A Creative Challenge---The Final Project

If you've been reading the last few posts, you know that my friend Marian and I have an ongoing creative challenge.  Each year at Christmas we exchange a 'kit' of five random craft supplies and challenge each other to come up with a project using those supplies and up to three more.  You can see the full rules in this post.

Yesterday Marian showed you her project using the kit I put together.  Today it is my turn.

To recap, my kit contained these supplies:

1. a block of black Premo polymer clay
2. a few black and a few off-white chenille stems
3. two types of black and off-white ribbon
4. a collection of black and off-white printed papers
5. coordinating cardboard buttons

 

I didn't have a predetermined idea as to what I planned to make with my kit.  My first thought was to do some sort of handmade book, but as I mulled it over, my 'day job' kept creeping in to my brain, and I decided I was going to make some sort of doll.

 

Instead of making it exactly how I normally do, I thought I would use some alternative materials to construct the body.  So I started with an oval-shaped paper mache box to use for the body.  I covered the box with the paper.  I planned to use the chenille stems for the arms and legs, but realized quickly that the doll would never stand on those legs, so I made legs with wire and covered them with the black clay.  Then I attached them to the box with more wire.  I was able to use the off white chenille for arms.

 

 

We are allowed to add more of any given supply, so I was able to make a head using flesh-toned clay.  It is also attached with wire.  I used curly wool roving for her hair, made a hat using the cardboard button and some coiled up chenille.  I made a little purse using more of the buttons and a little flower that is off a vintage earring.

 

When I attached the head I left a loop to hang a group of three little charms.  I tied one of the ribbons around her neck and added more chenille to trim her arms and legs.

 



One of the papers, as you can see, is a sheet of text.  I searched through the text to find words that would make a new sentence.  I glued these onto the base (which is the lid to the box.  It also has clay inside it to help keep the piece stable.)

 

 

 

The buttons on the shoes are actually the holes that punched out of the centers of the buttons!  I don't like to let anything go to waste!

 

I had a lot of fun with this project.  It was my regular work, but with a twist.  Perhaps I didn't work too far outside my comfort zone, but I'm really happy with the result nonetheless.

 

Have you been inspired by our kit projects?  They really are fun!  You should try it with one of your friends!

 

We'd love to hear from you!  Please leave your comments below!

 

Lisa

 

PS--I've got a big show coming up this weekend, so I'm not going to be posting a Friday Favorite this week!  So, have a great weekend everyone!

 

Oh, if you happen to live in the Omaha area, my show is in Council Bluffs at the Mid-America Center.  I'd love it if you stopped by!

 



 







A Creative Challenge--Lisa's Kit

Hi everyone!  Last week Marian and I shared our kit challenge projects with you.  This week, as promised, we are sharing the second half of the challenge...the projects made with the kit I assembled.

To recap the rules:  we each put together a kit of five random craft supplies.  We can add up to three more supplies (with a few freebies) to create our project.  To read more about the rules and our projects from Marian's kit, click here for my project and here for Marian's.

So now, here is Marian.....

Marian Making Lisa's Kit

Good Morning A Piece of Lisa fans! Lisa has given me the keys to her blog once again. I promise she'll be back tomorrow.

Today I'm sharing with you what I made from the kit Lisa assembled. It contained:
1. a package of black Premo polymer clay
2. a few black and off-white chenille stems
3. some black and off-white cardboard buttons
4. two black and off-white ribbons
5. a few small sized decorative papers in the same colors



Okay Lisa fans....and all you clay artists...I AM NOT ONE!  On one of her visits Lisa and I made dolls and we used polymer clay to make the heads.  That is the only experience I've ever had with polymer clay. To be fair, she mentioned that she added it to her kit to challenge me. I do LOVE a challenge. I'm not promising results.

I had no clue what to make. I had the flu twice in January. During the end of the second bout I spent a fair amount of time online looking for a pair of shoes to wear to Lisa's niece's wedding next summer. I had shoes on my feverish brain, which led to the inspiration for the kit. That shouldn't be too hard, right? WRONG! Clay is so difficult to manipulate. It was obvious fairly quickly that I am NOT gifted at the craft!

I have a damaged wrist, so conditioning the clay was difficult.  I used a hairdryer to soften the clay a bit, conditioned it as best as I could, and fashioned a high heel. I filled the cavities with rumpled foil to prevent it from caving in.  (Lisa had taught me that when making doll heads.) I used a nail in the heel to insure it wouldn't sag. Oh boy, if I were younger I would be too embarrassed to show you my result! Simply horrid workmanship.



I used the paper as an insole. I embellished the shoe with the cardboard buttons and ribbon. I intended to wrap the pipe cleaner around the shoe's sole but that was bulky and ugly. I tried to use it with the embellishment, but again it didn't work. It had to be used so I grabbed a small white box, put the shoe in some silver tissue paper and latched the pipe cleaners around it as a 'ribbon' for the box.  Necessity is the mother of invention! Then I took a jumbo Xanex....TEASING....and called it finished.

All you clay artists are surely shaking your heads, and I don't blame you one bit! On the other hand I did it and that always makes me happy. I liked my intention, which counts for something, right??! It was hard and frustrating and fun. My oldest son did a fired clay project in grade school and we're still all fighting over whether it's an anteater or an elephant...so I called this good. At least you know it's a shoe. :)

Oh, and one more thing. I've admired Lisa's work since the day we met and became instant BFFs, but NEVER more than now!! I take my hat off to her and her extraordinary talent and all of you who work with polymer clay. You are all artists I admire to the max! It's so much harder than it looks and your talents are amazing!

***********************************************************************

 

Thanks, Marian, for sharing your project!  You are a really great sport, and take the challenge for what it is....a way to work with things you might not work with normally.  Well done! 

 

Tomorrow I will share my project using the same kit.  We would really love to hear your feedback on our kits!  We have so much fun with them, and we think EVERYONE should do something like this with a creative friend!

 

Until tomorrow,

Lisa