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



 













Sharing Some Blog Love

Something different here today.  I didn't do a Friday Favorites last week.  So maybe this could sort of replace that??  I want to share my new friend LeeAnn's blog. 

LeeAnn of Charmed Confections is a wonderful artist who creates fabulous Halloween art from paperclay.  She is a fellow member of Pfatt Marketplace, and also an artist on Spookytime Jingles.  She has an etsy shop, a facebook page, and a delightful blog.  I'm happy to call her my new friend, even though I have never really met her!  The beauty of the internet!  Oh, she also has five of her wonderful Halloween creations featured in the current issue of Art Doll Quarterly. 

So, anyway....LeeAnn is celebrating one year of blogging.  In honor of that, she is hosting a fabulous giveaway on her blog.  Three lucky readers will win one of her wonderful pieces of art. 

First prize will be a Ghastly Ghost similar to one of these: 

    

 

(These four darlings are already sold....she will make another one just for you!)



Two more lucky ducks will win a set of these cute cupcake ornaments!




To get the details on how to enter, hop on over to Charmed Confections and check it out. 

I hope you will all join me in congratulating LeeAnn on her first year of blogging!  (Don't forget to mention I sent you there! LOL!)

Have a great day, and good luck with her giveaway!
Lisa

Spooky Time Spirit

Normally on Friday I would be doing a Friday Favorite, featuring a fellow artist.  But today I've decided to finish off the 'armature line up', before and after.  There is one more Spook waiting to have his day.

Spooky Time Spirit is another piece I did a version of last year, but it sold before I had a chance to feature it on the blog.  He was one of my more unusual creations, so I thought the idea deserved another go.

 

Talk about hard to photograph!!  This pale fellow is extremely difficult.  I think I might try retaking his pictures on a black background and see how that works. 

 

Anyway...about the Spirit...

 

He's dressed in a white shirt and grey pants with matching striped stockings. I've used various brads and studs for buttons, belt buckle and shoe buckles.  He's flesh is a pearly grey mix.

 

 

This picture is a little more clear.  It shows the details of his spooky face, which is accented with paint, and his wild shock of wool roving hair.  I used a shimmery sheer fabric  and shredded it for his ethereal appearance, and tied bits of silver organza ribbon around his neck.  It is accented with a Swarovski crystal.

 

He is carrying a chain with little charms attached:  a spider, a crystal beaded charm, and a watch face.  Spirits do like to rattle their chains, right?

 

He hasn't been listed in my etsy shop yet, but he should arrive in the coming days.  I might do another photo shoot first....

 

Also, a reminder that today is the last day to grab up one of the witches I have listed on Pfatt Marketplace.  The site will update tomorrow. 

 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! 

Lisa





OOPSY DAISY! When Spells Go Wrong....

Next up from our parade of armatures to finished pieces is this adorable Frog Witch.  I showed you a similar piece that I made last year. I couldn't resist revisiting the idea. 

Sometimes spells go horribly wrong!  This little witch hasn't quite mastered the spell of turning someone into a frog....it backfired and now SHE is a frog!  What to do?  What to do?  You consult your trusty spell book, that's what. 

 

OK--now you may be asking "Why did she post four of the same photos?"  Well, I'm asking a favor.  If you look closely, these photos are not the same.  They have different lighting and coloring.  Subtle in some of them, to be sure, but different nonetheless.  I'm asking for your opinions....which one of these frogs would make you most likely to 'click' if they were all lined up in my etsy shop?  Which one are you drawn to?  Which do you think has the nicest coloring and lighting?

 

I've been told that product photography is the hardest type of photography. When I first heard that I thought, "What?  What is so hard about setting up a cute little figurine and snapping some photos?"  Well, I was wrong!  I know, I'm way too OCD when it comes to this, but I just want to always put my best foot forward.  When selling online the customer cannot pick up your adorable doll and give it a once over.  So pictures are paramount to capturing their attention, making a great impression, and enticing them to go for it...take a leap of faith, if you will.

 

I know lots of photos on etsy are not that great.  I think mine are better than many of them, but I know there are far more artists who do a much better job than I do.  I'm still learning about all this stuff like 'white balance'--which is the thing that throws me for the biggest loop! 

 

So, dear readers, what are your thoughts?  Am I being too picky?  Do they all look 'good enough'?  Does one stand out as being just a smidge better?  I really would love your feedback!

 

I didn't get any sculpting done yesterday because I was messing around with photos.  One of those necessary tasks that eats up time.  I'm hoping to be back with my clay today!

 

Have a good one!

Lisa

 

Oh, and in case you ever turn yourself into a frog, try this spell (you will need a magic wand):

 

Has a spell backfired?

Have things gone awry?

Pick up your wand

and give this a try--

Blink three times

and tug on your ear.

