Happy Halloween!

We raise a cup of poison tea to wish you a
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
Cathie and Steve

Durand, Durand

There's a new girl in town: the beautiful Alma Durand - fresh out of France - just returned from a grand shopping spree with her booker, Head of New Faces at Elite London, Martina Kobesova (right), and is now out making us proud, hitting up castings all around town.

Elite London signs Matvey Lykov

And in friggin' awesome news of the week, Matvey Lykov has just signed with Elite London! Based in Paris and New York, Matvey - who's originally from St Petersburg - launched his career three years ago and shot the Jil Sander campaign for spring/summer 2008 (the legendary marble print collection) as one of his first jobs. It catapulted him into top boy stardom. Today, Matvey's one of the most recognisable and sought-after faces in the industry - this season alone he graces the H&M Divided and Wooyoungmi campaigns - and now a part of the ever-expanding Elite London men's board. Welcome on board, Matvey!

Party at 10

The other night we went to the launch of 10 Magazine and 10 Men's 'industry issues' celebrating the most important people in fashion. The surroundings of Il Bottaccio in Knightsbridge framed a swish setting for the super exclusive party, which saw 10 founder and all-round fabulous person Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou pose with balloons (the old BlackBerry unfortunately didn't react quick enough to get a picture) and 10 editors Antony Miles and Natalie Dembinska mingle with distinguished guests including Sam Ranger, Tim Blanks, the teams from A.I, Relative MO, Starworks, and Village Press and many more. (Above: photographers Nick Dory and Billy Ballard with Elite London's James Powell.)

www.10magazine.com

Challenge 37 - Black and White (or sepia) and new challenge rules!!

Welcome back to Wags 'n Whiskers!!

Before we get to last week's winners and this week's challenge, we have some new challenges rules that we are happy to announce!!

We are so excited to announce that

we have now opened up the challenges to ALL stamps!!

It is no longer a requirement to use a Wags 'n Whiskers image on your card. But there will be a separate prize if you DO use a WnW image!

Starting this week, one random participant will win a

Wags 'n Whiskers Rubber stamp of their choice.

And any entry using a Wags 'n Whiskers image on their card will be entered into a drawing for a free WnW Digital stamp of your choice!!

Therefore, anyone who uses a Wags 'n Whiskers image will be entered into both prizes of a rubber stamp and a digital stamp!!

The only requirements are that you link directly to your challenge project - not to the main page of your blog. You must have a new project (no back linking). And you must link your card to the challenge post.

If you do not have a blog, you can still enter the challenges by uploading your cards to an open gallery such as Splitcoast Stampers.

Ok, the winner of last week's challenge is:

Congratulations, Crafty Math Chick!!

Please contact me at stampandcreate@bellsouth.net with your mailing address and choice of free WnW rubber stamp!!

Here is her wonderful card using Ansley's Surprise...

This week's challenge may just be a "Challenge" for a few of you. I know it was for many of the DT. But it really is a lot of fun so we hope you give it a try.

Angelique is hosting this week's challenge and her challenge is:

Black and White (or Sepia) toned cards!!

Our main thought is for the image to appear to be a black and white photo. However, if you really have a hard time creating a black and white image, you can color your image as normal and just add the black and white elements for the rest of the card (like a few of the DT did below).

Here are the FANTASTIC DT samples starting with our guest from last week's Challenge...

Cathy (Guest)

Angelique (Challenge Host)

Lacey

Tracy

Sharon

Vicky

Karen

Michele

Carolina

Chris

Barbara

Jeanette (she also created a "clear card")

Now it's your turn!! We can't wait to see your take on this week's challenge!!

If you use a WnW image and would like to be a guest for the next challenge, please add "DT" next to your name (yes, you must use a WnW image to be considered to be a guest).

