I'm travelling into a new way of working, a new country, a new language, and a new hobby which I'm passionate about. Come with me for some of the journey...

Tuesday 27 October 2020

Distracted by skulls

Hello all!  I suddenly realised Halloween is almost upon us and I've got a number of eerie/spooky/uncanny tags which need sharing before we get there.  So I'm going to be quick with these, as they were quick in the making too.  They had to be - I was in the middle of packing up ready for the move, so I really wasn't supposed to be playing at all.

The thing is I was packing my dies, and I came across some that I'd picked up dirt-cheap in the Sizzix sale months ago and hadn't had a chance to use.  In fact, they were still in their packaging.  So when I opened them to pack them (keeping the acetate for future crafting purposes), the plain white test cuts which are always included fell out.  

So there I was with these two paper skulls staring at me, and Halloween just a week away... what was I supposed to do?! The backgrounds were already under way - just layers of Distress Ink and Oxide, with even a bit of Oxide leaf print stamping somewhere in there.


All I had to do was add some stencilling, done with Walnut Stain Distress Ink and embossed with Hickory Smoke Distress Embossing Glaze, and the Tangled Webs, embossed in Seafoam White (the Vanilla which I would usually use had gone walkabout, and there was no time to look for it).

I smooshed the skulls in a bit of Pumice Stone (I think the paper they used for each test cut may have been slightly different, as the colour tones and ink soakage was different on each)...


... and did a bit of extra distressing with an ink-blender and whatever colour ink was on the sponge (somewhere between brown and grey!).

There had to be some words, of course, and who better than William Shakespeare to provide them?

The quote is on my EAB04 Autumn Edition for PaperArtsy and is embossed in my much-loved Wow Pepper powder.

I mounted the skulls on padded tape so that you would get some shadowy hollows in those eye-sockets.


I love this "alas, poor Yorick" skull so much.

A couple of Typed Tokens add a little touch of metal.


The words are highlighted with some acrylic paint.


And I've only just noticed that I forgot to add the twine at the top of the tags before photographing them.  Ah well!

For me skulls aren't merely "spooky" - they have a beauty... they are after all the protective shell which houses our brains - our minds, our imaginations.  What could be more beautiful than that?  So Yorick will have more than just seasonal use. (The other one might have to stick to Halloween - he's really a bit scary-looking!)


I hope you're geared up for however you might celebrate All Hallow's Eve - whether that's the full-on US version or the simpler apple-bobbing and toffee apples I associate with the Halloweens of my childhood (seems quite apple-based that, now that I look at it!).

Take care out there - it really is a scary world at the moment.  Stay safe, stay well, stay creative and I'll be back with some more eeriness very soon.

Alas, poor Yorick!  I knew him, Horatio: a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy: he hath borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rises at it.  Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft.  Where be your gibes now? your gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table on a roar?  Not one now to mock your own grinning? quite chap-fallen.  Now get you to my lady's chamber and tell her, let her paint an inch thick, to this favour she must come; make her laugh at that.

From Hamlet by William Shakespeare

I'd like to join in at Tag Tuesday where they are playing All Hallow's Eve as the theme
Over at Try It On Tuesday they're playing Embossed - both the webs and the Gothic stencilling are embossed, so this should fit right in

#newbloggersucks

21 comments:

Valerie-Jael said...

Your tags are pretty ghastly and spooky! Thanks so much for joining us at Tag Tuesday and TIOT, much appreciated! Hugs, Valerie

Helen said...

When you explain skulls like you do, as a protection for our brains and imagination... they take on a very different meaning. Fab tags, even if you weren't meant to be playing! sorry, crafting!

WendyK said...

Two fabulous tags with lots of texture and spooky bits. Thank you for joining us on Tag Tuesday. xx

Chrissy said...

Oh, wow, these are so awesome and spooky, great details Alison, I LOVE the background and webs..

Luv CHRISSYxx

Cestina said...

I read this listening to the Max Bruch Kol Nidrei, Op47. On the cello. A perfect fit.... xx

Words and Pictures said...

Oh, yes, it would be - going to have to go and find it myself now! xx

My name is Erika. said...

NICE scary and spooky tags. Perfect for the season! I like skeletons. Even if it is from an anatomical view. Thanks Alison for linking up to Try It on Tuesday with us also. Much appreciated. Hugs-Erika

Neet said...

Those are great tags Alison - love the backgrounds and especially like the cobwebs. They work so well in white that I would use it again. The words of course are brilliant and just perfect in the way they have been allocated to the two tags,
Lovely spooky tags, ready to scare anyone away who dares come to your door.
Hugs, Neet xx
ps when do you expect to be moving?

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

So so cool and spooky! LOVE the backgrounds...you rocked them!

Let's Art Journal said...

Fabulous spooky tags! The way you have shaded the skulls is amazing and I so enjoyed reading your words about skulls and how they protect our imaginations - wonderful and so true 😁. I hope you're having a lovely week, take care! Hugs, Jo x

Amanda said...

I’m sure the crafty interlude did you the world of good, fantastic skull tags.
Love
Amanda x

Michele said...

these are genius! perfectly spooky and really well done. thanks for linking to tag tuesday! xo

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

You are SO clever, Alison. I absolutely love how you used the skulls. They are both great and so are the special words, too. It all fits SO well. Love both of these tags, dear.

Margaret Mifsud said...

Wowsers! These are simply spooktacular!! Fabulous backgrounds and those die cut skulls are just awesome!! I am not into Halloween but these tags are totally amazing!! Hope your packing is going well. hugs xx

Sue said...

Oh these are fabulous, and I agree, once you had opened the package they just needed to be done. I agree, skulls aren't just for Halloween! Thanks for taking me back to my O Level English Lit, I was 16 again for a few minutes. Have a lovely Halloween, Sue xx

craftytrog said...

Fabulous tags Alison xx

Craftyfield said...

These tags don't look quickly made at all... it would take me ages to produce something as good! X

Marci said...

These are wonderful!

pearshapedcrafting said...

These are fabulous - if a little scary for my liking! Halloween used to so simple - too many grotesque masks around now!! Oh! I am such a killjoy!!!! Thanks for sharing these at Try It On Tuesday, Chrisx

Cocofolies said...

Both tags are truly fabulous, both your skulls and your multi-layered backgrounds, with lots of distress inks and great embossing too at the perfect places, the quote is beautiful too, Wow. And you're right, it's never too late, at least to admire them for me!!! xx

Marjut said...

These are perfect skulls tags, fantastic backgrounds. I like these. Thank you so much for sharing at Try it on Tuesday challenge