Night of the Creators & FREE Movie Pass Giveaway TONIGHT

Hi there creative types, don't forget that TONIGHT is the very last Night of the Creators for 2008.  Be there and join Scary CRAFT's own "Sacred" Yoli Manzo, who will have some hand-molded sugar skulls ($1 supply fee each) for you to decorate, along with decorating tips, ideas and examples.  Bring some embellishments and make your own custom calaverita de azucar for your Dia de los Muertos ofrenda!  We'll even have some glitter glues, puff paints and a few other goodies available in the Scary CRAFT community supply box, but bring "extra" stuff and use this night as a great opportunity for a supply swap.

We're also excited to announce a giveaway!  To celebrate the 'dark' holidays and our successful first year of craft nights, Sacramento's own Movies on a Big Screen has generously donated two pairs of free passes to the The Rocky Horror Picture Show, showing this Friday night at 9:30pm (yep ON Halloween!).  MoBS has also donated two pairs of free general admission passes (psst!  They're showing Suspira at 7pm on Friday, and their list of other indie movies is mighty impressive). They have a MySpace page too, so go check out their blog!  Everyone in attendance is eligible to win, so what are you hemmin' and hawin' fer? 

Thanks for all of your support in our first year and be sure to stay tuned to our Scary CRAFT blog for tutorials, a Scary CRAFT auction and challenges during November and December.  Then we'll see you at the craft tables in 2009!

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Ya Gotta Have Cattitude

I started this piece the night before last and it just sort of finished itself. It didn't hurt that I had a difficult morning (got wrong address, misdirection, stuck in construction traffic), so I came home and vowed to paint myself into a state of calm. It totally worked.



This is another mixed media piece on a wood plaque - approx 7" across. I had a blast trying to get the black costume on the girl to have purple highlights - I succeeded by shading in black watercolor pencil, then painting over with several layers of permanent violet dark (Golden liquid acrylics) mixed with glaze. I did several layers of purple, then did a layer of black glaze and a final layer of purple. The "fishnet" stockings were a remnant of lace - the idea came to me at the last minute.


As usual, there are layers upon layers here including tissue paper, stars, hearts, paint, stencils, stamps, more stamps, and more. I finished this off with a layer of buffed beeswax and matching Swarovski "collars" for both characters!


Kitty has iridescent eyes!

I don't usually do this, but instead of holding this for my next show, I'm offering this piece on Etsy right off the easel. It's priced right, so you can get some holiday shopping done early or just give yourself a halloween present!

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This Time Last Year (#3)

I've actually been blogging since late 2006 (postings on blogspot only go back to this March), so every now and then, I'll copy and paste an old blog entry. Here's another one:

I always get asked what kind of art I do. Quilter doesn’t really bring up images of fused applique skeletons and pop art icons… I avoid “seamstress” since I don’t like to construct clothing but LOVE to embellish ready-to-wear items… I also like to paint in miniature on “stuff” and enjoy playing with polymer clay.

Finally, someone came up with a name for what I do! “Spoon,” moderator of DIYscene.com (awesome site - go join NOW), just dubbed me “Miss Multicraftquiltdiyindiedesigner.”

I like it!

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Whew! This One's a RAMBLER! (UPDATED 11/8)

There's a new group in town made up of some familiar names in the outsider art community. Sacramento Art Connects is holding their first show, "You Call That ART?" at Side Show Studios in November. Luckily, the deadline for submissions was extended from the 17th to the 31st -HINT HINT creative types- so I finished a small mixed-media / beeswax collage piece last night and dropped it off at Side Show Studios today for judging (eep!). Yep, it's a juried show (my first, hence the "eep!"). I got a peek at the collection in "the back room" and it's pretty dangded awesome. Bitchin' even. Perhaps ... dare I say it? Tubular.

Damn. I'm feeling my age today. Anyway, Steadfast is a 7x7" mixed-media/beeswax collage ($40) - thanks to Side Show's co-owner and all around awesome chick, Cy Wylie, for the title! Wish me well and hope that it doesn't get kicked out with a post-it note stuck to the back that says "you suck!" LOL.

Update 1: Great news - Steadfast made it into the show! It will be available starting tonight at Side Show Studios (5635 Freeport, Sactown) tonight at 6pm - under $50 too!

I also heard while I was there that my mixed-media piece, Something Fishy sold. Several people had shown interest and the price was good, but I thought Char was pulling my leg when she said who bought it - Chi Cheng, the bass player for the Deftones.

