12 Days of Creepmas 2013 -Day 9: Santa is Coming

Welcome back to 12 Days of Creepmas sponsored by the Smeared and Smudged Forum. If this is your first visit, please go to this post for all of the info about the hop and prizes.

Today is another Smeared Ink day for our little Creepmas hop, which means that any Jolly Blogger who uses Smeared Ink stamps exclusively will be entered to win our prize. Merry Hoppers can also be entered by leaving a comment on this post and letting me know what you think of the hop so far! We've got just a few more posts to go, and we'd love to hear all about what you've enjoyed from the hop this year.

The prize for today's Smeared Ink day is: 1 Rubber Set of winner's choice from Smeared Ink. Winners will receive a deeply etched 8 1/2" x 11" sheet. Below are a few examples of the rubber sets we have to choose from, you can see most of them here, as well as our newest featured sets here.

Please be aware that we will need to order in the set that the winners choose, so it will be shipped out mid to late January, but isn't it worth it? :) For those of you who are interested in getting your hands on your own rubber, you can find all of the information on our Smeared Ink Rubber Club here.

So, in addition to a fabulous prize for today, I also have some news to share. Just in case you missed the plethora of posts going around yesterday on our Facebook pages and here on my blog, Smeared Ink is having a Design Team Call! This is your chance to be a part of our elite SI team, so if you want all the details please visit this post. The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2013.

Okay, I think that's all the blabbing I have for today, now I'll share my project so you can get to hopping.

On The Ninth Day of Creepmas, My True Love Gave To Me:

A Deranged Santa Lurking Where No Eye Can See!

For my simple digi card today I used Beyond from Smeared Ink, as well as the Zombie Killa digi paper pack. I added in red glitter, scratches, and lots of blood splatters to really get my point across. I don't know why I've been drawn to black white and red this year, but it works. You can see "Santa's" creepy hands coming up behind this poor girl, she better watch out!

I hope you all like it. Now it's time for you to hop along, and don't forget to leave your comment for a chance to win today's awesome prize! Have a great day!

12 Days of Creepmas 2013- Day 1: Toxic Tree Topper

Hello everyone! So glad to have you visit my blog today and join me as I kick off the 12 Days of Creepmas 2013 festivities! Today is the first day of 12 Days of Creepmas hosted by the Smeared and Smudged Forum. Just in case you don't know what this is all about, I'll give you a quick run-down.

12 Days of Creepmas started a few years back as a way for us Halloween lovers to extend the creepy season a bit, and what better way than to combine it with another of our fave holidays: Christmas! This is definitely not going to be your typical Christmas themed project share, so be prepared to see some projects that really push the envelope and present Christmas in a creative, quirky, and dare I say, sometimes morbid way. Consider this your forewarning and please be respectful when leaving comments; there is a time and place for traditional Christmas but this hop is not it, and we hope you enjoy what we have to offer.

We've challenged our Jolly Bloggers to create stamped projects that really fit with a Creepmas theme, and they will be posting these project every other day up until Dec 23 and they must have their posts up by 9 a.m. PST. If they complete all 12 days of projects, each Jolly Blogger will be entered into the grand prize drawing at the end of the hop. The winner will receive a $100 digi shopping spree from Smeared Ink!

But wait, as a hopper you also have the chance to win! If you complete all 12 days of hopping by commenting on each and every blog, you will be entered into the grand prize drawing as well. In order to qualify, you must leave a comment on EACH participating blog every scheduled day.Your comment should be about the project or something related (ie-no "Here's my comment for today" or "I'm here!"...these types of comments won't count!) and cannot be a copy/paste comment. Your comments also must be posted before the next project, so if you are commenting on today's projects, you will need to comment before 9 a.m. PST on Dec 3.

Here are the dates for this year's hop:

Sunday December 1st

Tuesday December 3rd (Smeared Ink Day)

Thursday December 5th

Saturday December 7th (Smeared Ink Day)

Monday December 9th

Wednesday December 11th

Friday December 13th (Smeared Ink Day)

Sunday December 15th

Tuesday December 17th (Smeared Ink Day)

Thursday December 19th

Saturday December 21st

Monday December 23rd (Smeared Ink Day)

Now, you may be asking yourself what a Smeared Ink day is...these are the days we have challenged our Jolly Bloggers to use only Smeared Ink stamps. If they do, they will be entered to win an extra prize from us. As a hopper, you will also get the opportunity to win something on Smeared Ink days, so be sure to come to this blog to find out all the details on each of those days (and also to see my projects pretty please!)

