Shells Shells SHELLS!!!

WOW....I didn't realize I had so many shells. Shells here....shells there....shells everywhere!! Shells, shells, SHELLS. Want to know something though? I NEED even more shells...hehe  ^_^

My muse is just a singing about all the things we can do with some of these shells. I've posted some "How To" projects in the past three days using shells and I hope you have taken a seat under the old Southern ooaks tree and read through them. I like sharing ideas and how to's with YOU.

I was contacted by one of my sweet followers and friends after she saw the projects and she wants me to do an oyster angel tree topper for her. I love when that happens. One post leads to getting a commission......to getting paid....for doing something I love to do. Thank you sweet Robin!!! I immediately started digging through my shells to find just the perfect ones for this piece. I'll post pics once it's completed. I'll give a hint though, it's not just one angel!!

Now most that know me already know that I'm one that can "see" things in different objects. My mind has always been somewhat ummm overactive we'll say and has only gotten more so the older I've gotten. While I was looking for the right oyster shells for Robin's angels, some of the shells just looked like they needed a Santa face on them. Yeppers, the jolly ole elf himself on an oyster shell. Yes, I know...overactive imagination. I couldn't sleep last night so I started to work on two of them. Here's a WIP (work in progress) of them so far.

I don't normally work on more than one project at a time but today well I do believe I'm going to be doing just that. Come back tomorrow to see what progress I've made. Love when YOU visit!!!

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

Wednesday work!!

Good Morning peoples!! Hope you're having a good middle of the week. Only 1 day, 12 hours and 19 minutes remaining until Halloween. ^_^

I decided to start working on some of my Christmas gifts. Those that come and sit under the old Southern ooaks tree know that I make most of my gifts for my nieces and nephews and "gulp" great nieces and nephews. Nooo, I'm not old...my niece was just really, really, really young when she had them...Bahahaha!!

I'm starting with my sweet niece Lauren. No worries that she will see this as she never comes to sit under the old ooaks tree. Not that she doesn't love my art...she does. It's just that she is a 17 year old that is doing her own thing these days. Just my luck though...she will THIS time. If so, all I can say is "Merry Christmas...I love you".Ohhh and "Surprise".

She really likes the steampunk look so I thought perhaps a necklace....a monocle necklace....a steampunk monocle necklace. Get the idea? Hehe...I think ya might.  I must admit that I got the idea when I was making the monocle for the witch ooaks I just finished. I had an old pair of reading glasses that finally decided to break on me and you know how much I love repurposing items so I just had to use them for this project. Add that to some watch pieces and POOF...steampunk....here we come!!

Whooooo's this cute lil fella? Isn't he a hoot? Bahaha..I love how the pieces kinda speak to me and this lil owl just kinda jumped out from all the pieces. He will be the focal on the monocle.

I'll be adding other watch pieces and natural gem stones around the edges of the eye piece. Since it's a reading glass lens then she might even be able to use it for reals. Wouldn't that be awesome!! I can't decide if I'm going to put it on a chain, a piece of leather cording or ribbon. What do YOU think?

Until next time.........Hoots (ummm I mean Hugs),
Regi

A beautiful Fall Sunday morning!!

It is indeed a beautiful Fall feeling Sunday morning. What I want to know is......WHO moved me during the night to a different location? Bahahahaha!! Not complaining and I have the windows open so I can enjoy the crisp, coolness for however long it's last. That should be until around 11ish and then......Welcome back to the South!!

I'm feeling a tad bit better today so I'm hoping that I'm FINALLY on my way to recovery. Thank goodness!! I do believe I look much better than yesterday. What do YOU think? Be honest now...hehe

I love the AMC Walking Dead Dead yourself app...bet ya hadn't figured that out yet....had ya?  Here's the link if anyone else would like to play with it. Click Here!! Ohhh, go ahead...ya know ya want to and no one will know...unless you share yourself. Don't go yet though, ppplease, wait until you have finished visiting. YOU know I love your visits!!

