Good Fortune

Hi, I'm back!  I've been working like crazy, creating lots of fabulous new characters.  I finally got a big group of seventeen together on Saturday for a photo shoot, so now I can share them with you!  YAY!! 

You might remember a couple of my favorite pieces from last fall were gypsies....or fortune tellers.  There was Clara, the old woman with the wonky eyes, and Clarice, the younger version with the lively make-up.  I loved both of these dolls so much, and they inspired me to make more fortune tellers.  Tarot cards kept coming to mind, and I was wracking my brain on how to execute them. 

At first I thought I would just do some little drawings on card stock, but I don't really know much of anything about tarot cards...what pictures do they have on them?  So, of course, I googled them. (How did the world ever function before google?) I thought I would buy a pack of cards and then either make some little sketches based on the artwork, or I would try to reduce/photocopy some down to the proper size.  Never in a million years would I have thought I would find these:

 

YAY!  Amazon, you did it again!  I was searching through their listings and first I found one for mini tarot cards, and I thought "Cool!" and clicked it.  Then on that listing, it suggested I also have a look at TINY tarot cards, and I thought "OOH!  Even better!"  Still, I never thought they would be the right scale for my art dolls.  But it was worth a shot.  I read the listing and the reviews and they were described as being the size of a postage stamp and I thought, "Those just might work!"  So I put two sets in my cart and waited excitedly until they arrived two days later.

 

Aren't these the cutest thing ever?  I could not be more pleased.  They are the perfect size, the colors and graphics are wonderful.  SCORE!!  And since tarot cards come in a pack of 78, I have plenty of cards to last for several dolls.  I couldn't wait to get started sculpting a gypsy to use these amazing little works of art.

 

And here she is.....

 

 

I wanted her to be very colorful, and not typical Halloween colors.  I sculpted the bodice of her dress from a teal blue pearled clay.  I found this paisley fabric in my stash of things Marian gave me.  The colors are not an exact match (although this photo does make her top seem bluer than it really is).  I thought it was OK not to be too matchy-matchy with her.  I trimmed the skirt with lace and satin ribbon, and used a black velvet and organza gathered ribbon around her waist.  It helped to distract from the blues not matching quite right.  Red crepe paper for her collar, and red satin for her head scarf.  I used several Swarovski crystals to bring a little bling to her look---on her shoes, her shawl, her head scarf and even her ears. 

 

 

It was a real trick getting the slick cards to stick, but I managed to get there with a lot of patience and a few applications of glue.  I used ten of the cards, since a typical card reading is called a 'ten card spread'. 

 

 

I like the way the colors of the art play with the colors in the skirt.  Oh, I also gave her a crystal ball necklace.

 

 

A view from behind so you can see her long black fringe shawl.



 

 

No self-respecting gypsy would be seen without being in full make-up.  Rosy cheeks, ruby red lips, black eye liner and teal mica powder eye shadow.  I used curly wool roving for her jet-black hair. 

 

I struggled with naming her.  I just couldn't come up with something that seemed to suit her.  Sometimes I have a doll named before I even start, but not this time.  Finally, yesterday, I heard her say, "Hell-ooooo!  My name is Zelda!!"  So, there you have it....Zelda!  So lovely to meet you! 

 

I have a few other gypsy dolls running around in my head, and I can't wait to make them come to life.  I like the gypsy girls.  They aren't necessarily a Halloween doll, but they fit in with Halloween just the same.  Isn't fortune telling a type of witchcraft?

 

Well, this post got a little long-winded.  That happens when I am really crazy about a piece (and I also have more than a few minutes to put together a post!).  I am crazy about Zelda.  I hope you are, too!  I would love to hear from you!

 

Have a great day!  I'm off to the studio (which I am also crazy about!)

Lisa

 













A Gypsy Witch

I've been so busy creating lots of whimsical Halloween characters for the last two months.  I spent a good chunk of the last several days taking pictures, editing pictures, writing etsy listings and putting things  up in A Piece of Lisa.  You really should go have a look around my shop now!  It's full of lots of new things.....and there are still more to come!

All those jobs listed above are my least favorite part of my work.  All I ever want to do is CREATE things, but without the pictures, how would I ever show them off to all of you?  It's a necessary task, so I get it done.

Today I want to show you one of my newest favorites.  I think she gives Clara a run for her money on being my favorite piece.  I would love to keep her too, but I did list her in my etsy shop just this morning. 

This is Clarice.  She is a gypsy.  Some call her a witch.  I think she's a little of both.  I like to think of her as Clara's daughter.  She inherited her ability to see the future.

 

She is dressed like a gypsy for sure, with her floral print skirt and matching head scarf.  She even has a long fringed shawl and jewelry.

 

 

She has very prominent facial features that are accented with hand-painted details....coppery-gold eye shadow, red lipstick, painted on eyebrows. And no gypsy would dream of going without her jewelry!  I found a crystal ball charm for her necklace and though you have to look closely, she is wearing big hoop earrings with a little copper bead.  A Swarovski crystal adorns her scarf.

 

I used another big marble I found on the Junk Jaunt for her crystal ball.  I like how it reflects different things depending on the angle you look at it. 

 

You can find Clarice right here, in my etsy shop.  She certainly is a one of a kind witch!

 

Back to work!  I trust I will see you all here tomorrow, for the beginning of the Giggleswick Blog Hop.  You don't want to miss out!

 

Lisa





Clara

Every once in a while I create a doll that just simply speaks to my heart.  Clara is one of those dolls.

I had an armature ready to be sculpted.  When I made it, I thought it would be a zombie or perhaps a skeleton.  I wasn't sure.  I know when I mention that I allow the clay to speak to me, you all probably just roll your eyes, thinking I'm just another wacky artist.  But it's true.  Sometimes you have an idea in your head, but the piece says, "Nope.  Don't want to be that."

So I said, "OK.  How about a witch?  Do you want to be a witch?"

It said, "Fine, I'll be a witch.  But make it a good one!"

So I began to sculpt, and this is who came out:

 

This is Clara, the clairvoyant.  She's been at this crystal gazing for many, many years.  And it's left her a little hunchbacked, and her eyes all wonky.  But she just can't stop.  It's her gift.

 

 

Clara has a delicately sculpted, wrinkled face, with one drooping eye and one that is wide open.  I used soft grey wool roving for her hair, which is twisted in a bun in back.  I added Swarovski crystals to her ears and gave her a clear crystal charm necklace.  I've had these clear shooter marbles for about a year, waiting to become crystal balls. (I bought them on the Junk Jaunt last summer. You can read about that here and here.)

 

 

She has slightly saggy breasts, a little bit of a hunchback and some extra 'cushion' on her behind, all products of her extreme age.  I dressed her all in black: a micro suede skirt with a black glittered velvet ribbon belt, a crepe paper collar, and a long fringed shawl.  Not visible are her black and white striped stockings.  Her boots are buttoned up with Swarovski crystals.

 

 

Here you can see her interesting profile and how she is just slightly stooped over.  I like how the reflections change in the crystal ball in every view.

 

 

One of the things I really enjoy about creating these dolls is that I can shop in every department of Hobby Lobby and find something that just might work.  I found this fringe with the upholstery trims.  It makes a perfect shawl!

 

 

I'm not exactly sure what is it about this particular witch that has struck me so hard, but I love her!  Clara is not listed in my etsy shop yet, and to be honest, she might not ever be!  I'm having a hard time with the idea of parting with her.  We'll see.  The next witch I make might be even better, then it will be easier to pass her along to someone else who will love her like I do! 

 

I would love to hear what you think about her.  Please leave your comments below!

 

I'm back to the studio!

Lisa