Laid back Sunday afternoon....indeed!!

Happy Happy Sunday peoples. I hope that you have had a great weekend and are just having a laid back, restful afternoon.

I'm so excited and hope that this week flies by. Noooo, wait.....I can't wish that cause I have way to many projects I have got to get finished by weeks end. I need the week to go by kinda pokey like. Now I'm in a quandary. Do I want it to fly by or poke along? Hmmmm, poke along I guess but I'm still VERY excited about this coming Saturday. The Chazman and I have been invited to a Christmas ornament swap and they do the swap by playing dirty Santa. It's going to be soooo much FUN!!!! Bahahahaha...practicing evil laugh for when I take someone else's gift and ya better believe I will cause I know they are gonna do it to me too and more than once I'm sure.

I have been painting the ornaments that the Chazman and I are taking. I did one of my silly fish (Bubbles) and crab for him to take.

For mine I did one of my mermaids. She is still drying but will also have one of the hemp twine ribbons tied to the top and the sand and shells on the inside.

I have so enjoyed painting the glass ornies this year and I plan on going to Hobby Lobby after Christmas and buying several boxes of the ornaments so that I can paint some all year and do sets of certain themes to be ready for next year. Sooooo, if you have any in mind that YOU might want just give me a hollar. ^_^ Ummm, perhaps I should add...not want as in I'll give them to you but would like for me to paint so that you could buy. hehehe

Now....I have got to get my hiney in gear and get those family gifts made. Y'all can all just call me Whootie (as in night owl) for the next week as that's what I'm gonna have to be to get all of these done. Wish me luck....pppplease!!!

Until next time.............Hugs,
Whootie  (hehehe)

It's FRIDAY!!! ^_^

Happy Happy Friday to you all and I'm happy happy happy that you stopped by too!!!  I'm enjoying this cool weather we're having this morning after a tremendous lighting and thunder storm we had last night. Man oh man were those li'l men ever hitting some strikes one after the other. You do know about the li'l men...... ri iight?? It's something my grandmother use to tell me when we were visiting and the weather would turn a bit nasty. To calm me she told me that every time I heard thunder and then saw lighting that li'l men were bowling and one of them just made a strike. It worked and even to this day that story pops into my mind (and heart) when it does either. Of course, I passed the tale on down to the Chazman too and he still loves it when there's a thunderstorm.

I have been digging through my broken shell stash and found a beautiful broken murex (lace shell) and immediately I knew what I wanted to do with it. It was perfect for a sleeping nook......a sleeping nook for a wee little mermaid.

 WIP shot

 WIP shot of the back. See the blue hues...Mother Nature painted those.

I love how she turned out. The shell attached to the murex is a broken crown conch shell. Her hemp bracelet has a tiny little venus shell. Her crown has what I think is a broken piece of venus shell, two tiny scallop shells and a teeny tiny lucine shell.

She is completely hand sculpted (without the use of molds) and was detailed using fine MICA powders and acrylic paints. Her hair is pulled dyed wool. Her necklace I made using tiny pearl beads from a vintage wedding veil.

Now....let me dig back through that goodie shell basket and see what else I can discover.

Have a wonderful Friday and until next time.............Hugs,
Regi

Monday....Monday!!

It's Monday and for someone like me that stays at home, it's pretty much like every other day, which means I have no problems with Mondays. ^_^

I'm working with my broken shells today and just enjoying the quiet time while the Chazman is at school and the mister is at work.

The mermaid and the seahorse I started a few weeks ago. Had to finish them because I was so tired of them sitting on my desk staring at me....hehe.

I'm working on some oyster shell ring holders and listening to some music. What an awesome Monday for sure.

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

Little mermaid is ready for her close up..hehe

Close up...well I said she was ready!!

I had so much fun making this for my niece for Christmas. I hope she likes her and will take care of her. Of course, she is still at that rough and tumble stage...can't decide if she is a tomboy or a little princess..most days she's both..hehe!! So we will see.

