Happy New Year

Dance, sing, make some noise 
and 
Ring in the new year!!   

Wishing you the best of 2014!!!

Fontanini Nativity

I have collected Fontanini nativity pieces for many, many years.  They are made in Italy by Roman, Inc. (click HERE).  They come in various sizes from 5" to life-size and are beautifully painted and detailed.  When our grown children were small, they enjoyed playing with them for hours on end.

Setting up the Nativity was one of the highlights of our holidays.

 The below basic nativity of Mary, Joseph & Baby Jesus in the stable with the 3 angels music box was a gift from my grandmother in 1970.  It isn't Fontanini, but it started my collection.  It still plays Silent Night perfectly and brings back many warm memories.

We're past Christmas and are getting ready to bring in the new year, but the Nativity will stay up for a little while longer.  I hope your holiday was happy and filled with warm memories.

Heart Felt

I had a little fun needle felting a small tree, wrapping some presents and making a few stocking stuffers.       I'm feeling grateful for the blessings in my life.  I'm really looking forward to this week of celebration and beauty.

Rusted Treasures

 I applied many layers of patinas to my organic polymer clay pieces; finally achieving the colors I wanted.

I'm still recuperating from foot/ankle surgery, but am getting a few photos posted.

Another Few Days...

Recuperating……can't wait to get back to creating and blogging.  Miss it terribly.

Away For A Tiny Bit

Ugh!  I will be off for a little bit recuperating from foot/ankle surgery.  I thought I would be so efficient and do lots of pre-posts, but with the holidays fast approaching, I didn't get anything done.  I will be back in a few.

Patinas & Holiday Sparkle

 I used VerDay Paints to create a rich patina on these gift boxes.  Some bits of leather and some vintage brooches gave them some sparkle for the holidays.

Faux Leather Stars

 I used leather stamping tools to create the designs on my polymer clay faux leather stars.

I purchased some fun faux barbed wire online to go on the tomato cage I will be decorating with the polymer stars and some rusted polymer stars (below).  The hand mirror is for my booth.

Textile Sculpture/Painting

 Untitled Mixed Media  4' x 2'

Bead Squiggle Ornaments

I strung some of my bead soup onto a thin wire and then wrapped it around a knitting needle.  The knitting needle's shape created the natural squiggle.

 I made a bunch of shrink plastic Tee Shirts with bead sayings on them.  Still working on it, but it is coming along nicely.  Thank goodness it is a 3' tree.

Happy Thanksgiving

 Sometimes we have to look for things to be grateful for; there is always something.  Wishing you a good holiday.

Sewing Stoppage

 I officially have every tabletop  covered with some project.  That's when I'm happiest.  However, in the middle of my tablecloth project, my sewing machine decided to break down.  So, the tablecloth has been put aside for now and the sewing machine put away.  I'm aggravated.  I will see about an estimate after the holidays.  On to the next table of projects.

Sweet Secret Teapot House

 I've started this little two cup teapot house which is on a shelf drying for a couple of days.  In the meantime, I want to sew a tablecloth for the holidays and am anxious to get that going.

Are you getting ready for Turkey Day?

Polymer Clay Canework Beads

These were my first cane work beads way back when.  I sized and hand rolled each one.  I keep saying I am going to re-string them, but I still haven't gotten around to it yet.  Having too much fun.  Hope you are too.

Paper Twine Bracelets

 They are lightweight, textural and fun to wear.  Linda Thalmann's PaperPhine on Etsy (click HERE) is where I purchased the kit to make these three bracelets.  I made them in a few hours on a 5" round knitting loom that comes in the kit.  Love them.

Flashlight Eye

Canvas, mask, metal paints, oxidizing solution, acrylics, flashlight parts, hookah hose, Apoxie Sculpt, fabric, fabric stiffener/liquid draping solution and sealer.

Here's looking at you kid.

Rich Patina

 The patina on this piece resulted in a rich, colorful surface giving it depth and light.

I hope to do more of these.

Polymer Canework Pendants

I am enjoying making these pendants with slices of my polymer canes.  Fun.

Textured Polymer Pendants

The patina on these polymer clay pendants is exactly what I wanted.  The bronze has a delicate patina while the brass is strong and dramatic.  I sealed them with PYMII.

Pendants of Polymer Canes

The pendant in the back and the one center front are from my Mudcloth cane and the other three are from the Intricate Caning workshop I took from Sarah Shriver in October.  They were a big hit at the art fair Nov. 2.

Paintbrush Necklace

Our local art club has a "free" box in which members can give away old brushes, paints, containers, etc.  I dug for treasures and came up with a beautiful, beat up 1" paint brush.  A little Apoxie Sculpt (resin clay) to attach the half head and arms and a little black paint and she was ready for her debut.

Altered Jewelry Display

 I found  a broken Star Wars "Mace Windu" toy at a rummage store and a tall candle holder at Goodwill.  The bottom of the toy fit perfectly on the top of the candle holder. I liked that the toy's arms were moveable and sturdy.  All I had to to was add some Apoxie Sculpt to his thumbs to make them longer and more "hook-like" and paint them.  Then I used the Apoxie Sculpt to attach him to the candle holder.  When the Apoxie Sculpt was cured, I painted it.  It measures 8" x 25".  Besides Mace, I had a few whimsical pieces here and there throughout my booth at the art fair.  I loved when people "got it" and laughed out loud.

Fall Art Fair 2013

Last Saturday was our local fall art fair.  Early morning set-up was chilly, but a couple of hours later it was sunny, hot and buzzing with people.  Steampunk Annie made her debut and certainly did her part in bringing people in.  I moved her around throughout the day.  I can't wait to start adding bits and pieces of metal to her and change her bird wig to something more futuristic.

I did a polymer clay demo which seemed to help sell my polymer jewelry.  I had fun, did well and am extremely grateful I have a patient and supportive husband.  Also a big thank you to my friends Paula and Opal for letting me take a couple of welcomed breaks.

7 Polymer Rings

I finished up a few more rings by using slices of canes.  Right now my nails are in pretty bad shape, but  as soon as they are looking better, I will be wearing the heck out of these rings. On second thought, I'm wearing and enjoying them now.

Happy Halloween!!

 Silly me....this is so appropriate for Halloween.  Here I was thinking I didn't have one thing I could post for this creative day.  But after emerging from my laboratory I went back and took some photos of my latest project.  This is a 40" doll I have started to "alter".  She has gone through several changes in these first drafts. After a base coat of metal paint and an application of lace here and there, I added the chains.  Nope, didn't like them and I didn't like the hair.

Her head was shaved and the large glass eye was replaced with a medium size glass eye.  The other eye remained small.

 After the second coat of metal paint dried, I filled in her leg joints with Apoxie Sculpt so she would be stable and not bend.

What are those circles?  Worries that are surfacing and working their way to the top and will eventually fly away to make room for whimsey.  No, seriously, I have no idea.  Just added them for interest.  More to follow.

Bubble Ring

I have been busy getting ready for an upcoming art fair Nov. 2 and haven't had a chance to do my Halloween "thing".  Boooooo.  I've been blending colors, making canes and creating some new jewelry for this show.  Hope you have a fun day today....I know I am.

Sarah Shriver Workshop

 I took another Sarah Shriver polymer clay workshop over the weekend.  I really enjoyed it.  I had so much fun, I wanted to turn right around and take another one.

 The Arizona Polymer Clay Guild sponsored the workshop.  I'm still working on the canes I made, so I will post on Wednesday.