Welcome the month of ThanksGiving!!!

Happy Wednesday peoples!! I can not believe that yet another month has come and gone and the beginning of November is here. It's the month we have ThanksGiving and yes before you think I totally forgot how to write......I wrote Thanksgiving as I see it. A time of Thanks and a time for Giving of oneself. Of course, I try and practice both all year long not just this month. I hope that YOU do too.

Sadly with October ending that meant all the Halloween decorations had to come down. I LOVE my decorations....especially my Halloween ones but at least November is one where I can decorate too. Yea!!

My simple WELCOME banner and yes....YOU are always welcome here.

Not many decorations in the B&B but this lil pumpkin and fall flowers to make a SMILE.

Like my "Give Thanks" banner? I tweaked it a bit from the original. I found the templates for the letters at this cute blog called "At Second Street" (click on the name if YOU would like to make one) I printed the letters on white cardstock and then using my X-acto knife cut out the inside of the letters. Had to be VERY careful cutting around those curly cues peoples....very very careful. Once cut out I used some vintage papers from an old poem book I have. I placed them on another piece of white cardstock and then placed the cutout on top of it. I used a school glue stick to stick them together. To run a ribbon through just cut slits in the top portion of the card. Presto....you have a banner!!

This is one of my ooaks from 2009. Her name is Gypsy and she LOVES blackberries. Her wings are real butterfly wings. Oh noooo I did NOT kill a butterfly so stop that gasping ^_^   Mother Nature blessed me with finding them after the lil creatures soul had risen. I love using them in my pieces when I am blessed with them. 

 

Another one of my ooaks, Apple Annie. Fall is the perfect time for apples, yes?

I collect bears...love my bears!! It's fun dressing them up for different holidays too. Here's pilgrim bear. Simple outfit made from felt (hat, vest) a linen napkin (shirt collar) black ribbon (tie). Did you notice the beary cute turkey in one of the earlier images? Like I said.....I love to decorate the bears.

This big little bear really gets to enjoy several holidays. Remember the pirate from last month, aye? His under clothes stay as well as his felt boots year round. I made them for the Chazman's first Halloween costume out of felt...they just slip over shoes and in this case.....bear feet!! His vest is made from a piece of suede and I would normally have beads hanging down from the strings on the sides but Piwacket was WAY to fascinated with them.....perhaps next year.  That's a real bear tooth hanging from his neck too. He's a chief....can ya guess his name? Nooo? It's Chief Standing Bear of course.

Have to add a bit to the phone table.

So that's my simple Thanksgiving decorations. Thank you for taking a peek. I love when you come to visit and I hope that you will leave me a comment to let me know you stopped by. Love my comments!!!

Until next time...........PEACE,

Regi

Sabrina....the year 1692

It was a cold snowy day in January, the year 1692. Several good friends had gathered to show off their new hats. They loved spending time together and they all loved making their hats. Some visits were spent sharing whatever new hat had been made but some were spent out in the forest gathering herbs and plants. On these gatherings you could hear them singing and dancing, enjoying their time together as a group.They were a very talented group that had learned to treat Mother Earth with respect and in return she had given them the gift of using her herbs and plants to heal and restore others. Village folks from miles around knew of the ladies and would come bringing them gifts if they would in return help them with whatever ailment they were experiencing at the time. The ladies gladly helped....they were pure at heart and extremely giving.

One of them suggested at the next weekly meeting that they should have a name for their group...something that reflected one of their loves. Hence....The Black Hat Sisterhood became into existence. Established in 1692 this sisterhood stood strong and is still in existence to this day. Just look around you....you might just know one of us them.

Little did these loving, caring women know that in the next month that terrible trials would begin. The famous Salem Witch hunts. How dare anyone think that things they did not understand make another a witch. If being able to do what they did for others and they were witches then so be it. They would continue to practice and help in whatever way they could but they knew from this day forward that it would have to be done quietly. Due to the witch hunts taking so many innocent lives as well as true witches, the ones that were able to go undetected were blessed with stronger powers. One of the original witches, Sabrina, of the sisterhood was blessed with time travel. And time travel she does!!

