SHADOW BOX TREASURES

 From Around the World

What do you do when your mother-in-law hands you a dusty, dirty cardboard box and says, ‘Here, do what you want with them.’ 

Well, I gingerly opened the box and carefully removed the old newspaper packing and behold I found an interesting treasure trove of assorted items. 

I think these two might be Greek.  They are so well made with heaps of attention to detail and they are in perfect condition only slightly browning on the costumes which just adds to the character.  They are close to fifty years old.  They make me jump with joy they are so beautiful.

Hand painted miniature wooden jugs from Peniscola in Spain and tiny dolls from somewhere around Germany [I’m guessing].

Sweet little birds made from felt with hand painted tails and felted bodies, just so cute.  I have no clue where they may have originated but I’m guessing France because they were originally gifted from an aunt from France.

Miniature hand carved and painted wooden clogs from Holland.

Finally an old cow bell from Tirol deep in the Austrian Alps.

There was no way I going to put them back in the cardboard box so for the time being they are mounted on the wall in my front entrance. 

I used 12 inch canvases turn wrong way out and decorated them with paint, paper, stamps and washi tape, keeping to the colour scheme from the dolls clothes.  

Red Nose Day Dolls

 

 

My friend Jodie from Ric Rac is a pattern maker of many things, in particular soft toys and even more particularly she makes very small things.  I have made two of her tiny teapot pin cushions, (as well as heaps of her other stuff) they make perfect gifts for friends, pins included.  I think I'll blog about that effort and give Jodie another shout out, another day.  There's a pattern here (pardon the pun) but I am repeating myself.

 

Well, it really is best to visit Jodie's blog to see all that she is doing for the Red Nose Day Doll project.  You won't believe the things she gets up to unless you take a peek yourself at Ric Rac, never a dull post, that's for sure.

 

I love the idea Jodie's gal friends have come up with, Emma Mitchell and Ros Badger and you can see and read all about their fundraising project here at Red Nose Day Dolls FB page.

 

Another lovely blog to read is the  Red Nose Day Dolls Blog, really cute and full of fun and happiness. 

 

Below is an amazing YouTube video you just have to watch and if you like it, why not click the 'Like' button there too.

 

 

 

How clever is this video?

Karen Boatwright must be one of the most patient souls on this planet. 

I love it so much and keep watching it over and over.

 

Cheers from me here

 

My Little Empathy Monster

This strange creature is a result of an on-line class I did with Tamara Laporte over at Willowing Love.  I'm enrolled in several of her classes and the Empathy Monster is part of her Art, Heart and Healing course which is free.  I gave little guy to a special friend and she named him Maximilian.  Max has lots of hugs to give and I'm sure he's happy in his new home.

Whilst sewing is not a new craft for me, drawing is and I love the challenges I face every time I pick up a pencil or paintbrush.  I just wish drawing and painting was as easy for me as pushing material through a sewing machine.

See what I mean ~ there's always room for improvement.  Whoever said that was very wise.

Sukeshi Doll and other fun stuff

Sukeshi Doll - She's as light as a feather and she's my little treasure

Last month I attended a workshop in Tasmania as part of a trip to visit my in-laws.  It was hosted by Susie McMahon and this little treasure below is what I made.  If you go here and here you will see more of Susie's Sukeshi dolls and just how clever she truly is.

I had a lovely creative day at Susie's place snuggled in her warm and cosy studio on a very cold, wet and wintry day.  I went with my special friend Di who creates and makes the most wonderful art dolls. Quite a few ladies attended the workshop with everyone working on different projects and generally having a nice time away from the hustle and bustle of every day life.  I courageously showed Susie a couple of drawings I was working on and she helped me with the shading of the face which I have no clue how to do.  Basically it was a show and tell day and Susie was there to lend a helping hand and share her expertise in all things arty.

                         
She's a cloth doll, firmly stuffed with wadding then painted with a coat of Gesso.  Then she got a coat of favourite acrylic paint and then when the inspiration took hold I painted her with a whimsy design.

