Here she is...

Hello Lovelies!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, I know I did. I visited with some friends and today I worked all day on the first Alice in Wonderland photo illustration piece entitled Hookah. This is the first time I've used this particular technique. I drew the characters on mat board, colored them, added embellishments, and cut them out. I then assembled an entire miniature set from scratch and placed them in it. I took some photos and then manipulated the one I liked in the computer and added vector illustration embellishments on top of that. Whew, I'm tired just typing that, and there are 3 more to come! Here is the first:

Those little figures are so cute and detailed in person, I may just do a series of giveaways of them possibly framed, so keep an eye on the blog!

Also, I received the sweetest package from my dear friend Chrisy whose blog Sophism Press I follow religiously. She sent me this package to celebrate her 3 month blog anniversary as part of her "Pay it Forward" idea. Imagine my surprise when I opened it and inside was an original illustration of a stapelia flower! It's beautiful and will be hung in my office very soon:

        

And lastly, an artist I'm loving this week, have any of you heard of Thomas Allen? Well, if you like pulp art like I do, you'll love his work. Here are a couple of pieces I love (in truth I love them all).

   

Until next time: unpleasant dreams.

Treasured Things...

Hello Lovelies~

Well, here we are again looking at many exciting things at The Stapelia Company. First, I was featured in another treasury by Jen at Quench Metalworks. A beautiful treasury and if you haven't seen her jewelry, well then trot right over and take a look, she's on the Maine Team with me and has some beautiful items.

Also, I am working out the details to have a little booth at the Old Port Festival here in Portland Maine on June 7th. It's the biggest festival in Maine with music and artisans and food and I will keep you posted on my progress in case you're in the area and want to stop by and say "hi". I would love to meet you!

I am also making progress on that Alice in Wonderland series of macro photography I mentioned. Here are some sketches of the hookah smoking caterpillar who will be just one of many characters I bring to life in my mini dramas so stay tuned!

    

Also, I have discovered yet another interesting Etsy photographer. If you haven't stopped by Emporium 51, go do it. These surreal and dreamlike photos really "get" the idea of fantasy and whimsy in my opinion. Kelly or Vanne or just E, really takes some beautiful photos. Here are a couple of my favorites:

    

And lastly, a little bit of humor that those of you who follow me on Twitter will have already heard. I was working out the other day, watching Tom & Jerry at the gym (yes, I know, but it's better than news folks, believe me), and a McDonald's commercial came on and I looked and I looked and darned if Ronald McDonald isn't looking a spot like Bea Arthur of the Golden Girls these days. Golden arches? More like Golden G-I-R-L-S. Whew. Good times.

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...

Curiouser & Curiouser...

Hello Lovelies!

A lot of things to cover as usual! First of all, The Stapelia Company was Friday's Featured Seller on one of my favorite blogs: Handmade by Angie. Such a lovely blog and such a lovely person.

This weekend I put together that package that I'm sending to those craft fairs in the UK. Can the UK take The Stapelia Company? I think so. Here are some of my pretties all packed up for their long journey. Bon voyage mon aime!

I have really been into photography lately, it's been exciting using my new camera around Maine so you may be seeing a lot more photos of all types up at the shop. These are a couple I'm going to list tomorrow as part of a B & W series I'm doing. This is "R" and "Time," they're 4" square and I think they would look nice mixed and matched on a wall. More to come!

     

As I sit here writing, I am listening to Pink Martini and if you haven't discovered this group yet, you need to get on it. Described thus: "Pink Martini is like a romantic Hollywood musical of the 1940s or 50s - but with a global perspective." I love them and they are coming to Portland soon! 

My good friend Elly and I (the friend I do the makeup with, see: the zombie post) were up to more hijinx this weekend and she helped me get a new portrait for this blog. (So serious. Like the Great Depression meets Lolita or something.) We'll be doing more soon and I think you'll like it!

And lastly, in light of the fact that Tim Burton (one of my all-time favorite directors), is making Alice in Wonderland due out next year, I've gotten inspired to do some AIW illustrations and photos... soon to come my lovelies so keep an eye on the blog!

Until next time: unpleasant dreams.

War Boar...

Hello Lovelies!

So I hope the week is wrapping up nicely for all of you. I've been really busy this week getting up on 1000 Markets where I have been approved to go online! Like I said in my last post, I will be putting specific items in that shop (prints, photography, stationary) to keep a certain look and will try more experimental stuff (originals, ACEOs, jewelry) at my Etsy shop.

