Bravura

I think this is my favorite doll of the coolaberation. Meet Bravura, who is Gail's doll. She's always reminded me of Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast at Tiffany's." So I decided that she needed the cigarette holder and cigarette, which of course necessitated hands. I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. I still need to finish the edges of the gloves though.

A thing of beauty.

This incredibly beautiful face was created by Susan. She does the most incredible embroidery work as you can see. I feel so fortunate to have been able to do a swap with her. Now I'm busy planning the doll I'm going to make.

3d Icicle Swap.

This is the swap doll I received from Nina. Gorgeous beadwork! I love the face. I think I'm going to make it a goal for the coming year to learn how to do this type of face.

Unfortunately I thought I had taken a picture of mine when it was finished but I hadn't. However I've been playing with some alternative versions of the icicle doll so when I finish them I'll post those.

3D Momiji Swap

Decidedly Different Dolls had a momiji swap. The criteria was that like a momiji doll the doll had to have a secret compartment for a message. I wanted my doll to have a bit of the momiji shape with the big head and Fisher Price Body.

I used a medicine bottle for the body and a styrofoam ball for the head. Cut out the bottom of the ball to insert the medicine cap and glued it in. Then I paper mached the head with newspaper. After which I gessoed it white. Then I used toilet paper and glue to create the nose, eyes and mouth. When that was dry, I covered it with white tissue paper for the face and a patterned tissue for the hair. The body I covered with Japanese Origami paper and embellished with beads.

This is the doll I got from Y. Isn't she beautiful? Her head comes off and she has a darling tiny scroll inside.

Day of the Dead Challenge

Well once again I didn't finish my doll on time for the challenge. Had a good excuse this time though as I caught a nasty cold and lost a week or two of craft time. Here's what I have so far.

Shudayra Finished Up

My local doll club had a stash swap and in the pile was this mound of curly copper hair. I had Shudayra with me and she kept nudging me and telling me to go check it out. We tried it on her and all the women agreed it was definitely her.

Her feet were just begging to be beaded. : ) Would have loved to make spiky heels for her but ran out of time before I could figure it out.

Made her a healing hand charm with a heart to go in her charm bag.
For her journal I made a page for her charm. Used my hand as a print and then used copper foil on it.

And last but not least, I painted her portrait for her journal as well.

Seed Bead Fusion Fun

I have been working through the book "Seed Bead Fusion" by Rachel Nelson-Smith and have been having a blast. Below is a bracelet that I modified by making two rows instead of one. The base is a right angle weave and then the bumps are made with peyote stitch with crystals between each row of bumps. It works up really fast and I love making them as it's one that I can do and talk to people at the same time.



Take time to admire the beautiful clasp. It cost me more than the entire bracelet but is definitely worth it. : )

My next project from the book is a funky spiky bracelet that I am no sure how you would ever wear as it would catch on everything.

3D Halloween Swap

This is the doll I made for the 3d Halloween swap. Frankie has a beaded body and I made the face, hands, and head from polymer clay and beads and wire. He is four inches tall.

This is the fabulous doll I recieved in the swap. Gail made this beauty. The faces are painted clay and the bodies and welcome mate are fiber.

Shudayra

This is MA's doll for the Coolaberation. Her name is Shudayra. From the moment she arrived, she has been sending me vibes to give her a face. So I did.

Halloween is coming : )

I made these Halloween bracelets. The pic didn't get the colors very well and I don't think the backgroud color helps either. : ( But it says "Boo" and has little pumpkins along it. I made the purple and orange for a friend who loves Halloween. She was showing people and another woman liked it so much I told her I make her one too.

3D Dia de Los Muertos Challenge

I've been working on my challenge doll and the other day at the store I found the perfect skull. I'm going to gesso it, paint it and then add embellishments and either varnish or layer with glue. It's about five inches tall.

Halloween Giveaway at Dollistic

I just have to share the chance to win this fabulous five inch doll. Go to Dollistic for your chance to win. Gail has outdone herself on this doll.

