Lets make Faces...
cute little funny faces out of polymer clay. There are commercial molds available or you can easily make your own molds from antique dolls. Using the doll of your choice firmly press it into a flattened ball of polymer clay to create an impression.
Bake according to instructions on the package to cure your new clay mold. Let the new mold cool down entirely before using. Lightly dust the mold with a little bit of talc to help prevent the clay from sticking. Then roll an egg shaped ball using more polymer clay.
Press it into the mold, be sure to put the narrow end of the "egg" shape in first, this will help to make sure the clay goes
all the way down into the lowest parts of the mold like the nose and lips areas.
Gently pull the clay out and put the doll faces onto a baking sheet
and pop them into the oven, again following the directions on the package. Hey, they are looking a bit like cookies aren't they or maybe even some delicious Christmas candy?!
Anyway be sure to let them cool completely and then use acrylic paints to give them a nice healthy complexion. Sometimes its necessary to blend paint colors to get it just right!
Then go in and start to work on the details,
pretty blue, brown and green eyes,
lovely pouty lips,
eyebrows and eyelashes and some rosy pink cheeks, apply the cheek color with a Qtip so that you have a nicely blended edge.
You can use pastel chalks for cheek color or even try your own make up (blush) that works great too!
Spray them with a light coat of matte sealer. I like to create big batches of these funny little faces
and paint them with lots of different expressions and in different styles,
some with sweet expressions, some looking to the left and some to the right.
I generally prefer to paint them in an antique sort of style but of course you can paint yours anyway you like. Now, go crazy with them and have some fun, how many different uses can you find for them?! Tuck them into a fresh pine wreath or create angelic tree toppers, maybe they can become of few of Santa's little helpers!
I found these great antique clown die cuts a while back and wanted to copy the theatrical make up they are sporting.
I think they used to have a different idea of what a clown should look like back then! They always have a more mischievous
sort of look, but I like that so I duplicated it on one of my new little faces
and decided to make my own Christmas clown ornament complete with a lace umbrella to balance himself with! You can use your new faces for lots of fun things, I'm going to buy a bunch of silk flowers and glue these into the centers to create really unique ornaments to hang on the tree! Can't you just picture it, dozens of smiling faces staring out at you! They would look great in the middle of a pretty red silk bow too! And Hmmm, well you get the picture!
Meanwhile over at the Where Women Create blog... Jo is having a very special ~Twelve Days of Christmas~ giveaway and doing it in style! She is featuring a different prize EVERYDAY until the 12th of December at midnight! This wonderful Partridge in a Pear Tree ornament is by the amazing Patience Brewster
click here to check out her site!
Another wonderful giveaway prize is a mini trio of perfumes ( Pink Lotus, Cacao, and Blonde Tabac) by the divine Mandy Aftel!
Click here to visit Mandy's web site
And yet another spectacular giveaway prize, pottery by Jill Wiener of Earth Girl Pottery! Now that's a face!
Jill has graciously donated a second beautiful piece, this ripe for the picking Pear vessel!
A very pretty huge ribbon assortment from The May Arts, these will come in handy for wrapping presents!
A Gypsy Fabric Club packet from Pamela Armas, check out the sweet butterfly wings in there!
Bluebird Buddies, one of a kind art dolls by artist Christi Silacci, courtesy of Jen O'Connor and Earth Angels Toys!
Ooo, pretty!
Your choice of beautiful ribbon necklaces by the talented Beth Quinn!
A Vintage Trinket Necklace, handcrafted by Andrea Singarella!
Your choice of a quilter's Jelly Roll... or a quilter's Layer Cake...
Plus an assortment of sewing and quilting patterns from Fig Tree Quilts designer, Joanna Figueroa!
And on the 12th Day of Christmas... a twenty dollar store credit to Gussy's Etsy store, compliments of Maggie Whitley!
Guess what?! The 12 Days of Christmas giveaway over at the Where Women Create blog is SO FABULOUSLY popular Jo is extending it by a few more days! Today on the 13th day of Christmas Dara Dimagno has created THREE wonderful pieces, an ornament and two custom necklaces!
There are also pieces by KC Willis of the Lipstick Ranch and Trish Preston of Two Peas in a Pod, with lots more to come so be sure to check out the fabulous Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway on Jo Packham's Where Women Create blog! Click here to join in the festivities!
Be sure to check back here and on the Where Women Create blog ~ Twelve (16) Days of Christmas Giveaway! I will be adding updates as the 16 day giveaway progresses!
And one last thing while we're at it, I will be adding new things to my Etsy shop (like these delightful bisque tea cups) every week so check back often!
