Needle Felted Pipper 3-1/2" Mouse By Barby Anderson / Wool Owls By Helen Priem

How gorgeous is this little mouse????? Barby Anderson is such a wonderful artist!

Turtles ATC Swap

Hand drawn watercolor set for the above swap at Swap-bot

Life is a Hoot

hand drawn/painted with watercolors and micro pens

Bizzare Holidays - May

Set of atcs made for the above swap at Atcsforall.com.

Mediums: Hand drawn, watercolors, collage images printed on cardstock, embossed, ink distressed.

May 6 - Beverage Day - Bottle and cocktail glass are embossed with clear embossing powder for a glass effect.
May 8 - No Socks Day - Hand drawn feet and decorated in zentangle style with different with black micro markers
May 16 - Wear Purple for Peace Day - hand drawn and digitally colorized dress and hanger. Dress hem line decorated with lace paper punch
May 19 - Frog Jumping Jubilee Day - Hand drawn watercolor

Punch Art #10 Swap

Vintage Photos-Collage & Mixed Media ATC's

ATC set made for the above swap at AFA.
Collage ATCs. peeling paint technique, distressed with ink.

I found a tutorial for the peeling paint technique HERE and HERE

Let It Rain!

I made this set of ATCs for the "April Showers Bring May Flowers" swap at atcsforall.com

Digital image of girl with umbrella printed on watercolor paper. Background is watercolor. Flowers were cut with flower punches of different sizes and shapes and adorned with mini rhinestones. Stems and grass were painted with markers.

Alaska

Collage ATC for a private make-up swap for the "US ATC Swap at swap-bot.

Background was created by layering the map of Alaska over the state's flag. I created a brush for the seal and added the collage items that were printed on cardstock.

Georgia

Collage ATC made for the US ATC #10 - Georgia! swap at swap-bot

Alabama

Collage ATC created for the US ATC Swap at swap-bot. This is a private make-up trade

I am a Canna What Flower Are You?

Marie Antoinette and French Gentlemen - AVAILABLE

Inspired by the Sweet Marie Antoinette Swap at Atcsforall.com

Available for trade. For availability please visit my AFA gallery HERE and read the comments section.
AFA User name = flowerlily64

Craft apron - I finally have one!!

Yes...I am ashamed to say that until now I didn't own an apron for crafting. Recently I have been working several projects. I've been painting a lot and using all kinds of gooey materials and finally got tired of getting paint all over my clothes so at last made myself a craft apron.

I know, I know.... some may think the fabric I used is pretty BLAH. It was not my first choice, originally I was going to use a really cute "sewing and crafting" themed fabric but I thought better of it. I figured I was going to be using this apron for dirty jobs and did not really want to waste some pretty fabric just to mess it up so I compromised...I used the plain fabric but added the red trim and cherry pockets. I think it turned out pretty cute if I may say so myself!

Storage Rack

I found this pot rack at a Goodwill store (brand new YAY!) It occurred to me that it would be perfect to hand over my work table. It allows me to have tools and materials and arms length but totally out of the way.

I did need to make a cover (with fabric found at the thrift store) to prevent smaller items I placed in there from falling through. It works perfectly and I LOVE IT!

First cloth and clay dolls - Day 5-6

I've made not made as much progress with my dolls asI tho ugh I would. This is because a friend of mine and I had been talking about doing some altered suitcases. After searching the thrift stores in the area we finally found a couple of great suitcases (mine is red her's is green). We worked a bit on them this weekend. I will post all that when we are done decorating them.

Anyway, back to the dolls. I did make some progress on them. I painted their tops and they are done. The skirts are done as well and ready to be attached. I will do this as soon as I am done with all the painting so I don't get paint on them accidentally.

The first coat of skin color has been applied. For the first coat I used the same base color for all of them. For the second coat (and 3rd if needed) I will give them different skin colors. Then I will work on their faces and give them their personalities.

Three out of the four dolls have clay sculpted hair which will be painted in different colors (not sure what those will be yet). On the forth one I will use some kind of fiber for her hair. However, before I start working on the above, I will fist finish their legs (socks and shoes) and arms/hands. More to come! ...

Altered mermaid - Finished

Finished Paper doll mermaid.

I used sequins, beads, shells, ink and color pencils to decorate this doll.

Altered mermaid - in progress

Yesterday while I waited for my cloth and clay dolls to dry I started working on this project. It is Mermaid paper doll for a swap in swap-bot. She is coming out really cute...I think I might keep her and make a new one for the swap...LOL.

Anyway...while this little lady dries, I am off to choose the skirt fabrics for my cloth and clay dolls....see you soon!

First cloth and clay dolls-Day 3-4

Saturday I did the sculpting of their faces and yesterday I applied the black paint coat. Now they just need a little touch up to the base coat and they are ready to be painted but before I do that I will start working on their squirts.

cloth and clay dolls - progress

Well...I guess it's about time I blog something on here....I have been busy getting my craft room in organized and in shape to wonk in it with ease.

So..... now that everything has found a home, I have finally been able to start working on an online class I bought in mid June. "The Original Cloth and Clay Doll". This is a type of prim doll.

I've decided to be ambitious and make four dolls at the same time. I figure I will get lots more practice this way. We'll see...

In the first picture you can see I have sewn, cut and turned all the doll pieces. In he second picture I have stuffed all the bodies and limbs and have given them the coating of gesso. Now I will need to wait until it dries so I can continue to apply the first layer of clay....tap tap tap....

Come back again soon. I will keep posting on the progress I make with these little ladies :)

Studio - (another) Makeover

Since my last post, I have done a bit of reorganizing in my studio. I have been rethinking my space and have been moving stuff around. As usual, I've visited the local thrift stores and found a couple of cabinets and shelves(modular used mainly for closet organization) and lucky me, they were the same color of some I already had. So now I have put them next to my desk. I was planning to put shelves in this area but I figured I already have some on top. I decided to use the modular cabinets because they have drawers and doors which looks neater.

Last week I tried to install the other half of my L-shaped wall shelves but I had cut them too long and a little crooked because I used a jigsaw. That's what happens when you don't have the right tools. I did get me a circular saw this week. I hope It will do a better job and I can get the shelves finally installed.