Cyborg

Hello.

I have been gone a while, but it's not because I don't like you guys.

It is because I died.
4 times.

Confused?  Me too.  All I know is what I was told.

I had a heart attack on September 12, and died.  I was asleep when it happened.  Had it not been for my amazing super hero husband, you wouldn't hear from me again.  He woke due the noise I was making, and when he turned on the light I wasn't breathing.  He says he literally saw the light leave my eyes.  He administered CPR and called 911.  In high school my husband had chosen to skip P.E. one day and learn CPR.  He said he just thought it would be good to know, and so it was.

I was in the hospital a month total. I had to have a pacemaker installed, which now makes me a cyborg.  I've got this neat scar on my chest and you can see the shape of the battery pack if I move a certain way.  A pacemaker does just that, keep your heart at the correct pace.  I had 4 heart attacks total, and flatlined 4 times.  I was in a coma for about 24 hours.  All I remember is waking up in the hospital wondering what the hell happened, and why couldn't I walk?  Heart stopping = no oxygen to the brain.  I have anoxia, which is a brain injury.  It caused me to have to relearn my basic functions.  I could talk and was coherent, but aloof and very weak.  I've had to learn to walk, write, and work on my cognitive abilities.

During my stay I received the most amazing amount of support, near and far.  Thank you to the minions at HDH for the AMAZING works of art you sent, and to anyone else I've forgotten, thank you so much.

I type this from my craft room, which is on the 2nd floor of my home.  That is a SUPER big deal, because it means I walked up the stairs.  It took a few minutes, and my husband assisted slightly, but it is a milestone compared to two months ago.  I'm not quite at 100% yet, but I'll take it.  I'll be there soon enough.  Hope you'll see some work from me soon.

Bad Moon Rising..

I know, the song is stuck in my head too.

The Macabre Monday theme this week is the MOON.  One of my favorite things, being that it's the only natural light I see.

I heard about a cool artist on called Sureya from a Creepy pal of mine, and when checking out her art I found something cute I thought would work.

I love the contrast of dark and light.  I used a different medium to color her this time-colored pencils.  Not to bad, but I prefer my Copics.

I used some sparkly light yellow paper for my moon, and smudged it up with a little ink.  Hope you like it.

Kenny K-Anything Goes!

I love Anything Goes challenges, don't you?

Here is what I cooked up for the Kenny K Krafty Krew challenge this week.

Isn't this a cute wedding couple?  I love the booty bump!  I paired the blue with some glittery white cardstock to match the shimmer I put in her dress, although it didn't photograph well.  A cutesy project is a bit out of my norm, but I dig it.  I have a few other cute projects in the works...watch out!

HDH147-Who you callin' a Succubus?

Haunted Design House this week asks us to use a Succubus as our inspiration.  A succubus, plainly, is a female demon.  I've known a couple in my few hundred years on this earth, and have destroyed a few as well.  They aren't all that bad.

The sponsor this week is Kenny K.  Kenny is one of my all time favorite artists.  His ladies are some of the sexiest I've seen. I heart Kenny's girls so hard!  Who knew a line drawing could be so hot?  Makes you wonder if Kenny's inspiration is a Succubus.  Whoever she is, she's beautiful.  I knew I had to come up with something special.

I love women.  We are so versatile.  We are soft, pretty, we smell good...and we are EVIL.  Incarnate.  Wars have been fought for the ample bosom of a woman.  Humans, animals, and the whole supernatural community have fallen victim to women.

I had trouble deciding what Kenny K cutie I wanted to use.  So here is what I did.

I used 6 of them.  I have more, and I must say it was hard to bring it down to 6.  Like the succubi I've encountered, they are irresistible.  Repeated intercourse with a Succubus can lead to deterioration of health, and even death.  Thus the gravestones.  Succubi thrive on the suffering men go through just to be with them, right to the bitter end.  Temptation is a fitting word for the beauty on that page.  As soon as I read the word Succubus, the word temptation came to me, which made me think of the song Temptation by the band Cradle of Filth, which made me think of their album Bitter Suites to Succubi, which made me think of a fitting lyric on another of their songs, Nymphetamine.  It reads-

Six feet deep is the incision

In my heart that barless prison

Discolors all with tunnel vision

Sunsetter

Nymphetamine

Sick and weak from my condition

This lust, this vampyric addiction

To her alone in full submission

None better

Nymphetamine

My mind moves so fast at times.

