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Colored Masquerade Dress in Cool Colors

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Click for larger version (PNG); click for PDF version. Click here for the list of dolls.

So this gown, the neglected black-and-white cousin of my beloved cursed sister series, may have turned out a little crazy, but all the same I like it rather better now. Amelia won my last contest by guessing that I learned my gold technique from observing one of the Spice Girls’ dresses (yes, really — there were extenuating circumstances). She got to pick how I colored it, and wrote: “I feel it ought to be mermaid themed really, on the other hand I’d love to see a peacock themed dress but this one’s too flowery…
How about you fish out the aquamarine and do a toned down peacock colours dress with deep green accents like african-violet leaves?”

I think I kind of failed on the “toned down” part of the requirement… Well, but it was fun for me anyways, and hopefully you like it somewhat, Amelia! I’m sorry you had to wait so long, though…

Time for a new contest. Guess the answer to this question, and pick your favorite of ANY of my black and white outfits and tell me how you want it colored, and I’ll do my best to follow your orders. (I think that’s more interesting than forcing the winner to stick to the last one I drew, don’t you?) New rules:
1) It’s a new year, so even if you’ve already won one, feel free to guess again. (This includes you, Amelia, because technically you won last year… ^^;;)
2) One guess per person per post. (So if no one gets it today, try again tomorrow!)
3) If no one gets the exact number by noon EST, May 25th, I’ll pick the closest guess.

Question: How many Prismacolor pencils do I own as of today, May 18th?
This includes the ones that I use, all the stubby little pencils that are too short for my current sharpener but I just can’t toss, all the ones I have in reserve and my set of Verithin pencils I hardly ever use.

Keep in mind my local scrapbooking store went out of business recently, and I hit first the 50% off sale, then the 75% off sale, to stock up on Prismacolors. So that “reserve” number is a little high. That’s the only clue you get, though!

Villager’s Cape with Black Turtleneck and White Pants from The Prisoner

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Lately, my husband, one of our friends and I have been watching The Prisoner, a famous 60s TV series starring Patrick McGoohan as a high-ranking British spy who resigns for unknown reasons and is kidnapped and taken to the Village, where he is known only as Number 6. The Village is like a resort where others in his position — those who knew too much, from both sides of the Cold War — live out their days peacefully, playing chess and sunning themselves on the beach, but only after revealing whatever information in their heads landed them in the Village in the first place. Although escape from the Village seems impossible, Number 6 is determined not just to get away or to keep his secrets from his captors, but to bring down the whole system.

The Village itself is cheerfully surreal, and its inhabitants wear things like these cute little capes as they noodle around the parks, shop for Village-brand staple foods or hatch escape plans that are doomed to failure from the start. Now let’s face it, if I was trapped in the Village, I would probably never escape; there’s a reason it’s called “Spy v.s. Spy” and not “Spy v.s. Paperdoll Artist.” I like to think that I would at least try, though, and one thing I can tell you is that I would be bringing one of those neat Villager capes with me as a souvenir. Well, Ivy gets one even if I don’t, leaving me to wonder just what exactly she got taken there for, and how well she’s been guarding that information from her captors…

My husband wants me to inform you all of two things: first, to shun the recent remake, and second, to watch the original online; A&E has six episodes up at the moment. Enjoy!

Mermaid Monday #14: Purple Water Iris Mermaid with Yellow Tail

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So yesterday was Mother’s Day, and then I go and disappoint my poor mother by deciding to take Sundays off! Well, I couldn’t not do Mermaid Monday, but this one is dedicated to my mom, since she likes irises. (Yes, that’s what those flowers are supposed to be, water irises. You all should see the irises she draws: they are beautiful and look like irises, unlike mine.)

Right now, sadly, I live over 2,000 miles away from my family, but this summer, we’re planning on moving, Prismacolors and cats and all, from Michigan to Washington State where they live. You all should appreciate that, because I have a feeling that once I’m out there, Mom won’t let me get away with any more half-year disappearances! Seriously, though, I will probably end up drawing more because I can get together with her, or my cousin Becky, and just enjoy drawing. So wish me good luck with that, once I get to that point.

Halloween Masquerade Costume Series #7: The Cursed Sisters, Part 6

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The buzz of voices around them grew so loud, and her partner seemed so tense, that Linnetta squeezed her eyes shut, wishing herself anywhere else.

“Whoever that one is, she’s gone too far,” he said quietly, and she forced her eyes open and found the cause of the commotion: at the top of the stairs, a newcomer in a black and orange gown. “This must be unbearable for you,” he continued. “Or do you know her?”

“I don’t,” she said uneasily. “It’s someone’s idea of a joke…”

“Perhaps,” he replied. “Or perhaps not.”

As they were talking, the strange women Linnetta had been trying not to notice all night had gathered at the base of the stairs; the other revelers had given the five of them a wide berth, and they stood motionless, staring out at the dance floor.

“I think you do know who she is,” her partner continued. “I think you’ve known each of them since you saw the third one; possibly the second.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. Wisps of hair fell out of her updo, sticking to her face. “It must be some kind of joke. A trick, to try to scare everybody.”

“I’m afraid not.”

“But how? How is it even possible that they’re…?”

“They have made their own pacts,” he answered lightly. “There are other powers than those you have dealt with, you know.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Liar,” he replied, with an indulgent smile. “I know all about the bargain you made… Almost all, anyways. Was it that you were already sick, and you traded their lives for your own? Or was your illness part of the ruse, so you could avoid suspicion?”

“I — I could never do such a thing,” Linnetta whispered, but it was unconvincing even to her.

“And so you were able to possess them, and manufacture their deaths one by one. But Georgiana has been seeking her revenge ever since the night you directed her off that cliff. Did you think she could let such a thing rest, even in death?”

Linnetta turned reflexively towards the woman in the black spangled dress, and her eyes were so captivating that she didn’t even realize the queen of the ball was being announced. Her partner had to give her a little push towards the center of the dance floor; a crown was placed on her head and everyone started applauding. She smiled graciously and waved, but faltered when she saw her sisters. Why had no one else noticed they had taken their masks off? While everyone else was clapping, they stood motionless, their hands linked, their faces mangled and ghastly; the only face she could bear to look at was Lenora’s, bloodless and as pale as her gown. Panicking, Linnetta turned back to her dance partner, and while he still wore his mask there seemed to be no difference between it and the skin beneath. He reached for her hand; the embroidery on the cuff of his sleeve pulsed as if stitched with blood vessels, and the bright lining of her gown was setting her skin on fire.

—————————

I hope you enjoyed my little Halloween story… In the end it really was just an excuse to do some creepy masquerade gowns, but it was fun to write too. Thanks to my husband Brian for brainstorming the original idea with me and editing it.

No thanks to Brian for writing a Python script to vote automatically for fairies 20 times. That’s right, the proper fairy vote count ought to be whatever-it-is-minus-nineteen… That means it looks like literary characters get next week, probably, since I doubt he’s going to try a stunt like that again.

You know I had to do this poll… vote for your favorite masquerade costume!

poll by twiigs.com