Diablo Sugar Skull

This devilishly handsome figure was made by Michelle C. Stewart of Seattle, WA. She created it from Papier-mâché and acrylic paint with glass eyes.

Sugar skulls aren't always my favorite(sorry), but this bad boy has me grinning. He's got traits of sugar sweetness, but that's just a glossy exterior hiding the true sinister motives inside. Plus, it looks like a pinata and I can make candy a metaphor for "sinister motives". Ha! Thanks for sharing, Michelle!

Wondrously Polished X Lulu*s Tutorial

Hi all! I'm so excited to share that I will be doing some collaborative tutorials with the Lulus.com blog! They have some adorable clothing and I was especially inspired by one of their chevron print dresses.

Here's a little teaser of the look, but be sure to check out the blog post to read up on how to recreate this :)

Happy Polishing my dears! :)

[CONTEST] Win a Skull Snake Scarf from Sasha Berry

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED! Thanks for participating!

Life is full of art. Sasha Berry chooses to work with talented artists whose perception of the world is so different and avant-garde, it gives life to her scarves. She creates scarves that combine aesthetic creation in a modern style to offer daily the opportunity to bring a piece of art to your body. The scarves are soft and pleasant to wear because they made of fine fabrics. Many of the scarf designs incorporate skull motifs. Sasha Berry would love to giveaway 3 of her wonderful scarves with 3 lucky Skull-A-Day fans!

Full scarf design in cream

Cream

Blue

Pink

PRIZE INFO: 1 scarf in one of the above colors (pink, blue, or cream) with the Skull Snake print. Each scarf measures 90 cm by 200 cm (35 in by 78 in).

HOW TO ENTER: Scarves can be worn with many things and to many places. To enter this contest, comment with an answer to this question. If you were to win a skull snake scarf, where would you wear this scarf? For example, I would tie mine into a vest and wear it in Chicago, IL to lunch with the Skull-A-Day guys, before our Skull Appreciation Day festivities.

CONTACT INFO: The winner, chosen at random, will be contacted via email by one of the Skull-A-Day editors within 7 days of the end of the contest. If that winner doesn't respond, another winner will be chosen. With your comment, please INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!!! Entries are only valid with this information.

WHERE TO ENTER: All entries must be made on this blog post, on Skull-A-Day.com. You CANNOT enter this contest by commenting on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+.

CONTEST CLOSES: 11:59:59 PM Eastern USA Time Friday, May 3, 2013.

NUMBER OF WINNERS: Three...one scarf per winner

PRIZE SHIPS: This contest is open to all skull lovers around the world.

IF YOU DON'T WIN: Don't fret, Sasha Berry is offering a a free Black London Skull scarf, from the Sport Collection, with any purchase all May till June. Put Skull-A-Day before your name at checkout.

Sunday Simulacra - Version 6.48

Today's skulls were found on pancakes.

Wendy Carney-Hatch's son ate this pancake after she took this photo.

Slashø found a skull in the pancake they were making.

Keep sending those pictures in, we always love seeing what our skull hunters find. Anyone is welcomed to participate, it's fun and it's easy. If you see a simulacra skull, photograph it and send those pictures in to our submissions address with a little something about what it is really and maybe a little about you.

Recent Performers I have Painted!

I also did the feathers on Khalima :) In order of appearance below: Khalima, Performance Dance/Belly Dance/Performance Art; Madam V, Singer/Performer;  Feival Chiari, Performance Dance/Hooping.

Bloody Gruesome Skull

If you're new around here then you might not recognize the name Matt Gregg, but if you've followed Skull-A-Day long enough you would definitely recognize this and this. Now Matt is back with his latest and most gruesomely awesome painting created with spray paint, acrylic, ink, blood, and xacto beatings on canvas.

Click image for closer detail

Simply put, this is f'ing awesome!  Sinister and determined, this demonic overlord WILL devour your soul!  I don't know if Oderus Urnugus was any kind of influence, but I'll bet he would like this.  Thanks again for sharing, Matt!

April Nail Art Challenge - Galaxy Nails

Can you believe that I am actually done with one of the themes for the April Challenge BEFORE the day it's supposed to start!? Aren't you proud? ;) 

I can't take all the credit for being early. One of my best friends, who has been incredibly supportive of my nail art, has wanted me to do galaxy nails for as long as I've been doing nail art. Frankly, galaxies intimidate me! While I was going to do these for the challenge, I figured I'd do them early because tomorrow is her Birthday party and I wanted to have a surprise on my nails for her! 

I used A LOT of colors for this mani. Possibly too many? I've never done galaxy nails before and it was much harder than I was expecting. I'm still not entirely sold on these yet - I go back and forth between loving and hating them. But I suppose that can be normal. What do you think? Good or gaff? 

