oh… hello there, bloggy pants!

yeah….finally finished richard! despite a never ending cold…& copious amounts of sleep depravation…i managed to complete this weird lil’ grey bun-bun! he’s of my current affections….clay over cloth….sportin’ a hand-knitted scarf (surprisingly those tiny needles actually gave me a callous!!)…& grandpa’s plaid pants! i say “finished”, but in reality i have to varnish all of them…& complete their paper tags…but in my head…they’re as good as done! here’s a pic of richard (don’t call him dick!) & a pic of one side of the studio wall in which these guys (&gals) are taking over!!:

anywho!….i hope everyone out there in cyberspace had a wonderful thanksgiving! ours was great! super low keyed, but awesome! i didn’t cook the standard fare…since i’m a seafood eatin’ vegetarian and all…& it was just hubby & i. i wound up making homemade crabcakes, homemade mac & cheese,asaparagus, a huge salad, & an apple pie…it was all i could muster in my sinus headache haze and lack of sleep! not to mention, i just needed some sort of comfort food…hence the mac & cheese!! hubby & i know everyday that we have numerous,numerous things to be thankful for…and there is honestly not a day goes by that we don’t acknowledge it in some way!!

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Technorati Tags: art, bunny, clay, cloth, doll, folk, outsider, paperclay, plush, rabbit

November 28th, 2009 | Tags: art, bunny, clay, cloth, doll, folk, outsider, paperclay, plush, rabbit | Category: Outsiders | Leave a comment

alrighty! i finally (almost) finished (just need to varnish!) this kitty doll. her name is lenore…& she’s sportin’ a ruffle-y shirt,capris,& mary jane’s with polka dot socks! lenore is my fourth clay over cloth doll…& i’m onto the fifth…along with the smaller pattern!

here’s good ole lenore:

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Technorati Tags: art, cat, clay, doll, folk, kitty, outsider, paperclay, plush

November 22nd, 2009 | Tags: art, cat, clay, doll, folk, kitty, outsider, paperclay, plush | Category: Outsiders | Leave a comment

i managed to sneak in some time to make the legs & arms for my new kitty doll this morning. i am overly ecstatic that little butter beans is FINALLY taking a nap! although i should be doing something like laundry,cooking,cleaning…or for pete’s sake getting some much needed sleep….i’ve been skipping all that & just focusing on crafty stuff whenever i have a butter’s free moment! it’s my sanity ya know?…& yesterday was a nap-free day! i’m wondering if it’s a growth spurt….she was not napping good…then for 2 weeks she was great…now back to the nap struggle! luckily, the little sweetpea that she is …doesn’t get too cranky…even when she’s been up waywayway longer than she should be! anywhoot…..here is the pic of kitty in progress:

i think (*hopefully*) sometime this afternoon or evening i may sketch up a small pattern & work on some tiny dolls…not sure if i should keep the body 2d…or get crazy 3d with it! we’ll see………

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Technorati Tags: art, cat, doll, folk, kitty, outsider, paperclay, plush, sculpture

November 19th, 2009 | Tags: art, cat, doll, folk, kitty, outsider, paperclay, plush, sculpture | Category: Outsiders | Leave a comment

okay….my second doll is named “abe”! abe sports a “smiths” t-shirt and red & white tube socks! he’s made from cloth & paperclay & painted with acrylics & a fabric marker. i have attached some yarn to the back so he can hang on the wall (i think he looks best hanging!). here’s some pics of abe:

now, my third doll is a boston terrier that i hope to auction off to raise money for the northeastern boston terrier rescue (in honor of my little lenny) …he’s made in much the same way as abe…& also has the yarn in the back to hang him!

if you’re interested in bidding on the boston…i’ll update this blog with all the pertinent info (i.e….when,where,how)….just know…you’d get a funky piece o’ art & contributing to a great cause all at the same time!!!

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Technorati Tags: art, boston terrier, doll, folk, outsider, paperclay, plush, sculpture

November 18th, 2009 | Tags: art, boston terrier, doll, folk, outsider, paperclay, plush, sculpture | Category: Outsiders | Leave a comment

it was a very sad weekend for us. we had to say goodbye to our beloved boston terrier, lenny. it was by far the worst decision we ever had to make….regardless of knowing it was for the best. his health deteriorated very badly…he was unable to walk at all and was suffering and crying out due to the pain. it was heart wrenching…& i’m still feeling his loss tremendously. he was a funny,stinky,snortin’,snoring dog that gave us many,many laughs over his 12.5 years of life.

*we love you hambone & always will!*

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Technorati Tags: boston terrier, loss of dog, rainbow bridge

November 16th, 2009 | Tags: boston terrier, loss of dog, rainbow bridge | Category: Outsiders | Leave a comment

Once again i had a stellar (albeit short!) weekend! Hubby watched the little butter beans for the majority of saturday nite & sunday…so i was able to complete my doll & even start a new test one! the new test doll is very small & will only have painted on limbs…very simplistic. i’m looking for some smaller projects that i can complete quicker & have that sense of completion i relish! here are pics of the completed larger doll…..

