use a stamp
Incy Wincy Designs Challenge - Create an ATC

Smudgefest day 4 - Twisted Thursday

Evening all. I hope you are all sitting comfortably.
It's day 4 of the week long Smeared and Smudged Smudgefest being held over at Smudgy Antics this week. A week when each person has but one day to create a project and link it back to the blog after being told that day's challenge.

Thursday's Twisted Challenge

Make an ATC with a "twist". You can interpret "twist" anyway 

My Twist - it's not just an ATC - it twists and turns and can be a source of much amusement. I made a "Jacob's Ladder" - ATC sized from the top. A Chunky ATC from the side and room for more embellishment/photos/ whatever.

The front/top cover features a stamp from the Smeared Ink "Urban Decay" set, Heat embossed and trimmed to fit.

side view

showing the folds held together with three lenths of ribbon and, 'scuse the inky mitts, hanging 

I am entering this into the Twisted Thursday Smudgefest challenge at Smudgy Antics

I'd also like to enter this into the challenge at
Crafty Ribbons - Anything goes with ribbon

Freakers Free-For-All

That's "Anything Goes" in normal blog-speak but at Haunted Design House we like to do things slightly different, as if you didn't know by now. So

FREAKERS' FREE FOR ALL

it is.


I was lucky enough to come across this awesome "little" craft shop whilst on facebook and, as luck would have it, not far from where I live. McOyster Paper and Crafts is fast becoming a favourite place. I love browsing round, stroking papers, eyeing up the new things that might find themselves a new home **grin**. Whilst there is "normal shtuff" there, there's also much more. I'm saying all this because I'd not heard of Prickly Pear stamps before and  Adrian had some hanging up. There, hiding in the nearly cute bit, I found this set. Ok they're cuter than some but.....

I have a little ATC for you this week, made using the set I had to rehouse.

I bring you "The Happy Couple"

 A total of 15 stamps on this little offering. Much masking done but I got there. The BG stamp is one from Sheena Douglas btw.
After all the stamping, a splash of colour on the bride's headdress, a touch of lace, some 1/4" ribbon with symbolic knots and some tiny metal flowers from stash.

A little flower at the top of the ribbon arch as well.

Looking forward to seeing your art displayed at Haunted Design House for us to come and admire.

I'd like to enter this ATC into the challenge at
Creative Corner - Anything Goes
Inky Chicks - Masking
Created With Love - Anything goes
Scraps of Darkness - Anything Goes

Drip Drip Drip with Smudgy Antics

Blogger and I had better stay friends today as this is not the last post I have to make.
This time we're with Smudgy Antics and the continuing challenge there of

Dripping

I often ask my son for ideas when faced with a subject theme. He has a similar warped brain to mine. A true mother's son. His idea though was not taken up. He immediately thought of food and the dripping one gets from roasting meat. OK I had to think on this one myself.

The other members of the DT have come up with such imaginative ideas, I felt a bit overwhelmed. I played safe and went with paint. That medium lends itself so well to drips. I also wanted to play with my gelli plate that has been neglected for too long.
My background sheet

some green and blue paints then off white into which I stamped into with the bark rubber stamp from the Urban Decay set available as a member of the Smeared Ink rubber club. Some bright green acrylic pain then made into a wash and splattered on an the paper tilted so that it ran.
Next up came one of the images from a past rubber set called "Prints". These are still available if you want to sign up. There are so many awesome stamp sets available.

The sheet with image attached to an ATC with a little strip of paper punched using my "drippy goo" punch.
I didn't stop there however.
I wanted a sentiment but didn't want to hide any of this pic. I was also asked to do a tutorial on an ATC I made last week. I used this ATC as the subject of that tutorial.
So another slider ATC was begun.
More images from the "Prints" rubber set.

and the Urban Decay set for the base
All put together

The words - well they are letters, stamped individually onto the bottom slider that had previously been stamped with the same bark stamp as on the gelli plate topper.

The tutorial will be with you sometime this week, with all kinds of luck.

Thank you for reading my ramblings and I'll be back later with some more news from the Cubbyhole.
Don't forget to come on over to Smudgy Antics and drip with us this week.

