Saturday, June 4, 2011

Massive Skull Appreciation Day Blog Hop Today!!!

Hello everyone!!! Today is the day, the sun is shining, the tank is clean,....... oh wait, that's Nemo. Today's the day, and all the skulls are out to play! There we go. Thanks for joining me at the beginning of our first ever Smeared and Smudged Skull Appreciation Day Blog Hop! What, what? Yes, you heard me right. Skull Appreciation Day!

Our friends over at Skull A Day started a campaign to get today, June 4th, officially recognized as National Skull Appreciation Day, and we decided to hitch a ride on the bandwagon and show our support by hosting a massive skully-filled blog hop! On today's hop you will find an amazing variety of skull projects featured on 37 different blogs, plus tons of prize winning opportunities.

To start, we have some prizes to give out here on the S&S Blog. To be entered to win, all you have to do is hop through the participating blogs and then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite project(s) and whose blog it came from. (I'd also, of course, love to hear what you think about mine, but that won't get you entered). You have until Tuesday at midnight to comment. We will be choosing winners by random number on Wednesday.

The prizes up for grabs on this blog are:
Quoth The Raven stamp set from Smeared Ink
Anatomy 101 digi stamp set from Smeared Ink
Alas Poor Yoric digi stamp from Delicious Doodles
5 Stamp Skully Grab Bag from Third Coast Rubber Stamps
A necklace of your choice from Black Dragon's Dark Art Trinkets and More
Skull Keychain from Nydia at Bringing Up Salamanders

Also, be sure to visit every blog, cause you never know when another sponsor prize may pop up! Winners for those prizes will be chosen by the individual blog, so pay attention to their criteria for entering.

So, now that you've got the low down on the prizes, it's time to roll out the cranium fodder! For my project I created a mixed media canvas that features the side-facing skull from Smeared Ink's Anatomy 101 digi set.





*click for larger view


My title is The Essential Journey, and the idea behind it is that we all have to go through certain stages in our life before we hit "freedom". The four butterflies are named Birth, Pain, Love, and Freedom. The journaling by her arm, in case you can't read my wonderfully messy handwriting, says "The Essential Journey at the heart of it all".

After taking a long hard look at this one, I think I may come back in later to add a few things, so we'll call this a work in progress. But isn't that an AWESOME skull!?! Just the first of many you will see on today's journey through blog land.

So now I am going to share with you the very impressive blog roll. Don't get overwhelmed, take your time and peruse them at your leisure. Some blogs may feature the whole blog roll, and some may point you in the direction of the next person in line, but if you get lost just swing back by here to find your way again. I hope you thoroughly enjoy sharing this awesome day with us and that you find yourself dreaming of amazing skulls tonight.

Don't forget to come back at the end and leave your comment to be entered to win prizes. Have fun!









































43 comments:

  1. I love journal pages and this is just superb. Love the butterflies coming from her hand and the skull staring at her is well freaky cool x

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  2. OMG i LOVE LOVE LOVE kaprees projects for this blog hope!! i think there amazing ! i am having trouble leaving comments but i think all the work is amazing !! and i think yours is too!!
    you can find me at amiecooper.blogspot.com

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  3. wow! this is phenom fabby!
    I haven't had a chance to do the hop yet, but had to let you know that your project is flat out amazing! :)
    thanks for letting me take part in this wonderful hop!

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  4. WOW - fabulous piece of artwork - just LOVE it. Superbly creative
    Hugz
    Ike xx

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  5. Super great painting!!!! Love that skull!!!

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  6. I adore this canvas Terra and i'm even more impressed by the fact you used a digi! Stunning work.
    xxx

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  7. Wow! That is amazing how you worked the skull into the painting :)

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  8. This is very cool! I like that the skull is subtle. Your colors are fabulous! An uplifting piece for sure!

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  9. That is very artistic. I love the colours scheme and the side-on skull - yes, that's a fantastic image! The butterflies look great and are a clever contrast ..giving them their stage of life names is truly inspirational. Excellent job!

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  10. Very cool canvas! I'd love to learn how to make such a project. What's that? You're going to do a tutorial series? Fantastic!

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  11. Fabulous canvas!! I LOVE it!!!

