It's HUMP day....YEAH!!! (love that commercial)

Walked out the front door this morning and it (DRUM ROLL) actually felt a bit cooler...a tad bit like fall. Just a tad bit though and I'm sure it won't feel that way for long today BUT at least it did for a short time. HEY....I'll take what I can get. I'm very easy to please when it comes to Mother Nature. (like I really have a choice)

I hope that everyone had a great LONG weekend and did something FUN or at least took the time and got in a few probably very needed horizontal pauses. (that's naps people..hehe) We had a good weekend. The Chazman had his best bud over to spend the night on Saturday. We watched the ALABAMA game..well...WE watched until halftime and then the hubbikins left to go to the local pub to finish watching it. That was alright though because I switched over and watched some of the AUBURN game but shhhh don't tell on me. I also got some work done on some of my projects.

Bella's clay parts got finished and baked. My ooaks look like lil aliens at this stage, or at least the Chazman thinks so..HA!!! I will start painting her this morning and hopefully get her wrapped up in her yarn underclothing. Fingers crossed that I can also work on her dress and hat this afternoon. Love this part of making new pieces.

Noooo....this is not nearly complete. Remember it's just a WIP at this point. I did get the wire armature made for the witch and am really happy with how this stacks up. BAHAHAHA....get it....stacked up...she is sitting on top of a stack of books. OK OK...ya'll know my quirky sense of humor and I know ya'll got it.

I  got some work done on the Tooth Faerie helpers too. Since I'm sewing them by hand, I have been taking them with me when I go to pick up the Chazman from school. (to get close to the front of the line I have to leave about 30-40 minutes early and I can't stand just sitting) I finished the little monkey on Friday and was able to get him stuffed and put together this weekend. I started on the dragon yesterday and hopefully will have him all sewed up by Friday. I was going to wait until I had all of the ones I wanted to make all sewn before I started painting but I think I might just go ahead and get these painted. I mean they are just sitting there...staring at me....and it's kinda creeping me OUT!!!

I hope that you have a wonderful HUMP day and will come back soon to visit under the old Southern ooak tree. I love YOUR visits and comments!!

Until next time..........Hugs,
Regi

OMGOSH..it's Wednesday already???

Please forgive the time delay (HEY...I only missed a day this time) I have been a bit under the weather after my sweet, darlin son shared his tummy virus with me. Dang it all...I so need to teach that boy that he does NOT have to share everything!!!

Since the Chazman was sick for two days and then I ended up with it late Monday afternoon (and still am not feeling much better) I haven't been doing a whole lot except for doing the horizontal pause.(that's napping for those that don't know..hehe) I did get some sculpting in....in between those pauses that is. Here's two WIP photos for you. The funky, whimsical skellie head is a candelabra....or at least I hope that's what he turns out to be. The white thing on the right is going to be a spell book and the open book is well....a open book with an owl sitting on top. I know...I know...it's laying down at the moment but it won't be when the piece is completed. At least I hope it won't...if it does then that means the owl found the mouse juice..hehe.

I wanted to ask some of you how you go about doing some of your armatures...that is if ya don't mind me asking and if ya do then just don't answer....BAHAHA!!!  I normally use double wire for tall ones like the skellieabra and then twist them together, fold them in half and twist again. After all that twisting I wrap it in florist tape. (I like white but I only had green, so green it was...this time) After all the wrapping I apply a thin layer of regular school glue and let it dry completely. After that then I apply the clay. So far it's always worked and held up really well. I am curious as to how some of you do them though. I know....I know AGAIN....curiosity killed the cat....and to that I say...MEOW!!!! hehe

Until next time...........Hugs AND before I go I want to say that I hope each and every one of you are feeling AWESOME and healthy and do everything to keep those nasty germs away from you and yours. ^_^

Regina

He wants his MUMMY!!