I was able to work on Sabrina some yesterday and early this morning. She has her beautiful dreadlocks (really they are pretty wool yarn) and is attached to the wooden block. She has her earrings on and all she is lacking is her unique witches hat. I mean she can't be a part of "The Black Hat Sisterhood" without her black hat now can she?

Such a pretty little witch, ri iight?  If ya don't agree then remember the saying "If ya don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all". I mean I can take the criticism but not so sure Sabrina could and she is a witch. Bahahaha

I told ya'll yesterday that I was redoing the goggles and not going to be doing the spyglass but replacing it with a monocle. Well......I have the monocle completed and I really like how it turned out. See.....when some of our projects don't turn out the way we thought the new ones can turn out to be even better.

 Steampunk spy spider

Love...love....LOVE steampunk!! There is an actual piece of clear plastic in the center of the monocle. The focal point is the spy steampunk spider. I will go more in detail about it with Sabrina's story so make sure you come back to visit. (yeah yeah.....I'm tempting you so that you will come back. I'm badddd!!!) I'm going to attach this to the chain that is already attached to the moon on her hat. Ohhhh, wait......I haven't shown you that yet. Guess you will just have to come back to see THAT too...hehe!!

Today, I'm hoping to work on the goggles. I have my pattern (as I showed in yesterday's post) done and just need to cut the pieces of the leather out and start assembling it. Fingers crossed these goggles turn out steampunkish!! I'm hoping that the pattern works out with this one too because I already have that other Sister ooaks bouncing around in my head and she is going to be wearing goggles too. It's the steampunk witch coven....bahahaha!!

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

Happy Oct 18th!!!!

WOW....I can't believe that I let a whole week go by without coming to sit under the old Southern ooak tree. I must confess that I'm dealing with a few tiny, minor health issues BUT I'm strong and will be fine...eventually!! I think perhaps I might even venture out a bit today. Do you think anyone will notice I'm a tad bit under the weather? Bahahahaha!!! Not to bad for a woman that turns 156 today, yes?

I have been attempting to work on the Black Hat Sisterhood piece and must tell ya that the clay spyglass and goggles did NOT work out the way I planned. That's alright though because my overactive imagination muse has plenty of other ideas.

I'm still going to use the clay lens as I think they will look good once painted and the lens attached. The pieces that fit around the lens is going to be made with cardstock and that pretty piece of leather. The nose piece (fingers crossed) will be made from watch parts. Instead of the spyglass, I'm going to be making a monocle instead and of course it will be steampunked too. ^_^

Now....since it's my birthday today (but shhhhh, it's one I want to pass on by cause I'm getting OLD peoples) I thought I would share one of the Chazman's favorite treats we make this time of year. Okay, okay....we start making this time of year all the way through Valentine's. They are called "The Forgotten" cookies and you will soon learn just why they're called that. Bahahahaha

Ingredients you will need:

2 large egg whites, room temp

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

2/3 cup fine sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Non humid day (yes, ya read that right. These will not make if rainy or extremely humid)

Yield: 4 dozen (if ya make them as recipe calls. You can make them larger)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside for now.

In large mixing bowl, beat egg whites til foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until fluffy. (DO NOT overbeat peoples)  Add sugar slowly, about 3 tablespoons at a time. After at least half of sugar has been added, add the vanilla extract. Continue adding remaining sugar. Meringue should be shiny and tight. If you want....at this point you could add any one of the following:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 cup crushed peppermint

3-4 drops of food coloring

If you do want to add any of the extra ingredients gently fold them in at this time. 

One teaspoon at a time, push one teaspoon of meringue from tip of teaspoon and with the back of another teaspoon place onto baking sheet. Leave 1-inch space between cookies. (They will NOT spread out but stay in the original shape) You use the two spoons so you do not touch cookies. Owww, what a gooey mess you'd be. So follow directions!!! ^_^

Place sheet in oven and turn oven off. YES....you read right......turn oven OFF. Leave the cookies (undisturbed...that means NO PEEKING peoples) in the oven for at least 3 hours or overnight. 

