Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Queen of Hearts Doll

 A new Queen of Hearts to start the new year off right. She's looking for a new kingdom to reign in as she has grown bored with her current location.
 She's asked her personal maid to get out her best gown, complete with dotted swiss, embroidered flowers, and layers of sheer tulle under skirt.
 Many of her elements are hand created, with careful attention to detail. We wouldn't want to make the Queen mad you know.
Stop by my ebay listing to learn more about her. Search AHA art.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Angels Among Us....A Valentine Keep

 I'm making a mad dash in to share my newest creation listed at our American Holiday Artists Studios Marketplace.
 Her head is hand sculpted, with feather wings attached. She has a metal heart pocket, perfect for tucking little Valentines or treats in.
She is dressed up with antique buttons, lace, and a tiny rose necklace. Stop by our studios to learn more about her. I'm off to take care of the in-laws for a couple of days. Hope you have a wonderful Monday, oh and Tuesday as well. ;-)

Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas!





Wishing you and yours a a very happy holiday season. May peace, joy and love fill your homes.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Two Heads.....WIPS






I left my sanding block at home so these fellows will have to wait on that before I can continue with them. A Santa and a snowman that will have to make their debut another time. What's the delay? Baking, wrapping gifts, helping friends, dinners, and well.... just life can be the roadblock or the slight delay depending on your mindset. So I'm preferring to look at it as a slight delay, and thus perhaps turn them into more than I'd originally planned. These will both be dolls which is exciting for me. I've always wanted to create a Santa doll so I'm taking the time to do it. What are you working on right now, or have you set aside creativity for the holidays?

Monday, December 13, 2010

What do a snowman and a Santa have in common?

 What do they have in common?
1. They both have to do with Christmas, at least these do...
2. They are both made out of gourds....okay these two are....:-)
3. They can both be found on ebay! These would make special gifts for that someone special, so if you're looking for a last minute gift idea you've come to the right place. Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you are enjoying the season.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Paper Snowflake Tutorial

 Paper snowflakes are so easy that I learned to do them as a child. We would start with an 8.5 by 11 inch sheet of paper.
 Take a corner and bring it over to the opposite edge, making a square. Cut off the excess strip.
 I know this doesn't look square, it's just the way to fold  makes the paper sit on the tablecloth. Now,
 fold your paper over in half, hot dog style. Next you will fold this in half, hamburger style. See below.
 Now you have a smaller square. Next you will fold the square on the folded point in thirds see below. This is folded to the outer edge, but it's popped up.The upper edges should be open edges, no folds.

 Now take a peek inside and see the lower edge in there? You will want to cut the top off even with the shortest corners.
 Taa daah! Oh, that notebook in the background is hubby's day timer. It's his life, if it ever disappeared he would need therapy. ;-)
 Now you decide which edge will be your longer points and start cutting down into the middle of the cone shape, twisted and curving to your heart's content.
 Then you start on the other side and work your way down to the small point, but not all the way through.
 You should have something that looks like this. Now start on the outside edges and make little nips and cuts here and there if you like. Or you can stop where you are and open. I personally and detail crazy so I keep going.
 You can even cut the very tip at the bottom point of your shape.
 Now you are ready for the unveiling of your beautiful creation. Isn't this exciting??? I love to see them unfold and open up as a snowflake blooming.
 Whaalaa! So now, you may say, hmmmm I want the shorter points even shorter so go back and fold this all up, (good luck) and trim off the tips of the shorter points if you wish. Or, next time, make them short in the first place, ;-).
You can prick a tiny hole and string filament through one point to hang from a window, or tree, or where ever. I usually iron these flat with a dry iron after I'm done making them. Good luck, and have fun!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Snowflake Tree

The other night some friends had what they call a snowflake party. They invite several people/families to come over and help cut out snowflakes to decorate their tree. There are no other ornaments on the tree, just snowflakes. It was a nice get together, with food and chatting, and then they got to playing the piano and there was singing and a lot of fun. I LOVE cutting out paper snowflakes! Here's one that I did to show how my mom taught us to cut snowflakes. No two are a like, as in real snowflakes, and they turn out beautifully. Check back and I will give instructions if you are interested. So now, others know what Mom taught us, and her legacy lives on...... in snowflakes.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Winter's Tranquility

This little fellow is all finished now and ready to find a new home on ebay. For all who stop by here's a lovely poem I found in a 1968 Ideals Christmas publication that goes with this wintry scene.
 WINTER'S TRANQUILITY
Ned Nichols

The snow has fallen gently
On meadow tree and brush
To create a tranquil silence,
An almost sacred hush.
 To view a winter landscape
At such a time as this
Is to know a deep contentment,
An unearthly kind of bliss.
It serves to make one humble
To feel His blessings flow
When God speaks in a whisper
With the lovely silent snow.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Glitter or not, here he comes.....

 Sometimes it's a wrestle I go through to decide whether to glitter or not. The dilemma is the fear that if I glitter it will take away from or cover too much, the painted scene on the snowman's "globe".
I've wanted to do some stencil style paintings on a piece or two, and yet, I'm wondering if I'm completely done with this piece now.
The other dilemma is the red pom pom, does it belong, or should it go? Either way, I will be posting this fellow on ebay tonight, depending on whether I get him completely finished or not. So here's a call out to my fellow artists, what do you think, glitter or no, red pom or should it go?

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

A Blue Christmas.....

 The first time I saw a color theme for Christmas decorating that differed from the traditional red and green was when I was in 2nd grade. We had come back from Taiwan earlier in the year where we had bought a living room set made from Teak wood with dark turquoise cushions. The drapes had a peacock feather pattern with a white background and again had the same shade of dark turquoise throughout. So Mom gathered some paraffin wax, candle wicking, our broken crayons, and empty frozen juice containers. She created, with our help, the prettiest column candles to put on her brass dragon candle holders we brought back from Taiwan as well. After the candles were firm, she took more melted paraffin and whipped it with her hand mixer until it resembled snow. She topped the lovely candles with the "snow" and sprinkled on glitter. They were so beautiful we didn't want to burn them, so we didn't....lol. That year we had a turquoise colored Christmas, with other turquoise and white decorations to go along with the candles she made. It was so pretty!
 After I set up homemaking and and tending my babies I bought several books and such on Christmas and found that there are many color schemes people like, such as blue and white, purple and gold, maroon and forest green, white, or white and pink, the possibilities are endless!
For those who like the blue and white theme, I've created this blue and white Santa, made from an empty Caesar's Palace shampoo bottle. He's only 5 1/2 inches tall, so he would tuck in anywhere. Right now he's available on ebay .

What color scheme or theme to you like for Christmas? Do you change each year, or stay the same with an addition or two? I'm traditional, but I can see that having different themes in each room might be fun!