Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Sinners and Saints-Just a Halloween Costume?-A Peek-a-Boo Project

I have written about the juxtaposition of what appears to be and what is. This is from my Blog Misunderstood Monsters and Mysterious Creatures:

In a world with wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing,

Come misunderstood monsters and mysterious creatures.

Take cover look, a deeper inspection.

Look beyond their gore and unbecoming features.


Like you and me, there may more be.

Longing, wondering, lost and lonely.

Stuck and Afraid wanting to be free,

Defying you to run toward them, and not flee.


Each of us upon closer introspection may find, 

Good and evil in our lives entwined.

 Monster to one, may be magical to another.

It’s rare in life we can have one without the other.



  1. Gather Supplies.
  2. Print Images You Want to Use as Focal Points. I am using Bizarre Souls from Etsy.
  3. Use Magazine Images of Your Choosing to Cover GSLC Arch Top House Silhouettes.
  4. Cut Out Closely and Glue to GSLC Arch Top House Silhouettes.
  5. Use a Sanding Block To Further Define Edges.
  6. Use Neon Highlighters on Edges of GSLC Arch Top House Silhouettes.
  7. Cut out Images You Want to Use as Focal Points. I am using Bizarre Souls from Etsy.
  8. Glue Fussy Cut Images to Backgrounds Using UHU GlueStick.
  9. Paint GSLC Gothic Window Overlays and GSLC Gothic Cross Miniatures with Copper and Red Acrylic Paints.
  10. Once Fully Dry Use Heavy Gel Matte Medium to Adhere Them to Prepared Backgrounds.
  11. Press and Dry Complete Flat Weighted Down.
  12. Add RubOn Butterflies in Strategic Locations.
  13. Add Rangers Glossy Accents to Insides of GSLC Gothic Window Overlays.
  14. Use a Combination of Ranger Glossy Accents and Matte Gel Medium to Seal in Remainder of Collages.
  15. Allow to Dry Fully Keeping Them as Flat as Possible.


Final Thoughts: 

We have enjoyed watching Netflix “The Sandman” with an older neighbor lady and she keep wanting to know if the characters are good or bad. We say it is not that easy. Morpheus , is not evil.However he isn’t good either. He is simply a member of the Endless and removed from the concept of mortal morality.


The Sandman is based on Neil Gaiman’s celebrated comic books. It isa reinvention of a relatively obscure DC character. It was pitched as a horror title , but it grew into so much more with an almost a cult following.


The First Season tells the tale of Morpheus, a.k.a. Dream, one of the group of immortal beings known as the Endless who escapes a 100-year captivity and sets about to reclaim his kingdom and his powers.



“People think dreams aren’t real just because they re not made of matter, of particles. Dreams are real. But they are made of viewpoints, of images, of memories, and puns and lost hopes.”


“For love is no part of the dreamworld. Love belongs to Desire, and Desire is always cruel.”


“Never trust the storyteller, only trust the story.”




“You hurt. It’s Okay. I hurt too. Hold my hand.”


“Maybe he wasn’t the villain of the story after all; he simply needed a long overdue nap. Like a cranky child who’s had too many lemon sugar drops and gone too long without sleep.”


“The price of getting  what you want is getting what you once wanted.”


What I like about Science Fiction and Shows like “The Sandman” is that it can be more real than reality. They can tell us truths in magical more fanciful ways than can be stated in our know realities.  Lessons learned, Destiny wanders. Path, tracing the way things must go.Though blind, he see all. Death greets each person at beginning and end, escorting the soul to “the Sunless Lands.” Dream rules the realm where mortal spend “one third of their lives.” Dreams give rise to hope. Desire and Despair, twins, inspire the extremes of human actions. Desire always pushed people to take what they want: Despair is the realm for those who have sunk below hope. Delirium who used to be Delight is incredibly creative yet lives outside the laws of logic.




Supplies:  GSLC Arch Top House SilhouettesGSLC Gothic Window OverlaysGSLC Gothic Cross Miniatures ,  Bizarre Souls Images from Etsy, Magazine Images,UHU GlueStick, Scissors, Sanding Block, Neon Highlighters,Copper and Red acrylic Paint, Paintbrush, Heavy Gell Matte Medium, Matte Gel Medium, Ranger Glossy Accents


I cannot wait to see your interpretation of this project. Share it on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Craft Group Page on Facebook. I would love to see what new creations you are working on!


Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Spooky Stories Left Unspoken-A Peek-a-Boo Project

I enjoy listening to podcasts, Aaron Mahnke has many of my favorites on his Grim & Mild Channel-Lore, Cabinet of Curosities, 12 Ghosts and 13 Days of Halloween. His 2022 13 Days of Halloween was titled Devil’s Night. A 12-year old boy and his dog need to get home on the most dangerous night all year. They must cut through the chaos and mayhem to survive. New episodes are released nightly on 13 days leading up to All Hallows Eve. These Episodes are like radio movies, with a soundtrack and voice actors. For the most thrilling listen experience, it is recommended that you plug in your favorite headphones and enjoy these audio dense episodes. 


  1. Gather Supplies.
  2. Cut Pieces of Upcycled Cardboard Into 3 by 5 inch Pieces.
  3. Use Magazine Images to Create Backgrounds Securing with a UHU GlueStick.
  4. Add Focal Points Using More Magazine Images Securing with a UHU GlueStick.
  5. To Add a Vintage Appeal Gently and Randomly Use a Sanding Block to Distress Your Collaged Backgrounds.
  6. Use TH Distress Stains to Fill in the Scratches-I like Weathered Wood, Gathered Straw, and Iced Spruce.
  7. Add TH Barn Door Distress Stain to the Edges of Your Collaged Backgrounds. 
  8. Add Rub-Ons to Your Collages.
  9. Add Spiderwebs to Collages using a Foamie and Golden Interference Blue (Fine) Acrylic Paint.
  10.  Use Embossing Dabber and Plastic Palette Knife to Add Clear and Vintage Beeswax Embossing Powders.
  11. Use a Heating Tool  to Cure the Embossing Powders- This Will Create a Encaustic Effect.
  12. Use Embossing Dabber and Plastic Palette Knife to Add Black Glint and Black Sparkle Embossing Powders to the GSLC Creep Critters. Cure with a Heating Tool.
  13. Use Brown and Magenta Acrylic Paints to Paint the GSLC 5-Inch Creepy Trees. When they are still Wet Sprinkle with Pure Sheen Black Glitter.
  14. Use Heavy Gel Matte Medium to Secure GSLC Prepared Piece to Collaged Backgrounds.
  15.  Press and Dry Complete Flat Weighted Down.
  16. Use an  Awl and  Centimeter Hole Ruler to Add Holes Along Chosen Parts of Collages.

  17. Then Add Embroidery Floss Using a  Needle.



Final Thoughts.

As I have stated before I am not a huge reader so Podcasts make me feel like I am at least “reading” an Audiobook. We have enjoyed watching “Lore-(TV series)” this anthology series brings to life Aaron Mahnke’s “Lore” podcast and covers the real-life events that spawned our darkest nightmares. It Blends dramatic scenes, animation, archive and narration. Lore reveals how our horror legends-such s vampires, werewolves and body snatchers- are rooted in truth.




I like how this artwork weaves together different elements and each seem to have a story to tell. If I were a more clever writer I might be able to reveal them to you but I fear I know them not. Maybe you will have a better chance at uncovering their secrets.




Supplies:  GSLC Creepy CrittersGSLC Creepy Tree 5 Inch, Upcycled Cardboard Pieces, Magazine Images, UHU GlueStick, Sanding BlockTH Distress Stain of Your Choosing, Rub-Ons, Foamie SpiderWeb, Golden Interference Blue (Fine) Acrylic Paint, Paintbrush, Embossing Dabber, Clear, Black Glint, Black Sparkle, and Vintage Beeswax Embossing Powders, Plastic Palette Knife, Heating Tool, Brown and Magenta  Acrylic Paints, Pure Sheen Black Glitter,Golden Heavy Matte Gel Medium, Awl, Centimeter Hole Ruler, Embroidery Floss, Needle


I cannot wait to see your interpretation of this project. Share it on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Craft Group Page on Facebook. I would love to see what new creations you are working on!