i didn’t wind up “antique” staining him…i wasn’t sure about it…i’ll try it on the smaller one i’m doing though! i also haven’t varnished him yet, but other than that he is all set to go. i also attached some yarn to the back to hang him from the wall! i’m also considering doing some all clay animals a a super small scale…we’ll see…not sure if i have the patience for “super small”! anywho….we also took miss butters on her first real outing to millbrook,ny. we went for a nice long walk in the stroller….she seemed to really enjoy it…& it was so beautiful out i didn’t want to come home!! i could have walked for miles! & on a really gross note….we found out that we ate mayonnaise from 2002!! yep…that’s right i said 2002!!! when we first moved in to the house we bought this mayo from a local grocery store/farmers market kinda place…& my mom made crabcakes with it…at that time we didn’t even notice (& i was 8 months pregnant at the time!!) but yesterday hubby went to make a sammich…& lo & behold something tasted funny! sure enuff, when he checked the date on the mayo jar he nearly vomited! 10 year old mayo! yippee!! so my friends…the moral to the story is …always always always be on the look out for 10 year old mayo!!

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Technorati Tags: art, clay, cloth, doll, folk, outsider, paperclay, plush, sculpture

November 9th, 2009 | Tags: art, clay, cloth, doll, folk, outsider, paperclay, plush, sculpture | Category: Outsiders | Leave a comment

well…i’ve managed to sneak in some time to work on my “test” clay over cloth “doll”! I’ve been pretty lucky the last few days with the little one taking a morning nap for an hour …so it gives me just enough time to have some coffee and add a few layers of the face! here’s a pic of him so far:

i wound up starting him before i found an informative online class at  cloth & clay dolls…..so needless to say…i didn’t gesso him first like i should have! fortunately, the clay adhered and did not crack….(maybe because i used canvas instead of muslin?). he’s a bit funky…which is fine by me! ….& i still have to gesso, sand a bit, & paint him! i’ll post finished pics once he’s complete…which at this rate..probably won’t be until next week! on another note…..i’ve been completely obsessed with Anthropologie lately…well…more than usual that is! i’m not sure if it’s my longing for the city (& my old rituals & haunts) or just the mere fact that i can wear other things besides ugly ass maternity clothing! i’ve been stalking their online sale section….however it’s not as good or as fun as visiting the stores…yes…that’s right i used to go from the rockerfeller center store to the one off of union square just for their sale sections! i think the one off of union square is really the best! anyway…i’m not back to pre-pregnancy shape yet (ugh!)…so although i did purchase a few long tunic sweaters & one super cute capey- type bobbly sweater thing (aren’t i descriptive?!!) i keep oogling shoes & boots! i added these brown boots to my collection by miz mooz:

and also this purse that i wanted pre sale…but had a feeling it would go down in price (glad i waited!):

this bag is by schuler & sons philadelphia. it’s a nice soft supple leather & the color is perfect….sort of a greenish grey…nuetral enough to go with any color! I also think it will be large enough to use as a diaper bag/purse…so i can at least get some use out of it!  it’s called the “hushed hue” bag & if ya hurry…ya might just catch one before they disappear!

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Technorati Tags: anthropologie, art, clay, cloth, doll, folk, outsider, paperclay, plush, sculpture

November 7th, 2009 | Tags: anthropologie, art, clay, cloth, doll, folk, outsider, paperclay, plush, sculpture | Category: Outsiders | Leave a comment

well….i had a pretty good sunday! i managed to get some consecutive sleep in on saturday night *thanx to hubby*! it’s been pretty grueling as far as sleep is concerned the past few weeks! for some unknown reason i am having the hardest time getting the little one to nap during the day! & then i am now partially an insomniac due to my wacky sleep schedule! ugh! anywho…at least sunday i felt quasi-human! not to mention, the three of us took a beautiful country drive….got some good coffee…& really great vegan tamales! then when we got home…hubby took over the baby shift…& i holed myself up in the studio for the remainder of the evening & then some (although i probably should of been sleeping!)! i couldn’t help myself, really. it has been ages since i had a creative thought/desire…/& it came to me the other night in one of my insomia fits! i really wanted to try to make cloth dolls ….combined with paper clay. i’m hoping this is going to give me a more detailed representation of my drawings than needle felting does. anywho…i managed to create a pattern based on a doodle i had laying around the studio…& made a test doll…i really really need to buy muslin…i wound up using canvas from a huge roll that i had for ages…but i believe the weave is too loose and causes the stitches to pull out…so it’s not too pretty around the seams… especially where i ladder stitched …but at least now i know! anyway…i’ll be adding the face with clay…hopefully at some point today…provided i can get the little one off to slumber for a few hours….i’m keeping my fingers crossed!!!

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Technorati Tags: 425sqftart, bear, doll, outsider, paperclay, plush

November 3rd, 2009 | Tags: 425sqftart, bear, doll, outsider, paperclay, plush | Category: Outsiders | Leave a comment

wow! it’s been ages since i posted anything! …but i am going to do my best to keep up with the blog & other crafty projects! anywhoot…..our little one has since arrived & she is the best! erich & i are just over the moon for her! as a matter o’ fact….she just had her 5 week check up & is already up to 11lbs 6oz & 24 inches long! i can’t believe it! it’s so hard to believe that gigantic kid was in my belly….which would probably explain all the sharp jabs to my insides…she had to be soooo squished in there! geez! well…i have relisted items in the shop…and i’ll continue to add to it from time to time …depending how much i can get accomplished with the little one around! here’s a pic of the sleepin’ butter beans:

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October 30th, 2009 | Category: Outsiders | Leave a comment