It's almost time for my first ever blog hop - I better get busy crafting my skull creation!

CONFESSIONS SMEARED IN INK!!

Smeared and Smudged May Member Blog Hop

BLOG ROLL



Tori

Shell

Black Dragon

Susan S.

Jane

Kristy

Lady Brayton

Patti

Monique

Dianne

Ike

Moonlight Flower Card

This card was made with a lot of distressing and embellishments. The flower stamp is an old one from Rubber Stampede. Underneath my handmade flower is a tulip design. The dotted circles around the polka dots on my background paper are from a clear inkadinkadoo stamp. The flying skull image is a digital stamp from Smeared Ink. The flower was distressed by crumpling and the background paper was torn and inked. To qualify for a challenge on Use it Tuesday, you had to use two hoarded supplies. I used some tan rick rack and black eyelash yarn that I have been saving.  The card is also embellished with a red bingo chip, black half pearls and glitter.

Top Tip Tuesday Tip: When tearing paper, if you lift and pull up the on paper you are tearing off, you will get a white edge. 

Along with the challenge listed above, I am also entering this card in the following challenges:

Smudgy Antics - embellish it
Penny's Paper Craft - #80 anything goes
Haunted Design House - #135 distress it
Celebrate the Occasion - #64 anything goes
Crafty Sentiments - anything goes
Ladybugs Crafts - #61 something with wings
Top Tip Tuesday - #77 dig out the old (tulip rubber stamp)
Crafty Card Makers - #69 distress it
Kaboodle Doodles - anything goes
Make it Monday - #91 anything goes
Corrosive Challenges - #150 not to shabby
Crafty Calendar - things with wings
ATCs and Cards - #14 anything goes
Fat Pages with Attitude - #14 anything goes

Repurposed Materials Brooch

Brooch

This flower brooch was made from a plastic bag and distressed and crumpled pages from a clothing catalog. The skeleton is a digi from Smeared Ink. I was trying to come up with an idea for a challenge on Smeared and Smudged called Junk Funk. The challenge was to use plastic bags in a craft creation. I was stumped until I realized the plastic was almost like using tissue paper and voila a brooch was born. I decided to really repurpose and used paper from a catalog for a little color and texture.

The brooch is further embellished with a poker chip, an embroidered red flower, black and white tape yarn and a red rhinestone.

Along with the challenge on Smeared and Smudged, I am also entering this brooch in the following challenges:

Bunny Zoe's Crafts - #24 anything goes
Smudgy Antics - embellish it
Crafts and Me - fabulous flowers
Penny's Paper Crafty - #80 anything goes
Haunted Design House - #135 distress it

I hope you take a minute and look at the above listed sites. The Design Teams work very hard to produce samples that inspire others to be creative.

Cosmic Love Card

Cosmic Love inspired card

I created this fun card with a rubber stamp called Steampunk Emo Rio from Simply Betty Stamps. I stamped the image onto a piece of designed cardstock so I would have less coloring to do. I then colored parts of the image with chalks and colored pencils. I attached "Rio" to a copy of a piece of background paper I created using a magazine advertisement and the netting from a potato bag. The card is embellished with sequins, glitter, a feather and some tulle.

The Rock N Rolla challenge on Smeared and Smudged is to create an artwork based on the video/song "Cosmic Love" by Florence and the Machine. The video is great...I'm a fan! The song sticks in your head and the imagery is outstanding. Check it out!

I am also entering this card in the following challenges:

Bunny Zoe's Crafts - #24 anything goes
Smudgy Antics - embellish it
Forever Night - gothic photo inspiration
Aud Sentiments - any sentiment
Charisma Cardz - #20 no flowers allowed
Sassy Studio - #126 Hats off to you
Penny's Paper Crafty - #80 anything goes
Sweet Stamps - #66 anything goes

Thank you for looking at my submission. I hope you check out the sites listed above for some awe inspiring artwork!

Bobby Pins - DIY paper beaded

set of three bobby pins

These handcrafted paper bead bobby pins were created from magazine and catalog pages. The design with the dogs on it was cut from a background in an Anthropologie catalog. Another design is a blue and turquoise fabric flower on a gray background. The third design is a floral print using blue, green, turquoise and a hint of gray. These pretty hair pins are sure to add a feminine touch to your hairstyle.

