Meet the Creator behind Spooky D's

Meeting the Creator (Me) and My Laser

Hey there, thanks for stopping by! I am Danielle, the artist and maker behind Spooky D’s, a small business. I really love what I do and the people I meet. As part of the team and the biggest tool I use, well besides my non-stop creative mind, is my laser (which I named “Maxi”) for which is use to cut and engrave the wonderful spooky-sweet pieces I sell. Picking a laser took a lot of research and years of dreaming. I really had no idea what I was supposed to buy to make this business happen. Finally, I narrowed it down to choosing the right one for me at that time in my life – something smaller, powerful, precise, and would allow me to bring detail and personality into everything I created.

So, this will be a little behind-the-scenes magic, a glimpse into part of my creative process because every item I create is made first with a lot of heart, a dash of curiosity, pinch of intention and finally the last ingredient of hope that it brings whimsical enjoyment to you. I do a lot of experimenting with materials and design, working to find what feels right. It comes with its own challenges trying to get the details right while allowing myself to show my artist hand work through painting in some pieces. While I enjoy endless hours designing digitally, I don’t always like the machine to have all the fun, I want to get my hands dirty too. I enjoy adding paint and washes to my work, sometimes adding in other material elements which ties back into my past education. The combination of my laser’s assistance in cutting and engraving strokes I created helps tie in my creativity and hand craft elements. I am proud of the work I put out there. 

 Fun and Helpful Things I’d like to Share

• What is a C02 laser? It is a machine that takes an infrared light beam and passes it through a tube of gases (mostly CO2) and out through a narrow lens which in turn can precisely cut and engrave various materials by melting or vaporizing the layers that make up its surface. It reminds me of the Marvel coming mutant character Cyclops who wears the cool eye glasses.
• Why I chose my laser? I wanted a laser what was powerful enough to do various materials yet small enough so it wouldn’t take up a lot of room. Some of these lasers are their own bed. I wanted a laser that could cut through things and fit a decent budget. I bought my laser years ago before it became more reasonable in price, but that is its own story. I also wanted a laser that I did not have to always be connected to an online application in order to run it nor be dependent on a company fully if I wanted to use it. I found what I needed from a company called Full Spectrum Laser. Maxi is a Muse 3D 45W CO2 Desktop Laser that has rotary capabilities as well. Small, powerful, detailed, precise, and can use the pass through for larger things. I can also pick her up and place her on top of something larger so she becomes more portable if I need it. Her bed size is roughly 12” x 20” or 20” by an infinite length.
• What I love most about it? Watching a design come to life is pure magic. No two pieces are ever exactly the same, and that’s part of the charm. I get excited just waiting for the piece to finish. I also have to mention that I love that I can work on a design and get my settings put in place without having the machine online/running. Applications and programs really do matter with your machine.  
• What can be tricky? Settings – every material has different settings that need to be tweaked. Even doing multiples of the same thing may need me to dial in additional settings at times. Working with wood means wood grain patterns can cause differences in engraving height. Ultimately, the beauty of the “tricky” factors means I need to be patient and I get to learn a lot. Software can also be tricky when you are like me and like to draw with one, vector design with another and then run it in the laser’s program. You need to keep an open mind as you will continue to educate yourself – part of the beauty of challenges and learning.
• How do I care for it? Routine cleanings, maintenance checkups, and a lot of TLC. When things are going smoothly, she is “Maxi”. When things are going a rye, she is “Maxipad” to me, lol! But seriously, sometimes she needs a break too. Its always good to make sure you take a breather and a break as tiring out is real. I make sure to clean off the lense and nozzle after messy materials and recalibrate as needed. Maxi is another member to the team, so I treat my laser like another family member.
• What am I looking to experiment next with? Well, the laser came with a rotary tool that I have still yet to try out. That will be my next endeavor here in the future.
• Why it matters? My laser is a tool that I use but it is also an extension of my hand. I feel it is no different than a paint brush allowing me to bring whimsical and delightful creations to reality. I use it to bring elements to life on the materials I choose which I could also call paper or canvas if we keep to the same analogy. It scorches and cuts and creates grooves in the most delicate and also harder texturized materials. And I am only getting started with layering, which is similar to a block printing process in my head where layers upon layers create a more detailed and depth focus. Truly, I think the possibilities are endless and I have only barely scratched the surface of what I can use the laser for.

A question I get asked is “I see a lot of laser videos online, it is all that glamorous? What is really like to have a laser?” Well, the behind-the-scenes reality is it’s loud. The laser head moves along its gantry alongside the material making a bit of noise with the laser settings I chose to cut and/or engrave into it. I also have the water-cooling box which pushes water through my laser tube so it does not overheat. Then I have an air system, both internally in my machine and an external one, that extracts as much material smell/fumes as possible from the machine and removes it from the office. All of these machines running at one time create a lot of noise, so I wear ear plugs and often headphones playing music which tune out the sounds of them running.  

 So why does all this matter? Why am I sharing this with you? The laser helps me to create whimsical and expressive pieces that help me to touch your life with a bit of joy and a splash of spooky too. Not the horror kind, but the more playful and fun part of my favorite holiday. It really is a bit of everyday magic from behind the scenes to your home or shared with someone through a gift that is meaningful.

Did you know?

No two pieces are alike. Even with the same design, materials (like wood grain for example) have variations that enable each piece to be uniquely yours.

Tested designs. I experiment with settings, materials, colors and finishes to make sure each piece brings an artistic quality yet meets high standards. If I am not satisfied with the end result, it joins my scrap box or becomes my next paperweight. Point being, if I am not proud of it then I am not selling it.

Lasers create magic. The laser is my wand of light engraving and cutting with impeccable detail and gradation. It is remarkable how my designs come to life as the laser passes over the material of my choosing.

Mistakes are part of the process. Ah yes, the “oops” or “yikes” that wasn’t planned. As in life, mistakes can also be happy accidents in those moments in time that were not idealized. Things happen, but I try to take them with a grain of salt, learn from them, and embrace them when they happen. In those unclear moments, they have even become some fascinating revelation of artistry that I was not ready for. Ah to love the monster of Frankenstein in poetic sense.

Care matters. By this I mean maintenance. I have repeatedly come to understand that the laser needs its maintenance and it is so very important to make sure it is taken care of kept happy too. This allows me to ensure I have crisp details and cuts every time.

And lastly, Orange really is my favorite color. I mean this in every sense, the color and the taste. I really cannot help but squeal and giggle when I see even the smallest little pumpkin or poppy flowers or peek of orange color in a design. So I try to bring this joy into my pieces, like this one, and perhaps I will make a game of it by sneaking little orange items in everything I make. You’ll just have to look and see!

Thanks for being here and supporting small business – your support allows me to keep creating, learning, and chasing this dream one engraved piece at a time. Follow our socials, take a look around the shop and I hope you find a spooky and magical gift just for you or someone special!