Friday, December 28, 2007


Just a note to say to all of you as we ring out the old 2007 and ring in the new 2008, how very special you have made this year for me! I will never cease to be completely Amazed and entirely Delighted by all of the Incredible artwork being created! I am absolutely and utterly inspired by you! I look forward to new adventures in creating, blogging and sharing together in the New Year to come! Cheers!

Sunday, December 23, 2007

WISHING YOU THE BEST...


HAPPY MERRY JOLLY HOLLY NEW CHRISTMAS SEASON'S HANUKKAH KWANZAA HOLIDAY'S TO ALL!

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Twas the Week Before Christmas

Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.

As dry leaves that before, the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house top, the coursers they flew, with sleigh full of toys
And Saint Nicholas too.

And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof,
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around, down the chimney St. Nicholas
came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished, with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler,
Just opening his pack.

His eyes how they twinkled! His dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses,
His nose like a cherry, his droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow!

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, and the smoke, it circled
his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face, and a little round belly, that shook when he laughed,
like a bowl full of jelly.

And mama in her kerchief, and I in my cap, had just settled our brains
for a long winter's nap.
When out on the lawn there rose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed
to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow, gave a luster of mid-day to objects below.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,And he whistled, and shouted,
and called them by name, "Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blitzen, to the top of the porch,
to the top of the wall,

Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!"
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye, and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He spring to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew, like the down of the thistle.

But I heard him exclaim ere he drove out of sight,

"MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!"
This traditional story was taken from a 1896 linen book, The Night before Christmas.
The little blonde lass decorating the tree is a doll I created last year, it's about 14" tall
and has all porcelain parts.
She has french glass paper weight eyes and her pale blonde wig was made from mohair.
I found her rose bud print vintage night gown at a doll show and it fit her perfectly!
The Christmas tree is decorated in antique garlands, vintage brooches, earrings and lockets.
The tiny little nutcracker ballerinas, I made using Sculpey poly clay and old scraps of fabrics.
And I will give a tutorial on how to create some of your very own after the Holidays.
Don't worry we will go step by step and you will see it's not very hard at all!
Last but not least sitting beneath the tree are antique toys from my collection, I'm especially fond of the multi color
celluloid swan and the frozen Charlotte in her cotton eyelet dress!

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Chilly Willy

Chilly Willy was a Bear? No, that was Fuzzy Wuzzy. Sorry but in our house he was a Snowman!
Growing up in the south, there was rarely enough snow to build even the puniest of snowmen and that needless to say, would last mere minutes before it quickly sank into a puddle of coal and a carrot! My mom knew of my wishes to have a snowman at Christmas time and one balmy December day brought home a big shopping bag from Wynn's. It was filled with huge styro foam balls, cotton batting, sticky glue and various odds and ends of Christmas type decorations! Everything we needed to build a giant (or at least that's how I remember it) Snowman I named Chilly Willy! My Snowman, unfortunately didn't weather very well all these many years later, what with squirrels in the attic, ( they ate his artificial carrot nose) and getting smushed under boxes of old clothes! So a couple of years ago, I decided to recreate Chilly Willy the Snowman, only a much smaller version, as the original was over 30" tall, and this one is about 15" tall.

A Quick and Easy project to create and for only pennies!
Needed is one raw wooden precut base and some White acrylic crafts paint, disposable brush. Paint base and let dry.

3 styro foam balls, one large, one medium, and one small, a box of straight pins, natural cotton batting, and a wood dowel,

Cut the batting into squares larger than the styro foam ball you are covering, gently pull batting in place around ball and secure with straight pins. Do all three balls this way.
With hot glue attach the bottom largest ball to wood base and slide on a wooden dowel, then slide next finished ball (medium) on the dowel, adding a bit of hot glue to where they meet.

Pick out some nice vintage shoe buttons for the eyes.

Glue the eyes in place with fabric glue.