I have posted a tutorial for making your own bobbies. You can find it here.

If you do not have time to make your own bobby pins, these and others are listed in my Etsy Store. Take a look!

Necklace - Skeleton Girl with Cherry Blossoms

Skeleton Girl Cameo Necklace

This Skeleton Girl Cameo wooden pendant necklace was created from a high quality print of one of my original collages. I have created a new collection I am calling "skellies". I happened upon a Cezanne painting of three skulls that I absolutely had to craft with. I cut the skulls apart and played with them until I constructed a variety of "skellies".

The pendant is a 1.5 inch round wooden piece from an old Bottle Tops game. The image is decoupaged onto the game piece and varnished for a smooth and water resistant surface.The image features cherry blossom flowers and cute polka dots in the background. The larger flower is embellished with a golden rhinestone.

Decoupaging is so easy to do. If you find an image you like or create one of your own, you can attach it to almost anything. If you don't want to make your own pendant, this "skellie" is listed in my Etsy Store.

The Masquerade Ball

The Masque of the RED Death card

Wow! This card was so much fun to create. I wanted to combine the two challenges going on at Smudgy Antics (masquerade) and The Masque of the red death on Quoth the Raven. At first I was stumped and could only think of a lone ranger type mask. Then I was inspired by the sample by BlackDragon on the Quoth the Raven site. She used a face mask in her design. Ta Da! I knew what I wanted to do. You can't tell by the photo, but the mask is actually dimensional.
  
I used a movie poster of The Masque of the Red Death starring Vincent Price playing the part of Prince Prospero for my main image. I printed one image in gray scale and the other in the original color for the mask.I rubber stamped the column and the bubbles of red poison. The other images came from my clipart collection.

The card is embellished with red rhinestones, a seed bead for the raven's eye, and brown cording for the mask straps.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Smudgy Antics - masquerade
Quoth the Raven - Masque of the Red Death
Just Tracy's Crafts - anything goes
Bunny Zoes - #24 anything goes

I hope you will go to the above sites and check out the artwork on display. You will be inspired to make some "art" of your own.

Brooch - Prom King Skull Collage

Laminated Paper Brooch

Prom King Brooch

I have created a new collection of collages I am calling "skellies". I was looking at paintings by Cezanne and found some skull oil on canvas paintings he painted in 1901. I just knew I had to use them in my artwork. After having some fun cutting them apart, collaging and altering them, I created a variety of "skellie" characters.

I call this "skellie", my "prom king". He has a black with white polka dot bow tie and some kind of flower attached to his orange crown. He is embellished with a red rhinestone.

I used a high quality print of my original collage for the brooch. It is heat laminated with heavy 7 ml lamination film. It is very durable and water resistant. An adhesive pin back is firmly attached to the back of the pin.

Brooches are little pieces of wearable art. They can be used to adorn clothing, purses, hats or any surface you can attach a pin to.

This brooch is available in my Etsy Store.

Rock Pendant Necklace

Rock Pendant Necklace

Back of Pendant

Side of Pendant

I created this pendant for a contest/challenge on Craftster called "Rock Paper Scissors". The object was to use a rock and paper together. The scissors were to be used as a tool.

I used a flat rock I found in a bag from the $1 Tree. I then coiled magazine pages around the rock to create a bezel. I used a silver photo holder from the scrapbook supply section as a bail.  I then used a piece of paper from a water damaged book to cover the back. I decoupaged a design from Artchix Studio onto the front of the rock and added the words "paper rocks" that I printed on my computer. I love to collect and use all types of paper (yes, a paper hoarder) in my artwork.

I hope you like the pendant and try creating one of your own. If you are a member of Craftster, please vote for my necklace by May 16th.

Bobby Pins - Paper Beaded

I created these bright and fun paper beaded bobby pins from an upcycled Anthropologie catalog. The hair pins are bold, colorful and unique. One design is multi-colored fiber strands woven together. Another design is from a red curtain with white polka dots. The third design looks like it is part of an abstract painting. These bobbies will add some excitement and flash to your hairstyle. If you like to be noticed, these are the hair accessories for you.

These hair pins are available in my Etsy Store or you can make some for yourself. You can find a tutorial here.

