Have you had your Vitamins today?

A good friend of mine didn't realize it but yesterday while posting images to facebook, she became my muse for a short time. She is one that is always posting  things that make me smile, giggle (and spit coffee all over my computer screen. Thank you very much Diana Rohe), think and ponder. The one that got my creative juices flowing was this one:

I love our peace of the beach and no, I didn't spell peace wrong because it isn't just a "piece" of beach. If you stop and listen then it does bring peace....peace of mind. Now I know looking at this that you probably thought you knew me well enough to think all the things that might have popped into my whimsical imagination. Mermaids, sea horses and any creature of the deep but that's not what got to me. It was the words "Vitamin Sea". Here's what I saw:

An old apothecary jar filled with sand and shells. Broken shells and whole shells.....all the way down to teeny, tiny shells. On the back of the tag the directions which read:

Vitamin Sea

Take Daily

Breathe in the salt air

Listen to the waves washing ashore

Let them both heal, soothe and restore.

So.....have YOU had your Vitamin today? 

Regi

A little birdie came to see me...hehe

I hope that you had a supertabulous and marvelous weekend. Yeppers, I'm making up words again..what can I say..hehe!! I know that we did. The Foley parade was a blast but I have to admit I got a bit nervous with the folks there. I know..I know, I get nervous in big crowds and WOW this was one big crowd. That wasn't what bothered me though. It was that the folks where pushing themselves closer and closer to where the parade was and the floats barely had room to maneuver pass. The police finally asked folks to step back...and they did....thank goodness. If there is a suggestion box for the parade committee, the Chazman and I would like to make one. The folks throwing the candy and goodies need to learn to throw them UP and out in the air...that way everyone gets a chance to have some of the treats. (not just the folks standing up front that grab and push and well just have bad form people..bad form) Like I said though....the parade was awesome. Who doesn't love a parade?? They had the snow in the park afterwards but the Chazman was so frazzled after all the people at the parade that he decided he didn't really want to go. We never push him into doing things he doesn't want to do so we just came home to rest a bit. OK..let me rephrase that, the hubbikins and the Chazman came home and rested. I played!!!

First thing I did was to make a topper for this cute little box I found at Wal-Mart. Ohhh, it had a flower on top but I didn't care for it so I ripped gently took it off..hehe  Since I'm going to put the garters I made my niece in it I thought that some of my fabric shabby roses would look cute on top. She can store her keepsake garter in it or use it for a little trinket/jewelry box.

Top of box for better viewing ^_^

The hubbikins and the Chazman were still resting after I finished this so I started working on some little snowbirds. I love our snowbirds that come and visit with us during the winter months. I mean real people not actual snowbirds...although I do love our feathered friends too. OK...I'm babbling, aren't I? I made two little birds and I think they turned out so cute. They are hand sculpted out of clay, detailed using acrylic paints and then covered in German glass. I have them sitting inside a shell that was picked up on one of our beach walkabouts in either Gulf Shores or Orange Beach. I took them up to the Foley Performing Arts gallery this morning and Miss Bonnie wants me to do more. So I guess I'll be working on a flock more birds...hehe!! Hmmmm...that didn't read sound just right...I mean I will be working on A flock of birds. Now..that's better!!

Cute little guys, ri iight? I think I'm going to make some to go in my Etsy shop too. They are just to darn cute. HEY...I should do a snowbird and one of my dust bunnies together. HA  Ok I'm babbling AGAIN..sorry.

After I got these guys sculpted and baked, the hubbikins and the Chazman were ready to go to the boat parade. OMGOSH...this was our first year going to it and it is going to be a tradition from now on. It was AWESOME. Sitting by the canal listening to the herron's fussing at all us humans sitting in chairs in their territory..hehe  The weather was perfect and the boats were shiny and bright. FUN FUN FUN!!

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

Regi

Mermaids and Faeries dancing about

It's been a morning of mermaids and faeries dancing about....in my head...that is. ^_^  I do believe that I have been blessed with several quirky souls....my mermaid one, my faerie one, my Bohemian one and my gypsy one. I love when they want to come out and BOY have they ever been here lately.  I have designed three mermaid pieces and one faerie piece....so far!!!

