Movie day....................

went to see Les Miserables today

 ~ absolutely awesome. Les Mis was the first live stage production I saw, 20+ years ago, and it was so powerful then and again today.

That was topped off with dessert and coffee at Sabor at Lovedale

desserts to die for. We shared a summer tasting plate and an Aveno Slice ~ yuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyy

Hugs.....................Leanne

Mmmmmmm.................

life just got in the way!!!To say that things were busy in the latter half of 2012 would be a major understatement.
On the work front, the pace was hectic. It has been an interesting year to say the least, probably the most difficult of my working life due to a couple of very difficult staff members, but also the best due to the arrival of 3 amazing colleagues and some fabulous opportunities that came my way. I am very proud to be a teacher in public education and at the end of the school year I was incredibly tired but immensely satisfied with the achievements of 2012 in a truly wonderful school. 2013 will present some difficulties with a few unresolved issues, the wheels of justice are turning slowly, but I have complete faith that justice will be done ~ karma is a real bitch and is going to bite hard!!
On the creating front, things have been moving slowly.
Dolls seem to fill my thoughts and Pinterest has become an invaluable source of inspiration. I have been continuing to develop my sculpting skills through online learning, and by doing and redoing and redoing..............................

Anyway, here's to hoping I am back in blogger land.................

Hugs........................Leanne

It's Been a Long Journey....................

but I think I am finally there.
After doing several 360's, revisiting a variety of techniques and mediums, the visions that have been dancing in my head but eluding my hands have come into reality.
Tonight I am feeling a sense creative satisfaction that I have not felt in a long time. I have been struggling with what I wanted to do and being able to achieve it ~ to the point that at times I was so distracted that I was unable to create!! I am now settled on using polymer clay over a foil armature for the head, creating my own polymer clay eyes rather than painting them onto the doll, a cloth body and polymer clay limbs that are jointed at the shoulders/hips and elbows/knees.
The first 2 girls have come to life this weekend

I have coloured their faces tonight and made the caps for their wigs, but the light was too dull to photograph. They are looking divine with their faces on!!
I have been desperate to learn felting to incorporate into the costuming of the dolls and last Thursday night I had the opportunity to work with a local felter ~ OMG it is the best technique and totally addictive. Yesterday I pulled out some bits and pieces and made my first piece of felt:

This piece will feature in the costume of one of the dolls above.

Hopefully I am now resuming normal programming................................

Hugs.......................Leanne

Element Challenge...........

Kat over at Cloth Doll Artistry has been hosting a challenge in the Art Doll Studio where the inspiration was one of the four elements ~ earth, wind, fire or water. I chose fire and this is the result:

BLAZE

Her limbs are wrapped with sari silk and metallic thread. Her dress is created from 2 pieces of fabric I created using the solvy technique and adorned with vintage velvet flowers. Her wig is handmade and the result of an online class over at A for Artistic.

Currently enjoying the mid year holidays. Spent the first few days in Sydney at the Teachers Federation Annual Conference and have spent the rest of the week "playing" around with dolls and completing some yard jobs that were put on the back burner.
Off to play some more. Think I have finally reached a decision on the direction I am heading with my dolls.

Hugs......................Leanne

Painted................

Have had a lovely day playing. My elements challenge doll isn't finished, but not much more to do. I have been working on her wig using a new technique which I am very pleased with.
The girls are painted:

Off to bed, big day craft shopping tomorrow!!

Hugs................................Leanne

Update..............

a busy week here due to mid year assessment and reporting, but as I have a little play in cyberspace, I am pleased to say that my reports are all completed for this half year.
I have had some time to sculpt and start to try out new ideas. These are the 2 dolls I have in the works:
 
 
I learnt the fabric covering technique at the workshop. Learnt a few things in these experiments: can not have long thin necks or the neck set back too far from the chin ~ note to self for the next model.
I have painted the faces this morning and just waiting for them to dry. I'll take more photos this afternoon.

This is the doll I made in the workshop.

That's all from me at the minute. Hoping to finish my element challenge doll this afternoon and I am off to a Quilt and Craft fair tomorrow..................happy days!!

Hugs........................Leanne

Today was......................

the day Santa died in our house :-). DS informed me that he had looked up Santa in the dictionary and the definition confirmed his suspicions. Still I am thankful that we got to eleven years before the mystery disappeared. We've had a discussion about the magic of Christmas and all is good.

