You Can't Love A Pumpkin Jane was a young witch, way ahead of her years... but Jane had a problem which set her to tears. Every one had a date to the All Hallows Ball, except Jane, who quite frankly, had just suffered a fall. Not a fall down the steps, or a trip on some bricks, she didn't fall down on stones, nor over roots or on sticks. Jane had a date, but he decided to dump her... just 3 days before the Halloween thumper. "3 days!" exclaimed Jane, who was bothered and frantic, as she ran towards her spell books, determined and panicked. She flipped through the pages, in search of a spell... one that would suit her, with a suitor, quite well. "No this one won't do, nor this one, nor that!" "Wait...this one calls for the wings of a bat...I have that!" "I have broom straws, red roses, and apples for dunkin... all I need now is a Halloween pumpkin!" So, she gathered her supplies and went out to the field, in search of the perfect pumpkin to wield. ...and so under the light of the moon, there it was... so orange, and so round, not a flaw on it 'twas. So there in the field, she conjured and summoned, she mixed and she twixed until Poof!...there was someone. A tall, dark young man, stood before her and smiled, her heart skipped a beat, she was completely beguiled. Dressed all in black form his head to his toes, and there in his hand was a perfect red rose... ...which he handed to her, with a kiss on the cheek. Enchanted was Jane, as her knees went all weak. "I'm Jack" said the young man, his eyes glistening sweetly. As he pushed back dark locks, said "it's a pleasure to meet thee" "No the pleasure's all mine" said Jane as she fumbled, and gathered up books and what not, and then stumbled. This time, over a tree root. Graceful Jane. Perfectly graceful. They went out on the town, took in movies and walks, and had the most pleasant, enjoyable talks... Before they knew it day one was done, 2 days left, then time for the ball to befall. Day one became two, and then came day 3... But truth was about to hit Jane suddenly.. ...with a phone call from Alice. Alice had called to inquire of Jane, if she was attending the ball. Jane replied "Yes! I'm already wearing my dress! When we get there, I'll give you a call!" Now confused was poor Alice, who although prone to cause malice, was hesitant to enlighten our poor Jane... by informing her of, the fact that she and her love, were about to embark all in vain. Alice replied "The dance is tomorrow!" and Jane is shock and great sorrow, reluctantly re-checked the date. Indeed in confusion, and complete disillusion, Jane confirmed her and Jack's precarious state. Jane looked at Jack. Jack looked at Jane. Alice was still holding the line... "You must go tonight?!" said Jane all afright. "Yes, I must leave at midnight" said a long faced Jack, as he put on his hat, and said "it's only a matter of time". "Hello?!" beckoned loudly, Alice from the phone, whom Jane in her shock had forgotten. "I'll call you later" said Jane, " I must wait here". Now Jane felt completely all rotten. She knew she had messed up. The calender fessed up...she was indeed an entire day early. "I can fix this!" she said, as she leaped from her bed, "I can fix this, yes...surely!" Jack just looked on, not realizing he was half gone, and a vine now replaced one of his feet. As Jane mixed and chanted, poor Jack was now planted. Roots clung to rug, Jane noticed and tugged, trying to remove Jack from the floor. She cried and screamed loudly..."No Jack!" she tugged more and emplored. But fate had befallen, on this Thursday, now sullen, and Jane knew she had failed on her quest. Her true love was gone, and only a vegetable looked on, so she dropped and pouted, cried and then touted... "I promise you Jack...I will think of somethin!" ...but everyone knows...except Jane I suppose, that you can't fall in love a pumpkin. ~*~ Info, Inspirations & Credits The girl was rendered in Daz3D; V4, PD Priscilla morph and makeup, with Angst hair by Rpublishing, and outfit is Dolly by Daz3D, LD stockings by LD (Little Dragon), & flapper necklace by Rpublishing. Jacket is from Steampunk Lady Blaze by Orion1167.Nails by DM Lynette. Crystal necklace from a photo, and made into a png in PS. Pentagram on the necklace from a photo, embossed and colored in PS7. The room background is named "room7", and came in a package of pre-made room backgrounds. Sadly, I don't remember who originally created the background :(. The wallpaper made in PS7, and fitted to overlay the walls, and painted. The dressing table is the Reflections vanity by Laurie S., rendered in DS3, and originally made as a flat prim to use as decor in another project. I like to recycle. ;) The witches table was made by drawing a wooden shelf in PS7, and texturizing it. The legs on the table were copy/pasted from the reflection vanity. The candle is from the medieval tavern by Faveral, the birdcage from the Magic Shoppe by IsauraS. The jars,bottles, and spellbook are from Andi3d, and were rendered in DS3, and made as individual png's, and then combined and handpainted in PS7. Herbs are made from photos of plants in our garden, and cut out, and painted in PS7. The bunny came from a set of png's courtesy of the Unholy Vault years ago. The corner cabinet is a flat image, handmade from a photo of a cabinet door. The pictures on the cabinet are handpainted, and were colored and textured in PS. The curtains were handmade for a project in SL by creating painted beads, and using SS skull brushes, and handmade bows, and built in PS star brushes. The curtains, wallpaper and cabinet were given angles comlimentary to the original angles in the background, by using the perspective tool in PS. The upright books were rendered as a png, and are from A curious Tea by LaurieS. The 2 magic books were created in PS by drawing a rectangle, texturing and shading,and all handpainted in PS, and then adding fonts. The pumpkin is the backside of Morphing Jack by RDNA, deerpath & Judith,for Shocktober '09. The boots are Raiver boots by Ravenhair, tweaked, and twisted in DS3, made into a psd, and further positioned in PS. clothing piles are from Most Digital Creations; rendered originally in DS3, and pasted and positioned in PS. The rose is from DAD. The hat is from Steampunk Lady Blaze by Orion1167 . Rendered in DS as a png, and then pasted onto the clothing piles layer. The rug is a feather rug I made from a photo, cut out and painted in PS, and layered in different positions, and then using the kaleidoscope tool, as well as a few horizontal and vertical maneuvers, stretched and rotated. The sitting pillows are from a photo of pillows, cut out, painted in PS, and then fitted under the girl in PS. Night background in the window from a background made with SS tree brushes, and moon psd. shadows on the floor made in PS by creating a new layer, using SS tree brushes, flipping them vertically, and then dropping the opacity. distorting the angle and then smudging. All was combined in PS7, where the saturation was then lowered, colored in yellows and reds, and then using the lighting tool set on 2'oclock. My inspiration for the piece comes from Cinderlla, only with a time shifted, and twisted orientation. Here, the boy becomes the pumpkin at midnight. The ball came from a mutated idea inspired by Cinderella and my daughters love of Monster High. Note that Monster High neon colors are indicated. Except for the blue, which really didn't complement the hues in the image. The idea of the break up 3 days before the event was inspired by a true story, where I was dumped 3 days before Homecoming. I promptly turned said ex into a frog, avoided the pumpkin rite, and went by myself and had a great time. The piece took approximately 4 hours to put together. I can't tell you exactly how long each individual psd or png took to create on an individual basis, but generally, around an hour or 2 per piece. Now, if you want to be technical, using the individual timing on each png/psd, along with the compilation aspect, it took approximately 20 hours or better. I love what I do and create imagery based on a love of dark arts, and twisted fairy tales. I use my own feelings and experiences as well as those around me as wells of inspiration, so it is a hodge podge of different and various things. Curious and fun things. I'm also quite fond of Dr. Seuss. ;) Thanks for reading my story, and considering my entry. Happy Halloween!