Taking Shape

After a little more research on doll making & some trial & error with the paper mache, I believe my Alice is starting to take the form of a doll!

I decided to make 2 heads - one with sculpted features (to the left) & one with no features (above) because I have this image in my head of painting the face in a little bit of an avatar/Japanese style, but I don't know if I can pull it off with out having to resurface the head to paint over what I screwed up! Ugh! It's always the first try at something that makes you so timid!!

Either way, working with Activa's CelluClay is fabulous! So much better than the strips of paper in the glue mess! AND it can be sped-dry in the oven! So instead of days, it only takes hours (depending on the thickness of the layers). Simply fab when you're on a deadline!

As the heads are "cooking," I am forming the lower half of the legs & trying to figure out how to do the hands. I don't think I can do the fingers that small in the CelluClay, but I might try it anyway. I desperately wish I had a doll push mold, but in some ways I think that's cheating!

Well, off to enjoy a glass of vino, brainstorm a little on the shadow box & then cook dinner with the hubby!

Project: 5% completed
Deadline : Still 10/1 to ship out!
Days remaining: 40

Alice is in the Building!

It's 11 pm & in an effort to avoid another sleepless night, I have been brainstorming all day & well into the evening on the "Alice Project," as I have affectionately come to call it today!

After running an idea past my mom this morning, I think that I have the basics figured out on the external structure of "The Project" & spent all my free time today researching how to make a papier mache art doll for my Alice.

First of all, it's hard to find any online help on making these art dolls! It would appear that artists who specialize in this rather odd area don't divulge their secrets too willingly!
And! Who knew that papier mache could be so complicated! There's the original "French" way of making pulp first & then sculpting with it. But it takes a day or two to make the pulp! Then there's the way we did it in grade school with the balloon & strips of newspaper, but apparently, that way is outdated & probably wouldn't work for this anyway! So off to the library I went with Maggie in tow!

Once there, the meager selection of doll books depressed me & the papier mache titles were slim pickins too! The only book I found was "Make Something Ugly for a Change," by Dan Reeder. He describes an altogether different way of using paper, paste & cloth than what I'm used to! But, I'm game! I'll give it the 'ol college try! At least he has talent & wonderful instructions!! His collection of "merry" monsters is outstanding! Check it out at www.monster-man.com.

Later, after a little more research online for a back-up plan, I began to sketch my Alice's face this evening & think that in honor of Tim Burton's macabre style & upcoming version of Alice in Wonderland, MY Alice will have a little dark side to her. I found inspiration in several drawings of Alice, as well as some Japanese Anime images. We'll see if I can replicate my Alice-face onto the form once I have the doll done!

I think I can safely say that I am on my way to being 10% done with the concept! I am hoping that once the doll is done, the rest will just fall into place!

See you tomorrow, when I will be ass-over tea kettle in goo & newspaper!

Come with Me Through the Looking Glass!

I went to bed last night, picked up the 3rd book in the Twilight series, read my obligatory 5 pages before my eyes began to shut. Off went the lights! I was out cold in 10 minutes when Nick decided to snuggle up to me & wake me up! Grrrr! It's so rare that I fall asleep that fast! After that, I was unable to get back to sleep because visions of Alice were running around in my head!

You see, my mom & I have decided to enter Stampington Publications call for projects that center around Tim Burton's upcoming rendition of Alice in Wonderland.

(Don't you just LOVE Johnny Depp!)

I had all these ideas of how to accomplish my project going through my head that I just couldn't get back to sleep! Ideas of art dolls, painting & glass kept blasting past my mind's eye & figured it was a sign for me to get to work on this crazy challenge! My only hope is that my brain-candy can be transferred into a workable piece of art!!!


Project started: .05%
Deadline: October 15th, 2009
Days left: technically 51 (but will be gone 1 week in Oct., so really only 44!)

Wish me luck!

Validation Feels Good!

I've won a little contest on "A Peek into Yesterday's" website. It was a tiny little challenge to create a layout using photos of your parents as children. I say "little," because there were only 4 entries, but it still feels good to be the winner. And it's always nice to have your talent validated, right! So now, I have a little $20 GC to spend in their store! A nice little bonus for doing what I love!

I've been busy these past few weeks - been up to the family cabin with my fabulous sister & great BFF for a little R&R & crafting. We had a wonderful time hanging out, enjoying the views, the weather, the crafting, the girl talk & a little too much food & drink!

After finishing another travel journal for Scrap-a-Teeny Girls (that makes 3!), I decided to work on some of my personal stuff. I had a fun time trying to fit 3x5 photos onto a 7 Gypsies "city scape" album! I am still in the process now! Ugh! I think I need to reprint them into a smaller format & re-think my layouts. Either way, I covered the album w/some vintage-style papers & postcard images & now just need to fit my picts in. It'll be great when its done!

On a more personal note, I am in the lovely process of trying to lose weight before October 3rd. That's when my hubby & I are heading to LA to board a ship for a little anniversary cruise to Mexico! I hate exercising & dieting, but I feel poopie after gaining 15-20lbs over the last 5 months & really need to get back on track! So I am off to exercise right now! Have some chocolate for me everyone!