If you like this doll, why not join our Halloween Swap at Decidedly Different Dolls? This doll was originally intended for the swap but was five inches instead of four. Come and play!

My wonderful swap doll

G from Dollistic and I arranged a swap and this is the fabulous doll I got! I just love her. She has the look of worn leather, like she has mellowed with age.

I love the musical notes and her body reminds me a bit of a cello, which I've always told myself I was going to learn to play someday.

Between her and the bird, it just reminds me of the beauty of music, nature at it's finest. : )

Hands, hands, hands...

Y from Ink Spiller's Attic posted this tutorial on some hands she made from polymer clay and wire. She mentioned though that she thought the wires might break as they seemed really fragile. So I got the idea of wrapping the wire around itself. I used a 20 G wire and it makes a really stiff finger. I'd like to try it again with maybe a 22 or 24 G wire, because I found this a little tiring after all that wrapping. Those are the ones with pink finger tips. The other pair, I just used the wire but I put beads on the wire. It turned out really cute and it allows me to use up my "bead soup."

Sapphire Beauty

Miss Sapphire Beauty is the doll I've been working on lately for the BAD birthstone RR. There is something really meditative about this doll. Maybe it's the shape? She reminds me of those statues of Christ that you see on the cross that are in the Alps and other high mountain places. Sort of a nunlike quality.

I did the arms and area below the arms. The center section is peyote with with a ruffle. Easy to make just do two rows where you put two beads instead of one between each bead. I got the idea from the "Frill Seeker" bracelet that I made. The sides are Right Angle Weave

Latest Raggedy

I took a picture of all the Raggedy's I've made minus one's I've given away. And here is my latest Raggedy doll. This one I did for a woman at my bead circle and she picked the colors. I think I much prefer bright happy hair to real hair colors. But I'm sure she'll like it since it's what she wanted. The dress is actually more purple than the reddish color that is shows here. Ah, photography. Speaking of photography I want you all to notice that these are in focus! : ) I used a timer and it's really helped.

3D Metal/Wire Challenge - Miss Bobblehead

Here is my entry for the 3D metal/wire challenge. It's not quite finished. I'd hoped to finish by the deadline but wasn't feeling so well over the weekend. I still need to do her legs. Maybe this weekend?

I need some suggestions for her poor head. It's supposed to be a bobble head but I think maybe the wire isn't stiff enough, because it isn't hanging the way I'd like. I really like the colored wire though so I am loath to change it to silver or some other metallic. Any ideas for re-enforcement while still looking nice?

The Delightful Miss E

The finished bodice. Created using a metallic fabric paint, 26 G wire wrapped and glued into place using E600 glue. Which was a chore in itself. I had to hold the wire in place for twenty minutes as it didn't like those curvacious breast. LOL... Then I added a herringbone wrap at the bottom of the corset to finish it off.

Frill Seeker Bracelet

When I went to bead circle this week, M had made the cutest bracelet. It was white with colored ruffles on each edge. It looked so fun I had to try it over the weekend. All it is, is single peyote and the ruffle is made by putting two beads inbetween each bead instead of one. You do two rows of the ruffle in contrasting colors. If I did it again I think I might use smaller beads for the ruffle for a more delicate look. Of course with my stupid camera and my shaky hands I can't get a good pic. I'll try again tomorrow in better light, but I kind of liked the light patterns of this pic so I posted it anyway even though you can't see the details.

This bracelet is in the current issue of Beadwork (Aug./Sept. 2009 p.72 Frill Seeker) The picture in there is really ugly too. I would have never made one based on that picture!

Recyling Effort

One of the efforts to heal my foot fractures was a machine called of all things, the bone stimulator. It was outrageously expensive, I think the first on was $7,000.00 and the second had fallen to $3,000.00 a few years later. Even though the machine still works, it is programmed to only work for 400 days. Hmmmm....

I was going to take the bag apart and use the straps, zippers, etc. for projects, but I got looking at the bag and it has all sorts of cool pockets inside and would make a great bag to store all my bead stuff in. So I appliqued my Picasso Woman to the front and now my designer $3,000.00 ; ) designer bag is ready to rock and roll.