Tacky Jack's...Here I come!!!!

It's official and I'm floating, dancing, cheering, hand pumping in the air and WOOT WOOTing from cloud nine. Yes, I really am doing all those things and at once. (great accomplishment for the gal that can't walk and chew gum at the same time..hehe) Tacky Jack's.......HERE I COME!!!!

Tacky Jack's in Gulf Shores, AL

1577 Alabama 180

We love this location...there are four all together. The other three are located in Orange Beach, Ft. Morgan and on Battleship Parkway in Mobile...all of which I'm sure are just as awesome. I really love this one because sometimes (and not often) if you happen to be there at the right time you might get a glimpse of one of the original mermaids or as some others like to call them, sea cows. A manatee.  That's one of the reasons that their elevator tower is painted with this amazing underwater scene. Mural artist, Dwight Kirkland, painted this one and man oh man is he one talented artist indeed. The other reason that the tower was painted with this scene was for the Manatee sighting network to help raise money for research for the manatees in the Gulf of Mexico. They are a protected species so if you ever encounter one of these gentle creatures....look but do not touch. (yes...its against the law to have any contact with one) My muse is whispering that since this location LOVES the manatee (ahhemm and so do I) and it's where my jewelry is going that I might want to think about making a clay charm of a manatee and using it with my shell necklace designs. What do YOU think?

Now I'm very, VERY excited about being selected to be one of the local artist featured in this new endeavor that Tacky Jack's is pursuing, it's such an honor...an honor indeed!! I'm also very excited that these are not commission pieces because they purchased them outright. That's a very good thing and if all goes well then they will be ordering more in the future. (fingers crossed) This is a wonderful opportunity to get my name out there too...a bit scary but a good scary. 

Here are the ones they purchased for the opening of the local artist corner. Now remember, if you're in the area after next week then by all means please go by and eat (some AWEmazing food by the way), enjoy some great service and then wander down to the gift shop, look and buy!! ^_^ Ohhh..don't forget to walk down to the pier....ya might just spot one of those mermaids. 

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

Regi

Happy Windsday....ummmm...I mean Wednesday ^_^

Oh yes...it's a bit windy here today but that's a good thing as I'm sitting here watching the branches swish this way and that. The old oak trees that surround me are seeming to be whispering for me to come out and dance. Of course I have to decline (today) as I have a very impatient muse wanting me to start listening to her and begin sculpting. Bossy lil thing she is...hehe!!!

Sitting on my desk in a oyster shell are some shells that I do believe are my most favorite of all. Yes, yes I think all shells hold their beauty but these....OH THESE....always, always call to my mermaid soul and they are so so pretty. What shell am I talking about? The Auger shell.

See.....I told ya they were pretty shells. Do they call to you too? Do you see anything other than a auger shell laying in an oyster shell? Look closely.

I see several different things when I look at them. Like a sweet little unicorn frolicking about (the shell being it's magical horn) or perhaps a unicorn seahorse wisping here and there under the deep blue green sea. It could also be a magical torch to light a mermaids way into some of the deep ocean caves or as a friend said she saw....a mermaids magic wand. SEE...I'm not the only one that sees what an object COULD be as well. The very first thing that came to mind with the first one I ever found was that it was a lost tooth of a narwhal. Ohhhhh...narwhals are not mystical creatures but living whales. Ones that could make you think of mystical or even long ago times. No one is really sure what that one long tooth or tusk is really for but some believe it's used as a jousting weapon when the males are courting the females. Doesn't that bring in mind of times long ago? They are also known as the unicorn of the sea...what a beautiful mystical image that brings to mind. I love when we have living creatures that seem like they should only be mystical ones and those are the ones that get my muse a singing!!

Narwhals

Now I think you can figure out just what I might be doing today. (wink wink) Will it be a unicorn, a seahorse unicorn or a narwhal? I guess you will just have to plan a visit back here to find out. Ya know I love my visitors as they become friends in no time. 

Until next time..........keep a shell in your pocket and some sand between your toes!!!

