Monday Muse-a short one

Why can't SEASONED bloggers and even members of BLOG HOPS and/or DESIGN TEAMS learn how to link properly?  Are they afraid to ask how?  I was only a blogger for a week or so before I started asking other bloggers questions, so I could do things the "correct" way.

It amazes me, even now going on my second blogoversary how many people still LINK to their entire blog instead of to the POST that has the information or the art project they are sharing. In these circumstances more often than not the actual post that is supposed to be linked is usually 2-3 posts down, and the visitor is forced to go searching. When it is a single link etc, it isn't sooo bad, but when on a blog hop, and you have numerous other places to visit, having to search for the right post is time consuming.

SO, my followers and readers, WHY do you think so many bloggers  do NOT link properly???

SMUDGEFEST DAY 7 -SYNONYMOUS SUNDAY

Welcome to the 7th and last day of SMUDGEFEST!!

Today's challenge was an easy one...use a BRAND NEW digi image by SMEARED INK that they supplied to us FREE...
please make the acquaintance of CALYPSO the rat:

IMAGE removed, due to lack of watermark.

I knew RIGHT AWAY, what I was going to do with him. (which is sad...I have been spending too much time with the SnS gang I think, LOL)  But once again I was having a very bad day with my back and my knee.  Plus I was trying also to finish my Vincent Price piece for Macabre monday at Haunted Design House (my first...hopefully not my last)

Anyway here is what I did to poor Calypso:

Relatively simple, until my black prismacolor pencil  totally died(the damn thing kept breaking even during sharpening...I an guessing it was broken up inside)
Card stock by STAMPIN" UP, Color Pencils- PRISMACOLOR and  blending pencil.
scraps of MARTHA STEWART paper. Rat digi by SMEARED INK. Sentiment Digi by MELJEN DESIGNS and my own. (thin sharpie)
Cinnamon and Christmas red Stickles by RANGER

I am entering this in:

For Fun Challenges ...Anthing goes

Little Red Wagon ...put a critter on it

Crafts n Me ...anything goes

Amber's Crafts & Stuff ...sparkle

Inspire me Fridays ...anything goes

Raise the Bar ...anything goes

Stamp Something ...use a digi

Dare to be Sassy Thursdays ...Sentiment on front

Sweet Stamps ... HOT summer
Clear it out ...Summer
Paper Take Weekly ...anything goes
Cards for Men ...CAS
Tuesday Throwdown ...Summertime
Moving Along With the Times ...non-square items
Forever Night Freaky Friday ...good OR evil
Digis With Attitude ...anything goes
Wags n Whiskers ...sparkle
Crafty Anne's Challenge ...summertime
Frosted Designs ...color an image
Creative Inspirations ...summertime
Catch the Bug Challenges ...anything goes

 

Macabre Monday at Haunted Design House--VIVP

This is my first ever Macabre Monday here at HDH...
 The challenge this week is to make something VINCENT PRICE related in honor of his turning 100 this year (back in May) and in honor of HDH's 100th post.

I made a Tribute to Vincent Price in the form of a Triptych Gothic Arch

The front; right flap

a wonderful portrait in True Hollywood Star Style!

 The  Left flap

Vincent and his fellow Horror Buddies:

Peter Lorre, Bella Lagosi, and Boris Karloff

this is a great picture but awful photo (I am going to try again---you can see it much clearer in the combined photo below)  I went ahead and scanned it

 The inside, with just a short mini bio of his introduction into the entertainment business

The back, also showing the 2 front flaps

there is a bit of filmography here on the back.

Close-ups:

The card stock started out as a solid Ivory.

I misted it all over with Solar Gold Radiant Rain, Iridescent Green Radiant Rain, Yellow Iridescent Radiant Rain by LUMINARTE and Bronze, Copper and Jack-O-Lantern Shimmering mists by TATTERED ANGELS, then used a Flourishes Stencil by LAYERS OF COLOR, along with  Deep Violet Shimmering Mist by LUMINARTE. In places it looks violet, and some others more of a dark gray, but above all it is stunningly sparkly & shimmery!

All of the images of Mr. Price are from the Internet search that HDH provided. I I turned one green immediately. Another I placed into "paint" and blacked out everything but his fave and hand with knife (this was actually a photo of him playing around in the kitchen with a roast of some type while wearing a striped apron, his other hand held a "sword-style" knife sharpener)

After it was blacked out I turned the remaining part of the image into red.

I used self-adhesive Matte Sparkle Bats and self-adhesive Epoxy Glitter blood Splats; both by MARTHA STEWART.

Both excerpts on this Triptych were also gathered at the sites HDH recommended.

I am entering this in the following other challenges:

Forever Night Freaky Friday ...Good OR Evil

Moving Along with the Times ...NON-square

Amber's Crafts n Stuff ...sparkle

Inspire Me Fridays ...Anything goes

Raise the Bar ...anything goes

For Fun challenges ...anything goes

Crafts n Me ...anything goes

Paper Take Weekly ...anything goes

Cute Card Thursday ...no designer paper

The Crafty Purple Frog ...anything but a card

SMUDGEFEST DAY 6 -SKETCHY SATURDAY

Hello and welcome to the 6th day of SMUDGEFEST.