Speaking of new work, I have listed the following three pieces in the shops and I'm really excited about them. I'm really getting into photography since getting a wonderful new camera and there are so many things around Maine to photograph! The last piece is an illustration that I did using a boar photo and some vector stuff. It cracks me up for some reason.

More exciting news! I may be going to the National Halloween Convention in Pennsylvania for my birthday next month! Now I've been to comic book conventions and even a Star Trek convention once (because I am a dork), but this should be a blast! Costume contests, props, haunted houses, antique Halloween stuff... if I go I will take plenty of pictures and fill you fine folks in.

And I wanted to wrap up by tipping you all off to a wonderful Etsy photographer that I stumbled upon yesterday. James Spicer's work is just great, little towns and TTV shots. I want to own them all! Here are a couple of my faves:

Have a good weekend all and unpleasant dreams!

Lean Bean Fightin' Machine...

Hello Lovelies!

Well, as usual, a lot of random stuff going on here in the mill tower. I have decided to branch out a bit and list a few things on 1000 Markets. I've heard good things about it so far and really, what can it hurt? I should be approved to sell on there in the next couple of days. I am going to try to separate my creations a bit and sell originals and a wide variety of items on Etsy and focus on just illustration, greeting cards and photography on 1000 Markets so you fine folks can check out both places and still see new things! In light of this, I will be working on some more seedy and dark photos where any number of nefarious things could happen and I hope to list those by the end of the week in both shops. I will keep you posted.

I was browsing my favorite blogs the other day and I have found the neatest artist; Madame Talbot. Have you Lovelies seen her work? She sells on Etsy, she has a fascinating blog (at least I think so), and she has a website. Here is one of her pieces, and if you read my blog regularly, you'll know I love Sweeney Todd and this Punch 'n Judy looking Todd is great:

And I have this poster (I love the idea of Absinthe, I don't actually like the taste). This poster is also wonderful:

I have to share a funny story with you fine readers. I am not originally from Maine, but I've come to understand that in Maine, the "Bean Suppah" is a long-standing tradition. People descend into to church basements, and Legion Halls, and all manner of florescent dens to partake in these feasts. I went to my first one this past Saturday and after filling my plate with baked beans, cole slaw, macaroni and cheese, rolls and pickles (I couldn't make this menu up folks), I sat down and got to hear the old gentleman across from me yell to his wife to "Hit up that dessert table deayah before they run outah pies ovah theyah." Needless to say it was an eye-opening experience and one I hope to repeat in the future. Next time I'll remember to "hit up the dessert table" first.

Until next time: Unpleasant Dreams.

Siamese Twins...

Hello Lovelies!

So, let me start by saying that I have made it into a Treasury thanks to the lovely Vicki Diane so a big thank you to her. It focuses on Etsy artists more than their work, which is a unique approach I think. Here it is!

I am putting a promo packet together to send to the UK and I'm very excited about it. It's for a trio of popular craft fairs they have over there. I was on Vista Print late into the night putting these business cards (the real ones have writing of course) and post cards together, I think they came out nicely.

A new addition has been added to the household! No, not a child, a cat. We already have one and now this little guy will keep her company. They are both Siamese cats, her name is Colinda and his name is Colton (meaning out of a dark house, which is so cool) and once he stops hiding, I will post just 1 picture of them. (Don't want to become a cat lady up on here.)

Do any of you use inspiration boards? Well, unlike some who have entire walls of this stuff, I try to limit myself to just one board and I rotate the things I find/cut out so it doesn't get stale. Here are some pics of my board right now... that awesome Vincent Van Gogh self-portrait came off of a bottle of Absente I purchased. That was the best part of that purchase I feel (the Absente, not so good folks).

   

Until next time: Unpleasant Dreams

Things that Slither...

Hello Lovelies!

A lot to cover this post. First off, my Ringleader's Elephant piece has been Indie Spotted! Check it out, I'm excited gang:

A friend and I got together recently with an interesting gentleman who may want us to help him collaborate on a small horror/suspense flick. He's actually sold a few scripts to Hollywood. (Imagine our surprise at finding this out since our only qualifications were putting on some scary makeup for fun on the weekends and having a sense of humor... not really qualifications, more hobbies.) I will reveal more as I know more folks, he still seems interested.