Regi

Time is FLYING!!

OMGOSH...I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted. Where in the heck is the time going to? Seems like I was just sitting here doing the mermaid tail post. I need it to slow down a bit...ppplease!!!! ^_^

I guess it's going by fast because it's summertime and thank the good LORD that it is. I love this time of year. The Chazman is home with me....we get to go to the beach more and our little town has so many things happening. But really...I want to enjoy all this and not feel as though I'm traveling through time at a rapid rate of speed. LOL

With it being summer that means that we have more tourist here and that's a good thang!!! It also however means that we are hopping on the weekends to get the cleaning done between one group checking out and another checking in. We have started taking our bath suits with us so that when we finish cleaning we can head on down to the beach. I mean..we are already right there at it...so we should go..ri iight??

Since I posted my mermaid tail post last week I have gotten another order...YEA...WOOT WOOT!! I love making my ooaks and jewelry but I really love making them AND selling them. The order was for two mermaid tails and a seahorse charm. I think they turned out swimmingly...HA!! Get it...mermaid tails...swimmingly...ok you get it. ^_^

It's so hard sometimes to capture the true colors in things when taking a snap shot. The first tail is green with a bit of teal in it....while the second one is a darker green with a bit of blue.

Cute Li'l fella, huh? This is for a little guy and I hope he will love wearing it. My charms look good on ribbons, hemp rope, leather necklaces and chains. I don't supply those because it seems everyone wants something different. I have been thinking of doing some of my hemp rope chokers and doing smaller mermaid tails and seahorses for them. Also...some ribbon ones. Just have to get my pickle jar filled up..LOL!!

Now the person that placed this order has been my mentor when it comes to putting myself out there. She has guided me and helped me and PUSHED me when I needed that little nudge. She has given me a wonderful opportunity to do some work at home and get paid. Imagine...sitting in front of this little box and getting paid. LOVE IT!!! Ohhhh...what's my friends name...it's Julee and she is one of my heart strings. Some of you might know her from Mommy's Memorandum  and if you don't know about this awesome chick and her blog, you really need to check her out. Fantastic reviews, giveaways and just plain old good stuff to know.

I'm working on several different projects and promise to give more details later....but...for now..I'm being pushed out of my chair by the CHAZMAN!! ROFL Seems my computer time is over and his is starting. Guess I have to share, huh? ^_^

Ohhh before I go (Chaz had to run to the bathroom before he started playing) here's one other project that I completed. One of my sealife medallions that I make with shells we find on our beach walkabouts. This one has a beautiful fan shell with a grouping of barnacles. The starfish is clay and the backing is clay. The glass piece is seaglass that a friend sent me.The earrings (seaglass) I made to match. Shhhhh...this is going to Julee as a thank you gift. She so deserves it!!!!!

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

I captured a mermaid!!!

Beach walkabouts are always so calming and most days, the ocean gives up plenty of treasures. The storm from the night before had washed up tons of seaweed and shells galore.. The afternoon was a lazy one, with a nice tropical breeze swaying the seagrass. The sand felt cool under my feet as I walked along the shore picking through the treasures. I noticed that one particular section of seaweed seemed to be slowly making it's way back to the waves rolling onshore. I cautiously made my way over and with a reed I had found earlier, started moving the seaweed back to see what was wanting to get back out to sea. Talk about someone jumping a foot up in the air......OMGOSH.....was I ever surprised to find a tiny mermaid staring up at me. I carefully picked her up. Poor thing was completely exhausted. I sat down on the sand to see if she was hurt, thankfully she was just tired. I politely told her my name and she replied in kind. Pearl. She asked if she could come home and spend a few days to rest up before I returned her to the ocean. You see....she had never met a human before and was just as curious about me as I was of her. Ri iight?? At least she knew that we actually existed!!!

Pearl is one of my fully sculpted clay ooaks. She has a strong wire armature underneath. She is a tiny 3 1/2 inches...that's of course from her curled tail to her crown. She is hand painted using fine Mica powders mixed with acrylic paints. Her hair is lambswool. (sheared) Tiny pearls adorn her wrist and are also attached to her clay shell top.