Hugs......................Leanne

A Little Catch up..................

I'm still here. Have been busy, busy, busy, unfortunately not so much with the sculpting. I am enjoying a couple of weeks long service leave and thought I would spend my days playing, but life has gotten in the way!!
I am heading to Melbourne tomorrow with my Mum and Dad to visit with my sister and her family and to do a doll workshop with world renowned artist Susie McMahon. You can see her work here:
http://susiemcmahondolls.blogspot.com.au/
and this is the doll I am going to create:

Despite all that however, I do have few things to show. In paperclay I have these three country raggies awaiting completion:

and I am working on this girl for an elements challenge:

I have made some pieces of fabric using solvy and textile art techniques to costume her.

I do have a confession to make though, I have gone to the dark side and have started working with polymer clay. I have a yearning to work in small scale and found the paperclay too clumsy for the finer detail. I recently completed a workshop with Bobbi Lambert and loved the result:

Currently refining the techniques learnt in the workshop and developing my own style: This is the direction I am heading in:

Love this style, so am going to continue to refine the techniques for this size. Think they will be fairies????
Looking forward to the Wanda the Witch workshop

with the Whimsie Mamma Christy Meyers over at Artful Gathering.

Okay, so that's where I am at, Melbourne here I come, but need yo get off here and pack

Laters...............................Leanne

Time Marches On......................

so quickly. Can't believe a month has passed since I last posted. Have been busy with work and have continued to experiment. Tried Darwi clay recently and love it ~ has become my new favourite and have also given glass eyes a go, jury still out on that one.

Finally decided it was time to stop experimenting and make a doll. The online group Cloth Doll Artistry currently has an elements challenge, so this was the inspiration I needed to get me going. I put all my recently learnt techniques in place ~ paperclay sculpted head painted with acrylics and watercolours, paperclay hands and boots. Settled on
"fire" as my inspiration element. Any way here she is so far:

 

None too elegantly jointed at the moment, a couple of long doll needles so I could get a bit of a feel for her. Have been busily creating a piece of  fabric using the solvy technique for her bodice. Planning a web type overlay for the skirt. Wish me luck, it looks really good in my head!!

Hugs.............................Leanne

Satisfaction.......................

I spent much of today trawling the net for more sculpting tutorials and videos. I found quite a few new ones, but there were 3 in particular that had little tips and tricks that I thought might assist me with getting the doll features just right. Armed with the videos, I headed to the studio this afternoon and started sculpting, and to my absolute amazement it all came together. I have 3 heads nearly sculpted. Two are still in need of eyes, but I have found it is better to add the eyes to a dry head. So, here come the girls:

Next I am going to experiment with glass eyes ~ thanks to the internet they are on order!! I recently learnt to paint facial features with watercolours, and I really prefer that to using acrylics, for a more realistic look, but think I need to give glass eyes a go, before I decide one way or another. Maybe I'll decide to use both????
Back to the studio.......................

Hugs..........................Leanne

Experimenting..............

the creative chaos of recent weeks has continued!! I have learnt so much in the online workshops I've been doing that I am now totally distracted by developing my own style for elegant dolls. This has been a week of experimentation and frustration. I have worked, reworked, tweaked and then discarded numerous bits, but last night after a day away from it all, things just went right and I am cautiously optimistic that I might nearly be there. I am really happy with the heads I have developed, finally got the body pattern sorted and know where I am going with the arms and hands. Only have to tackle feet, but pretty certain of where I am headed with those.

So, today I am hoping that it will all come together and by Monday I should have a doll that I am happy with, ready to be costumed. So, I'm outta here and off to make some hands and feet..........................

Hugs.....................Leanne

Creative chaos.................

is how I would describe things at the minute. This is my workspace tonight:

I love the whimsical look that I have developed for country style dolls, but have been wanting to develop a more realistic style, not necessarily anatomically correct, for a more elegant range of smaller dolls. As a result I have been working on an online workshop with Marlaine Verhelst for a couple of weeks. This class has been amazing as every time a step is completed, Marlaine critiques each individuals photos. I have learnt so much.The next workshop, with Marlaine staring in about a week, is a series of finishing off lessons.  Today I started an online workshop with Ankie Daanen. Both classes are being conducted by A for Artistic. Have started taking bits of what I have learnt and am beginning to develop my elegant style. So, today has been creatively chaotic ~ painting while clay bakes, sanding while paint dries...............................
I am heading to bed creatively satisfied and looking forward to continuing the journey tomorrow. So glad a holiday is looming as my head is spinning with ideas.....................