 I've used Carmen Electrifying, Miss Fortune, Heidi Hot Rod, Pitstop Penny, Allura Von D, and the wonderful Honey Sparks who I got the pleasure of naming.  

To top it off, above Honey I added an old picture of me in my "younger" days.  Bat wings and all.

Succulent Succubus.

It's a Free for All!

This week's Macabre Monday theme at Haunted Design House is Freakers Free for All.  Do what you like.  So I did.

I used this beauty from Dilly Beans.  However due to my sick nature, I had to zombie her up.  I left his card simple due to her lonely look.  Hope you enjoy it.

Macabre Monday Move Madness

Last week I used cool Alice in Wonderland images from Spesch Stamps for my HDH challenge.  I bet the Minions shared a little giggle when they saw it, being that Spesch is the sponsor this week, and damn near all of them used those same images.  Am I a week behind psychic?  =)

The Macabre Monday challenge this week asks us to use a movie as our inspiration.  Easy peasy, right?

No.

Not as easy peasy as I thought.  I immediately went clown, thinking I would use Killer Klowns from Outer Space, or It. I have a cool new monster clown image I have been dying to use.  I colored him all up...and hated him.  Completely.  One of those polished turds.  I thought for sure I wasn't going to make it.

I started going through my images for inspiration, and happened upon something perfect. 

This is a cute freebie I got from Papelitos Stamps.  I made her into the Grady twins from Stephen King's The Shining(the movie, obviously).  I used some flocked paper for the bg to represent the walls of the Overlook Hotel, where the Grady twins and a few others met their demise.  I don't have a blood drip/goo punch, so I did some fussy cutting.  My last dilemma was finding a font to type out their invitation to Danny Torrence in.  I didn't have anything close, and my own handwriting didn't work either.  Some noises from the other room reminded me of something that would help.

I have a six year old.

My nephew was removed from his mom's care last October due to her negligence and he was placed with us.  He's a great kid, and we have been able to help him quite a bit.  I had him write out my sentiment and then traced it.  It upped the creep factor quite a bit, if you ask me.

Won't it be funny if Papelitos is the sponsor next week?

HDH142-Music Mayhem

How fun is this?  Macabre Monday says use a song as your inspiration this week.

I immediately went where I always do, and quickly chose the song Death Walking Terror by Cannibal Corpse.  I always love working with dead stuff, and I had some cool Alice in Wonderland images from Spesch Stamps colored up for a while waiting to be put to use.

See?  I thought she would be a perfect example of Death Walking Terror.  Until a conversation with Mr. Korpsgryndr reminded me of a song that would work much, much better.

White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane.

I went with a 12x12 sheet for this.  The song White Rabbit is based on Alice in Wonderland, or a bad drug trip, which defines that story for me.  A bad drug trip.  Through the looking glass my ass. I wanted my project to reflect the insanity that was Alice's"trip" down the rabbit hole.  I thought the spiral bg paper worked well for that.  The houndstooth pattern paper made my head spin so I had to work with it face down until I was ready to stick it all together.  Looking at this now still makes me feel all woozy.  Mission accomplished.  I got some cool handmade bottles down there, and my beloved Cheshire Cat.  All that's left of the Queen is her crown, unfortunately.  Looks like the rabbit met the same fate.
Grace Slick (singer of Jefferson Airplane) wails out that last line "feed your head" with such passion so I added that as well.

Here's a very Mad Hatter.  He wasn't necessarily mentioned in the song, but he was still there

 Absilim, or hookah smoking caterpillar, was found from a Google search HERE.

Would you look at the time? I must go.  I'm late for a very important date.

HDH141-Butchered Blueprint

This is our inspiration this week from Macabre Monday at Haunted Design House.  Butchered blueprint.  You got that right.

I admit I automatically signed myself out of this challenge.  I thought there was no way I could have matched that.  We were to use the layout exactly, or take creative license.  The DT work this week was great as always, but I still didn't see it.  Until yesterday.

Hopefully you an follow along.  I turned it on it's side, and moved the layout around a bit.  My sun became a vintage wedding photo I got from Free Vintage Digis.  I zombie'd the couple, naturally.  Filigree and purty flowers around it, and my lovely blood drops to signify the sword.  I ripped the patterned bg paper and used some Glow Brainz on the side for my laces.  I must say I sat there for quite some time trying to figure out how the hell to lace up this damn thing.  The brains won out.  I have surprised myself once again.

HDH140-Vile Vintage

I thought this project would be quite a challenge.  The Macabre Monday theme this week tells us to use something vintage and make it vile, or vice versa.  I almost didn't try...until I found that little light bulb burning deep inside my head.  Here is what shone in it.

The main image is a picture of my Mother(on the left) and her older sister, around 5 and 6 years old.  It has always been a slightly creepy picture to me because they look like Siamese twins.  They aren't, in case you were wondering.

I scanned the photo and kept it the original 8x10 size.  I aged the photo with various ink and an emery board.  Added a few splat drops of blood.

Cool itkipuli image up there with an old earring I had laying around.

Of course I had to add a nice coroners tag.  My Mother being of the spirit world now, I found this part a little creepy as well.

Have a good weekend!

HDH139-Strange Brew

Here is the recipe the Minions at Haunted Design House cooked up for Macabre Monday.

2 Layers
1 main image
Some metal bits
Black pearls
Ribbon or trim
1 punched element

Here is what I concocted out of it.

Black card is my first layer. My second layer is also my main image, something Dark Tower themed.  I trimmed the picture with some black paper I cut all fancy like.  My metal bits are the plates in the corners, and his neato lasso I made out of earring/watch parts. Punched element is that crown at the bottom.  Black pearls on the corners as well.  Boom.

Must be off, places to go.  People to kill.

Our Best Friend

Many people I know have furry children.  We bring them into our home and make them a part of our family.  Some don't understand it, but they don't have too.  Our furry baby is Kona.  I bought her for Mr. Korpsgryndr in our first year together, for his birthday.  She was 5 weeks old.  She is an American Pit Bull Terrier, and a fine example of what a pit, or a dog, should be.  We are complete pit bull advocates, and have worked hard to try to help break the horrible stereotypes and discrimination these poor dogs endure.  Kona is our first baby, and has raised many children.

This is her and my nephew, Jayden, whom she's known since conception.  As far as she is concerned, Jayden is HER baby.  Kona has brought so much joy and happiness to those around her, and been the best friend and dog ANYONE  could ask for.  She is now 10, and was diagnosed with cancer a few months back.  It ain't really fixable.  There is no time limit, however the vet did explain that this cancer could spread.  It has. She has had bad knees for a few years.  Needless to say, Kona is now heading towards her final days.  We don't know when they will be, but we have noticed that she just isn't herself lately.  I can't put into words how much this dog means to me, or how much I feel I owe her.  She has given me so much, it would take me a lifetime to repay her loyalty and love.  She lives a wonderful, spoiled life, but that wasn't enough for me. 

I got her face, and her beautiful smile, forever on my leg.  Now, no matter what, she will always be with me.

HDH138-Eerie Elegance

Macabre Monday this week says to goth out something elegant.  I decided to do a little CASEing, in a way. 

I saw this image on Creepy G's page.  It's Draco from Simply Betty's Steampunk Hallowe'en line.  I dig the steampunk images from SB, but have always found them a bit difficult to color.  When I saw that Creepy G had blown up the image and cut it in half, it made so much sense!  So I did.  Draco himself is eerie elegance, with his dapper outfit and skull face.  It didn't come out to well in the photo(never frickin does), but the bg paper is a foil green which I love.  Had to had a little filigree and a black rose to really drive it home.  I even added a little dew on the flower purty with a Sakura gelly roll pen.  Fun.

Haunted Dilly Beans

Here is what I have cooked up this week.  I won this image from a Macabre Monday challenge sponsored by Dilly Beans.  I dig Megan's art and I finally got a chance to play with some. 

I wanted to use this image for HDH137-Perplexing Pigment Play, in which we must use black, purple, teal, and lime green.   These little dunce skellies were cool to color.   I also noticed the challenge at Dilly Beans this week is purple, so it's a win win for me! I will enter this in both challenges, if you please.  Even if I don't win, I had fun, which is what is important.  Unless we're talking about the lottery. 

HDH136-Truebie or not Truebie..

That IS the question.  I am a Truebie, among other various things.  I love True Blood, and we even have a nice little group that gathers every Sunday. We take turns on who is cooking who, etc.  Macabre Monday at Haunted Design House asks us to use TB this week to inspire.  That it did, and then some.  I am rather proud of my offering.

I got out all my TB paper dolls and finally put them to use.  My sister and I spent many hours as kids playing with paper dolls of various styles, though most were Barbie.  I remember them fondly.  The preparation was the funnest part.  Punching out all the clothes and such from their perforated sheets, ah so much fun.

Let me assure you that THESE paper dolls did not come like that.  I fussy cut EVERY SINGLE ONE of these bastards.  Not cool enough, you say?  Well, I even fussy cut every single outfit, including shoes, and Talbot up there.  You wouldn't believe how much trouble Jessica gave me.  She is 5 pieces alone.  My CTS is not happy this week, that's for sure.  Yep, they all come naked.  Okay, most are in underwear, but a few are naked.  I scored a super cool blood drip sticker from a crafty pal, and printed out a Merlotte's bg. Other than that and the cool TB sign, I wanted to let the cast speak for itself.  It was fun deciding what outfits to put them in.  For those of you who don't know(I can't imagine who wouldn't), here is the line up.

Top L-R-Russell Edgington(holding his beloved Talbot), Sam Merlotte, Jason Stackhouse(with a crazy Jessica behind him), Jessica Hamby, Hoyt Fortenberry, Alcide Herveax.

Bottom L-R-Tara Thornton, Pam Swynford de Beaufort, Eric Northman, Sookie Stackhouse, Bill Compton, Lafayette Reynolds.

I look forward to this Sunday when we join the cast again.  I am excited for the return of Russell, whom I believe is going to tear shit up along with the Vampire Authority.  The more blood the better!

Oh, and a little something for the die hard Truebies...

Told you they came nekkid.

HDH134-Long in the Tooth

I seem to remember one of my elders saying that, long in the tooth.  Can't remember what it means.  Oh well. 

Here is what I have scared up for Macabre Monday this week.  Use some form of teef's or dental stuffs.  Awaayy we go.

I chose to use one of my favorite couples, Count Dracula and Mina Harker, from one of my favorite movies, Bram Stoker's Dracula.  Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder did an excellent job in this film, and I love the whole bloody/tragic love story aspect.  Assuming using a vampire wouldn't be enough, I found some cool fangs on the net and jazzed em up a bit, to really drive the point home.  The sentiment is one that rings true in my life.

True love never dies.

HDH133-Hot as Hell

It is my wedding anniversary tomorrow.  8 wonderful years Mr. and I have had married, 11 years of annoying each other total.  I am completely obsessed with my husband. So much that I get quite the ribbing from lots of my friends about it.  I just say they're jealous they don't have anyone to obsess about.

I needed to make him a card of course, and wanted to play along with this weeks Macabre Monday challenge as well. Hot as Hell. Use some form of heat, whether it be a picture of fire, or something you did to your project.  Here is my submission--

I used Day of the Dead bride and groom from The Octopode Factory.  They are just so sweet!  My fire is that wonderful heart a flame in the background.  The sentiment says "A fire loses none of it's flame lighting another."  Mr. Korpsgryndr set me ablaze the very first time I saw him.  His blue eyes burned a hole right through me, and it is there that my fire for him resides.

Forever just isn't long enough.

HDH132-Gothic Make Over

Just in the nick of time, too!

Macabre Monday asks us this week to give something cute a gothic make over.

If only I could enter the actual people I've done this too.