I think that about covers it. You will always be able to find the blog roll in my sidebar, and just for good measure I will also put it at the end of this post. Now I'm going to move on to my first project.

On the first day of Creepmas my true love gave to me....

A Toxic Topper To Place Upon My Tree

*click pics to view larger

I decided to make a tree topper that features one of our newest digi sets, Toxic Ballerinas, as well as our 12 Days of Creepmas digi set. You can find both of these in our Smeared Ink shop. I started by sizing and printing the 12 Days images, then cutting, sealing, and distressing the edges of them with scissors. I did the same with some plain watercolor paper that I spray painted silver. I made my topper layers by alternating these with silver screen and metal mesh.

My Ballerina Top was printed normally and reversed lots of times, fussy cut and layered. (If you'd like to see a great way to do this, visit the S&S Forum Mixed Media University, Ike has posted a wonderful tutorial all about Fussy Cuts and Layering). I believe there are a total of 14 layers on the skirt, front and back, and 4 layers on each side of her body and face, plus a few side layers on the skirt. 

Here are some other views with different lighting, just for fun.

I hope you like her, I'll be adding her to the top of my Creepmas tree and I'll show you the tree at the end of the hop.

Now it's time for you to visit the rest of the Jolly Bloggers to see what they have in store for you for Day 1. Hope you enjoy hopping, and I'll see you back here on Dec 3. Have a great day!

Terra
Julia
Emily
Black Dragon
Teri
Wiola
Wendy
Lisa
Kelli
Donna
Violent Kittie
Kristy
Vicky
The Nanny
Tuts and Comments
Airless Chambers
Glittery Katie
Shell
Titbelsoeur
Kat
Lady Brayton
Alison

Design Team Throwdown #6- Danse Macabre

Hello everyone, thanks for visiting today and checking out the Smeared Ink Design Team's entries for the 6th Design Team Throwdown. If you don't know what the throwdown is, please visit Smeared and Smudged here and get all of the details. Basically, each month different Design Teams compete against each other by making fab projects, there is a round of voting to choose the winning team, and then the winners choose the next month's challenge. It's a super blast and the Smeared Ink DT has really enjoyed participating with all of the awesomely talented DT members from all teams!

This month our Challenge 5 winners, Airless Chambers DT, chose the theme of "DANSE MACABRE". All participants were to interpret the theme how they wanted to and show how they view the universality of death, or "Dance of Death".

Without further ado, here are the Smeared Ink DT entries.

#1 Our first entry comes to you from Susan:

Susan rocked out a mask of death using the skull front from Smeared Ink's Anatomy 101 set. To check out all of the details on Susan's project, please visit her blog here.

#2 Our second entry is from Helen:

Helen created a whimsically wicked mobile using images from Smeared Ink's Venice digi set, Danse Macabre digi set, and the Dead Dancer singles. To read more details, please visit Helen's blog here.

#3 Our third entry was done by Terra (me! ):

For my Danse Macabre project, I altered a yoga mat using images from Smeared Ink's Anatomy 101 digi set, Old King Cole from the Framed Rhymes set, and the Falling and Pointing Dead Dancers singles.

(my daughter posed so you can see how big it is, she's as tall as me)

I have to say this is one of the most frustrating projects I have ever made, even though the end result looks pretty simple. I have NO IDEA what possessed me to alter my yoga mat, other than I was just tired of looking at the plain, boring thing. It ended up taking way longer than I had anticipated, and I am definitely the reason the Smeared Ink team post went up last minute. Well, at least I can say I finished :)

I started by altering the King Cole image by inserting the Anatomy 101 skull as the face and changing the word to say "Danse". Then I printed out my new pimp daddy death image (Cole + Skull) and the two dead dancers, but I had to super-size them to fit on more than one paper. Cole took four pages (he's big), while each dancer took two. That in itself was an issue because my printer gave me problems and didn't size them right the first few times, but finally I got it right.

