An ending and a beginning!!

Ready for a new year to begin? Sure hope so cause it's only a day away!!! Some might be sad but then some might be glad but like always...where there is an ending there is a beginning. A time to start anew.

A brand new journal without any writings on the pages.....your journal.....make it one that at this time next year when you go back and reflect it will be a journal you will cherish and be proud of. No worries if a few pages aren't what you would want to share because as a new year begins so do new days. Each day being a new page to rewrite something not so good the day before or just to make sure you do better on this day. So, bye bye 2014 and HELLO 2015!!!

What are you doing to leave 2014 behind? Me? I'm finishing up Christmas gifts of course..hehehe!!! I'm making a new years resolution that I intend to keep. STOP THAT...no laughing...I am going to...keep it that is...STOP!!! BAHAHAHAHA My resolution is that I'm going to make my gifts all throughout the year. A very good friend (yes YOU, Johanna) suggested that we get a rubbermaid tub and place gifts throughout the year in it so that next year this last minute "CRAZINESS" won't happen. Ummmm....perhaps the craziness on my end will still be here but at least gifts will be made and not add to it, yes?

The mister took our great nieces and nephews gifts to them this past weekend. Noooo, the Chazman and I didn't go this trip as I was a bit under the weather and he felt he had to stay home and take care of me. Such a good kiddo!! I made each one a gift with the exception of my oldest great nephew. STOP that laughing again. I'm not old. My niece just started really really young. Bahaha. I got him a big tub of soldier men to plan out battles with. I mean, HEY, he has two sisters. ^_^  They loved them I was told and that makes me happy happy happy indeed.

Now, I just finished with my sister's kiddos gifts and am thankful that my oldest niece in that krewe is headed to NOLA tomorrow and can hand deliver them. I talked to my youngest niece and told her that "Noooo, I didn't forget her" and her gift would be coming shortly. She was excited as it would give her a gift to open after Christmas. Hmmmm....another idea my smart friend (yes..I mean YOU AGAIN Johanna) that it might be nice to start giving a gift or two after Christmas. It would be a great way to lift spirits. At least I think so because right after the holidays when everything is put away and the house looks NEKKID well I could use a picker upper myself so I know others could too. Anyways, here's what they are getting.

Pretty natural starfish painted pink with sparkle sealer.

Handmade Monocle necklace

 Handmade wool bracelet.

Handmade rose quartz necklace

Now, the three images below (please forgive the quality as I took a pic of the pics on my computer as I already had these boxed up) are my own designs for my  youngest nieces Monster High dolls. WOW..those are some tiny waisted dolls. I did enjoy making these and am going to make more outfits to be put in the rubbermaid box for her next year gift. Each one has it's own hat to finish the piece off. Runway models!!!

Now that I finally can put 2014 behind me I need to decide just what 2015 will bring as far as my art goes. For me personally, I'm starting a new part time job on the 5th that can turn into a full time position come summer. I'm so excited peoples. I have plans (BIG PLANS) for this new year and this is going to start me on that path.

Until next year................Hugs,
Regi

Question for my fella artisans...ppplease!!!

An artisan....I once read somewhere and with my memory can't remember where..."is someone that is impelled to make things. Those things may be functional or strictly decorative. They get restless if they do not create something tangible" 


Yeppers....that pretty much sums it up in a nutshell or should I say oak shell..hehe!! I love to just say the word...artisan...it sounds so romantic!! Well...to me it does...stop that  giggling.  At least now we understand why some of us are restless..HA!!

My muse has been whispering so many wonderful ideas to me and I am so excited to get started on designing them for her BUT I need supplies. This is where my question comes in to YOU.  Where do you  purchase your supplies from? What kind of supplies you ask...well go ahead ask already.  Supplies as in clay, acrylic paints,faerie wing making items, glitter, those awesome clear beads without holes that look like bubbles (one of her ideas...I have to have bubbles..hehe) feathers, yarn and jewelry making supplies too. OMGOSH...just whatever you can think of that I might like, need or want. Your an artisan....you know what makes us smile!!


Living in a tourist town you would think that we would have at least one craft store. Just one...that's not asking to much but nope we don't. That's why I need some ideas of where to shop online for supplies. Well...that and the fact that the closest place I can go is about a 40 minute drive and I have no vehicle so that would be a really long walk. Plus I would be carrying a big bag stuffed full of treasures and remember...I'm one of the ancient ones. ^_^


So...please if you will be so kind and leave some ideas as to where I can shop at. Lots of ideas AND the one that leaves the name of a site that I shop at will receive a surprise gift in the mail. Sooo (yes another sooo..hehe) leave a way for me to get in touch with you. 

Until next time..........Hugs, Regi  (already humming " A shopping we will go...a shopping.....)

Ohhhh, to say thank you ahead of time for leaving me some good ideas of where to shop...here is a bouquet picked just for you. ^_^

I'm sooooo EXCITED!!!

If you are looking for my OWOH post...please click HERE.

