China Head Tin Doll

I love vintage china doll heads, especially when you add them to other vintage items to create a unique doll, as I've done here.

It all started when I found this miniature vintage Desitin tin at craft depot for under $2.

I knew right away it was going to be a doll body. I took doll legs from an old doll and made arms from polymer clay.

I had some rusted wire, which I used to form a pleated skirt.

My favorite part is the faux wind-up key in the back. I put her on an old block letter tile and attached a vintage dog to her wrist (with flower & button accent). The crown is made from vintage text and some washi tape. She measures about 5" high.

Mini Santos Workshop

Yesterday, we had a fun workshop here at my home. It was a perfect day for being indoors with family and friends creating, while it was pouring rain outside. We made cute mini santos dolls from polymer clay.

Below is how they looked before they went into the oven...kinda spooky looking huh?

A few photos of the girls at work...

I love how each santos doll came out so differently, with their own personality.

I served some homemade lemon bars for snacks during class. I altered a favorite recipe by adding walnuts to the crust and it turned out delicious. In my opinion, a dessert is not a dessert worth eating unless it has nuts...I'm crazy over nuts!

Here's the recipe (thanks to my friend Dalia for the original recipe)...

Lemon Walnut Squares

1 cup flour
1/2 cup soften butter
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice (1 lemon)
zest from 1 lemon

Pre-heat oven to 350. Mix flour, butter and confectioners sugar. You'll have to use your hands and really knead the dough together. Press dough into ungreased square 8x8x2 inch pan. Sprinkle walnuts on top of crust and press into dough. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Beat remaining ingredients together for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Pour over hot crust. Bake for 25 minutes longer or just until no imprint remains when the egg filling is touched lightly in the center.

My sister Lana went to Scrapbook Territory Saturday morning (before class) to pick up the French General items and it turned out that they put even more merchandise out there after I went there on Friday. So, first thing this morning I had to run out there myself to get more. These are so cute, I don't think I want to open the packages to use them.

According to Scrapbook Territory, these items have been flying off the shelves and there's not much left at all. They didn't realize it was going to be such a big hit.

Published in Somerset Life & French General Is Here

We did it...my sisters (I have five of them - no brothers) and I all got our work published together!

In the Spring Issue of Somerset Life my sisters and I have an article in there showing the mini-books we made for each other. On my last birthday, I mentioned to my sisters that all I wanted for my bday was for them to make me a mini-book. Well, they all went above and beyond; therefore, I felt I just had to share them with Stampington & Co. The article features all the mini-books my sisters made, as well as the mini-book thank you notes I made for them.

Below is the mini-book my sister Lana made. Full of ephemeral arranged so magically.

Then my sister, Diana made four mini books attached to a necklace with mini safety pins. Each one opens and are all so uniquely designed.

The mini-books shown above on the right side are the thank you notes I sent my sisters. I used a tiny frame for the cover. I used a size 3 font and printed the thank you note on a small long strip of paper and accoridian-folded the strip for the pages.

Below, on the top half are the mini books my sister, Maryl made. I love her covers with the vintage locket and doll faces are so sweet. The bottom half is the mini-book my sister, Frances made. She pasted small black and white photos of each sister on every page...love the black and white theme.

Above, on the right side is the mini-book my sister, Pat made. She recently got into water color and hand painted each page of the mini-book. Each page is like a miniature painting...how precious is that! Wow, this article is so special to me...I love sharing the creative passion that my sisters have and I'm so thankful to have their support and friendship - they're the best!

So, while at Scrapbook Territory - picking up copies of the magazines for me and my sisters, of course, I had to shop around. I walked the entire store and only picked up a couple of items. Then on the way to the counter I looked at the tables where they stage the new items just received and boy, was I thrilled...French General is here! French General is a store in LA (I've never been to)...but they also have a great web site (https://www.frenchgeneral.com/) where I've found many treasures. Well French General has teamed up with Jolee and has a whole line of goodies out.
Here's what I picked up...

Can't wait to open up the packages and start playing with these!

Pam Garrison Wrapping Paper

I love Pam Garrison's drawings and was thrilled when my sister Lana bought me her wrapping paper. I'm not sure where you can get it anymore...she gave it to me months ago. I used one of the pieces of wrapping paper for the background of my latest paper doll.

This is what Pam Garrison's wrapping paper looks like when you buy it - not your ordinary roll. It comes in a set of flat sheets. You get several designs in the pack.

I decided to make a couple of projects with one sheet of paper. The first is a mini purse I made from one of those mini books. This is what I started with - a mini book I purchased from Craft Depot for .80.

