Pushing through the creativity abyss

Even though I've been uninspired I've made myself sit down to work on existing projects I've begun.  I actually started to get some of my creative groove back and I managed to finish one piece.  I have another one mostly done but I need to get some supplies to finish it up. 

I know that part of my problem is my heart is somewhere else these days, making it difficult to concentrate on my work.  I need to refocus and start putting my energy into creating rather than pining. 

Here's some pics of the completed project and of a wip.

So far I've painted the body and face and removed the hair and clothing.  I need to replace the hair but I want a different color and style so I need to find the right look and I need to either dye the clothing she came with or make a new outfit I'm trying to decide which will be easier. 

Bella Lili June giveaway

If you aren't following Bella Lili's blog check it out Bella Lili Blog she is running a contest right now and you can win a very cool necklace.  If you aren't familiar with her jewlery you need to check out her Etsy store she has some amazing pieces listed. http://www.etsy.com/shop/bellalili 

New Projects and Vague Ramblings

I’ve been neglecting my blog in favor of my paper journal. Not sure why I can’t do both at once since I use them so differently. But that’s me get started on one thing then jump to something else which explains the three projects I’ve had waiting to finish for at least a month now I keep bumping them for new ideas. And that also explains why I haven’t written any poetry or fiction in so long I put that aside when I started making these pieces. I need to learn to find the balance and not just keep jumping ahead to the next thing. I have finished a few projects. I did a wall art/shadow box piece featuring the parlor of a spiritualist. It’s a bit vintage gothic, a theme I’m heavily into right now. I love vintage photos and I recently downloaded Paint.net so I can start manipulating the photos I have. I’m trying to learn to layer photos. I also finished another wall art / shadow box piece that is themed The Wolf Man and the Gypsies. I wanted to capture that classic horror movie feel with the mix of vintage gypsy photos I found. The first version I finished and posted on Etsy but then I realized it wasn’t working for me. I redid the background of the collage and added some different elements to pull it together and like it a lot more now. Here’re a few photos.

I wish I could say that all this work is paying off in sales but sadly that’s not the case. I make these pieces because I love to do it and the ideas plague me till I do something about them but it’s a bit disheartening when I see the pile growing ever larger. But the ideas keep coming so I continue to create.

Cancelled trips and new projects

I was supposed to be going up North this weekend to visit the boy but apparently his original surgeon who fixed his broken ankle did quite a shoddy job and allowed him to start walking too soon and his hardware has broken and his ankle is busted again!  So now it will mean a halo around his ankle and 3 months no walking.  Hopefully I will get to go up there soon.  Looks like I'll be spending my Memorial Day with the family doing the BBQ thing.  Which is not a bad thing.  Mom and I grill up some very tasty veggies. :)

I have been busy working on new projects. I tried a mixed media collage for the first time I want to try more in that form. I went to the craft supply store today and bought gel medium to do the next one on a canvas. I also finished my first altered doll. It was fun and a learning experience. I painted the body with gesso and dyed the hair purple but to keep the color more intense I didn't rinse it out. Well of course once I let the hair down the body turned purple. So I had to sand the doll down, rinse out the hair and repaint the body. But I did it and now she is in a shadow box as a Demon Snake Charmer who ran away to join the freak show. And I completed another shadow box that was less about the goth and more personal I was inspired by one of my poems.  Here's some pictures of completed projects:

Lady Death

I posted a couple of new things including this little shrine to Lady Death. I was trying to capture that duality of death and life with the figure of death and skull next to the "blooming" rose and the back drop of a wild and lush garden.

I also got to explore a gorgeous garden this past weekend.  My cousins and I took our Moms for a picnic at http://www.rancholoscerritos.org/  We had an amazing time walking through the garden and taking pictures as well as the tour through the house.  Here are some of the flowers I took pictures of.

My beautiful family, Mom's in the middle. :)

Fortune Teller, Graveyard and New Projects

I'm working on a custom jewelery box this week. It's not my usual stuff as it's more punk than goth but it's a fun project. It feels weird not being crazed trying to get stuff done now that the show is over. I have some really cool ideas for new projects that I can't wait to get working on. I found these great frames that are shadowbox style at the thrift store. They have small items glued down and tagged kind of like specimens. I think I'm going to take a skeleton and break it down on one of them and keep the tags. Not sure what I'll be doing with the other one yet.



I have all kinds of new pieces to post to my shop in the next couple of weeks. Here are two that I posted this week.

Bats Day Black Market Review

I survived my first show! It was a mixed experience. I only sold a few items which was disappointing. But I had a lot of interest in my work many people stopped by more than once they were interested in how I made things, what made me start creating and everyone took cards a few people took several cards. I talked to a lot of people about doing costume mini shrines or shadow boxes. So I'm hoping that even though I didn't get many sales at the show that it will provide me with sales down the line.


I had a fantastic time there. I got to talk to a lot of interesting people the outfits that many people had were beyond fabulous. All the vendors were selling amazing things. It was a definite sensory overload walking through there, I wanted just about everything. I think I would do it again. I have a better idea of the types of items that sell. If I had more of the mini shrines and alters I would have sold more, those went right away and people seem to love the familiar like Poe and Bela Lugosi so it was a great way to market test my items.

I also got to meet a few of the Etsy Dark Street Team members.  Kitcameo, kitcameo's shop, was there selling.  Her table was amazing.  I bought an adorable red bottle with a bat etched onto it.  Pillbox Designs, Pillbox Designs' Shop, were also there selling.  I love their vinyl wall graphics if I had made more sales I would have bought something from them as well.  I also got to meet the amazing artist behind EJPcreations, EJPcreations Shop.  She was wearing one of her fabulous necklaces that I recognized right away. :)

Here are a few vendors that I really liked:
Skele Clips
Gothic Beagle (The cutest dog clothing and accesories)
Ladanse Macabre designs (My parents treated me to a fabulous spider necklace from these guys)
Artistic Talent (This woman was amazing, she had her own photography, she does make-up and sculpture! I was completely impressed with her talents)
Creepy Dolls These dolls were definitely creepy but also gorgeous! My cousin bought a print from them of one of their dolls.  They were also proudly showing off their place in the Regretsy book. :)

If I had more time to walk around and really examine things I'm sure I would have collected  a ton more cards but I didn't want to leave my table for too long. Thankfully my best friend was there with me helping me out and giving me a chance to walk around.

Here are a few pics of my table: