Fingernails and Part of a Toothpick

Yep! That's all I used to flesh these two WIPs out! I was sitting in the dentist's office waiting for my daughter to be done getting her first (and hopefully last) filling. I hadn't really planned on working, so all I had was a little clay, a broken toothpick, and some small wired glass eyes.

This one may end up as a little troll once I get a chance to really refine him. Not too bad for working in horrible light, on my lap, and with my roughed up man-paws.

What are man-paws, you might ask?

Well, man-paws are what you get when you a) don't own a dishwasher and b) work with clay.

The dishes are self-explanatory. Hungry kids=messy dishes three times a day (at least). I am sort of a freak about germs and stuck on food, too, so the water I use is at such a temperature that it would probably remove skin from most normal people's hands.

I, on the other hand, have man-paws. Rough, thick-skinned, abnormally tough hands. Hands that are impervious to pain, heat, and have a texture akin to shoe leather.

Why no gloves, one might ask? Because if I wore gloves I wouldn't be able to feel any microscopic bits that might possibly still be left on the plates.

(I know, I know. FREAK!)

I keep waiting for my husband to give me a new little nickname. Like Frank or Chuck. It must be like holding hands with a mechanic. (Ignore this crooked photo, please. Or tilt your head until it appears correctly rotated. It kept getting wonky during my uploads and I am lacking patience today. *eye roll*)

Working with clay has become a hand issue, too, because I am constantly washing my hands or using alcohol wipes to get rid of residue. Not the most gentle thing to do to one's hands. (Don't even get me STARTED about wet-felting! Oy! So chafe-y!)

Its sort of a catch 22. It is easier to work with clay when one has nice smooth hands, but in working with the clay I find myself washing and degreasing and washing...you get the picture. Very drying and not conducive to soft, lovely hand model-ish hands.

At least I have nicer hands than THIS guy.

This little thing may end up a root baby. We'll see if I still like it once I give it some eyes. If not, back into a little green blob of clay he goes.

Thanks for popping by! Until next time, happy moisturizing!

Theresa

And The Winner Is....

The official winner of Clyde the one-eyed wonder doll is AUTUMNFOREST! I'll send a request for your mailing address so I can get Clyde to his new home ASAP. He is looking forward to the change of pace.

This winner was chosen by my daughter using the high tech "numbers-on-slips-of-paper-in-a- bowl" technique. I know, I know. Very impressive.

What can I say? I am an old fashioned gal.

Many thanks to all of the wonderful people who chose to participate. Your positive words were lovely to read and hopefully they made the world a little kinder for some special people in your lives.

Thanks for popping by!

Until next time, happy Autumn!

Theresa

Clyde Needs a New Home! Only Two Days Left!

Don't forget to put in your entry for my Clyde giveaway! I am drawing the winner on Monday night and Clyde will be shipped out on Tuesday morning! Woo-hoo!

Go here to find out what to do: http://feltmusings.blogspot.com/2009/10/my-first-giveaway-please-take-peek.html


Thanks for popping by!

Theresa

My First Giveaway! Please Take a Peek!

I was saving my "Clyde Giveaway" for the day when my blog hit 100 followers and then I thought, "Why am I waiting? Why not just do it now?"



So....
If you would like a chance to win Clyde, aka "boogerman" or "bogeyman", you need to do a few small but kind things:


1. Become a follower of my blog, if you like it. Many of you already are, thanks so much! I have come across so many interesting blogs by 'meeting' people who are following me!


2. Leave a comment that says something nice about two people in the world. No, I don't need to know them. No, I don't need them to follow my blog. You can use first names only.


You should tell your "chosen" people what you have said or tell them where to come and read it, since it is so nice to hear good things about oneself, but really I have neither the time nor the ability to verify whether or not you told them. We'll leave it up to karma! It never fails. :)

I just like the idea of having so many positive words/thoughts/feelings in one place. So often we think wonderful things about people, but we don't always take the time to explicitly let them hear it. Words hold so much power.



I will draw the name of the winner on Monday, Oct. 26 in the evening.

Here are my two:

I want to say thanks to Christine for always being a touchstone for me. She has been there through thick and thin, good times and rotten ones and she always remains steadfast and trustworthy.



I want to let Marie (a lovely follower if there ever was one) that I truly appreciate the time she takes to comment on some of my posts. She is just a positive and kind lady out in the blogosphere. Thanks for the feedback, Marie! You have made my day more than once!


Don't forget, if you don't have a blog where I can link back and find you, you will need to leave me a way to get in touch with you or you will need to check back Monday night/Tuesday morning. You may be the winner!

Thanks for popping by! Until next time, happy winning!