(yeah riiight, like that's gonna happen....hehe) Cookies will be crisp, dry and ohhhhh so yummy!!

Now you know why they are called The Forgotten cookies, eh? The Chazman has names for them at different holidays....BAHAHAHA!!! Halloween they are called "ghost poop" cookies (adding the chocolate pieces makes them even more poopy...hehe) Christmas time they are called "Angel cookies" (without any added ingredients) Valentine's they are called "Cupid's cookies" (add the crushed peppermint) Mardi Gras time they are called "Jester cookies" (separate meringue into three bowls gently and add purple to one, green to one and yellow to one) I'm sure that you can come up with even more add ins. All I know is that I have to keep a close watch over them when they are in the oven because apparently I haven't taught the Chazman just what undisturbed means. ^_^

Have a wonderful Saturday and until next time............Hugs,

Regi

Happy Monday the 13th!!

It's Monday yet again peoples. I hope that you had an awesome weekend....one spent having some fun adventures (ones that you can talk about and even some that so need to stay put in the weekend and NEVER be talked about..bahaha) OR just resting. So happy that you came to sit under the Old Southern ooaks today....luv your visits.

I  F I N A L L Y finished with Sabrina's eyes....all the layers and layers of paint and clearcoat. I do think they turned out so good and l@@k so pretty. I really like making eyes this way but for future reference if you ever follow along and try some of the things I do....DO NOT....make the well to deep. Takes F O R E V E R to fill in. I know, I know, I stated in past post that I was patient and (STOP LAUGHING) I am but goodness it took two days to fill those greens in. ^_^

In between waiting on each layer to dry (Did I mention that it took a long long time? hehe) I worked on her steampunk jewelry pieces. Love steampunk!!!

 Thinking I might actually like a pair of the earrings for myself. Bahaha!!

 Close up of her necklace. I even put a lobster clasp on it. Well...she might want to take it off AND if she does then ya better.....RUN!!!!

This piece is going on her hat....in the front and center. I'm going to attach a small green potion bottle that's filled with dragon teeth dust. It's really beach sand.  What did ya think it was peoples? Like I would give away my dragon teeth dust...ppplease. Her steampunk spy glass I'm currently working on is also going to be attached to her hat on the chain as well. Her goggles will be going on top too. I got the spyglass and her goggles sculpted yesterday and baked last night and plan on working on them as soon as I'm finished with this post. 

Remember this is a WIP image....they will look good once completed....I hope!!! I'm ready to get this piece completed because I already have a few others "flying" around in my head wanting to get out. BAHAHA!! Did ya catch that funny there? Flying...witches. Ok ok I know I'm weird but ya gotta luv me, ri iight??

Until next time....Hugs,

Regi

Gonna be a Steampunk Saturday

Happy Happy Saturday peoples!!! It's going to be a beautiful day. I have the windows and back door open and the cool, crisp air is AWESOME. Of course, it won't last long. It's the South and Mother Nature thinks it's suppose to be summertime here all the time...BAHAHAHA!!!

It's going to be a steampunk day here under the old Southern ooaks. Sabrina is all baked and I plan on starting on her eyes today. It's going to take some time adding all the clear layers to them after I get the iris painted so I have to be very, very patient. Stop laughing....I am and can be patient....I.....hope!!!  I worked on her hat yesterday while she was baking and cooling and here's what I have so far. (plus a few of the items that are going to go on the hat too...maybe....perhaps)

I really like how this turned out. I made it the same way I did my Mad Hatter hat a few years ago. Of course, this one is bigger than that one....hehe!! I wish that I had done a How to for ya'll, just in case you might want to make one too. I can TELL ya what I did and post a pic of my pattern....that should help, eh?