BLEACHED BOYS

New season means image overhaul, and even Elite's finest aren't getting away from the clutches of the bookers, who are living out their unrequited hair dreams on the unsuspecting models. In the chair today is James Ross, who sent us this cheery snap from the Vernon Francois salon where his chestnut locks are being bleached within an inch of their life. And our favourite Russian can look forward to the same next week... watch this space for updated polas of the boys showing off their new shock locks.

game on

At the game one of the world's series.

we interrupt this blog post....

....cause I am heading to the World Series!

Tune In: Witch Crafts: Treats and Kids Games Oct. 27

Witch Crafts on DIY Network
October 27th at 8:00 am eastern

Don't Forget to tune in all week!

episode 104 - October 28
episode 105 - October 29

Lucy and Ricky aka Cathie and Steve

We are scaring up some fun ideas for tricks and treats! We design a ghoulish candy bowl brimming with crafty touches, share tasty recipes for Halloween sweets, and show off some frighteningly fun activities kids of all ages will love.

Witch's Hats Ice Cream Cones

Caramel Apples

Kid Friendly Dry Ice Punch

Halloween Games for Kids

Apple Bobbing

Mod Podge Candy Bowl

Postcard from Tokyo...

Weeks of paperwork, visa's and packing over and we finally sent Emily Smith to Tokyo to show Japan just what an Elite London girl can do! We couldnt resist checking in with Miss Smith two weeks on...

I came to Tokyo on Tuesday 12th October and was very excited but also a bit apprehensive. But.... no matter how many ups and downs I have had in my first two weeks here, the time has definitely gone too fast!

Hi Emily! So what are your first impressions of Tokyo?Everything about Tokyo is great - it's like it is in it's own little bubble and so different to the outside world, which I suppose it is. There are so many gorgeous, hidden little shops that I love looking in, and art museums ... down streets which are so small and narrow, it is like one big marble maze, and so confusing!

With no trusty London underground how do you deal with getting to and from castings?Luckily we get driven around for castings. When I did have to find my way to the agency, on the first day, and to fittings and jobs, I manage to get lost every time! However, the people out and about in Tokyo are always very helpful. They will happily point you in the right direction if you are lost, or even take your map and walk you there, which is lovely.

How's the work going?I am treated amazingly well on jobs. If I try to get my own glass of water or just walk across the room someone is up and offering me slippers on a blanket just in case I am cold!

The shoots I have done have been so much fun. My favourite one was when I had to wear a huge 'Alice in Wonderland' style petticoat skirt and lie down on the floor with it all around me, the photographer was also lying down taking the shots from a big wooden platform hanging from the celing above my head!

You're a long way from home, have you made any new friends?My room mate, Delphie, is amazing, she has made my first two weeks so enjoyable and has been so helpful - she has been showing me how to get around on the metro and giving me directions to the supermarket and really usefull stuff like that.
On my second weekend here we decided to go to Disney Land Tokyo! We had the best time, I have never laughed so much before. My favourite ride was The Tower of Terror, and I also loved the Cape Cod themed area of the park and the mermaid lagoon.

Tune In: Witch Crafts: Costumes Oct. 26

Witch Crafts on DIY Network
October 26th at 8:00 am eastern

Don't forget to tune in all week:
Episode 103 - Oct 27th
Episode 104 - Oct 28th
Episode 105 - Oct 29

Great costumes are the key to Halloween fun, and we are showing off some of our favorite ideas. We create adorable fairy and pirate outfits for the little trick-or-treaters, a crafty witch and a punk mummy costumes for the grown ups, and a hair-raising ensemble for our four-legged friends.

Punk Mummy and Glam Witch

Get wrapped up in this scary mummy costume for grown ups and you’ll be the hit of the party. A simple work blouse and ordinary skirt are transformed into a spine-tingling witch costume full of flair.

Fairy and Pirate Costumes

Landlubbers, look out! This easy, inexpensive pirate outfit will help bring home the booty on Halloween night. With a few embellishments, a plain dress becomes a pretty-in-pink fairy costume.

Spooky Bat Necklace

Who new a toy bat could be turned into a Halloween necklace.