Char: Chi bought one of your pieces
me: who?

Char: Chi

me: WHO?

Char: Chi. From the Deftones. You know, Chi.

me: uhhhhhhmmmm. oh.

Now I've never actually met Chi, but it's damn near impossible to live in Sacramento, work out at Body Tribe and show with the Scary Art Collective without at least knowing who he is (and hearing the rampant rumors about what a nice guy he is too). I knew immediately who Char was talking about. However, I also know a lot of the people whose art he collects and my brain just couldn't reconcile the spot on the wall where the pretty mermaid with the funny fish had been and my recollection of the art I knew Chi has collected. It all became clear when Cy added more information. It was actually his lovely red-haired wife, Colleen, who chose the piece since she didn't have any art in the house that represented her taste.

me: OOHHHHHHH! NOW I get it! (chuckles).

It makes me happy, 'cause I really liked that piece - especially the hair, the tail and, of course, that awesome little fishie.

Update 2: Very, very sad news - Chi was in an auto accident last week and is reported to be in a coma in critical though stable condition. No more news is available at this time, but keek Chi, Colleen and their families in your thoughts and send strength and good thoughts to them through the cosmos. They need it.



The first order of Skelekitty stamps has been placed by me for resale (fortunately, I have a resale permit for just such an occasion). Yep. I took a break from this blog and typed my wholesale order up and sent it on its merry little way. Soon (I hope!) I will have 40 individual stamps in my little paws for y'all. I'm getting this batch for local folks mostly - to sell at shows in Sacramento, etc. - and, of course, I'll be putting some on etsy. The first batch will probably go pretty quickly, but I'll be putting the profits right back into another order ... then Tee shirts I hope!

For those on a budget, I have a super easy "no purchase necessary" drawing planned to give away one of the stamps (maybe two). I'll announce it here and on Skelekitty's blog, and I'll give at least a week for everyone to participate so you won't miss it. I'm also working on an original piece of art featuring the soon-to-be-famouser-than-me (like that's tough) kitty to give away in a separate drawing. That drawing will be for folks who have made stuff with their stamps. More info on the contests later - you know, when I actually have the little puppies kitties in my hands!



Another cool thing happened today - Allyson Seconds offered to donate some mirrors for a Scary CRAFT fundraiser. Yoli and I will definitely be participating by decorating a mirror a piece and donating them to the auction. We'll be passing mirrors out to some local creatives too. We'll be auctioning off the mirrors in a manner similar to the Scary-Art doll auction last year, starting each piece at an affordable price. It's a great way to help support Scary CRAFT and to fulfill your pledge to BUY HANDMADE (I know you took it, right? Right?.


So it's been a busy week already and Tuesday is just barely coming to a close. It's been a good week though. I hope your week brings you good news and smiles too.

xo

K

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Terroriffic Craft Projects with Madge Every Tuesday!

Hello my little scaries! Here is some really fun and super SCARY news I just posted on our craft group, Scary CRAFT's blog!

Thanks to Margot Potter's new craft blog, The Impatient Crafter, I've gotten what my old high school chum, Joe "Tex" Selby, calls 'bees in the head' - you know, like when you're playing with a cat and they're so excited that their head starts to quiver? That is me whenever I see a new FREE HALLOWEEN CRAFT PROJECT posting on her blog every week through the month of October!
You know what makes it even better? Madge is just one of the artists/crafters who post creepy craft tips, projects and ideas in the spirit of the season! Several cute & creepy creatives are participating in "Terroriffic Tuesday," the brainchild of Alexa, aka Swell Designer.  Be sure to link over to both the Madge's The Impatient Crafter and Alexa's The Swell Life and check all of the projects out, not the least of which is Madge's Crystal Web Collar Necklace (click on photo below) featured in week #1, which I think I may just be forced to make for myself.


Wouldn't this darling sparkler (complete with a little friend) make Morticia Addams jealous enough to kill?

A friendly note: Remember kids - always play nice! As with all blogs, tutorials and designs, please DO make 'em for yourself and your "fiends" and family, but DO NOT create or copy to sell or make a profit! If you want to copy or sell a copyrighted image or project, be sure to obtain prior written permission directly from the individual who originally created the design. Not sure if it's covered by copyright? ASK THE ORIGINAL BLOGGER!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled blogging.