Then I took my images and did image transfers using modge poge onto my mat. I've never done this type of transfer successfully before on anything other than paper or canvas, so it was a learning process. Unfortunately, my placement of "Pimp Daddy Death" was not dead center at the top of the mat, but oh well. After completing the transfer, letting it dry, etc etc, and removing the back layer of paper, I was able to faintly see my image lines. Then the painting started. It took FOREVER to paint just the three images, and I even left out some of the image lines as I saw fit. I had originally transferred on all 5 of the Danse Macabre skeleton images as well (Smeared Ink), but before painting I scraped and peeled them off because I didn't like how they looked.

After I finished with my three main images, I decided to spray paint my mat edges with red and black, and then paint on my roses and swirls. It was a combo of freehand and a rose stencil. I've never used a stencil before, another first for this project, but I think it still came out decent. The roses have between two and four layers of paint. Finally, to finish off the mat and prevent the paint from peeling off during use, I applied a clear varnish over the whole thing.

If you're wondering if I'll actually use the mat, the answer to that is HELL YES, after all that work I better get some use out of it, lol. I hope you've enjoyed reading about my project, and please visit the other members of the SI team on their blogs to hear all about their creative processes and let us all know what you think.

Good luck to all of the teams playing in the Throwdown this time around.

PLEASE COME VOTE for your favorite THURSDAY, FRIDAY, and SATURDAY! Voting will end Sat midnight. 

Vote Here

Join us for Skull Appreciation Day 2013!

Do you love creating amazing projects that showcase skully goodness? Wanna get some traffic to your blog and share your obsession? Join Smeared Ink and the Smeared and Smudged Forum on June 4th for one wild blog hop event! We will be celebrating Skull Appreciation Day 2013 by featuring handmade projects that spotlight the much-loved cranium. We will also be giving away lots of freebies during the hop! 

 How can you participate, you ask? Well, there are a couple of ways to get in on the action. To spread the word, grab our button here and post it to your blog, Facebook page, or website and share the info. Then come hop through the amazing projects on the 4th starting HERE. 

 To join in, simply make a homemade project or craft that features a skull and sign up to be included in our hop list. This is open to any crafter or artist who would like to feature a handmade skull-themed project, it does not necessarily have to use a stamp. 

You can sign up by visiting the forum HERE.  All participants will receive this awesome free Smeared Ink Skull Appreciation digi image to add to their collection, drawn by Alexandria S. 

After you sign up, the hop list will be posted in the event thread on the forum. The deadline for signing up as a participant is Friday May 31, 2012. We will post the hop list of participants on Sunday June 2, 2012. Then just share your project on the 4th along with the list of participating blogs! 

During the hop we will also be giving away freebies, so that is even more incentive to participate or hop along. 

 If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the hop with your own freebie giveaway featuring a skull (and get advertising on our forum, blogs, and other hop information posts like facebook shares), please contact us 
at smearedinkstamps@gmail.com. When you sponsor, we will add your website/button to all of our hop advertising. 
 Thanks for joining us in this event and spreading the word, and we look forward to a fun skull-filled blog hop on the 4th! 
 


*for more information on Skull Appreciation Day, please visit Skull-A-Day.


Smeared Ink Sponsors Delicious Doodles-Blog Hop

Hello everyone, welcome to my blog! Thanks for stopping by our Smeared Ink/Delicious Doodles combined Blog Hop. Smeared Ink is sponsoring the challenge today over on the Delicious Doodles Challenge Blog, and we'd like to invite you to go over and participate in today's challenge for your chance to win 5 Smeared Ink digi images of your choice!

For the hop today, members from the Smeared Ink and Delicious Doodles design teams have gotten together to bring you some fabulous projects that feature some of the images from the Smeared Ink digi line. I'm sure you'll get lots of inspiration, so be sure to visit each stop on the hop and leave all of the gals some love for their hard work and creativity!

For my project today, I chose to work with our newest digi image, Aphrodite. Now you may be saying to yourself that you haven't seen this image yet. That's because Aphrodite is not available to purchase in our shop. How can you get her, you ask? Well, she is an exclusive freebie image that we are giving away to those who participate in any of the Smeared and Smudged Challenges this month. Yes, you heard me right, ALL participants can claim this exotic digi, so please swing by the Smeared and Smudged Forum and check out all of the February challenges. Each challenge has it's own theme, and you can find all the links on the left of the main forum page.

