SHOWING OFF.....

Well...I have been making crafts for a couple of my giveaways which I would like to show the process to anyone who is interested in making creatures out of Creative Paper Clay and also soft-sculpture flowers out of vintage fabric and pipe cleaners and a bit of fiber fill for stuffing.

First off, I have been making one of my favorite creatures to make...THE CHESHIRE CAT.  
I first begin with a couple of pieces of foil which I form into a small ball for the head and a larger oval shaped foil ball for the body, then I add triangle shaped foil pieces for the ears, and a long, thin shaped piece of foil for the tail.  I also form the front paws for the cat.  And of course I make indentations for the eyes, a tiny wad of foil for the nose, and poof out the cheeks a bit with foil too.

FORMING THE ARMATURE OF THE CAT FROM BALLS OF FOIL AND ADDED SMALLER PIECES.

THIS IS THE SIDE VIEW OF THE CAT WITH THE FRONT PAWS AND TAIL SHOWING.

THIS IS A VERY ROUGH FIRST LAYER OF CLAY.  JUST GETTING THE BASIC SHAPE OF THE CAT.

AND ANOTHER SIDE VIEW OF THE CAT.  AT THIS POINT I STILL NEED TO PUT THE CHESHIRE CAT GRIN ON THE CAT.  THIS IS WHAT I LOVE ABOUT PAPER CLAY.  IT CAN SET AND DRY AND YOU CAN COME BACK AND SAND AND ADD MORE WET CLAY, OR FIX MISTAKES.  I HAVE NOT YET ADDED THE BOTTOM OF THE CAT.

THIS IS MY BOX OF VINTAGE FABRIC EIGHTHS AND MY PETAL PATTERNS CUT OUT OF PAPER TO MAKE FLOWERS.

HERE ARE FLOWERS WHERE THE PETALS HAVE BEEN SEWN, TURNED, AND THEN SEWN TOGETHER WITH A RUNNING STITCH ALL AROUND THE BASE OF EACH FLOWER.  I WILL ADD MORE PHOTOS AS I PROGRESS.

Thanks for viewing!
posted by Teresa
January 29, 2013

NOW THAT THE HOLIDAYS ARE OVER....AND AN AWARD FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS LIEBSTER AWARD...

Life in the fast lane is finally slowing down after the speed bump of 2012 went by in the blink of an eye.  I will be participating in the 'Our World Our Art' event hosted by Lisa Swiftka at her 'A Whimsical Bohemian' blog.  Information is posted on my right side bar a ways down the column with the artistic 'Hand' announcing the event.  THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED BY LISA UNTIL THE SPRING.Please come join in the fun if you have a blog.  The more the merrier!
I will be posting my own giveaway sometime after the 'Our World Our Art' event, and also posting that I have been awarded the prestigious Liebster Award from Anna at her Hindustanka blog which requires me to answer LOTS of questions ....AND, I am suppose to choose 7 other bloggers and award them with the prestigious Liebster Award too.  So, don't be surprised, if in February, you are awarded an award from me.  It is a German award which is for bloggers who have around 200 followers, in a lovely effort to encourage others to keep on blogging.
Without further ado, here are some past years' photos, some of which is a doll I made, or photos in and around our two lovely homes.
Enjoy!

IN 2008, I TOOK THE BELLA ART DOLL WORKSHOP HOSTED BY THE LOVELY JOANNA PIEROTTI, OF MOSS HILL STUDIOS BLOG.  THE DOLL IS FASHIONED FROM CHINTZ MOSAICS, ON A HAND PAINTED WOOD BASE.  THE DOLL BODY IS A SPINNING WHEEL SPOOL. THE DOLL HEAD IS A VINTAGE ONE.  I CHOSE TO USE FOUND CROCHETED ITEMS TO MAKE HER WINGS AND HER BONNET AND NECK RIBBON.  HER FACE IS HAND PAINTED WITH TINY ROSES ON HER FOREHEAD.  (THAT PARTICULAR WORKSHOP IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE BUT OTHER WORKSHOPS ARE AVAILABLE FROM MOSS HILL STUDIOS BLOG).

STRANGE SHADOWS ON THE SIDE OF OUR HOUSE CREATED BY THE SUN ECLIPSE IN MAY OF 2012.  YOU CAN SEE BY THE SHADOWS HOW FAR THE SUN WAS INTO THE PHASE OF THE ECLIPSE.

OUR BELOVED LAURELWOOD.  OUR SECOND HOUSE WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDST OF REMODELING.

VIEW OF THE BACK YARD PATIO AT LAURELWOOD.

MARIE ANTOINETTE PILLOW I MADE FOR A FRIEND IN 2012.   I HOPE TO MAKE MORE FOR SOME OF MY GIVEAWAYS IN 2013.

I hope everyone is keeping warm and snug wherever they are and doing what you like to do.
Thanks for stopping by!

posted by Teresa

January 16th, 2013

'OUR WORLD OUR ART' EVENT DATE REVISED: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL THE SPRING...PLEASE VISIT THE LINK ON MY RIGHT SIDEBAR' THANK YOU!!!