Halloween Pet T-Shirts & Decorated Dog Leashes
Let your pets in on the fun with these easy animal outfits and accessories.

Egor does London - Day 6

 

It's been a busy couple of days for young Egor. After having shot with half of London's more prominent picture-makers, the lip-blessed one graced the office with his presence this morning and demonstrated how to eat an entire tube of Pringles in less than two minutes. Oh, to have a model's metabolism!

(Also, if any good folk at Pringles would like to sponsor Egor, he says to please get in touch with his people.)

Louis gets papped

Okay, so we have no idea where this came from or when it was shot ... but rock on Louis! The paps spotted Mr Galloway - he of Topman fame - strolling the streets of London in quite the Gaga-worthy getup. Of course, being Scottish and all, Louis is no stranger to a bit of kilt action. Wear it round the office more often!

Halloween Witch Crafts: Haunted Halloween Centerpiece

Day 25 of 31...

When it is time to set the table for Halloween, you will need a haunted centerpiece. Perfect for the center of a dinning table, side table or fireplace mantel. Begin with a thrifted base of any color and alter it with paints, extreme glitter and Mod Podge

This Extreme Glitter and Mod Podge project was designed for Plaid. Pop by my page at Plaid to see this project and tons more ideas!!!

Materials:
FolkArt Extreme Glitter - Silver
FolkArt Artists Pigments - Pure Black
FolkArt Metallics - Gunmetal Gray
Mod Podge Gloss
Plaster floral container
Foam paintbrush
Floral foam
Silk flowers and leaves
Detail paintbrush
Medium foam pumpkin
Printed Halloween words
Hot glue and glue gun
Spider webs
Decorative ribbon

Lets Make it!

1. Dry brush paint the flower container with Pure Black paint. To make the aged look, don't paint the entire surface. Randomly paint the container with Silver Extreme Glitter.

2. Fill the container with floral foam. Poke the silk flowers into the foam so that the leaves fall. Randomly paint the flowers with Pure Black paint.

3. Paint the foam pumpkin with Gunmetal Gray paint. Topcoat with two coats of Silver Extreme Glitter. Using a detail brush, paint random stripes down the sides of the pumpkin.

4. Add printed Halloween words to the pumpkins. Coat the front and backside of the words with Mod Podge. Position them on the pumpkin, press any air bubbles with your fingers and smooth your brush strokes.

5. Drape spider webs over the leaves and flowers. Hot glue the painted pumpkin in the center of the arrangement. Add a bow to the base of the pumpkin.

Teddy Girl-Erjona Ala

It doesn’t take an Elite Model Look girl long to start making waves in the Fashion world...fresh off the final catwalk in Shanhai our new Nordic beauty is already taking on some serious editorials and has blown us away with this spread in the latest issue of D Magazine. Erjona succeeds in finding that perfect balance between exquisite femininity  combined with masculine styling and if this is only the start, we just can’t wait to see more...

Tune In: Witch Crafts: Decorating Oct. 25

Witch Crafts on DIY Network
October 25th at 8:00 am eastern

We are breaking out our best tips for spooking up your house for Halloween. On Witch Crafts 101 we are making terrifying tombstones you’ll be dying to try, a creepy Halloween tree that won’t leave you hanging, and candles and specimen jars bubbling with spooky surprises!

CLICK THE LINKS FOR INSTRUCTIONS

EEK & BOO Candles
Dollar store candles and wood letters spell out the words of the season.

Specimen JarsRecycled jars get transformed into a mad scientist lab jars.
Glitzy Candles with Glitter
Glitter and paint jazz up simple candles.

Spider Lanterns
China ball lanterns get a macabre makeover with construction paper and brads.

Creepy Tombstones
Add a frightful touch to your yard with homemade tombstones.

Ghost Gourds

Hang ghost gourds in trees to frighten your neighbors.

Halloween Tree & Ornaments

Start a new Halloween tradition with this spooky tree perfect for hanging frightening photos and scary souvenirs.