I'd like to enter this ATC into the challenge at
Anything BUT a card - Get Messy

Holey Moley at Haunted Design House

Morning peeps
It's the second week of the challenge over at Haunted Design House where the challenge is all about the holes. We want to see more than just one hole in those projects. Being one of the "alternative" challenge blogs, this means no cute stuff. Hallowe'en, Gothic, Steampunk, Horror etc are our preferred project genres.

What did I make as part of the second wave of Minions' makes and to remind you all that there is now only one week left? An ATC. I love these little works of art. So much can be done on a 2.5x3.5" substrate.

The majority of the holes in my ATC can be found on the bird. Want to see?

The base of the ATC was first stamped with a clock background stamp from Creative expressions in "wild honey" distress ink onto a cream ATC blank. The bird is part of a set from Kaisercraft. Stamped onto the ATC then a film of glossy accents to form the glue for many little watch parts with more glossy accents to make sure they all stayed put. The placing of the bird was essential, as you'll see in a minute.

A birdcage, again kaisercraft was stamped onto acetate. This was to form the sleeve of the ATC.

Now for the tricky part
I wanted the bird to be able to "sit" on top of the cage as well as be inside as well.
A slider mechanism was needed.
I used the method for a slider card as per Splitcoast stampers as the basis of my popup ATC. A few adjustments were needed, not just on size. The front of the ATC needed to be visible at all times. The slider mechanism therefore needed to be open and not enclosed.
I'll get a little tutorial worked out sometime soon for those that are interested.
We're nearly done.
The other sliding piece of this ATC was stamped with a cage with birds and sentiment from a Paper Artsy set.

The inside slider has a hole made at the bottom with a piece of ribbon threaded through and the acetate sleeve and the back layer of the five card insert are held together by another piece of ribbon.
The bird can now be caged or set free at will.

Your turn
Can you bring yourself to making holes in your project or use something with holes as I have. The other Minions and I would love to come over and see what you create. Come and show us by linking up to the challenge at Haunted Design House.

I'd like to enter my ATC into the challenge at
Wicked Wednesday ATC challenge - Birds, nests and eggs
PunkyouGirl - Anything Goes

Hangman

It's the second week of the challenge over at Haunted Design House. The challenge that requests that you use knots or a noose somewhere in your project.
I felt I had to have a real hard double think when I saw the image I was going to use being used by another of the minions and so wonderfully. I then remembered a Graphic 45 rubber set I have in my collection. Rummage, rummage yayyyy.
An ATC as I was still putting together one of my projects for tomorrow's massive Skull-a-bration bloghop. More of that later.....

My ATC

The ladies are that stamp I was searching for. Then there is the bird and tree branch from the De Stempelwinkel Dark Boundaries set and after masking off the ladies a TH compilation ATC stamp.The words were computer generated and stuck on. The noose.... well I couldn't find my string so had to raid the shed and this is the only twine I could find. I will, no doubt, change the green for another colour. This'll have to do for now.
Your turn to get those knots brushed up on and come show us your knotty work over at Haunted Design House.

Bare Bones - CAS with HDH

Ready for a new challenge at Haunted Design House?
Ready to make Something with absolutely no embellishments?
This is a hard one for many people. I know I always want to add something more.
Even this project I have here for you all - I left off the coloured stones. I let the images and colour talk.

This is picture heavy so I hope you've a nice cuppa at hand.
It is a little ATC book. A collection of 12 ATCs. They all follow the same format, the same mask was used throughout and the images were all from the same digi set. The pieces of card all came from my scrap box.

The cover of the little book was made from a single piece of dark orange card

 The image was found on the internet. printed and cut out the central circle then adhered.A layer of rock candy then painted on and when dry, plenty of "old paper" distress ink applied.

 'Scuse the fingers, but I scrubbed up first before taking the pics.