Oh! And the scratchboard pieces are finally in the shop! There are only 2 to start because it took a lot longer to draw these out than anticipated. Some of that may have had to do with the fact that I was using a clay sculpting tool to do the scratching and not a scratching tool. I might as well have been using a dime at that point. But anyway, they came out great and if they sell, I will make more. Look:

   

And I will finish with a tragic and almost unbelievable story folks. Did you read about the new mother in Massachusetts who stole another woman's purse on her way out of the maternity ward with her newborn? Yeah, she tried to sell the contents so she could buy some crack cocaine. I guess the time off drugs she took to actually give birth put her in withdrawal. Sigh. I don't know people. But what I DO know, is she's not going to be voted mother of the year anytime soon.

Unpleasant dreams!

Why Fish?

Hello Lovelies-

Well, first I would like to say that my blog just received the Kreativ Blogger Award from a blog called Blasphemy which was very nice. I wish I could understand how to pass these things along to others, but I get to about step 45 Appendix B and I lose interest folks. Oh, and I swapped my Maine ACEO (mentioned a few posts ago... scroll down) with this lovely and talented Etsy seller, she was happy to get it!

Last night I went out with some good friends for sushi in Portland (Maine) and it was good as always. I just don't know how they make squid taste so good, but it's like you're not even eating tentacles when you get it grilled there. Mmm. 

And speaking of fish, I wanted to show you all one of my fish tanks. I am a lover of aquariums; old books on them, pictures, city aquariums, pretty much anything dealing with them. A couple of years ago I got this little beauty off of Ebay and it didn't even hold water. But with a little love about about 3 tubes of silicone Wallah! Here she is. I have three large goldfish in there and they didn't want to sit still.

    

And following the fish theme, this is our Mahi Mahi that's in the upstairs hall. He needs a name. Suggestions? More photos of the strange and unusual stuff we have to come...

And I can't leave off without a little bit of art so I'll say this, I will post some pics of the scratchboard pieces tomorrow. I have been too busy filling orders because of the print sale (yay!) to work on them this week, but I'm putting the nose to the grindstone tomorrow.

Unpleasant dreams!

Golden Stash

Hello Lovelies!

Exciting news! I have now added enough photo and illustration prints to the shop to run a sale. For one week I will take 15% off orders of 2 or more photo or illustration prints. I really think these prints are top knotch and I want to get them into your hands.

The sleaze photos have officially been added to the shop. I showed a few of them off in the last post and here are the other two:

          

The Golden Stash??? I can't make this stuff up. I will continue adding to this series because to be honest, it's fun. These prints are really rich and dark, a computer screen doesn't do the sleaze justice Lovelies.

I am also working feverishly on those childhood fear scratchboard pieces. Here's a preliminary sketch of the first one:

        

I hope to get these listed this weekend.

As I sit here listening to Diana Krall's The Girl in the Other Room (inspiration for the female espionage series), I am pondering a couple of questions that maybe someone can help me answer. First, why are there women out there who still insist on wearing scrunchies, taper-legged pants, shoulder pads and/or suits from the Sears catalog? This bothers me folks because those looks... never coming back. I hope. 

And did you hear about the lady who went into the McDonald's and ordered McNuggets and when she found out they were gone... called 911? Now what? There were seriously injuries on hold out there while she said what? "Hello officer, I'd like to report a crime?" I just don't know people... 

Until next time: unpleasant dreams.

The side we deny...

Hello Lovelies!

Be warned, this is going to be a dark and seedy post! Read on if you dare...

I went to see Sweeney Todd over the weekend at the Merrill Auditorium here in Portland and man was it good! Full of murder and fantastic sets and voices to die for. If it comes to your town RUN to get tickets!

I am really excited about some new projects I'm working on for the shop. Possibly this week, I am going to be offering a photographic series of sleazy neon signs that I've photographed on my travels. They will all be somehow related to the underbelly of society either through direct association or an implied one and they will be available as high-quality archival art prints. Here's a sneak peek dear readers, get excited, these are really neat!

       

Also, I am going to be doing a series of scratchboard illustrations relating to the things we all fear as children; closets, underneath the bed, the dark in general. These dark and somewhat creepy illustrations will be available as originals only as I don't think they will look as good as prints. I'll let you all know when they're available so you can take a gander.

And let me wrap up with the worst of the worst folks. A little back story, a group of my friends and I like to get dressed up and/or do makeup and then photograph the results. Then I get to play with these photos in Photoshop. Recently, we went out on a limb and decided to do a zombie. We got the TP, the cornflakes, the liquid latex and here are the results... can you believe it? 

      

Pretty scary, huh? Until next time: unpleasant dreams.