If you're looking for a tutorial for galaxy nails, check out Libby at The Polished Fox's amazing design! 

Happy Polishing and Happy Birthday, Erin! <3

[CONTEST REMINDER] Win a SATURNS EP Prizepack

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED! Thanks for participating!

Don't forget you have until 11:59pm Eastern USA Time Friday, April 26, 2013 to make an entry comment to win a EP Prizepack from SATURNS. The Prizepack includes a copy of their EP, a t-shirt, buttons, and stickers. You can find the original contest post by clicking the side bar ad, or this link.

Take a listen to their EP here.

NOTE: If you are reading this on Facebook or Google+, you must go to THE ACTUAL BLOG POST HERE to enter this contest! You CANNOT enter this contest by commenting on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+]

Meditate.

via Awakened Lotus

April Nail Art Challenge - Gold & Silver

Hi all! I've got a really quick post for you all today. I've been feeling a bit under the weather and been super busy with other things so I sort of rushed tonight's mani.

I'm not overly happy with how these photographed, but I really like them in person! I know that doesn't count for much to you all though ;) My new detail brush made quick work of these spirals, and while my dominant hand looks like a toddler was scribbling on them, I am finding myself staring at the shimmering gold and silver and teal!

 

The base color is China Glaze's Kinetic Candy, the silver is Zoya's Trixie, and the gold is Essie's Good as Gold. Kinetic Candy is pretty much fabulous. Just sayin'.

Happy Polishing! :)

Bunny Skulls Egg

In early March, Job Fitz Gerald said "They are have a egg decorating contest at work. Going to show them a proper egg." For that contest, he drew this bunny skull covered egg.

I love seeing how people decorate eggs for Easter. This one is very colorful, yet sinister. I love that the skulls aren't regular ones, but bunny skulls. I hope Job won for this great creation!

Ceramic Skulls

Ceramic Artist Lisa McPike Smith of Hep Cat Artworks, told us: "I have been a long time fan of Skull-A-Day since I started my 'career' making and selling skull beads in college so I could afford art supplies. The trend has not died yet and my skull items continue to be my top sellers. I did a 7 deadly sins series of which I have shared and one is a piece that came directly out of a pit-firing and is still in the ash."
 

C. Williams says:

It is wonderful yo see that you have a unique styled skull that you are able to incorporate into some of your work.  I am especially fond of the picture you created with the multiple parts, it reminds me of some sort of backdrop mock-up for a movie that could be taken away or added to tell the story.  Thank you for sending your work to us to share and for being a member of the Skull-A-Day community.

[CONTEST REMINDER] Win a SATURNS EP Prizepack

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED! Thanks for participating!

Don't forget you have until 11:59pm Eastern USA Time Friday, April 26, 2013 to make an entry comment to win a EP Prizepack from SATURNS. The Prizepack includes a copy of their EP, a t-shirt, buttons, and stickers. You can find the original contest post by clicking the side bar ad, or this link.

Take a listen to their EP here.

NOTE: If you are reading this on Facebook or Google+, you must go to THE ACTUAL BLOG POST HERE to enter this contest! You CANNOT enter this contest by commenting on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+]

A Yoga Teacher is Eternally a Student - Kino MacGregor (Video)

Here's a great little video from Kino MacGregor about how yoga teachers are eternally students (or should be). If you're a yoga teacher - remember to refill your inspiration cup regularly or you will burn out quickly.

On another note - her outfit is super cute.

Readers via Email - Click Here for the Video.

Seven Deadly Sins - Day 1: Lust

Good Evening my dears! I am excited to say I'm participating in a fabulous nail art challenge with some even more fabulous nail art bloggers! Alice from One Nail to Rule Them All and Helena from Nail Wish put this whole challenge together and I'm excited to come up with manis for each of the themes! I'll be posting either once or twice a week for this one, depending on how busy/tired/what TV shows are on ;)

Image curtesy of Dahlig at http://dahlig.deviantart.com/

Each week we'll be doing manis to match each of the Seven Deadly Sins and the first one is Lust. From the challenge: 

Day 1 - Be a bad girl and make something you have wanted to do soo badly.

Well, I have wanted to do Ikat themed nails for a stupid amount of time so this was a perfect excuse to go for it! I think I'm leaning towards liking them! I used four colors for this one - OPI's Houston We Have a Purple as the base, Urban Outfitter's Eyes Wide Closed (black), Zoya's Pippa (Yellow), and OPI's My Vampire is Buff (cream).  

 Be sure to check out the other fabulous ladies taking part in this challenge! 