Hugs..............................Leanne

Introducing........................

Gloria the Good Witch

More photos and details can be found HERE

This has been a tough week. Still having trouble believing the events of last weekend are real. Keep looking at my DS and wondering what I would do if I was walking in my cousins shoes.......................

Hugs............................Leanne

A Sad Day............

in my part of the world. One of my cousins lost his 18 year old son in a motor vehicle accident this afternoon. It's been 13 years since our family has experienced such tragedy, but it certainly doesn't make it any easier. Still shocked by the whole event.

RIP

Joshua Michael Main

8.3.1994 ~ 18.3.2012

Forever Young

 Leanne

New Dolls........................

Bella and Bobbi

They'll be listed in my etsy shop tomorrow night.

Hugs.................................Leanne

Gloria the Good Witch...................

is my latest work in progress and my first ever witch:

Gloria's head and hands are sculpted from polymer clay, painted with acrylics, antiqued and sealed. Need to add the final details to her boots and some hair. Patiently waiting for an order of Tibetan lambskin to arrive ~ thinking burnt orange or grey.......................

Hugs..................................Leanne

Shelf Sitter.....................

challenge doll is finished and I am very pleased with the result

 Hugs..............................Leanne

Challenge Doll...................

The magazine Art Doll Quarterly conducts a doll challenge in each issue. The girls over at Cloth and Clay have a group who support each other in working towards the creation of a challenge doll. The current challenge is to create a shelf sitter doll. This is my shelf sitter in progress:

Head sculpted in polymer clay

Painted, antiqued and attached to body

Jointed

Body wrapped in sari silk and skirt of vintage laces

Bodice of vintage silk and velvet flowers

Close up

Now only her hair and wings to go. Waiting on some rusty wire items to arrive for her wings and I need to make some decisions for her hair.

Hugs.............................Leanne

Weekly Workspace Roundup.............

This was the view of my crafting table last Monday and unfortunately with the happenings of this week, the view hasn't changed:

Not much has happened, although the little doll does now have some trousers!! My shelf sitter challenge doll had a costume test run and I have sculpted a couple more heads in polymer clay.
Hoping for a more productive crafting week....................

Hugs.......................Leanne

R.I.P..............

Christina Murdoch Main 

(aka my grandma)

1.7.1924 - 7.2.2012

Memories of a wonderful grandma will be with me forever

Always loved.

Eeeeeeeeeek..........................

we're on Facebook!! Find us here:

Willy Nilly Whimsies

This will be interesting!! Being a teacher I have an aversion to Facebook, but can operate under my trading name without disclosing any personal details.

Hugs..........................Leanne

Update....................

Annabel and Elly have been moved to my etsy store and can be viewed here:

Willy Nilly Whimsies on Etsy


Hugs...................................Leanne

Annabel and Elly.....................

all done and listed on eBay!!
A quick peek:

 Follow the link to her listing:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/230738564662?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
More photos can be found under Available Art Dolls tab above.

Hugs.................................Leanne

Weekly Workspace Round up..........

this is a peek at what is sitting on my work table right now:

Yes, that is a bear you see. Finally assembled this fellow over the weekend. Still needs the finishing touches ~ claws, antiquing and embellishing. His companion is in desperate need of some clothing :-) There is also the beginnings of another doll. I may be a little time poor this week with work, but it will settle down soon enough.
Hugs.....................................Leanne

Happy Mail...................

these arrived and were waiting at the post office when I finished work:

Finally professionally printed swing tags and stickers from HERE. Thank you to Kate Mason for blogging about MOO.
The quality is outstanding, the cost was minimal (and included freight from the UK) and the service was exceptional. I placed my order on 11th Jan.
I'm a happy camper. Now to photograph Annabel, attach a tag and list her for sale.

Hugs...........................Leanne

Painted....................

my shelf-sitter that is:

I have had a lovely day playing, made the most of my last day of holidays. Back to work tomorrow. Not too distressed, have missed the social aspect of my work and I feel like I have accomplished a lot these holidays. I was floundering creatively, but now I feel like I am flourishing.

Hugs...........................Leanne