Creature Feature : Creepy Acres

I have been anticipating this post for quite some time. My husband Frank and I decided to do a little fan art couples project in tribute to one of our favorite online shows.

Anyone that knows me, knows that I have a deep love and appreciation for Jim Henson and when I was a kid I would choose a puppet show over a cartoon any day. I still will. I also blame Jim Henson for my infatuation with faux monster fur which I have on anything I can possibly find. This art project being no different. So top that off with my love of things creepy and unusual and you will see why I fell in love with Creepy Acres.

We first discovered Creepy Acres in 2019 when we attended Horrorhound Weekend. They had this awesome Sci-Fi and Cryptid section at the show featuring tv stars and guests who specialize in or are inspired by them. Of corpse Frank and I had to check it out. Little did we expect to find puppets, let alone cryptid themed puppets! The minute I laid my eyes on Max the vampire I had to have a picture with him and showed the guys behind the show my Count Von Count tattoo. They told us they had a show online and gave us some info on it. In passing we ended up sharing the elevator with some of the crew and got to meet Sam Squatch the star of their show who was on his way to meet and get a photo with none other than my idol Elvira. I knew right away this show was going to be right up our alleys. We streamed all the episodes on Youtube and were hooked. We have been in communication with them and fans ever since.

After re-watching episodes for the millionth time I got a vision that I shared with Frank. We brainstormed it and ironically when we didn’t want to go out and do the usual Valentine’s Day romantic mumbo jumbo he asked if I wanted to go supply shopping instead! Um…Absolutely! He knows the way to my heart. So that’s what we did. We took our time on it. Working on it as we could between other things and not to rush it. He did the hand sawing and sanding and I did the hand painting and fur application. We took it out to the woods to take some good photos of it and then mailed it off to Sam and his cryptid pals. We wanted to wait until they received it before I shared it here with my followers. The wait was worth it though, because I have a treat for you! Sam unboxed it on the show and here it is…

This video was just what we needed. We had been having Creepy Acres withdrawals because Youtube messed up their channel and they are in the process up re-uploading all their episodes. You can see their hilarious reaction to the nightmare they are going through with their recent ScrewTube episode.

Even more reason to go to their unboxing Youtube video and give them mad likes and love in the comments for doing this! It is beyond awesome and we are so incredibly grateful. As you all know I am all about “artists supporting artists” which is what inspired this creative vision to begin with. Ironically as cryptids, “we believe in them!” You can also comment and share their post of the art piece from their Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. So share some creepy love!

Here are a few of the photos that we took in the woods before we mailed the package off. We made sure to wear our Creepy Acres and cryptid shirts! I even have a furry monster necklace on because when we do anything we are committed ha ha.

You can also see them on the Remains page of my portfolio website. This video will also be on my Freaky Fanatic Viral Video Playlist and listed on the Creature Feature page. You can also see this screenshot of Sam’s adorable furry face with the art piece in my Freaky Fanatic On Air Talent slideshow!

Stay Spooky, Magical & Creepy!
LDG Nicole

Spitting Image: It’s Gonna Be That Kind Of Mornin’

Been working hard at checking another drawing off my art bucket list. Being a kid in the 80s sure had its advantages. Everything was a lot more original back then and people were not offended over every stupid little thing. This made things a lot more adventurous and fun. Wacky, nutty and cuckoo! Just the way I still like it!

It will come as no surprise to the people who already know of my Pee Wee Herman obsession why I chose this subject matter that I did. To me, Paul Reubens created an iconic character with Pee Wee. From his stand up comedy, the unforgettable movies and of course the show Pee Wee’s Playhouse. Which might I add also contributed to my well-known puppet obsession. I mean the playhouse was in Puppetland! Can it get any better than that?

Well…. actually it does! Did you know he went to improv comedy school with my idol Elvira (Cassandra Peterson). And did you know Rob Zombie was a Production Assistant on Pee Wee’s Playhouse when he first moved to L.A.? Let’s not forget that Cowboy Curtis ended up in the Matrix, Miss Yvonne ended up mothering Charlie Kelly and Opal now rocks that famous orange jumpsuit on Netflix. These are the types of things that put everything you loved as a child and everything you love as an adult into full perspective. Ha Ha!

So, of course, Pee Wee, in general, has been on my art bucket list and I have seen so many art pieces done of him from his movies that I decided to focus mine on the show and I had a blast drawing it. Especially because I tend to watch and listen to whatever inspires the piece while I am creating it. So here it is.

I call this one “It’s Gonna Be That Kind Of Mornin'” A line from the theme song (done by Cyndi Lauper under a stage name) I felt it fits the vibe of the drawing and the inspiration behind it. Pee Wee’s Playhouse was one of my Saturday morning escapes as a kid. It might not be on Saturday mornings anymore, but I still watch the show as an adult and it never gets old to me. I could be having the worst day of adulting and then come home and watch the show and it lifts my spirits back up. Judge me if you will but it works for me and I dig it. I mean how can you not enjoy screaming real loud when you hear the word of the day?

So if you are just as big of a fan of Pee Wee as I am or you just love 80s nostalgia, you can get prints and t-shirts of this piece in my Amazon shop! And don’t forget to check out more of my portrait work on the Spitting Image page of my portfolio website.

Stay Spooky & Wacky!

LDG Nicole

Spitting Image: It’s Only Forever

Forever is exactly how long I have been obsessed with Jim Henson. When I was little my Dad would take me to the video store to rent a movie and I would always go and grab the same movie.. Labyrinth! I was obsessed and that obsession has never gotten old no matter how much older I have become. If you have read my artist bio on my website you probably got a fun little glimpse of my obsession there.

This portrait is long over due. I started it a while back but with all my health issues I have had set backs when it comes to drawing. I can throw together anything with a glue gun and whip up something in no time when it comes to crafts but when it comes to drawing I like to take my time and put all my energy into the piece. And with this being a tribute to my all time favorite movie I did not want to rush it. I had it partially done sitting on the back burner and told myself it’s time to finish it. For not picking up my pencils since last winter (when I did my Dad’s Big Daddy Roth – Rat Fink portrait for his birthday) I am really happy with the way this one came out even if it took me a while to finish it.

So with that I present to you “It’s Only Forever:….

Prints will be available in my Etsy shop. However with my upcoming ERCP procedure and surgery coming up custom orders will be delayed until I am able to process them. Prints do fall under custom orders because they are printed when they are ordered. Please keep that in mind when ordering.

Want to see the other portrait work I have done? Check out my Spitting Image page on my official portfolio website!

Stay Spooky!
LDG Nicole