Yeah Hoo!

The little elves are all finished and ready for their new homes.  They turned out cute after all.  They are the Barbara Willis "Florabunda" pattern - I changed it a little, giving them a pointy hat and shoes, instead of the flower petals around their face, that the pattern calls for.  Now my commitments are all done!  I am thrilled!!!  I am off to "My Happy Place" (my art room) to get this back in order - it truly looks like a tornado went thru it.  I am looking forward to working on art for me.... It is a very very welcome change..

Oh yeah.....One more thing!

I forgot to mention - I have updated a few things on the websites and blogs over on the right- I added some incredible eye candy, inspiration,  loveliness...  my friend told me today about Duirwaigh Studio - well - the website AND the blog have been added so if you want to see some cool stuff check it out.  My friend has a cell phone cover from them - it is beautiful....
Also - Spirit of Clay has a new blog - and will be updating it often - their website has been re-created also - lots to see and do over there, so check that out too....
I made these 2 trees last Friday night at their "Paint til you Faint"... I think they turned out pretty cute..

While I was missing in action -  I had took (2) doll classes- Christine Shively in Oct and Barbara Willis in Nov.  Neither doll has been touched since the class - when the elf commitments are complete - I can get to work on them and I will post when completed - they are cool......  AND - I "bought" OMG - Yes BOUGHT a Christine Shively doll - I will post that after I get the photos on a disc - it is awesome!....She is my very favorite doll maker - her dolls are just dripping with special little details and oh the faces... nothing as amazing as her faces...
There - now I am really done with this post! hahaha...

Hellooooo....part 2 of 2

I love elves....I buy these elves when I find them - they are not always out every year -They have the plastic faces and really long legs - they have wire legs & arms.  Then also I have especially grown fond of the Analee dolls - I just love the reindeer - what a sweet face it has.... so these ornery little guys are all over the house being silly with ornaments.....

Helloooooo.... - part 1 of 2

Wow - It has been too long since my last post - I am sorry ... life has been busy and things are somewhat back to normal.  I have been busy making dolls to sell... these are the prims "Gritty Jane" by Jane DesRosier - she uses paper clay on them to make the faces dimensional - I just colored mine with pencils & markers - I hope to try the paper clay in the new year.  I have these elves in progress right now and they will be complete and out of my home on Tues when I go back to work.  They are an order from a co-worker.  I will post a photo of them when they are all done.  They are for her granddaughters - and I asked for each girl's 3 favorite colors - so the color combinations are what they provided - they have no idea what the colors are for - I think they will be surprised to see they are on their very own doll.

I decorated the house yesterday - I have not done a "full decorate" in years - It is cluttered and cozy at the same time.  I love the tree - just dripping with stuff - and Alice has a new christmas dress (love the polka dot tights!)- oh and she got a little nellie-dog of her own!  How about that - I found it at a little antique/second hand shop and just had to have it.

Amazing Weekend - part 2

I bought this cute little bird from Small Studio. The owners make them. I love my birds and OMG - I LOVE maps on stuff - so this is perfect! My dollie gots some new dresses last weekend too....This is her new summer dress.... Oh she is too cute.. So tomorrow is back to reality - have to work to play - until I win the lottery! (someday....a girl can dream.)

AMAZING WEEKEND!!!!

Oh my goodness - what a weekend this was. A chance of a lifetime - I took a class from Teesha Moore AND from Tracy Moore! I was a star stuck, I must admit. I have admired her work for a few years and just could not believe I met her! AND learned from her! Small Studio in Westlake, OH hosted the classes. Teesha is so cool in person. So down to earth and honest. Her journals in person are unbelieveable. You can literally feel the energy on her pages - all good energy. The colors and the details are so very much better in person. I took her painting class on Friday. I don't have much to show for a full day class - but I did learn ALOT from her. These are the "exercises" were were taught. Pretty cool to collage then paint over it and leave just portions of it to show. Mine need ALOT of work - but I have a good start. I am glad I have done her style before, so now I have new layers to work with. Tracy's class was a journal class - I can't post that page- too personal - but I do have his handout posted - you can see his work on that. Really really detailed. In person they will blow your mind - so very fine in detail. He is such a gentle soul - just as doen to earth and honest as Teesha - what an amazing couple they are.