Remember I told ya'll yesterday that I had made some of my mermaid tail charms but smaller and I would show them to you today? Well...I'm showing them to you. HeHe!!  I love the colors purple and green together. Kinda reminds ya of Mardi Gras. The glass beads add a touch of style to this memory keepsake necklace along with the tiny vial filled with sand from our beach as well as a tiny little shell. A sterling silver starfish charm finishes it off. It's hanging from a ribbon and hemp 18 inch necklace. (there is a 2 inch extension chain attached as well) So you can judge the size of this piece...the glass vial is only an inch tall.

Here's another one but in green and blue. Another favorite color combination that just brings the sea to mind. Tiny blue and green glass beads, vial filled with sand and a shell and a sterling silver star fish make this piece one any mermaid would love to wear. Of course, it would look simply MARVELOUS on you too.

Last but not least is a bright beautiful yellow mermaid tail charm. Sometimes photos just don't capture details very well. The fin part of this one is covered in German glass and just shimmers when the sun hits it. It has tiny green glass beads along with tiny Swarovski crystals. Of course, it has the keepsake vial too.

My muse started whispering that I was not letting my faerie soul come out and play and she had something she wanted me to make. I found these beauties at an estate sale some time back. Vintage Swarovski crystals that when the light reflects off of them you have a beautiful rainbow effect.  I added some glass and silver beads along with silver dragonfly charms....What says "faerie" any better!!

Now I'm off to work on a cuff bracelet....or perhaps start another Santa...or...OHHH so many things being bounced around in my head. So much fun to have such a vivid imagination!!

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

Update on Teacher appreciation week

My muse has been driving me nuts (ok ok nuttier...LOL) about making a clay cupcake for the teacher...but at last she finally had to shoosh as she realized that I wasn't going to have enough time to make it. If you read my earlier post about what Wednesday's suggestion was then you know it's "sweet treat" day. The Chazman and I made some homemade chocolate chip cookies last night feeling that no one could resist that yummy treat. I mean.....Who doesn't like CHOCOLATE chip cookies?? Ri iight?? Thank goodness I put some back to put in Ms. Barton's box for today. No one wanted to fess up to almost eating them all. Can't imagine WHO but I will point no fingers....innocent until proven otherwise. Now being who I am I just couldn't only put cookies in her box. I mean those will be gone in no time!! I wanted to give her something that represented sweet treat day AND that would last for a long time. Ya know.....like a memory keeper sorta of treat. I had already swooshed away my muse because of the time factor but she did have a great idea (one I will keep stored away for another day as it would be perfect for a birthday keepsake) and then.....like a V8 moment.....I remembered some of my ornies that I still had...locked away until I needed them. I NEEDED THEM or at least one of them so out one came.

Do you remember the Ted E. Bear ornies I did a year or so ago? Don't feel bad if ya don't because to be honest I had forgotten about him too....until I NEEDED him. This little guy will make the perfect sweet treat keepsake for Ms. Barton. He doesn't have to be just for Christmas. He has a pretty silk circus collar around his neck and is holding an old fashion candy ribbon. He even has a few pieces to share. Thank goodness I got him in the box last night or "SOMEONE" might have tried to eat those too. HA!!! wouldn't he they have been surprised.

Of course I couldn't just stick the cookies and Ted E. into a plain old box. Ohhh Noooo...not me...hehe!!! I found this cute vintage advertisement on a new site I discovered a few days ago. It's called Vintage Ad Browser.  I printed it off and attached it to the top of the box. Cute huh? Well...I thought so and hopefully so will teacher.

Tomorrow is supply day but seeing as we have limited funds (like everyone else) I'm thinking of perhaps making a small tote bag for her. Ya know...to carry some supplies in. That would work...wouldn't it??

I hope that you are having a great week and someone is telling YOU that everything you do is greatly appreciated. I know I appreciate YOU...thank you for being you and for letting me be...well....ME!!!!

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

Studio Friday

It's a beautiful 60 degrees here today with a light, balmy breeze blowing....skies so blue you just want to sit and look up at the sun.....feel the warmth on your face. Our whole weekend is suppose to be this wonderful and I so hope that it is. There is a reenactment going on at Ft. Morgan this weekend and it would make a wonderful family outing and historical learning experience for the Chazman. With weather so amazing I bet you are asking why in the world am I sitting in my studio......and the answer to that is that my muse is singing so loudly that I can't go outside until I work on what she wants me to. Ohhhhh....the things we do for our muse. Ms. Peaches however is thoroughly enjoying this weather and being outside.

