February Wrap Up

Remember that list I had for the month? Here's the wrap up of what I did accomplish.
Quilting
I did do my Hop To It block

Writing
Found writings for screenplay

Reading
2 books  -Think and Grow Rich 
                Chinese Emperors

Dolls 
2 Ghostie Girls
1 Small Art, Big Heart piece
1 Creative Mojo Man's face has been started
1 Mardi Gras Skellie (Yeah, I cheated a bit, that was for Small Art)
6 Wandi Dolls

Extra 
1 Painting
1 Greeting Card
2 Postcards

I didn't get to some things but I added a few more things. So not bad for following my big list. Now I have to make up one for March. Stay tuned.

Petra and Her Puppets

Another Ghostie Girl. Her name is Petra and she has puppets. She's getting ready to babysit her third cousin Peter on her father's side.

She is needle felted over wire armature. Her bodice is needle felted, her scarf was knitted by me, there are ghost buttons on the ends of her hair ribbon, a slip made of black tulle, black cotton fabric underpants, I made her puppets out of felt, and she's got pumpkin buttons on her shoes. Her hair is more orange in person.

Here she is with her pal Simcha and Hugo.

2 Postcards

A couple of weeks ago I joined the International Union of Mail Artists. So far I have received two postcards and I made two. One is going to a local friend and the other is going to a new friend in France. On the site, you make friends and send them postcards that you've made and they send you ones that they've made. I know, I know, I really need something else to do. But you know me!!!

Here is my initial setup. I had no idea what to do, or what I was supposed to do but I went in full steam ahead. One of the cards is part of a cereal box that was eventually painted over. It's a nice weight for a postcard.

This card has faeries that I've drawn and painted. Have you spotted the faerie bum? The flowers were from a magazine, I then cut them up and rearranged them. A perfect playground for faeries.

This is my favorite so far. The sun is out of decorative paper (a check), with painted rays. The little girl is drawn and painted with watercolor pencils. The grass and flowers were canabalized from a facial tissue box.

I Won!

I usually don't win anything but I put my name in a giveaway over at Flowers & Art by Kim. I won a wonderful journal she had made. It's so pretty I don't want to use it but I'm almost finished with my latest journal. Hey Kim, you didn't sign it! Anyway, thanks so much Kim. I will most definitely treasure it, especially that things are getting exciting around here.

I'd like to also welcome Renee to my party. I don't see a blog or site. Hi Renee!

The Film

Just when I was ready to post, my laptop is attacked. A very good friend's husband came to my rescue and now I'm back online.


Thursday, February 24th, I met with the lead actress of the film I've been working on. We talked about the scene that will be shot for the trailer, I showed her my studio, dolls for the film, and then a quick lesson in how I design a doll, make a pattern, and sewing the pieces together. I then got a call from the director/writer who said that he was on his way to pick us up so that we could see the location of the dollhouse. They had finally found a spot to shoot those scenes.

We got to the neighborhood where the house is and stopped in front of a house that I'd been in for a wonderful dinner party. The house has an old carriage house in the back, the owner turned into an art studio. I didn't have a chance to go into the studio during the dinner party but now was my big chance.

Oh my gosh! I could most definitely have that studio. Both levels. Yes, there's an upstairs with a window that opens on one end towards the back of the building and one at the opposite end that opens up into her backyard. There was a large work table, a counter and shelves. What a cool spot. It made a great spot for  making dolls and I could see the dolls I made set in place for the film.

Back downstairs is another large work table, large counter with all sorts of art supplies, a couple of seats, what looked like a wood burning stove, a sink, and a huge bookcase with a gajillion books. Perfect, just perfect. The owner also has a huge backyard, parts of it will be used for filming and she had made a flower bed that will be used as a graveyard. I am so excited now.

I also talked to Nathan about the scene the lead actress will be in for the trailer. He said he had talked to her too and that he didn't want to hear that a scene couldn't be shot. I told him that I didn't say it couldn't be done but that the way he wanted to shoot that particular scene would take a lot more effort and time. I then proceeded to give him three other options for a shoot, and I was quite intense and energetic about it. He just stared at me then said, "Okay, whichever one will be the most effective. I'm no longer wearing the writer hat, I've got my director hat on now. I don't know anything about doll making, that's why you're on board. And I think it's great that you're a doll maker as well as a movie buff."

I believe that was a compliment!

On the inside, I was a little kid in an art store, with chocolate and cookies on a large table, waiting for me to enjoy. I bounced up and down and got even more excited. It's finally happening.

Woo hoo!

Small Art, Big Heart

Here she is! Mavis on her pedestal at the Small Art, Big Heart art show and sale. This is my third year to participate. Part of the sales goes to the AIDS Care Service. She was a hit. My past pieces all sold, so I think she may have a new home soon too.