I am so excited..I just can't hide it...OH OH OH OH OHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!  Ok I'm not much of a typing singer but I am still soooo excited. Want to know why? Ohhh come on....ask me why....PLEASE ask why? Oh YEAH ME.... someone asked....it's because in the mail today I received my copy of the Feb/Mar 2011 issue of "Doll Collector" magazine.

  

Now I'm sure you are scratching your noggin and asking yourself "Why is that so important?"  GO ahead ask...it's a good question. OMGOSH.....it's so important and exciting because on page 47...right there in print...right there in color...right there in the bottom left hand corner....right there with information about...oh let me show you......(I'm getting so excited I can't type..hehe)

Do you see them? Do you ...Do you? It's Charme and Sebastin and Henry and Sammie....two of my ooaks from my Faerie Race series. Talk about being so excited beyond belief. I am so proud and so so honored that Doll Collector chose these to be in their "Fantasy" section for this publication. This is my first time being published and my heart is racing and I'm just......well...... I feel like maybe I really am an artist after all. Thank you Doll Collector...thank you thank you thank you!!!

Until next time......Hugs, Regi  (please be patient with me...it may take awhile to come down off of cloud nine for awhile ^_^)

Jumping up and down with Excitement!!!!!!!!!

I am sooooo excited. I received an email this morning from Doll Collector magazine. My sweet gal, Batilda...the Batty Witch Faery is going to be featured in the Fantasty Artist Round-up article in the Feb/Mar 2011 issue.  What an honor? Did I tell ya'll just how excited I am? Well, OMGOSH...I am just sooooo dang excited my ears are burning. Wait.....doesn't that mean someone is talking about me? Let them talk...nothing can bring me down today. ^_^

Until next time......BIG HUGS,
Regi

Making clay Hands

I have received several compliments about my doll hands and thought I might pass along how I do them again for those that have asked here recently. Mind you, I'm not a teacher or one of the great doll artist... yet ;)...but I think that I can show how you can use everyday supplies that most artist have on hand. So, here goes, my first ummmm second EVER tutorial. I hope it helps someone with the making of hands.

Materials Needed: 22 gauge wire....wire cutters...floral tape....toothpick....sculpting tools (what I use: large doll sewing needle, wooden knitting needle, sculpting tool, stiffened paint brush) sculpting clay in flesh and in transparent (not going to mention what kind...we all have our favorites)


It's always best to make the head first so that the hand proportions will be correct. I myself make the hands a bit larger than life because that's how I see Santa and I am a hand person. Hands can show so much of a person. OK, back to the tut.....cut six pieces of wire. Five are for your fingers and one is to make a small holder for the fingers. Wrap this piece around a toothpick to make about 8-10 loops...keep them close together. Make sure to leave some of the ends hanging....it makes it easier to hold onto when removing from the toothpick.
Hold the toothpick at one end and one of the long pieces of wire in your fingers and simply twist the toothpick until the wire slides off. Of course if you use a different gauge wire then you might have to use something other than a toothpick to make your holder. I have just discovered that the toothpick is perfect for the 22 gauge. Trial and error...we all know that phrase ;)
Take your five pieces of wire and place them inside your holder. Crimp the holder to lock the wires in place. Spread the fingers apart. Take about 12-15 inches of your floral tape and wrap around the holder first and work your way up to the palm area. Stretch the tape as you go so you will get a nice snug fit. Wrap it around the palm and then start wrapping around the base of the fingers. Like a basket weave pattern until all the tape is gone. Cut the wires to the desired lengths. I like to take the tips of the fingers and gently bend the ends down and then crimp. This helps you not to get stuck and to keep it from poking through the clay so easily.
Take your flesh colored clay and make a thin roll twice the length of each finger. Take one and fold it in half and place over one of the finger wires. Smooth the seams on each side until the finger is shaped and secured to the palm of the hand. Repeat this for each finger. Shape two pieces of clay into a balls about the size of a quarter. Flatten them in the middle and place one in the palm of the hand. Gentle push with your thumb to give it a palm look. Place the other in the front of the hand...make sure you place this at the base of the fingers (this helps make knuckles) and against the inside of the thumb. Make another ball about the size of the bottom of a acrylic paint bottle. Roll the ball into a cylinder shape and cut in half. Place a piece on each side to make up the wrist and partial arm. Smooth and blend until no seams show. Remember, these are Santa's hand...a man with some age so if there are a few imperfections then it will just add to the aging of them. Using your sculpting tools and looking at your hands make the details for the knuckles, wrist and fingers. I like to add vein lines to mine. Look at your hands also in the position that you are going to place Santa's in.