Percy Pig is other fun stuff

The evening before Susie's workshop, I stayed with Di and her husband Gerald who live in Westbury and we had a wonderful evening by the wood fire eating chocolate biscuits and watching videos.  It was here that Di introduced me to dry felting using the wool from her beautiful and precious sheep which she rescued as abandoned babes.  They've grown into miniature horses now and their home in Westbury, Tasmania should be called 'Sheep Heaven', really those sheep are so spoilt and Duke the cat, well let's just say he's the Boss, you know what I mean.........

Percy Pig

Dry felting is as close as I will ever get to sculpting and what I like about it is that you make it up as you go so every project will be a 'one of a kind' that's for sure. My first attempt was a very bad rabbit [too embarrassed to show rabbit here], but then later I  successfully made a pig called Percy [not too embarrassed to put Percy on display] and now I'm having a go at making a bear which will be another post for another day when said bear is finished.

Dry felting can be painful if you're not watching what you're doing.  The needle is super sharp and you can imagine the wake up call you get when one is dreamingly felting by a wood fire, drinking tea and eating chocolate biscuits.  It's always going to be tricky to keep chocolate off fingers whilst felting and making sure sticky fingers avoid the terrible pain from a sharp needle, but it's worth the pain because I can get my crafty self into a very nice reclining position on the couch with wool, needle, chocolate and video all happening at once.

Thanks Di and Susie for a wonderful weekend 

Photo taken at Evandale Tasmania - Sculpture of an artist

Jezebel Is Ready To Walk The Red Carpet

JEZEBEL - MY PAINTED LADY

Finally, after weeks of self-doubt about painting a face on a doll, I am ready to show my "painted lady" to the world.  It was not an easy task for me to paint her face, everything else was easy and I made sure I stayed within the 'Beginners' section of my book.  Do you think I'm ready to go to the 'Intermediate' section next?

Art Cloth Doll - WIP

I've been struggling with my third art doll.  Where has my creative mojo gone?
I've made about eight faces and four arms.
Make that six arms, I've finally settled on the best of  the three sets.
I experimented with all kinds of ideas for the arms, and these are the rejects.

The heads are another story, because I can't paint, as you can well see.  But I have been practising, lots and lots.  These are three of the best of the rejects, I am too embarrassed to show the rest.

Here's the gorgeous gal, waiting patiently for me to do her justice.  I've got heaps to do and hope by putting my current effort "out there" that I can get motivated and find my creativity to finish her.  I think I'll call her Angel because she will be so angelic once she has some beautiful clothes to wear.

Hope to get her finished by the end of the week because she's doing my head in.  I so wish I could paint.

Lou Lou

Lou Lou is a Susie McMahon design cloth doll.  I made her some months ago when I was looking for a new craft and Lou Lou gave me intense pleasure during the creating process.

I've not painted her face too well, but it was the first time I had ever done anything like this.  It was such an enjoyable experience, that I intend to make another  one day.

If you like sculptured art dolls then please visit Susie's site and another great site to drool over is Di Arnold Dolls.  If I could be as creative and artistic as Di and Susie, I would be one happy puppy.   

Seductive Sabine - Cloth Art Doll

Today I want to share with you one of the first cloth doll projects I have ever made; and only recently I might add.  Her name is Seductive Sabine.  She was designed by Michelle Munzone of Bambole Designs and the project/pattern was made available in the Australian Dolls Bears and Collectables magazine Vol 17 No 2. 

Like I said she is my very first cloth doll and I had never had experience in turning fingers before.  Well,  I had to re-do her arms about three times before I came close to making something acceptable.  Thank goodness I could paint her nails, it helped to cover up some tiny frayed bits. 

I am disappointed in her face and I know that I really need a teacher to get this right if I want to continue with this craft.  In the absence of a teacher, I have purchased a book from Susie McMahon (a local Tasmanian artist) on painting faces so I guess if I apply her advice and lots of practice my next doll might be better looking.

My Sabine has pride of place sitting on my kitchen dresser.    I'm happy with her hands and clothes, but I need to work on the attention to detail that Michelle and other artists put into their sculptured dolls.

Have a great day and thanks for reading my blog