THE TIME IS DRAWING NEAR FOR LISA SWIFTKA'S: 'OUR WORLD OUR ART' EVENT.  This event is a world wide blog endeavor hosted by Lisa to encourage the handmade art community.  TO VIEW ALL OF THE INFORMATION AND DETAILS PLEASE VISIT THE LINK BELOW AND POST IT TO YOUR BLOG IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING.  LISA WILL CONTACT YOU IN THE SPRING FOR PARTICIPATION IN THIS EVENT ONCE YOU HAVE POSTED THE 'OUR WORLD OUR ART' INFORMATION ON YOUR BLOG.  PLEASE CLICK ON THE 'OUR WORLD OUR ART' ICON ON MY RIGHT SIDE BAR TO ACCESS LISA'S BLOG FOR THIS UPCOMING EVENT.
Thanks so very much, and we will see you in THE SPRING as LISA HAS POSTPONED THE EVENT UNTIL THEN.

OUR WORLD OUR ART

POSTED BY TERESA
DECEMBER 25TH, 2012

'THE DRAGON OF CRIPPLE CREEK' BY TROY HOWELL

'THE DRAGON OF CRIPPLE CREEK' is a tale you won't want to miss reading!  To view more about the book, please go to my brother Troy Howell's blog 'Penchant', which the link can be located on my right hand side bar (WITH THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE DRAGON, OF COURSE!) for a fabulous review from Troy Howell himself!  There is also a Question and Answer session on the same post about mothers and daughters who read the book and who are in a book club begun by a book store in San Francisco. You will not be able to put this book down!  From the beginning, the book has 'Alice in Wonderland' innuendos which Troy Howell talks about in detail with the question and answer session which can be found on the direct link to that very special post about 'The Dragon of Cripple Creek'.  The book is in its second printing and would make a very lovely addition to the book collection of any young adult or adults who are caught up in the realm of fantasy.  We are hoping a movie producer will read it and 'run' with it to make it into a movie.
ENJOY!

Posted by Teresa   December 6, 2012

THE PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT AVAILABLE ON AMAZON BOOKS, KINDLE, AND CAN BE ORDERED FROM YOUR FAVORITE BOOK STORE.

RHISSANNA'S DOLL BLOG

You must visit Rhissanna's doll blog.  She is a fabulous doll maker, with tiny details in every doll she makes.  Here are photos of me opening the parcel of a doll which I just recently purchased from Rhissanna.  ENJOY!

I OPENED THE PARCEL CONTAINING MISS RABBIT AND HER ALICE DOLL AND ON TOP OF THE PACKAGING WAS A TINY SOFT SCULPTORED RABBIT WHICH IS RHISSANNA'S SIGNATURE STYLE, WHICH BY THE WAY SHE OFFERS THIS FREE TINY DARLING RABBIT PATTERN ON HER BLOG SIDE BAR.

I just purchased her Miss Rabbit doll along with her tiny Alice companion doll.  I was astounded by the feminine delicateness of Miss Rabbit's features...her beautiful tiny yellow checked dress, her black pinafore with black lace, her adorable pantaloons and her blue stripped socks, all the way down to her darling black shoes.  And on top of that!!! If that was not all...Miss Rabbit had her own little companion dolly in the form of Alice in Wonderland.  Okay...this is a reversal of Alice following the White Rabbit...in this case...Miss Rabbit found Alice instead.  Soooo sweet!!!

MISS RABBIT JUST COMING OUT OF THE PACKAGE! SHE IS STUNNING!

HERE IS TINY ALICE!  SHE IS SO CHARMING AND PERFECT IN EVERY LITTLE DETAIL!

WORDS JUST CANNOT DESCRIBE THE PERFECT DETAILS ON MISS RABBIT AND ALICE.  NOTICE THE TINY HANDS ON ALICE.   BOTH OF THESE DOLLS ARE HAND SCULPTURED BY RHISSANNA.

TOTAL PERFECTION!!!   I LOVE BOTH OF THESE DOLLS!!!

You can visit Rhissanna via the link on my right side bar.  Just click on her Rhissanna blog link with the doll and two black flying bunnies.   She just sold her absolutely gorgeous 'Ella' Christmas doll.  She has other dolls for sale in her Etsy shop which link can be found on her blog.  Congratulations! Rhissanna for creating such timeless treasures for others to enjoy!!! Thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart!!!

posted by Teresa

'PINK SCARF PROJECT' AT 2 BAGS FULL

 Vicki with 2 Bags Full blog is hosting a heartfelt project to support breast cancer awareness by reaching out to those she knows in her own immediate community who are surviving and/ or who are going through breast cancer.  The project is called the 'PINK SCARF PROJECT'.  If you desire to participate in the project by donating a pink scarf, whether it is made of lovely pink fabrics sewn into a scarf, or knitted, crocheted, or embellished with whatever medium you choose, please click on the link on my right hand sidebar for more information to participate.  The project will run for an entire year, from October 2012 to October 2013, so there is plenty of time to be included in this event.  Vicki requires that her link be posted on your sidebar.  Please link to her blog for more information.
Thank you!
Teresa

posted November 24th 2012

GATHERING UP BITS OF THE WORLD IS HAVING A JOURNAL AND GOODY GIVEAWAY!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.   THANK YOU FOR ENTERING. Join in on the fun and visit my left sidebar for a journal and goodies giveaway. Also known as 'My Life One Bit At A Time'. The giveaway ends soon!