Sabrina is finally complete. If you have been following along then you see that something is missing. Yes, her goggles. I decided since she had the unique monocle that she would be quiet happy with that. I plan on doing several in this series, as the original was a group of ladies and will use the goggles with one of them. Have you been following along with the WIP post on Sabrina? If not then here are some past post to see just what went into designing and making her. Click here....here.....here.....here and here Enjoy!!

Welcome back from visiting those past post...hehe!! As you can see from reading that ideas can change on a whim. A muse's whim that is. Bahahahaha!! I start out with ideas and as I'm working on the design of the piece it will change. Most of the time, it's to improve it and some of the time I think it's just to irritate me. ^_^

Sabrina, as you know has a strong wire armature and recycled round light bulb as her base. Those were covered in clay and then her face, neck and shoulders were hand sculpted. Her face and eyes were painted using acrylic paints. Notice the clock pieces and numerals on Sabrina's face? That marks her as one of the time travelers. Her eyes and lips sealed with varnish. Her hair is wool dyed yarn....love the dreadlock look this yarn gives. Ya man...luv the dreads!! Her jewelry (necklace, earrings and monocle) are all some of my own designs. Steampunk is so much fun to do. Her hat was handmade and attached is a moon charm with watch pieces as well as a tiny glass potion bottle filled with.......magic!! (sand peoples sand) She sits on a pine wood base block that I washed in orange and black acrylic paints and then wood burned the letters into. This piece sits right at 11 inches from base bottom to the top of her black hat. I signed and dated the bottom.

Please keep in mind that these are collector items and not toys. They will keep for many many years if handled properly. My pieces are unique and truly one of a kind. I may do a series of some but never will two pieces be the same.

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

And HE thought dog was MANS best friend!!!

In a place filled with mist and the smell of the sea a very old, grumpy and cold hearted man awoke to a horrible realization. He sat up scratching his noggin and felt a terrible dread. Oh my....how could he even begin to understand what had happened to him. The last thing he remembered was being out walking with his faithful companion, Beau, his very large and handsome mastiff. Beau had been chasing the neighborhood cats. One of his dog's favorite pastimes and one he always allowed. They both really hated those cats. Nothing but smelly, lazy, independent creatures that cared for nothing but themselves. He really didn't like those nasty little powder puffs. No....not al all!!!

Godfrey sat for a minute more and stood and started calling out to his Beau. No response from the large mastiff was heard but in the distance he swore he heard several hisses and meows. He followed the sounds because he just knew there he would find his dog chasing those darn cats again. To his surprise though, once he walked out of the mist and closer to the sound he was surprised to be surrounded by thousands upon thousands of cats. Some stalking, some preening, some play fighting and some just looking at him as though they knew he was THE man that owned that obnoxious beast that plagued them for so long. Godfrey was in shock at the sight and slowly started to panic. He dropped to his knees and called out for anyone....ohhh anyone....to come and tell him what was happening and just where in the world he was.

After some time passed and no one answered his pleas, Godfrey got up and sat on a small stool he found and with his hands on his head knowing that he had somehow been doomed he felt a warm caress and then another and yet another until he was feeling warmer inside than he ever had in his life. He raised up and to his surprise there were several cats all which were giving him warmth to soothe him and calm his nerves. He was shocked...totally and completely shocked. How could these creatures whom he had help torment for so long be giving him all this love.

Out of no where an Archangel appeared. A beautiful being who walked directly over to Godfrey and touched his shoulder. Pain immediately began in his chest, shoulders and back. He just knew this was truly the end. To his surprise a warmth began to fill him. His heart became light and filled with strength and might. She spoke to him as she began ruffling feathers that had appeared on his back. Feathers....was she being cruel...was he to be a giant playtoy for these cats. He so wouldn't say he didn't deserve it after all his mean years but why give him such warm, strong feelings to only take them away and replace them with of all things....feathers!! She smiled at him and spoke "Godfrey, I am Ariel, the protector of the environment and animals, you fell and into the ocean you went along with Beau as your walk took you on to a bad part of the pier. Beau is where he should be now and you, I cradled in my arms as you sank further to the bottom. Once the bottom was reached I realized that inside a once grumpy, hateful old man was really just a man who had been hurt beyond reason and had simply closed his heart to all around him except for his dog. Now there is nothing wrong with loving a dog, as he is truly man's best friend as everyone knows. God made sure that each soul knew that....hence his name spelled backwards for the creature. That showed me that there was still love in that heart and I wanted you to become one of my guardians". Godfrey was aghast at what this angel was saying and trying hard not to sputter and stutter as he asked, What is to become of me now then....as a guardian and a guardian of what? The angel said that since dog was protected by his maker that she had to do a little extra protection of her some of her beloved creatures so when the right person passed from this world and showed her that they still had some love in their hearts she made them one of her guardians....to protect in his case....her cats. The feathers she explained were not a curse but strong wings to aide him in his flight when he was needed to return to earth to protect or even to return one of her cats that had spent their nine lives out in that realm. As she turned to leave him she whispered "Cats ARE very independent creatures but they are filled with unconditional love, so treat them with such and go and protect my sweet, hearted guardian".