I decided to go with a Kenny K Xmas image.  Here is what she looks like when I put her to use the first time.

`

Look at her, all cute with her Santa hat and poofy boots.  Shopping away for Christmas goodies.  Awww.

Here is what I did with her this week-

 She has embraced a darker side.  I went with the classic ghost white face so many goths wear, but wanted to add a little zazz.  I did some crazy paper piece work on her outfit and the bags.  Scissors sticking out of the bag, cut off boot/hat poofs, did some cool Liquid Applique/heat gun action, added a Glow Skull, and Mrs Claus has become Mrs. Korpsgryndr. I would rock the HELL out of this outfit...think I might have to make one for this cold season..winter is coming.

Hope you dig it.

Kenny K Challenge #91 Anything Goes

I love these challenges.  I love love love Kenny's art, and I love the freedom to play around with whatever.  Here's what I cooked up for the Krafty Girlz--

I used the lovely Lady Victoria from Kenny's steampunk line.  I became instantly intimidated once I printed her out.  That cape was gonna do me in, and I almost cut it off. Good thing I figured it out, and decided to paper piece it, along with her hat.  That a tons of layers made this up.  I love this card so much. I feel it's some of my best work. 

HDH131-CASE a Minion

CASE-Cope And Steal Everything. The challenge for this weeks Macabre Monday.  They want us to try to CASE one of the Haunted Design House Minions(are you freakin kidding me??).  Being that the Minions are AMAZING and some of us aspire to be so, they said we could at least use them as inspiration, but make sure to show which Minion you are CASEing.

I knew right away who'd I'd wanna CASE(I bet you do too).  I've been CASEing this woman for years now(more like stalking).  So you can imagine my shock and awe when I saw Creepy Glowbugg's Wretched Wednesday post.  A damn jewelry box? With cute little brain eating zombie cherubs?  You've got to be kidding me. There was no way I was coming even close to that. I had already made this decision, though, and with my newly redesigned craft room I really wanted to get back into these challenges. I almost gave up, until a quick conversation with Mr.Korpsgryndr gave me the inspiration I needed.  So...AWAY WE GO!

I started thinking of boxes I had that I could work with.  Then a light bulb popped in my head "You've got a coffin, dumbass."   This coffin was handmade for me. I have had it AT LEAST 20 years, if not longer.  It was a gift from a friend in high school, one who shared a love of the macabre with me. It's 10" long, a mini version.  I have carried this thing around with me everywhere I've moved in the last 20 years, and it's one of my favorite things being that it's one of a kind.  I've used it for many different purposes.  I decided it was time for a make over, a "facelift" if you will.

Ta daaaa!!! Check THAT out!

I took a few shots from Cannibal Corpse albums, and made my own version of a zombie box.

Used some creepy itkupilli kids for the ends.

This is the new top to my coffin.  I even threw on a couple GlowBrainz to stick the point home.  I used lots of blood gel from my trusty Hallowe'en kit for a more viscous look.  Added some to the brains as well, which I love.  All in all, I think I aced it. 

HDH121-Garden of Good and Evil

The minions at Haunted Design House have asked us to make a garden.  A garden in which the age old battle of good vs evil happens.  I had a few ideas in my head, but this is the one that made it's way out.

I used images from the online role playing game Shaiya for this.  We have the Light, and Dark, Goddesses.  In a dark, creepy looking forest type scene.  My kind of place. I am a fan of villains and evil things in general, so of course my garden would be dark.  Ever hear the song "The Devil Went Down to Georgia"?  Well in my opinion the Devil SMOKED Johnny on that fiddle solo. But I digress.

 My sister in law is a HUGE fan of Shaiya, so I gave this to her.  She loves it.  It was her who told me about the game anyway.  The only interest I found in it was the two hotties above.  Hope you enjoy it.

Ina Gadda Da Vida.

HDH120-Love Lies Bleeding

This was another one of those challenges that came down to the wire for me. I had it all planned out, then trashed it all and started again.  Use examples of love in it's deadliest form.  The Minions at Haunted Design House are working us!  It's okay.  I think I FINALLY got it.  I decided to use one of my FAVORITE couples from one of my FAVORITE love stories.

