At Reality Take a Left...

If you don't already have this book, TRUST ME, buy it! Delicious images of exotic jewels and flawless craftsmanship. Crowns and Tiaras (speaking of which, just happens to be the title of a fabulous new book I've participated in, coming soon. More later) encrusted in the biggest rocks and most exquisite pearls you have ever seen. They are literally dripping in gems, the stones were actually sewn right onto the gowns themselves! Think " Hmm, Let me see, shall I wear the Rubies and Opals or the Emeralds and Sapphire gown tonight"?

Suggestions?

Any suggestions on a good, easy to use digital camera with a Zoom lens?
I would love to know what works well !
And again, Thank You to everyone for the warm blogland welcome!

A Tin Ear and a Ballerina

Isn't art a funny thing? It's how I express myself, how I communicate the beautiful things I imagine. I have always admired my sisters beautiful singing voice, in 3rd grade choir (which I LOVED, by the way, and sang as loud and proud as I possibly could) my teacher (who's name fails me now) said I had a Tin Ear. I didn't even know what that meant! After all I was only in 3rd grade. So any way, back to the point, I feel that my ART is the way I SING.
My schedule has been pretty hectic the last few years, especially after my first book was released. Sometimes I get so busy making projects and meeting deadlines that I don't work on anything simply JUST FOR ME. Well this puppet was one of those "for me" projects. I started making exacting porcelain reproductions of antique dolls (did I mention I collect antique dolls?) a few years back. Acquiring repro molds cast directly from the antique dolls themselves, as this is a very delicate process and sometimes the actual dolls themselves are broken during this process and only so many pourings can be had from each mold( they lose definition quickly) these molds tend to be very expensive. Some times I would buy the head and shoulder plate first and then the body and limbs molds later. I learned how to cast, clean and fire a doll. Then to paint it in the appropriate colors, making sure the eye brows and eyelashes are correctly angled, the correct type of glass eye is used for the type of doll, German, blown glass or French paperweight. How to insert and attach the eyes, then how to make" period" correct hair styles out of a batch of undyed lambs wool or mohair. Since I love the history of dolls this is the purest of pleasures for me.

When it comes to making the clothes, well thats another story, fortunately for me I have a friend who makes the most amazing "period correct" doll clothes! She even uses rare antique fabrics salvaged from old ball gowns and such! Now, my artisic style is kind of ALL over the place, I like SO many different things, I love to use the basis of the dicipline I've learned and make my imagination dolls. So here one is, Hyacinth, 54" tall. Many different materials went into the construction of this puppet. Chicken wire, batting, paper mache, and porcelain to name a few. The 1920's style cornet crown was made from an 1890's ivory silk wedding gown that had seen better days, I used vintage millenery and wax flowers to embellish it. The choker was a notebook spiral I rubbed with paint and added pearls to. The puppeteer cross was a broken accordian clothes drying rack, cut to fit. She has big brown, blown German glass eyes. Covering the seal between the breast plate and the body is a blue silk garter. The bodice of the tutu was a mutton sleeve from a 1910 blouse, and the tutu itself is 3 layers of lace and tulle. I added a few metal grommets for interest. And her toe shoes were antique baby shoes embellished with silver foil flowers. And just for a bit of spice I gave her a floral band "tattoo" on her right forearm. She sits in a chair at the foot of my bed, and everyday when I see her it just makes me smile!





Bye for now.

Over the Rainbow

This is a new piece done by Maggie Taylor, one of my favorite artists, I just love her works! SHE CREATES IMAGERY ONLY PREVIOUSLY SEEN IN DREAMS...

Oops!

Ok, who knew? I guess you can only post so many pictures at once. Any way, here are the dressed forms!
Over and Out!

Rain drops keep fallin' on my head

SOURCE UNKNOWN

It has been raining here for the last 6 months straight! But as for me, I love it! It's very condusive to creating. You see, when the sun is out and the birds are singing and the sky is a bright cornflower blue, I feel riddled with guilt not being out in it. So rain, rain stay today, and I won't have to go out and play!
And now on to more serious business...


I found this book at a thrift store (my second home) and let me tell you, BUY it if you come across it! It is published by Flammarion in Paris, 1994, written by Mary Trasko, titled: Daring Do's, A History of Extraordinary Hair and it is, so fun and full of inspiration!