Godfrey is one of my one of a kind sculpts. (ooaks)  He has a strong wire armature that was wrapped in tape and plushed out with fabric and stuffing. His head, hands and feet were sculpted by hand then detailed using acrylic paints. His feet are covered in handmade felt boots. His clothes are handsewn  His sweater and hat were made from a baby's booties. (I love repurposing once loved items) his vest from felt and his pants from...well...an old pair of khaki pants. His wings are made from natural feathers that have been sprinkled with gold angel dust. (that's glitter peoples..hehe) He is sitting on a covered wooden thread spool (well the cats have to have something to scratch on) that is sitting inside a ceramic cat bowl. He and his charges (four cats) are permanently attached to the bowl. The cats were hand sculpted and detailed using acrylic paints as well. One is giving Godfrey some loving, one is laying in his lap playing with a ball of yarn, one is climbing on his pants leg to grab the end of that yarn and one is purring and preening) This piece sits right at 9 inches from the base to the tip of his wings.

Before anyone ask....yes...I plan on doing a dog guardian as well....in the future. Until then...............

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

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

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

THE CLAY has spoken....hehe!!

Happy Friday peoples!! This has been a fast week...fast indeed. I'm happy that the weekend is almost upon us as I'm helping out at Beach Reflections tomorrow and am sooo excited to see all the changes they have made. If in the area.....YOU...should pop in to see all the new items available. Easy peasy to find, 1210 Gulf Shores Parkway....that's on Hwy 59 and the shop sits right in front of our Little Zoo that could and has MoJo's on one side and Zooland mini golf on the other. YEAH....you could just make it a day of FUN and shopping, don't forget the shopping!!

I worked on Glenda yesterday and this morning. My muse had some serious debates with me on how she was suppose to look. I at first wanted a cutie pie witch (I mean really...Glenda from the Wizard of Oz was a beauty) but it seems that my clay (and muse) had some very different ideas. I let it sit overnight so I could ponder on just what direction I wanted to go with this one and after sitting here this morning and being stared down by the piece....well....this is what I'm going with....hehe. (yeppers...the clay won out)

She may not be a pretty witch but at least she is a sweet, smiling old witch. At least for the lil trick or treater I hope she is....we will see, won't we?? She's a sweet old lady offering a HUGE lollipop, what's evil about that?

I hope that you have an awesome day and do something FUN or relaxing or creative. Just do something!!

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

Now I hope my clay and muse let me keep my idea on the bunny costume....hummmmm!!!

Mr. Sandman ummm I mean Mr Bugman....please go away!!!!

OMGOSH....I know you must be thinking that I have completely lost my mind now by changing sandman to bugman but I haven't....honest!! I said sandman because when I was writing my title to begin with I had used "Mr Bugman...please go away" and the Chordettes song Mr Sandman popped into my head...hehe!!! Oh peoples, I so hope that the bugman does NOT come to visit you in any shape, form or fashion. He is a horrible guest.  I spent all of yesterday afternoon at the doctor's office with the Chazman who has been sick for the pass few days. He has that nasty stomach bug that is going around (stomach issues, sore throat, coughing and really, really tired) and of course there is nothing you can do but wait for it to leave on it's own. I'm just praying it doesn't decide to jump to my room and stay even longer. That soooooo won't work!!!

I know that my post Windsday (hehe) lead ya'll to believe that I was going to be doing some sculpting and I had ever intention of doing just that but decided that first I would get my tags put on all the jewelry pieces I will be taking to Beach Reflections this weekend. Good Golly Miss Molly that took all day.....but...at least everything is tagged and ready to go. I even finished a few more shell necklaces and two hermie habitats. Yea me!!