You can make so many different variations with these hats. Make them out of foam....out of paper (pretty paper).....cover them in fabric....in fur....the ways are limitless. For the base I used heavy cardstock but you can use an empty cereal box. Well....it should be empty. I have been known to need one and dump the contents in a ziplock bag....oh yes I did!!!  For this particular hat I used the above pattern. The brim measures 4 inches across and the top portion measures 3 inches. The band is 2 1/2 inches on the ends and the more curve you give it the more height you will have in the front of the hat. Just play with it until you get it the way YOU want it. I did add a bit extra around the band and cut out tiny tabs along the top side on the paper (side that will go against the brim) so that I would have something to glue to the brim for support. I did the same thing with the top hat circle too. You can glue or tape it together. If I'm going to be using pretty paper as the outside of the hat then I use glue. For this one though since I covered it in velveteen fabric I taped the hat together to make sure it held and gave it some extra strength. I then glued the fabric on the cardstock and even stitched along the top portion (don't take glue to the edges if you are going to do this...makes it VERY hard to stitch) and then stitched together the brim top portion and the piece for underneath (so my cardstock wouldn't be showing) Not hard at all....just a bit time consuming but it's so so worth it....ri iiight?? For the tulle around the brim I gathered sections and then whip stitched them to the brim. I'm hoping to get it detailed today. I'm planning on making a pair of steampunk goggles to go on the hat top too. I mean a witch can get dust in her eyes from flying on her broom. Safety peoples....safety ^_^

Do you love this time of year? I know I sure do. Halloween is such a FUN time. I love vintage Halloween even more and try to pull it into my decorations. Do you have some little ghouls ummm I mean girls you plan on making special Trick or Treat bags for? I have some cute vintage paperdolls that you could add. I mean what little girl doesn't like paperdolls?

Hope you enjoy these and (looking around and whispering) it's quite alright if YOU cut them out and play with them too. Just sayin....I won't tell a soul. BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

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

WIP on The Black Hat Sisterhood ooaks

Happy Friday peoples!! I've been working on my newest ooaks the past few days and wanted to share some WIP images with you. Hoping to get her face detailed this afternoon as she's in the oven baking as we're conversing at the moment. ^_^ Thanks for stopping by too....love YOUR visits!!!

Since this is just a bust and I knew it would take a good bit of clay for the size it needed to be, I had thought about doing a foil armature for the clay to attach to. I love using foil and then wrapping it in floral tape and then sealing it with glue for my larger pieces but I was really afraid that it would make the head a bit to heavy. Don't need an ooaks that seems to nod off now and then from a droopy head. If you have been visiting with me under the old Southern ooak tree for some time then you know that I LOVE to use old items......items that have lived out their original purpose but aren't ready for the trash pile just yet. Yes, yes....it's true...one man's trash is another man's treasure...BAHAHA!! I remembered that I had these small round used light bulbs and felt that one would be perfect and light (no pun intended..hehe) enough to make a great skull for this witch. 

This is how she looks sitting on the block. I'm very happy with how the bulb worked out. I did this a bit more human than most of my sculpts but I think she still has my whimsy style.

 

I'm going to do her eyes a bit different than I normally do. For my smaller pieces I normally use a bone bead as the sclera (the white part) and then paint the iris and pupil after baking. I have actually made some clay eyes and baked and painted them before I put them in a sculpt as well. I like both methods but wanted to try something different with this one since it's probably one of the biggest heads I've sculpted. I love looking at How To videos and saw one a while back (a long while back and can't seem to find now or I would share link with you) where an artist used clay and made an indention in the center. She then painted the iris (indented center or well) and slowly added clear varnish layers building the iris up giving it a more realistic look. This is what I'm going to try peoples.....keep those fingers crossed that it works.

Be careful now....this lil witch might HEAR what you're saying....BAHAHA!!! Most the time you can't see the ears because of the hair but like most things that are never seen, I add them because I know they're suppose to be there. I'm also going to make a pair of dangle steampunk earrings for her to wear and she needed ears for that. ^_^

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

Wood Burning can cause OUCHIES peoples!!!!