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Stamp Availability, Prices, Discounts & Wholesale

There's another update on the stamps on Skelekitty's page. You could click over, but I won't keep you wondering - here's what the kitty says:

Howdy cats and kittens. Here is some more info on the NEW line of rubber stamps of yours truly that I posted about yesterday:

• Prices are $13.80 per wood-mounted red rubber stamp
• A 10% discount is available on full set of 4 stamps purchased from Guadalupe's Fun Rubber Stamps /Stampa Fe Art Stamps.
  
• Be sure to request the discount as we're in the early days here!
• Krissi will have some available for local sale, but not for a couple of weeks. If you're in a hurry, give Guadalupe's a call!
• Do you have a retail store? Just contact Stampa Fe (rubberstamps@cybermesa.com) for wholesale pricing on stamps for resale!
  

Word on the street is that the town of and visitors to Santa Fe are absolutely loving these images, and folks are starting to snap 'em up like a kitty with canned tuna. This news makes me one happy puss! Thanks to all of YOU for your support and encouragement. I know that I'm only here because you like me (you really like me).

Skele-purrs, >^..^< SK

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Skelekitty Stamps are Rollin' In!

It's true. 

I just heard from Stampa Fe Art Stamps that the stamps are done and that three of the four designs are on hand  in their store, Guadalupe's Fun Rubber Stamps in Santa Fe, NM.

Check Ms. Kitty's blog for the details! 

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10,000 Feet And Climbing!

This time three years ago I was easily defeated when faced with a 1 mile hike at 10,000 feet. Not only was I defeated, I was totally humiliated and went to the car to cry and feel sorry for myself while Ron did the Discovery Trail loop alone.

Today was the official rematch: Krissi versus the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.

I'll just tell you: I've been more than just a little apprehensive about the hike all week. Even though I had a great time hiking 5 miles at 8K feet on Tuesday I was wary of my abilities up another 2,000 feet. Ron was convinced I would have no problem; me - not so much. The proof, however, is in the high-protein, low-carb pudding:


October 2005 (top) and today (below) on the Discovery Trail at the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest near Bishop, CA.


OK, so not ONLY did I make it to the summit with a smile on my face (about a 300 foot climb - on top of the already high elevation), I would have gladly taken on the 4.25 mile "Methuselah" Trail if it hadn't been too late to finish before dark (and it was COLD and windy today). Again, Ron said he'd expected this reaction given my recent 'Body Tribe bootcamp' workouts with Allyson, but I doubted my abilities. Seeing the side-by-side photos now, I'm even more pleased and surprised than when I finished the hike - mostly just pleased. Thanks Al.

Afterward, we drove through Rock Creek Canyon and looked at some more birch trees turning amber & gold, but we'd missed the best light for photographs. No problem - we found another great place to hike on our next trip: Rock Creek Lake. Once again, we rewarded ourselves with some unexpectedly awesome homemade pizza at the Crowley Lake General Store, which we discovered on our last trip. Mmmmm. Their pizza is great and it's even better after a workout.

And now, some pretty pictures of several thousand year old trees for y'all:

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What Our Photographs Say About Us (the Ron & Krissi version)

Greetings from beautiful Mammoth Lakes, CA my fair readers!  It's been incredibly beautiful this week: fair skies, cool breezes, bright sun, fall trees and cold nights (we have an awesome wood stove here).  Thanks to Allyson (getting me running up and down steps in a 20 lb. weighted vest), I have acclimated to the altitude pretty well this time and even hiked over 5 miles yesterday at over 8,000 feet - not only did I not whine or complain, I was the one convincing Ron to go 'just a little further.'  LOL.  I'm a little nervous about the Ancient Bristlecone Forest (White Mountains) hike tomorrow at between 11 and 12,000 feet since last time it didn't go so well.

Here's a pic Ron took after the climb to the top of Devil's Postpile yesterday:


We (Ron and I) have realized that these photo-op vacations we take are calling for a second camera.  I received a Nikon DX40 for my birthday a year and a half ago and I love it.  I think we're considering the Nikon D80 as an addition soon.  Today, as we were trying not to fight over who got the camera, we realized the difference in our personal photography styles. We both like the same things when we're composing - opposing lines/colors, implied movement, textures (more me), etc.  However, I have a tendency to photograph things in uber closeup mode, showing excruciating detail while Ron tends to favor more landscapey views.