Pearl sitting in her temporary home away from home puts her at almost 6 inches. If you have been visiting then you know all about her glass base. If this is your first time just wander back a bit and you can read all about it.  Keep wandering around and you will find all kinds of whimsical characters that live here under the old Southern Ooaks tree.

Pearl wanted to say Hello and to ask that in the future on any beach walkabouts that you might go on, not to complain about the seaweed that washes ashore. Instead, carefully look through it as so many tiny creatures travel by it. Baby sea turtles, tiny little fish and even seahorses. She also asked that if you do find a seahorse, kindly ask him to wait a bit offshore so she can get a ride back out to her world in a few days.

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

Sealife pieces for Trim A Tree event!!

I had so much more I wanted to do for the TAT event but alas...my head is a pounding and I can barely focus so I think it's time to call it a wrap. I hope that some of my items will be a hit and sell. I know times are hard for everyone BUT I think with that being said...it's a good year to buy from local artist. Yep...that sounds mighty good to me. Doesn't it to you?

I made some of my mermaid tail charms and I didn't attach any chains or ribbons or cords to them. It will keep the cost down for me and for whom ever purchases one. It seems that everyone has a certain preference for what they like so I thought it a good idea just to factor that out and let the buyer decide later on.

Remember the WIP teaser of the three seahorses on my previous post? I was going to make a bracelet and earrings with them but just ran out of time to do one of my macrame bracelets. Well.......ran out of time and steam ..hehe) I made the earrings I had planned and in place of the bracelet I made a keychain.

I love working with my shells and doing anything with regards to the ocean. We have quiet the collection of shells from our walkabouts too. I have noticed when being out and about in town that some of the women are wearing the larger medallion necklaces. I thought medallion...shells...clay....yep....I can make one and I did. Hmmmm...actually I made two. Again...I didn't attach a chain or ribbon or cord to the medallion. The opening in the top will allow the buyer to use any of the three.

This kinda has a Chinese look to it,doesn't it? The red on the shell is not paint....it's actually colors in the shell.

I have had these sea glass beads for some time and have just been dying to use them. They just add so much to this piece...or at least I think so. Please tell me it does and I'm just not so POOPED that I just think it does..LOL!!

Now my last sea item is one that I was so afraid that my clumsy fingers wouldn't be able to do. Natural sand dollars. I sealed them and attached German glass to the front.....makes it look like someone just picked it up from the beach. Surprise..Surprise, I didn't break any of them. I really was worried. The sealer gave them some added strength. I attached a shell to the rope tie along with the legend of the sand dollar.

I know that it's hard to read the attached card so I will type it again for you....it's really a very unique legend.

The Sand Dollar

One of nature's most unusual shells.

The five splits in the shell represent the five

wounds in the body of Christ.

The Easter Lily design has, in it's center, a

five pointed star, the star of Bethlehem.

On the back is the outline of the Poinsettia,

the Christmas flower.

When the shell is broken open carefully,

five perfect replicas of a dove can be found,

These are the doves of Peace.

I love this legend and I do hope that folks won't try and break them open to see if the doves are there. Believe me...they are there!!! 

I'm excited to have pieces in the event and I hope it's a good year for all the artist that have their works in it too. I already have my Alice characters and my Faerie Races series there. I'm also going to be taking Santa and Chester, the mermaid twins, the Man in the Moon by the sea, my needle felted mermaid and Gypsy the Fall faerie. If you are in our area anytime from November 10th through to the 23rd of December, please go by and see all the amazing and wonderful works by our local artist. I'm sure you can find something that just screams "TAKE ME HOME".

Until next time....Hugs, Regi

If you are new to the old Southern Ooaks and don't know about TAT (Trim A Tree) then click HERE to read all about just what it's about. Thank you so much for visiting and I hope you come back often. I LOVE my visitors!!