A Day with Doll Artist Lillian Alberti

Last week I was able to have my good friend Lillian Alberti,  AKA  "Lilliano" ,  come to my shop to reconnect,  talk "Art" and work on our on going projects. 

 Lillian is working  "Fast and Furious" making paper clay dolls, and Teaching all over the states !    I was so happy when she was able to "Carve out"  a little time to come over and "Play"!!!   


The Day was fantastic, and Lillian ALWAYS  inspires me with her dolls that "Tell a story"  ..they  make the viewer feel certain emotions. Her doll's "Eyes"  and "Fingers" really talk to me ! 


See Lillian's dolls in progress....Her Alice, has a Rabbit jumping into the hole, with his back end and the perfect little velvet jacket sticking out...it really makes you feel like you see him jumping down the hole!  (unfortunately I did not capture that in my picture.) 
..but you can see the doll on her website  www.A-lil-whimsy.com  ! 


 Also visit her blog  cottagehill you can click on her blog from the sidebar on this blog under  "My Absolute Favorites". 

Making Leopard Canes with Amber Dawn

Well, last week was another "mini" class at the Purple Petals Studio in New York!  Myself, Tery and Heather took the trip into the city to learn more Claying Techniques from Amber Dawn.  Amber was ready to teach us whatever our little hearts desired!!! 

I forgot that I mentioned to her that I would love to learn creating Leopard Print in clay.....As Amber took out her clay and samples of work...Something "UNBELIEVABLE" caught my Eye!  O M G!  TEENY TINY Leopard print made from polymer!!!~  I didnt believe that that was possible...How did she make it look like Leopard...How did she get it so tiny??? The possiblities of using this in my doll making was making my heart race...Crowns, shoes, ...blah blah blah...So she is asking us...so what do you want to do?  and I'm looking at everyone like..."Nah I dont want to do leopard...Right!!!!!!!???   Every one loved it...and they all agreed...We had the best day learning this designing/reducing technique!  I was High when I left there...It felt like I received a very "Cool" Gift!

This is how the Design started...and these tiny pieces are what we ended up with!  We all worked on this print together..Wow!  I love it! 

We all created Beads in class, and Amber gave me the two samples she made....see the picture .  I made the tiny pocketbook charm when I got home after Amber showed us her pocketbook making technique....it is very small...like a Penny!

We will be getting together with Amber Dawn to learn more techniques next month!

Tiny Polymer Mixed Media Doll Class...More Milo Files!

This Tuesday,  Our  "Secret" group met and created new "Milo files"......I had the pleasure of teaching the group my TINY Fairy Mixed Media dolls, but in Polymer  (most of my tiny dolls are paperclay).    Heather has sculpted, but never this tiny...and Doreen and Sue have never sculpted with polymer., both of them are new to dolls!    Everyone felt that they would do better in polymer.  I agreed that polymer takes detail easier, but PAPERCLAY CAN ALSO BE EASY IF YOU USE LESS DETAIL IN SCULPTING, AND USE MORE "PAINTERLY" DETAIL.   IN THE END, WHICH EVER MEDIUM YOU ARE WORKING IN.. IT IS EASY  AND FUN TO CREATE  A TINY MIXED MEDIA DOLL!!!!!
 These are the two dolls that I am working on with the class.  The larger one was the first doll created..and it literally "Crackled when I baked it.  I had such a hard time with the first batch of clay...after this happened ..I threw out the clay...maybe it was old!? I never ran into this before...so I started on the second one (to the left) and I like her much better, she is tinier and has nicer detail.  Maybe I will try and crackle that first doll as suggested by Heather! hmmm!  maybe she will work out after all! 

The crown was created for the second tinier doll...I 'll try and incorporate the vintage black and white Diamond design into her outfit. This picture doesnt show the correct color of the diamond design...It is worn out black and pearl white!

 I arrived at Sues with some sample dolls as a guide for size, and also a kit for each Person!  The kit contained the conditioned clay .... (I used Prosculpt with  Bisque Cernit mixed in for a soft yet blendable clay.), pre made foil head/bodice armatures, "SKIN" fabric, Prepared Silky Mohair, Eyelashes and Triple thick for glossing the eyes and lips, shoes...

Of course we had a little bit of "Christmas" first!!   Doreen made beautiful beaded bracelets for everyone...gifts of "Crafting items" were flying around  and Sues daughter Carol even stopped by and gave each of us a beautiful handmade Beaded ring!  What  an "INSPIRING" day!