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  12. FABTABULOUS BLOG HOP - Thank you.
    Just had to join in so did a project here;
    http://suzy-ikesworld.blogspot.com/2011/06/skull-appreciation-day.html

    Hugz
    Ike xx

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  13. It has taken me two and a half very enjoyable hours seeing all the amazing projects. Wow, what talented people! I promise I visited every single blog - but I couldn't comment at all of them because I was commenting via the "name and URL" way and not all allowed me too sign in this way..which was a real shame because I wanted to comment!
    MY favourites:-

    *Jane's bookmarker & coffin
    *Freddie's beautiful card and wall hanging - just beautiful!
    *Black Dragon's stunning jewellery
    *Susan's therapy journal page
    *Dianne's music sheet - love it!
    *Barb's card - fabulous
    *Teri's card - excellent
    *Prissy's Mr & Mrs Wee R Dead
    *Lady B's mini skulls on skull ..and Ken & Barbie, lol!
    *Kate's card - love it!
    * Dragonfly Jane's matchbox and book - amazingly special!

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  14. Wey Hey I'm first lol I love your project Terra, Truely awesome>

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  15. Your project is great, and I made it all the way through the hop and I gotta say Prissy's Mr & Mrs Wee R Dead , they were fabulous

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  16. All of the projects were totally awesome! Really impossible to pick a fave. I'm always in awe of mixed media projects (like yours and Tori's journal cover)because I'm clueless how to do that stuff and of course BD never ceases to AMAZE! Loving everything Dia de los Muertos, especially Prissy's box. Great altered items and jewelry. The digi work is fab and the crocheting and felting. Unbelievable stamping and coloring...did I miss anything? what I'm really saying is this was one fanfreakintastic hop! xxD

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  17. I love this altered canvas piece. You are very talented. I saw several great pieces but I would have to say I love my friend Prissy's book. I watched her make it start to finish and love all the little details she added.

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  18. Your canvas is superb! :D I'm about to go leave a vent about Word Verification on the forum though; would you PLEASE consider turning it off? If you have Comment Moderation enabled, then spam comments can't get published anyway :D

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  19. Just starting the hop- ur project is cute! Butterflies and a skull! I am the same way sometimes with projects- they always seem like they need more. lol

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  20. And I forgot to leave my favourites! Fabulous projects by everyone, but for truly elegant gothic beauty, I love Fiona's card, Dragonfly Jane's mini book in a box, and BlackDragon's jewellery. But, because it made me literally LOL, and I do love a bit of lolling with my darkside, Lady B's Ken and Barbie expose has to be my outright winner, I'll be giggling over that one for a while :D
    And THANK YOU so much for turning off the WV, you are a star! :D

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  21. Your canvas is fantastic a awesome piece of art
    Luv Jane xxx

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  22. This canvas piece is absolutely fantastic, Terra! LOVE the skull image and all of the details... beautiful work!

    Sorry, but I can't pick a favorite of the hop... there were so many great projects! Thanks so much for hosting such a fun hop!

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  23. I love your mixed media canvas, it's something I've tried and struggled with in the past. You have mastered the art, it looks fantastic and full of meaning. I love your story behind it.

    Frith x

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  24. Love your canvas, and I am pretty sure that I, like Lady B, heard you mention a tutorial/class. Thank you so much!!!

    Ok- pick a favorite? I can't, I can not narrow it to just one.

    ok- so my short list...
    Tori's- Zombie killing journal
    Dragonfly Jane- book of the dead
    Lynx- steampunk skull
    Andrea- the mini skulls with top skulls
    Prissy- Mr & Mrs. Wee Dead
    Donna- skull music sheet.

    and all the rest too!!!!

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  25. Hi Terra, I got stuck at work late (I work at a Veterans Home)but got my blog project posted today. Sorry for the tardiness. Better late than never!

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  26. I have really enjoyed today's journey through cranium creations! This is my first blog hop so it was extra special for me. It is hard to pick a favorite, but Kate used my favorite Kenny K digi-stamp so I will vote for her. Thanks for an exciting adventure!

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  27. love the skull but had to look for it as I was looking at the overall picture and then wow it just popped out. love it

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  28. What a great message and a beautiful showcase of the skull!! Like I emailed you before, you really need to do this more often...loving this! So glad we celebrated Skull Appreciation Day!!

    :)tOri

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  29. D'oh! How can I pick a fav with so many awesome entries? Perhaps I will flip a coin to decide. Fantastic work, ladies and gents!

