Finger bones! What a fun pendant for Halloween. Hang it on a black cord and you are set! It is life size and articulated so you can shape it if you like.
Polymer clay, beads and wire.

Dragonfly necklace

Made of polymer clay beads and wire, this is the (first) result of a necklace project that was taught by Christi Friesen at her workshop in Edmonds  Washington in August. I've played with it off and on in between working on other projects and decided today to call it done.
It isn't exactly what I planned but my stuff usually surprises me. I'd do some things differently and will, as this is just the first!!
The firefly was first too small and now is too big, and although it lays fairly nicely I would organize the main pieces differently. In fact I did but.... didn't prepare some of the connecting factors well enough. It is finished with a satin finish to which I added some iterference green, blue and gold.

Phoenix

Phoenix soon

Phoenix is done! I will get pictures today.
I think I've worked at this for months!
I love working with seed beads. It reminds me of coloring with crayons but using beads instead. I just sit and fill in the blanks!

I Live

This neck piece was done in honor and appreciation for Life, this Earth, Her beauty and generosity, and with love for Her and for all Life.
It was first painted, then beaded.

Christi's Steampunk fish

The two day workshop with Christi Friesen was a blast! Whether or not you are interested in polymer clay you would have loved this.
Christie's personality and ability to spread fun is contagious.

But then if you are in to polymer clay at all, you are bound to learn a scad of new ideas and tricks to make your own work better. Christie is thorough and patient, you couldn't ask for a better teacher!

She who would be who she would be

Except for the garden she stands in "She who would be..." is finished.
I wanted a beach comber doll. She refused. I decided with her uptilted head she could be a bird watcher. She refused. She even attempted to self destruct! She upped the heat on the oven and scorched her fingers. (What you see now are prosthesis of sorts.) Before I agreed to the necessary surgery I had my own little tizzy and threw her under the table and tried to ignore her. She pulled on my pants leg, mumbled and grumbled and generally caused so much havoc in the studio I was forced to pull her back up and see what I could do. None of this changed her haughty attitude at all. She thinks she is an aristocrat at least and maybe royalty!
I quit arguing. This is She. She who would be what she would be.

Green Goddess Doll

This is the Green Goddess doll done in Christie Friesen's class. I was great fun to take this class and learn how she does her amazing work and meet fellow classmates who are interested in making similar creations. There are definitely some things I will do differently on the next one, but all and all I am not too dissatisfied.

Great Horned Owl neckpiece

He is somewhat crowded onto the scanner. I will take a good photo once I have the chain connected that will put him around the neck.

He has been a joy to bead. One of my strongest most beloved totem.

Out the front window:

The Gaia group's question of the day was "where in your life were you happiest?"
When I was a child I sketched many a picture of a cabin in the woods with deer in the front yard. It was a persistant dream to live in the woods near a creek in a green world.

Later while raising young children and moving often due to being a military family we often found homes in the country on water, so the striving and learning continued.

When the children were grown Bill and I were still young enough to follow our dream, (he now also wanted to try this quiet natural life) we searched and found the perfect place.

I was never happier than when we were on the mountain property, building our home, developing the water and power systems, (we were miles from "conveniences") and living the life. Every summer for 19 years and full time for 7 years we lived an enchanted life.

Now, back in civilization, I cherish those years, the memories of the joys I felt there.

My dream materialized.

Beaded ribbon bracelet. That nasty doll isn't getting all my attention.

I will be what I will be

InaRae had an idea for an art doll. Ha! She is going to take Christie's Green Goddess class. she think she can learn how to control strong minded dolls. Ha! I started out to be a beach comber, that is what she thought. I immediately tilted my proud chin to the sky and blew that plan. Me? Poking around on a beach hunting rocks and shells and such trivia? Ha! InaRae thought okay, maybe she is a bird lady, looking to the sky, ready to feed little birds from seed in her basket. Ha! I have handmaidens to do that for me. Birds indeed. I want to wear Royal Purple. I want gold trim and sky symbols on my gown. I want my hair done up like a queens. Indeed! InaRae does have a lot to learn about dolls. Think Christie's class will help? Wink!!