I did it again...didn't I? Let almost a week pass by without posting. Betcha thought those twenty-five li'l mummies took over my studio and started wrapping ME in crepe paper huh? THEY DID..THEY DID!!                  OK, well...perhaps they didn't really (thank goodness too because they sure were eyeing my hot glue gun) but do you know how it feels to have twenty-five pairs of eyes just sit and stare at you? I'll tell ya how it feels. It feels extremely...CREEPY...that's how it feels!! I swear I think that some of them actually turned to look right at me. Oh yes...I was just sitting here working on their crate (ok it's really a hand painted box to look like a crate) and several of them....Oh wait...they did turn to look at me...cause I turned them. HEHE

The Chazman is so excited about taking these to his classmates. He wanted to take them today but I told him he had to wait until tomorrow for their HALLOWEEN party!! I think that I'm going to have to make a new box crate before we do any other projects for his class as this one is starting to look like it really has been shipped back and forth from Egypt AND possible buried in the sand...under the pyramids. Not to mention it has been to the North Pole and back several times. I bet those elves played "kick the box crate" with it too. Oh Oh...and the Easter bunny...I'm sure he..well...let's just let that one go. A new box crate it will have to be. I had to use this one, one more time though, since I still haven't been able to get my ink cartridges because DANGGGG...they cost as much as a new printer. Now that really is a bit frightfully SCARY!! Thankfully, I had a few things already printed off and in a drawer....so....I used them.  It so pays to be a pack mouse (didn't say rat...mouse sounds cuter. Don't ya think?) Here's the box crate the mummies will be traveling in tomorrow ummmm I mean arriving in from Egypt. ^_^

Yeah yeah....I know...you're thinking "OMGOSH REGI, those postage stamps are HUGE". Like I said...I used things I had been saving and they ARE postage stamps from Egypt. I have to confess that when I printed them off I didn't want them to be so big. I get carried away working and trying to swat my muse away long enough to do something and then I get side tracked and (oh look out the window..two little squirrels chasing each other) What were we talking about? Oh yeah..the big stamps. See how easily distracted I can get..hehe  When printing them off, I forgot (imagine that) to change the size..so BIG FREAKING HUMONGOUS STAMPS got printed!! I don't like to waste anything so I saved them. YEAH ME!!

I have been wanting to use this cute little mummy and am so happy that I can now. The Chazman really liked him and wanted him on the box. He didn't care how or where but he wanted his mummy!! The little tag with him says "BEWARE....Open with EXTREME Caution".  HEY....if all twenty-five mummies jump out at once and start eyeing the kiddos.....I did warn them!!

Now as to this picture. It's a bit fuzzy looking, is it not? I think we heard something knocking on the box crate...the mummies want OUT and they want out NOW!! They made the box shake so my picture came out this way. Yeapers..that's what happened. It did...I kid ya not!! After we took this one, the Chazman picked up the box...whispered something to it....gently shook it and then put it in the closet.


Until next time...............Hugs,
Regi, The Chazman and the twenty-five Li'l Mummies

Trick or Treat...Smell my feet

I just love this time of year...Halloween is so much FUN!!! The Chazman's class is having a party on the 31st and he wanted me to "make" something for him to take. OF course, it couldn't just be cookies or cupcakes. I'm a good cook...I love to cook...cookies and cupcakes would be a good thing, ri iight?? He wanted me to come up with an idea that would be different and unique. One where his classmates would slap him on the back and say "WOW...Chazman...this is AWESOME". Hmmmm, after he made that statement he decided he might not want a slap but perhaps a shoulder tap or high five...that would work. He said some in his room could probably hit hard. OK I"m getting off on one of my tangents again...sorry!!! I sat down with my "idea book"...that's a big notebook that I keep ideas in...hehe...no...really....it is. Well...I can't keep ALL my muse whisperings in my head. She already has it so full that my body has expanded to keep some of them stored. ANYWAYS....several years ago (about 20 to be exact) I had made some candy containers for a friend  to give as party favors at a Halloween party. They were a hit....well...who wouldn't like to take their "MUMMY" home. HAHAHAHA...I just couldn't resist...sorry...AGAIN!! The Chazman thinks they will be a hit this time too.

Isn't he a cutie? Soooo simply to make and I'm going to prove it to you. By request of a friend (one that doesn't want to be named...I think she plans on making them and wants her child to think she did it all on her own...LOL...I don't mind...I love to share) I'm going to do a tut for you. OMGOSH...a tut....on a mummy....get it????  Tut...Mummy.....King Tut!! OK so I'm quirky...ya knew that already...let's get started.

Here are the supplies you will need. Most you may have on your messy desk already. You will need.......

