Frozen Charlotte dolls and heads

I was fortunate to come across a great lot of these dolls and the heads.

These are a great piece to use in any of your 3D collages that you might do. Or in my case jewelry I might create. I made this lovely bottled angel doll using one of the charlotte doll heads.

Though what if you have a flat canvas or board that you want to add one of these charlotte heads to. Well, that came to my mind. So I thought about it and…. Resin or Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel. I have created several molds of these doll heads using Knead a Mold. I let the molds set up. Then mixed the two part resin together and poured into a mold. Making sure it stays level for the resin to harden with a flat back. So I set it aside and it’s usually a couple days later that I come back to it. Pop it out of its mold. I get this clear doll head with a flat back.

Just right for gluing to a creative block or such. Though what fun is a clear faced and haired doll head. Thinking this further, I pulled out my stash of Alcohol Inks from Tim Holtz Adirondack line. Using the new fill able pens, I colored the dolls. Here are just a couple examples of the first ones that I had done.

On the back I colored one with a solid silver color. The other I left alone. The sky is the limit with these dolls.

I am working on a couple creations using these dolls. So stay tuned to see that I do with them.

Happy Birthday Sister

You are gone but not forgotten. You are a part of why I bring out my creative side, life is short. You have to find time to do the things you love to do. It is an interesting fact I found out earlier this week. Yours is a special day that you share with Tim Holtz. Happy Birthday to you both.
Ok, in my life I have come to a realization things happen for a reason. Even the things you so badly didn’t want to happen. It’s not until many years later that I realized the path my life was taking, was leading me to where I am today. Right where I should be. I’m sure everyone has those “what if” thoughts and moments in their life.

Even in my creating, I have done a lot of over thinking in the past. That “what if” I use these colors or put this paper there or use this stamp on that. There is some thought to what you’re creating. Though now in my creating I stand in front of my supplies in my studio and ask myself “what do I want to work with today?” Pull those supplies or tools out on my table and start at it. As far as what goes where, I don’t know until I come to it and put it down somewhere. I already over think too much stuff in my life. When I create I want to get away from that side of my brain. That is what I want to continue to work on for this year. So my What if is going out the window. Just do it, is knocking at my door.

I am sharing some of my newest creations that I've worked on. Tag size #8 is the perfect size to work on. You can create back grounds on these to then combine into signatures for a journal book, for a great size to carry around with you. Putting those thoughts and ideas down on paper when they come to you. I also like these tags for when I am done I scan them into my computer. Print them off in small picture form. To put between two pieces of glass and solder to finish it off. Now I have a mini master piece I can carry around with me and share with people. I will share some photos of my pendants that I create from these creations.

Stickles are great. Before stickles I steered clear of glitter. this tag I used Diamond stickles to bling out the blue rays at the top.

Now on to starting my configuration. It has been sitting on my shelf for the last couple weeks. Though I have been gathering my ephemera and such to go inside.

I'll leave you with this thought.
There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness but of power. They are messengers of overwhelming grief and of unspeakable love.

12 days of Christmas Tree

So are you surprised. Two posts in one day. I worked on getting my ornaments on to my tree. It is a metal tree that I have hanging on my main door. No need for floor or table space. It's great when you don't have much of that to spare.
So enjoy the photo I took of all the fabulous ornaments. I would like to thank all the great artists who came together for this Ornament swap. I had lots of fun creating my ornament. And the anticipation of opening each ornament once they are received was well worth it.
Now getting to enjoy the holiday spirit every time I look at my ornament tree.
Happy Holidays to all!

12 days of Christmas Ornament

Hello there,
I know it has been a Looonnnnnnggggg time since blogging. My day job along with other activities have kept me busy. Though I thought I would share with you the ornament I made as part of an ornament swap I was in. I chose Four Calling Birds

Quotes

Coming back to my real world after being away at Art and Soul this quote a co-worker forwarded to me is a great one.
"Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul."
Don't count your years, make your years count.
Cheers!
Melissa

Faces are being drawn

Enjoying my time learning to draw faces and create while at Art and Soul in Misty Mawns class.

Cheers!

A summer time project

I have been here and around over this summer time. One of my many big projects I worked on tackling is the new flooring that I put down through out most of my house. I'm standing in my kitchen and the flooring is in the kitchen the dining area, hall ways, bathroom, studio, and laundry room.

The far room is my studio, it gets great natural light. Still a work in progress.

Can you see what pattern the flooring is? Well here are a few hints.

Do you see a pattern.
So here is a close up of my new vinyl flooring. Leaves!

There is a story behind this flooring. When I first moved into my house, back in 2001, I had new carpet put in and new flooring in the kitchen. Which was smaller at that time and I had a different flooring put down before I did my remodel 3 years ago. At that time I had a Utility room, 10 feet by 12 feet. Well I put off new flooring in that room, though I had what I wanted all picked out. Are you thinking was it this leaf pattern. Yes it was. I still had the catalog showing this pattern with big circles and X's all over it. Though when I did my remodel 5 years down the road, in 2006, I don't know what I was thinking. When it came time to get the flooring it was wood flooring, bamboo to be exact, that I went with. Don't get me wrong wood flooring is a great thing. I lived with it for a few years. Then in one of my many decluttering moods. I came across that old flooring catalog with this leaf pattern. It still spoke to me. Surprising enough the pattern was still being made. The wood floor just didn't represent me, in my house. This is me. I love the Fall season. All the leaves as they change colors. The crisp morning air.

So this was just one of my summer projects taking place. Stay tuned for the exterior transformation of my yard. Still in progress.

The wood flooring, you may ask, was able to be pulled up and went to a good home. My brother and sister-in-laws.

Still moving forward.

I've found the lights

Going through one of my many boxes looking for paper and supplies I came across the strand of lights. Voila, let there be light.
I can cross that off my list.
On to the next.

Melissa

Chandelier - Finally

Alright Alright. I'm being bugged about not posting photos of my chandelier from the workshop I took with Sally Jean back in July. So I'm a little behind. I've been busy, who hasn't.

So here they are.
This is what was hanging on the hook in the corner of my living room above my couch.

And now I have my chandelier there. Though I have added more of the coccoon beads from a charm swap I was in earlier this year after taking this picture. My theme for my chandelier is butterflies and nature.

A close up of the lower half of my chandelier. I added pearls to the middle area as I felt it needed something.

The upper half of my chandelier. I cut out panels from this resin sheet that I created. I put in pressed flowers and leaves along with a few sayings I cut out from some books. In my living room I already have a leaf theme going on, so the pressed flowers and leaves seemed appropriate. As with anything it may be complete for now. Though there are always changes and additions that will be done to it. One thing, I need to create more of the baby butterflies for around the top.

Now I just need to find where I put the clear strand of lights, so I can have it light up at night.

Moving Forward

Melissa

Finale Necklace

My soldering buddy Rebecca took this photo of me modeling my creation in Sally Jeans Finale studio workshop.