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NEW Sugar Skull Art Swap (and a riot of color)!

Filed under Announcements, Art Projects, Collage Sheets, Featured Artwork, Giveaways, Halloween, Newsletters, Swaps

Note: most of the links on this post no longer work, as we moved to a new Web site in 2018. But you can try searching on the same names (as links below) on the new site.

A quick reminder before getting to the fun (and very colorful) artwork, new goodies and a NEW swap(!): The Matchbox Labels & Keys FREE Gift Kit announced in last Thursday’s newsletter is still on offer! More info and photos
 
And if you missed it, Design Team Member Rhonda Secrist Thomas’ The Great Harry Houdini Museum in that newsletter is fabulous! Go see it!
 


We're hosting a Chipboard Sugar Skulls Swap!

Colorful Sugar Skulls! Paint, mist, distress, glitter, add flowers, use stencils, or whatever tickles your muse’s fancy! And think of all the fun ways to use the art you receive in trade: beside single Hallowe

en decorations, you could string some together and make a banner (for just one idea).

Each of your Sugar Skulls must include an Alpha Stamps rubber stamp or collage sheet image. You must also use the Chipboard Sugar Skulls, but they’re supplied after you sign up!

Hey, and beside the brand spanking new (and On Sale!) Sugar Skull Parts Collage Sheet that Teri Calia created specifically for this swap, ALL of the Collage Sheets are On Sale! You could start with Halloween Collage Sheets, then maybe wander over to the florals in the Spring & Summer Flowers section to get started.

Sign up by Monday, August 3rd. Artwork must be postmarked to our swap hostess, Design Team Member Caroline Ouzts-Hay, no later than Monday, September 14th (2015).

In addition to Teri’s crazy skulls at right, see below for more fun sugar skulls (made with the new Lindys Stamp Gang Starburst Sprays!) by Miz Bella!

Get more info and sign up on the swap page. And see more of those crazy colorful creations by Teri and Bella in the Gallery!
 


Next up: Bella had way too much fun playing with the (New!) colors of Lindys Stamp Gang Starburst Sprays!

I loved playing with the Lindys Stamp Gang Sprays on the Chipboard Sugar Skulls; especially since the skulls were already white to begin with. If you haven’t used any of the Lindys sprays before you have been missing out on some fabulous, luscious colors that have a separate colored sheen to them at the same time.

Sweet Violet Purple Teal is one of my favorite colors to use. It is one of those unique colors that changes depending on how much you spray, paint or dab. It starts as a bright magenta pink and turns to a deeper, plum-y purple the more you spray. The dark plum looks gorgeous with the way the teal just flecks around here and there. Either way, it has a beautiful teal shimmer when you move your project.

Screamin’ Banshee Black is a deep black with subtle blue shimmer. I used it on the ‘Arachnae Montescalia‘ Sugar Skull and while it is supposed to be black with and have a blue shimmer, sometimes it seems like it has a purple shimmer. Maybe if I had sprayed it a lot closer than what I did it would have been a darker black; I’ll have to try that next time. I dabbed some Distress Stain Black Soot over a mask to darken it up a bit; the Distress Stain is sheer enough that the shimmer still shows through. Even though you can’t tell by the picture it is a very cool effect!

Hottie Patottie Hot Pink is a hot, hot pink with a subtle pink shimmer but I could have sworn that it kind of looked a little silvery to me. Then it looked light pink again. Could have been the lighting, could have been the naughty fairies playing tricks but either way — it’s a a keeper.

Jack In The Pulpit Teal is a greenish teal with a soft teal shimmer. Sprayed from a distance it has more of a teal appeal (just couldn’t resist on that one) and if you spray close up then you’ll get a gorgeous, deep, dark, sparkly green.
 

 Bring on the Halloween Products!

 
Let’s start with the new Hocus Pocus Collection!

Papers, stickers, clear stamp set and bats stencil!

 

 
Next up: TWELVE new colors of Mulberry Paper Roses!

4 new colors of Tiny Paper Roses, 1-1/2 Inch Bright Yellow Paper Roses, 7 new colors of Mini Rose Buds!

View All New Items or All Mulberry Paper Flowers

 

 

Hooray for the Dia de los Muertos Shrine Giveaway!