Me and Maivs. I don't really like taking pics. The camera wasn't working and when I was ready to help out, the pic was taken. What a goofy expression I have.

Me and Steven Dunn, a wonderful painter. His work was also in the show. He's a great friend too. And he loves my work. The lovely lady next to him is Amie Hampton, one of the co-owners of Hampton House Art & Framing. The oldest family owned gallery in town.

Me, Mark and Lara Hampton. Great people to put on this event in their gallery. A wonderful place to have my work displayed.

 
Me and Laura Frazier, another wonderful needle felt artist. We had a blast.

It was a good turnout. The food was very good too. I should probably start planning for next year's event. I don't think it would matter, I like to wait until the last minute to get a piece done. Yes, I'm a silly. Have a good one.

Wallis and Willette

Willette and Wallis are ready to go to the ice rink with their cardinal friends.  Then it's off to get hot chocolate and chocolate chip scones.

A close-up of Wallis.  She's ready for the chilly weather.

Willette is also ready for the last of winter.  She's ready to go skating with her friends.

Wallis and Willette are in the Winter Wandi Doll collection.  I only have a few more to finish.  Maybe by the time I get them all done, spring will be here.

Mavis Ready for Mardi Gras

Say hello to Mavis.  She started out as a bunner, then a pirate, and now she's a dancing skellie.  I have been looking at her armature for several months now, wanting her to be a pirate.  But she wasn't going for that.  I had her and her friends out in the open so I could constantly see them and they taunted me.  Only, not as pirates.  I didn't have a clue as to what they wanted to be, so I left them alone.  I knew not to put them away because I have a very good habit of keeping things safe and not being able to find them again.

Her body is needle felted.  See the previous post.  Her finges have pipe cleaners in them so she can hold her maracas.  Her eyes are felted, her nose and mouth are embroidered.  She's got such a sweet smile.  Her sandals are also needle felted.

I almost went crazy with the beading.  Almost.  She also has a beaded bracelet on.  I did add more earring gear.

She is the first doll I've made showing movement and I love it.  Thanks to a wire armature.

She is at the Hampton House Gallery, getting ready for her debut at the Small Art, Big Heart art show & sale.  Part of the proceeds benefit the AIDS Care Service.  This is my third year participating.  So far, all dolls have sold from that show.

Growth
I've learned something working on Mavis.  Besides waiting until the last minute to finish her.  For many, many moons now, I've worked on cloth dolls.  I really like them but it's time to move on.  To expand my creative horizons and see what else I've got.  I knew I wanted to do more 3D pieces and started my experimentations.

I have done porcelain before and I love the final result, it's just at this point in my life, I don't have the room to do it.  I've carved wood pieces and I don't have what's needed to keep my tools sharpened.  Polymer clay has a beautiful look to it.  Very flesh like but again, I don't have a separate oven for baking, and I don't care how safe they say it is, I don't like the smell.  I haven't totally given up on it but in the scheme of things, it's not high on the list.  I have also tried air dry clays.  Several types.  Even though it's messy, it can be painted, sanded, drilled, and whatever you want to do with it.  I have found several places for instruction and help.

For right now it's needle felting.  Not so quick, but relaxing in a strange sort of way.  The up and down motion of felting can be soothing and you can always get some frustration out on the wool.  I'm still learning how to manuever the medium and so far I like my results.  There are artists who make dolls completely out of wool, which is cool.  I, am a costumer.  The body is a place to put stuff.  It's still cotton, but that will change soon to some silk, satin, and other fancy material.

My flat cloth dolls were easy to dress.  Most would be sitting propped up or hang on a wall, so I really didn't have to pay too much attention to the back.  Once I started making things more 3D, I had to consider the other side.  It started when I made Koji, and then the Bunners.  It wasn't until I made Mavis that it hit me.

The basic forms are totally different.  From flat cloth to round neelde felted.  It was a little scary at first, but I continued and got a kick out of it.  I had to rethink how I was going to do a basic shirt.  The underpants needed more room in the seat.  Pieces had to be cut bigger to go around.  It was a challenge, my head even started to hurt a bit because I was using another part of my gray matter.  I do believe my brain has grown a bit because of this one simple exercise.

I am looking forward to Mavis' friends coming to life.  They are quite excited too.  Breakthroughs are awesome.  I hope you have some too.

I Just Had To

I had to repost this pic.  When I looked at the pic again, I just laughed and thought that I should draw a chalk line around it.  I guess I've been watching too much Criminal Minds, NCIS, and Bones.  I just cracked me up.  I couldn't resist, so now you know I have another screw loose.

I slay me!

In Progress

I am a wee bit behind and working to catch up.  Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it doesn't.  Here are some things in progress.