Happy Polishing :)

Skulledelic Poster

My Skulledelic design is now available on a limited edition silkscreen poster available only from Krause Gallery in NYC!

Each 24 x 36 in (61 x 91 cm) poster is printed in white ink on black acid free paper. Only 100 have been made and they are all signed and numbered. To purchase one visit Krause Gallery's store HERE.

*Thanks to my friend Meena for modeling this poster for me!

Numeriser Skulls

Jules Andrault is in here today to share this collection of skulls from graphic school.

Shades of grey provide a great graphite representation of some darker skulls.  Without the dark there is no light.  Don't be scared of those darker images, be thankful that they remind us to revisit the brighter things in life.   Keep up the great work, Jules!

Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day!! For another hour and ten minutes at least ;) Today's theme for the April Nail Art Challenge is in fact Earth Day. I was really excited about doing something for today because I really do love this planet. It's pretty amazing what we have available to us in nature and all to often I am awestruck by the vastness of it all. 

I wanted to do something that showed my love of this planet while also portraying part of the beauty of it. I did an homage to what earth looks like from space (the ocean and the continents) and put a little bit of a spin on their shape...and number ;) 

The base color for this is China Glaze's Man Hunt - which I love by itself - and I used plain old painters/masking tape to create the heart shapes. To add the varying colors within each heart, I dabbed out China Glaze's Def Defying, Desert Sun and Kalahari Kiss along with OPI's Don't Mess With OPI onto my palette. Using a damp makeup sponge I dabbed the polish onto my nail to create "continents."

 Happy Earth Day to you all! I hope you got to appreciate some little bit of awesome-ness that the earth has to offer today :)

Happy Polishing! 

[CONTEST] Win a SATURNS EP Prizepack

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED! Thanks for participating!

SATURNS is an electro-pop band from Toronto, Canada. They have a 4 track EP featuring their brand of dreamscape music. Their mascot, which travels with them, is a giant pink skull. They want to share their music with the world. We're big fans of great music and skulls here at Skull-A-Day. To help share their music, they are giving away an EP Prizepack to one lucky Skull-A-Day fan!

The EP

A t-shirt

Buttons and Stickers

"SATURNS is Toronto cousins Lukas Cheung and Bryan Sutherland whose collective creativity emerged spontaneously over a weekend, days before moving out of a cat ridden house. Using two dysfunctional laptops and one broken synthesizer they sculpted beats late into the night and upon playback at sunrise, agreed to pursue the partnership -- both are allergic to cats.

Their melodic debut may disguise them as electro-pop but their lyrics spell a different story. The EP explores themes of dream travel and escapism in a fashion that sculpts a world entirely their own. The opening track DIAMONDE constructs a fantasy palace which lures those who lust after riches to their own demise. "Diamond doorsteps stay the same as the warriors decay, scriptures peeling off the walls, there's no echo in these halls". The Zen-like metaphors may leave some listeners scratching their heads, but the catchy melodies will balance out the experience."

You can find out what the band is up to on their Facebook and Twitter pages. You can hear their music on their Bandcamp, Last FM, and YouTube.

You can also hear the EP here.

PRIZE INFO: A SATURNS EP (enclosed in screen printed Envelope), a T-shirt, stickers, buttons, and poster.

HOW TO ENTER: SATURNS takes their pink skull mascot traveling with them. To enter this contest, leave a comment below telling us what adventure you would have with a large pink skull. For example, I might take mine to a fair because it reminds me of cotton candy and those fortune telling machines.

CONTACT INFO: The winner, chosen at random, will be contacted via email by one of the Skull-A-Day editors within 7 days of the end of the contest. If that winner doesn't respond, another winner will be chosen. With your comment, please INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!!! Entries are only valid with this information.

WHERE TO ENTER: All entries must be made on this blog post, on Skull-A-Day.com. You CANNOT enter this contest by commenting on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+.

CONTEST CLOSES: 11:59:59 PM Eastern USA Time Friday, April 26, 2013.

NUMBER OF WINNERS: One

PRIZE SHIPS: This contest is open to all skull lovers around the world.

IF YOU DON'T WIN: You have SECOND CHANCE to win on their Facebook page. If you like their Facebook page, they will randomly select a second winner from the new likes.

Mint Cutouts

I've got a short and sweet post for you all tonight! 

Tomorrow is Earth Day (yay!) and I want to get a fun mani in for that but before I could move on I needed to finish the current theme of the April Nail Art Challenge - "mint." So, I whipped something up really quick to share with you all. I'm not in love with these, but they are different from anything I've done so far so I thought I'd share them anyway. 

I used striping tape and Sephora by OPI's Read My Palm to create these simple cutouts...with my naked nail showing! Scandalous! ;) 

Happy Polishing! :)