I laminated the wrapping paper with Vinyl Fuse, an iron on vinyl you can find at Joann's. Then I wrapped it around the book cover.

Below is what the back side looks like.

I lined the inside of the purse with fabric and then I attached some ribbon for handles. This purse was just a prototype. I wanted to try something small to see how it would come out. Now I can venture on to something bigger.

The next project I made with Pam's wrapping paper was a mini book.

 It measures about 4.5" x 4.5".

Here's the inside of the book...

 I used some of my recent supplies - tags from Cosmo Cricket.

 Always love to use Catherine Moore stamps.

 Some embellishments from K&C.

 Papers & embellishments from October Afternoon.

 This is the back cover.

That's it! Next on my list of projects is making a clock from an old book.

My New Paper Doll & More Workshop Info...

I just love the papers from pinkpaislee. They have a fun blog: http://www.pinkpaislee.com/pink-paislee-blog/ and web site: http://www.pinkpaislee.com/home.php. I didn't realize that 3 of the sets I recently bought all came from this company. Tonight, I made another paper doll with the paper from the Spring Jubilee line.

In case you're curious, I got the doll head image from this book:

Joanna Pierotti recommended this book in one of the classes I took from her. She uses it as a reference to see how faces were painted on porcelain dolls. They're some great images in there.

I also have a couple new workshops to mention.

As a special request from Debrina Pratt, I will be holding another molding/casting workshop:
Saturday, March 31st
12-3:30pm
$35
Below is a picture from a previous molding workshop.

I have a date set for my class in San Jose, at A Work Of Heart, Aug. 25th 10-12. I'll be teaching the Burlap Santos doll that was published in Somerset Studio Gallery Winter 2012 issue. Here's the link with more information: http://www.aworkofheart.com/calendar/view_event.asp?CalendarID=12426. This will be my first time teaching here. I love the studio and the people that work there - it's so inspiring!

 

I'm also hosting a Debrina Pratt workshop on May 12th; however, at this time the class is full. If I get any cancellations, I'll will post it. If you want to send me an email to be on the waiting list, please do so. She'll be teaching a tin shadow box. The class will be from 1-5, $75. Her work is so adorable, you can see more here: http://www.earthangelstoys.com/html/debrina_pratt_-_fairyland.html

And last, I do have one more spot available for my Mini Santos Class on Saturday, March 24th. Time: 1-4:30pm $30.

Scrapbook Territory Haul & Paper Doll Tag

Today, I had a great haul from Scrapbook Territory in Berkeley. I got some assorted papers and embellishments. Pinkpaislee has this line out called Spring Jubilee.

The papers are so beautiful and the tags will make for some great backgrounds. 

Next, Christy Tomlinson has some great product out as well...

Love that paper doll tissue paper.

Then Collage Press has a line out called London Market, love those spool buttons and large numbers.

Then I got these adorable tags from Cosmo Cricket: Baby Jane & Evangeline. They make for quick and easy projects.

Then some other assorted items...

I love the paper with the tea cups, plates and silverware from Graphics 45. Then I purchased these Martha Stewart paper cup liners from Joann's. They have a scallop edge...perfect for a paper doll skirt.

Here's a paper doll tag I made today with my new supplies.

Learning Calligraphy

My friend, Irene writes beautiful calligraphy and she inspired me to learn it as well. I'm on a waiting list for a calligraphy class at Castle In The Air in Berkeley - but I'm 5th down on the list, so I'm not likely to get in. So...I decided to try to learn it on my own.

Above was my first attempt at playing around with ink and nibs - not great. I went to Castle In The Air last weekend and picked up some basic supplies, but I didn't have a clue what to do. There are many styles of calligraphy, the one I was interested to learn is called Copperplate. I love the thin thick lines. I found a web site that sold a beginners Copperplate kit - http://www.johnnealbooks.com/.

It arrived this Wednesday...oh boy I couldn't wait to start learning. Letter by letter, I practiced.

Now, after reading the step-by-step instructions, I was getting the hang of it.

I was filling up page after page...then I advanced to combining two letters together!

Now on to words and upper case letters...

And I'm on a roll, this is so much fun and addicting...

Next lesson, numbers...

Well, I've come a long way from Day 1...but I know I have lots of practice to do. They suggest several hours a week.  I'm going to try and keep it up, it's so much fun! Who would have thought that with all this collecting of nibs to use for mixed media projects, that I would actually be using them for its original purpose and really appreciate them.