SCORED

Wow, did I score some beautiful stuff! I borrowerd my father's garmin and headed south east to a couple great shops. It was a beautiful day - with an "over the river and through the woods" kind of a drive. Country roads for miles, Amish areas and REALLY old houses to admire & dream about. I have a couple classes coming up and needed to get some special bits for them. Christine Shively and Barbara Willis are coming up for classes this fall. Two of my favorite designers. I won't use all this on the dolls- but will use some - the trims, silks and hand dyed silk velvets were great - awesome threads to embroider with too. Then found hand dyed wools and some great cotton fabrics with words on them. OMG - I LOVE fabric with writing and words - one of them is even in french! Not sure what I will do with it all - but I jut HAD to have it!!! I want to do something different in my living room - robin egg blues, light aqua taupe grey and brown. It seems mellow to me and I need a change. So maybe pillow covers & oh- a doll or something! Not enough time to make everything in my head- you know what I mean? Hopefully this winter when work slows down, I can work on more art. That's the game plan, anyawy.

little elf

I finally finished and mailed this little guy to my niece. She graduated in May and now lives in FL. I thought this could keep her company. It is the Barbara Willis Florabunda pattern. I added the hat & wings - then it took on a strong resemblence to a flying monkey! (but a sweet one) Good thing the Wizard of Oz is my niece's favorite movie! hahahaha

Hitty party

A couple weeks ago I went to the Hitty Party. It was such a nice day. These are the photos of all the dolls that were there. Funny - most of the people also have a Strawberina (or 2) and they were also all invited. There was a gift exchange for the Hitty's and the theme was Rodeo Drive. People sure were creative with their gifts for Hitty. I made fancy hats for the dolls- They are the little black felt hats from the craft store with layers of gesso, paint and hard coat mod podge. I then glued a beaded trim, feathers and rhinestones to each. We all received hats, a crown, a treasure chest with a necklace (that Strawberina took!), and other treasures inside, maps of Rodeo Dr, Teenie Tiny perfume bottle with box, keychain, book, suitcase (made from felt), purse, tiny couture shopping bags, a book... and check out the sweet owl & snail ny friend made for her strawberine - too cute! LOVE "all the pretty colors" !!!

and a wonderful altoid tin about Hitty with a cool paper doll of her too. The funniest item was an antique nut bowl (California land of nuts!hahaha) I have photos of all the Hitty's and the Strawberina's - how sweet they all are.

Strawberina's new dresser

I won this sweet dresser on ebay for my Strawberina. I wanted a vintage type doll dresser for her clothes and shoes. This came on Friday and I love it. It is a little bigger than I expected but I love the decals. They remind me of what was on our family crib when I was little. I had bid on another dresser thinking I would be out-bid within the 4 days left - well - found out on Friday that I won that one too! OMG! So a new one will be here later this week. Another vintage one, but plain and darker wood - will show you that when it comes in. Problem is - now I have to buy clothes to fill the drawers! OH NO! Oh I just love this little doll! These 2 little dollies have become fast friends and hang out together all the time. Do you love these little bunnies they have? They are those little Japanese erasers - just the right size!

Update part 2 of 2

I have lots of photos attached -making up for such a sparce 1st 1/2 of the year postings... I was off work a month ago and planted these flowers outside. This is my 2nd summer here and I was not sure about planting flowers last year- now that I know they will be OK - I could not wait to plant them. I really missed planting flowers, because my neighbor and I did it every summer at my old apartment - she planted the herbs and I planted the flowers. We have deer and lots of wildlife here, so there were only certain flowers I could plant. I thing they are so cheerful. I also get to play in the dirt a bit and really enjoy it. I have posted some other misc photos from around here. I bought these flowers for the house too - they did not even last a week before the roses were all droopy - what a bummer - but they were pretty while they lasted. I like birds and wanted to share some of them with you. The 3 birds on top of the TV are so cool - I bought the black one at a craft show this winter and the little one in the nest was a birthday gift from my friend. I absolutely love her! Especially the teenie bow on her head - how sweet. The white one was a gift from Mickey - it was from a craft store- so cute. This is a photo of my window sill with little bird figures I have collected over the past couple years. These are only a FEW of the geese in my development and just outside the building. LOTS of babies this year. The geese in the distance are all the "singles" and they are haning out by the lake/pond. Lastly, here is a photo of "my happy plae" - not so happy right now- it is too unorganized for me, but here are my art and sewing tables and what I am working on now -finally working on dolls again. I was invited to my first Hitty party. It is next weekend. We had to make (10) favots for the Hittys and bging a gift to exchange. I cannot post what I made, yet, but will next week. I want to bring my camera ant photo the dolls and the gifts. I will post over the upcoming weekend. Th is deer was literally feet away from me, but when I got the camera she started to walk away - it was amazing to be so close to it. There is an apple tree just to the left of our door and she was eating the apples on the ground. I am so glad I made the move out here - it took a while to get used to the area, but I am grateful every day when I come home to this lovely place.

