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Monday 12 October 2015

It's 'Pretty' Frightening!

Our new theme at Try It On Tuesday is 'It's Frightening!' 
Now, if you have had a comment from me for your Hallowe'en makes recently you will know I am not too enamoured with Hallowe'en. 
My teamies have been doing their best to frighten me and to encourage you to produce something frightening so I'm sure I'm going to have get my big girl pants on to make some visits!!! I do hope you will go along here and check out their fabulously frightening projects!

I have already seen some quite scary but amazing projects and I really had to use my skull on this one!! Literally!! 

Last year I was in Aldi when they were selling off the tail end of the 'goodies' they had for the season. I saw this really awful looking skull but thought it might come in in handy! When I reached the till it seems it had been a part of something else that had gone missing and the manager GAVE it to me!!
When I was wondering what to make for my DT piece I remembered the skull, which by now had reached the bottom of my box! First a coat of gesso

then Fresco paint…..Nougat
By now you can see the skull is a lot less scary!
I left the teeth white apart from painting(with a very fine brush)the gaps. I also added shadow in the nasal cavity and some cracks to the skull using DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics - Burnt Sienna mixed into the paint
I then started on the decoration. 
I love Autumn colours and I am still making little decorations for around the flat.
I used my Brushos and sprinkled some colours over a piece of watercolour paper before giving them a good spritz of water.
Using my tattered leaves die I cut quite a few leaves from this. 


I also used the Tattered floral strip die too, as well as a punch and then I stamped some leaves and cut them out by hand! A lot of leaves - but not quite enough!!!
Our French bread comes in nice brown paper and cellophane(from the supermarket beginning with W - not Walmart if you are in the USA - it is a British company) and is often used in my crafting!
I stamped some leaves from PA onto some tattered leaves( I think I should have stuck to text) and then used alcohol ink to colour the cellophane before cutting with the die.


I used the tattered floral die to make some pretty eyes to fill the sockets! They were stamped with text, as were some of the leaves.
Some leaves and flowers were glued together to make a garland for her hair.
This is where I got carried away, forgot I'd got a camera and ended up with my garlanded lady skull…
'Pretty' Frightening isn't she?? As you can see there are a few more leaves than the one I originally posted to TIOT
I stood her on an old family prayer book with some hessian and lace and she is on our balcony with some bits and pieces from a pot pourri packet. Another Autumn display and I am happy to have her around for a while!!

I hope you will pop over to TIOT and take a look and I….errr….look forward to seeing what you make!

I am also entering the challenge at Anything but Cute challenge 6 where the challenge is 31 Days of Hallowe'en. My 'Scary Mary' has 31 as the pupils in her eyes!

Thanks for looking, Chris 

19 comments:

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I'm not big on Halloween, either, but I'm making some things for the WOYWW Halloween crop, so may have a quick go at this one, too. She looks a lot prettier than spooky, that's for sure. I love it.

BTW, I was reading Julia's blog the other day and she explained that what you call hessian, we in the states call BURLAP! So, I didn't have to ask!

Barb said...

Certainly not quite to scary looking with the addition of your lovely leaves Chris. Barbxx

Valerie-Jael said...

So glad to see you working with your head at last! Fantastic piece. Have a great day,Hugs, Valerie

sirkkis said...

Ooh my.... Usually i don't like skeletons but i LOVE this♥ Brilliant idea and fab job, Chris.
Hugs xx

Meggymay said...

Wow, you have given her an awesome make over Chris, she is almost beautiful and seems to have a smile with her new look. This is Fabulous.
Yvonne xx

sarascloset said...

A big round of applause for you, Chris! I know you don't go for Halloween, and you have had to suffer through all mine! When I saw your thumbnail, I thought she has finally caved! Ha! Ha! for someone who doesn't do Halloween you sure did this one proud! I love your non-creepy take on our challenge! Your flowers and foliage are just beautiful! (If you see my last entry to last months TIOT, you will see I'm not ALL about Halloween!) And a very clever way to incorporate the "31" on your skull!

Thank you for joining our 31 Days of Halloween challenge at Anything But Cute. Hugs!! Sara Emily DT

CraftygasheadZo said...

Wow this is fabulous! Love what you've done to the skull and make overall. You've such a pretty view too! Take care Zo xx

chrissie said...

This is stunning and you have made the skull look bootiful

Love Chrissie xx

Bee and Dee said...

Love this project spooky with a gentle edge hugs Bee.

froebelsternchen said...

A unique project! Fabulous Chris!

Redanne said...

Wow Chris, I am VERY impressed! The skull is fabulous and looks all the better for your decoration, the leaves and flowers make her much less scary. I am not sure I should describe a skull as beautiful, but I really do think she is! Hugs, Anne xx

Margik said...

The skull looks lovely with these beautiful leaves. A great project and very decorative for Halloween.
Hugs, Mar

Mrs.B said...

Chris this is a fabulous 'makeover' for your 'Mrs Skull', she has the most amazing eyes and a very beautiful smile! Love her Autumnal outfit too!
Brilliant project.
Hugs, Avril xx

Unknown said...

Wow! This is so beautiful and creative! Love your spooky creation! Xx

Vintagehandmade said...

It's such a clever way to decorate the skull! I love non scary Halloween creations and your is just so cool! Beautiful make!
Thank you so much for joining in our '31 Days of Halloween' challenge at Anything But Cute!
Branka DTx

Carol said...

Fab - a freebie too! - love the decorations you added x

Words and Pictures said...

I think you may have invented a whole new genre, Chris - the "pretty frightening" version of Halloween looks pretty good to me! I love your little skull (I think skulls are beautiful, actually - and not in a Halloween way - just in a structural way, and how they are the receptacle for the brain/mind - the thing that makes us who we are), and the bread wrapping leaves are lovely. Well done you for pushing past the Halloween barrier to a whole new world!!
Alison xx

Unknown said...

LOVE your skull ... very pretty. We are getting ready for Day of the Dead here in Mexico. Loved ones are honoured and beautiful alters are built .. skulls are one of the main themes. You'be done a wonderful job .. thanks for sharing. hugs, Donna

Samra said...

Very nice Halloween decoration :)
Thank you so much for joining our 31 Days of Halloween challenge at Anything But Cute!
Samra DT
Paper Talk with Samra