Card stock paper

Pencil

Fine point marker

Watercolor pencils (small brush) or crayons

Scissors

Crepe Paper (or creepy paper as the Chazman calls it)

Toilet Tissue holder

Assortment of Candy

Now.......... if you aren't one to save those empty toilet tissue holders (GASP...I can't believe that everyone doesn't) then no worries. You can make some using your card stock paper. A toilet tissue holder is a tad over 4 inches long...that makes a good mummy body....so here's what you do..

If you do have ONE toilet tissue holder then place it on your cardstock paper and mark the length or if not then take a ruler and mark off 4 inches. 

Cut your paper and then roll around the empty holder or if no holder then just roll up until you think it looks like a toilet tissue holder. Imaginations people...imaginations!!! ^_^  You can tape the seams or glue them. Me personally...I would tape them...much faster!!!

Since this is a "Trick or Treat...Smell my Feet" mummy then we need some stinky feet. I like to do one original pattern on cardboard (that way I can keep it for future use) and just trace the outline and fill it in where I need to. This is if you are doing several of something...which I am in this case.....24 to be exact. You are more than welcome to copy and save my pattern and use if you like. Remember..I like to share!! To make your original pattern, take your holder and place it on the paper and trace around the bottom. Then simply add some toes. I go over my pencil tracings with a fine point marker. Then I use my watercolor pencils to add some "age" around the toenails. For the eyes I just do a bubble (make sure you measure on the holder how big you need to make the bubble) and then draw my eyes inside it. I use my watercolor pencils to add some color to them. Crayons will work just as well for this...especially if little hands are helping you. 

After you have cut out the feet and bubble face....you place the feet on the holder. I like to add a small piece of paper under the feet inside the holder to give it some support for when you add the candy. Don't let it come out on the side with the toes...they will be enough support for that side. I then take a piece of the crepe paper and glue it across the feet and up the sides of the holder. Turn over and glue on your bubble eyes. 

I know everyone has their way of doing things but I always like to give the right way  suggestions and tips that I have come across. Do not open the crepe paper...I mean...yes you have to open it but do not take the wrapper off of it. It is easier to use if you cut the center and pull the paper out like a tissue box. I pull about 3 arm lengths out when making one mummy...seems like a lot but wrapping a body takes some paper. Even the small bodies..^_^ Also, if you don't just happen to have any laying around, I found mine at Wal-Mart in the party section for .97 

Now back to mummy. Take the end of your long piece of crepe and fold into a triangle and put glue on it. Place just inside the holder off to the side. 

Now place the candy inside the holder. I put about 4 different kinds inside...it's really all up to you but you don't want it to heavy. Once the candy is inside then you take the crepe paper and wrap it twice around the openings...start the wrapping at the bottom and going up the other side to the top and back over. You can pick up the mummy while doing this but sit it back down once you have it started so that you can tighten the paper some around it. Be gentle!!

Once you have wrapped the openings then you can start to wrap the body. I wrap one time all around the holder with the crepe paper flat. You will have to twist the paper near the eyes. We don't want to cover up his eyes...now do we? Once you have wrapped the body completely then you will take the crepe paper and fold it in half and start to wrap it again. The folding makes it look more like mummy wrappings. Keep wrapping until you get to a small tail that will hang over the top of the mummy.

Take some glue and apply to the top and then press the tail over and let it hang down the side. I like to cut it and make it look like old strips of wrapping.

Mummy should look like this...or close to it. Now he would be great to give like this but the Chazman wanted a tag with the saying "Trick or Treat...Smell my Feet" on him. So I sat down and drew out a tag...a simple one and you are more than welcome (AGAIN) to copy and use mine. I ran mine through my printer so it is two sided. One side with the saying and one side with the cute scrapbook Halloween paper print. (the one behind the finished mummy pic) I also aged the tag..well..it is going on a mummy!! I just tied it around the mummy and it's that simple.

Don't ya think it's an easy project? Ok ok...maybe if you copy and paste and take all my babblings out then it would be but I just have to babble. I LIKE it...hehe!! Now...if you will excuse me I have 19 more mummies to make. Have FUN!!!

Until next time.....Happy Halloween Hugs, Regi

This post is linked to a great spooktacular blog hop....hop on over and see all the other awesome artist.