Tastes like chicken !

ATC backgrounds .. cheater style

I was cleaning off the top of a bookcase and I found this painting I had made for an exercise in transparency 4 years ago. Instead of throwing it out I figured I'd cut it up into ATCs. A couple of these can stand on their own, the rest will make great backgrounds. I wonder if you bought paintings at garage sales if you could cut them up and use them this way, LOL. Well, of course you CAN, but would you???

A lovely little porcelain doll

I found this lovely little doll at the thrift store for $5. I just loved the expression on her face. I really don't need any more of these things but you know how that goes.

If you would like to see what I have done with her then continue reading ....

yep .. I'm at it again ...

oh, my
you have to admit she looks good bald!

I shopped victoriously ...

yep - bought this on eBay. It's signed by the artist, Ivy Wylde, and dated 1996. She's about 13" tall. I love the face cab - I think it's an original sculpt. Does anyone have a clue if this is a pattern? I would love to trace this out and make one myself. I am also thinking of giving her a hand to hold her moon - it looks a bit unfinished to me. Why would I change someone else's piece? I don't know. I didn't buy it from the artist and I can't find any info on her. Not that it matters. Anyhow - I think it's really neat. All hand painted. I was surprised at how dull/matte the colors were compared to the photo on eBay. The seller must have hit the autofix button. But I love it anyway!

P.S. I just heard from the seller that this piece is from her aunt's estate. She said her aunt was a world class pack rat and she doesn't know where half of her things came from. "This doll came out of a box full of odd dolls. Presents she received? Things she purchased on a whim? Who knows. She died at almost 100."

Posted by judi at 2:37 PM | Comments (19)

Button hanger tutorial

This is pretty simple. Take a button - figure out how much wire you need based on your project and where the button will attach. I used 20 gauge wire. Insert the wire through the buttonholes to the back of the button. Use your pliers and twist the wires a few times. Bend the wires so they sit flush against the button. I put glue all over the button (including under and on top of the wires) and clamped it to the heart overnight. I love clamps. I even told my hubby to buy me clamps one Xmas - got 'em too! I suppose if you're a purist you can sew it on! Ta da ....

This and that and Kate's Blume

I haven't been down to the studio for a couple of days now. Had a lot of running around to do - had to take the dogs to the groomer - and just lost time somewhere. I do have something I want to teach you though. I have a horrible time attaching hangers to dolls and things and I came up with something that works really well for me. It has to do with wire and buttons. As soon as I have some time I'll take photos and write it up. Maybe Saturday. Tomorrow is going to be heavy duty computer time unfortunately. I have been really bad and haven't put anything into the accounting program for two weeks. It's going to take me forever, sigh.

The doll is made by my friend Kate Erbach for a blog swap. She used my free pattern Blume. I think she's adorable! I think the doll's pretty cute too .

More mermaids - but they're Canuuks !

Just have to share two mermaids that Vee and Maggie made ... they are too cute hanging out on their ice floe together! Vee's mermaid is called Arora and she is on the left and in the single photo. You can see more photos of Arora at Vee's blog. l I don't know what Maggie named hers. I get a huge kick out of seeing what people do with my patterns! These Canadian mermaids rock!

Sock monster baby bib

My sock monster drools. He really makes a mess so I figured I'd better do something quick. I made him some baby bibs. He's quite happy with them and I think he's going to get rather upset when the grandbaby borrows them.

I found the pattern on the internet but didn't follow the directions. I was rather surprised when I went back and looked at them just now. I guess I made my own version - and wasted lots of bias tape! But, hey, my version went together faster, so there!

Me and my little 'art sister'

The photo? It's me when I was about six years old and living in England. I think my Mum used to put a bowl on my head to cut my hair! Linda F - you asked for it, you got it!

But that's not what I wanted to write about today. One of the fun things about blogging is the people you meet via your posts. I have a new little 'art' sister that I met that way. When you're my age you don't need more twenty-something daughters, so you can have little sisters instead! Besides which, they don't need more Moms! So anyway - my little art sister battled it out at a $1 fat quarter sale and needs ideas of what to do with them ... go give Cindi your two cents worth!

Vintage photo ATCs

I made a few more ATCs today - after I got home from a terrifying trip into town. The ice fog was so thick and it was so hard to see, it was a white knuckle drive. I am so grateful that the sun came out and it warmed up enough to burn the fog off for the drive home. I was dreading it.

Let's talk about the cards ... these are for a Vintage Photo swap over at swap-bot. This is my Aunt Sandy when she was a little girl. She's one of my favorite subjects. I have lots of photos of her. I have a contact sheet of myself when I was her age in lots of the same poses. I need to find it and scan it.

The two cards on the right are made with a mosaic background based on a tutorial my friend Dr. Zh wrote. I painted the cards with a flesh colored gesso to mute them, so you have to look pretty close to see the mosaic! (Click twice on the photo) Because the backgrounds were so busy I had to keep the cards pretty simple. The top one has a frame cut from a piece of paper lace. The bottom one has the leftover from cutting a heart out of a folded paper. The two on the left aren't mosaic - one is an old paper and the other is a mix of different papers. As usual I got out the sequin waste and dabbed dots on them. I don't know why I like that so much but I do. Nothing earth shattering but they do have the Vintage feel and I'll be happy to send them out!

Baby, it's cold outside

My friend took this photo today ...

My friend Natalie convinced me to walk away from the computer today so I can stay sane. I blasted my music, danced around, and then make a couple of ATCs for a swap I'm in. The theme is Vintage Photos. I like one but not the other. Photos soon!