Go on a lovely nature walk and collect some nice twigs to use for arms,even if they have a bit of moss on them, it only adds to the Snowman's charm! And just poke them into place at his sides.
Use a small bit of Sculpy polymer clay to create a faux carrot for his nose, roll into an elongated shape and with the side of a needle make little hash marks to resemble a carrot, bake according to the package directions, let cool and paint with one coat of orange acrylic paint.

Use jet black glass beads and straight pins for the buttons on his lapel.

As for a hat, well, it's your Snowman so create what you like, I created a paper stovepipe top hat for mine. You can find the complete instructions on how the create hats like these in my book, Fanciful Paper Projects.

Make him a cozy little scarf out of fabric remnants. All you need is a piece about 8" long and an inch wide, cut teeny little slits on the ends for fringe.

Use 3 black straight pins, the kind with the glass ball on top, for his grin.

And there you have it, a Chilly Willy Snowman of your very own!

How lovely a pair of these guys would look on either side of your fireplace mantel!
And the best thing about this Snowman is you don't have to worry about him ever melting!

Thursday, December 6, 2007

MERRY IMAGINATIONS!

When it comes to Holiday decor I like to mix tradition

and eclectic whimsy. Hanging shiny vintage ornaments from everything!

They look especially lovely dangling along side the sparkling crystals on the chandelier!

And my elfin little pink Polichinelle comes out to play! Generally he sits upon a very high shelf where I have placed him in a tiny metal bird cage, this helps to keep him from too much mischief.

But inevitably I find him, cage door flung open, with a silly lopsided grin on his face, just waiting for me to turn away!

This time of year is difficult for him because, try as he might he simply cannot resist! You see Polichinelle has quite an affinity for pretty shiny ornaments and picks and plucks them from their spots

and fills his diminutive little cage to over flowing!

Punch is a 5" porcelain doll, cast from an antique mold. I painted his costume pink and brown and gave him one slightly raised eyebrow, to show that he is clever! And decorated this sleeves with antique netting, stitched up the most miniscule of bows to add to his slippers and embellished his tri corner hat with light as a feather mouth blown glass pearls, they were made that way back then to prevent delicate silk gowns from ripping and tearing under the weight of such lavish decoration as was the fashion then and last but not least metal braiding and twisted brass beads so tiny as to pass through the eye of a needle!

Monday, December 3, 2007

***A Brief Intermission***

Lets take a brief intermission, and pop on over to visit Melissa at The Inspired Room. If you're like me and have glittered just about everything that doesn't move, here is ONE more use for our favorite of embellishments!

Sunday, December 2, 2007

DO NOT OPEN UNTIL CHRISTMAS

A Christmas gift for you and a treasured memory of mine:

I created this image from a very special memory I have, I was a bit on the mischievous side when I was a child, one Christmas my grandmother gave me a big box wrapped in shiny red foil paper with an even bigger red bow on top,

and next to the tag with my name on it was an old looking sticker, you know, not the kind that you peel off the backing, the kind that you (yuk) lick!

It stated in no uncertain terms, DO NO OPEN UNTIL CHRISTMAS! And my Grandmother had written in pen next to that "And this means YOU, SWEETIE! I thought, how odd?! How on earth did she know I had a habit of PEEKING?! She sure was a wise old bird! And I Loved her so for it!
I have provided a black & white image, along with some options, or just color or paint it in to customize it!

Create hang tags by downloading this image, adhere it to cardstock with decoupage medium, adhere text on the reverse side and cut out. Make holes with a punch and use your favorite ribbon or string to thread thru. Thats just one idea, you can make cards or stickers too, just as long as its for personal use.

I used a bit of glass glitter to highlight here and there!

I cannot express how much it means to me to receive all of your wonderful comments and emails, to know that my designs will be used in your holiday celebrations and maybe even create some new memories along the way, I cherish the thought!

So have fun and stay tuned, there will be more to come!
Happy Holidays my Friends!