On my card, I followed the featured sketch and used some really vibrant background papers. The base is from an old calendar page, and the light textured paper is actually a wallpaper sample that I watercolored and inked. Aphrodite was colored using prisma markers, and the saying is from our new Heart Wings digi set. I added yarn as my back bar, and finally finished with clear beads and some pearl ex powder accents.






You may notice that this card is very simple; well, that's because I don't do so well with sketches, but I gave it a good try and I hope you find some inspiration! Please continue down the hop list to see all of these amazing projects, and be sure to visit the Delicious Doodles Challenge as well as the Smeared and Smudged Challenges. Have Fun!

Teri

Anita Marie

Pascale

Allison

Ildiko

Alex

Claire

Terra (me)

Tori

Alison

Kelli

Black Dragon

Lady Brayton

Meredith

Kapree

Lisa

Jane

S&S End of Term Design Team Hop

Hi everyone! Today the Smeared and Smudged Design Team is bringing you their end of term hop. Since a new term will start on Oct 1st, the lovely ladies of this term's team decided to have one last hoorah and share with you some outstanding projects!

The theme of the hop is to use at least 3 different Smeared Ink sets to create one project. That is definitely a cool challenge, and I for one can't wait to see what everyone created!! If you're wondering where my project is, well, I actually did not have the free time to make one. My two oldest daughters had a huge competition this weekend and I was not home at all. BUT, if you swing by sometime tonight or tomorrow, you may just find a surprise as I am pulling out all of my stamping supplies today to begin working on 31 Days of Halloween, and I may just throw a 3-stamp project in as well!

Speaking of 31 Days of Halloween, if you haven't heard of it yet, PLEASE read all of the info here on my blog or over on the S&S forum... today is the LAST DAY to sign up as a Wicked Blog Participant (you'll know what I'm talking about after you read about it). And you'll definitely want to be either a Hopper or Lurker, because we have some AMAZING prizes and projects in store for you all throughout the 31 Days!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!

Also in October, the Smeared and Smudged blog is participating once again on Mrs. B's Haunted Blog Tour!! Join me on October 12th for a very special tour project.

So, now it's time to hop on through the Design Team list to see their creativity at work!! Be sure to leave them some love, and let them know how amazing their work has been throughout this term. I'm off to hop as well, and I know we'll find some great inspiration!


Tori
Alison
Kelli
Lady Brayton
Meredith
Danielle
Kathi
Black Dragon
Jean

Smeared and Smudged Member Blog Hop

Today the Smeared and Smudged Forum is hosting it's monthly Member Blog Hop, and you're really going to love what we have in store for you! Since the fall season is upon us and colors are changing all around us, we decided to theme our hop around one of our fave fall colors- ORANGE. All of our projects that we have to share with you today use the color orange in some way.

Orange is not a color that I use very often in my stamping, unless it's paired with rust, OR unless it's Halloween!! So, of course as soon as the theme was set, my mind wandered to my favorite holiday. It took me a while to come up with something to make, and I kept flip-flopping on what I wanted to do. Then I saw the designs from our newest Smeared Ink artist, Irma Diaz, and my project basically slapped me in the face!

If you haven't heard yet, we have added our very first artist (besides ourselves), Irma, to the Smeared Ink family. We are at this very moment taking preorders until Sept 20 for her amazing first set, Candy Is Dandy, which will be available in mid October. If you want to read all the details, be sure to visit our shop before the 20th!

So, like I was saying, when I saw Candy Is Dandy, I knew exactly what I wanted to make first. And since I have access to the images before they are actually on rubber ( I know, lucky me!!!!) I decided to give you guys a sneaky peeky of one way you can use the set.

For my project, I made a shrine. This is the first one I've ever made, and I LOVE it! I found the little shadowbox at Goodwill for $1.50; it was off-white and had a stuffed fairy doll glued to the inside. My youngest daughter wanted the fairy, so we pried it off, and I got to keep the box. Since then, the box had been sitting and waiting for the perfect inspiration to come. SO, after alot of paint, glitter, and ribbon, here is my finished product...

*click pics for larger views

This picture was taken at a slight angle so the flash would not shine on the images. You can see that I used different layers of paint, tons o' ribbon, and of course, the freakin' awesome cool images from Irma!

The inside has alot of black-purple glitter, and I painted some chipboard letters for my saying. My images are on glossy cardstock, and colored using paint pens so they would be very vibrant.


