IDEX is less than two weeks away and...

So here is little Cupid....all tired out. And it isn't even Valentines Day yet. Guess what I made those arrows out of.....



This is Chloe...all tucked in with her dollie.

And who can resist a sleeping lady bug? I know I can't.

This one could be my own! This is the Velveteen Rabbit doll. I think his blankie looks like an old chenille blanket. But it is glass....glitter that is....

So these are four of the little things I am bringing to IDEX. A little different from my BIG dolls. But these are fun and I am hoping some of my collectors will want to have more than one!

They are sculpted with clay and then covered with German glass glitter. I guess you probably already know that from previous blogs.

I bought some glitter from www.rosemille.com. Love it! I also bought from www.germancornerstore.com. There's is fine but I think the quality of rose mille is better. The German store has more choices.

I will post more pictures another time. I have to get back to work.

New sleeping baby ornaments....!

Here are some new sleeping baby ornaments......Pearl baby...
Blue fluff baby....
Pinkie baby....
And a REAL ONE!!!

Sleeping Baby Ornaments

Ha! Ha! Fooled you!! This one is awake!
But those sleeping babies.....
I've spent the day uploading pictures to my Etsy site as you may know. The brain is weary. But I always have something else to learn. My camera is not the best but I definitely am LEARNING how to use it's limited capabilities. It should prepare me for when I get a REAL camera.
These ornaments I listed are a little sidekick from the real deal. But they are fun anyways and if they don't sell then I will have some nifty gifts...!
Tonight I have a couple of white babies and another pink one. I don't think I will get them on tonight, maybe tomorrow morning.
As you can imagine there is glitter everywhere! But, hey, it cleans up, right????
Tomorrow the gang comes and I get to play grandma...
I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR THE BLESSINGS OF MY FAMILY AND THE LOVE THEY ALWAYS SHOW TO ME.
HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I make the best.....

RICE PUDDING!!!
Sometimes I put other things in the oven besides doll parts.....
I am the only one in this house who will eat the stuff so I am pretty lucky.!
Do you want the recipe?
Well, here it is anyways....

2 cups cooked rice (1 cup uncooked)
2 cups scalded milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
little bit of salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup craisins or raisins or blueberries or raspberries

Beat the eggs with the sugar, add the salt. Add the hot rice and hot milk. Add the vanilla.
Pour into casserole dish and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Place in pan of 1" water and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or when knife inserted comes out clean.

Eat all at once before it gets cold. Serves one.!!! JK - probably four.

So much to finish, so little time.

So now......what?
The Cernit I bought back in April is bad. No clay to start anything new. Five dolls to consider revising before photo shoot tomorrow.....
Still one doll to dress....
So it doesn't matter if I have no clay, right? Except that I haven't sculpted for so long...where would I start?

Oh, wait...I just thought of something...
I still need a piece of something on the bodice of this outfit....


out come the dye bottles again....
Colorhue silk dyes...gotta love them.

I hate it when i don't have the perfect trim but it's okay to get creative I guess.
Let's try something...

So here is the Venice lace I dyed earlier paired with another trim that started out light pink and bronze. It's okay...
But this one has a little more punch. I'll go with this one. Maybe.
Or maybe I will go for a run...

Off to buy flowers

Today I am off to buy flowers for the wedding of my godchild. I will attempt to create three bouquets using gardenias, orchids, sweet peas, freesia, hydrangea and hypericum. Wish me luck. I don't do this very often and there is always a learning curve looming ahead.
The bride's nature is sweet, mild and accepting and that works in my favor!
I will put them together tomorrow morning. Yes, this is a Tuesday wedding!
Next I should sculpt a bride and flower girl...........

Redressing dolls

Here is a doll that I redressed for Kim at the Dollery. I like her so much better! It was a fun dress to make. I had bought her skirt material from Treadle Yard Goods in St. Paul and it was one of those indecision's that I like to make!
Should I or shouldn't I?? There was only a small amount left on the bolt and it was on sale but I didn't know what doll to put it on.
I of course buy fabric all the time that I NEVER use so I am trying to be more cautious.
I had enough of the yummy pink silk fabric to finish this dress. Now I have to either order some more of the pink from Germany or wait until IDEX see if I can get some more. I love this fabric.
The sweater fabric I bought in NY when I was there last fall. I can't wait to make a sweater for a toddler now!!! So fun!!

IDEX 2010

Well, the first colllllllld blast of winter is here. I hope I don't have to go anywhere for a few days..
Time to get some serious sculpting done.
Whenever I get a new idea for a new face I always end up starting about five. That's why I have so many heads laying around my studio....
By the time I get around to finishing them I don't like them anymore....
I did get this little doll done for IDEX. She is a OOAK like all of my dolls. I have one more ready for the camera and another one almost ready....

Tiaras and Tucker

I think I may be finished with these girls. You never know. I made their tiaras yesterday using the beads I had on hand. I never know what I have until I go looking for something. They were so fun I could have made more. (Sorry - no more good beads left). I used Swarovski crystals along with other beads.
I always think I can't do anything until I do it a few times. The first one was sort of awkward to do but the next one flowed pretty easily. My next doll will have a better one...ooh....can't wait!!!
I think the older girl needs a necklace.....maybe I have to go to the bead store after all.....
It would be a fun project to teach.
Now to get back to sculpting. I haven't done a face for so long I hope I haven't forgotten. I have an order for a baby/toddler that I need to do soon. I have one other face done that I am pretty excited about. But maybe she will have to wait until the baby gets done.
Real baby Tucker comes again today!! But only for a few hours.

Cherry blossom girls!

I really finally finished a piece! This one was tons of work....as they all are. But they are a reminder for me that SPRING IS SOON ON ITS WAY!!! Can you tell it's been a long hard winter???!!
I should make some summer girls next.....
This piece is a little larger than some of my other doubles. The older girl is about 27" tall (well, she would be if she could stand up...). The whole piece measures about 16" tall by 20" long.
And how do you like the baby's teeth? I actually managed to make teeth and keep the mouth open!! Progress.....
I had made the baby's dress longer and then decided to shorten it so her little toes would show. I pleated all of the ribbon on the clothing and also made the frog buttons. Tedious, tedious. At least my fingers still bend.
The fabric is a soft silk brocade in a paisley pattern. I think I bought it from the lady who comes to IDEX with fabrics from Germany. I used up all that I had!
I pleated the ribbon and fabric with a couple of pleaters that I bought. One makes nice box pleats and the other one just sort of ripples the fabric.
Next I am going work on a piece that I started a while ago. She will be dressed in white.....then I can get on with the fancy girl that I promised......