HDH116 Chic Freaks - Macabre Mistress style...

Can you believe I actually am playing along this week?!!  I swear it's been for-FREAKIN-evah since I've had the chance to create something for this blog :)  But there was no way I was gonna miss out on a week sponsored by Stampotique!

First off, I wanna show off my Stampotique collection.  I have my Daniel Torrente blocks displayed so that I can see them from my desk:

JOY!  I've also got a little cube stamp w/ four Torrente images, but you can't see it here.  You may be asking yourself: "uh, Barb... I haven't seen you use all of these before... WTF?"  Yes, it's true, dammit.  The cube, fence, door & head background have yet to see ink :(

And here are my latest additions, courtesy of Stampotique (thanks SO much!)...

"Olivia" & "Glimmering Hope":

I tried to go all simple-dark-elegant-chic for Olivia...

Toner Grey & Red Copics on kraft cardstock, MME paper, my favorite trim by May Arts (red texture), a black rosette from JoAnn's, and a sentiment stamp from StampInsanity.

Now my favorite, Glimmering Hope...

I actually used Prismacolor pencils & mineral oil for this one!

I started with a little Picket Fence Distress Stain to lighten the area where I stamped.  After drying it with the heat gun, I colored.  More MME paper, some lover-ly black lace from Creepy Glowbugg (thanks, man!), and a few Michael's grey flowers round this one out.

LOVE HER!  Kinda ethereal looking, eh?  She looks waaaaaay better in person...

I am no photographer.

That's it for today!  You still have until Sunday, 5pm central time, to play along for a gift certificate to Stampotique... you KNOW you want some of those Torrente images :)   Be sure to check the challenge post HERE, and get your freak on!

So, what do you think?

Wretched Wednesday - Chic Freak

It is Wretched Wednesday!!

Are you ready to get your freak on?!

Now I can remember the very first time I set

my eyes upon a Daniel Torrente image.

I can distinctly recall thinking happily, that someone had

finally tapped into the alternative, unique, not so cute,

slightly creepy, vein of rubber stamps.

Stampotique is still one of my very favorite

stamp companies to this day, with Daniel's

images at the top of my must have list.

This week's sponsor for Macabre Monday

is none other than

Stampotique Originals.

The challenge is

Chic Freaks.

I started off with the awesome and versatile Bat Like Wings stamp

and my favorite little bat buddy, Batboy.

I altered him a bit by chopping off his usual party hat

and adding those killer wings.

I used some die cuts and cool word art from Ginger's House.

Top it all off with some rhinestones, and voila!

He's chic and a freak!!

But I'm not done yet!

This is my new favorite image called simply,

3 Smiles.

I decided to do some clean and simple cards

using Distress inks to "color" the faces.

I went over the eyes and the smiles with VersaMark

and then clear embossed to keep them white.

Then I used TH Distress Inks in various colors and some 

sponge daubers to blend the colors together.

I left them blank until I need them for a specific reason

or occassion. It's good to have blank cards on hand.

I had a blast (as usual) creating with the awesome stamps

from Stampotique.

Rise to this week's Macabre Monday challenge

and maybe you'll be the lucky winner of a $30 gift certificate!!

  

  

HDH116 - Chic Freaks

*Please see the sidebar for HDH Macabre Monday Rules*

(Note: entries not following the guidelines are not eligible for prizes or badges)

Ok, macabre fans... your challenge this week:

HDH116
"Chic Freaks"

You are to create a dark, Gothic, or Halloween-based art piece

that includes a chic freak or a freakishly chic theme. Get your freak on... in a chic way.

Wasn't there a song from the 70's, "Le Freak" by Chic?  Yes... yes there was.  HERE is the proof.  Sorry, tangent... something shiny.  This song has absolutely nothing to do with this challenge.  You were just given a glimpse into the mind of The Mistress... scarier than any horror movie, huh?
ANYWAY...

Our awesome HDH stalkers are in for a treat this week, because we are being sponsored by:

http://www.stampotique.com/

Home of the awesomeness that IS Daniel Torrente's art stamps!  Now don't get us wrong, there are some other fantastic stamps at Stampotique, but there is a special little dark spot in our hearts here at HDH that is reserved for Torrente images :)

Here is a little bit about Stampotique:

"STAMPOTIQUE Fine Art Stamps began June 1, 1996, in Phoenix, Arizona, out of the love for rubber stamping and papercrafting. We began as a fine art rubber stamp store and in January 2000, began manufacturing our own rubber stamps. We now ship all over the world, although remaining a ‘mom and pop’ business so that we can still offer full attention to each and every order.
On November 17, 2007, the retail store closed its doors in order to allow us to concentrate on our growing website, both retail and wholesale.
We hope you will find our site inspirational and continue to revisit at your leisure. Our intention is to continuously update with new images, new samples and all the latest and greatest ‘must haves’ of the industry."

Stampotique has quite generously sponsored this week's challenge with a $30 gift certificate to their online store!!  Makes me wish I was able to participate in the challenge myself ;)

Check out what the Macabre Minions have created for your viewing pleasure:

Sultana of the Sinister Lynx:

Creepy Cricut Cween Donna:

Agent of the Abominable Andrea:
 

Our Devious Digital Demoness Susan

is still out with a few broken bones... send her a little healing vibe, would ya'?

Temptress of Terror Teri:

Teri is doin' her own thing today... so be sure to check her blog for something fab!

Imp of Insanity Ike:

Cadaverous Concoctor of Chaos Creepy Glowbugg:

will post on Wretched Wednesday, so tune in!

And I,
The Masterful Mistress of the Macabre
will be posting my bit o' freakishness later this week!
Now, let's see you Get your Freak on... in a chic way.