Mixed Media Journal Page

So...I created a mixed Media Journal page for a "Healing" Journal for my very good friend Stephanie Notaski. Of course I was late for the "giving of the journal", But the page could be added into the book (I think!) .

I tore this apart twice, before I came up with the "Wired Semi- flat" paperclay doll! I created the Head/Bodice and put holes in the shoulders while the clay was still wet. I did the same thing for the arms...then I wired the doll together, using wire, metal findings and beads. I used alchohol inks and gilded rub-ons on the wire and metal parts to age them, and I tea stained her clothes. The Background Is white fabric and handmade textured white paper free motioned with white thread and THEN painted...this was a different approach Than using different colored fabrics and threads.

I learned the technique from a new book called Stitch, Cloth, Paper and Paint by Angie Hughes. This is a beautiful hard cover book that has fantastic pictures and easy to follow instructions.

Painting with Lillian!

This week I had a painting class with Paperclay Artist Lillian Alberti ! She is a fantastic whimsical Artist and I adore her painting. She seems to make her dolls come alive with the paint....We had a great afternoon painting and chit chatting in her Lovely Home...and she made a "killer lunch" !

I'm so excited because I think I left the class with something that I did not have before...I've never had painting lessons, so I didn't know about blending and shading....and color mixing is tough for me...I usually end up with "MUD"! I think I get the "blending" concept now...I just have to PRACTICE it!!

I sculpted a bunch of paperclay head and bodices...and Lillian painted one of mine as she taught me...So we made collaborative art...my sculpts and her painting ! She kept the first head and then she painted another of my heads for me to keep as a reference of what I learned...the one "dirty little faced" child in the middle is my painting!!!

New Set of three paperclay dolls!

Today I strung the three new paperclay doll bodies.... theirHead with busts, arms and legs were sculpted from paperclay over styrofoam and foil and painted with acrylics. I sewed and stuffed their fabric bodies and attached arms and legs. I drilled holes in the shoulders and strung the arms through using heavy button thread. Then I glue gunned the soft body into the paper clay bust, after i removed the styrofoam and foil. I still had an ounce of energy...so I wigged them using dyed mohair. They were supposed to be halloween dolls..but i feel like its too late...i dont know...maybe they will be a different theme..I'll see how it flows!

Halloween Dolls 2009

So I'm looking at my past two years of halloween dolls...and I'm trying to do something different. Here are my 2007 and 2008 dolls...and the START (kind of late!) of the 2009 dolls I have also made all of their arms and legs, I'll sew their bodies tomorrow!......

I only have an idea for one doll...hoping the other two will just floW!

Last of this Tiny paperclay doll series.......

These are the last 3 paperclay dolls of this series, "Children and their dolls".

The Little girl in the leopard outfit is a bit shy because she's kind of Odd looking, so she has a "Fox" mask. The Mask was formed from super sculpey and then "FLOCKED" with mohair that was dyed brown...i tinted the darker areas with watered acrylics.

The last two dolls are birthday twins with their mini crying babies and gingerbread cookies!

ART IS in CT!

WOW!!!!! I went to ART IS in Connecticut for one day...oh, I think i'm going for all 5 days next year! It was really cool and my good doll friend, Minnie Curry from the Manhattan doll club is one of those "mover and shaker" people...so she introduced me to so many new people. It was just people taking all type of mixed media classes all over the hotel, eating, inspiring each other...and of course a cool "market place"!!!

I took the Lillian Alberti paperclay class. Lillian is a "whimsical artist" and her work was so inspiring! She brought so many Nursery Rhymes to life in a Wimsical Way....

Tiny Paperclay dolls ...Cupcakes and "Weirdo Princess"!

This is another tiny paperclay doll that is now complete. I thought her face was soft and sweet like a cupcake...so there you go!

Her Dress is sewn from vintage "flea market" lace..and the detail on her shirt is just watered down acrylic paints painted with a fine brush to bring the Flower details of the lace out....i coated this with a thick medium that dried clear. She has a tiny polymer "candy baby" with her...and she also has some of those same polymer candies on her outfit..they are coated with "triple thick"...my "new favorite glossy topping!" , and glass glitter.
Her cupcake hat is make out of polymer and Golden's "stucco" medium. I made the base, the cake part out of hollowed polymer, then added a little tissue paper coated with polymer medium. After that was baked, I "swirled" stucco medium, which was lighty and fluffy (a tiny bit gritty), just liked frosting! I painted, coated it with polymer medium and sprinkled with glass glitter.

