Happy Halloween!

Hello my pretties!

It's Halloween and I'm feeling it in my old bones this year.

This is another one of the masks I created in the Master of Disguise workshop.

It makes me feel this:

“A witch ought never be frightened in the darkest forest 

because she should be sure in her soul 

that the most terrifying thing in the forest was her.”

Terry Pratchett, "Wintersmith"

I hope you're feeling terrifying too.

Big spooky halloween love from me to you.

xoxo

Little Spooky Ladies Book

I've been doing some vintage/antique image searching lately and keep stumbling on little bits of inspiration. One amazing bit I came across was from a medieval manuscript, a man reading a heart shaped book. This led to finding real examples!

Swoon right?!

But it's not hearts and love song season. It's spooky season, so let's get a tad creepy.

I had coffin shaped chipboard bits on my worktable from the AlphaStamps *Twilight Kit so ran with the orginal inspiration to create a little chipboard coffin book. I kept it simple and just bound the pages together with a bit of sports tape.

On the cover of the book I placed a Wide Spider Charm on the end of a snip of  1/16 Inch Black Satin Ribbon. To cover the loop of the charm I added a bit of bling with a sparkly accent.

Inside each page is covered with papers from the Twilight 8x8 Paper Pad and features a spooky little lady.

I particularly like the ladies from the Victorian Bats Collage Sheet .

Want to create your own little spooky ladies book? Here are all the bits I used:

Twilight 8x8 Paper Pad
Small Chunky Coffin w Bat Shape Set - Set of 3
Wide Spider Charms
A Witchy Encore Collage Sheet
Mini Gothic Architecture Collage Sheet
Mini Old Windows & Doors Collage Sheet
Victorian Bats Collage Sheet
1/16 Inch Black Satin Ribbon

Wee Winter Cottages

I'm neck deep in holiday making and all of my non-crafty friends think I'm off my rocker. "It's so early!" Those with a makers heart know that now is the time to get your fingers working.

I am particularly pleased with these little winter cottages.

Pretty stinkin' cute, right?! I think they're even more adorable as a tiny village.

These cuties are made with Gypsy Soul's 1 to 12 Gingerbread House, placed on a little wooden round, with wee bottle brush trees and tiny candy and a sprinkling of snow.

I've finished off the roofs with snippets from the Tiny Shingles Sampler.

Want to make your own? Pop over HERE to see how I assembled these sweet little houses.

Here are all the supplies I used putting these cuties together:

1 to 12 Gingerbread House

Tiny Shingles Sampler

small wood rounds

Mini Candy Canes
Polymer Clay Red Swirl Peppermint Cane

miniature bottle brush trees

green flocking/grass/terrain

faux snow/buffalo snow/flurries

straight pin
glue (white glue and super glue)
acrylic paint

*Note: tweezers are VERY helpful with this project

Mask Making and Meeting Devils

 I've been taking an online mask making class from Michael Demeng called "Master of Disguise"

I was hoping to introduce the results of by telling you a scary story. I was hoping to tell the tale of my encounter with a silent devil encountered walking through dry tall grass on a dim day, the rain  only just holding back like tears on the verge of falling.

But I can't quite conjure that story. 'Devils' have always been kind to me. All the ghosts and demons and sleep hags I've encountered have been sweet to me, protective of me. 

I am not afraid of those monsters.

The real devils, those that have done the most damage, have had human faces. They are handsome, they are pretty, they sneeze and laugh, they do laundry and groceries and look like regular people. Those devils hurt, they leave the deepest scars.

No, meeting a silent devil in the long grass doesn't seem that scary. Their worst bits on the outside. It's the devils hiding inside that scare me most of all.

Free Photo Friday

Once a week I share an old timey photo from my personal collection. Feel free to use them in your mess making, art and crafting.

The images are not polished and left in their grungy, smudged and speckled glory. Just how I like 'em! Without further ado... 