(WATCH OUT LITTLE BIRDIES AND SQUIRRELS)

My muse has me inside..arrrgggg working on another Valentine's Faerie. She is going to be dancing in the middle of silk ribbon and fabric roses. Holding a stack of hearts in one hand...her Valentine's bucket filled with silk roses in the other and perhaps a tiny butterfly balancing on her toe.

I'm working on some special wings for her. Not quite sure if they are going to work but we will see. Never know until you try and then try some more and perhaps try a few more times...LOL!! The only thing I will say about them is, they have vintage MICA flakes in them.....hopefully. (fingers crossed)  If I can't get them to do like I want then she will have a lovely pair of my silk ribbon embroidered wings.


Fingers crossed that I will get enough done today and tonight to appease my muse so she will let me go on the family outing tomorrow. If she insists that I keep working all weekend then she is going to find herself up under an empty jelly jar with Ms. Peaches standing guard til Monday. ^_^

Until next time.....Hugs, Regi

Little of this..little of that

Ms. Peaches is feeling much better today. It seems as though we have a junk food junkie cat on our hands. The Chazman informed me yesterday that he and Ms. Peaches sat and watched TV and eat Doritos together on Sunday and Ms. Peaches turned into Ms. Piggie. Guess that would give any being a tummy ache....LOL!!!

I did manage to get a few things done yesterday with all of her howling and wanting to go in and out all day long.

A lil HOOT owl with a big heart. I have to paint and detail him but I think he is cute just in his non painted state.

Another in the TED E BEAR weebie series. This time he has a big fat hive full of honey and he is even sharing with the bees.

These two lil lovelies are something new I'm working on. I have fallen in love with doing my fabric roses and flowers again. I hadn't made any in years until I made the pin for one of my nieces for Christmas and now the bug has bitten and bitten HARD. I want to have mine stand out a bit from everyone else's so my muse started whispering to me. What was something that all Victorian ladies had with them on their journey to visit another for tea....or their walks in the gardens? They had their beautiful hats that were attached with even more lovely hat pins. Hopefully, if my design works out then these two beauties will become hat pins for my fabric roses. I will be sure to keep you posted as they progress.

Until next time.....HUGS, Regi

Wordless Wednesday

Until next time.....Hugs, Regi

One down...one to go HOHOHO!!!

I just love painting my ooaks. Adding all the details. Shading in the wisdom lines...some folks call them wrinkles...I say  wisdom lines AND I have earned each and every one of mine, thank you very much  ^_^.  Coloring their mouths and cheeks to bring out just a hint of blush.  Bringing some personality through by the color of their eyes and adding a tiny bit of glimmer that is surely to catch YOUR eye.

The first of the two Santa pins I am working on is complete. I am rather proud of him. He turned out well and jolly. He is wearing a hooded cape that has a wool yarn attached around the rim. I made a tiny silk rosette attached to a felt leaf with a pair of jingle bells and then I attached it to the hood. Dangles of light rose crystals and glass sead beads hang down from the silk rosette. Look closely and you can see a little twinkle in Santa's eye.

 I love making Santa..in any shape, form or fashion. My pins are not small and I know it's so hard to judge by a photo just what the size of something is. The one I just completed measures 4 inches long and about 3 1/2 inches wide. They look beautiful worn on a jacket, sweater or even a plain sweatshirt. You could even attach a ribbon to the pin on back and hang them from your tree....instant Christmas ornament.  Or perhaps attach one to a bow on a Christmas wreath to hang upon the wall. I love making gifts for people, especially ones that can be used several different ways. I think this will be a gift that the Chazman's teacher will remember and get to enjoy for many years to come.

Now...on to the next!!!  I have been considering making a few to put in my Etsy shop. Do you think they would sell? Let me know what you think, please. It's a Santa Pole......hahaha...get it!!! OK...I think I need to get back to work.

Until next time.....Hugs, Regi

And the Muse said..........

I was sitting quietly this morning having my cup of coffee and watching all the wonderful creatures playing and frolicking outside my studio window. I love my time to let my mind wander for this is NORMALLY when my whimsical characters are imagined. Notice I capped the word normally....you did notice....good!!! It seems that my muse wanted to put her two cents worth in and completely banished all the quietness I was soooo enjoying. For those that are new to my whimsical world, please let me introduce you. This is DIVA and OMGOSH she so lives up to her name in every way.