Theresa

eBay is Evil

I can't do eBay. I just can't. When I post there, I become obsessed. Why are there no bids? Who are the "watchers"? I'll just check it one more time...one more time....one more time. What if nobody buys it? What if somebody buys it for way less than it is worth? What if the whole "free shipping" thing bites me in the rear?

In my previous forays into eBay I have always had a decent starting price. This time I started at $9.99 with no shipping. I thought I wanted to just see what would happen.

I swear my stomach is in knots.

Plus there is the other problem with eBay. I have a tendency to buy things when I am there. See the cool new boots I purchased? (I was planning on new ones anyway, since my others are 4 years old, so it really was a no harm done situation, but still!)

The swanky black ones with the comfy heel....can't wait!

The darling brown ones that are a little stretchy.

Well, that's enough of a rant for today. I will fight through this flu, accomplish what needs to be done, and take a nap.

Thanks for popping in!

Until next time, no sellers remorse!

Theresa

Last Batch of SEHA Prizes...ACEO's!

Those "Society of Ecelectic Halloween Artists" folk sure are generous! Here are the final prizes that I received in their last giveaway.

I love this ACEO called "Pumpkin Magic" by Vena Cava. You can find her on ebay under pinkshudders .

The following three are from Lynda S. Mihaly at Haunted Swamp Designs. She can be found on etsy, eBay and at http://www.hauntedswampdesigns.com/

This one is Haunged House on the Hill.


Next is "Witch Tree Capture the Moon"



Finally, we have "Waiting".


SEHA is getting ready for a new giveaway, so stop over and take your chances! You have the opportunity to win some really cool items!


Check them out at http://sehacreations.blogspot.com/

Until next time, happy winning!
Theresa

He's back...and his secret purpose will be announced soon!

Here he is again! I must say, I like him SOOO much better now that he is not so monochromatic. Flat color drives me biserk-o. In fact, he has really grown on me. Its hard to walk by and not pick him up.

Of course my kids have to put in their two cents. My middle son said I should name him Clyde. My daughter says he now looks like a booger. And most people who see him wonder why I made him in such a weird position. My reply is that I tend to like motion rather than stasis in my work....


Ummmmm. I stand corrected. I guess Clyde the boogerman (bogeyman?) had his own issues.



Bad Clyde!

This one is finally going up for sale tomorrow morning. I am going to try eBay again, though I haven't been particularly successful there in the past. I don't think I tag things well, so I am going to run through some tutorials again before I post her.


If any of my artsy friends in the blogosphere have good eBay tagging tips, I would be extremely grateful to hear them! How would you list this alien gal and her doll?

Many thanks to all! Thanks for popping by!

Until next time, happy sales!

Theresa

A Special "Thank You" to Prim and Whimsy! SO CUTE!

I entered a giveaway last week at http://www.primandwhimsy.com/ and look what I won! It is a stump doll called Scaredy Cat that was created by Betsy at Foothill Primitives.

This wonderful little prize arrived quickly, was packaged beautifully and is very well made. Many thanks to all of the artists at Prim and Whimsy, but especially Betsy.

Scaredy Cat has a place of honor between my favorite skeleton and our pumpkinhead doll.

Many thanks!

Theresa

Man, Was I Bored Last NIght

That's about the only excuse I can come up with for this..ahem....creature. I was playing around with Sculpey for the first time and this is what came out to play.

In the past I have used Premo and Cernit, but not the regular ol' Sculpey. TOTALLY different. I can't believe the difference in texture. Sculpey is far softer, as is evidenced by all of the fingerprints that will never, never ever be sanded off.

Yes, Virginia, I am THAT lazy.

This is an "as is" sort of guy. I think the minor flaws add to his joyful countenance. No one will ever hate him because of his beauty, that's for sure!

Any polymer clay gals (or guys) out there....any advice on how to best rid a Sculpey piece of surface flaws prior to the toaster oven treatment?

Many thanks for popping by!

Until next time, happy new technique learning!

Theresa

Society of Eclectic Halloween Artists Super Prize!!! I Can't Believe How Lucky I Am!

Let me preface this by saying I should say, "Don't be jealous that I was lucky enough to win the SEHA giveaway" but it is probably impossible to NOT be jealous of such a great prize, so let me just bypass the self effacing drivel and show you all of the fabulous goodies that have come my way.

Mail has become the highpoint of the day around here. The kids are as excited as I am to see what new piece of Halloweenish goodness has landed on our doorstep.

Look out for the zombie! He is constantly getting underfoot and into things better left undisturbed. He was a gift from Maya at Static White's Stitchery and is just a hoot and a half. He came in his own body bag, which doubles as a mini tissue holder.

Time for the extreme undead close-up.

