Coco26

As my dad always said, I'm a jack of all trades and a master of nothing!

I work for a coroner's office and have really started to delve into darker more medically related artwork. How can I not with all the influences around me? My job is one part CSI, one part Dr. G. Medical Examiner, one part Trauma: Life in the ER, and one part Oprah (or maybe Jerry Springer....) But I love it! It's always been my dream job.

I love love love to collage! I work in art journals, on greeting cards, and canvas. I've started getting more and more into very Michael deMeng - esque assemblages which are so much fun!!

I love to use all sorts of mixed media techniques in a variety of Alice in Wonderland pieces.

I love to explor the darker, macabre, morbid, and just creepier side of things lately. Creatures made up of multiple animals, dismembered bisque dolls, steampunk... the darker arts I guess you could call it.

photgraphy books (so I can cut them up)

Old Medical/anatomy/pharmacy books

My absolute FAVORITE craft magazine is Cloth, paper, Scissors followed by Somerset Studio's Art journaling quarterly issue - simply AMAZING!

Collage techniques, Michael De Meng, Art journaling, etc (message me first tho, I have a lot!)

I love browns, yellows, and all shades of white/cream/etc for backgrounds. Neutral colors mostly so I can build upon them.

My favorite and all time go-to colors for my paints are in the Golden Line - Quinacridone Nickle/Azo Gold, Nickel Azo Gold, Green Gold, Quinacridone Crimson, Aqua, and Van Dyke Brown.

I have no use for pale pinks. It just reminds me of frilly little girl dresses (and the tortures of being forced to wear them as a child). Same goes for anything in a pastel. Yuck!

Bright vibrant colors!

I spend a lot of time in the morgue.... That should give you a hint. :)

Dark, morbid, creepy, macabre (for example, toe tags, body outlines, crows, skulls, bones, microscopes, crows, poison labels, etc)

Combining everyday objects in unique ways

Alice in Wonderland

old buildings/decrepit and falling down Industrial Revolution era brick monstrosities of decaying beauty.

The eclectic and unusual. I've really loved working with a steampunk theme, especially using all those little gears and moveable parts. Who doesn't like a work of art you can also play with!?

I've really enjoyed delving into metals, old hardware pieces, little antique dolls, and the unusual. I would absolutely ADORE anyone that could send old vintage medical equipment/advertising/photography/images. I am completely fascinated by the work of Michael DeMeng!

Anything and EVERYTHING by Tim Holtz

My current search - an antique pair of optical trial lens frames! Plus any old pharmacy equipment, medical equipment, etc.

Alice in wonderland-esque supplies (the darker and creepier the better)

Memory glass frames and glass pieces (a jewelry findings company just started making these for WAAY cheaper!)

Transparencies and transparent images

Antique medical equipment even Itty bitty medical equipment I can paint or alter (even plastic stuff would work)

Vintage autopsy pics (even if printed from the internet as long as its on high quality paper)

Antique pharmacy labels

Porcelain doll heads/arms/hands/legs

A tiny bird cage

Voodoo related stuff - specially Baron Samadee

Tarot cards

Loteria

Glazing and crackle mediums (like the ones from Ranger for the 3-D effects)

Mushroom decore - love that 70's stuff :) Or plaster mushroom jars/containers/statuettes I can paint or play with. Anything with mushrooms!!

tiny bisque (white ceramic) dolls

The Graphic 45 Steampunk collection

Cat's Eye pieces (the flat-back kind)

Alcohol inks

Ink blending tools

Metal Mesh

Anything from the K&Co Que Sera Sera Collection (rub-ons, specialty papers, cardstock, die cuts, stickers, etc)

The types of stickers I like and use the most are ones that I can easily incorporate into collages:

Design elements

Stickers on clear backing

Sticky pearls/gems

Realistic looking roses (for all my alice pieces)

Swirls, whorls, abstract shapes

Mushrooms!!

Robots

Butterflies

Anything you might expect in a Tim Burton movie (the odd and unusual)

Biohazard stickers

Vintage stickers from the 80's!!!

frilly, girly, kawaii, pastel, cutesy, country-cute, children's themes, "Precious Moments" type stuff. Just not my style at ALL!

I have absolutely NO USE for buttons. I have a million and not a clue what to do with them all! Please don't send buttons! Or those little sequin thingies. I hate those little buggers. They just end up all over my floor (and they are HARD to pick up off a hardwood floor!)

Scrapbooking word stickers

Letter stickers (I have a huge tupperware box of them!)

Candy wrappers/food wrappers

Used postage

With Christmas coming I thought I should add another section on regarding the christmas things I like.

First and foremost - I don't care for hot chocolate or tea.

Every year at Christmas I make all my own cards and would LOVE anything Grinch related. The original Grinch. Not the newer Jim Carey one. I'd love ornaments, stickers, papers in the bright lime green/fuschia/bright blue like in the original movie.

I also recently picked up a package of plaster paintable grinch ornaments but would always welcome more!! Or a grinch-esque stocking.... you get the idea. :)