Here are some close-ups of the chipboard saying, "Candy Is Dandy".




And finally here is a closeup of the little black skull that is in the top-center of the shrine. It is placed over layers of ribbon that I pleated.


I forgot to mention that the "foot" of the shrine is a painted candle holder that I attached to the bottom. I may do a few more things to the shrine before I display it, like add a gloss coat to the top portion of it and maybe crackle the back, but for now I think it really rocks! I'd love to hear what you think of it too.

Now, orange you glad you came to visit today? You got to see my very first shrine AND you get to hop to all these fabulous forum member blogs to see what they did with the color orange...

Tori
Alison
Kelli
Kapree
Black Dragon
Meredith
Jane
Sugar
Danielle
Lisa
Steph
Lady Brayton
Shelley
Jean

Hope you enjoy!!

Smeared Ink New Release Hop

Thanks for joining us in celebration of our new Smeared Ink Halloween Release. The members of the Smeared Ink Design Team have gotten together to show off exciting projects that feature some of the fantastic new images you can get in our shop today. We have released five new rubber sets and five new digi sets, all themed around the scariest time of the year, and hope that you will love them as much as we do! We'll also be adding in digi's throughout the month.

For my project, I used an image and sentiment from our new digi set "Part of the Pack". I made a pocket card that has a pull out insert. The background was created using paint and inks, and the little tree on the front was stamped using a plastic button. My sentiment was cut out and added to the top of a metal distressed tag.


*click pics for larger views

What a pretty creepy scene, right? But wait, what does that saying mean? Let's see what's on the inside...



Ha ha! I just love this image, and think she looks really wild! I colored her with my prismacolors, and made sure to keep the coloring really shadowy and dark. Her eyes were dotted with bright yellow paint pen to bring them out. Then I took one of the sayings included in the set and altered it to the one you see here. What a Howling good, time, right?



I hope this gives you some ideas for using "Part of the Pack". I myself CAN'T WAIT to see what the rest of the team has done with their images! They all have different ones than me, so be sure to check them all out! Then come by the shop and see what we've added in for your Halloween pleasure!

Tori

Alison

Kelli

Kathi

Danielle

Black Dragon

Kim

Lady Brayton

Meredith

Thanks for stopping by, be sure to swing by the Smeared and Smudged Forum to get information about 31 Days of Halloween, and all the September challenges that will be posted by the end of the day today. Have fun hopping!

Smeared Ink Design Team Call

We're having a Design Team Call! Read all about it below....


Smeared Ink Design Team Call
Do you have a different way of looking at things when it comes to rubber stamping? Smeared Ink is looking for Design Team Members and *Monthly Guest Design Team Members for the Smeared and Smudged team. Smeared Ink is a rubber stamp company that features edgy, unique, wild, sometimes dark, and fun art stamps. We're looking for team members who are not afraid to think outside of the box and express themselves in interesting ways through their projects. To see some of the current DT members work, visit our forum at http://www.smearedandsmudged.ning.com
To view the types of stamps you would be working with, please visit our shop at http://www.smearedink.com
Design Team Members art will be featured on the Smeared Ink Website, Smeared and Smudged Forum, and Smeared and Smudged Blog.

Requirements for Smeared Ink Design Team Members:

*You must have an active blog related to rubber stamping/paper arts or mixed media arts where you can post and talk about your Design Team projects.

*You must be or become a member of the Smeared and Smudged Forum on Ning.

*You must be able to upload quality photos and/or scans of your projects.

*DT members are required to design a minimum of four items per month, including three cards or paper art (scrapbook pages, etc.) and one altered item. Two of these items must use Smeared Ink stamps exclusively. They must be posted on the forum AND your blog, and also be physically mailed in by the end of each month. The other two items can use any stamps and supplies that you like, and must be posted to the forum and optionally on your blog.

*DT Members are required to participate in and make a project for Smeared Ink New Release Blog Hops. These will generally occur every three months, but may also include special releases. During months that contain a hop, this will be a fifth required project.

* You must actively participate in The Vent group on the Smeared and Smudged forum. A minimum requirement is two posts a week.

* You must promote Smeared Ink Stamps thru your blog, and whenever you see an opportunity.

*International Applicants welcome.


