Smeared 'n' Smudged April Blog Hop - Scared?

I warn you now - this is a looooong post.
The hop started over at Tori's blog and you should have come here via Christine's blog if you're going through the list. If you happened upon me, I would advise you to go look at all the awesome goodies along the way.
The theme this month over at the Smeared & Smudged forum is Phobias/Fears. Basically, to depict in an artistic form [incuding at least one stamp (digi is fine)], something that is scary to yourself. I had a hard job to think of something that I am scared of. There's not much left having been "through the mill" already this lifetime. The answer came to me after a trip into the garden to get the laundry in. It's said inspiration can happen in many circumstances. 
Scotomaphobia - according to the 'net is the official name for it. The fear of blindness.
How could I carry of doing the type of crafting I like without being able to see? Something I'd hate to happen.
Next - how do I depict this? In what format?
I chose to do a fat book page. 
My idea is that without sight, the biggest sense I would rely on (apart from aural) would be touch. So something textural! Something with no colour. A void of light. Had to be black.
So.................
I started with a piece of black card and ran it through an embossing folder. Next came the barbed wire. I used the negative to mask for the image and heat embossed using black powder.

 It is black - just the sun catching it. The barbed wire to me signifying a fence, a trap.


Then came lots of ribbon , lace, a feather, flowers. One of the ribbons is knotted and forms part of the layer to keep the eyes blinded.

Still not complete, but I took a few pics along the way. The image, coloured with promarkers, is "Scared Eyes" from the Anatomy 101 digi set of Smeared Ink.

The keyhole brad signifies "locked in". There is velvet, satin, grosgrain and organza ribbons as well as the lace.

The metal eyelets as well giving further texture.

pics from all sides

The final touch - Some black tulle over it all. The final veil blocking off vision.

That's about it from me.
Now hop on over to see what delights Kapree has made for our viewing pleasure.

The full blog roll - (for if you get lost)

April Smeared and Smudged Member Hop

FRIDAY THE 13th PHOBIA!

Blog Roll

Tori
Black Dragon
MaryKay
Tink
Jane
Kristy
Aletha
Monique
Susan Guzy
Madeleine Bouquet
Lady Brayton
Trisha
Shell
Ms. Ruin
Ike
Christine
Helen
Kapree
Lisa Hall
Fiona

I am entering this fat book page into a couple of challenges
4 Crafty Chicks - Use material - I have a layer of tulle
Just keep on Creating - Anything goes
Art With No Bounderies - The Eyes have it
Jackson's Digital Expressions - Anything Goes
Forever Night - So Wicked it's Scary hop

To Helen

No not to me. Another Helen as named by Edgar A Poe. I have concentrated on his revised version from 1845 from the original in 1831. The Master in Quoth The Raven Challenge blog has laid down the quest that these 14days shall be dedicated to this work.
So, what did emerge from this little corner? An ATC holder. Complete with poem and 4 ATCs depicting the 4 seasons. The eternal cycle of the love lavished.

  

The grecian type corner embellishments are a sizzlets die and each one is cut from the same card as the ATC preceding and following, thus forming the circle. The stamps are from a collection of 4 seasons from Oasis. I felt they had a Grecian feel to them. All coloured with promarkers and chalked backgrounds.The white die cuts are representing before death under the black representing after death.
These 4 ATCs have a home.... made from pearlised white card

The picture was borrowed from Google here.
The little metal charm with added pearls are from stash and seemed fitting with the leaves.

and inside the front cover

again the image from Google with the poem printed out and, after applying some antique linen DI, attached.

There is another image under that. Some heat embossed in copper vine leaves.

The ATC sleeves themselves

I am entering this little collection into the challenge at

Quoth The Raven, Nevermore - "To Helen" quest
Divas By Design - Use a charm - it's on the front of the holder

Homage to Hitchcock

Haunted Design House's challenge this week is to celebrate Hitchcock's life and works. So many films made by and inspired by him. Many stars were born playing the roles he created and appeared in. I remember that was one of his trademarks - a walk on part in all his films.
As always, the challenges over at HDH are not just about making a project but choosing what to make given a very broad theme. I went with an ATC and chose "Dial M for Murder" as my film.



I thought I had a stamp that could pass as a tennis racket but no so that bit got left out.
I did have one with a few keys on it. This was heat embossed in silver on the green (for jealousy) base together with some scissors (The murder weapon). The drippy bit (blood) is a stamp that my DD bought for me when in the US. This is heat embossed both on the top and the black mat in red.
The M is cut using a cricut. I borrowed a piccy of an old phone off the web and entwined slightly.
The other red drippy bits are nail varnish.

That's about it.