Anyway,  after much Chattering about Techniques and Products  the class really went great!...and in a few hours everyone was able to bake their fairy head and bodice.  I showed them how, after baking...small changes can be made by carefully smoothing on a little clay and rebaking!  I usually use this technique to change the lips ,nose, or an uneven cheek  without it being visible.

Next Week we will create the arms, legs and soft body, and put the doll together.  Woohoo!  cant wait!

There are also some Pictures of the First part of this class, Tiny hats and crowns.  See the picture of everyones completed creations! WOW!

 

Make and Take a SUCCESS!! haha!!!

So , Here we are at the Shephard valley Creamery doing the BIG  FREE Make and Take!!!  WOW   LOTTA WORK!!!!  I created the two different sheep for kids to create at the shearing festival on Saturday!  All week long I sewed a hundred tiny felt Sheep bodies, got my supplies together..and made my PLAN!!   

My friend Heather said that she would come and help, ..I was doing this on my own, so I welcomed her.  WELL!!!!  THANK GOD!!!!   All the plannung I did, could never have prepared me for the Day!!!

When we arrived, the creamery offered us a wonderful talented helper, she is a  12 year old "Sprouting" artist..we could not have done it with out her!

 " WOW....tons of kids...every kid that walked by wanted to make the "Tiny Lamb dolls"  Oh, and so did their PARENTS!!!   Once the ball got rolling there was no turning back...Heather was on her game...and she Quickly made new rules!!!   I dont remember even seeing faces or bodies after a while..just tiny hands...with glue and sheep hair flocking stuck to them!!!

All in all it was a fantastic experience and it was a thrill to introduce ART to childeren..

Purple Petals...Amber Rose Miniatures...Tweener TECHNIQUES!

Well its been a busy 2 weeks with a lot going on and Nothing getting DONE!!! I guess it was a "TIME OUT" for technique learning!

  Last week I took at class at the PURPLE PETALs STUDIO in Maspeth NY with my friend Heather!  We Took a Minitaure Class with Amber Rose.  Amber is a Minature artist extrordinaire...creating the most beautiful charms from clay and mixed media. We learned a "skinner" blend and how to create beautiful shades of color blending into each other for petals and leaves.  All of the work with clay for dolls...we were the "dummies of the class!!!"...There is a whole "Other" clay world out there!!! So much to explore...not enough time to create it all!!!!   See some of the pictures.....Of course I came up with some vintage Treats and pillows with the tiniest flowers that are my favorite thing that Amber taught me....They will probably adorn my next couple of dolls!!!    The picture of the mixed minies are Ambers beautiful inspirations..... There is a picture of Amber Rose teaching, and also of Dori,  The Fantastic creative Owner of the Purple Petals Studio!

Also happening soon is my "Make and Take GIG" at the shepherd Valley creamery on Saturday may 8th.  I will have a set up there, doing a make and take for kids to make tiny sheep dolls....the picture are my samples of what we will do....The little sheep is sculpted from clay ...cover in sheep hair and painted.  The other is a sewn felt body using the same technique.

And One last thing I did this week, was bought a couple of the Tim Holtz Sizzix dies and created a bird cage charm.  Of course it was too big for me...so I cut it out of Shrinky dink...dyed it with some alcohol inks , stamped it..."vintaged" it up with some metallic rub-on colors AND SHRUNK it...Added some  worn findings...! Of Course, My Bird is OUT of her cage!!!   A "Sagg" is always working on "being FREE!!"   Its pretty cool looking and its "just my size"!!!

Mixed Media doll From the Milo Files!

This Sunflower girl is My Flat Doll. She is a mixed media doll made of fabric that was painted with acrylics, I added paperclay to the flat head, I crackled and stained parts of her, she has metal wings that were cut and textured on the sissix, then patina'd, and her arms are jointed with jewlery end caps treated with alchohol inks! Her skirt and bra are made from a piece of vintage lace that was literally "dissentegrating"...but I wanted to preserve its past...so I treated it with "Porcelain petal", then sprayed with a sealer...its delicate...but it is keeping the fabric "ALIVE" forever!!!   Her head has tiny polymer flowers that I cut out from my tiny cutters that i have in my ebay store...they were painted and stained...gems were added!

 So...the Milo files are stories from an"underground" creative group that I have joined...We meet on tuesdays and the creativity in the group lies in the "UNKNOWN"!!!...

You never know if it will be every Tuesday...or once or twice a month!  You dont know what you'll eat there...sometimes a can of soup....sometimes "homade Lasagne and meatballs....(Delicious! MMM!)  