DIVA is one of my soft body ooaks. She is gently poseable.Her face, hands and feet are sculpted using Prosculpt clay. Her body is wrapped in soft angora wool yarn. Her face, hands and feet have been washed with an acrylic mixture to give her a porcelain look. Her face has been detailed using acrylic paints. Her eyes are bone beads that have been hand painted. Her hair is faux fur along with the fur on her hands,feet and tail. She is wearing a sweater made from a wool sock. Her buttons are tiny crystals. Her wings are made from brass wire that has been wrapped in silk embroidery thread. There are tiny vintage Swarvoski crystals hanging from the tips. Her stand is silver and is twisted like a silver lining on her way up to cat heaven. She stands at 8 1/2 inches tall and is 3 1/2 inches in width.

 Until a few days ago my muse lived quietly in my head...whispering ideas. I was dusting the ooaks shelves and for some reason I kept going back to DIVA. It seems my muse wanted to be more than just a whisper...so she has for the time being taken up residency in one of my ooaks. Not that I can blame her for using this particular ooaks because for those of you that follow my blog you know that this is one that started out as one thing and so ended up something completely different. So the muse said..........change me...and my little DIVA was.

The conversation we are having in the first photo is one that I think I need some HUMAN input on. She seems to think that I need to only make ooaks that sit 14 inches or taller. I want to start making more of my smaller ones.....like my weebies...6 inches or under. Give it some thought.....then let me know what you think.....please....so I can keep her out of my ear and get some work done. For those that don't know what one of my weebies look like, here are a few examples:

Let me know what you think......what you would be more likely to purchase....I need some input people...pppplease!!!

Spells are being cast.....

It seems that lil Ms. Witchiepoo Zoe has been casting spells AGAIN!!! Don't let those cute little dimples fool ya. She already blundered with her spell casting by turning her big fat cat into the size of a mouse. It seems now that she has done one to me.

I worked on her tiny pantaloons yesterday. Ppppplease......no self respecting witch would go flying on her broom without her pantaloons underneath her skirt.  After those were sewn and put on Zoe (and she did some modeling) I started working on her arms. Since this is a combination of one of my clay and soft body dolls I'm doing her clay hands attached to soft sculpted arms. I got both completed and when I went to attach to her shoulders "POOF" she had two right hands. TWO RIGHT HANDS!! I have been working on her for over a week now and you are going to tell me that I just now noticed this. Besides...I'm a leftie...wouldn't that make ya think that I would have made two left hands. Arrrgggg...in my 35+ years (yes I was a wee baby when I started making dolls "cough..cough") of making dolls I have NEVER made that mistake....with that being said...I am convinced that lil Ms. Witch has put a spell on me.

Her new hand has been sculpted and baked and painted but due to her awful behavior she doesn't have her long beautiful fingernails. I told HER it was because of her horrible spell but really I don't have any more translucent clay. Shhhhhh don't tell Zoe that....I will just let her pout and maybe she will behave herself.

Until next time.....HUGS,
Regi

Southern Ooaks Magical and Mystical characters tour....

Welcome....so happy that ya'll came back for the tour of another hall here at Southern Ooaks. Today we will be going to the magical and mystical hall. Be warned though...there are some charcters here that might just steal your heart. ^_^  Some will be seen for the first time during this tour, others will be ones that already have rooms. Which means you can knock on the door click on the link under the photo and be taken directly to them. Enjoy and thank you for visiting us...we love company!!!!

This lil darlin is Dealan-de (pronounced dalan-day. Scottish gaelic for butterfly). Have you heard the saying, "Every cloud has a silver lining"? Dealan-de is that lining. She is the keeper of the........Butterflies of course. A very important job in itself. Have you ever tried to keep a butterfly in one place...not an easy thing to do but Dealan-de accomplishes it quite well. She has a special magic...one that allows her to softly whisper to the butterflies...to keep them close by...until it's time for her to send one down to earth. These are very special butterflies. They are the carriers of hope, of love and of memories. Dealan-de has the magic to hear our feelings. Once she hears a heart that needs a tiny bit of reassurance..she sends them a butterfly...a memory....a feeling of love or that much needed feeling that there is hope.

Dealan-de is one of my gently poseable ooaks. She has a strong wire armature that is covered in wool yarns. Her face, hands and feet were sculpted using Prosculpt clay and then detailed using acrylic paints. Her costume is made from ribbons, felts and yarn. Her hair is made from feathers. Her butterflies are some of my hand embroidered ribbons. She sits at 6 inches on her cloud. The base is a vintage sterling silver trinket holder.

