chayoooo

Lil Sid and Melina halloween

as i mentioned before, not much greater an honor.
my champs looking better as me than i do.

New Cee-Lo Green album

i had to post this. it is very hot. take a listen at NPR

Terminal 5 Group Show

Lazarides Gallery

Works on display by JR, Vhils, Conor Harrington, Antony Micallef, Jonathan Yeo and David Choe. Its on until the 18th of November, make sure you go see it. >> \\//

Group shows are always fun as you can see different styles of work in the one gallery.. David Choe's work was a particular favourite. (Below)

Adam Neate

Elms Lesters Gallery

I caught Adam Neate's solo show 'The Flock Series' in its last days, and was very glad that I didn't miss it. Adam Neate has evolved his work into something remarkable. And you can witness this in the five different 3d mixed-media paintings. He's set them in order of creation - and once viewing them all, you can see the evolution of the use of the different materials. He's used perspex, metal, paint and spraycans. Up close, you can admire the skill and perfect handiwork. The materials layered are a sight to see, and from afar, the works look like a painting.

Fiona and Paul, owners and curators of the Elms Lesters Painting Rooms in central London, were kind enough to show me around the show.

'The Flock Series' book is also available to purchase. And its well worth the £45 rrp. It has been created using the same materials used on Adam Neate's work. The cover is created from perspex and spine uses the same material used on each of the five paintings; borders. Best of all - its printed in London!

Dinner in Soho - I always walk by this place and finally visited it. Sitting in the window, great location for people watching..

Posh fish and chips

Disaster d

Amazing illustrations by Daria Bogdanska

claudiu

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Dia de los Muertos Blog Hop and HDH Freaker's Free for All

Welcome to the Dia de los Muertos Blog Hop! If you've come from Emma's Blog right track. If not, you might want to start HERE so you don't miss a thing. By now you've got the whole Dia de los Muertos celebration down so I won't go over it again. My twist may not be exactly traditional (being of Swedish and Bohemian descent) , but the spirit is there for sure. I do my whole hutch and sideboards as ofrendas or alters.

Here is a picture of my paternal Grandfather decorated with traditional marigolds.

I always heard that Grandpa came home after work and read the dictionary. He was not well educated but strove to better himself by learning new words each day. I was lucky enough to inherit that dictionary as well as his glasses and the magnifying glass he used to read with. He also love his cigars. My happy skeleton is holding his cigar case while sitting on the very dictionary he read night after night. I have his bowler too and a picture of him wearing it. I think he is happy that his habits are remembered.

In Mexico they decorate the graves but I live so far away that that is not possible. Instead I made a cross from marigolds that sits atop an epergne filled with candles. In the past I made this of fresh marigolds and oasis but finally decided that using silk made way more sense. Now I have it for year after year.

My hutch is also a giant ofrenda honoring a whole slew of people who are important to me.

I've collected some traditional Mexican art like this Catrina and the platter and vase with her likeness below. Isn't she beautiful?

Here's my food offering. I made a mini pan de muertos and the carafe is water. I've been making this bread since my Junior High Spanish teacher, Mrs. Parizek, introduced it to us. YUM! The top is decorated with (what's supposed to look like) little bones. HERE'S the recipe.

This shelf honors my parents. This is their wedding picture as well as the top of their wedding cake. I've made sugar skulls for each of them.

My sugar skulls were made using the traditional molds from HERE. Since cake decorating isn't my forte and I wanted these to last, I decorated them with Polymark dimensional fabric paint. Love the vivid colors but the paint sort of melted into the sugar a bit. I was hoping it would work more like decorative icing. (Back to the drawing board!) The names of my departed loved ones are written across the forehead. Ralph and Edna are my parent's names. (BTW, those are their wedding rings)

I also used the paint to decorated my string of skull lights in the Dia de los Muertos theme too. Pretty festive, eh? Remember, this is a fiesta honoring life, not death and is a very happy occasion.