Benefits of Smeared Ink Design Team:

* Your blog projects will be showcased on the Smeared and Smudged Blog, Smeared and Smudged Forum, and Smeared Ink Facebook Page

*Your physically mailed projects will be featured on the Smeared Ink website and also used in displays during conventions and craft fairs.

* We will send you one free stamp set (our choice) per month to use in your projects.

*You will receive exclusive DT Member discounts on non-stamp products, including Graphic 45, Tattered Angels, and any others that we choose to carry.

* Occasionally, you MAY receive freebie products from our Smeared and Smudged monthly challenge sponsors (not guaranteed, as this is the sponsors choice). In order to qualify for these products if they are offered, you must be in good standing with your DT requirements.

* You get to network with other wicked awesome stampers who share the same love for out-of-the-norm stamping.

* You get to sport a really cool S&S Button on your blog.

To Apply, please email the following information to terra@smearedink.com
Name
Email
Blog URL

Pictures of three cards, scrapbook pages, or paper art -AND- one altered item that best represent your style of stamping. These projects must use rubber stamps somewhere on the project. (No all digital projects, please)

What do you think you can bring to the Smeared Ink Design Team? We want to know what makes you tick!

If you could choose one word to describe yourself, what would it be?

What is your favorite non-stamp product or tool to use in your art and why?

Do you feel you can meet all the requirements listed above?

Please list past and present Design Team experience. (Experience not necessary to apply)

Are you interested in applying for Full Time DT status, Monthly Guest DT status, or both?

Deadline for Submissions is Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Winners will be contacted by Monday, September 20, 2010.
DT term will run for six months starting October 1, 2010

*Our monthly guest designers that will be invited from our Design Team applications.


Websites:
http://www.smearedink.com
http://www.smearedandsmudged.ning.com

Smeared and Smudged Member Blog Hop

Yikes! When I woke up I realized that my auto post for today did not post, so I apologize if you visited earlier and saw nothing here. Now I've got it all fixed and ready for you!

Today is our August Smeared and Smudged Member Blog Hop, and we have some amazing projects to share with you and new blogs for you to visit. If you don't know what Smeared and Smudged is, it's a network of like-minded stampers who just enjoy creating. We are a little kookey, a little edgy, but we embrace all types of rubber stamping and just have fun. Check us out if you get the chance.

Our theme for this month's hop was to create something with a hidden feature or that has to do with hiding. I had an experience the other day that kinda left a sour taste in my mouth, and it inspired my project.

I was at home making dinner when I heard a knock at the door. I opened it to reveal a man in some scruffy looking clothes who was selling meat off of a little white truck. He asked if I would be interested in buying some discounted meat because they had overstocked the truck, and after delivering to their regular customers, they had tons left over. He proceeded in saying they couldn't take it back to the warehouse because it, too, was overstocked, and he couldn't go home for the day until they sold the meat.

I politely told him no thank you, and he asked again, saying that he would sell it to me for $2, and it was a great price, wouldn't I like to just see it? I again said no, and let it slip that we were on a budget. He pushed again, saying "come on, it's only two dollars for steaks and chicken!".

By this time, my kids had opened the door and were digging in the front yard. While trying to gather them up, I again said no thanks, I really can't, which pissed him off. He walked away without saying anything directly to me (no thanks for your time, NOTHING!), stomped through my yard and mumbled under his breath about how he couldn't believe that I could not afford $2. Then, when he reached the van, he started talking to his buddy (who I didn't even know was there) and saying "I guess we're gonna have to go to some of the other neighbors, she can't afford $2!"

Needless to say, I was thoroughly offended. I felt violated, for lack of a better word, because he intruded on my happy peaceful family time with such a negative attitude, which rubbed off on me. And I also felt GUILTY, which I didn't need to feel, because I had MADE them keep working so late in the evening. Regardless of whether the meat was $2 or not, I was under no obligation to buy it, he came knocking on my door, I didn't go seek him out, right?

So, as I said before the REALLY LONG story, that was the inspiration for my project.


*click for larger views


This is a door sign that I plan on putting right above my doorbell. I wanted it to be threatening in a non-threatening sort of way, basically warning any solicitors that if they ring my doorbell, the answer WILL be no. Really, if I want to buy something, I'll go to the store. The only exception (sometimes, depending on the budget) is children trying to raise money for their organization.

