Susie Heads

Kathleen Lynette Mack's beautiful paperclay head in her Maida blog inspired me to get the foil and paperclay out to practice Susie McMahon's technique.  The foil armature is so important and for me it's always the back of the head that lets me down - I keep forgetting that there is a skull behind the face and end up creating flat heads.  So following the saying "practice, practice, practice" I've created 5 armatures - all looking like silver Christmas baubles at the moment, with the intention of paperclaying over the weekend.  Will they be Izannah's or just little heads????? ........... only time and my fingers will tell. 

P.S. I'm using Susie's "Sculpting A Head In Air Dry Clay" booklet, which I think she still has for sale on her etsy, as my guide - it really is very good.

Izanna Inspired

It's been a while since my last Izannah inspired doll, so I've made 2, plus a Queen Anne inspired sweetie. 

Mary, the older of the three is seated and wearing a red dress and little Iris is seated beside her.  Is it me or do Izannah's tend to the more serious side?  Alice is my first attempt at a Queen Anne inspired doll, and she is wearing her Sunday best, made from an antique table cloth (well beyond it's use-by date).

Little Iris is finished so she is now up for adoption on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330654050602 if you would like to take a look.

The other little ladies still have a little work to be done on them but hopefully ready just after Christmas.

Finished Heads

I finally finished the two little heads I created about a month ago - they're christmas presents, so thank goodness I didn't leave it till the last minute!  I created a simple pattern for these two and boy did they come out differently - position of their heads, not to mention their features.

On top of that I was able to finish 8 of these little ladies (plus a dozen stars) for a local shop that specialises in local handmade items.  I've named these Leura Ladies, and unfortunately I didn't take photos of all of them.  Two were so sweet with their red caps and red and white bathers.  Next time.  They're only small, about 4 inches, but I tried to capture as much detail as possible in small a piece.  I've hand drawn each face and hand painted them using acrylics - no stencils or printed images here!  I just love painting faces - getting each to look different is such a buzz. 

Just a Little Excited

The Stitching Post in Katoomba will be supplying my pattern for a Jester Pin Cushion I created in 2009 so I'm a "little" excited.  Click here if you'd like a peak!  http://www.thestitchingpost.com.au/dolls-linda-searle-dolls-c-2_17_497.html 

Settling In!!

Well, my first blog in a very long time and first blog in our new home, in a new state!

My last blog was all about getting ready for the big move back to Sydney ............. which has happened.  We've moved to Leura in the Blue Mountains, which is approx 1hr and half hours west of Sydney.  It's a lovely place, surrounded by world heritage listed forests and olde worlde charm.  But it's not Tasmania ....... so I miss all of my wonderful friends down there, and Tassie's beauty, and wonderful way of life.

Our house is a 1920's cottage which has been renovated nicely, and the garden is full of old camelias, rhododendrens, azaleas, the odd rose and every garden bed on the 1200 sqm block covered in ivy, so we've got a lot of gardening to do!

Between bouts of ivy digging I've managed to get back into dolly making on a small scale. It's been such a long time since I did any sewing/painting/paperclaying that I've decided to warm up my fingers by working on small, easy designs.  I've started a couple of heads which will become Christmas presents for friends ............... they have a small amount of needle sculpting on their faces, and then painted using acrylics.



and a little white star I've made from vintage linens.  The face has been separately painted using acrylics and I've then sewn it onto the star.  The star is one of 6 I will be making to list in ebay/etsy (not sure yet), as Christmas ornaments.   I'll let you know what I decide.