Recite these words,

loud and clear:

"OOPSY DAISY, set me free

Turn this frog back in to ME.

I'm not a FROG.  I am a WITCH.

HOCUS POCUS--make the switch!

Eye of rabbit, hair of dog,

I do not wish to be a frog!

Counting backward, three, two, one...

Now the spell should be undone."

 

(I hope it works! LOL!)

 





Jack Crow

Next in the line of unfinished armatures, Jack Crow.

 

I enjoy making pumpkin head figures.  I think they are quirky and whimsical and they can be anyone you want them to be.  And while I consider this guy a Halloween guy, there is nothing about him that insists he is only for Halloween.  He could hang around for the entire autumn season.

 

 

Jack Crow is dressed in short black pants, a green shirt and a purple vest, all made from clay.  He's got matching striped stockings, a crepe paper collar and a velvet wizard hat adorned with a green spiral wire clip.  

 

The challenge presented with this piece was the bird.  I knew I wanted him to have a little black bird perched on his wrist, but I couldn't find one!  I even searched online, but everything I found was far too big.  It needed to be TINY.  Well, there had to be a way!  I had a package of tiny mushroom birds in pale colors.  I thought, "Can I paint one of these?"  Yep, turns out you can!  It took a couple coats, but it worked.  The tail feathers were not quite long enough either, so I grabbed a black feather and nipped a tiny piece off and glued it in place. That was tricky too, but in the end, it also worked.  I added some gold wire (to look like bird claws) and wrapped it around his wrist! 

 

Sometimes it takes a little bit of ingenuity to makes things happen! 

 

Jack Crow is currently available in my etsy shop. 

 

Have a great day!

Lisa







Go, Zombies!!

I honestly don't know where I come up with these ideas sometimes! 

I was lying in bed one morning, wide awake before the alarm went off.  (I have a strict policy of not getting out of bed until the alarm goes off if I can help it. LOL!)  My brain was already in full 'work' mode, thinking of all the fun and frightful characters I could make for this Halloween season.  Zombies popped into my mind, and through stream of consciousness, a Zombie cheerleader!  WHAT?!?  Where did that come from? 

Not one to run away from an unusual idea, I went for it.  And this is how she turned out:

 

She is dressed in a classic cheerleading uniform:  a white sweater with a felt 'Z' for Zombies and a crepe paper collar, a black pleated skirt, all trimmed with stitched grosgrain ribbon.  Her little saddle shoes even have tiny striped shoelaces! 

 

 

Of course, she had to have pompoms!  These are handmade (after about 4 tries) from black and white crepe paper and tied to her wrists with black wire.

 

 

I love her face!  I think this is probably about as cheery as a Zombie gets.  Her pale flesh is accented with paint to give her that just-risen-from-the-dead look.  Her wool roving hair is tied into pigtails with tiny ribbon.

 

It was really fun working on something other than a witch or a mummy or a ghost.  (Not that I don't love doing those characters as well!)  I love the path my creativity takes me on! 

 

What on your agenda for the day?  Me?  I'm making more Halloween dolls! 

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope the Zombie didn't scare you!

Lisa

 

OH--Go, Zombies! is now available in my etsy shop, here.

 









All Lined Up

When I make armatures for my art dolls I make several at one time.  It's my least favorite part of my creations, but it also happens to be the most important.  Without them everything would be too fragile and they would also be too top heavy for their skinny little legs.  So last spring I made six 'skeletons'.  And then they sat.  And waited.  And waited some more.  And mocked me every time I set foot in my studio.  And begged me.  OK, not really, because they didn't even have heads, but I think you understand what I'm saying.  I had all these armatures ready and waiting, but other projects (for my niece's wedding mostly) kept pushing them to the back burner. 

Actually, two of them got made right away into Little Red Riding Hoods.  I showed you one of them here.  Here is the other one: 

 

This time Little Red Riding Hood is blond with big blue eyes, and she's dressed in her summer clothes.  A black gingham paper skirt, a short sleeved top trimmed with Swarovski crystals, bobby socks and Mary Jane's.  Her cloak is still made from red wool felt.  I tried to do one in a lighter weight fabric, but it just didn't hang right. 

 

Once I got these Little Red Riding Hoods finished, in late APRIL, the rest of the armatures sat around waiting, sometimes not so patiently.  I finally got to them after the 4th of July!  Here they are all lined up, waiting.....

 

 

And here is a group shot of all of them finished:

 

(not a great picture, I KNOW!)

 

What a diverse little band of characters, isn't it?  I will show each piece individually with more details in the coming days.

 

I'm having a great time making Halloween spooks.  I know one of these days I will need to quit and begin making Christmas pieces and my ornament collection for 2013.  But right now there are too many ghouls haunting my head and I have to get them out!! 

 

I hope you all had a great weekend! 

Lisa