 I think this is my favorite medallion. Little fishie looks like he is swimming and blowing bubbles.

Before anyone says anything....this is not sand from our beaches. This is sand from the Dollar Tree. Not that I went and got sand out of the parking lot but got it from inside the store. Ohhh and not saying that there was sand all over the floors. It was in a bag and I bought it. hehe

I decided that I'm also going to take two of my mermaid ooaks to the shop and see if they might find a new home. 

I still am planning on doing some clay characters using the auger shells....honest I am!! I'm just so excited about being asked to put some of my things in a new shop at the beach that I think is going to do really well. I mean the shop....not so much my pieces BUT I do hope they do good too. Ohhhhhhh, can ya tell I haven't had much sleep? ^_^

I hope that YOU have a wonderful Friday and weekend. Mine will be spent trying to talk the Bugman into leaving this abode and real quick like. Now......let's just sing Mr Sandman so I can get it out of my head and not be humming it all weekend too. Of course, you will probably be humming it now...BAHAHAHA!!!!

Regi

Hermies and Mermies....hehe

Happy first Friday of 2014!! Soooo....how's the new year resolution lists going? I only had one thing on mine remember and......well.....I haven't been able to do it yet. BOOHOO!!! Now some will laugh at me for the reason I haven't been and the reason is because it's just too dang ccccold!!! Well, it is. I kid ya not. It's 11:42am and our temp is 35 (with the wind chill it's 27) I might have attempted it this morning after I dropped off the Chazman at school but with the wind....OMGOSH....Mother Nature would have chilled me to me bones. I have a few shells I can work with today. Whew!!!

I have two hermies (hermit crabs) in the oven baking along with two shells with mermies (mermaids) tails sticking out. HEHE

Once they have cured and cooled then I can detail them with my acrylic paints. I'm hoping to get some of the mason jars soon and get the hermie habitats done. I'm also hoping that the weather is going to be what they predict on Sunday.......sunny and 60+. I need some shells!!!!

I've been working on this lil (and I do mean LITTLE) mermie darlin all morning. I used one of my big doll sewing needles to sculpt her with. Once cured and cooled I will detail her with some of my MICA powders and acrylic paints. She is going to have some of the pretty wool hair too and perhaps a pearl headpiece. My muse is still whispering to me. ^_^

Thank you for dropping by and I hope to see you again SOON. I won't say what day it will be (so you have to come back..hehe) but in the next five days I'm going to be giving one of my shell jewelry pieces away. No catches, just that you have to come visit and leave me a comment. Easy peasy, ri iight??

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

Santa and the Antique Toys.

Most think of Santa as that "little old driver, so lively and quick" as the old stories go....but....he truly is the one and only original elf. The ONE, the TOYMAKER, the MASTER himself.

He carved out of wood or hammered and nailed some amazing toys that I can guarantee never sat on a shelf.

He read all the letters of each little child and took his designing with all that in mind. There were little carved trucks for the good lil boys and hand stitched dollies for all the lil sweet girls.

There were even some pull toys made with love and care, like elephants and tigers and polar bears. Beware!

The toy that Santa favored and loved the most of all was a sweet lil elf he hide in a box. A box with a crank that would turn in a circle...would make the elf POP and make the children all giggle.

Santa the toymaker we should never forget or his amazing antique toys that throughout the years have brought joy to so so many girls and boys.

That little old driver so lively and quick is one to BELIEVE in whatever his hat. Elf or toymaker, he's in our hearts from childhood to adulthood. What else could be better than believing in that!!

Santa and the Antique toys are one of Southern Ooaks original designs. Sculpted by hand without the use of any molds are his head, hands and feet. A strong wire armature underneath with a body wrapped in wool yarn. His hair and beard are sheared lambswool. His costume made from vintage fabrics. Some toys were found here and there and some were hand sculpted with love and care.

This Santa has  been adopted and is going to live with a wonderful family. I hope they have as much joy with him during the Christmas holidays as I did designing and sculpting him. Safe travels Santa!!!!

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



I some how didn't do a story for this ooaks when he was originally done so now he has one....whew...I feel better!!