Weirdo Princess's cat is fabric, coated with some paperclay to build up her face. She was sanded...painted and sprayed with "duncan porcelain" spray. It gave her a muted ceramic like look which I really liked because I had painted her too bright and glossed her...she looked, well, "not good"! Then I just took a chance and sprayed her with this "Porcelain look " spray...and it was exactly what I was looking for..a muted vintage look. Her collar is a string of vintage diamonds.

Vintage Bebe completed!!

OK!! Vintage Bebe is completed.... the only thing i need to do is make an old raggedy teddy bear for her one "cyclops" hand...it will hide the hand and give her a little more charachter!

This baby is a little sad...it is kind of what i was going for...next one i will try an actual "pout" I knew i didnt have time in class to play with that...

Also...she has a bit of a "startled" look..which could have been avoided if i brout her eyelids a little more over her eyes. That tiny bit of white showing makes all the difference in the world.... i like large eyes and i was trying to open them more..a larger eye would have been the better option...haha!!!

Her clothes are all sewn out of Very old vintage pieces (shirts, collars, decorative mats) that i have collected from flea markets and antique shops. I had to be careful making her shoes...the silk material was so old...if you pulled it..it just shred into a handful of fibers, so i was able to save the fabric by brushing polymer medium on the back , making it sturdy and easier to form the shoe....The soles are polymer clay.

Jack Johnston Class...creating a Polymer Premie baby

Sharon, Minnie,Joyce

, Heather, Heidi,Tery, Sylvia and Myself with our "babies!

My "Poor Child"!

Working with Jared!

Tery's "Barry"

Joyce's

"chubby cheek" baby

Minnie acting like a "goof ball"

Tery, Heidi and Heather...Workin' it!!!

Heidi and Sylvia doing the dishes!

So ....our Jack Johnson class on creating a polymer premie baby has come and gone...after a Year of waiting! It was so far, my favorite class! We were a "family" of friends learning for 3 days (and nights!!!) and just being "creative together. Jared Johnston actually taught the class...he is the "Baby Lover" and he gave each one of us a lot of time teaching valuable techniques. He pushed us past the "comfort" zone...my comfort zone anyway....but i gained a lot from that.

For me to make a doll in 3 days is like REDICULOUS!!! but i did it! ....I see it's flaws (ugh!...they are magnified!!!) , but these are the things that i'll practice...So actually the flaws are the best part of this doll!! , they will be the thing that will help me to eventually be a better sculptor!

I am working on my dolls outfit and hair ...almost completed...thats another shocker in itself...because I dont finish a doll from a class. I feel like I learned on it and its just too "rough" to complete...I'd rather start fresh from scratch ... but this class i'm buzzing from.... I just have to complete this one!!!

Check out the weekend.....It was Fantastic!

Bee Girl...moving along on the fairies and their dolls

Two Fairies and their dolls are complete....bee girl and and her "LIL Sting" doll...and Girl fairy and her mermaid doll. The little "sting" doll is very tiny...but i think she is the right scale to be bee girls dolly. The mermaid is a bit too large..to be this little girls doll...but i'm tired...she will do!!! The rest of the fairies dolls will be made as tiny as the "sting" baby...i made a mold of her head...so i will be able to produce babies a little faster now! I did one other princess doll the same scale as the mermaid... she will also stay!

These two small dolls are named "Little KIMEE" dolls in honor of my sister Kim, who has a special place in her heart for tiny dolls and fairies.....

Summer is over!

My Paper Clay/Fabric Children...

A Cat doll created by Stacey and given to me!

Stacey Sewing with her "Shoe" Creation !

Deb's "Brothal" Shoe

I feel like i'm regaining conciousness!!! I feel my blood starting to circulate...Taylor is back to school tomorrow morning!!! PARTY!!! haha!! yeah right!

Anyway....back to business...i'll go back to where I left off...the Stacey Clark class! It was a great "learning" class...Stacey is a truley "creative Being"... and I loved being in her creative energy ... Here are some pictures of the OLD LADY in the SHOE class...

My Prepared dolls for class

So I was able to finish 7 small dolls. Their Head/ Bodices, legs and arms are made out of paper clay...they have fabric bodies. I copied the idea of the doll structure from a tiny old vintage doll that I found Naked at a very old PA flea market! I was able to really smooth their faces by sanding.... I used Hanni Sarris fairy paint...and Duncan matte spray..and they really look kind of vintage!!!

New fairy...and Preparation for class!

ok...back in action...I decided to just be a "starving artist" this summer! I am closing my ebay store next week ...until summer ends...I'll just sell a little mohair when i feel like it!

