Bombshell Stamps Blog Hop

The Bombshell Stamps August Hump Day Hop theme is "Let's Hear it for the Boys." We were free to interpret this however we like, and all I can really say is that I pretty much assure you that you will be singing that oh-so-popular 80's song from Deniece Williams for the next week. 

You're welcome :)

I decided to try the sketch... 

 

 

Now you know my interpretation of sketches can be a little loose.  But the elements are all there, I promise. The scallops, the circle in a square, the line down the left... it just all went to Funky Town.  

I decided what's more 80's than neon so out came the cool neon variegated thread that I JUST. HAD.TO. HAVE!!!!

OMIGOD! Can you imagine if they made hyper-color thread?

Or hyper-color NEON thread...

*head explodes*

It was a great chance to use one of my very favorite stamps in the whole wide world, Senora Muertas.

 

 Now go visit the other girls :)

Bombshell Blog 

Alison 

Alex

Rachael

Alaine

Kelli

Jodi

Laura

Sparkly Mary

Terra

Kim
Stempelientje
----> Nicole: You Are Here <---

Glittery Katie

Kas

Kathi

Three Pin Cushions: Zakka Style (GIVEAWAY)

Right now there is a Zakka Style Sew Along going on

 and I'm really excited about it as I love the book (read my review here) but sometimes need a nudge to actually make the projects. Since this week's project is the easiest on in the book I decided to go for it and instead of making one, I made three. The first is fully following along, very little wandering off script in as Zakka  a Style as I can muster. 

Love that covered polka dot button!

Here's the back:

The second, is taking the general idea and cutting guidelines of the pincushion and doing it my own way with my hand made fabrics.

It has a plain linen back.

and here's the fabric panel I started with:

 and the third is pulling it back, making a me-ish and zakka-ish hybrid... day of the dead style,  of course, using a Bombshell Stamp.

What do you think?

Tell me which one tickles your fancy the most and I'll draw a lucky winner to get the pin cushion of their choice in the mail.

Edit: I forgot to mention that I added dried herbs in between layers of poly-fil so they smell divine. 

Recipe for a Perfect Weekend: List Three

This page was a great chance to haul out my 

Bombshell Stamps set, Sugar Skulls! Love them!

And here's how it looks with List Two - I didn't stress at all about them 'going together'. I just hoped the unified background would keep them from clashing. 

I did use the same graph paper and Dymo label date which adds continuity.

Wedding Shrine

I've been wanting to make a wedding shrine for Chris and I ever since I started making them a year or so ago but I was intimidated by the importance of the event and didn't want to do it wrong. So silly!

Then, a few months ago I thought up the theme that I wanted the shrine to have and it all came together.

Pin It

I wanted to make a piece that spoke to the glamor of a wedding and the blissful utility of marriage. What better to represent blissful utility than an old well-used and truly worn cake pan? Cake, what we celebrate our occasions with, how we delight our children and fill our husbands stomachs? It was perfect.

So I scouted out the thrift shops until I found the perfect pan with the right amount of distress.

Then, employing paint stir sticks, an old wedding topper, skulls from a dollar store garland, Tim Holtz dangly sparkly expensive embellies and more hours then you'd ever imagine, I ended up with this:

Be still my beating heart!

This is a project I will treasure for the rest of my life. So pleased it came together.

Just an FYI, I have some extra architectural elements (the big plaster flourish) that I'm thinking about adding to my Etsy shop. Is that something any of you would be interested in?

Here's a picture of the plaster attached to the cake pan to give you an idea of how they look plain:

Linked Up To:

Tatertots and Jello

Whipperberry

Blue Cricket Design

House of Hepworths

Fireflies and Jellybeans

Tip Junkie

Fingerprints on the Fridge

Family Ever After

Momnivore's Dilemma

'Tis the Season: Calacas

Most readers of this blog know that Day of the Dead is a popular holiday at Casa Maki. We all enjoy making meals that remind us of our loved ones who have passed away and the cheerfully macabre decor.

(As always, click to see the pictures close-up)

The most recent issue of Cloth Paper Scissors (my favorite magazine in the world!) included a feature article by the ridiculously talented Michael Demeng on making calacas. Of course I had to try.

The way you make these is to take Dollar Store figurines or wedding cake toppers (expensive!) and lop off their heads. I know - rather violent, no? I used a chisel, hammer and safety goggles and it was easy peasy.

Then I replaced their missing heads with skeleton heads torn from a garland, also from the Dollar Store. 

Next, you cover the whole thing with modeling paste (which is like working with tartar control toothpaste - not fun but very textured) and decorate and paint them as you like. Using a paint pen was easier for fine details like the eye sockets and mouth.