Now don’t hyperventilate… I’m not giving away Teri’s finished artwork! What I am giving away is pretty much EVERYTHING she used to make that lovely shrine!:
– Tiny Paper Roses – Bright Yellow (New!)
– Miniature Fruit Plate (New!)
– 40x30mm Halloween 3D Skull Cameo (New!)
– Paper Mache Tombstones Set
– Happy Haunting – Border Strips Scrapbook Paper
– Faux Suede Sheets
– Tim Holtz Small Talk Sticker Book
– 40x30mm Black Resin Cameo Setting
– Metal Flowers (Black Roses)
– Thin Looped Dresden Borders – Black
– A Plastic Skeleton
– AND even the White Gesso to paint that skeleton!

To enter the Dia de los Muertos Shrine Giveaway drawing all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post TODAY or TOMORROW (the deadline is 11:59 pm PST, Monday Night, July 20, 2015. AND tell me if you’re planning on joining the Sugar Skull Swap and what crazy colored embellishments you’ll use on your skulls (or what crazy colored items you like from today’s newletter even if you can’t join the swap).

Don’t forget to leave your (hello! correct) email address, too, so I can contact the winner; your email address does not need to be made public. Note: I’m offering free shipping, too, but only within the USA. International shipping will still apply.

Please be patient! Spammers try to post crap here a lot so comments are moderated. So if you don’t see your post in the comments section, be patient and check back in a few hours before re-posting it, please!

After midnight, I’ll randomly pick the winner (via Random.org). So make sure to check back to see who won! And check your mailbox on Thursday morning for the next Giveaway and Newsletter!

Hey, who won the Houdini Kit Giveaway? That would be Janet Turner! (And she commented: “I love the great ideas. I like using the key charms for collage boxes I make. It adds extra interest.“) Please check your email for my message about getting your mailing address.

  
Posted by Leslie, July 19th, 2015

70 responses to “NEW Sugar Skull Art Swap (and a riot of color)!”

  1. Jo says:

    LOVE the shrine!!
    the skull cameo is solo cool! I would definitely use that in a shrine along with the Oct 31st stamps!
    Thanks for the giveaway!

  2. Nanette says:

    I love sugar skulls! May be able to join the swap not sure yet but I would decorate my sugar skull with mixed media products and metal embellishments. It would be very 3D!
    Thanks for the chance for the shrine very awesome!

  3. Eve Watters says:

    Don’t think I can keep up with all these clever people, so may not manage to participate in the swap. But I will definitely want to get busy with all these wonderful elements- my brain is already flooding with ideas!!

  4. Dawn says:

    I love the skull cabochon. What a great necklace it would make as a focal point. I am thinking about joining the swap. It would be fun, I would decorate the sugar skulls with lots of bright flowers!

  5. Carol Fraley says:

    Love the shrine! I love the Sweet Violet Purple Teal spray, beautiful!

  6. Sandy says:

    wow…wish I was so creative. Love this stuff.

  7. kim says:

    oh wow my favorite theme everrr! I wish I could join in but cannot right now 🙁

    I love the skulls and would add lots of flowers and I adore the new mini fruit, wow!

    I am bookmarking and saving this project though!

    ~kim

  8. cathy smith says:

    Yes I want to do give away – and something with marigolds would be perfect. I like the miniature fruit, too. What a great idea!

  9. Blair Lowery says:

    Love the shrine will make the perfect b. Day gift for a friend who love sugar skulls.

  10. Lori D. says:

    I love the miniature fruit, as I adore all things in miniature form. Thanks for the opportunity to win!

  11. Jen R says:

    Can’t join the swap, dang. Love all of this. Would love to make a shrine like that tho. Hope I win!

  12. Angie G says:

    The sugar skulls are gorgeous! I don’t know how the swaps work, I will have to check out past ones if I can. My fav color is Sweet violet Purple Teal, the name alone makes you love it.

  13. barbara macaskill says:

    I would love to join the Sugar Skulls Swap but am unable to this time around! I do love today’s Sugar Skulls though!! The Jack In The Pulpit Teal has me drooling!! LOVELOVVELOVE it and need to get some ASAP!!!

  14. Kathy Bumb says:

    I love the Lindy’s spray on colors and would use them for the skulls. I also love the new colors of the mini rose flowers. They are beautiful and so crazy colorful.

  15. Pam W says:

    I am not sure if I will join the swap. I have never done one before and feel a bit intimated. I love all of the bright colors but my favorite is Jack in the Pulpit Teal. Thanks for the opportunity to win.

  16. Mary Helene says:

    This shrine is just beautiful, Love the idea of using gesso on the skeleton.

  17. Helen says:

    I love this shrine. The skeleton with the fruit plate is so cute. I won’t be able to join the swap, but I love all the sugar skulls!
    Lindy’s Spray is gorgeous.