Check out Static White's world at http://staticwhite.blogspot.com/

Next up, a Halloween box from Cindy Tevis. This box is of such nice quality! Beautifully heavy in the hand, artfully wrought and skillfully finished.

Guess who was in the lovely red velvet lined box? This charming little jack. Too cute!
You can find Cindy at http://shabbyhagdecor.blogspot.com/ or http://halloweenspirit.etsy.com/

When first I saw this little gem from Cloretta Ann Orr, I thought the gift was the charming box. It is so detailed and sweet, right down to the wee orange rick-rack on the sides. Little did I know that in the box there were even more little charmers....candles. Sweet fall colored candles in the shape of falling leaves. Delightful! These are from the Old Witchey Poo Candle Company. Take a peek at http://www.oldscaldedog@yahoo.com/













Isn't this ACEO a delight? The colors are bright, bold and striking in real life. Perfectly Halloweenish. It came from Marceline Hayes, also known as Phoebe43 on eBay. Go to eBay to see what she has for auction.
This delightful ACEO has a special place on my Halloween table as it is just the right size, shape and color to set off a basket of fall leaves.


Before I talk about this next one, I have to tell you about it's packaging . I swear, the packaging was almost as sweet as the prize. I could tell that a lot of care was taken with this one. Very, very professional.

This is a handstamped paper candy container. It has black gems affixed at the corners and lovely ribbon around the base. It was made by Brialee Haworth-Walker at Raven Fae's Creations. You can find more of her work, including some handmade sculpts at http://ravenfaescreations.etsy.com/ or read what is new in her world at http://ravenfaescreations.blogspot.com/



When you open it up, look what is inside. Too sweet!


Speaking of great packaging, here is another example where the artist went above and beyond. The purplish Frankenstein is the packaging. It was finished with a satin ribbon and a tiny pumpkin button. Very, very cute. It was sent by Robert Brawley at Halloween Fanatic Originals. Find links to his work on his blog http://twinklestricksandtreats.blogspot.com/












Who doesn't love original artwork? Especially
Halloween artwork? My daughter has
dibsies on the pumpkin man in the
party hat.


Please pardon my somewhat lame attempt at "clever" photography with this one. I have wicked dishpan hands right now due to paperclay, wet felting and, well....dishes. I didn't want to scare people by using my man hands as a backdrop for such lovely jewelry. I thought the wine glass would be less distracting, though it makes me want a glass of wine to go with the cool jewelry. These awesome little gems were sent by Dawn Dzielski at House of 1000 Spirits.
See more at http://stores.ebay.com/House-of-1000-Spirits



The macrame on the bracelets is so intricate looking! Everyone who has seen these in person has just loved them!


Even the zombie can't keep his hands off of them. (You should see what he has done with the cat!)

This next face is so dear. Isn't he darling? Doesn't he look as though he knows all of the secrets? I adore his party hat and his festoon of green tinsel. Very, very festive!
This moon man is a cherished gift from Debb George at Halloween Jingle Bells Boo!
Look on her blog for links to more of her exciting work: http://halloweenjinglesbellsboo.blogspot.com/



The colors on this piece from Byrum Art are amazing. So amazing that this post can't do them justice. Please take my word....breathtaking!

Please go take a peek at more delicious eye candy at http://www.ronbyrum.com/


This last piece makes me smile! I can't figure out of this was part of the SEHA giveaway or something else, but it was the first to arrive. What it lacks in Halloweenishness, it makes up for in hand crafted charm. My kids already know where it should go in the Spring.



Because of this kind offering, they now know the word for flowers in French and what a bee skep is. Many many thanks to Gary and Pat Sergent!

AND MANY, MANY THANKS TO THE TALENTED ARTISTS OF SEHA!
Keep tabs on their Halloween-y goodness by following them at http://sehacreations.blogspot.com/

Until next time, happy mailbox moments!

Theresa

Halloween at my Home, Another Sweet Award, and Coming Soon....SEHA goodies!

Inquiring minds have asked, so I thought I would take the time and post a few pix of some of my Halloween decorations. We don't do too much outside because we are normally not home on Halloween and I think kids are disappointed when there is a really cool house and no candy, but we do a fair bit on the inside. Here are a few small examples:

You remember my WIP, Scary Snowman. As you can see, he is still a WIP. I have been so busy that all he can do is sit and smile and wait for me to get back to work on him.

This is our front door, festooned with spiders and a light up web. We take it down and put it up as needed.

The night light, so the kiddies can find their way to the bathroom at night. It is pretty bright, too, so they can also see what they are doing. Saves mommy LOTS of clean up.

Here is our SPPOOOKY wall sconce. Well, not spooky, but it does have orange and black for the holidays and it casts some cool shadows.

