Gizza sweet. Girl's from the Black Stuff?

This piece is for two challenges.

Alter It monthly for October. Which is "To spook or not to spook".  I've altered a box that held my wrinkle cream into a Halloween treat container. So it's almost turns your wrinkles into sweets doesn't it? What could be nicer.

and

Stampotique Designers Challenge. SDC#17. Treat Container.
I was really hoping that whatever challenge #17 was going to be I would be able to enter Moth Fab in layers.
But it was not to be.
Although Moth Fab could possibly be considered as being a treat container herself in her underwear, I thought you might throw things at me for my audacity, so I made something else instead.
Although if I was sure it would be Cathedral City Cheese that you threw I would have entered her. Mmm cheese.

This time last year I would not have anything to do with Halloween Art and I am really a bit amazed that I made this.
I was made bold by Kaz's journal page called Naughty Weasel, as she has made this rather sick but completely brilliantly funny piece over on the Stampotique Designer's blog do go have a look if you dare!
 I did and I'm a real scare-dee cat when it comes to spooky things but this is more funny psychotic than spooky.
I say that as if funny psychotic is better somehow, which means I need to review my medication ;-)

So I came up with a rather gory Treat Container all splattered in fake blood courtesy of Dylusions Post Box red spray ink.
I did add lots of gold mica for shininess, so that makes it alright doesn't it?
( The gold mica doesn't show up in the photo's because if I added any shiny shots this post would stretch all the way to China.)

Gizza sweet. Girl's from the Black Stuff?

Click on any picture to make it bigger.

Seeing as there is the expression "Get your craft on" I thought that maybe we could
 "Get yer creep on" for Halloween?
Maybe not, seeing as I'm no trendsetter and I'm ever so grateful I am not responsible for such heinous expressions as "pushing the envelop" or "thinking out of the box" that do the nauseating rounds through large corporations until some other bright spark comes up with another even better heinous expression that everyone can run around spouting or sprouting even.

Top of the box.
Which actually means the top of the box, and not some wank.
(Sorry Mum but I really feel it was merited on this occasion.)

Open box.

One Side of the box

The other side of the box

Front of the box

Back of the box

Inside of the Box is Heart Throb who has a most unfortunate dribble of red ink on his brainbox that looks like a pickaxe was recently removed.
 Notice the lovely blue tissue paper lining for all those lovely Halloween treats such as Eye of Newt and Chunks of Spleen, which are selling like hot cakes in Asda this week.

This is the box before altering.

Stamps used were Stampotique.
The Ladies: Clover, Muffin, Jeepers and Miss Snottie.
The Boys: Heart Throb, Smile and Mort has a pin curl.

Now I have been tardy in the last few posts and not said how I made it.
This is going to be an awfully long post if I do one now so briefly with the main points only.

I used Reeves Black acrylic which is a soft sheen acrylic which has a very dense coverage and an ability to stick to a fairly shiny surface without the need for Gesso, so is perfect for a bit of altered art but not very good for writing on if you were to use it on a journal page. You would do better with a matt acrylic that pens can write on easily for journaling. (My opinion only.)
I used black stazon ink for the stamping because of the gold mica sprayed on the card and I thought it was guaranteed to adhere because it's Stazon. Mmm almonds.
The tissue paper was glued on with Golden Gel Medium around the top of the box only.
Gel medium is your fall back glue for Altered art.
If it wasn't so expensive to buy in the UK I would use it much more often as it will stick most things together and dries within seconds and thereby defies gravity.
These two properties make it an absolute must for a place in your glue arsenal if you like altering things.
Just to clarify, you don't need Golden Gel Medium if you want to alter your hair colour, you need a hair dye for that which is something else entirely.

So get yer happy creative creep on (or not) this week folks!
Gini
xx

The Artistic Stamper Challenge Layers. Spanky does Moth Fab in layers.

Spanky has done Moth Fab as you've never seen her before.

The challenge this month over at The Artistic Stamper is layers.
Spanky thought she would do layers of clothes and chose a very pretty lady who is no doubt Spanky's match in every way on the Diva front.
But Spanky thinks Moth Fab needs a natty new wardrobe.

It's gatefold card that starts with Moth Fab dressed up as The Queen of Narnia, and WOW does she make a scary Queen.
I can't imagine her saying "Squeeze me 'til I squeak".
Maybe "Touch me and I'll rip your head off."
Poor Edmund.
(Click on any of the images to make them bigger.)

Then Spanky gave her day dress a little bit of dazzle and bling.
Is it just me or is Moth Fab looking hard to please?

Not heaping praise on Diva Spanky for any favours she may deign to bestow is SUCH a bad idea Moth Fab... can't you at least...Uh Oh - too late was the cry as she waved her wooden leg.

Rock and Roll Moth Fab! Who knew you had a stitched up belly to match the rest of you!!!

Oh look a lovely shiny shot.

Well, will you look at that, Moth Fab is a cross between Marie Antoinette and Dame Edna Everage underneath all the glowering and Fru Fru.

Moth Fab is the fabulous invention of Daniel Torrente for Stampotique stamps and I hope I am not in the dog house for the modifications. Spanky made me do it!

The quote is the title of the book by Louise Rennison's teenage drama and further confessions of Georgia Nicolson. Louise has the funniest way of saying things.
I could make a lot of art using her quotes.

