Not letting 2013 follow into the new year!!!

I'm one of those that never wants one year to follow me into the next. Good or bad, the past year is over and a new fresh one is beginning. With that being said, I was sitting and looking at my Christmas decorations late yesterday and decided that I wanted 2013 to stay in the past where it belongs so I needed to put all the decorations away so it could do just that. 

All are packed up and ready to go back out in the shed until next year. YEA!! I always hate when I first take them down because well......frankly....it makes the house look "NEKKID" for a bit. I know I shouldn't look at it that way. I should look at it as having a nice clean house back, which is a good thing. I have to admit though (looking around) that I did leave the small tree I had in the B&B room in the closet so that I can pull it back out next month and decorate it for Valentine's and then again for Mardi Gras and then again for Easter. Oh yes...I love to decorate a tree. If ya remember I kept the big tree up last year and decorated it for January and February, but decided it was just to big and took up to much room to do it again this year. Not to mention I used the January winter paper ornies I made on the Christmas tree and packed them up..hehe 

I do like  having my nice clean house back....I really do. I like having my teapot collection back out with Alice and her gang mingling in between. Just love Alice, Mad Hatter and March Hare!!!

 

Do you see (looking around AGAIN) the little pedestal in the corner? That's where I'm going to put the little tree on in February and March to decorate it..hehe  I'll actually get to decorate it February (Valentines) March (Mardi Gras) and April (Easter). It's going to be FUN!!!!

Since I was able to get everything done last night I had this morning to take the Chazman to get a much needed haircut. He wouldn't let me take a photo...he's being shy today. Awwwww!!!! Then we went to the library....we love the library and then to Stacey's and ate lunch. They have the BEST sampler platter of salads. Tuna salad, chicken salad and egg salad. It's so good it'll make ya wanna slap yo momma...but don't, please...that wouldn't be very nice. 

After we got home I decided that since I have some books to read that I wanted a pretty bookmark and since I have been going through my shell stash I found some pretty shells to make one with. I'm thinking about making some to put in the souvenir shop if I can find some more pretty shells. 

Now....it's a bit chilly (where's my lambswool blankie?) so I'm going to go snuggle up in my reading chair and read a bit. 

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

Regi

P.S.  I hope that everyone has a wonderful New Years Eve. Stay safe, don't drink and drive and remember that 2014 is going to be a very good year. A very good year indeed!!  Come and visit often because I plan on giving away lots of goodies this year BUT you have to come visit to find out what and when!!!

Alice and the gang!!!

Those of you that have been following me for some time know that I had the honor of being asked to display some of my whimsical ooaks at the Art & Soul Gallery in Bothel, Washington. Sadly, due to the hard times that seems to be reaching out to a lot of us, the gallery owner is going to have to close the doors.  That being said, my "Alice" series of ooaks have come back home. I have them listed in my Etsy shoppe for now but I may have found a gallery here in my hometown that may want to display them. It seems my ooaks are getting to live a most adventuresome life.

For those that haven't seen "Alice and her gang"....the following photos are for you. Even if you have already seen them I hope you enjoy seeing them again. If interested click on my Etsy banner over to the right. If you might be interested in the whole collection, email me and I will give you a nice little discount. Click on the caption under each photo to read the original post about each of my whimsical Alice characters.

Eat me...Drink me

March Hare..It's Tea Time

Mad Hatter

White Rabbit...I'm Late..I'm Late

C is for Cat

As always, thank you for stopping by and visiting my whimsical world. Until next time,

Hugs,

Regi

Recap of some of my Ooaks Series....

Since I have been posting more than just my Ooaks series as of late, I thought I would do a few recaps  for those new visitors. Under each photo is the direct link to the individual post if you would like to go read more about them.  Let's start with "Alice in Wonderland"......

"Eat Me...Drink Me"

The White Rabbit

Mad Hatter

March Hare

Cheshire Cat

The Southern Ooaks Santa Series:

Santa and Mrs. C

Fall Santa

Leather and Fur

Santa & Chester

The remaining Santa photos are of my ooaks in this series that are now in Private collections.

Think this is enough for this post....I will post more recap's of some of the other series another day. Hope you enjoyed looking and this post has made you want to step into my whimsical world a bit farther and explore.

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

Regi

C is for Cat....Cheshire Cat!!

"One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire Cat in a tree.

Which road do I take? She asked.

Where do you want to go? Was his response.

I don't know, Alice answered.

Then, said the cat, it doesn't really matter."

*************************

I would think by now anyone having read any of my latest post has explored or re-explored the wonderful tale of Alice. It is such an amazing story...filled with so many wonderful characters. One I think that might keep it's self in any readers mind is the Cheshire Cat. He is written into the story at just the right times....popping in here....appearing there or even disappearing with only his grin to be seen. Such typical cat behavior, don't you think? Never come when called and always sneaking up upon you. Have to love the cat.

Here is my imagination bringing Cheshire out in the open for you to enjoy. 

