"Haunted Within" Dark Etchings Altered Bird House + Smudgy Antics Embellishments Challenge!

Howzit Friends!  

The last couple of weeks I've been working on a series of artwork I've called Dark Etchings because they remind me of the etched prints I created as a Fine Art student.  

It's week 2 of Smudgy Antics current challenge "Use Embellishments" and my DT inspiration for you is an altered 'Dark Etching' bird house called "Haunted Within" which symbolizes being trapped by fear inside your own mind.

"Within" is one of Smeared Inks newest digital images.  My Dark Etchings so far were all rubber stamped and I'm creating the same 'faux etchning' look this time using digitally printed images instead.

I sized the digital stamp to fit the 4 sides of the wooden bird house and printed them out on watercolour paper.  The inkjet ink acts just like the Black Soot Distress Ink does when water is added to the image.  I again used my Japanese water brush pen to pick up and spread the ink around to achieve the same effect.  To create some of the really dark areas I added a touch of Black Soot Distress Ink too.  The image came with a black frame which I removed in Photoshop so I used a Copic black Multiliner to extend the hair strands to fit the size of the bird house.  This was also the first Dark Etching I added a touch of colour to as well.  I used a red watercolour pencil and the watercolour brush to apply the pigment to the roses and her lips.   

I painted the unfinished wooden bird house with Black Soot Distress Stain.  I then ran the images through my Xyron to add permanent adhesive and applied them to the bird house and used an Xacto knife to trim away the excess along the edges and to cut out the bird house hole.  I have a bottle of Distress Crackle Paint clear Rock Candy with only a bit left in the jar that's gone a bit crunchy and I had a ball pasting it onto the roof of the bird house with a wooden skewer.  Once dry I dabbed on Distress Paint Metallic Pewter over the crackle with a scrunched up paper towel and applied it unevenly to other parts of the bird house for a weathered and worn look.   I then proceeded to embellish my bird house with decorative washi paper tape, glitter glue, silk fabric roses and a Tim Holtz Idea-ology cog with spinners.

Here's my other Series 1 creations if you missed them ;0)
Stormy Sky ATC

Sacred Ground

The Signs

Thanks for visiting with me today and hope to see you over at Smudgy Antics!
Before you go I'd like to invite you to come over to DominoART and check out my upcoming 31 Days of Halloween event!  DominoART is participating as a Wicked Blogger in the Smeared and Smudged 31 Days of Halloween blog hop and I need scary altered game art to feature each day!  I'd love it if you'd come and join my Wicked Players for a scarey good time and a chance at some awesome prizes ;0)  

Happy Stamping!

 THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * Lost Coast Designs * Smeared Ink * About Art Accents

Dark Etchings Series 1 - Haunted Places!

Howzit Friends!

 I've been having fun playing with a technique that I call faux etching coz it reminds me of the print etchings I did when I was studying Fine Art.

Last week I shared the first in my Dark Etchings series which was the ATC for Smudgy Antics previous challenge...their new challenge started on Monday, Use Embellishments, so pop over and check it out!!  Now I'm super excited to show you these because both feature the newest rubber images designed by Rick St Dennis and are featured sets in Smeared Inks' Rubber Club!  These images are freaky fabulous and you should grab them for your Halloween projects this year, let them know I referred you if you decide to join up ;0)

Smeared Inks' Rubber Club exclusives
Haunted Places 1 and Haunted Places 2

 Dark Etching - Sacred Ground

 The faux etching technique is so much fun and really simple to do and the hardest part about my etching above was all the masking.  I used 3 of the stamp images to collage the scene as well as portions of the image from the center of the sheet...you'll be able to spot the collaged sections, just click on the photo to enlarge it.  Everything was stamped with Black Soot Distress Ink onto watercolour paper and I used a Japanese water brush pen that has the built in reservoir.  It really is just a watercolouring technique coz the water picks up the stamped ink and you can control how much ink to pick up for light areas and add more directly from the ink pad for darker areas.  You don't need any special masking paper either coz I used plain old Scotch Magic Tape and just mask the areas off on the rubber stamp, ink it up, then remove the tape before stamping.  You can either eyeball the placements or use a stamp positioner to line everything up perfectly!  

Dark Etching - The Signs

  
I used two images from the Haunted Places 2 sheet to create the etching above.  I used my Perfect Square tool to trim down the watercolour paper before adhering both etchings to black cardstock and then used my Perfect Layers tool to cut the 3/16" black borders.  Use my special coupon code Leigh5% to get 5% off your entire purchase once you realize you can't live without these tools!  I think I'm actually going to frame these two I love them so much ;0)  I've also got more up my sleeve for Dark Etchings Series 1....I'll be sharing my Smudgy Antics DT "Embellishments" piece next.  I'm also taking part in the next round, #9, of the Smeared and Smudged DT Throwdown with the ghouls of Smeared Ink themselves so you won't want to miss checking it all out on our new DT Throwndown blog!!