Today we had a sketch to use:

Here is my Take:

Card stock by STAMPIN' UP, Printed paper by Die CUTS WITH A VIEW (DCWV), 7GYPYS, and Matte Metallic scrap from an envelope. Tim Holtz's Distress Inks by RANGER, Border punch and embosser by MARTHA STEWART, Enamel Accents by RANGER, Bat Skeleton Digi by SMEARED INK, loose vellum bones by MARTHA STEWART, Large eyelets by WE ARE MEMORY KEEPERS, Sentiment  computer generated with Scrapbones font by SCRAPnFONTS.

I border punched the front edge of the CS and then attached a piece of the green scrollwork paper behind it and to the same edge as the back of the card, then distressed it  and the card front edges with Black Soot.

The Bat skelly image is actually on white card stock, it was covered with Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint.

I hope you like it :)

I am entering this card in challenges at:

For fun Challenges ...anything goes

Crafts n Me ...anything goes

Your Next Stamp ...use a border punch

Dare to be Sassy Thursdays ...Sentiment on front

Inspire Me Fridays ...Anything goes

Just Add Ink ...ripping,tearing,distressing

Card making Mama ...Birthday card

Raise The Bar ...anything goes

Stamp Something ...use a digi

I LOVE Lucy--HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY LUCY!!!

 
I am PROUD to say I grew up watching and LOVING Lucille Ball on her numerous TV shows and Films!
I am also PROUD to consider myself one of her fans. Believe me, when I say (to all you youngsters) The world lost a very precious resource in Lucille Ball. 

Those of us who are "old enough to know better" KNOW that very few of the "stars on the Hollywood walk of fame" THESE DAYS, aren't really STARS. Some may have some talent, and in my opinion some don't belong there at all. To me a "Star" can be measured by legends, and I do not use the word loosely.

TRUE LEGENDS in the entertainment industry. Lucille Ball among many; Bob Hope, Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Luarence Olivia, Vivien Leigh, Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, John Wayne, Marlon Brando, Lauren Bacall, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Harris, Clark Gable...and soooo many more.

When you see these TRUE STARS in action, and then see someone like Brittany Spears getting a "star" on Hollywood Blvd. Well, let's just say that the standard has dropped.  Do NOT misunderstand me; Brittany has talent, but she is NO STAR!

Today Lucille Ball would have turned 100. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUCY, I LOVE YOU!

Below is a Picture of Lucy at the 61rst Academy Awards, her last public appearance, she died one month later.

check this out:
http://www.aoltv.com/2011/08/05/lucille-ball-100th-birthday-i-love-lucy/?ncid=webmail3

SMUDGEFEST DAY 5 -FLOWING FRIDAY

Hello welcome to SMUDGEFEST day 5!!

Flowing Friday...some FLOWING!!

I have created a card, I got my CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING, and created my own Bkgd. paper with shimmer mists and stencil.

AND...

There is some FLOWING going on, these lab rats got into some trouble while trying to have slid-the-beaker across-the-counter-race, and they both fell over with their beakers!

 All card stock by STAMPIN' UP, Shimmer Mists by TATTERED ANGELS and Radiant Rain by LUMINARTE, stencil by LAYERS OF COLOR, I TRACED the OVAL from the Aug. Sketch challenge at SMEARED AND SMUDGED. The flowers are from PRIMA MARKETING, Epoxy stickers by RECOLLECTIONS, Stickles by RANGER, Alphabet Stamps by IMAGE TREE. LAB RAT digis by SMEAREDINK, Cats Eye Fluid Chalk Inks by COLORBOK. misc. ribbon.
Concord re-inker mixed with diamond glaze for the goo in the beakers!

It will say inside, "I missed your Birthday, Happy Birthday!" something like that.

 

I am entering this in:
For Fun Challenges ...Anthing goes
Smeared and Smudged ... Aug. Sketch challenge
Little Red Wagon ...put a critter on it
Crafts n Me ...anything goes
Amber's Crafts & Stuff ...sparkle
Inspire me Fridays ...anything goes

Raise the Bar ...anything goes
Stamp Something ...use a digi

SMUDGEFEST DAY 4-TWISTED THURSDAY, an ATC

Today for SMUDGEFEST, we were to make an ATC with the theme: Twisted.
Use a SMEARED INK image. My Mojo was a bit blank for a bit, but I finally came up with something!!  I'd like to also share with you, that my project yesterday was chosen for the winner (randomly) I was quite excited :)

 We all know "Curiosity Killed the Cat"

My TWIST is 2-fold...TWISTED sense of Humor, and the Baker's twine!