Do NOT sell, give, or distribute the images as your own, digitally or printed, alone or as part of a collection, collage sheet or group. BUT DO absolutely make stuff with them and sell the stuff you make. If you share your project, a link is appreciated.

Violators will be turned into toads, given warts, all the bad stuff... I mean it... It won't be pretty. 

F*** Journals

FAIR WARNING: SWEARS AHEAD and many, many, many pictures.If cussing offends you, turn back now.



A few months ago someone invited me to a group. Now, I rarely join anything but...

"The Fuckin' Badassery Group of Fuckin' Art Journalers"

Um, yes. ALL THE YES! 

While I am aware that there are people who do not like swearing, who are offended by f-bombs, who are appalled by four lettered blue streaks, I have the soul of a filthy mouthed sailor.

So, I present to you, a set of journals packed with foul sentiments.

I got super fancy and made some "FUCK" charms to dangle from the spines.

If you've made it this far and would like to make your own fuck journal, here's a sheet of sentiments that you might find handy.

Check out the super amazing and gloriously chunky book of fuckery by Tina Walker over at A Dogs Life Blog. And, pop over to youtube for her tutorial for making journal from a single page of paper HERE.

Free Photo Friday

Once a week I share an old timey photo from my personal collection. Feel free to use them in your mess making, art and crafting.

The images are not polished and left in their grungy, smudged and speckled glory. Just how I like 'em! Without further ado... 

Do NOT sell, give, or distribute the images as your own, digitally or printed, alone or as part of a collection, collage sheet or group. BUT DO absolutely make stuff with them and sell the stuff you make. If you share your project, a link is appreciated.

Violators will be turned into toads, given warts, all the bad stuff... I mean it... It won't be pretty. 

Art Walk Alchemy 2020 - Woodland Dreams + pie, glorious pie!

This past weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving. We had turkey and spuds and sprouts and all the traditional trimmings. I can't even remember the last time I had turkey! It was a nice change and I'll admit I'm looking forward to the forever leftovers and have big plans for the rest of that gobbler.

Check out the spiced pear bread pudding I made for dessert. It was glorious and well worth falling off the low-carb diet for.

**Full disclosure, the kid did not approve of this non-pumpkin pie dessert. He's nuts.

I'm also plugging Art Walk Alchemy 2020 today. 24+ projects taught over the course of 2020, take a gander at the projects that are included...

Did you catch my little Irish Fairy Cottage in there?! There's a couple of classes I'm really looking forward to doing myself. Did you see those gorgeous rings?

If you're thinking of signing up there's 'early bird' pricing until December 31st and it's a pretty sweet deal. All 24+ projects for $99 (or $125 after the cut off date).  Pop over HERE for more information or to sign up and join me!

Free Photo Friday

Once a week I share an old timey photo from my personal collection. Feel free to use them in your mess making, art and crafting.

The images are not polished and left in their grungy, smudged and speckled glory. Just how I like 'em! Without further ado... 

Do NOT sell, give, or distribute the images as your own, digitally or printed, alone or as part of a collection, collage sheet or group. BUT DO absolutely make stuff with them and sell the stuff you make. If you share your project, a link is appreciated.

Violators will be turned into toads, given warts, all the bad stuff... I mean it... It won't be pretty. 

Moon Children ATCs

A new set of moony ATCs to show off today.

I prepared the backgrounds a while ago with vintage papers, paint and bit of sanding and scuffing. While waiting for glue to dry I just grabbed them and set to work creating stacks with left over Idea-ology - Ephemera Pack Snippets from yesterday's Tabbed Book, an Idea-ology - Paper Doll and a length of string.

Moon Child ATC No. 1

Moon Child ATC No. 2

Moon Child ATC No. 3

Moon Child ATC No. 4

Moon Child ATC No. 5

Moon Child ATC No. 6

Moon Child ATC No. 7

Moon Child ATC No. 8

"On what slender threads do life and fortune hang."

Alexandre Dumas