Happy Stamping!

 THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * Lost Coast Designs * Smeared Ink * About Art Accents

Dark Etchings - Series 1 + Week 2 ATC challenge with Smudgy Antics!

Howzit Friends!
I've been having fun this last week playing with a technique that I call faux etching coz it reminds me of the print etchings I did when I was a Fine Art student.  So first up I'm sharing the ATC I made for week 2 of Smudgy Antics "ATC" challenge!

Faux etching is so much fun and really simple to do.  All you need for the this ATC is a piece of heavy weight cardstock measuring 2.5" x 3.5" which is the standard size for an ATC which FYI stands for Artist Trading Card for those unfamiliar with the format.  Stamp the architectural image from May's Smeared Ink exclusive Rubber Club set called Holy City with Black Soot Distress Ink.  Then simply apply water to the image with a Japanese water brush pen that has the built in water reservoir or use a traditional paint brush with water to achieve the same result.  The water picks up the stamped ink and it's similar to watercolouring and you can make areas even darker by picking up more ink from the ink pad...I created the sky by painting the ink on with the brush.  Once I was happy with the sky I stamped the flying bird which is also from the Holy City set.  I then edged the ATC with a metallic silver paint pen and adhered it to black cardstock and used my Perfect Layers tool to cut the 1/16" black border.  I've got more Dark Etchings to share this week featuring Smeared Ink's September Rubber Club exclusive sets Haunted Places 1 and 2 so stay tuned!!

 

Thank you for visiting with me today and I hope you'll come and play in our Smudgy Antics challenges!

Happy Stamping!

 THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * Lost Coast Designs * Smeared Ink * About Art Accents

HoneyBunny Anniversary Card - Smudgy Antics ATC Challenge!

Howzit Friends!

 It's week 1 of Smudgy Antics "ATC" challenge and I'm excited to share my Smeared Ink design team ATC created for the challenge which I then turned into an anniversary card for my hubby :0)  

I was having fun playing with my faux burnt wood technique so stamped the Smeared Ink Grumpie Bunny twice from the August Smeared Ink exclusive Rubber Club set called Occasions Grumpies with Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate ink with a touch of Black Soot Distress Ink onto coated cardstock cut to ATC size which is 2.5" x 3.5" and coloured with Prismacolor pencils and details added with a white gel pen.  I cut the ears from the second piece and adhered them to the bunny ATC with dimensional silicone glue and applied Judikins Diamond Glaze to the eyes for dimension and a glass-like finish.  I also stamped the grid design (Smeared Inks Quoth the Raven rubber set) on my handdrawn woodgrain-like background with black Archival ink, edged the ATC in metallic gold and adhered it to black cardstock and used my Perfect Layers tools to cut the narrow black frame.  I then mounted the ATC onto the anniversary card I made for my hubby.  I embossed tan coloured cardstock with the Texture Fades Wood Grain embossing folder and applied Tea Dye Distress Ink and gold Brilliance ink to the raised grain.  Distressed the edges with Tim's Paper Distresser tool and edged that in gold too.  Everything was mounted to a black folded card blank and I adhered a mish mash of die cut out letters to create my message.

Thank you for visiting with me today and I hope you'll come and play with us in our Smudgy Antics challenges!  Stop by again to see my next ATC for week 2 of the challenge ;0)

Happy Stamping!

 THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * Lost Coast Designs * Smeared Ink * About Art Accents

Faux Burnt Wood combined with Real Burnt Details - a B-day Card for Smudgy Antics Burnt Offerings Challenge!

Hello Friends!
Blogger has been a complete pain in the butt for the last 2 weeks and wouldn't let me post but looks like I'm finally back in business and have lots to share!  Cross fingers my test posts weren't a fluke and that this 'real' one makes it out....

 It's week 2 of Smudgy Antics "Burnt Offerings" challenge and I'm excited to share my Smeared Ink DT inspiration card featuring a faux burnt wood effect I discovered completely by accident last year plus some real burnt details created with a wood burning tool.  I made this card for my brother-in-law's 40th birthday and couldn't resist using Smeared Ink's rather sloshed lil Grumpie squished into the champers glass and stamped the sentiment Bottoms Up twice coz I'm sure my brother-in-law was seeing double after the party he had LOL!

"Bottoms Up" Grumpie is currently one of the two featured Smeared Ink exclusive Rubber Club sets for August called Occasions Grumpies but he's also available in their digi store as a set or single!  Dash on over to the Rubber Club for all the deets coz you don't want to miss out on the other featured set which is the brand new and totally awesome Voodoo set by Rick St Dennis!!!!!!

