Woodland Creatures Upcycle-A Peek-a-Boo Project

About a year ago I did Autumnal Animals Assemblage Blogpost and this is closely related to that offering. I grew up in a frugal home and we were taught "waste not, want not" and most things probably could be used again. Many of the Pictorial Papers I used in my hand-bound art journals come with sets of stickers I rarely know how to use, as is the case with Graphic 45 Woodland Friends Collection Pack. These are the inspiration for this artwork.

Supplies: Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Small Tag Set, Graphic 45 Woodland Friends Sticker Sheets, Decorative Cardstock-Stamperia Spring Botanic is What I Used, UHU Gluestick, Sizzix Big Shot, Water Spray Bottle, Tim Holtz Lumber Embossing Folder, Variety of Ink Pads, Folk Art Painted Finishes Moss and Rust, Thin Plastic Spatula, Matte Varnish

1.  Gather Supplies. I am Using "Free" Sticker Sheets that Came with Graphic 45 Woodland Friends Collection Pack, and Stamperia Spring Botanic Cardstock as It is Back Portion of Cover Sheet Both  Are not Useful in my Hand-Bound Art Journals.

2.  Cut out Strips of Stamperia Spring Botanic Cardstock,  They will Become the Back of the GSLC Small Tags Set.

3.  Glue on Using a UHU Gluestick and Rubbing with Deli Paper, Allowing to Dry Fully.

4.  Choose Stickers from the Sheets that Came with Graphic 45 Woodland Friends Collection Pack.

5.  Make Miniature Collages on Front of Each GSLC Small Tags Set.

6.  Once Fully Dry Spritz With Water From a Spray Bottle Before Using Tim Holtz Lumber Embossing Folder in  Your Sizzix Big Shot.

7.  Once the Wood Grain is to Your Liking Use a Variety of Ink Pads to Add Patina and Interest to Your GSLC Small Tags Set.

8.  Add Further Patina and Texture Using  Folk Art Painted Finishes Moss and Rust and a Thin Plastic Spatula.

9.  Allow to Dry Fully, Then Seal Everything in With Matte Varnish.

Some Final Thoughts.

Woodland Animals-Meish Goldish

Woodland animals live in the woods, with plenty of trees in their neighborhoods. The chipmunk, opossum, squirrel and raccoon, roam the woods all night and noon. The bear and fox, deer and moose, all woodland creatures on the loose. Near shore and Ponds, and in the water are the beavers, muskrats, and otter. Woodland Animals are up in the tree, Owls and birds you're sure to see. Woodland animals like their view, as a woodland creature, wouldn't you?

Squeaky Shutters-A Peek-a-Boo Project

It's no secret that Halloween is my favorite holiday. I also am a closeted Scooby Doo fanatic, it is still one of my favorite cartoons. I loved the Mystery Machine, the creepy locations the gang went to, the Scooby Snacks, the unveiling of the monsters true identity-these are the inspirations for this artwork. 

 

Supplies: Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Window with Shutters, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Creepy Corners-1, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Trading Coin Covers-Halloween, Halloween Cardstock, Pen Scissors, Weldbond, Bookboard, Cosmic Shimmer Lava Paste, Rubber Roller Brayer, Heating Tool, Oil Pastels, Blue Opal Magic Mica Powder, Paintbrush, Matte Varnish, One Step Crackle Finish, Color Pencils,

1.  Gather Supplies

2.   Cut a Piece of Bookboard the Size of Open Window.

3.  Trace and Cut out a Piece of Halloween Cardstock of Your Choosing.

4.  Glue Halloween Cardstock to Bookboard with Weldbond.

5.  Use Rubber Roller Brayer to Randomly add Layer of Cosmic Shimmer Lava Paste to Both Side Of Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Window with Shutters.

6.  Cure with heating Tool.

7.  Color Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Creepy Corners-1 and  Haunted House from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Trading Coin Covers-Halloween With Oil Pastels.

8.  Add Blue Opal Magic Mica Powder with a Paintbrush to the Cobweb Corner

9.  Glue all Pieces Together with Weldbond.

10.                Once Fully Dry  Add a Layer of One Step Crackle Finish to Open Window Part of Artwork.

11.                Once Dry Fill In Cracks with Colored Pencils.

12.                Seal with Matter Varnish and Allow to Dry Fully.

Some Final Thoughts.