Happy FRIDAY.....it FINALLY got here....YEAH!! It is Friday, ri iight?? Ohh, I know it is cause I marked my calendar off this morning. At least it should be, as long as no one else marked it off..bahahahaha!!! ^_^

The base for Glenda and LuLu is complete. I know that not much of the top shows due to the ooaks themselves but I know what's there. Are you like that when you work on something? Hope it's not just quirky me. Please say it's not...ppplease!!!

I really like how the words "Trick or Treat" turned out. I used my wood burner which I haven't used in over a year. I forgot that even close to the end gets rather HOT HOT HOT. So of course I just had to touch it and yeppers....wood burners can cause OUCHIES peoples AND blisters. I'll live...thank goodness and will remember not to touch so far down the next time. Well....hopefully, I'll remember that the next time anyways. ^_^

Glenda's hat is complete as well and she decided that she did NOT want that big old flower on it. Not a problem though because I have several other witch sculpt ideas flying around in my head. OMGOSH, I made a funny. Did ya get it? Witch.....flying!! BAHAHAHAHA

The whole piece is complete and I will post images of them along with their story in tomorrows post so I hope that you will come back to visit so that you can learn all about Glenda and the.........Oops...almost told the dark twist on this one. Just come back peoples, okay??

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

Dreadlocks....love making them!!!

Happy October 1st and Happy Wednesday peoples!! Wednesday really is the day to be HAPPY cause as a friend reminded me, it means we are going over the hump and downsliding to the weekend...WOO HOO!!! This is also the first day of Breast Cancer awareness month so let's put our pink on peoples (yes that mean ladies AND gentlemen. Like my Daddy use to say "Real men wear pink....proudly") and make sure to get those tata's taken care of. It's important because YOU are important!!!

I'm slowly working still on the old hag Glenda....hehe  Not so sure what's going on with this old hag either, still having some serious stomach issues and I've decided I don't like it. Not one little bit....nah ah...not at all. Enough whining though....thank you for listening. (like ya had a choice) I added another ruffle at the bottom of Glenda's skirt and got to work on her dreadlocks yesterday too. I LOVE making dreadlocks. I would probably make some for me to wear if I knew the old man wouldn't leave me. Hummm, there's a thought for later thinking. BAHAHA!! She also now has eyebrows and hairs coming out of her moles. She is looking rather "witchy" now. Here's Glenda and LuLu together.

Isn't she just BOOtiful? BAHAHAHA  HEY, beauty IS in the eye of the beholder, yes? I'm going to work on her big witchy hat today. I like making witch hats for some reason. This one will even have a big flower on it.....with perhaps something hiding in it. ^_^

Before I start on the hat though, I'm going to work on painting their base. I'm thinking a faux stone path perhaps. I mean little Miss LuLu is totally and completely at that "Ohhhh sooo trusting stage" and isn't even giving it a second thought to walk up a stone path to what looks to her just an old house and a sweet little old lady dressed up for Halloween giving out candy. Poor dear!!!!

Looks like I might have some help painting, eh? Piwacket really is learning to be such a good girl when I'm working. I'm learning if I let her check things out first (and she decides she can't eat it or play with it) then I can work and she will lay to the side or curl up in my lap or push me forward in my chair and lay curled up behind me. Yes, those claws will make a woman move FAST!! So love this little purrrr monster ummm I mean kitty...hehehe!!!

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

It's definitely a Monday!!

Happy Monday morning.....NOT!!!! Ok to YOU I do wish a happy Monday but for me.....well....it seems I ate some bad chicken livers yesterday and am paying the ultimate price. BLAHHHH!!! Don't like being sick, not at all, especially when it's the way my grandmother use to put it, "both ends be a running for the hills". Yeah, probably to much FYI...sorry!!