I already started on a new Fairy ...She ends up having a meek ...gentle disposition, so now i have to decide what she will wear and what she will be doing. Maybe after I "make her face up"..the personality may change...I dont see that happening though.

But now I had to put her aside, to prepare for our upcoming class in two weeks. We will be having Stacey Clark, an artist from Pennsylvania that did a "MAGICAL" exhibit in a PA museum. We were all so fascinated by the techniques she used to paint and texturize her fabric and doll faces and bodies...also her free motion combined with mediums to create beautiful texture on the dolls clothes, accessories and lifelike animals. We asked her if she would come teach...and she was thrilled!

We will be doing THE OLD LADY IN THE SHOE...you know the one with all of the kids?! (UGH!) haha..So I have started my prep work.....I am doing my childrens heads/upper bodice in paper clay...so i get to work in clay, but paint them like they were fabric! Paperclay painted dolls with varnish on them..remind me of "OLDEN DAY" dolls...so that is the look i'm going for..shiny faces!!!

I made 3 polymer heads, and then made rubber molds. I used the molds to create paper clay heads. The paperclay comes out of the mold a very flat...so you have to redefine everything...but its still waaayyyy!! faster than going from scratch...I created 7 new paperclay heads in 2 days...that is BIG for me...i'm kind of slow at sculpting. I then made little upper torsos out of styrofoam and foil. Then i covered them with paperclay...attaching the heads...Check it out.... (Iam learning some of these paperclay techniques from a book i sent for : Dollmaking with Papier mache and paper clay by Doris Rockwell Gotilly. The book is about 10 years old, but it has amazing photos and techniques...i love this book!)

I also found an old pair of black boots at the flea market for 5 bucks! for my shoe..i can alter it to make it look better...BUT I also foumd these very cool OLD she lasts..hmmm. i was thinking...maybe i can cover one with paper mache and make my own shoe!!!! ok..i may not REALLY have time todo that..but it is a very Cool idea!!!

Neptune Doll meeting

Yes..its horrible that i have not been in here posting...so busy! So here is the Neptune meeting that I went to a couple of weeks ago!!! The meeting was fantastic...everyone had something to show and tell about!!! Janice even brought her beautiful daughter...who ended up "adopting" stephanies "lion " doll made from Mary Louises pattern!!

I was invited by mary louise...a fellow Saggitarius doll maker, who was teaching her realistic little "cat" dolls! I flipped when I saw them, and right away, Mary told me that I could join in the lesson!!! See the pictures of mary with her tiny "cats"... (I LOVED them so much...she gave me the white one!!!! WOW )

Jack Johnston Class

WOW!!! I attended the Jack Johnston class this past friday thru Sunday with my New York group girlfriends, Tery from my group and 2 new girls. This was a life changing class! I learned so much from Jack...He is amazing...just put the clay in his hands and it comes to life....again and again and again!!!! Words cant describe the energy that was in the room for three sold days of intense learning! Jack brought Jarret, his beautiful and talented son who also is a fantastic artist and teacher...The two pushed us through this FAST PACED (ugh!!! ) class.....

I Knew the women in this group from previous classes taken in NY...especially Minnie who I have stayed connected with.......but all of us became family again...learning , sharing and "AMAZING" each other, BONDING into this "Art Doll" Journey!!!

I still cannot believe that we got through Heads, Hands, Bodies, AMAZING techniques in Clay shoes, and then actually put it all together and walked out of there with a doll ready to be costumed! I had a little hard time with this (i woud have evened my eyes/nose) more and definatley smoothed my face over another 10 days!! haha...but i got over it!!

(I took it home and added a little and rebaked...then did my hair until late saturday night!! that made me more at ease!!! I learned to not get so crazy so that I can get through a doll... I hope it sticks with me! )

The techniques I learned from Jack and Jarret were life changing for me...and I will continue to practice them !

PA Field trip to the Stacy Clark Doll Exhibit

Last Sunday and Monday , Tery, Stephanie and myself took a trip to Heidi's house in Pennsylvania. We had a beautiful lunch that Heidi made for us along with Stephanies famous totellini soup!! Actually Heidi made a fantastic soup with potatoes and kalbasi..I had both!