I made her scales out of stretchy purple cording so that they could hold the barrettes easily. Just clip them on and clip them off. Depending on the size of the bows it can actually hold about 7. I posted the three I made her and there will be one more but it's already in it's lil box. (New here? Would you like to make your own cute lil gift boxes? Click HERE) The little fishies bubbles can hold single hair twist and she can even hang a few on the shell. I just love my broken shells...they are just as pretty as the whole ones. If this one makes it through her "tomboy" stage and she actually starts wearing hair bows more than every so often then I will make her a bigger one. I am blessed to have a friend that turns into my muse at times and has no idea she does (until I tell her..hehe) She was telling me about these little dolls she made a long time ago that had long braids that you could attach bows to. Well....why in the world didn't I think of that with this one? Ohh man...V8 moment, ri iight?? The next one I make will have yarn hair instead of the paper hair and I will make several long braided strands so that they can be used as holders too. Hmmmmmm, Capt Jack (ummmmm..Johnny Depp just popped in there too) What were we talking about? Thinking thinking...OH YES...hair braids. Sorry, kinda got distracted there. I will make the braids like Capt Jack's,  with shells and trinkets too. 

These are the hair bows or accessories I made her. The top one is the one already in it's little box. The bottom one WAS one of my hemp/yarn bracelets. Things have a way of starting out as one thing and turning out into something completely different. I think it looks really cute as a hair barrette now. The pretty burgundy one with the pearl button in the middle I so love and it can be worn with a pretty dress or even with jeans and a tshirt. Princess or tomboy times..hehe  It's just pretty!! I wanted to let ya'll know if you make hair barrettes that I have found the perfect backing for them. Nicole's beadbacking!! It's great for this kinda project and any project where you need a sturdy yet workable/sewable/glueable backing. Keep her in mind for your next project!! She has an awesome blog herself and well...you should go visit. Really...GO!! Well...after you finish here first of course. ^_^

Now that I'm finished with all of my nieces gifts, I'm going to start on the teachers gifts. The Chazman gets out of school next Friday so I need to get busy busy busy!!! Ohhhhhh (looking around) I have to work on one of his gifts next week too while he is in school. I'm making him a baby dragon. He loves dragons almost as much as his momma does....almost!! HEHE He still proudly has his Seadragon I made him last year on his shelf so that he can see it while playing his games. 

Seadragon!!

Until next time.....Hugs,

Regi

I caught a mermaid!!! OK well...I drew one..hehe

Happy Happy Saturday everyone and thank you so much for stopping by to visit under the old Southern ooaks tree. I just LUVVVV when you do!!!

It's a rainy day here so ya know what that means.....no junk treasure hunting. Boo Hoo..hehehe No really, it's alright though because I can work in my lil studio area. What am I going to work on you ask? Have you seen those cute little faerie dress hair bow holders folks have been making? They are precious.

I found this cute one on (drum roll please) Pinterest, of course. I have to visit that site only so often because it is VERY addicting, ri iight?? If you would like to make one of these cute holders you can visit Bambina Ballerina.  They have so many cute ones posted and if you look over to her sidebar, she offers several How To post so that you could make one yourself. If you have a little princess then you will love another How To she offers.....a fairy wand!!

I had thought about making one for my niece but then got to thinking...HEY...we live at the beach!!        
My niece LOVES the water so so much. I think she's part fish to be honest. ^_^   Faeries can't be in water...it will soak their wee little wings BUT I knew what could and she loves them too. Mermaids!!!  Those that are my sweet friends that come here often know that I love to doodle and some of my favorite doodles to do are my mermaids. So I started working on this last night and here's some WIP photos to bring ya up to where I am right now.

I love doodling these lil darlins. I had started to paint her tail and then found some "pretty pretty shiny shiny" fabric and BLAM it hit me...perfect mermaid tail. (along with some purple tulle and other bright additions)  I hope to get her put together today and I will share photos tomorrow of her. My muse is guiding me and I sure hope I can do what she is whispering to make this work. ^_^

What are your plans for today? Hope it's something YOU want to do and it makes you Happy Happy!!!!

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

Excuse my late posting..it was LAUNDRY day...YEA!!!

WOW....what is it about going out of town for just a few days that seems to make the laundry monster GROW more so than on a normal weekend?  I have been doing laundry today (ALL DAY I might add) as well as working on my newest mermaid sculpt. Six loads of laundry...SIX and one is still in the washer waiting for the Hubbikins to get out of the bath so I can add his underclothes. That's alright though because it was good to see family this weekend and meet our newest little great nephew. YES....I said GREAT nephew and it's not that we are that old....our niece just started early...hehe!!

I wanted to show you where I am on the newest piece I'm doing. Hopefully, I will get  her finished by Wednesday at the latest. I'm also still working on her story that will go with her....love writing my whimsical lil characters stories. I think it helps make them a tad bit more real believable.

