Stardust, Moonshine and Smooches

I got an incredible amount of work done while I was sick. Perhaps it was some sort of delirium. In any case, these three beauties popped off the worktable. All midnight and glitter *swoon*

Like most things I make they're hobbled from all sorts of bits and pieces with a nice splash of glitter for good measure.

See the little wordplate? I've been playing with metal stamping and admittedly I'm not very adept at it (yet!). They say practice makes perfect... which suits me fine because whacking stuff with a hammer is good for getting the blahs out. The Stardust Shrine is listed HERE.

My inner wizard/witch lives for pointed hats and stars and moonshine.

And ohh that look. This is the exact look I would give to ridiculous requests when I was working as a graphic designer. I'm pretty sure if I were in charge of fulfilling wishes made on stars I would make this face once in while too. The Moonshine Shrine is listed HERE

There is something extraordinarily sweet about kisses in old photos. Perhaps because the sitters in old pics often look so dour. I understand they look that way because they had to remain still so long... but I'd much rather remain still while kissing like these two.

The Tender Shrine is listed here.

And here is one of my favourite songs, "Tender" by Blur



"Come on come on come on, Get through it"
Hang in there. You got this, baby! xoxo

Halloween Hotrods with Tutorial

One of my very favourite projects from last year were the Mad Max hot rods built with my buddy Paula Mould. It's one of those projects that is just so much messy fun. I mean you COULD be neat and proper and make something stunning... or you can let loose and just glue crap to other crap and have a grand old time doing it.

There's Halloween junk all over the Dollarstore aisles and it made me nostalgic and inspired to revisit that project. This time with a video tute (see below) for you to make your own monster machines.

Since this is a dollarstore, stash busting project, it's not going to break the bank.

We're starting out with simple plastic toy cars and trucks.

Embellishing the heck out of them. Giving them a knock out paint job. And ending up with something like this...

They check off most of the boxes for a kid friendly project. They're cheap, fun, neatness isn't exactly a factor. You WILL need to supervise/modify the project depending on age appropriateness (i.e. glue guns are the devil) but it's do-able for and little hotrodders you know.

I've just used my trusty old hot glue gun for this project. If you want something that can be handled (crashed? raced?) and remain somewhat intact, you'll need to invest/experiment with a better method of adhesion. Or, you know, let them be the $3 works of art they are and just enjoy the destruction.

Here's your supply list:

Toy cars: trucks, busses, boats, planes... whatever strikes your fancy!

Halloween swag: skeletons, bugs, beads, bones, skulls, spiders, bats

Black spray paint: I used gloss in the tute... I MUCH prefer flat/matte

Acrylic paint: I mostly used a product from Colourarte called Silks Acrylic Glaze It has a nice pearlescent finish and it was in my stash. Metalics looks super cool.
Paint brush
Sponge brush (for blending)

GLUE: I used hot glue because it's fast and easy. Do what works for you!
Cutting tools: for chopping up spiders and plastic skeletons

Tape: for covering any bits you don't want spray painted

That's it weirdos! Go make something hotroddy!

Here's how to put them together.

Old Glass and Another Apothecary

This is a much smaller version of the Fairy Apothecary I showed off earlier in the week. I had a couple of requests for a tutorial and an AlphaStamps deadline looming so... ta dah!

This is probably about 1/4 the size of the earlier version, but crammed with just as many wee jars and bottles and vials. Overall size is approximately 3" x 5.7".

I've skipped over the box assembly in the video tutorial. It's easy peasy and you can look at the old vids on my channel to see how I generally stick stuff together and cover with paper.

Instead I've focused on recreating the look of authentic old glass. It's not over the top grungy... but it absolutely replicates the appearance fairly accurately.

So hop over to the tutorial HERE

And grab all of the supplies you need HERE

Or here's all the bits listed separately:

English Fairy Garden Collage Sheet

Fairy Apothecary Collage Sheet

Mini Cigar Box - 3x4

12 Tiny Glass Bottles

Amber Even Tinier Bottles*

Amber Resin Potions Bottle

Bruised Pink Antique Scrapbook Paper

Corked Vials

Even Tinier Bottles*

Large Clear Resin Potions Bottle

Mini Mason Jar - Large

Pickle Jar with Lid

Small Amber Resin Potions Bottle

Small Clear Resin Potions Bottle

Small Metal Box Feet - Tree Bark

Tiny Round Bottles*

Nyx and the Benevento Walnut Tree

I finished the work in progress I showed off yesterday. While it could have gone in a million different directions, this piece is all about the goddess Nyx.

 

Nyx has existed from the beginning. She is the goddess of the Night and the mother of Light and Day (as well as gods of dreams, sleep, death, pain and more).

In one version of her mythology, she was a great black bird and laid an egg from which Eros, the golden winged Spirit of Love emerges.

At the centre of the piece there's a tree that represents the Benevento Walnut Tree. This magical tree was said to be a gathering place for Italian witches. It's roots reached down to the other world and the witches would draw up its power by dancing around the trunk. Nyx was one of the goddesses venerated at the tree.

There are also some tiny handmade paper poppies in there too, said to be sacred to her.

That little glass bauble? A piece made by my friend and glass artist Marc Bourdon.

When I completed this doodad I slipped outside, into the dark. Despite the sky being covered in clouds, I saw a shooting star whiz by. I'm going to take that as a good omen. Maybe even a wink of approval! And I think I'll keep this piece with me for a while.

The materials for this piece are from all over the place but I'll do my best to list what I can.

Wooden House Frame - from Michaels
Wing Assortment
Small Wings
Bronze Hand CharmFloral Border Sticks
Flourishes 2
Adhesive back pearls
Metal Filigree
Metal Wings
Florist Wire
Twig
Old paper
Glitter!!!!
Acrylic paint
Moss
Woodland Scenics Clump Foliage
Glass bauble - glass artist Marc Bourdon

P.S. If you're interested in learning more about this sort of thing, goddesses, spirits and the like, Judika Illes' book 'Encyclopedia of Spirits' might be just the resource you're looking for.