Mickey and Mallory Knox.

This is the wedding picture of the wonderfully fucked up pair from Natural Born Killers.  I heart that movie so much.  Their love was pure, fueled by blood & fire, and bound for hell.  But they LOVED each other.  Sure, they were mass murderers who killed for fun, but in a perfect world, wouldn't we all wanna go on a good old fashioned killing spree?

Anyone?  No?  Hmmm.  Guess I'm the only one.  (Yes, I'm a sicko.  No, you may not see.)

Mickey and Mallory's love is one to be desired, even if it is deadly.  I used Mallory's words at their "wedding" as the sentiment.  I only wish I would have thought of it at my wedding.

Til you and I die and die, and die again.
Til death to us part.

HDH119-Kenny K Show us some love

Freaker's Free for All this week at Haunted Design House!  Gotta love that.  However, it opens things up so much more, it's like being stuck in a craft vortex, spinning round and round, watching all the colors, supplies, images..oh look there's the Cheshire Cat...oh and Martha Stewart!  God I wanna pick her brain on how she made creme brulee in a microwave in prison...


Ahem.  Excuse me.  I think I went a bit heavy on the glue. Made me all woooooozy.  I'm back now.  What was I saying?  Oh yeah, weekly challenges.  I chose to use a card I made for my little brother's 21st birthday not too long ago.  Being that I love him, I'm gonna enter this at Kenny K's Krafty Girlz LOVE challenge.  Here's what we got!

Dummy me forgot to take a photo until right before I gave it to him.  Sorry if the picture quality is bad..but isn't she badass?

I used the lovely Pitstop Penny from Kenny K's Krash Kittenz line.  I named one of those characters, just not this one.  Honey Sparks is my bitch.  Yes, you may use her.  But you gotta pay Kenny first.

This was my first attempt at coloring an image black & white.  I think I did ok.  I used Copics, in shades of gray, and some blue violets.  I think I did purty dang good.  I can't wait to try another image out.

Now, back to that glue thang.  I really want that creme brulee recipe.

Playin with the Queen of Hearts--a few challenges.

I must tell you first off that this isn't my first project I made.  The first one is in shreds on the floor.  Yeah, like that.

Haunted Design House asks for us to use a heart, and a hole in our projects.  I immediately knew what I was gonna do-so I thought.  Got my images colored, then the battle started.  After much, much deliberation I threw together a turd.  Thank the Gods my camera battery was dead, or else I wouldn't have had time to tear apart the turd, regroup, get my mind right, and create this masterpiece--

I found this Queen of Hearts image cruising Creepy G's blog a while back.  It's from Spesch Stamps, and they have this amazing line of dead Wonderland characters.  I had to use her!  I am very proud of how I colored her.  Aside from using the hearts adorning Her Deadness as my heart, I decided to go literal, and use a sketch of an actual human heart.  How's THAT for meeting a challenge? 

But wait!  Where is the hole, you ask?  Look very closely...it's right there in the heart!  I suppose I could use the holes punched on the edge of the bg paper, but I decided to cut hole in my paper heart anyway.  I find it utterly cool.

Since this card fits many challenges, I'm gonna throw her into a couple more. I'd like to enter her in Simon Says Stamp and Show(Kings and Queens), and The Altered Alice hearts challenge.  How could I resist?

HDH116-Chic Freak

I admit, I am a little stumped on this week's Haunted Design House challenge.  I don't even know if I could define chic freak.  I then realized, I think I AM a chic freak. Well, I'm the freakiest that I know, so I thought I would play with that.  I present to you Katt Korpsgryndr, in all her freaky faboo.

 26th birthday.

 I eat humans.

I got GWARED!

A normal Saturday night...

 33rd birthday demon.

 Partyin like a Pirate.

Mr & Mrs Korpsgryndr

Playing with the camera.

The fan won this round...

Enjoying the shores of South Lake Tahoe.

 Back in my REALLY freaky days.

Well there I am.  I might not have made a project, but I made my style, and never let anyone tell me different. I love me, and I love my band of freaks.