I am entering this into the challenges over at
Haunted Design House - ATC inspired by their Homage to Hitchcock challenge
Tammy's Scrappin Corner - Anything goes with twist of embossing
ATCs with Attitude - Anything goes

Anything Goes for April

Monday is Smudgy Antics day for setting the next challenge for all those that care to take part. We are having another "Anything Goes". Always popular for those that make other projects apart from cards.
This week I decorated yet another egg. I know after last week I wasn't going to, but this kind of evolved and it seemed the best setting for my characters.

I have used the rubber stamp of a bunny from the Smeared Ink  Occassions Li'l Grumpies and digi Drinking Buddy Elfette. Both coloured with promarkers and fussy cut out to inhabit the egg. The elf's waking exclamation is hand written.
The egg itself is plastic, covered with foil and loads of yellow, spring flowers to form the easter bunny's lair. The two halves are held in place with green fimo clay and green meshy ribbon.
That's about it apart from to invite all you lovely people to come and join us and show us your creations over at Smudgy Antics this week. The other girls have made some awesome projects as well and it would be well worth you taking time out to go visit them and see how they made their projects, leaving some blog love on the way..

A challenge or few that I'd like to enter this into
Addicted to Stamps - Easter (Ican't see anything that says only one entry)
Gingerloft - Anything but a card
Stamptacular Sunday - inspired by a picture (yellow flower) - loads of yellow flowers on this egg
Di' Digi Designs - Easter

Marina

Teri over at Delicious Doodles has been doodling again. Just had to use this little beauty as soon as I could. Her name's Marina.

 

I followed the sketch over at Seems a Little Sketchy.

The main DP is DCWV from the citrus stack. On top of that a pale blue, nestie cut, that I heat embossed some swirls onto before backing with pearlised white. The white swirls are cricut cuts.
The image was backed with turquoise that was edge punched after being coloured with promarkers.
The flowers and charms are from Duck Pond Crafts.












I am entering this into the challenge over at
Seems a little Sketchy - Their Sketch # 10
Crazy Amigo - Open Theme
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes with optional monotone

I want off

Been a cold dreary day here in this corner of Scotland, and I'm sure this isn't the only place. After last week's sunshine my mood has taken a downwards turn, I'm still sore after breaking a couple of ribs a few weeks ago so it really has been a "Blue and Browned off" kind of a day. This I translated into this card. Crafting being my outlet as it is for many.

This card came out of it. The mashed image being inspired from Haunted Design House's challenge this week "Off with their heads" and the sketch followed was from Eat, Sleep, Stamp # 166.

The carosel horse is an image stamped, using a big and juicy multi-coloured pad, from a friends stash and can't remember which company, sorry. The head is from Smeared Ink's Killer Bo-Peep stamped using the same pad and just a few details picked out with promarkers. Stuck onto a hammered c.s. circle that was tapped down on the same pad to give it a bit of colour. Can't have a carnival without some colour now, can we? Some dew drops to add the glitz of a carnival without going overboard.
Behind that is MME swirly DP and co-ordinating plain, then pale blue bassil on top of a duckegg blue mottled paper that I stamped some further swirls on.
The carnival bunting added, to which I added my sentiment.

EDIT - I have been told the horse is from Chocolat Baroque

I am entering this into the following challenges
Haunted Design House - Off with their heads
Eat, Sleep, Stamp - Their sketch # 166

EGG-static

It's Monday therefore it's Smudgy Antics day. This week the challenge is just that.

This week we are challenging our devoted followers to decorate an egg.

Keeping in mind, a stamped image (rubber, clear, or digi) MUST be used in the project. Because we know this may be a hard challenge for some, we will also accept projects that are egg shaped or contain egg shapes.

 

I lost count of the number of real eggs that went in the bin trying to do my DT piece for this challenge and am still not happy with what I eventually made although the family here like it. SO, take 657......shoving the real eggs aside, what else have I got in my stash? I found some polystyrene ones. Did you know gesso doesn't stick to polystyrene? Nor did I until I tried it. OK scrap that idea as well!! Time's running short now. Paint? kept peeling off! I'm going to cry now.
I finally came up with this. I stuck loads of sequins on using little pins. I remember doing this well over 30 yrs ago for Christmas tree ornaments when Pinflair first came up with the idea and marketed the polystyrene shapes. One big hat pin and some beads in at the top.

The stamped image is from Smeared Ink's Occassions Li'l Grumpies set. This was stamped onto thin card that I'd stuck vilene to. I thought this might aid adhesion for the next stage. I didn't want any more mishaps. Using PVA glue, I stuck micro beads and various other tiny gems to the image instead of colouring as normal. When dry this was pinned to the egg. Finished and intact. PHEW.





I am entering this egg into a few challenges
Addicted to Stamps - Easter
Fashionista - Girly and Bling
The Squirrel and the Fox - Easter
Just add Ink - Just Add Easter
Patties Creations - Anything goes
Simply Create Too - Eggs/Bunnies - I have both
Creative Mondays - Anything but a card