Unicorn

Magus, the Ancient One

Mommie and Baby

Mimzie and Whikit

Sleeping Beauty

DIVA

I hope that you have enjoyed your tour today. I so enjoyed taking you on it. Thank you for visiting....you are always welcomed here....anytime...our door is always OPEN!!!

Until next time.....

Hugs,

Regi

The Mad Hatter..

  March Hare...March Hare, you cranky ole rabbit....

Look what you have done to Dormouse simply out of habit...

You gave him that potion again did you not...

the potion that shrunk him

made him tiny and bound

and now fast asleep

in my tea pot he's found.

Oh my mind's in a quandry

what shall we do

for it's tea time

in 30 plus 2

March Hare March Hare, you cranky ole rabbit

you're fixin to see an angry Mad Hatter!!

Mad Hatter must have his tea...for tea time is precisely at 6...not sooner not later but right on the dot...I pity poor March Hare for filling him with anger...for everyone knows the Hatter is madder than any old Hare.

Mad Hatter is one of my ooaks to celebrate  "Alice".  He has a strong wire armature and permanently is in a sitting position.  His body is wrapped in wool yarn and then dressed in his finest clothes. All of which were sewn by hand using vintage fabrics. His face, hands and feet/shoes were sculpted using Prosculpt clay. His eyes and details were hand painted using acrylic paints. His hair is llama's wool. His top hat is made from felt.  Dormouse and the teapot were sculpted by hand out of Sculpey clay and then painted using acrylic paints and fine MICA powders. Hatter's seat is a paper mache star box (which has been sealed closed) and covered in an old Alice in Wonderland print. It has a fine covering of German glass, a yarn border and felt bottom. Hatter sits from top to bottom at 9 inches. He can be removed from his seat and sat where ever you like.  

 

Hatter will be going up to the Art & Soul gallery in Washington. I'm so excited about him making the journey. I know that he will just beg someone to take him home with them, just make sure he doesn't have any of those potion bottles with him...LOL!!!!

Until next time....

Hugs,

Regi

Faery Baby Keepsake!!

 I love making keepsake items. A special item handmade for someone to mark a special event in their lives. This newest one is for a baby shower. The new arrival is due to make an appearance in April. WOW...that's just next month. My, my how time flies!! This is a commissioned piece. I don't make these ahead of time because I try to  have them reflect something of the person it's being given to or something that the person giving it wants it to be.

The person placing the order wanted one of my wee faery keepsakes. I was in a quandry though, as I usually use preserved butterfly or dragonfly wings for these and I am completely out. HEY....have you ever looked around for wings....they don't just appear ya know...LOL!!  I decided that since the paper bug has bitten me so hard that I would do paper wings. I found a beautiful vintage butterfly image and printed it on card stock....cut it out...embellished it and...POOF....beautiful one of a kind butterfly wings. I also did another card stock butterfly image but didn't embellish it....it's going to be the announcement card to go with the keepsake once the new arrival arrives!!!! It sits on a twisted silver wire with a tiny dragonfly charm attached.

I made a clay base that looks like a tiny tree stump.....washed it in acrylic paint to give it that old porcelain look. Then I used silk flowers to adorn the base with. The baby fae is a fully sculpted ooaks. Her face and details are painted with acrylics. Her hair is dyed lambswool....a pretty purple hue!! She is napping laying on top of the flowers. She is a tiny 2 1/2 inches long. The complete sculpt from base to wing tip stands at 5 inches tall.

If you ever need a ooak keepsake, keep me in mind and as always, thank you for dropping by. Until next time.....

Hugs,
Regi

A Pup for Pawpaw Pete!!

I love animals and I have needle felted a few but I have never done one in clay. That is until NOW!!!  A friend asked if I would do a sculpt of a Bloodhound. Her Grandfather is getting ready to celebrate his ?? (promised I wouldn't tell) birthday this month and she wanted to give him something unique and one of a kind. Bloodhounds are his favorite so she asked me to do one. WOW....I was so nervous doing this piece but now that he is complete....well....I'm most proud.  He is completely hand sculpted in clay. I reinforced his legs and head with wire. He has been hand painted with a washing technique that I think gives it an old porcelain look. He has a real leather collar on and his tag is a silver "Footprints" in the sand charm. Pap is a preacher so I thought it was quite fitting. Pups catch laying at his feet is a Mallard duck. Completely hand sculpted and painted using acrylics and fine MICA powders. I hope Pawpaw will enjoy his Pup.....Happy Birthday!!!

Until next time....

Hugs,
Regi