And now a fun little project. Did I mention I collect vintage clothes, and shoes and dolls and well, I'll get into more of that later...
My beautiful sister gave me this Glamourous Barbie, isn't she lovely,

any way I also collect doll clothes (ok, you got me, the list goes on and on) vintage and new. I just bought a new outfit for her, since you see she is dressed in only her lingerie. In the package is a plastic dress form sort of thing. You can use this as a mold, I used plaster of paris, but you can also try a product called Rock Hard Putty (from the hardware store). Cut a very small square out of the bottom edge of the "mold", set the dowel in, mix your chosen medium according to the directions on the container, pour into mold, fill to almost level (leave a bit of room for it to "rise"),

let dry completely and pop your tiny new dress form out of it's mold. Paint any color you desire. Use old jewelry findings, beads, keys, buttons, etc. to make the finial on top, I use a product called GOOP to attach it.

Then for a stable base you can use those large vintage spools of thread, I've used old broken candle cups or other wooden parts found at your local hobby store, here again use Goop to glue the dowel to the base.

Then, and this is the FUNNEST part! Dress as desired, I used bits and pieces of old lace and tiny millenery flowers, vintage ribbon, even a pouffy little scrap of a feather boa (also available at the hobby store). Just stitch or glue (white glue) your " Haute Couture " fashion directly onto the dress form and Volia! Make a whole fall collection! And let me end with this... Signing off : Over and Out my new friends

Welcome one and all

Oh, my! Thanks for all the kind Welcomes fellow bloggers! I'm so happy to finally be a part of all this!
A Quick and Easy last minute project, all you need is a bit of decoupage medium, stamp pad, a fun rubber stamp image, spray sealer, and a nice white plate. Crate & Barrel carries a good selection. Create your stamp image on plain white paper, enlarge to the desired size on your copier, trim with sharp scissors, lay down a thin coat of decoupage medium onto plate surface, arrange image, tack on lightly and apply another coat of decoupage over that. Lastly when glue has dried give it a quick spray with a matte sealer.
And there you have it, a simple but dramatic piece a la Fonasetti!
Check out Fornasetti at www.designboom.com

Things I Adore...

19th Century illustrator and imagineer J.J. Grandville


Interesting old photos, I found this at a local flea market.


The Beatles, I've loved them since I was seven!


Oscar Wilde Wasn't he Dreamy?

And lastly, Lindt Lindor white chocolate truffles, yum, yum, (sorry no photos only empty wrappers!)

Well, here goes...this is my first blog entry! I can't believe it! I have been wanting to do this for so long but felt like my two feet were stuck in a block of ice! Alas, I know next to nothing about computers. ( but vow to learn!) And for me this is verrry scary! Even as I post this I'm having a terrible time just trying to get my bio photo over in the right place! And my mind is racing, will any one ever see this, will it sound silly or too nutty or off kilter? Maybe it's too much for me , but I really want to join in on the fun , I am a faithful reader of so many of the wonderful blogs out there and gain so much insight and inspiration from all of you who share your art and lives with us. My contribution will simply be bits and parts of my artistic life and odds and ends of my family life. A little about me, I'm married to the best bass player (and most handsome) in town, have no people kids put two of the cutest furry kids you have ever seen! And just between me and you, they both think they ARE people. Kitty, Romeo, is a twelve year old feral cat,stripey grey with a ringed tail and big green eyes. We found him in the engine of my car, drove all the way down a hill hearing a faint "meowing" when my husband pulled over and opened the hood, there he was, a skinny little cat with grease all over him, that was 12 years and 19 pounds ago, he turned out to be the sweetest and gentlest boy you can imagine. A real cuddle muffin! And then there is Puppy, Oh My, were shall I start! She is now 11 months old and almost 4 pounds of complete and utter lunacy, has so much energy and is into absolutly everything! We named her Juliette,( didn't have much choice), in her photo she looked so sweet and innocent, (I'll post her baby picture and you can see for your self) we almost didn't get her cause we thought "she looks to shy and demure" and we didn't want one of those shakey little dogs. But I learned my lesson, never judge a puppy by a picture!! She rules the house, and has everyone, including the cat under her puppy thumb! Well, I guess thats all for now, I will be posting as often as possible and doing my best to become adept at this, it may take me the rest of the day to get photos on here! Bye for now...