Our main plan for the get together was to visit the Schwenkfelder Library and Museum to see a doll exhibit by an artist named Stacy Clark. When we arrived...Stacy was there to meet us. WOW....you must "FEEL' this exhibit...that is what i did when I saw it..I "FELT" the Artist's energy and creativity.... As Stacy explained how she Might touch people of all ages with Her "Fairy Tale" dolls.... my eyes filled up and I got a lump in my throat..because I understood so clearly that the younger children BELIEVE , and the Older people REMEMBER , and the "tweeners" in between are HOPING and CREATING. Every where you looked tyhere were dolls, and when you thought you saw them all...you magically found another to see. Stacy used some very cool techniques to create texture in her dolls and animals and clothing. The Visit was breathtaking and inspiring and i'm so happy that I made the Journey. Check out the pictures, but you need to go see this !!!!

We went back to Heidis...oh, we stopped at DQ by my request, and then we ordered Pizza for dinner.....followed by a Ribbon Rose class that Stephanie gave...little kits and all!!! It was a real Party!!! haha

But on Monday we went to a "two Guys" type store named JoMar....(remember Two Guys)"??? ...and much to our amazement...we found some awsome fabric, lace and trims. at "amazing " prices!

Pocono Sew and Vac Bernina "Brush up" class!

Last Monday...I met my good friend and artist "Heidi" at the pocono sew and vac in stroudsburg PA. This is my favorite sewing store in the "UNIVERSE"!!! They carry every Known machine and there is someone in the store that specializes in each machine to demo it or even help you after you bought it!!! They never make you feel uncomfortable when you need help...they are always there...like "family"!!! Any way, "lovely" Ellen taught the class and I walked out of there with a lot of knowledge...we had a "blast" too!

My favorite Power seller salesperson...PAUL...was there to make us smile. Paul...WILL sell you any machine for the BEST PRICE possible!! Here he is hanging out in the store!!

Varrigated acid dying at the Spinnery

Last friday..i took an acid dying class at the "Spinnery" in Frenchtown NJ... The store is filled with all kinds of beautiful fibers in their natural color, just waiting to be dyed! Of course there are tons of vibrant and "textured" yarns also, along withdying, felting , knitting and spinning supplies !

There were only two students in the class...so we got to explore a little more and had a lot of extra attention! We learned some varigated dying techniques, and Betty, the owner enthusiastically shared all of her knowledge.

Shoe Tutorial Prt two!!!

ok...so now your soles are made...place your dolls foot onto the sole, making sure it will work...i always make sure the shoe is a little bigger that the foot...i dont like chopping their feet off because the shoe is too small (which i have done...doesnt feel right!)

ok..so now..i take a paper towel and drap it over the sole, giving it plenty of room for the foot to go in, then i trace the upper shape , following the sole shape, but making it a little bigger, so that i have

fabric to glue to the inside of the sole.

I cut out those pieces, also

cutting the hole in the middle where the ankle will be. Then I clip very small cuts so that the fabric will lay nice and "mold" smoother. I start at the toe of the shoe with a dot of fabri tac or zap a gap, depending on what type of fabric i am using....and glue the "right" side of the edge of the fabric...then i follow around the first side....the second side will be trickier...this is where i use a "a long needle tool" (oh yeah i sell these $ 2.00!!! Hmmm...) anyway, to get inside of that shoe and press the edge NEATLY onto the sole. You can get fancier, using two pieces of seperate fabric for the upper...or make an easy slip on., Boots.....ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES!

Shoe Tutorial...Kind of!!!

OK...lets try this again!..I have a written insruction that i can email whoever wants it, Tracy, I already sent yours printed out...!

Roll your clay out on the THICKEST setting, use whatever color you choose for the sole, i usually use a brown taupe or natural ivory and let the actual "shoe" be the color part...it looks more lifelike...but FANTASY is good too!!!

I trace around my dolls foot on a piece of paper, adding an extra border so the "shoe fits"!! Then I use a piece of flexible craft plastic and copy the sole onto that..cutting that out ...(this makes a nice template that when tracing around it with your exacto knife, gives you nice support and you can save it for future soles . Follow the pictures.......

So at this point you can just bake them and have a "flat" sole for a ballerina like shoe...or you can take it TWO steps further and add an ARCH and a HEEL.

For the heel. i just jot a line on my "PLASTIC SOLE" and form a littl heel using the line as a guide...i either use one layer of rolled clay or double it. Then cut the heel out with your exacto knife, and place it on the bottom of you sole, blending the clay as smoothly as possible (but dont worry, because you can use your grinder tool to sand it to "perfection"!!!

At this point i work on a little tile so that i can put it in the oven, without disturbing the shape. Now with your heels attached to the sole, use a small dowel, butt it up against the heel and push the sole flat. creating a "lovely" arch!

ok..we are going to part TWO because i'm getting nervous because this is where i lost the whole thing last week!!! Colleen