For me, having a very tactile finished project is important so I glued lace to the dress and added dimensional flowers and added a veil turning my "pretty girl" into a "winsome bride".

The veil was one of my favorite parts as I sprayed it with yellow, brown and a bit of blue homemade glimmer mist and then burned the edges to make it curl after I attached it. The effect added a lot of age and movement to the figure. I used the same colors to dye the lace. 

For the platform she's standing on I used a piece of scrap wood from our etagere that Brayden lit on fire back in May. I know those pieces would come in handy! The back (tall) piece is balsa wood, I love how it warps a little from the paint and gel medium and that adds a little bit more movement too.

After the wood glue dried, I covered the whole stage in modeling paste, waited for it to dry and then added painted book pages and acrylic paint. To finish I embellished the piece with wrinkle ribbon and blue Prima flowers.

You can see last year's shrines here.

This is my entry in the Mixed Media Monday "Shrines" challenge and the ethereal, non-corporeal, magic or supernatural challenge at Alter-it Monthly. 

Linked Up With:

 

Get Your Craft On TuesdayTatertots and JelloInspiration Avenue

Hump Day Hotties Blog Hop - No regrets!

I've been a dreadful Hump Day Hottie and I have to give major props to the gals who have managed to participate week after week. My life has been on the complicated side so I was extra excited to join in this time.

The theme for this hop is: What was I thinking?

"We've all done it; made one of those purchases that just seem perfect in the middle of a store with a coupon in hand. Then, when you get home, you look at it and say, "What was I thinking?" Well, that's the challenge for this week. Pull out that purchase you made, and let's get it on a card and out of your stash. It might be ribbon, DP or an embellishment, but whatever it is, get it out and use it! And...if you're so inclined, share the story behind the purchase. "

What first came to mind is this tile paper - I bought two sheets, one squares, one triangles - it's sticky pieces you can stamp on and then you have an instant tile image without the trouble of cutting. I bought it seven years ago, it was very expensive (like $2.50 a sheet) and I had to have it!!!!! Now tell me, how many of you are impressed that I could find a piece of fancy sticker paper I bought seven years ago - that in Maki terms is five moves, two apartments, two houses and a town house ago. I think I knew where it was because I felt so darn guilty about buying it and letting it sit there.

Anyhoo...

At Split Coast Stampers, this week's Try a New Technique Challenge was a fancy fold that makes an easel card - basically a card with a built in display. I thought, why not! And combined the two.

Here is my, " What was I thinking" item:


And here's the card I made:


Side View:


Ready to Mail (I was impressed how flat it folds):



This card features the main image in the Alter Skulls, one of the great sets in the newest Sugar Skull release from Bombshell Stamps.

I don't know what's been up with me and flat cards lately. Piling on piles of stuff just hasn't been where my head's at. This one looks a little plain but the image really stands out. I like that. If you want to see the template I used to figure out this card fold click HERE.

Now go see what trouble the other girls have gotten themselves into *grin*

Angela
Kas
Miss Magoo
Jacquie (Ms.October!)
Gabby
Sarah K
Glittery Katie
Lyss
Kathi
Terra

Don't forget about the current color challenge at Bombshell Stamps:

CONTEST GUIDELINES: (CONTEST ENDS OCT. 31, 2009)
The creation can be a card, layout or altered item, but must have:

1. a Bombshell Stamp somewhere
2. use of ORANGE, BLACK, GREEN, and purple is an optional substitution color.
3. tag the photo's of your submission with "BSSOCT09", to be entered in the drawing!


The perfect starter pack to go with your new Sugar Skull Stamps!
OUR FANTASTIC PRIZE PACKAGE INCLUDES:
Our Sugar Skull & "Bones Font" mounted stamps,
Festive printed papers from Crafty Chica,
Paper and brad flowers from C Custom Creations
Colorful Toe Tags from C Custom Creations

To INCLUDE YOUR SUBMISSION you need to have either an album created in our Gallery, or a profile on Paper Craft Planet (PCP). Just tag your photo with the code listed above so we can find it and add you to the drawing. You can also show off your card by posting it under this contest thread. We'd all love to see what you came up with!

Bombshell Stamps and a LO

WOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Sorry, was I shouting?

I have good reason to, last night Shannon released the new set of Bombshell Stamps for pre-order and they pretty much made my head explode with how hard they rock. Oh my goodness!




You can pre-order them HERE.

I'm this week's guest designer over at Sassy Girl Scraps. Thanks, Pam for the chance to work with such an awesome sketch.

Here's a peek:



I've been wanting to sew guidelines for journalling for ages and finally did it - and will be doing it again.