Don't forget to give the palm some detail. I like to make sure that his hands look real. I do this even if they won't show. I love to do as much detail as I can...no one may see all of them when they are complete but I will know.
Here is where the large sewing needle comes in. I use one of the big needles I use when making teddy bears and large cloth dolls. Take the eye part and gently push back the cuticle of each finger. Again, look at your own fingers to see what they look like. Take the transparent clay to make the fingernails. Roll a long piece out and cut tiny pieces off. Shape the piece into a tiny fingernail. Make sure you blunt cut the tip before you place on the finger. Take your sculpting tool or stiffened paint brush and gently push the nail into place. Once you have all the details of your hands complete, it's time to bake. Bake according to the clay manufacturer's directions. Once hands are cooled then if you need to you can file Santa's nails...just in case he got a hangnail during baking. I put several coats of varnish over the nails...make sure that each coat is thoroughly dry before adding another coat.



I hope that this helps in trying to make hands. They aren't hard...they just take some time and patience. Take an afternoon and just work on hands. Practice makes perfect....well....not perfect but close....besides the small imperfections are what makes each artist works unique and their own!!

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

Caution..Mature Lookers only!!! ;D

I SEE A HINEY
ALL BRIGHT AND SHINEY

 Now calm down....it's not really a hiney....well actually it is...hehehe...it just belongs to Vanity Voodoo. She is my newest ooaks in the Witchie Poo Series that I'm working on. For those just visiting my blog I am doing several WIP posts to show just how I make some of my art dolls. SO make sure you go back a few post to see the beginning of these WIP post.

Owwwww weeeeee..just look at the junk in her trunk. I have always wanted to say that I just never imagined I actually would get to..hehe!!  Since she is a wire armature that is wrapped in yarn I have to fill her out in some areas so that when I make her clothes they will hang right. WOW...wouldn't it be great if we could do that to ourselves...Yes indeedie.....I would be stuffing and unfluffing in several areas here. I will wrap her new hiney with more yarn because with her the yarn is going to act as part of her costume....like underpants.

 Of course, we can't forget the TaTa's now can we? After taking the photo I think I might need to make them sag a bit more. She is a voodoo swamp witchie but then again she could have done a spell to raise them. Muahhhhh!!!! There again...wish there really was a spell cause I know this ole gal would be doing some raising of her own. Just sayin!!! I won't be wrapping the TaTa's in yarn since she is going to be wearing a blouse.

I hope that in doing these Vanity WIP posts that it might help someone in making their own ooaks or art doll. If anyone should have any questions regarding making one please do not hesitate to ask anything. I have been making sculpts and dolls for a very, VERY long time and would love to share some of my knowledge. Just keep in mind though....I can not stuff or unfluff humans and I so can not find my book with my spell for the raising of anything!!!!

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

Post It Note Tuesday

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

Another Starving artist tip....

I have already explained how I do things a bit different than others...yes yes I know..my methods seem a bit quirky but HEY they work...LOL!!! I have always been one to recycle...for several reasons...1. to reuse something in place of throwing it away 2. to help keep our planet clean 3. because I couldn't afford to go out and buy materials at the craft store. It is amazing what you can use to design with, items that have served their main purpose in your home, ready to become something else entirely. So begins the adventure to the small township of Resyculbinz.
(pronounced Recycle bins...get it..hehe)

You start with a block of wood....a throw away from a inside remodel job....maybe from a new deck or maybe one of a long ago block play set. You have the base to their strength. Their, being the Bulb'z from Resyculbinz. No one pokes fun or laughs at the other because they all have the same body shape....that of a light bulb.
A few wraps of florist tape....a few twist of some wire and the Bulb'z starts to come to life. They are a humorous bunch. So much fun to look at....more fun to collect.

From the simple block of wood....the used light bulb...the twisted wire....here comes Santa. A jolly ole member of Resyculbinz.

There are so many other characters from Resyculbinz just waiting to show themselves. Theirs is a holiday town....characters from every holiday can be found. I see in the distance some of the Halloween Bulb'z coming town. Come and visit and don't be scared....they are just fun loving BOO characters stirring around.

Red..the painter, a ooaks in the Santa and his helpers series

**He has been in my own collection but I think he wants to go a visiting..hehe

If you could peek through the frosted windows at the North Pole you would see such a sight. All the tiny wee folkes making busy busy plans. There are hundreds of them...each having their own special task that Santa himself has given them. This is Red, the painter. He has such a talent for painting just the right toy with just the right colors. Take a peek....he is finishing up part of the alphabet train.

Red has a strong wire armature that is covered in a needle felted body. His face and hands are sculpted from Cernit clay without the use of any molds. His face and eyes are painted using acrylic paints. His hair is needle felted from carded dyed wool. His outfit is handsewn from different fabrics. His tiny elf shoes are made from felt and topped with tiny bells. His work station is sculpted from Prosculpt clay and then painted with acrylic paints. All his painting supplies are sculpted from clay and then hand painted. the alphabet train piece is made from wood and then the scene is hand painted. The table and train are attached to the wooden base but Red can be removed. He might want to sit close to you ;)

If interested in having Red come live with you, please email me for purchasing information. Thank you for looking and remember to check back as new pieces will be added from now until Christmas. Hugs, Regi