Excerpt From "the House With Nobody In It" -Joyce Kilmer

"Whenever I walk to Suffern along the Erie Track, I go by a poor old farmhouse, with its shingles broken... I have never seen a haunted house, but I hear there are such things: That they hold the talk of spirits, their mirth and sorrowings, I know this house isn't haunted, and I wish it were, I do. For it wouldn't be so lonely if it had a ghost or two." 

"When owls, bats and ghost are seen. It must be time for Halloween."

 

"Scooby Doo taught us that the real monsters are humans..and if that isn't deep I don't know what is."

 

 

 

Monster TV-The Idiot's Lantern-A Peek-a-Boo Project

Having not grown up with a television in our house, it consumed me when I finally got my own 12 inch black and white TV when I moved into my first apartment many, many years ago.  I also never understood or was interested in Sci-Fi, that was introduced to me years later by my life partner who loves all things science fiction. It was he who brought me to the wonderful worlds of Dr. Who. These are the inspiration for this artwork. 

Supplies:  Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Creepy Critters, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Tiny TV Standard, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Tiny TV Retro, Gauze Cardstock, Golden Acrylic Paint- Chromium Oxide Green, Raw Umber, Quinacridone Burnt Orange, Paintbrush, Green Mica Powder, Silver Mica Powder, Paintbrush, Weldbond, Prepared Dragon Eye Polymer Clay Cabochons, Scissors, Wire Cutters

1.  Gather Supplies.

2.  Randomly Paint GSLC Tiny TV Retro and Creepy Critters Larger Bat With Golden Acrylic Paint- Chromium Oxide Green and Raw Umber.

3.  Dust With Green Mica Powder.

4.   Seal with Matte Varnish.

5.  Randomly Paint GSLC Tiny TV Standard, and GSLC Creepy Critters Smaller Bat With Golden Acrylic Paint-Quinacridone Burnt Orange and Raw Umber.

6.  Dust With Silver Mica Powder.

7.   Seal with Matte Varnish

8.  Cut Out a Piece of Gauze Cardstock and Glue to Back Portion of GSLC Tiny TV-Retro and Standard.

9. Choose Prepared Dragon Eye Polymer Clay Cabochons and Trim Wire Cutters to Fit Inside of Painted GSLC Tiny TV Retro/Standard Frames.

10.               Stack and Use Weldbond to Glue GSLC Tiny TV Retro/Standard Frames Together.

11.               Allow to Dry Fully Using Clips to Secure Into Place.

12.               Glue GSLC Creepy Critter Bats to Back of GSLC Tiny TVs, Cutting Smaller Bat for Back of Standard TV.

13.               Glue Prepared Dragon Eye Polymer Clay Cabochons to Inside of Each GSLC TV Frame.

 

Some Final Thoughts.

We did not grow up with a television because my parents thought it was evil we just could not afford it and lived in the rural countryside of Pennsylvania before cable, and dish TV. Antenna TV channels were few at best, neighbors had TVs and it was a real treat to go watch Saturday Cartoons or Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom, Grizzly Adams, Wonderful World of Disney, The Waltons and Little House on the Prairie. These shows were magical to my imaginative impressionable mind but did not prepare me for the bazillion of TV shows I would later see.

Dr. Who, The Idiot's Lantern, is set in 1953 Great Britain with all huddled around their television sets to witness the great event of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, but beneath the celebrations, there are rumors of monsters on the streets, and the tormented Mr. Magpie is hiding a  strange and alien secret within tiny television shoppe.  

"I hear they rot your brains. Rot them into soup. And your Brains come pouring out of your ears. That's what television does"-Grandmother

Rose-"Look at all the TV aerials. Looks like everyone's got one, my nan said tellys were so rare they all had to pile into one house."

Magpie-"Not 'round here, luv, Magpie's marvelous tellys, only five quid a pop."

Doctor-"Oh this is a brilliant year! Classic Technicolor. Everest climbed. Everything off the ration. A nation throwing off the shadows of war and looking forward to a happier, brighter future."

 

Also who can forget the iconic imagery from Poltergeist of Carol Ann's Creepy pronouncement, "They're Here!!" as she embraces the static, eerily glowing television set.

Steve-"Looks like something's funny going on here next door. Something."

Diane-"We were wondering if maybe you had experienced any disturbances?"

Tuthill-"What kind of disturbances?"

Diane-"Oh, you know, like dishes or furniture moving around by themselves." 

" Television is the Monster in your home. And it's called a program for a reason. Your television is nothing more than an electronic mind altering device. It has been designed to psychologically change the ways you view reality" Morgan Freeman

I for one am grateful for the amazing worlds that television has taken me to and allowed me to experience life more fully and taught me truths I needed to learn.