Gera Scott Chandler

http://amusedcreations.blogspot.com/

The above is a blog by an artist who actually gets things done!!
My doll work has been progressing so slowly I decided to send you to see a completed doll that I just love. While I am doodling with little details and questions and decisions Gera Scott Chandler makes wonderful dolls. I'm going to get a picture to show you, her blog address is above. I know you will enjoy.

Beach comber is now Bird Woman

Beach Comber I has become Bird Woman. (Beach Comber 2 is okay with who she is) Funny how creations have minds o their own. Her head is angled up and wants to stay that way. But a beach comber must be searching the ground before her, not be surveying the skies. And so she will have her way of course!

Beach Comber

I am creating an art doll that will be called Beach Comber. I am collecting and creating various sea shapes, shells, pebbles, star fish, kelp, fish, and fibers so far. I've made the armature for the frame and now I'm working on the arms. It feels right to be making this special creature.

vote for Teresa

Our friend and neighbor, whose young former soldier stepson died in January.
She is singing for him and it is heartfelt. Please click here to listen, and vote.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrBXUq5Sick

today

It is art day at the clubhouse where a few of us who love to create go to play on Friday's. Last week someone else needed the clubhouse for a big sale so we've been 2 weeks and I'm anxious to get going. I'm taking acrylics and plan to start a mew picture of the yard with the fish pond from a photo I took last summer. It is sunny and beautiful in the photo and again today.
Could spring be truly thinking about settling in? I so hope.

Little Hummer's beak

I guess figuring out how to make the little guy's beak was my biggest challenge. I wanted to make something that looked right but was not too sharp, as it is to be worn as a pin. Also it needed to be well anchored so it wouldn't slide out, or pull out easily.
I ended up forming polymer clay over an eye pin. I set it into place and anchored it by stitching through the eye over and over until it was holding fast. Hope this solution will be of help to someone else who needs to anchor a beak!

Little Hummer

Little Hummer pin

Twentyfive things

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs (or the + sign) on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

1. my goal is to be organized, though it isn't going to happen.

2. I play every day almost.

3. Nothing is more important than the free library, unless it's the internet..

4. Not seeing in color is unimaginable.

5. I love to learn.

6. my uniform is blue jeans.

7. There is a little star tattood on my right wrist, leftover from study-hall 6th grade.

8. Putting your face against a horses neck can make you calm and give you strength.

9. Planting a garden is like making magic.

10. I love paint, beads, clay and paper.

11. Have little sense of smell but lavender and honeysuckle come through. Thank goodness.

12. I try to keep up a lbog and a written log.

13. I hate to be wrong, so I am usually right. :)

14. I could live on buttered noodles. (but I better not.)

15. My favorite song is "Smoke gets in your eyes".

16. Or maybe it's "I'd like to teach the world to sing", because it says what I feel.

17. I met a young man who made sand castles, works of art, all down the Pacific, and smiled when waves washed them away of kids stomped on them.

18. I believe animals have souls, and they are precious.

19. My favorite book in the last 5 years is Merle's Door.

20. It's important to have a good brain but you also need a good imagination and kindness.

21. I loved going to college with younger students all around. Great energy!22. I have a great family.

23. Spring is in my blood all year long.

24. Why aren't unicorns on the endangered species list?

25. Why do people kill people to show that killing people is wrong?

Rainbow Fairy

Partially done fairy, using paint (acrylic fabric paint including irridescent and pearlescent) cotton floss and seed beads. I do not know the name of the artist who did the painting that originally inspired this. I loved the radiant yet soft colors so wnated to see what I could do with it. It changed considerably when I sketched it but I tried to stay true to the colors. Now I am trying to figure out what it will be. I'm not a quilter but think maybe this will be stitched onto a darker background fabric and see what happens from there.

ring around the moon

It took my breath away! Laurie told me it was caused by ice crystals and that's right. So much magic in a little ice crystal or two? I promise myself I will examining the moon every night She is visible to see what else she might want to share with me.

There are coronas, pillars, halos and rainbows that she sometimes displays as well as rings.

See Keith Cooley's moon page with lots of interesting stuff by clicking the link above. (Ring around Moon)