These are my mother's sisters. They are very dear to me. My middle name is Lee, derived from Orletha. This is her high school graduation picture on the left. It was the roaring 20's and bobbed hair was all the rage so Auntie Lee cut her long locks in the style of the day and that is her braid. Her Grandma refused to talk to her for years after that. LOL The braid was kept in a box of Midnight in Paris perfume which reminds me of her to this day. On the right is my Aunt Rhoda. She was very fond of hats so I made a sort of Catrina card with a big fancy hat for her on my Cricut. The skull is from Indy Art and the hat was fashioned in DS from George.

I could go on and on but you've another stop to make. But before you go, please leave a comment for a chance to win this Tim Holtz Alterations Texture Fades set signed (with love, no less) by the famous Tim Holtz himself! WooHoo! I'll draw the winner on Wednesday so come on back and see if you won, okay? There are also fabulous prizes along the way and a grand prize if you comment on all of the blogs so what are you waiting for? Start HERE if you haven't already.

Now and go visit Jessica! and be sure to stop over to Haunted Design House to check out what the reat of the Minions are offering for the Freakers Free For All (meaning ANYTHING goes!).

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS BLOG HOP

ETA:
(Edited To Add)

BLOG HOP IS NOW CLOSED

THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOU WHO TOOK THE TIME TO BECOME A FOLLOWER AND THE ONES WHO TOOK THE TIME TO COME, VISIT AND LEFT A COMMENT. AS SOON AS TIME PERMITS I WILL BE ANNOUNCING THE LUCKY WINNER OF THE SUGAR SKULL SCRABBLE PENDANT.

LOVE YOU ALL

-----------------------------------

The day has come for the

"Dia de los Muertos Blog Hop".

November 1st is "Saint's Day" and November 2nd is "Dia de los Muertos" and the blog hop will last both days.

This is what I made for the celebration.
Sugar Skull Wall Hanging

I want to honor all my loved ones who are not here with me, especially my grandparents.

They raised me and I lived with them until it was High School time for me. I then moved with my mom.

I loved my grandparents to death. When I was little I used to tell my grandmother I was going to die with her when her time would come. She was my role model and I adored her. Her name was Maria and they used to call my grandfather Yito but his real name was Liborio. My love for them will never die.

I used Rock Princess (one of the carts I got at ACM for 35$) image #45 cut at 6.5" and the base is from Just Because Cards cut at 10".

I like how it came out in a big size like this and I have it hang it on my kitchen wall already until Nov 1st that I will hang it on my front door then. Did I tell you I love my kitchen....it is all me in and out. It is an old kitchen but I have worked it just they way I wanted it. :)

This is my giveaway for the blog hop and the winner will be picked randomly. You do not have to be a follower but if you do I will appreciate it but I appreciate even more your comments on my work :)

Come back once in a while and leave some love...:)

A"Scrabble Tile" from

Wickedly Mod Pendants

(click on the name to go to her shop and see all kind of beauties she sells in her ETSY shop)

Wickedly Mod Pendants are my SPONSORS today. They were so very generous and DONATED this tile for the Blog Hop, and it is to die for, lmbo.........absolutely gorgeous. Who ever wins will be a happy camper, lol.

I will add Wickedly Mod Pendants shop to my side bar shop for a few weeks in appreciation for donating/sponsoring a giveaway here at my blog. Look on my right side bar, in case you are interested in getting your own. There are so many it will be hard just to settle for one. wink-wink.

I purchased two more tiles with their chains for my SERENADE giveaway. These ones come with the chain too and in a very pretty velvety black pouch. They are awesome. I can't say enough of them.

Now you have to start hopping or re-hopping to get to the other talented ladies who might or might not have a giveaway but certainly they will have something for you to enjoy and appreciate.

A special thanks to Abby and Gaby for giving me the opportunity to participate in their

"Dia de los Muertos" Blog Hop.

and in case you get lost in the web, way below you will find the line up and their links

Thanks so much for playing along.

AND............one more thing.
This is a photo of the "Grand Giveaway" for hoppers who comment on ALL blogs.

Abby and Gaby are taking care of this part.