I was able to work on Glenda yesterday BEFORE I ate the livers and she now has her petticoat and poofy skirt. (yes yes Johanna.....to hide those witchie necessities she might need....hehe and yes, your comment post counted. Silly dragonlady)

She be a styling, ri iight? I'm working on making some eyelashes for her. Not sure they are going to work out but if they do then I will share a how to. Just in case some of my artist friends are in need of making some themselves......remember....I love to share. Hopefully, I can get her dreads put on today and work on her fancy witch hat I have planned.

When I was downloading these two images to share with you it seems that another image was snapped. Now I only took these two and no others so it's a bit puzzling to me. I always put my camera back in the desk drawer so that Piwacket doesn't decide to get to curious and check it out. HaHa   It's of the top of my desk but it seems that "someone" wanted their pic taken. Do you see them?

I know that we have some spirits here with us and thankfully they are sweet, kind ones or have been for the past two years. If you come to visit often under the old Southern ooak tree then you have seen an image of several orbs that were intrigued by Christmas decorations I had been given last November. If ya don't remember or haven't seen them then just click HERE. I have always had at least one with me since I moved out on my own some....well....we'll just say a good long time ago...bahahaha...and as long as they behave then I don't mind having them about at all. It seems my Chazman can sense them as well so hopefully they are just guardians to us and who wouldn't want a guardian watching over them?

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

Oak Trees and Witches....what a combination!! ^_^

Good, Happy Saturday morning peoples!! I hope today is going to be a good one for YOU. I'm helping out at Beach Reflections today. Love being there, meeting so many wonderful folks with a few funny and hilarious characters thrown in...hehe!! HEY...I'm one of those too so I can call others that......it's a compliment....most the time. ^_^

I was able to get some work done on Glenda Glitch yesterday and also on one of the (looking around) secret props that I haven't shown ya'll just yet. (and not going to show you now either...snicker snicker) Her pantaloons, peasant top and necklace are complete and she's one happy witch. I hope this afternoon when I get home that I can get her petticoat made and perhaps even her poofy skirt. Stop laughing....yes....the evil witch likes poofy skirts. She wants a poofy skirt.....she gets a poofy skirt. I don't want her to be turning me into a frog now. (Hmmm....there are a few others that I might like her to do that too though..HAHA)

It's hard to see in the photo but the bead on her necklace matches her shoes. Bahaha!!

Remember the oak tree medallions I made a while back? Well....they have been added to my Etsy shop. Look over on the right sidebar, yeppers over there and you'll see a link you can click on to get there. I'm going to be adding more new things in the next few weeks so visit there often. It's getting close to time to start buying those Christmas gifts ya know. All of my jewelry comes in one of my little paper gift boxes. Ready to give. (or keep..hehe)

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

Regi

BAHAHA...ever made bra and panties for an ooaks?

Good Morning Peoples!! Well, well, well.....it seems my muse talked me into doing something I don't think I have even done before. Yeppers, she talked me into making Glenda some unmentionables...hehe!! I guess even witchie poos like to know they are dressed pretty underneath their clothing even when no one else gets to see. Of course, YOU get to see...bahahahahahahahaha!!!!

Black is definitely her color. 

She even wanted her matching black socks on. 

In showing you these you can see how I do any joints that I leave non clayed. I needed to be able to bend her elbows so that she can be holding her props. I wrapped them in thin yarn so that it gives the joints a bit more strength. 

I LOVE how her eyes POP out at you. Green is such a good eye color for that. (secretly wish I had green eyes) Is she giving her crooked smile look or grimace look or is she talking outa the side of her mouth? Hmm, talking to someone or something? We shall see......we shall see.

I'm going to work on her pantaloons and peasant top this morning and hopefully get to her skirt and under skirt this afternoon. (maybe even get to adding her dreadlocks too) More WIP images to come so plan on coming back to visit under the old Southern ooak tree, please. 

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

Regi