Her face is detailed with the exception of her lips....can't forget those now. Her hair will hide her ta-ta's if she is feeling shy but if not...then she will let them be seen. I mean...I have always heard "if ya got em..flaunt em". I'm going to seal her tail and then add some German glass in places to look like water. I love how the green, blue and purple MICA powders blended together. I have some vintage pearls that I'm going to fill the bathtub with to take the place of real bubbles..hehe!! I'm taking my time with her and thank goodness I won't be doing laundry tomorrow...at least I hope I won't be. Fingers crossed!!

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

Got the rainy day blues!!!

OK....I don't really have the rainy day blues because with the rain means we stay at home (of course even if it wasn't raining today we would be at home because of the Chazman...he is feeling better but not enough to want to get out of bed.) BUT since I am at home I am twisting the time away.

My mermaid muse decided to come out and play. Mermaids love shiny baubles and this bracelet has some shiny baubles...hehe

It's hard to get a really good photo with a rainy day but I think you can see the mermaid inspiration in it still. I used some of my sea green yarn as the middle cording and some of my dark green hemp to do the twisting with. I added some glass beads in different hues of green around the twist....one of my silver Koi fish charms and on the side dangles more glass beads in hues of green along with some of my sterling silver starfish beads and one of my rainbow crystals with faux diamond spacers. "Shiny baubles...everywhere....shiny baubles take me to the mermaid's liar." (ok I know that was bad but I just couldn't resist...hehe)

I'm working on some more bracelets....some more double stranded with beads sewed in between...one with some of my vintage military buttons and one with pretty faux diamonds and pearls. OH YES....I am enjoying staying home.

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

It's a Mermaid Tale ummm I mean Tail!!

I was so surprised yesterday when I received a phone call from Joseph at the Art gallery. He said that a woman had come in and specifically wanted one of my jewelry pieces. So happy that he couldn't see me because I was dancing all around, waving my arm (couldn't wave armS because I had to still hold the phone..hehe) Then he said "Nooo, she acutally wants three"...seems SHE was standing there listening to him and I began dancing all over again. I asked which piece were we talking about and Joseph said my mermaid tail charms. I told him that I was so excited and to tell the sweet, AWESOME customer thank you and that I would start on them right away. He giggled (Hmmmm...could he see me?) and said to make it six instead of three.

I worked all afternoon and into the night and then some this morning. Isn't my mermaid tail tree purty? Ohh yes it is...if I must say so myself. ^_^  BUT, I don't have to say it myself because YOU think so too...don't you?  I used my fine MICA powders after I sculpted each one and before baking. I love MICA powders...gives anything that magical, mystical appearance. Of course, we all know that mermaids are real...ri iight?? Shhhhhh....never give their location if you are blessed enough to see one..we need to keep their secret.

I attached them to an ocean themed tag. It's printed on card stock paper, tied with a pretty aqua silk ribbon and if they remove the charm carefully then they will have a pretty bookmarker.

On the back of each tag is one of my business cards. I don't want the person that purchases one to forget who the artist is....now do I?  Here are the other 5 tails...

Weather permitting, the Chazman and I are going to walk to the gallery this afternoon and hand deliver these little beauties AND since it's just across the street we are going to go to Stacey's Pharmacy. They have an original old tyme soda fountain and some of the best hand scooped milk shakes around. We might even make it a lunch date...they have wonderful chicken salad too. Yummmmm!!!!

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

Spikey Update

Happy Friday morning to all....I hope you have some fun adventures planned for the weekend. We are hoping to spend the afternoon at the beach after we clean a unit in the morning. I so need a beach walkabout!!!

Do you remember Spikey...my little sleepy merchild? Well....if not click HERE and you can reread the post about him...LOL  I made a change to him last night. I have been playing around with vellum papers and discovered that butterfly wings look like mermaid fins. For reals...I kid you not!! Just to prove it, I made Spikey some new little fins.

Perfect fins.....don't ya think? 

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

Regi

I have Batteries!!!

YEAH....I have batteries....good ones....rechargeable ones....ones just for my camera!!! I'm home long enough to take some WIP photos of the mother and child mermaid ooaks I'm working on and change clothes so we can head to the baseball game in Mobile. Hope the rain stops....keep your fingers crossed for us that it does..ppplease. ^_^

Here are a few photos for you......I still have to paint and apply hair, which will probably be on Monday. Tomorrow is a work day. I hope that YOU have a awesome weekend....I know we are....so far!!!

Until next time....HUGS,
Regi