Kitty should have listened to her whiskers, and been careful where she stuck her head, tsk, tsk. LOL 

The ATC Background was received as a RAK. I stamped the STAMPIN' UP Cat (minus her head), and then placed the SMEARED INK Flying Skull over her neck. I made my own FLIES with Enamel accents and Stickles, both by RANGER, used my Notched corner punch (SU) and attached Black n white Baker's twine. The sentiment is from VIVALASVEGASSTAMPS.  Then attached a chipboard card to the back.

considering How Overwhelmed I felt, after seeing the AWESOME sample at SMUDGY ANTICS

I feel that this came out pretty well. I hope you all like it :)

I am also entering this in:
Craft 4 Eternity...anything but a card
Gingerloft Challenges ...make it sparkle
The Crafty Purple Frog ...anything but a card

Speedy the Cat's challenge...use twine
Simply Create...favorite animal
Wags n Whiskers ...sparkle

SMUDGEFEST day 3...Wicked Wednesday--color

today the SMUDGEFEST challenge was for one of color.
Pumpkin orange, mustard yellow, Dark gray (charcoal) and Deep purple (eggplant).
Once again you must use an image from SMEARED INK

see what I am talking about with the photos...blurry. I am so sorry...it's got to be me.

 STAMPIN' UP card stock in More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Elegant Eggplant. Black/charcoal glitter card stock by MARTHA STEWART, More Mustard grosgrain ribbon by SU  and markers also. (going gray...light, basic gray...dark, pixie pink) Sheba Gargoyle image by SMEARED INK, Sentiment by VIVALASVEGASSTAMPS. All Buttons from BUTTONS GALORE, charcoal organza ribbon from Michael's. Orange bling by RECOLLECTIONS. Purple Stickles by RANGER. Misc. silver paint pen

I am also listing this card into the following challenges:

Gingerloft Challenges-- Make it Sparkle
Sew Many Cards--anything goes
Wags n Whiskers--buttons and bows
Totally paper crafts--Bling it up
Stampin for the weekend--animals

Simply Create--favorite animal
Sketch Saturday--Sketch

SMUDGEFEST-day 2 "Terrifying Tuesday"

Today's challenge over at SMUDGY ANTICS is to use the the scariest stamp or image you have from SMEARED INK.  I only have a handful, so that was tough for me, but I think I came close.
I am also entering this Card in the "anything goes" challenge at:
  CRAFT YOUR PASSION
Allsorts challenges
Come and Get it challenges 
Inspire me Fridays 
Digis with Attitude! #32
Digi Doodle Shop Challenges
Craft us Crazy

I also combined this challenge with the one at "Do You Stack Up?" To use brown,orange and yellow.

I APOLOGIZE for the image being crooked and shadow-y darker-ness in the corner where the dead birds (they are raised on foam squares)are...I scanned the card and took the coward's way out, LOL!  Lately 90% of the photos I take of my creations really suck, so...back to the scanner for now. Plus today was a really bad day for me all around.

Ok, hope you like it:

"SORRY, I couldn't wait for Dinner!!"

Sunflower Yellow, Only orange and Chocolate Chip card stock by STAMPIN' UP, Markers also by SU.

SMEARED INK digis- "Anya" from the Glam Vamps collection, and RIP bird.

Sentiment computer generated using the "Halloween HodgePodge" font.

Embossing folder by TIM HOLTZ for SIZZIX

Misc gold paint pen, and foam squares used under the birds. 

I colored the birds in such a way as to look like the Vamp ripped into their chest to get the heart and all the blood.

 I left "Anya's skin white, as vamps are supposed to be pretty close to Albinos...I even shadowed her in palest blue, finger tips, toes and lips are all blue, and then there is "cherry cobbler" marker used for the blood on her and on the birds.

SMUDGEFEST-day 1 "BI-POLAR"

Hello, today I revisited my Dark "over-the-edge" journal, which is a WIP.

It is dark, because it deals with my depression, and bad things in my life, or things that my depression makes "bad". It is Over-the-Edge, because every page has stuff that hangs over the outer edge.

Today for SMUDGEFEST you had to use a SMEARED INK image and make something opposite= BI-POLAR.
so, I went for my broken heart (winged broken heart image by SMEARED INK) vs. a whole, sweet heart (image by DESIGNED 2 DELIGHT) The word "broken" is also by Smeared ink, the rest of my verse is computer generated.

The front:

Images as stated above, paper by MARTHA STEWART, Diamond Glaze by JUDIKINS used over the blood splats, German scrap wings in chocolate by COLLAGE STUFF. Both Heart painted with Tim Holtz distress inks by RANGER. Misc. clear and frosted heart buttons

The Back, for journaling:

misc. paper. TIM HOLTZ distress ink black soot and sharpie

I am also entering this Dark Journal page in the "anything goes" challenge at:
  CRAFT YOUR PASSION
Allsorts challenges
Come and Get it challenges 
Inspire me Fridays 
Digis with Attitude! #32
Digi Doodle Shop Challenges
Craft us Crazy

and the anything BUT a card challenge at Crafts 4 Eternity