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  30. Wow, I loved your project! That summons up pretty well what life i about, Terra!

    I'm excited to be prt of this awesome blog party, can't wait to visit all the other participants! :)

    Oh, just blogged about it!

    Kisses from Nydia.

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  31. Oh my goodness! What an awesome way to spend skull appreciation day! I have had the privilege to see so much cranial related art... my skull runneth over!
    Your piece is fantastic! I visited every single blog and commented on each and every one, they all deserved the comments!!!
    My favorites are (it was hard to choose!):
    The Journal done by Tori @ Ndustrial Lemon
    CajunStampingQueens bracelet. amazing
    haunted Design House's card.
    The card done by Delicious Darkness
    Both the Canvas and the stunning skullicious jewelry pieces at Black Dragon
    Creepy Glowbugs odd 3D skull and finally Susan's Crafty Chaos paper/card.

    Simply beautiful and amazing creations!!!!
    Thanks for doing this blog hop. I will have to keep up with these crafters - delicious art to sweeten my soul

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  32. I am loving this canvas, and the "journey" behind it! I'll be back with further comment.
    But I wanted to know your canvas has touched me, and is very deep and spiritual in it's own way.
    inky hugs,
    Susan

    PS... are you the one that is having the "destash"...I commented a question or 2 on that post, and waiting for answers as I'd like to make an offer on a large number of the items.

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  33. Amazing project... the longer I look at it the more I see- subtleties in color, design, etc.

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  34. love your project! i makes me want to touch it! love the girl and the skull! it's hard to pick one favoriate, everyone did a wonderful job! but i would have to go with blackdragon! all the wonderful jewerly she made! love the hop!!!!

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  35. finished the hop and there is absolutely no way I could pick out a fave. they are all amazing - each one as unique and creative as the person behind them..... beauties indeed! :)

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  36. Hi again Terra! BTW thanks again for my initial invite to S&S, and I am so sorry I waited so long lurking.
    I had a ball, er um Bone on this hop!

    In no particular order these are my fav projects throughout the hop:

    Kate's...No Angel card, stunning!!
    Creppyglowbug's...adorable whimsical clay skull...love the eyes
    Dawn's... blue skull card, such wonderful colors!
    Prissy's ...awesome Book of the dead and the adorable Mr. & Mrs. Wee R Dead
    Tori's...Superb Journal cover
    Kapree's...rockin CD Jewelry
    Dragonfly Jane...awesome Matchbook box and little cemetery book (this is so totally something I would make, and love, I have a thing for cemeteries and gravestones. I was especially touched that some of the gravestones were her ancestors.
    Judi B's...adorable card! great stamp and I LURVE that paper!

    Last but not least digital manipulation to create images...Susan's wonderful rosey skull!

    I look forward to next's years skully hop!!
    inky hugs,
    Susan

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  37. There were SO many fabulous skullies, but I'm going to say my favorite is DragonFly Jane's cemetery mini album because I love to scrapbook my cemetery pics (it gives me an excuse to go out and take more!)

    Enjoyed the hop! Thanks for creating such a wonderful reason to celebrate!

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  38. wow Terra! this is amazing! and that skull looks so cool! the whole message of this piece is just wonderful! thanks for the inspiration.

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  39. Love this skull picture of yours. The butterflies as representational of elements of life is fantastic.
    As for choosing out of the amazing artwork along the way. I can't do it. Each piece has a piece of the artist and as such is beauty in it's own right.

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  40. I finally finished the hop...wow what an amazing group of artists! I'm lovin' your canvas, from the skull in the background to the colors to the girl with the butterflies and the journaling, this turned out beautifully.

    It's hard to pick a fave everyone did such amazing work.

    Can't wait for the next hop :)

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  41. Your project is wonderful. I need to come back and visit your blog to check out what you've been up to lately!

    I'm still going through the blog hop list. How fabulous that you got so many hoppers.

    My favorite project is Blackdragon's. I'm still awestruck...

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  42. This is such a beautiful canvas Terra! Love the butterflies and what they symbolize to you, and their bright colors compared to the rest of the project. Gorgeous!
    As far as a fave project, it'd be too hard to choose one because each one is so unique. That was the best part of our hop - that every project was different and special. Thank you to you and Tori for doing this. methinks we need a zombie apocalypse blog hop someday

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