Cat as he will be called from this point on ^_^ is one of my multi median ooaks. He has a strong wire armature that has been needle felted with cotton batting. He is then covered in faux fur....tried to

comb my cat to felt her fur into the batting to get real cat fur but she just wouldn't have anything to do with that idea. Imagine that!! His face and paws are sculpted out of Prosculpt clay and then washed with an acrylic paint mixture to give him that old porcelan look. He has tiny bone beads in his paws to look like claws. He has glass green eyes that have been detailed using acrylic paints and then sealed. His whiskers are twisted wire. His collar is a silk ribbon. He is in a sitting position with his paw up ready to wash and clean his pretty little face. He can also sit on the arm of Alice's chair. When doing this he is trying so hard to give her advice on eating and drinking.

 Such a big old grin Cat has. Makes you wonder just what is going through that mind of his. 

Chaz just informed me that someone drank his milk...I think I see who...look at Cat.
Don't think he finished cleaning those whiskers...Bad Cat..Bad Cat!!!

As always, thank you for stopping by my whimsical world. Please come again and again and again......

Until next time.....Hugs,

Regi

"DRINK ME" or "EAT ME" What should Alice do?

There seemed to be no use in waiting by the little door, so she went back to the table, half hoping she might find another key on it, or at any rate a book of rules for shutting people up like telescopes: this time she found a little bottle on it, ("which certainly was not here before," said Alice), and tied round the neck of the bottle was a paper label, with the words "DRINK ME" beautifully printed on it in large letters.It was all very well to say "Drink me," but the wise little Alice was not going to do that in a hurry. "No, I'll look first," she said, "and see whether it's marked 'poison' or not"; for she had read several nice little stories about children who had got burnt, and eaten up by wild beasts, and other unpleasant things, all because they would not remember the simple rules their friends had taught them: such as, that a red-hot poker will burn you if you hold it too long; and that, if you cut your finger very deeply with a knife, it usually bleeds; and she had never forgotten that, if you drink much from a bottle marked "poison," it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later.However, this bottle was not marked "poison," so Alice ventured to taste it, and, finding it very nice (it had, in fact, a sort of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pine-apple, roast turkey, toffy, and hot buttered toast), she very soon finished it off.

 (Click here for more of the story)

 *******************************************************************************
If you have been following my "Alice" Series of ooaks then you should know that this is yet another small paragraph from the original Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland". It is such an amazing story and one that truly describes all the characters so wonderfully but still leaves that tiny bit left for your own imagination to take over. So that's just what I did......

Alice is sitting like such a little lady in the only chair she could find. One that as you can see is WAY to large for such a small girl. She is trying to decide if she needs to drink or eat. She so wants to visit the garden she saw through the tiny keyhole behind the curtain. She is looking as though she is asking you, "What should I do? Do what the little bottle says and "Drink Me" or what the tiny cake says and "Eat Me"? Oh dear...oh dear....such big decisions!!!

Alice is one of my Southern Ooaks. She has a strong wire armature that is covered in wool yarn. Although she is made in the same fashion as one of my gently poseable sculpts she is in a permanent stance, a very lady like sitting position....her tiny foot crossed behind the other. Her face, hands and shoes were sculpted out of Prosculpt clay and then detailed using acrylic paints. Her eyes are bone beads that have been hand painted using acrylic paints and then sealed. Her costume was hand sewn using vintage fabrics. Her collar and apron were sewn using a vintage cotton and crochet dollie. Her stockings are made from a vintage sweater. Her hair is lambswool. The "Drink Me" bottle is made from a tiny insert of plastic and clay with a purple hue glass bead as the stopper. The clay was dusted in a fine MICA powder before baking to give it an antique finish. The sign is paper with a hemp tassel and tie. The "Eat Me" is made from clay and then rubbed and detailed using acrylic paints. The tiny sign is made from paper and attached with a twisted copper wire. Alice sits at 7 3/4 inches. Her red chair stands at 12 inches and is 5 1/2 inches across. Alice can be removed from her chair and sat on something else if so desired. Please remember that my ooaks are collector's items and NOT toys.

Alice is looking forward to going to the Tea Party at the Art & Soul gallery soon. She will be joining the Mad Hatter and March Hare. SO hope that March Hare behaves and doesn't throw a teacup at her. ^_^

As always, thank you for stopping by and seeing my latest ooaks. I do believe I enjoy sharing them almost as much as I do designing and making them. ALMOST!!!!

Hugs,
Regi

Post It Note Tuesday

White Rabbit from Alice...

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

by

Lewis Carroll

CHAPTER I   DOWN THE RABBIT-HOLE "There was nothing so very remarkable in that; nor did Alice think it so very much out of the way to hear the Rabbit say to itself "Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!" (when she thought it over afterwards it occurred to her that she ought to have wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural); but, when the Rabbit actually took a watch out of its waistcoat-pocket, and looked at it, and then hurried on, Alice started to her feet, for it flashed across her mind that she had never before seen a rabbit with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out of it, and burning with curiosity, she ran across the field after it, and was just in time to see it pop down a large rabbit-hole under the hedge."  Read more.