 
The colour card stock for each image was taken from the list

The colours used to colour the images - all done with distress inks - match that of the birthstones for each sign.
The set of images is a new one from Smeared Ink - Zodiac 1 Digi set and Zodiac 2 Digi set.
Aries - Ruby

Taurus - Golden Topaz

Gemini - Citrine

Cancer - Aquamarine

Leo - Garnet

Virgo - Emerald

Libra - Peridot

Scorpio - Alexandrite

Sagittarius - Garnet

Capricorn - Green Tourmaline

Aquarius - Sapphire

Pisces - Amethyst

The central hinge that keeps it all together is just concertinaed card stock stuck to the inside and the ATCs attached.
The mask used is from a prima set I have.

You still here? I did warn you of a long post.
One last pic. The back of each ATC has the attributes of each sign printed out and attached after more masking and colouring.

Now. Your turn to show us you can leave those embellishments in the drawer and wow us with those CAS designs.
You have TWO WHOLE WEEKS to link those projects up.
Some of the other minions have been busy too, show some love and go see what they have cooked up. If you need more inspiration - you'll have to wait until next Monday for the remaining dungeon dwellers to show off their projects.

This would also qualify for the Smudgy Antics challenge - make it colourful without markers or pencils. There's a few more days on that challenge for thos of you that want to join in there

I would like to enter this into the challenge over at
Hotshot Crafts - Anything but a card

Beating Hearts

What does the phrase "Beating Hearts" conjure up for you?

Certainly not your cute Valentine images? Surely not?

Over at Smudgy Antics the start of another fortnight long challenge. An ATC featuring Beating Hearts is the challenge for the next two weeks. There is also the opportunity of joining in a swap group for the ATCs made for the challenge. That is what ATCs are all about after all.
This day also heralds the beginning of the Smeared and Smudged Bloody Valentine Hop. I'm not joining in the hop this year, unfortunately, life has got in the way over in cubbyhole land and I have not been able to prepare for it. There's plenty of other peeps taking part though. If you are interested hop on over to Tori's Blog for the full info and blog roll.

Anyway, back to these Beating Hearts. These could be your anatomically correct hearts and I nearly went down this road. Then my brain went off on a really odd tangent. It has this tendency once in a while, I believe.
I bring you ..... A heart...... beaten. (not stirred)

Firstly, the back ground. this is small pieces of sticky backed aluminium tape attached to the ATC card. This was then run through my big shot with a red inked embossing folder and black stazon then applied to the raised portions.

Attached to that is the "Cracked Heart" from the Smeared Ink rubber set that was available last month as a member of the "Rubber Club". The digi version is here. This heart was stamped and heat embossed in red onto a piece of TH Christmas paper, I over stamped again in red for more definition. The wings were cut away and the "Broken" sentiment stamped on with stazon.
That club beating that heart to pieces.... that's a cocktail stick dipped in UTEE then more stazon ink to colour.
Shattered was stamped using white ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

I told you my "Beating Hearts" had gone off on a tangent! hehehe

Don't forget to link up at the challenge for a chance to swap the ATC's of, not just the DT but, other crafters that care to join us.

Smudgefest - Day 6

Nearly at the end of the week long Smudgefest over at Smudgy Antics.
Today's challenge

SATURDAY'S SONG!

Make an ATC based on these song lyrics:

Blackbird - Beatles
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

To qualify for the grand prize of $200 of Smeared Ink goodies - their stamps have to be used in the project. So far I have managed just that. After all - there are so many gorgeous stamps to choose from!!
So to today's effort from me.....

This is it closed
I tried to keep my inky fingers to a minimum  lol

and fully opened
I have used the Raven Wings from the Smeared Ink, Quoth the Raven stamp set to form the wings of the ATC.

I have also used one of the main images and the two ravens from the Holy City set. Again from Smeared Ink.

Other stamps used are from the Dark Boundaries plate 52 from Cherry Pie/De Stempelwinkel

I am entering this into the challenge over at
Smudgy Antics - Day 6 of the Smudgefest
ATCs and Cards with Attitude - Anything Goes
That Craft Place - Things With Wings
Sweet Stamping Challenges - Things With Wings
No Matter Which Challenges - Anything Goes
Stampalot Challenges - Take Flight