Scrapbooks, life & funny pink stuff...

"Road Trip"

It's been a busy couple of days for me!
I have finished one of my travel-themed albums & now I am hard at work on the 2nd one!

(Just a little sneaky peeky of the vintage-style Hawaii album I am working on now!)

In between all this wonderful time I've had working on these albums, I have been uploading new photos to The Scrap-a-Teeny Girls' flickr album! Most of the work we haven't sold will hopefully be up over the next couple of days as well!

We are in the process of trying to figure out if the online venues (Etsy & eBay) are worth our time & money to sell these creations of ours. So, over the next week, we three will check out some of the local shops that showcase local artists. I'll let everyone know soon!

On a personal level, I am behind on everything! The laundry keeps piling up; the dishes never end, the fridge is looking a little bare & there's this funny pink stuff growing in the upstairs toilet! I have a long list of things I WANT to do around the house - like re-decorate the kitchen into a fun milk-theme, but time & money are holding me back at the moment. But that's a whole other blog! ;-)

Over the weekend, I got together with my BFF Rachel & went to the Fancy Tiger's 3 yr anniversary party. It was great fun & very inspiring! Afterwards, we visited the local Goodwill for some great treasures! I am just itching to paint & sew some great new purses! Oh, why can't I be a better multi-tasker like my mom!! She's always got at least 3 projects in the works!
Nick got roped into going rafting with his older brother & family who are up at the cabin for the week. So I took advantage of him being gone & dropped Maggie with Auntie Kim for the day/night & tried to get some work done! Didn't accomplish too much, but it was nice to have some uninterrupted time to do nothing in! Then Kim was kind enough to bring Maggie back to me on Sunday & stay for an afternoon of scrapping. Neither of us accomplished much that day either! We did watch some Bond together as well as "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Scrapping in front of the tv is fun, but doesn't help the juices flow!

My wonderful Laughing Magpie is still as busy as ever & I have decided to change her 1/2 days at school 2 days a week to 2 full days so that I might regain some of my sanity & not feel like such a life-slacker!! Plus, she wakes up everyday & asks me if it's a school day! She just loves it!

Nick is crazy-busy with his new office build-out & will hopefully settle down by the end of August when they are hoping to be officially moved in! Until then, he has little time for anything leisurely! We keep talking of a road trip or camping, but he just can't leave for even a long weekend until everything is under control! I am hoping to plan something as a surprise for when things settle down - probably an impromptu camping trip nearby.

Right now, everyone is in bed but me & I am listening to the rain cascade down the windows of my studio. It's such a peaceful way to end a busy day!

Sisters, Scrappin', Wine & Scary Movies!

This has been a pretty good week for me!

With my brother-in-law (Kim's hubby) out of town for the week, Kim & I took advantage of a little girl-time (with kids) & I crashed at her place for a few days. (I think my hubby, Nick, secretly looks forward to this time of peace & quiet AND he gets to sleep in the middle of the bed, where it's not sagging!)

It's also fabulous for me, since I get to have lots of girl time (gossiping, griping & sharing those girly moments!), & scrap most of the day with my sister, who is first & foremost, my BFF! Sure, I have another BFF & lots of great gal-pals, but Kim always comes first (sorry BFF #2!). It wasn't always like that - we fought like cats & dogs when we were younger. Funny how time changes things! Now, we hardly go a day without talking!

It wasn't all smooth sailing this week though - We had to deal with a very active 3 yr-old, a "bored" tweener, & a couple of crazy-barking dogs. And to top it all off, plumbing issues for the better part of a day! But amidst the chaos, we scrapped, played Bananagrams with cocktails in the evening (SOOO much fun!) & we watched 2 very stupid "scary" movies - we should have skipped the IFC ones & just watched the re-makes of Friday the 13th & My Bloody Valentine! Then we wouldn't have felt so cheated after-wards! (Don't bother with "Dark Mirror" or "Surveillance "!) Since our boys never like to watch the scary ones, so we like to get together for the terrifying ones! So far, nothing beats The Strangers ('08) for scaring the crap out of us!!!

The other benefit of hanging with her this week, is that we started on some new Scrap-a-Teeny Girls work! We are both working on travel albums to sell on ourEtsy site! Here's a little sneak peak of mine...
(Road Trip travel album in chipboard & acrylic)

We also brainstormed with our pal Rachel about possibly finding a local venue to either display/sell or buy outright our work to get some more exposure. The Etsy thing isn't going so great. We will talk to mom when she returns from a week in Ohio with friends to see whether we want to give eBay another shot or try the local venues. Either way, we had a great couple of days working on our projects together & swapping ideas.
Needless to say, there's nothing like a sister! I love you Kim!!!

PS - check out my Flickr Gallery by the end of the weekend! I should have some new work up by then - I have finally finished putting together my albums from our Italy trip from 2 years ago!!

The Scrap-a-Teeny Girls

Just a quick little note to let everyone know that we, The Scrap-a-Teeny Girls, have just marked down our Teeny Albums on Etsy by 15%! Pass it on!

Hope everyone has a happy & safe 4th of July!