Update part 1 of 2

Oh Look at her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I won an Ebay bid on this precious Strawberina doll last week. She came in the mail on Thursday. I am IN LOVE with this sweet little doll! Several of my friends have one and I have been obsessed with getting one. I even bought clothes for her a month ago, or so. I bought another outfit and shoes a couple weeks ago, knowing I was eventually getting one. Oh how I LOVE a little red head dollie. She is just so cute, I cant even stand it. This is the outfit I bought for her from ebay a month ago. She is making friends with the other dollies and birdies in the house. Now I just need more clothes! hahahaha... Heck - she will be dressed better than me when all is said and done!

Simply Me link

Oh man - Blogger changed and I couldn't figure out how to add this link .... Well Donna Downey's "Simly Me" blog link is now added over to the right - I hope you enjoy her - I think she is alot of fun.

Donna Downey

Well - I don't know if I am the last person to find this woman, but her blog is great. She has videos and classes and products to buy - all kinds of cool stuff. I think she is alot of fun and quite inspirational. She is also on Youtube - apparently been in the business for some time. I am SO glad I found her - It was thru the SandyArtDesigns blog link on the right - I have also added Donna's blog link - it is http://donnadowney.typepad.com/simply_me/ She paints with her fingers alot - how fun - not all gooey like finger painting when we were younger - I have to try this. Enjoy.......

Ta-Dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ta-DAH!!!! I FINALLY finished a doll! This is for my uncle. It is the Barbara Willis pattern Florabunda, with a hat instead of the flower petals on the pattern. His hat and shoes are made from grey wool and the hat trim is brown boa. I love soft fluffy feathers on dolls, they move with the air in the room. I used a verigated pearl cotton to do some straight sitching on the hat. The 2 buttons on his chest and the one on his hat are from my grandmother's button tin. He will like that. Oh- I just couldn't pass up the Monster High doll - this is Draculaura. Don't you just love her little outfit? The websites and blogs, on the side bar, have been updated with lots of awesome things, so enjoy!

I am still here! I keep changing the blog and think this will be good for a while. Now All I have to do is ACTUALLY post to the blog...... I have been in a funk this year. Nothing bad or wrong really, just really blocked. I have made 1 doll this year - ONE and it is not even done! I have to start the thing over because the nose did not turn out. SO frustrating. I watch you-tube videos all the time - do I go into the art room and do stuff? NO! I don't know what the deal is. I see from all by blog hopping that there are a handful of people i follow who have also been in a funk - so it kind of helps to know that even professional artists go thru this too - for long periods of time, like me. I hope to have items to post this weekend - perhaps an almost finished doll, possibly a blue sky, leaves, geese, something.... I will make a point of it, so you will know I am still here and kickin'!

snow and new round robin beginnings

We finally had snow here this weekend. Because of that I missed (2) doll groups, but was able to get alot done around here. I wish I had taken pictures, outside, just 2 hours earlier - the sun was actually out! You have no idea how little sun we get here because of the lake and weather. It was beautiful. These photos were taken about 3pm on Sunday. I love the way the snow sits on the branches and all the shapes are outlined. These are taken here at home. This is what surrounds my complex, woods and more woods - it is so nice.
Then - our new round robin for Time for Dolls - we will pass around a paper mache mannequin. I got the new Prims issue (second best issue to the premier issue) and was inspired by what I saw in there. I tried my hand at paper clay and it turned out pretty cool. I have a wooden dowl in the length of the entire mannequin, going up thru most of a Styrofoam ball. Gessoed the ball, then covered it in paper clay - giving her a neck too. I used acrylic paint, markers and pencils on the face. I am pretty happy with how she turned out - definitely will be trying this again. It will be very interesting to see how this turns out - there are 10 of us that all will work on each doll.