 You dont know what the next project will be, and you NEVER know what you will GET there!!!

Theres creative goodies being passed around from all of the members...its almost like "christmas" on Tuesdays!!! haha!!!

BUT Seriously...a small group have been getting together and "JUST CREATING" at Sue Milo's house!   All Members Share their "specialties" and teach the group....!!!!

The First week, Doreen taught Soldering charms....The second week Sue taught the "flat Doll" that she made from a pattern from cloth, paper, scissors...    The beautiful flat dolls on the board were Sue's Creations that inspired this  class!  

This week was my week to teach "crowns"!!! We had a great day...and I will have pictures of the crown after out next "Secret meeting"! 

There is a shot of Sue's beautiful Studio...every thing is in its place..Really!!! Also, there is a picture of the sugar scrub that she created (PINK!!!) she made the labels too!! ...WOW!

It was a great day, that ended at Michaels finding new  TREASURES by   "Sculpey"  and Lisa Pavelka products!!!!   YEA!!!

Wendy Froud Workshop

I attended a Wendy Froud Worshop in New York, at the Purple Petals Studio,  this past weekend...WOW!!!  It was a 3 day workshop on creating  a "creature"...I wanted to take a class with Wendy...but i was a little "afraid" of the "creature" thing!   I thought about just doing a pixie or fairy...and I was told Wendy would accomodate that...but then I thought about it.  Get into a new mindset,,,TRY  it!!OPEN a NEW DOOR....So I did and I was amazed at all of the fantastic techniques that I learned from Wendy and Toby!  They are both amazing and giving artists! 

I'm very excited to try again and be a little more "BRAVE"! haha   I worked off of a picture of my child, ugh!! I mean my "cat" moon..  I still have to dress him..The almost completed doll is just "DRAPED" with some fabrics..to try and get an idea for an outfit.

I met so many new friends that are very talented artists..Sherry put the class together and took care of everything, she was great...and I dont think everything would have flowed without her.  

Leapord Girls!

This was a hectic two weeks.  Every time I tried to work on something I had to get out of my shop for rediculous things, like make dinner...or pick up a kid...or SHOP Rite...UGH!

Anyway...I got through my two leapardy dolls.  "GOT THROUH"  means I forced myself.  I loved making their crowns and painting them leapord...they are my favorite crowns to date because I'm so excited about the new painting techniques that I am learning. (I also made Tiny square polymer buttons and painted the "tiniest" leapard print on them...then added a tiny diamond to each one.)  But i sculpted these two faces a couple of months ago...and I think I have changed since then...so I think it was hard to make these two dolls work....They are "nice"  thats about it  Just not WOWed!!! ...haha!  (feeling critical!)

Check out the dolls...Actually, the  little boots i did one step crackle on...I do love how "Vintage Old" they look...I will definately use this technique more.  I guess each new doll...you learn something different!

Now that I completed them...I am excited for the next new faces..that I already have in my head.!  They will be my "SWEETS" dolls...... 

Painting Leopard...being Inspired

Today I had a get together with my friend Lillian Alberti...alias...LILLIANO!  She is a wonderful teacher...now traveling to different places to "do her "LIL BIT of Whimsy"!  So I cherish the time I get to spend with her!  ....I thought I was going to her...but I believe she had "cabin fever" and came by me!!    Then a phone call came in...long story short, my friend Heathie came over too.  We just all worked on our own things.

My "thing" was inspired by Lilliano...who created the most beautiful leapord slippers for her "Princess and the Pea" doll.....I couldnt believe she painted them.  I really wanted to learn that ...because painting is a bit of a struggle for me...and I'm a "Leapord Freak"...I hoard anything Leapord...and now she opened my world up...OK...JUST PAINT IT!!! then , I have FULL CONTROL..I can make anything leapord!  Oh my gosh...THAT IS INSPIRATION!   So I worked hard (taking as many tips from Lilliano as I could)...while we all worked and talked "ART"!! haha   I am very happy with what I accomplished today (i'll keep at it until i get my "perfect" leapord print)...  I have an Idea for a Leapord crown to go with this tiny dolls little leapord pants i made from my painted fabric....so i'll see what happens for this doll!

It was Fantastic to have this "Creative" get together With Lillian...she teaches me that you can " create" anything in your head with what is "on hand"...and I teach her to open the box and find "more stuff" to use!!! haha    

And Heathie is also a BIG inspiration to me...she excells in anything that she tries...she is great with Fabric and needlesculpting...and also with clay..