  18. Jean Marmo says:

    Wow – so cool! You always have the most creative projects!!

  19. Holly says:

    The shrine is just incredible. I’m so jonesing for Halloween, or at least all the decorations and accessories that comes it with!

  20. phoebe diamond says:

    I don’t think that I will have the time to participate in the swap, however, if I did… I would color the skulls with very faint metallic washes and mists over pale bone backgrounds. What I’d really like to do is use the skull cut-outs as the top part of a writing project that I have my students do as part of our Days of the Dead unit.

  21. Carolyn Bowlby says:

    Perfect miniatures.

  22. Roxanne says:

    hahah….love these skulls. I would love to try the swap…I would decorate my skull with silver and gold brads, maybe some mini tinsel trim in dark purple and green and sparkling black and of course some edgy sparkly steampunk gears…just to get started… 🙂

  23. Deborah Haught says:

    Count me in for a chance to win – sugar skulls are one of my faves!! I will not be joining the swap. If I did, who knows what colors I would use…I never know until I am in the middle of my creations. Thank you so much for the chance to win!!

  24. Karen N says:

    I’m absolutely going to join the sugar skull swap. What a fantastic idea. I will use lots of marigold yellows and oranges, red, and purple…plus black of course. Can’t wait to do this swap!

  25. j. west says:

    my favorite holiday of the year….looks wonderful.

  26. Libby White says:

    Love this shrine, the cameo really makes it special. I do want to play in the swap

  27. Emily N. says:

    The skulls look like so much fun to decorate. I love the new Hocus Pocus paper!

  28. barb says:

    I am planning on joining the sugar skull swap..sounds great!

  29. Nancy S says:

    My son has a friend who’s really into sugar skulls. I think it would be fun to add to his collections. Thanks for all the great ideas!

  30. Lou Anne H. says:

    I can’t join the swap but I love the fruit plate and the gorgeous mulberry paper roses!

  31. Caprice Willert says:

    I love the day of the dead. I’m not able to join the sugar skull swap.

  32. Rabbit says:

    Love love this shrine: reminds me of my late mom handing out fruit for dessert! Sorry can’t join the swap right now but I’d love to try to do something with the skulls.

  33. Lana says:

    such creativity!

  34. Gerri herbst says:

    Simply perfect. I adore the shrine!

  35. Kathy Udlinek says:

    I took one look at Teri’s shrine and had to gasp! It is absolutely perfect! And I love the tiny paper roses. Can think of lots of uses besides on the sugar skull.

  36. Jill says:

    I can’t wait to make my own … I’ve never made one of these and it looks like a blast.

  37. ratgirl says:

    I haven’t decided if I’ll join the swap yet, but I’m very tempted! It just depends upon my schedule and when it is due. I know I’d use dresden, because that’s my favorite embellishment *ever* and possibly some velvet coated papers because I adore the texture and how much they remind me of old turn of the century wallpaper.

  38. Karen Mallory says:

    Another fun giveaway! love it all!

  39. Rise St Arno says:

    I love the Screaming Banshee Black. Sugar Skulls are my passion.. The shrine is fabulous.

  40. angelic says:

    I really like the skull cameo. The fruit tray is cut especially since the skeleton is holding the try.

  41. Sunny says:

    VERY clever – especially the ‘sugaring.’ I done it to tree branches and some chipboard shapes, but the idea of adding glitter to the skull image is SO creative.

  42. Lori Wilczek says:

    OH MY! I love sugar skulls! and anything Día de Muertos. I have never done any of the swaps before but this would be a great one for me to start. Rhinestones! the one I create would have rhinestones.

  43. Sokat says:

    Another great post. Such imagination and talent. Love the pinks and oranges. Not sure if I will participate but would love to try my hand at creating .

  44. Jan Korzenaskie says:

    I love Day of the Dead! It’s a beautiful package!

  45. julie m says:

    Won’t be able to enter the swap, but Dia de los Muertos is my favorite holiday. So this giveaway is would provide some fun time.

  46. Gail S says:

    I cannot join the swap , but I love the 3rd skull cameo.

  47. Lynn H Slotkin says:

    I’ve never participated in a swap… But this one has enticed me! Love Halloween and Frida Kahlo… So that’s the way I am leaning. Want to try the Lindys sprays!

  48. Diana Bittaker says:

    Can not join swap but so love the tombstone and skeleton with the fruit bowl!

