Catch up Time!

Trying to catch up on my blogging.  I've got so much to update....new starts...a few finishes...but, alas, no pictures.....yet.  Working on that.

But, without pictures, I can say that I tried working with resin.  I planned to make some components for jewelry.  Cabochons for earrings and pendants.  But I have to say...I really don't like working with resin.  It's sticky and takes at least three days to cure.  Unfortunately, it's rather humid here in Hawaii, so it often takes longer.  The one thing I do like resin for is to seal my paper clay components after I've painted them.  I think once my supply of resin is gone, I won't be making resin anything.  Resin jewelry stuff is just one thing that doesn't really appeal to me.


I've been making lots of paper  clay components.  They are so light weight and I can use my metal leaf pens on the components to make them look silver, gold or copper. I've made earrings and pendants that actually look like ceramic, but are so very light.  


Gotta get some pictures to post this week!

 

Happy New Year!!!!

 I know I missed the common New Year, AND I missed Chinese New Year, but the sentiment is well meant :)

Ran into a few bumps in life the last few weeks.  My 14 yr Oriental Shorthair Boo-boo passed away earlier this month.  After weeks of medical attention and TLC at home, it was determined that there was nothing more we could do for him.  Boo-boo went off to Rainbow Bridge on 2 February.  We love him and miss him.

Before the end of the year....

I gotta get in one more post with a few updates.  I've really started making dolls in earnest.  As usual, I have several started in various stages of construction.  I'm trying some multimedia dolls and cloth dolls with sculptured faces. 

                              
The first one is a paper mache mannequin that I painted and have had hanging around for a while.  I made my very first paper clay head and glued it on.  Now I have to make some sort of arms from paper clay, too.

Did I mention there is no laughing while looking at my blog?  Well, seeing this, my own original creation of a stump doll, might just make you break that rule.  This was my attempt to make a doll with a bosom.  I had a really hard time trying  to stuff her into her dress.  I did learn a lot from the process, but the poor thing looks a bit lopsided.  And now I have to a head and arms for her.

 This is Fanny the Fandango Doll.  She has a ready-made body that I'm painting and beading.  I beaded her face.

 This is a purely fantasy doll.  I don't even know what it will be when I'm done.  I'm altering the body a bit and just going with the flow for beading.

 

UPDATE!!!

FINALLY!!!  I am making an update to most of my latest projects.

First is Griselda - 

 She's almost done except for her shoes!  And I have one more "bendi doll" to make her a friend!

Next:  Purple and Yellow bead embroidered cuff bracelet -

 I made all the glass cabochons, including the face.   Some folks think it's kind of creepy because of the face.  It's 3" wide and I really like it!

AND....Purple Amethyst bracelet -

 Amethyst is my favorite gemstone.  This bracelet is three pretty amethyst donuts and some of my glass cabochons.  Only problem with this bracelet is that the magenta-colored beads had a metallic finish which is coming off.  Underneath, the beads are just clear glass.


And last but not least - Rose bracelet

 All the cabochons in this bracelet are made from paper clay...yup, that's right paper clay.  They look like ceramic, but they are not.  The paper clay is originally white.  I colored the cabochons with Sharpie Markers and finished them with a gloss liquid that was made for polymer clay.

I'm sure there are a few more projects I haven't mentioned.  There are two cuff bracelets, a red one and blue one that I'm looking for.  

I'm trying to make time for a rag rug that I've started to weave.  I really need to retire!

I'm a Slacker!!!

HA!  I will not be blowing off the month of October on my blog.  After all, it's my favorite month...my anniversary AND birthday...AND in 2015 my retirement month.  Unless, of course, the Mayans are correct and the world ends in 2012.  I'll be totally ticked off if that happens!

Well, POO!

Totally missed the month of August!  It went by so fast!   By Monday, I'll post some photos of progress and finishes.

Progress....and a Finish

I have some progress pictures and a finish to talk about today.  First, my progress pictures:

This is Grisella my Nifty Fifty doll.  I'm making her to celebrate my 5th decade.  She is supposed to be done by October.  I think she might be.  I was a bit stymied about her hair, but finally decided what should look like.

You can see  that she has two butterfly "tattoos"...ahem...well...in strategic areas.  And her hair is a natural do o of bead strings and square beads.
I've started adding garters...wooohooo.....and will make a pair of peyote stockings for Grisella.

 














And here is my finish:  

 This is my third bead embroidered cuff bracelet.  I used three dichroic cabochons that I bought from the internet and used all kinds and shades of brown beads.  It looks really rich.