These two are going to be voodoo dolls.  Extras for the film.  They are covered dish soap bottles.  Yeah, sometimes I really try the recycle/reuse thing.  I've got small stones in the bottom to give them more stability and then the rest is stuffed with scrap fabric.  Then there are strips of fabric glued on the outside of the bottles.

Here we have the body for a Mardi Gras skellie.  Last minute Wendy was scrambling for something to make.  I had several ideas but they weren't doing anything for me and I just didn't want to do them.  I was panicking because the deadline was looming.  Like two days.  I had an armature started for a Bunner that I wanted to turn into a pirate which hadn't happened.  Good thing I kept the armature.

I also wanted to get started with more Halloween, pirate, and skellie things.  Sooooo, I got going on this little gal.  She spoke to me, Creative Mojo Man did his dance and the Wendy's were on the sideline cheering.  Even Bad Wendy.

The List

No pics yet because I did promise a gargantuan list for February.  I know, I'm overly ambitious and a nut plus some caramel and chocolate chips.  Last month was fraught with illness and this month, not only do I have to do what was on the docket but I have to also catch up from last month.

So here we go!

Quilting
1 Hop To It block.  Yes, I've started a block-of-the-month quilt.
1/4 more of quilting done on my Bunny wall hanging

Writing
Finish polishing my manuscript so I can send it off to an agent
Find all writings for a screenplay (will try Script Frenzy again this year)

Reading
I am to read three books a month (way behind for last month)
- historical
- self empowerment
- fiction

Dolls
2 Ghostie Girls
1 piece for Small Art, Big Heart show & sale
1 Creative Mojo Man
2 Koji Bears covered with brown wool
2 Pirate Skellies (needle felted
1 Mardi Gras Skellie (needle felted)
6 Wandi Dolls finished

I won't mention French.  Have you got all that?  It's on!

New Specs

I hadn't a new prescription in a month of Sundays.  More like years.  So I've got new specs and it's taking me awhile to get used to them.  I don't know if I like them or not but I'm stuck with them, so I guess I better at least get used to them.  My friends like them on me.  Oh well.  At least things are clear and I can see in the distance.  Great for driving.  I'm still working on close-up things.

I will have that list tomorrow.

Go Packers!!!!

Seaside Wandi Gals

Meet Marina and Oceana, two Wandi Gals heading for the sea shore.  They will probably stay on the boardwalk, watching others enjoy freezing surfs.  They'll probably have way too many corn dogs, popcorn, and sno cones.  But I'm sure they'll have fun.

Marina has a cute face and she's just happy to be on the coast.  She's hoping for a nice long holiday without rain or snow.

Here's the back of her sailor collar along with a string for hanging on the wall.  Oceana has one too.

Oceana is eyeing ice cream and elephant ears.  She's not too particular about diving into the waters.

Their arms, bodies and skirts are out of a stripe cream cotton.  I also have a darker version that I'll probably make too.  I had fun doing this pair and I'm glad my art rep came quickly to pick them up because I probably would've kept them. 

They really are on their way to the Outer Banks, North Carolina.  Hopefully they'll find a happy home.  Now on to that list.

A New Month!

Yep, a new one.  Another chance to do something cool, great, sincere, funny, goofy, you name it.  Catch up is the theme for the month.  Right now I'm a little goofy because we've dodged the snow rocket.  But I've got to get going.  Working on finishing dolls to make their way to the Outer Banks and possibly a new shop.

These are the first two of my Seaside Wandi Dolls.  They will have sailor type dresses on and hats.  Yeah, sure.  Okay, I do believe I will pull these guys together in a day and a half.  I ransacked what fabric I have left and would you believe I don't have any white?  White!  Fabric!  A basic color.  I so need to go shopping for everything.  Anyway, I have other Seaside gals in mind.

My chorus line consists of Spring Wandi Dolls ( the two on the left and the far right) and two Valentine Wandi Dolls.  I wasn't going to do anything Valentine like but I had the fabric, so what-the-heck.  The doll with the black legs is going to be a Spring Goth Wandi.  I'm looking for new hair.  What I had been using doesn't want to be found anymore.  It has become my big quest.

I really don't need any new projects but that's what us creative types do, have a couple hundred projects going at the same time.  I do believe I'm in good company.  I've learned how to quilt, only to do applique, which I just love doing.  This is the first block in one of those block-of-the-month quilts.  I know, I know, my mind has been kidnapped by aliens from some distant nebula.  I still can't remember how I got roped into doing this project.  My instructor is very good.  I've changed some of the colors from the original and my teachers project.  That's just me.  I'll see if I can get that pic up too.  I do have my bias strips made for the stems.  The quilt is called Hop To It.  There is a bunny involved.

I will post my list for February within the next couple of days.  At the end, we can see how close I get to marking everything off.  Creative Mojo Man and the Wendy's are falling over laughing.