This project will be up soon at Smeared Ink's forum as a tutorial so come and join the Smeared and Smudged forum if you're not already a member there!  There's tons of fun things to do and lots to see!  But basically the faux burnt wood effect is created simply by stamping with Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate ink with a touch of Black Soot Distress Ink onto coated cardstock, I used Strathmore Bristol smooth, and smearing the ink while its still wet with a piece of scrunched up paper towel!  I also created a faux burnt background by stamping Smeared Ink's wood grain background from the Urban Decay rubber set multiple times with the same treatment.

 The image is coloured with Prismacolor pencils and details added with a white gel pen then die cut out with a Spellbinders mega deckle die.  I burnt the deckled edges and also drew in the burnt lines with a wood burning tool.  Please be very careful when burning cardstock and work in a well ventilated room!!!  I embellished my card with gold photo corners, stamped the DRS birthday sentiment inside in Brilliance Gold ink and also made a matching envelope.

Thank you for visiting with me today and I hope you'll come and play with us in our Smudgy Antics challenges!  I'll also be getting my projects from the last 2 challenges up finally too so stay tuned for those :0)

Happy Stamping!

 THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * Lost Coast Designs * Smeared Ink * About Art Accents

"Kitty in a Garden Breeze" Winner of Perfect Tears Card Contest and shown live from CHA on Create & Craft TV!

Hello Friends!

I'm so excited to announce that this card of mine won the card category in Perfect Paper Craftings' Brand Ambassador Perfect Tears Contest and will be shown on their CHA TV segment live from Las Vegas on Create and Craft on Wednesday July 24!  Create and Craft is a UK crafting channel which you can watch on their website at Create and Craft TV.  The segment will be repeated a few times during CHA so tune in to see my card ;0) 

My card features two of Lost Coast Designs stamps: Flourish - Long Swirl and Floppy Ear Cat and the Perfect Tears tools which I used to create the paper flowers and the iris folding in the large center flower.  Perfect Layers, Perfect Tears and Perfect Squares are the most awesome 'you can not live without' tools for scrapbookers and paper crafters!  For more info about Perfect Paper Craftings' products please visit my Ambassador page and use my special code Leigh5% at checkout to get 5% off your entire order :0)

More info about how I made my winning card will be up here later this week so please stop by again and check it out :0)

Happy Stamping!

 THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * Lost Coast Designs * Smeared Ink * About Art Accents

Dragon Terrarium for Smudgy Antics DT - In The Wild!

Hello Friends!

I'm excited to share my Smeared Ink DT inspiration piece for week 2 of Smudgy Antics current "In The Wild" challenge!  I created a terrarium for my tiny dragon hatchlings :0)  The 3 sleeping dragons are called "Hanging Dragons" and are available as a single image or on Smeared Ink's Dragon Love digi set and the butterflies are from their new set called Specimen Jar!  Click on the photos to get a closer look at all the details.
 

Besides the Smeared Ink images all the linked products are available at Blockheads Paper Arts.  They are having a site wide sale right now so dash on over and shop before all the good stuff is gone!

All the images were reduced in Photoshop and printed onto Neenah Solar White cardstock and fussy cut out.  I used Copic markers to colour all the images with touches of a white gel pen to add details.  I also used Stickles Diamond glitter glue on both butterflies to give them a touch of sparkle.   The die cut leaves are from a Spellbinders leaf set.  I used a sheet of dirty sage green decorative paper to for the leaves and used my Copics to colour the reverse sides and add the leaf veins.  I scored each leaf down the center, folded and then curled the outer edges to give them dimension.
 

My terrarium is actually a Nescafe instant coffee glass jar turned upside down.  I cut a small round piece of floral foam and adhered it to the white insert in the lid with my glue gun and covered the foam with spanish moss.  I found a nice multi-branch twig outside and poked it into the foam and adhered all the leaves and my critters with Inkssentials Matte Accents.  I also added some 'water droplets' along the branches and on the leaves with the Matte Accents and included a tiny bird in there too.  Here's a view through the top of the terrarium.  The expiration date and a code was printed on the bottom of the glass jar which I removed easily with rubbing alcohol.

  Thank you for visiting with me today and I hope you'll come and play with us in our Smudgy Antics challenges :0)  This project will also be up soon at Smeared Ink's forum as a tutorial so come and join the Smeared and Smudged forum if you're not already a member there!  There's tons of fun things to do and lots to see!

Happy Stamping!

 THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * Lost Coast Designs * Smeared Ink * About Art Accents

"Homme Papillon" for Smudgy Antics 'Dripping' Challenge!