The Pit and the Pendulum

Bookmark

I created this Edgar Allan Poe bookmark for the "The Pit and the Pendulum" challenge on Quoth the Raven site.

I used an image from an Edgar Allan Poe book cover. I collaged with the lettering and rubber stamped a cobweb on the bookmark base and also on the image. I used a mask to accomplish that. The design is embellished with silver glitter, a clear gem and a red gem for the rat's eye (creepy).

I am also entering this bookmark in the following challenges:

Smudgy Antics - anything goes
Emerald Fairy - #23 anything goes

Please check out the other submissions and the design team work on the above listed sites. You will be inspired to be creative yourself!

Bobby Pins - Paper Bead Embellished

finished handcrafted hair bobby pins

bobby pins modeled by my daughter Ashley

Add some excitement to your hair with these handcrafted paper bead bobby pins. The paper beads were created from colorful magazine and catalog page images. The blue, orange, pink and turquoise spirograph design came from an Anthropologie catalog. The colorful design with the turquoise flower in the center is cut from an Anthropologie plate. The third design is a tangerine orange with white graphic flowers. These hair pins are an eco-friendly hair accessory.

The bobby pin is about 2" long and can be worn one at at time, two at a time, or all three at once. You will be sure to attract some attention with these one of a kind hair pins.

You can create the paper beaded bobby pins yourself. I have created a tutorial on my blog. Or you can purchase the pictured set from my Etsy Store.

DIY Brooch from Upcycled Paper

Vincent van Gogh Brooch

3D Fanned Brooch

This handcrafted paper brooch is made with a Vincent van Gogh print cut from a clip art catalog, magazine page images, pages from a damaged hardcover book and a cereal box. It is very eco-friendly. The design is embellished with three tangerine colored seed beads.

I have posted a tutorial if you would like to make your own paper brooch. You can find it here.

If you are not crafty and would prefer to purchase a brooch, I have this one and others in my Etsy Shop.

How to make a Paper Bead Bobby Pin - Paper craft tutorial

finished paper bead bobby pins

Paper beads are easy and inexpensive to make. You can make it an eco friendly craft by using old magazines, catalogs and junk mail. Place the finished bead on an ordinary bobby pin and you can add some fun and flair to your hair.

Materials

MATERIALS:

paper source ( magazines, catalogs, junk mail)
white glue
skewer or mini straw
paper sealant/varnish
paint brush
dimensional glue (Glossy Accents by Ranger)
bobby pins

Step 1:
Prepare a work area and gather your supplies.

Step 2:
Cut a 8" x 2" rectangular strip from a colorful designed piece of paper. The last 3/4" of the strip is what you will see on your finished bead.

Step 3:
Roll paper strip onto a skewer to produce a tube bead. When you get 3/4" from the end of your rolled strip, apply some white glue. Finish rolling and press the edge down firmly.

Step 4:
Apply a paper sealant to the bead. I brush on a coat of varnish. Let it dry.

Step 5:
Place curved bar of the bobby pin into the bead. Place the glued edge seam of the bead facing down so that it does not show. If the inside of your bead spirals out, tap it on a flat surface and it will slip back inside.

Step 6:
Apply Glossy Accents to seal each end of the paper tube. This will hold the bobby pin in place and keep your paper bead from unfurling. Once the Glossy Accents dries clear and is no longer sticky, your bobby pin is ready to wear in your hair.

I hope you will use these instructions and create your own paper bead hair pins.

view of the bobby pin end

I am submitting this paper beaded bobby pin project to The Green Crafts Showcase for consideration.

Bold Graphics Bobby Pins

Paper Beaded Hair Pins

Bobby Pins with bold graphics

These bold and colorful bobby pins were created from upcycled magazine and catalog page images. Making these hair pins an eco-friendly accessory. One design is a red and white floral, another is a colorful floral print. To compliment the other designs, the third design adds some turquoise, orange, chartreuse green and brown to the color mix.

The paper bead is the length of a regular bobby pin (2"). The bobbies look good worn one at a time, two at a time or all together.  They are sure to add some razzle dazzle to your hair.

You can easily make your own paper bead bobbie pins, or these plus other colors and designs are available in my Etsy store.