I used an image from the Smeared Ink Chicks Dig Guns set. The metal is actually a soda can, which I will be doing a tutorial on soon as per Kapree's request, and I added paint, nails, wire, and beading. The letters are painted chipboard. My coloring smeared a little when I added varnish, but that's okay, it still works.

This project is all about hiding from those darned door-to-door salespeople, and I hope you enjoyed looking at it!!

So now, head on down the hop list, and be sure to leave some love for our amazing S&S members!

Tori
Kelli
Alison
Meredith
Danielle
LadyBrayton
Shelley
Kymberly
Keely
Helen
Kapree
Sugar
Jane
Alex

Don't Forget Grumpie- new challenges

I'd like to let you all know that we have updated The Challenger group over on the S&S forum with brand spanking new Very Sketchy challenges, an awesome Oh, The Horror! challenge, and an inspiration filled Rock N Rolla challenge! Plus, our guest DT member Lisa has challenged us to stamp something we can wear... you don't want to miss The Challenger this month!

Our July sponsors are just as awesome, and we have had generous donations from both Simply Betty Stamps and Stampotique. Be sure to swing by our main page to get all the info about these fabulous sponsors!

I don't usually participate in my own challenges, but I couldn't pass up this months card sketch(and probably won't be able to pass up the others, they rock!) So, here's my version.

*click pic for larger view

This little guy is Cotton, one of the images from our Li'l Grumpies set at Smeared Ink. I colored him with watercolors, markers, and distress ink. The background paper is from Black Market, and the cardstocks are from Stampin' Up. The punches I used are also from Stampin' Up.

I tore the edges of my papers and then distressed them with antique photo distress ink, then layered them on top of each other. I also used the ink on my blue velvet ribbon to make it look older. For hardware I used a cool little picture hanger-type thing, eyelets as flower centers, and a jeweled brad in his bellybutton.

The card is pretty simple, but still has depth in my opinion. I'd love to hear what you think! And I can't wait to see what you all can come up with using this sketch. Come on by the forum to submit your version for a fab prize!

*31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN 2010*

HIDDEN IMAGE FUN SCAVENGER HUNT

CLUE # 2: REWIND BACK ONE MORE MONTH AND SEE HOW MUCH JACK MISSES YOU

Guest DT Feature- Jennifer Willis

During the month of June, we hosted our very first Smeared Ink Guest Design Team Member, Jennifer Willis. She has been amazing, presenting a fabulous watercolor challenge on our forum, and sharing some pretty wicked stamped projects. Jennifer has been a member of the S&S forum since last September, and since that time has amazed us with her contest entries and beautiful art. Here's alittle bit more about Jennifer.

"I live in North Dakota and am a SAHM with two beautiful little girls. I have been involved in paper art and crafts for many years off and on. I enjoy rubber stamping, creating collage art, scrap booking, ATCs and more. I design for Stampers Quest, Sweet Pea Stamps, Faerie Song and Auntie Amy's Stamps."

Visit Jennifer on her BLOG to view all her fabulous projects!! Be sure to leave some love for her and a big thanks for being our Guest DT for June!

Miss You Jack

I just have a quick minute, but want to share. Last night I got the opportunity to sit for about an hour by myself, so I decided to make a card that's been sitting in my mind for a while. It uses sitting Jack from our Smeared Ink "Jack" set, and a saying from our "Carnies" set.


*click for larger pics*




The cardstock is all Stampin' Up, and I started by stamping and embossing my background images, then filling the music notes with blue shimmery powder. I was super inspired by Aletha from our S&S forum, so I made Jack into three separate dimensions. I stamped him with stazon, then watercolored him for our Smeared & Smudged Guest DT Watercolor Challenge that was posted by Jennifer.

I used different inks to make the background colors on the card, and then just simply layered stuff, made my tag, and added ribbon and hardware. Finally at the end, I covered the tag, Jack's eyes, and lips with Crystal Effects to make them glossy. The card is a little more subtle and pretty than I usually make, but I hope you enjoy it!

*31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN 2010*

HIDDEN IMAGE FUN SCAVENGER HUNT

CLUE#3: YOU'LL FIND THE HIDDEN IMAGE IN A POST FROM THE MONTH KNOWN FOR ITS SHOWERS. THIS PUNKY EIGHTIES GAL WOULD LOVE TO ADD A WITCH HAT TO HER FASHION STATEMENT!