The above is of course a paragraph from the original story written by Lewis Carroll. When you have the time you should follow the "Read more" link and rediscover this wonderful tale...just make sure you don't drink or eat anything found along the way. ^_^   The first whimsical character that Alice discovers is the White Rabbit. He of course doesn't bother to take the time to introduce himself for he has other matters on his mind and doesn't even seem to notice Alice. Alice does see him though and so begins her journey.....

This is Southern Ooaks version of the white rabbit. I have always loved the tale of Alice and all the amazing characters she meets on her wonderous journey down the rabbit hole. Rabbit in my mind was a stately fellow. Sharp dressed Englishman rabbit in his fine woolen coat...leather vest and beautiful gold pocket watch.

Rabbit being the perfect Englishman carries his umbrella faithfully with him wherever he goes. Of course he might lay it down for a spot of tea or a bite of carrot cake.

 H

His woolen coat is hand sewn from a vintage piece of fabric. His buttons are vintage pearls. His vest is made from an embossed piece of brown leather and has a tiny vintage burgandy glass bead as the button. His pocket watch is a real time piece that has stopped at preciously 6:15. Do you think he is late for the Tea Party? Mad Hatter and March Hare would surely have a fit if he showed up late. 

Rabbit stands at 8 1/2 inches tall...he does tend to be a bit shorter when he puts his ears down to duck under the brush.  He has a strong wire armature that is covered in wool white yarn and then in a faux white fur. His face and paws are sculpted with clay...baked and then detailed using acrylic paints. His eyes are bone beads that have been hand painted and sealed.

Rabbit will be joining the Mad Hatter and March Hare at the Art & Soul Gallery.
(once you click on Art & Soul you will be taken to the Country Village site...simply click on shop then Art & Soul)
I am very excited about this series of ooaks being in such a wonderful gallery. I know that they will whisper to someone to take them home.

As always, thank you for dropping in to see what's been going on in my whimsical world. I hop hope that you will come again real soon.

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

The Tea Party has Begun...

Do you think that in 1865, English Author, Lewis Carroll had any notion that a novel he wrote based on some of his friends, companions and places during his time would still be read by children and loved by adults over 145 years later? Such a classic, I don't think, has ever been written and still adored by so many. Don't know the classic I'm speaking of........it's about a young woman that falls down a rabbit hole to find a world beyond what anyone could have ever imagined. Her name was ALICE!!!!

I have always loved this story and all the amazing characters it brought to life for me. I decided that I wanted to bring some of those characters to you in some of my ooaks. I have a love for rabbits. So my muse decided that is where I should start.  Some might be guessing that it is the little white rabbit that runs around, poor dear, always saying to himself "I'm late...I'm late" but my favorite rabbit of the story is the March Hare from the Mad Hatter's Tea Party chapter. Such personality....so charming and yet so stuffy at the same time. To let you read just how his personality was, here is a short portion taken from the Mad Hatter's Tea Party:

"There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it: a Dormouse was sitting between them, fast asleep, and the other two were using it as a cushion, resting their elbows on it, and the talking over its head. `Very uncomfortable for the Dormouse,' thought Alice; `only, as it's asleep, I suppose it doesn't mind.'
The table was a large one, but the three were all crowded together at one corner of it: `No room! No room!' they cried out when they saw Alice coming. `There's plenty of room!' said Alice indignantly, and she sat down in a large arm-chair at one end of the table.
`Have some wine,' the March Hare said in an encouraging tone.
Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it but tea. `I don't see any wine,' she remarked.
`There isn't any,' said the March Hare.
`Then it wasn't very civil of you to offer it,' said Alice angrily.
`It wasn't very civil of you to sit down without being invited,' said the March Hare."

Without any further hesitation here is Southern Ooaks version of the March Hare.........................

March Hare is a very distinguished fellow. With his Velveteen jacket....silk vest and fancy bow tie. MH stands at 7 1/2 inches tall and can stand on his own. He is one of my gently poseable ooaks. He has a strong wire armature covered in linen colored eyelash yarn. His head and paws are hand sculpted from clay, baked and then washed with an acrylic paint to give him that old porcelain look. His eyes are black bone beads.  His outfit is completely hand sewn. His bow tie is a vintage pearl drop and rhinestone earring clipped to a celery colored silk ribbon.  His lettuce head cup and saucer were sculpted from clay and then rubbed in acrylic paints.

He comes with a antique Colclough English made Bone China cup and saucer. A lovely sweet pea pattern with purple and green hues. The edges on both the cup and saucer are slightly scalloped and rimmed in gold.
March Hare is being so kind as to bring you a cup and saucer of your own to enjoy the Tea Party but be quick for his mischievous side will take over and your cup will end up as his seat!!!!

I am very excited by the fact that I have been contacted by Susan Yaranon, curator for the Art and Soul Gallery located in Bothell, Washington. They want to display and promote my whimsical characters. March Hare is one of many that will be making the journey to this awesome gallery. It's located in The Country Village and looks like an amazing place where my ooaks will be right at home. Well, that is until someone wants to actually take them home with them. Go take a peek at her gallery....click on the Country Village in green above and then click shops and then click Art & Soul gallery link. I'm so excited!!!

Until next time....

Hugs,
Regi