  49. Kathleen says:

    Don’t think I can join the swap, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love sugar skulls! I keep a permanent Halloween display up in my house all year long! I love the violet purple teal – that name says it all! Add a little turquoise and a little pink,(and of course, black), and wow! you have delicious colors!

  50. Carolyn says:

    Sorry I will not be able to participate in the swap, but IlLove that halloween skull cameo and I would paint it with Jack in the Pulpit Teal. Just thr right amount of wrong! Teri did a marvelous job on her shrine!

  51. Debra Gibson says:

    I love Sugar Skulls! I would use polymer clay and some Alpha Stamps embellishments !!!!!! Lot’s of pretty flowers and bling !! Thank’s for the chance to win !!!

  52. KIM says:

    I have a fascination with anything about Day of the Dead.
    Especially sugar skulls and shrines.
    The swap maybe, this would be a great one to try.

  53. Tanya says:

    Love the sugar skulls. Maybe on the swap, not sure yet.

  54. Lisa R. says:

    Hello Alpha Stamps community!!! This would be a fantastic addition to my haunted hallowed eve. Witch castle I’m brewing for ole hallows Eve. This year ( cuz it’s gonna take a few months to put together and will send to Leslie when done. 😊 I am in LOVE WITH THE LINDYS STAMP GANG SPRAYS!!! I have quite a few of them and WANT THESE NEW COLORS!!! I would love to join the skull swap, who would like to swap with me?! LOVE THIS SHINE AND HOPEFULLY ILL GET LUCKY AGAIN!! Lol thanks for the chance to win this giveaway!!!! Have a fabulous day all!! Blessed be!!!!

  55. I like my sugar skulls with bright colors and lots of flowers.

  56. Vicki Jacobs says:

    The charm of that toothy grin along with the bright yellow rose that I can’t resist. Alas, I will not join the swap. If I could I would try the Lindys Stamp Gang – Moon Shadow Mist – Buccaneer Bay Blue on a sugar skull or tombstone altar. Long live Halloween!

  57. Amanda Miller says:

    Love these sugar skulls! Great ideas.

  58. Susan M. L. says:

    This is something I could sink my bones, I mean TEETH, into! I’ll sign up for the swap and will use the Sugar Skull Parts Collage Sheet, Dresden borders and lots of sparkly things and flowers! I absolutely adore the shrine!!

  59. LeAnn says:

    The Jack in the pulpit teal and the sweet violet purple teal. Love those two colors together.

  60. Megan Warren says:

    Love the sugar skulls and adore the shrine

  61. Ginette says:

    love it

  62. Jackie says:

    What an incredible shrine! Would love to make this!

  63. Liz Johnson says:

    I’ve never done one of your swaps before and this one looks like So. Much. Fun. I love sugar skulls and shrines and I like Dia de Los Muertos waaayyyy more than I like Halloween. For sure I will use the sugar skull parts collage sheet, and I’m sure I will find many other uses for that collage sheet as well. I also want to use the TH lace stencil and try out the Lindys Stamp Gang sprays. Colors? Black, red, turquoise, marigold yellow, pinks…

  64. Sylvia L. says:

    I cannot join the swap, but I’d definitely try the
    Violet & teal spray. I love purple as a Halloween color.

  65. Sheila R says:

    I will do the swap. I know mine will have glitter, beyond that who knows??! Something festive! Halloween and DOTD my favorite holidays. Teri’s shrine is beyond cool, would love all the goodies she used. Thanks for hosting this!

  66. Heather says:

    Holly Cannoli!! I don’t even know where to start!! The shrine project is FABULOUS, but the Sugar Skulls is where my heart is!! I have been doing Sugar Skull art work for the past 5 years. The colors are so incredibly vibrant and full of life. My favorite colors when painting Sugar Skulls are marigold yellows/oranges, fuschia, reds and turquoise. Dia de los Muertos is a beautiful holiday to honor and remember those people who we’ve lost. It’s a huge holiday in our home and my community. I would love to participate in the swap. It will be my first one with Alpha Stamps!

  67. A Kastan says:

    I can’t join the swap right now, but I would probably use Dylusions spray inks because they are such intense colors. Traditional sugar skulls seem like that to me. I would put a steampunk flare to it.

  68. Jackie Neal says:

    I’m really digging the Banshi Black and the Hottie Patotti Hot Pink! I so love Sugar Skulls!

  69. Dennis Lawrence says:

    Wow! That skull cameo is fantastic! Great artwork!

  70. Lisa Mills says:

    I’m not sure what I would make. They look like loads of fun though! Hummmm, it has me stumped. Thanks for the giveaway. Lisa