Here are a few items on the table my darling husband put together for me. I love paper mache! Also, please note the wicked cool zombie to the right of the candle. I won him from Static White Stitchery and he is awesome!!!! I'll post a bigger picture of him next week, but you can see more at her site. Find her work at http://swstitchery.etsy.com/


On that note, I was a big prize winner in a SEHA giveaway. SEHA stands for the Society of Eclectic Halloween Artists and all of the artists represented there are just wonderful. I have been recieving gorgeous items in the mail all week long. This weekend I am going to take some good pictures of everything for a special SEHA post that will be up and ready for perusal early next week. Look for it! And while you wait, be sure to check them all out at http://sehacreations.blogspot.com/

And now to my award. Many thanks to Marzel (the magnificent, in my opinion), who is such a wonderful and giving person. Truly, truly amazing. Check her out at http://theplayoflightandshadows.blogspot.com/

The rules are: Answer the questions with only one word, award six people the award and notify them that they won... It is that easy!!

What wonderful Award!
********************************************
1 Where is your cell phone? Purse
2 Your hair? Bottled
3 Your mother? Funny
4 Your father? Smart
5 Your Favorite food? Pizza
6 Your dream last night? Peaceful
7 Your favorite drink? Gin
8 Your dream/goal? Showcase
9 What room are you in? Bedroom
10 Your hobby? Blogging
11 Your fear? Loss
12 Where do you want to be in six years? Happyplace
13 Where were you last night? Bunco
14 Something that you aren't? Wealthy
15 Muffins? Sure
16 Wish list item? STUDIO
7 Where did you grow up? SoCal
8 Last thing you did? Coffee
19 What are you wearing? Aliens
20 Your Tv? Off
21 Your pets? Ancient
22 Friends? Yep
23 Your life? Scrumptious
24 Your mood? Duckandcover
25 Missing someone? Always
26 Vehical? Feet
27 Something your not wearing? Shoes
28 Your favorite store? MariPat's
29 Your favorite color? Sage
30 When was the last time you laughed? Today
31 Last time you cried? Past
32 Your best friend? Foreverness
33 One place that I go over and over? Brain
34 One personwho Emails you regularly? MaryEllen
35 Favorite place to eat? Christies

Over the Top Awards go to

Octoberfarm http://octoberfarm.blogspot.com/

Static White http://staticwhite.blogspot.com/

Icky Dog Creations http://ickydogcreations.blogspot.com/

She's Off Her Rocker http://shesoffherrocker.blogspot.com/

A Faerie Tale of Inspiration http://a-faerietale-of-inspiration.blogspot.com/

Dark Raven's Nest http://darkravensnest.blogspot.com/

Until next time, happy Halloween prep!

Theresa

Hair Here-But With Complaints From The Daughter

Bye-bye Bratz doll. Hell-o alien doll. Alien doll with hair, that is. And that is where the drama starts.

I LOVE having a teenage daughter. Mine is pretty easy to deal with these days (knock on wood, formica, the computer, and anything else that will keep this going) but she is DEFINITELY not shy when it comes to voicing her opinions.

This is a good thing, for the most part.

Bottom line- She hates this doll with hair. She feels she is less alienesque with the hair.

I can see her point. But I didn't let her opinion sway me too much. I didn't feel as though I had to make a 'stereotypical' alien doll. I left it as is.

Now my girl just looks and shakes her head.

I tried to explain....This one landed on earth and can't find her way back, so she is trying to assimilate. She made a wig and a dress. Heck, she even made a doll, but so far no one will play with her.

She will wait patiently. After all, it may take hundreds of years for her family to send a ship to bring her back home. She may as well make the best of it while she is here, no?

Well, I am off to finish her for real this time and to do the finish work on the Santa gourd and the Scary Snowman gourd. I am having company for dinner this week and would hate to see eleven ladies picking paperclay and wool out of their tea sandwiches. Not very charming!

Until next time, happy decision making.

Theresa

Little Stuff- From the Perspective of my Creations

"When are you going to finish me? My hat just needs to be tied to my chin and I need my candy box painted. It would take about 15 minutes if you would just DO it! It's been WEEKS!"

"What about us? YOU try sitting around as a disembodied head and see how you like it! Seriously, 30 minutes and we would all have bodies. An hour and we could all be in position and then it is just finish work. Puh-leeze, you lazy thing!"

"Thanks for the eyes."

"Ummmm, am I supposed to be scary or cute? Cutely scary? What's my motivation? Oh, and while you're at it, try getting the sanding dust out of my eyes. Duh!"

"Well, at least you finished me. Now what are you going to do with me?"

Is it any wonder that I am a little "off"?

More soon. Hopefully things will quiet down around here when I am done!

Thanks for popping by! Happy Autumn!

Theresa