Examples:

Devil's Postpile
me


Ron


A more obvious distinction:
me - of the bridge on the Minaret Falls trail (Devil's Postpile NM)


Ron - from the bridge on the Minaret Falls trail (Devil's Postpile NM)


I'm in the process of uploading more photos to my Flickr account -- keep an eye there for more examples (and some HELLA awesome views of Cali).

Here's the interesting part.  I like to quilt, sew on a small scale, and when I paint, I totally dig on doing stuff with teeny tiny brushes (I started off painting small pewter D&D figurines, as did Char Hall).  Before the economy went into the toilet and I was laid off from my "day" job, I was a contract negotiator who worked in legal departments.  That means I spent gleeful days arguing over whether "must" or "shall" (or "will" or "may") would be the most advantageous to us when used in agreements.

Ron, on the other hand, is really great at seeing situations and solving problems by what we call "getting to 20,000 feet."  He likes to look outside of his own personal toolbox in order to accomplish what he needs to at work.  He's also a great manager (proven by the fact that several people who have gone to another department/company have come back just to work for him).

See what I mean?  I see detail, I photograph details.  Ron sees the big picture and photographs the same.  Interesting.  We'd clearly be unable to escape an FBI profiler (dang)....

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Blogging and Implied Obligations....

Hey all!

I know that most of us like to think that we blog without obligation, but as a blogger and blog reader, I know this just isn't true! Therefore, I'm letting you all know that I'm off for an entire week.  So except for an occasional phone pic, you probably won't hear from me (though I'll have my "crackberry" with me and will be reading a few e-mails here and there).

We're heading once again for Mammoth Lakes in the beautiful Sierra Nevadas to hike and celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary (10th together, 22nd or 23rd since we met).  It's the perfect time of year to be outdoors and watch the leaves of the birch trees turn an incredible amber/gold color.  Here's a photo or two I took on our last trip there in 2005:







So I hope to see you all on Saturday the 11th at Body Tribe and Side Show Studios for the annual Scary Art Collective spooky halloween shows!

Best wishes,

Krissi

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October, not April, is the cruellest month!

It's that crazy time of year again for me:

• Wedding anniversary (10/11 - it's my 5th, this year)
• Fall vacation time (10/4 - 10/10)
  
• October Second Saturday shows with the Scary-Art Collective (10/11)
• Jury duty??- thankfully postponed to December... WHEW!
  
• Halloween
• Dia de los Muertos
• OH, and this year we get to add the release of Skelekitty's first round of rubber stamps!
  

Somehow this busiest of months sneaks up on me every year.... Because of the state of the economy, gas prices, etc., I am not vending at the Dia de los Muertos Fest-o-Rama in Oaktown this year. Maybe next year -- assuming someone is voted into the White House who has an interest in eliminating the deficit and creating jobs here in the u.s. of a. I will, however, be creating as if I were vending... As a result, there will be much art to be had (and some that have already found homes) at both Body Tribe and Side Show Studios starting on October 11th. I'll also be putting a few new items up here and there in my etsy shop.

I've created some new stuff in a range of sizes and prices (see comment on economy above - Dude! I'm on your side). Here's a sneak peak at a few items:

"Frida" silver shrine


"Catrina" shrine


In progress: "Letter from Diego" shrine



And even more shrines are in the works! I will also have a few larger pieces of original work available between the two locations, including:

currently untitled 12"x24" mixed media on wood


"Tijuana Makeover" 12"x24" mixed media on wood (this one's still in progress)


"Star F*cker" 16"x11" mixed-media on canvas - available on Etsy through tomorrow


"The Catalyst" 16"x11" mixed media on canvas- available on Etsy through tomorrow




Thanks to the generosity of Ron and Nik, my go team Venture pieces, "Walking Eye" and "Grand Galactic Inquisitor" (finally completed today) will be on display at Side Show and Body Tribe, respectively.

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Creative Corazón

Every now and then, check the list of crafty (and the not-so-crafty) list of blogs for new names I've added. Today, the newest recipient of the Skelekitty Stamp o' Approval is Creative Corazón.

She's apparently new to blogging, but I think I'm in love already. Go read for yourself and then tell me, what's not to love? (A: Nothin')

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Artsy Gringa: cheap and easy - a sailor's dream!

OK, so SHE's not cheap and easy, but her artsy tutorials certainly are!

Go from this $1 nautical themed frame:

to this awesome Mexified art frame!


and you MUST click the boat-drawer-thingy-blank to see what she does with this $6 craft store find!

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