Now you might not think Moth Fab's knickers are very big but Spanky does not believe in knickers at all. She thinks you should let the breeze blow freely down below and only wears a thong for warmth so they are really big as far as Spanky is concerned.

This is the middle of the card. The Standing Up Shot just to prove it can.

This is the back of the card.

Happy creating everyone with or without knickers!
Gini
xx

Easel Card. Autumn colours Art Journey's Dancing Lady

The last couple of projects I've made have included autumn leaves so I've had enough of leaf making for the moment but I adore the autumn colour scheme of reds, browns, golds and greens.

So I've used one of my prize loot stamps, the gorgeous Art Journey stamp plate Silhouette.

I am very disappointed in my photography of this card, I completely forgot to put my flash on to get a shiny shot of the gold mica that covers the inked paper I made for it.
But in real life it is lovely shimmery shiny golden-ness on the reds, oranges and yellows which tones them right down so they are not quite as bright in real life as in the photo.

 (It was late, I was rushing, and I nearly forgot to photograph it at all blah blah blah.)

 Unsurprisingly it was going to Alison the next day, for her Birthday.

 It would have been surprising if it had been for John's Birthday though wouldn't it? 

Unless of course he was in love with Alison, in which case it might have been quite sweet,
 unless his love was a secret unrequited love in which case I WOULD BE REACHING FOR MY COAT. 

Thankfully whomever John is in love with is a complete mystery to me, or if he is a John Doe with a toe tag that would be who he was in love with.
What is a mystery though, is why I started this train of thought because now I'm thinking, Spade. Hole. Digging. Stop.

Moving swiftly on.
I'm entering this card in:-

Sir Stampalot Challenge for October. Autumn breezes, buttons and a bow(s)
and
Daring Cardmakers Challenge. Welcome to the dance.

Here it is. Click on it to make it bigger.

I always think that if a project comes together really easily it's because the idea of it has been wafting around in your brain for a long time.
I've just realised from where my inspiration for this card came.
This is the silhouette of the dancing woman in the flames of the opening credits for Tales of the Unexpected isn't it?
If you're not old enough to remember Roald Dahl's televised series of stories then you won't know what I'm talking about. Never mind, you have fewer wronkles than me.

"Some say wrinkles and some say wronkles.
Let's call the whole thing off."

Wait! I've lost my place in the conversation, what were we talking about anyway?
Oh yes, John Doe and his magic toe...

Happy creating everyone with or without wronkles!
Gini
xx

I'm an ecstatic winner!

I was very lucky to be one of the 10 winners of the Craft Stamper magazine's 10th Birthday Competition with this card. (Blogged about here.)

I did a huge squeally happy dance on finding out, I don't think Himself has recovered yet from the spectacle of it, I would imagine it is burnt onto his retinas good and proper. Ha!

I'm published on page 67 of the November 2010 Edition of the magazine along with all the other fabulous winners.

My personal favourite from the winners is Andrea Neville's Graffiti Card, a brilliantly clever card using the wonderful Daniel Torrente characters from Stampotique.

A HUGE ENORMOUS thank you to the Craft Stamper crew and all the wonderful sponsors who provided these fabtastic prizes.

Here are links to their websites:

Art journey
Blade Rubber Stamps
Crafty Notions
Crafty Individuals
De Stempelwinkel
Elusive Images
PaperArtsy
The Artistic Stamper
The Stamp Man
Stampattack Art Stamps

It'll take me ages to try out all my winning loot.
I encourage you, yes YOU to enter some competitions if you've never done so before, especially if you've made something a little different from normal.
You gotta be in it to win it and I wish you lots of good luck :-)

Happy creating for competitions!
Gini
xx

Dress Up 2010 September.

After a great deal of computer woes, I'm finally back.
I have a shiny new Apple Mac and it's like going from a Lada to a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce.
R.I.P. to my microsoft tower of shite.

I am however in a learning curve with the iphoto program and resizing for blogger.
What is the matter with uploading photo's with blogger at the moment?
"If it works fine lets mess it up"  is that google's mantra today/this week?

Anyway enough of that.

I made this dress so long ago I can hardly remember how I made it but I do remember this is my second attempt. My first go could best be described as Confused Christmas Crap.
The autumn theme got blurified by xmas looking trees AND even adding glitter glue didn't fix it.
 I would include a picture of it but you might be about to eat your tea and I don't want to put you off your nosh.
Click on it to make it hopefully bigger.

This photo shows some of the layers including the ones on the bottom of the skirt.
 I do like sticky up bits.

Stamp set is Habico - Autumn leaves 2.
Stamped on white card using Versafine vintage sepia.
They are clear stamps that work brilliantly and cost £2.85 full price.
Hmm, that's food for thought isn't it?
I used Derwent Inktense pencils to colour in.
If I did anything else I can't remember now but it is backed onto thick watercolour paper to give it good rigidity and I have forgotten to stick my hanger on- doh!

Margaret is still going strong with the challenge and her dresses get better and better.
I will try and get my Wardrobe finished this month or definitely maybe for November.

Sorry to everyone for not doing the blogging rounds lately, I shall try and remedy that very soon.

Happy creating!
Gini
xx