Mutterings of a Mad Woman

Lately I've gotten a number of requests for a polymer clay pumpkin how-to. I haven't had the time to write one, but I can offer you a distraction in the meantime.

Thanks to Haura Laura, I can point you in the direction of a simple skull tutorial on www.polymerclaycentral.com.

The most important information to glean from this tutorial is that you don't need special tools to shape and carve. While certain tools can help (and certainly make life easier), you'll note the artist uses a pin for the detailing.

Household items will work just fine. Instead of using the tool shown in the tutorial for the eyes, look around for similarly shaped objects (like a pen lid, for instance).

Am I grounded? I've missed three days of blogging and feel a bit out of sorts (and guilty). Perhaps if I entertain you with stories of what kept me away, you'll forgive me.

Like many other people, I took advantage of the warm weather this past weekend and decided it was time to attack my garden.

I don't find gardening relaxing despite what people say. Sure, the end product helps me to feel calm, and perhaps the cold cider I'm drinking takes the edge off while I take a break from accidentally butchering the flowers and plants in my garden.

I do a lot of shrugging in those moments, completely baffled by the task at hand.

But a real head-scratcher was when I was standing in my driveway, looking toward the large elm tree in the backyard. High up in the branches was a dark, mossy form. Does my tree have a fungus? Oh no...is it a wasps nest?

Do you have a picture of Frankenstein's Monster you want to share with the world? Or perhaps you just can't get enough of his pretty face. Either way, there's a website that may be of interest to you.

A Patchwork of Flesh is a Frankenstein's Monster portrait project coming to us from the United Kingdom. Cruise the website to see the current 'artist trading cards' or find out how to get involved.

Here's a quote from the creator:

I am attempting to amass a large collection of portraits of Frankenstein's Monster in as many different styles and in as many different media as possible as an ongoing art project. The only stipulation is that the size is 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches (standard artist trading card size) and that each card has name, date, title and anything else you care to add on the back. I welcome cards from both amateur and professional artists.

I've had Bill Basso's website bookmarked for weeks. His art is so beautiful I feel as if I should apologize for delaying this post.

William Basso's father, Bill Basso Sr, has also done some Halloween art. Talent and creativity runs in the family:

Growing up in a household where both parents were artists exposed Bill Basso to all types of art from a very young age. Combining equal amounts of horror movie magazines and comic books with Renaissance or Eastern European art, for example, helped to shape Bill’s artistic sensibilities.