Hello Friends!
Before I tell you about today's project I want to remind you all that a new DominoART Challenge started on Friday and this one is all about altering the game boards that come with board games like Scrabble and Monopoly!  So dig out those old board games and come and play with us ;0)

Now for today's project which is my Smeared Ink DT inspiration piece for week 2 of Smudgy Antics current "Dripping" challenge!  I created an art piece with an easel back called "Homme Papillon" which is French for "Butterfly Man".  This stunning image is one of Smeared Ink's newest digi images called Specimen Jar Man and the butterflies are all from their new set called Specimen Jar!  Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Besides the Smeared Ink images all the linked products are available at Blockheads Paper Arts.  They are having a site wide sale right now so dash on over and shop before all the good stuff is gone!

All the images were printed onto Neenah Solar White cardstock and the 2 butterflies were fussy cut out.  I used Copic markers to colour the man and the butterflies and applied Pumice Stone, Tea Dye and Shaded Lilac Distress Inks to the background.

I used my Perfect Layers tools by Perfect Paper Crafting to cut the 1/8" and 1/16" borders with an Xacto knife on a self-healing cutting mat.  Aren't Perfect Layers tools awesome!  I cut all those borders perfectly with a tool that looks just like a ruler without the need for measuring and they're so easy to use!   For a tutorial video and more info please visit my PPC Ambassador page and use my special coupon code Leigh5% to get 5% off your entire purchase if you decide you can't live without these tools either ;0)

All the butterflies including the one covering the man's eye are coated with Judikins Diamond Glaze for a glass-like finish and my "Dripping" is real candle wax.  I used a white candle and dripped the heated wax onto the image until I was happy with the effect.  I then completed my art piece by adhering the butterflies with dimensional silicone glue to the main piece.
 

Thank you for visiting with me today and I hope you'll come and play with us at Smudgy Antics :0)

Happy Stamping!

 THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * Lost Coast Designs * Smeared Ink * About Art Accents

Wonderland Tea Party Steampunk Top Hat for Blockheads Paper Arts!

Hello Friends!
 

I'm not going into a lot of detail about my creation for today coz my precious kitty, Cassi, passed away on Saturday :0(  She was my baby and I'm devastated and miss her with every fiber of my being :0(

"Wonderland Tea Party"
Steampunk Top Hat

 Awarded with an Honourable Mention at The Altered Alice! Thx :0)

All the Steampunk animals are from Blockheads' Fringe Folktails stamp set.  Stamped onto Neenah Solar White cardstock with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and coloured with Copic Sketch markers.
 

 For all the details on how I made the mini Top Hat please visit one of my other posts by clicking HERE!

 The gears and cogs are Tim Holtz Alterations Bigz and Movers and Shapers dies die cut out of Grungeboard and coloured with all 3 of the metallic Distress Stains.  Everything was adhered to the Top Hat with Scotch Quick Dry adhesive and embellished with paper flowers, wired ribbon and black tule from Michaels plus an antique brass Steampunk pocket watch charm.

 I'm entering this one into the following challenges:
Altered Alice Chapter 27 What a Wonderful Dream It Has Been!
 

Happy Stamping!

 THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * Lost Coast Designs * Smeared Ink * About Art Accents

Skull Appreciation Day Blog Hop with Smeared Ink!

Hello Friends :0)

Today is the Skull Appreciation Day wild blog hop event hosted by Smeared Ink!  We're celebrating by featuring handmade projects that spotlight the much-loved cranium and Smeared Ink is giving away lots of freebies during the hop too so if you're just starting your hop here or working your way down the list then the blog roll is below to help you on your way! 

 I'm sharing 2 altered game art projects today, one is here and the other is on my DominoART blog which is your next stop on the hop ;0)

Here's my first creation of the day which is just one of the pieces in my matching ensemble :0)

Death's Door Domino Earrings

 Smeared Ink's design team are also celebrating the arrival of Rick St Dennis' fabulous imagery to Smeared Ink's Rubber Club!  The exclusive new rubber sheet designed just for Smeared Ink is called Morte and it's June's exclusive Rubber Club set so dash on over and join the club!

Smeared Ink - Rick St Dennis image - Common Grave
 

Your next stop is my DominoART blog!  Enjoy the rest of your hop :0)  
 
Terra
Tori
Laura
Kapree
Kristy
Sandy
Jacki
Rick St Dennis
Airless Chambers
Wendy
Julia
Susan
Lady Brayton
Black Dragon
Kay
Miko
Creepy Glowbug
Aletha
Ike
Miranda
Hazel
Monique
Shoni
Suzi
Leigh S-B Designs - YOU ARE HERE!
DominoART
Alison
Donna M
Donna W
Jane
De Stempelwinkel
Evil Edna
Jenn
Steph
Anna
Bombshell Stamps
Helen
Shell
Movie Magic Monthly Blog
Fiona
Serena
Little Black Kitten
Maureen
Karen
Milo
Teri

Happy Stamping!

 THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * Lost Coast Designs * Smeared Ink * About Art Accents